Doctor Hillman sat back in his oversize tattered chair calculating the next step of his complex plan. He knew that for absolute success and victory, he would need to create train and grow his army in total secrecy. When he realized that he was the only one that can infect a healthy host, it Added to the complexity to the strategy. This definitely would indeed be a lengthy process. When he used the Genesis Strain on himself and then his four colleagues, it was a great set back when the other four were not able to spread the virus. He decided to use what little he had of the serum to manipulate and use an accelerate to spread the virus quicker. The set back was a monumental obstacle but he was determined to complete the goal. First, to overtake the eastern seaboard, then move west one city at a time starting here in Baltimore Maryland and from a smaller cell close to D.C. Though it was apparent that Doctor Hillman' was not happy with his new challenge to his plans, he was at least satisfied that the other four Physicians infected at least had increased strength like he did, and the intelligence. but not the ability to infect others. The doctor was the sole carrier of the genesis strain, the only one that can spread the infection.
The pure essence to the success of his plans was to increase his ranks at the same time keeping his army well fed with flesh, preferably human. They were the food supply as well as the recruits. Granted they could eat anything breathing, but humans were the preferred food source. They just provided a different level of satisfaction. The process was simple, then detain and evaluate, determine if they were to be part of the ranks or food supply. Whatever served the cause. An interesting dilemma filling your ranks with the same thing that was actually your food source. For his plan to be executed successfully, his plan had to be under extreme secrecy. One bad photo linked to someone's home page on a social network and it would create a buzz that would be extremely difficult to contain. Social Media may very well be the doctors most sophisticated adversary.
Other than the limitations of the infection spreading at a rapid pace, things were moving along according to schedule. The other doctors though transformed, continued their research even though this time, the motivation was different, this time the research was to replicate the same strain that turned the doctor into a carrier and because they had to start basically from scratch, they had pros and con they had to deal with. First, they had no resources, their supplies and equipment were either purchased by illegal funds or stolen from the corporations that had the equipment available. This proved to slow the process down as well, But thanks to the new recruits that were infected by Doctor Hillman , they had a very large amount of test subjects, This in a way, was the only thing that hastened their progress. The arrangement was a perfect storm if maneuvered correctly.
Doctor Vanessa Di Maria was the Doctors most trusted and reliable assistant - her intelligence rivaled his and since the transformation She had turned out to be the most ruthless of the three. Which raised the question as to why did such an extreme change take effect to the female doctor when, before this all began she was happy, and mild and very much dedicated to her work. The other doctors had had changes in their personality, but none to the point of the Female doctor. The Doctor looked at her from across the room as she compiled her data on the stolen Mac and could not help but to feel a sense of pride as a father would feel for his daughter. It seemed as though she could sense the eyes on her and Doctor Di MAria looked up at the doctor. Her face was cold with death and her eyes were like black pits sitting on a bed of grey midst. She paused for the briefest of moments and the left corner of her mouth curled Into a sinister smile. She looked away and then turned back to her work .."proud indeed " the Doctor thought to himself.
The warehouse on the shipping yard that was now the hideout and the staging ground on the Baltimore Bay. It was the perfect place to launch his plan. There was another building 5 miles away that would also serve as the 2nd stage area for the attack of this major metropolitan area. He did not need weapons or technology to do it. Since the infected had increased strength, They would only need brute strength, a force multiplied a thousand times to achieve success. And by the time a tactical response can be organized, 7 major cities would be his. By the time the National Guard were mobilized, it would be too late. There Would be another 4 cities overrun at that point. It would be a united front that would be unstoppable. The idea filled the doctors unbeating heart with a warmth like no other. So calculating.
This building that was being occupied now by Doctor Hillman was perfect to orchestrate the attack. Out of the way and cornered off with plenty of trespassing signs to keep everyone at bay and those who did not were dealt with appropriately, recruits or food. The homeless proved to be quite valuable in filling the ranks of his undead army. He found that they made the best recruits. They swelled the ranks and they seem to be coming in droves, as if summoned. Once infected, they were extremely loyal. They would play a major role in his primary assault. The main force. The others infected were coming along nicely as well. From the office in the abandoned warehouse he could see all of his army of undead, supernatural strength and a thirst for death. They were fearless and unstoppable. The Doctor was looking forward to what they were capable of doing. One Homeless person in particular stood out from the rest. His name was Ernie. That's what he had told the doctor before he was changed. Ernie was a black man in his forties and was a happy homeless man. He found peace in the simplicity of being homeless. To be clothed and an occasional hot meal and bath and he was content. There was however something that he was missing. After losing his job in the financial industry, he had lost everything and was not able to recover. His downward spiral found him in the situation of homelessness, but eventuality he found joy in his simple situation, but there was still a sense of emptiness. When the doctor found him and changed him, in some odd way he felt complete. He wanted to be part of something bigger that himself and now he was.
The doctor saw Ernie as his commander to the masses of his undead army. The Doctor of course commanded the army with the mental link he shared with them once he had infected them and they were basically an extension of him, a hive consciousness, but he needed control for smaller operations that needed some level of independent thinking . The Doctor and Ernie walked toward each other. " We are awaiting your orders. They are ready." Ernie said. His voice was deep yet soft and all powerful. Doctor Hillman stood in front of Ernie and nodded his head."Good. I will add a few more bodies to the masses and then it will be time to execute the first phase of the plan. Soon this city will be ours and we will be unstoppable."
"Yes master." Ernie acknowledge as The Doctor turned away and walked away.
The warehouse was extremely large. There was a wide space on the floor level and small rooms on the side of the structure. These rooms were used as containment cells for the captured and infected or processed for food when it was time. The rooms looked as if they had been constructed after the building was built to accommodate offices for employees. The main office that was located on the southern corner of the warehouse was high up in the corner and could over see the entire floor. With only a flight of stairs to access it, only the Doctors went up there. He found himself up there quite often so that he can survey the floor and the size of his undead army. It gave him a sense of pride. Right beneath the elevated office was the room he had just come out of with the other Doctors. As the doctor walked across the floor, and through all the infected, he felt what he would describe as content in regards to the progress of his plan. He could almost taste the victory.
The doctor reached the other side of the warehouse and came up to a hall that lead to the docking side of the warehouse. The hall was about 25 yards parallel to the water on the dock side. With the waterside to his left and the open floor space to his right the Doctor walked halfway down the hall and stopped in front of a refrigeration unit. He opened the door to the industrial size refrigerator and was immediately hit by a potent smell of rotted fish. An indication of what the refrigeration unit was used for. The smell was intense ,especially with his increased sense of smell. But the other scent is what the Doctor was most intrigued by, even more by where the scent originated from, his prisoner.
The unit was cold and damp. The smell of the fish was overpowering. The aroma of the mold from the water and the old freon made it an unpleasant experience to say the least. In the very back of the dark room a figure could barely be made out. It was the figure of a man. The Doctor could hear his breathing. It was labored and deep. His slow movement made the chains that he was attached to slide in the floor making a metal on metal scraping the ground. The man moved into the little bit of light that was in the room. He was chained, and the chains were bolted to the ground. There was a thick rope tied around his neck and that was connected around his torso and then tied to his ankles. This made mobility for the captive limited, leaving him in a crouching position. The prisoner was of athletic build. Young , about 6ft. tall and about 240 lbs. Lean and muscular and helpless. Despite his bondage, the man still attempted to to be free of them. Doctor walked toward him cautiously. There was apprehensiveness in his approach, As if approaching a hungry lion. "can you hear me young man?" The Doctor ask, not really looking for an answer. He actually answered for him."I Know you can, It is extraordinary that you can even move with the cocktail of drugs that we have put in your system, which reminds me..." the doctor reached under the back of his shirt and pulled out a large tranquilizer pistol. ".. I have your next treatment here." He held the gun to his side. " You are a remarkable creature. Your blood analysis came back and it is like nothing I have ever seen. What are you and where did you come from? " The Doctor paused. " I doubt that you will answer that. That is fine, you will eventually. Your test showed remarkable potential. I am interested in what that potential is. And there lies my conundrum, I can infect you and make you a an obvious deadly weapon. Or grind you up and feed you to the masses piece by piece and see what it does to my ranks. Ahhh the possibilities. Exciting." He paced to the side of the prisoner. "The last set of blood work will help me determine what my decision will be. So many questions. Why were you here? What were you hiding from? Regardless , you could be the most potent weapon in my arsenal." The Doctor was pacing with anticipation. "Victory will be mine, but what Doctors and I have found in you DNA will literally guarantee our success. You should be flattered. You will bring on the Alpha and the Omega in the next scale of human evolution by initiating its extinction, you young man are going to play a major role in that. You must admit that that has to give you some sense of exhilaration?" the chained man ,in his crouched position looked up toward the direction of the doctor. His eyes were red with an untapped rage that was looking to burst through his body and started to pull against his bond and it in the darkness of the room it appeared as though the captives bonds would not be able to hold him. A deep growl came from deep inside the man and formed into words " The only "feeling" that I will be looking forward to is the joy of ripping you to...SHREDS !! " the man began to place a massive amount of force against his bondage and Roared.
The doctor took a step back at the display. "Impressive..." The Doctor proclaimed, he raised the tranquilizer gun and aimed, " but you lack vision." the Doctor fired the Dart into the center of the prisoners forehead, dead center and after a brief struggle the captive slumped over unconscious. "vision indeed."
The Doctor left the refrigeration unit and was back in the hall, the doctor slipped out one of the slide doors and found himself outside by the water. a cat ran across his path and he realized that he had not eaten in a few days. He would rectify that today. he took a moment to bask in the magnificence of the pure grandeur of his plan. He turned around and walked back into the building. He did not notice that 15ft above the door that he walked through, the red flashing light coming from a dart antennae transmitting the information from the warehouse to a dark figure in a small water craft 500 yards offshore.