A lot can change in a month. San Lazaro was a modern, attractive city, popular for its West Coast location and diverse population of 1 million people. It was also the epicenter of a cybernetic tech revolution that had impacted virtually everyone on the planet. The winter of 2050 seemed like any other in recent times, when another strain of avian flu emerged in Europe and Asia, starting yet another pandemic. Within a couple of weeks, the virus had reached the coastal cities of the United States. When the first cases emerged, state and local governments immediately enacted quarantine and isolation rules to contain the virus and, having practiced this many times by then, local residents stocked up and hunkered down for the eventual vaccine or cure. Elite teams of scientists around the country and world were already hard at work modifying a vaccine from the pandemic a few years earlier, promising a new one within months.

But, by Day 5, even with the lockdown, hospital ICUs in the city were still overrun with patients, and the National Guard and local military forces were called in. Emergency medical personnel were summoned from across the country to assist with this unprecedented crisis. Rumors started on the dark web about this not being a flu, but, actually, something worse, and that the government was covering up the truth. The unrest caused by these rumors grew, the federal government decided to limit communication by enforcing an information blackout in and out of San Lazaro; only officially sanctioned broadcasts could be made, despite media objections. Even so, rumors were spreading, and some residents began to flee the city.

On Day 10 came the first sightings of what are now known as CyMS — Cyber-Memetic Sociopaths — individuals who roamed the streets in a preoccupied, almost catatonic state, then suddenly attacked anyone or anything in the vicinity. Nobody was sure of the precise cause, but these previously normal individuals were somehow transformed into rabid predators. The mainstream media quickly blamed the situation on violence in virtual reality video games, but many independent news sources suggested something more sinister. Curfews were implemented and frequent street checkpoints installed. Still, confusion and fear gripped San Lazaro — and the attacks continued.

Day 14: With the CyMS population on the loose and rapidly growing, the authorities could not contain the situation anymore. Overnight, they simply withdrew and isolated the city, seemingly conceding defeat. The federal government evacuated law enforcement, military, administrative and medical personnel. On top of that, it mysteriously cut all power, completely shut down the internet within the city and erected blockades around the city. A hard perimeter was established — no one was allowed in or out of San Lazaro. No one understood why that was necessary, but, for a short period of time, the CyMS population seemed to stabilize.

On Day 16, thousands of residents observed military aircraft flying over the city, releasing an unknown airborne agent. National and international media questioned the Air Force and other official bodies, but no answers came. Nothing could penetrate the physical and information blockade. Any unauthorized drones, cars, boats or planes were turned away or shot down. The outside world could find out nothing of what was transpiring within San Lazaro, and residents couldn’t get any information out or appeal for help. Escapees were foiled by the physical barriers and what came to be known as the “Entropic Disruptor,” an invisible shield that could literally shut down any lifeform or machine within its field.

By Day 23, the CyMS had started multiplying again, quickly taking over entire neighborhoods of San Lazaro. The dead now numbered in the thousands. The embattled residents heard countless theories about what caused normal people to turn into rampaging killers — and, now, they faced those killers alone. The city was running solely on its vast arrays of solar power now, but that was not enough to maintain the entire city grid, so vast swaths of the city went dark, although a number of homes and businesses with private solar panels installed could maintain a semblance of a normal life.

Day 28: Rioting and violent crime were rampant across the lawless, untended city, adding to the violence that the CyMS had already brought. By this time, there were more CyMS on the streets than normal residents. Nobody risked venturing out at night, and even daytime could be dangerous. Strength could only be found in numbers, and residents began to band together to survive.

Memories of the old city have already faded. San Lazaro is a different place; a perilous place. Some have adjusted quickly, and their sole aim is survival. Others hold out hope that a return to normalcy is possible. One thing is for certain for everyone trapped in San Lazaro: Their city and their lives will never be the same again.

Next Story: 2. Prelude - Anna’s Story