Chapter 43: Self-Destruct Protocol
Jenner pointed at the countdown hanging on the wall and looked at everyone.
"Do you know what this is?"
Jenner didn't wait for an answer. He explained, "When this countdown reaches zero, the entire CDC will activate its self-destruct protocol and detonate."
"What?"
Everyone cried out in alarm, quickly looking down at the floor, their expressions especially shocked.
Especially Lori. She hugged Carl and looked at Jenner pleadingly. "Isn't there any way to stop the CDC from self-destructing?"
Jenner shook his head. "The CDC will definitely self-destruct."
"The CDC stores the world's most terrible viruses. If they leak out, it won't be any better than the walker virus."
"Oh my God!"
Lori's legs went weak. She looked at the confused Carl. She didn't know what to do anymore. Why was it that everywhere they went, that place would be destroyed?
Rick looked at Jenner angrily. "So you planned to take us to hell with you from the start?"
Seeing Jenner nod, Rick could hardly believe Jenner was so selfish, arbitrarily deciding others' fates.
"At the time, I thought living in the apocalypse was far worse than dying." Jenner explained plainly. He faced the accusations in their eyes very calmly. If he dared to do it, he wasn't afraid of being called out.
"Then why did you suddenly have a change of heart and let us go?"
Rick steadied his mind, then realized something was off, and asked.
"Because I don't want to die anymore."
Jenner spread his hands. "Caesar has already recruited me to help him research a vaccine. He'll ensure I don't worry about food or drink. Even if I can't live like before the apocalypse, basic living guarantees definitely won't be lacking."
"What?" Rick's mouth fell open. He really hadn't expected that Caesar, who hadn't even arrived yet, had somehow recruited Jenner from so far away.
And Caesar had actually kept his word. Back at the quarry, Caesar had said he wanted to research a vaccine.
Thinking of this, Rick also understood why Caesar had sent Tate—it was completely different from his own assumptions.
Caesar wanted researchers to save the world from the apocalypse, while he'd imagined Caesar as a raider who took advantage of people's misfortune to plunder their supplies.
Rick blamed himself while listening to Jenner explain.
"Tate, mm, very friendly in letting me communicate with Caesar." Jenner's expression was hard to describe, but the others with even more complicated feelings had no mind to notice Jenner's expression.
"Then I agreed to join Caesar's team. They'll arrive at the CDC today."
"Perhaps after we finish moving the experimental equipment and so on, the CDC will be completely uninhabited."
Jenner looked around the central control room. It was as if the days with his colleagues were vivid before his eyes. Unfortunately, they... he still didn't know if they were dead or alive.
A trace of sadness flashed in Jenner's eyes. Then, as if suddenly remembering something, he spoke to everyone.
"By the way, I forgot to tell you."
Rick and the others raised their heads to look at Jenner.
"You're all infected with the walker virus."
Jenner's words struck like a thunderbolt, hitting everyone. They instantly froze in place.
Rick was the first to react. He abruptly stood up and approached Jenner. "Is what you're saying true?"
Jenner looked into Rick's eyes. His serious expression told Rick he wasn't joking.
"I collected your blood samples. Your blood all contains the walker virus. You could say every person in the world is infected with the walker virus."
"As long as you die, whether bitten to death by walkers or dying from illness, you'll become a walker."
"From now on, humanity will have to struggle with the walker virus for a long time."
Rick looked at his own hands. So even after death, he couldn't have peace?
He turned his head to look at Lori. Lori was holding Carl, crying heartbreakingly. She couldn't believe her child was also infected with the walker virus.
This thing was like a bomb lurking in the human body. Although it wouldn't suddenly detonate, it always made people fear.
Especially when this happened to your own child.
Lori was a woman with very strong maternal instincts. Her maternal nature was so strong that for her child, she could sacrifice other people's lives, including her own.
Jenner watched the gloomy atmosphere settle over everyone. He stepped out of the central control room. He couldn't help but think about when Caesar arrived at the CDC.
Rick would tell him that everyone was infected with the walker virus. Caesar's expression would definitely be very shocked.
Good thing he hadn't told Caesar in advance. Jenner thought secretly.
Deliberately concealing it for a while wouldn't really gain him any benefits, but Jenner felt it at least let him win back one round from Caesar.
Moreover, this news could temporarily demonstrate to Caesar that he did have certain research capabilities.
Afterward, the remaining members of Rick's group were grief-stricken, shrinking into their rooms to digest the news they'd just learned.
No one even made lunch. No one ate.
It was just like returning to those days when only Jenner kept lonely watch.
Jenner was in a good mood. He made himself a proper lunch and returned to his room for a good nap.
The CDC was terribly silent, except for two people continuously arguing in Rick's room.
Carl had long since been sent to Jacqui by Lori. Lori and Rick kept arguing.
"Why don't you want to go to Caesar's ranch?"
Rick really couldn't understand Lori's thought process. Right now, the most likely path to survival was going to Caesar's ranch.
"Why should we go to Caesar's ranch?" Lori's attitude was very firm. "We can establish our own force. We still have Jacqui and the others."
"Jacqui?" Rick laughed once. He couldn't help but lament Lori's naivety. "Jacqui and the others followed us to the CDC."
"It was for the so-called vaccine. Now they know there's no vaccine, no illusory hope. Only Caesar's ranch can let them survive."
"They won't follow us away from the CDC. They'll follow Caesar and his people."
Rick understood clearly what Jacqui and the others were thinking. Before, they'd just retained some fantasy about the peacetime era, thinking what if there was a vaccine—wouldn't they be able to live peacetime lives?
The fantasy bubble had burst. It was time to return to reality. Caesar was their best choice.
Lori paused for a while, then raised her head again. "Then we can stay at the CDC. After they all leave, we can use the CDC to gather people."
Just as Rick was about to refute, Lori explained herself. "I know the CDC needs power. We can go find diesel."
"Atlanta is so big. I don't believe there isn't enough diesel."
After a long silence, Lori finally quieted down. Only then did Rick continue speaking.
"Lori, calm down."
"There won't be enough diesel to maintain the CDC."
"We need to consider reality."