Ground Zero: The infection that ended society. How Did it Start?

[j0be]

If the virus had a delay to it, I have an awesome plausible transmission method. I saw this awful/awesome scifi movie a long time ago (can't remember much about it) where a biological virus was released in a flight attendants lounge in an airport. These flight attendants were traveling all over the world, and this allows the virus to travel with them.

[j0be]

If you think that the infection can be in all these locations in a manner of a few days with out separate outbreaks, then we may have a serious problem...

There is reasons to think this plausible. If you knock out all the stops except the western most to the eastern most, and set the directions to walking, the miles are only 2800 miles. In 5-1 we learn that they can run up to 50 mph. I forget the exact chapter, but I believe it was Kalani also mentioned that they didn't get tired swimming between islands. Boil that down to 2800mi/50mph = 2.3 days. Semi-plausible if you ask me.

[Eviebae]

The airborne virus is kinda a no go in my books. If it was then people would be infected in the streets randomly, but it seems like all of the infections were from fluid exposure. The dormant virus that then erupted seems a good idea as the Hawaiian Zombies seem "kinda meaner" this implies a variation in the zombie virus, possibly leading to different basic zombie types. What I would kinda of like to know is how the different "special" zombies "evolved" there is a possiblity that they may just be mutant zombies, however they could be "older" zombies that were infected prior to the outbreak (? and research on / mutated by someone ?) and then released during the outbreak. The Big Ones would have to eat a large amount of flesh to get to the size that they are judging by the description of them and this would mean that they were either very fat buggers or ate a lot of corpses (or possibly other zombies?). I mean you can't just generate muscle mass and they have to eat something and i don't exactly see them drinking protein shakes..

The big guys being the earliest infected seems like a good idea. I was also thinking they had eaten other zombies and got more of a mutagen load that way. They seem the predators of the "new" food chain. That would explain why the regular zombies run from them unless their fearless leader is there.


One tentative theory I have is that if was a biological attack, one way to save on clean up is by having the zombies turn on each other when the food supply dries up. The zombies that survive are bigger and eventually can't sustain their bulk and starve (like the water zombies).

Another one is that it was an experimental gene therapy meant to cure mental illness that got out of hand. The smarter zombies were actually more mentally ill. I like that idea so much I'm almost hoping that's not the case.

I'm sort of expecting the Skittles to have been one of the researchers or terrorists.

[cycogod]

kinda goin down the 12 Monkeys movie storyline. it's man made -

[Teethingbiscuit]

Funny, I thought of the original short story of "I am Legend".

[HaveCrowBarWillTravel]

Muffins,

All you need is multiple labs or global tech partners/sub labs. All running the same security protocols in the containment areas. Let's just say the same contractor was awarded the contract for that Bio Tech firm. So, everywhere you have a lab, you have that same contractor responisble for all non physical security measures..
You get a hacker or group of hackers to release a virus and it opens all the rooms the patients are in.. they run amok all at the same time.
A biological attack can be pulled off simultaneously and transnationally, but the logistics to do so, are damn near impossible.
An electronic signal is the most probably way because distance has no effect on it.
Flight attendents aren't going to reach each country at the same time due to distance and flight times. Germany is an 8 hour flight from NYC, Italy is around 10 hours, reaching Asia from the LA is around 11 hours and reaching the middle east from NYC is even longer.. At the rate they turn, the planes would be "landing" with everyone dead or undead except the pilots.

[Funny Muffins]

2800mi/50mph = 2.3 days[/URL]. Semi-plausible if you ask me.

Assuming that they had orders from their leader, (first infected vampire/hive mind control) to set off for Florida without ever stopping to eat/kill/encircle everyone they meet along the way.

New theory: Zombies feel pain (hiding/blocking), they sleep (Ch.2), then why wouldn't they get tired?

Everyone can walk a mile, how many can sprint a mile all out?
INK (For those thickheaded doubters) "Pinstripe" was able to run away from the tower at what some people believe to be almost 90 miles per hour. Last I checked Michael was still human, and could have called out a varying distance or best yet should we verify the math used resulting in such a speed. Ill start working on the velocity later on..

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The big guys being the earliest infected seems like a good idea. I was also thinking they had eaten other zombies and got more of a mutagen load that way. They seem the predators of the "new" food chain. That would explain why the regular zombies run from them unless their fearless leader is there.


One tentative theory I have is that if was a biological attack, one way to save on clean up is by having the zombies turn on each other when the food supply dries up. The zombies that survive are bigger and eventually can't sustain their bulk and starve (like the water zombies).

Another one is that it was an experimental gene therapy meant to cure mental illness that got out of hand. The smarter zombies were actually more mentally ill. I like that idea so much I'm almost hoping that's not the case.

I'm sort of expecting the Skittles to have been one of the researchers or terrorists.

Explain your end of the world Skittles terror plot!
DO IT!
=====
Eviebae seems like you nailed it there with the increased mutagen intake from say cannibalism of zombies that may trigger serious changes in the genetic makeup of said infected being ultimately leading to behemoths. Multiplying the effects of the infection for example might lead to more aggressive/faster metabolizing monsters.
I'm sure the infected realize that the behemoths are eating masheens and stay away from them as the big baddies will most likely agro on anything that moves/makes noise/looks like food.
(Think Gear of War style Berserkers!)

*EDIT* The water infected are regular infected, just swimming for food.
Odds are they do starve just like anything else once it has exhausted it's food source.
Humans, they are the only real important resource left in this world of KC's.
Food/Water/Weapons will be around in various forms (animals live=food for life)

Gene modification to mental patients?!
Holy crap, good idea.
Question is would they conduct crazy gene therapy on INK just after trail?
Question two, would you see him as patient zero?
==========

Funny, I thought of the original short story of "I am Legend".

Oh snaps!
It is kinda like that, in the cinema version the dog changed thought.
Scary thoughts there!
===

Muffins,
All you need is multiple labs or global tech partners/sub labs. All running the same security protocols in the containment areas. An electronic signal is the most probably way because distance has no effect on it.
Flight attendants aren't going to reach each country at the same time due to distance and flight times. Germany is an 8 hour flight from NYC, Italy is around 10 hours, reaching Asia from the LA is around 11 hours and reaching the middle east from NYC is even longer.. At the rate they turn, the planes would be "landing" with everyone dead or undead except the pilots.

I have this vision of a pilot and copilot of a major airline landing in some random airport and opening the door without checking for skin munchers first, I considered that but one plane full of monsters might be containable after say 11 hours to prepare from someplace like LA.
I think the simultaneous release from multiple labs (bombs/patient zeros?) seems most logical.
One location in one place leaving the entire world infected is such a stretch for me right now.

Hackers eh?
That would be a new angle I haven't considered.
Good work Crow!

[HaveCrowBarWillTravel]

Yep, Hackers. I originally thought about one hacker, but a group of activists in multiple states and countries could all hit the "button" for an attack at the same time with an email or chat room function. They'd use Zulu time for their time hack, so they're not dealing with time zones.
Once the time hit, then they launch the virus to shut down the facilities. The patients restraints pop, the doors unlock, and they get'ta chomping and kill'n. The facility is wide open and overrun in minutes, then they're out in the streets having lunch.
Someone may ask, "why would hackers do that?"
I say that maybe they noticed homeless people getting kidnapped from the streets...or family members going in for treatment, but turn up dead.....OR, better yet, you have a group of people who are "followers" of Ink ala Charles Manson or Aum Shinrikyo.

[Funny Muffins]

So should we press into the idea of Radon Labs being the Umbrella Corp. of the show?
Having multiple labs around the world and so on..
Still pretty early on to guess at this stuff, but eventually we may be rewarded with finding out we were correct way back when...

I still hold hope that some evil empire isn't behind this...

[HaveCrowBarWillTravel]

Well, I've been reading the USAID Field Operations Guide for the last 2 hours because my workstation was down for 6 of my 10 hour day. I have to say I can't wait to see what KC comes up with.. IF, he chooses to explain it at all.