“Why did they want you?”

Silence.

“Do you understand me?”

One nod.

“You gotta tell me something! Why were those terrorists hunting you? Do you have something they want?”

Another nod.

“What do you have that is so valuable, then? Were they going to use you as a hostage?”

Silence.

“Look, I saved your life but I need to know what’s going on for me to be able to help you.”

Her bloodshot eyes glanced up, “You can’t.”

“Can’t what?” His eyes went wider.

“You can’t help me. You can’t protect me. Actually, if you knew what I am, then you would have left me for the terrorists.”

“What are you?”

“I am a nightmare. A fairy tale. But I am too real. My name is Shatter. If you touched me,” She pulled up the sleeve of her oversized sweater to reveal pale and cracked skin, “Your skin would shrink until it split and broke into a million pieces. I am the source of the Epidemic you’re investigating. I am the Shatter Virus.”