December 10, 2059. 2:13 am. Neilson st., Far Rockaway (Queens Borough) 9 hours after the third riot. 

Amal just left Rina and Jaxon's apartment. It was about seven apartments high with rusty fire escapes that probably didn't work.

The asphalt was dark and shiny from the melted snow and yellow-orange street lamp. The road was clear of snow but the sidewalk was covered. You could see a cat's footprints leading from the chain fence in front of the garbage/ parking area to one of the first level apartment windows. It had a place to go, where it was wanted. Amal yearned for that. He was infected because he had just experienced heart break. Before, he would have resisted just fine but his ex-girlfriend had betrayed him in the worst way possible- cheating. With a well known man, a man who gave orders making him a better one than he. Word is his wife cheated on him too, now making all of them infected.

Amal didn't realize he had left until he was in the brisk air. Last he remembered he was talking to the gang, The Boys, and the celebrated couple. Then Rina asked if it were a person telling them what to do. Ah, that's why he left, she was right. The person doing the infecting is a mastermind, enchanter, even an idle.

The way they got infected was thought to be an airborne bacteria, but how can a bacteria tell not only you but a whole mass of people what to do. If it had an alien or a mutated psychological mind, yes it could; but its a real life person doing this. In fact, the Mastermind put enough infection into the Members, first to be infected, to carry to others. So now, not only is most of New York taken, New Jersey, Connecticut, Rhode Island, Massachusetts, Delaware, Maryland, Pennsylvania, Ohio, Michigan, Illinois, West Virginia, Virginia, and Indiana are swamped as well. Vermont, New Hampshire, and Maine are closed off, but its only a matter of time before they fall. When the Mastermind goes south, all of the former U.S. will be taken.

Amal walked down Neilson heading towards Dinsmore Ave. Neilson has a lot of living spaces compared to Dinsmore; which is small with large buildings serving as shared houses. One small building on Neilson is board up because it was a crack house, that's what everyone believes; its actually home to a conspiracy theorist who, once in a blue moon, comes out in a gas mask and full body hazmat suit held together with duct tape and wishful thinking. He hangs up papers and preaches about how everyone should have listened to him while he was stalking up for something like this.

Amal is now passing a house with an open window. There's a couple inside. Where they in love? Only one way to find out. He walked up the gravel walk way onto the shabby wooden porch. The screen door was dingy and had a few small holes in the fabric. He knocked. A man answered wearing a heavy coat and snow boots like he was about to leave. Amal was a Member so he could infect others; he jabbed at the man using his right hand, hitting the left shoulder. The man froze, shook, then stilled. He was infected now. Another person came rushing in. Male. He jabbed at him now, getting him below the left breast. Nothing. We was in love. The second man bent down and began weeping. 

Amal: Your partner is infected.

Second man: ... yeah, i can see that...

He could recall this feeling. Being in love but the other doesn't reciprocate it. Its an awful feeling.

Second man: WHY ARE YOU STILL HERE, GO! LEAVE!

Amal: ... What is your name?

Second man: ... Jamie, why, what's it to you.

Amal: When you fall out of love with this person, i'll be back.

He left the man with the unresponsive partner; it takes a minute for things to kick in.

As he left, Amal was blushing. Why was that?