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NOTE D4: One of the reanimated soldiers (Private Zachery Bloom) displayed characteristics typical of the R2’s

NOTE D5: Staff Sergeant Linda Czerkowski did not reaniht hours Samples of her blood, tissue, and brain matter were collected and are in dry ice, bin 119

Conclusions:

I think we can put to rest the debate as to whether the Reaper pathogen has mutated

We have been able to isolate fairly pure exa theet back to Sanctuary

The sequencer at Hope 1 is on the fritz again, so we have been unable to sequence the DNA, either of the parasite or these newto mutate There is no way at this point to kno many new strains of the disease are active within the reanie the lifting of the communication ban Without open discussions with colonies of survivors, ill never be able to amass a reliable body of inforh, and it is imperative that we establish the location and spread of new Reaper strains

I aravely concerned about the R3 variations Does this mutation occur only in new reanimates? If not, is there a possibility it could spread to the existing population of R1’s? It’s doubtful we could survive a catastrophe of that nitude

I believe we should put five to ten more field teams in play before the end of January The sooner we can verify this information and collect data, the better

Postscript: There are reports, as yet unverified by our tea in clusters This seees I believe it would be prudent to investigate this Perhaps Captain Ledger and his rangers would be best suited for this

There was more of it, but what they had just read was aler?" echoed Benny "Hey, I know himIHer eyes were closed and she swayed for a ed to the floor Benny caught her under the ar?"

She shook her head Tears rolled down her cheeks "It’s all real," she murmured "The jetother people The world isn’tisn’t"

She threw her arainst his chest, and began to cry

Dumbfounded and confused, Benny wrapped his ar, "It’s realit’s real"

64

SAINT JOHN AND BROTHER PETER SQUATTED IN THE DIRT ON EITHER SIDE of a burly man with a bushy brown beard and the iron-hard muscles of the steelworker he had been in his youth

Now that , and with each scream he yielded up h priest of the Night Church Redflesh Every bit of bravado and contempt and resistance had flowed out of him

This man, Brother Eric, was one of Mother Rose’sthe reapers Close friend to Brother Simon and Brother Alexi A confidant of Her Holiness

And sadly for hi

Where once he had thought himself too committed to her and too powerful in himself to be forced to betray even the h of the truth

Saint John rose and turned away fro of use," he said quietly "He has paid for his sins and now the darkness wants him Send him on"

Brother Peter looked down at the blade in his hand and stifled a disappointed sigh He would never question an order from the saint, however With a deft flick of his wrist, the screa stopped

"Praise be to the darkness," he rass He rose and stood with the saint "I am sorry for your pain"

Saint John shook his head

"I knew about this betrayal long ago I have already shed listen in the saint’s eyes It filled hie that howled in his head That anyone would bring harod was unbearable There was nothing he would not do to remove that hurt from this holy man

However, he was also filled with doubts

"Honored One," he began, "the infection within the Night Church runs so deep"

"Yes To its very heart"

"How can it be purged?"

Saint John looked at the bloody knife in his own hand He watched a drop of red fall and splatter on a green leaf

"Mother Rose believes that her victory lies beyond the walls of Sanctuary" He gestured as if shooing away a fly "Let her have it"

"But--"

"Let her take her ‘chosen ones,’ Peter Let her carve the infection out of our army Whoever is leftwell, we knoe can trust them"

"We won’t help her attack Sanctuary?"

"No"

"Honored Onewe’ve spent sofor this place Our people fear it as a citadel of evil We can’t just walk away"

Saint John said, "That is exactly ill do We will leave this place of evil to Mother Rose"

"But--"

The saint turned and looked toward the northwest "I feel that we are called elsewhere, Peter I feel that call with all my heart and soul"

"California? Those nine towns?"

"Those nine towns"

"May I ask why?"

"Mother Rose will attack Sanctuary The ranger, Joe, may warn Sanctuary before she does so We atch what happens If Mother Rose takes it, then ill coeneral as she believes"

"And if Sanctuary defeats her?"

"You can learn much about an enemy when you watch him win We atch and learnand plan Either way, Sanctuary ait for us"

65

"SOTHAT’S IT?" ASKED CHONG IN A HOLLOW VOICE "I JUST DIE? I become a zom?"

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