Precautionary

The tanks rolled in on Tuesday. The city burned by nightfall. After the panicking crowds were mown down, the soldiers - clad in full-body suits covering every inch of skin, with masks like insect faces - began a building-by-building sweep. They killed everyone.

"Why?" was the question most people shouted as they died. No one could be allowed to live, not in the entire perimeter around the lab. A live human could transmit the virus. As could a dead infected, of course. There were other methods for those.

The doors banged open. The people inside cried out. Operation Firebreak continued on schedule.