“Five minutes to air!”
This broke Denise out of her thoughts as she glanced up to the cameras in front of her. Sitting on a chair of a rather cliché set designed to help calm those being put on a potential hot seat as they are interviewed live as millions watch either on television or through live streaming over the internet. The stage was reminiscent to a late night talk show only without a live studio audience. The chair was an uncomfortable looking bar stool that encouraged her to cross her legs as she stared uncomfortably in front of a camera. Next to the anthro tigress fury was her interviewer; a smooth talking news reporter who got his break covering the fury flu outbreak as he became a common loon fury. His chest and belly sporting pure white feathers, his neck up to his head had black feathers. The rest of his body had a spotted pattern of black and white feathers. His feet naturally webbed like that of a loon and also black looking, while his hands look like claws of a hawk or a falcon. His eyes looking deep red with small black pupils; he hums as he goes over his notes.
Denise wonders now if this was the best way to go of things. Thinking back to yesterday where she practically blew up the political landscape by declaring herself the primary instigator in creating the fury flu. She wondered if this was going to put her family’s lives at risk. She had no issues with dealing with a desperate human who was looking for revenge; but wondered if putting her mate’s son’s and their mate’s lives in danger; as well as the newborn cubs Dusk and Dawn was worth it.
“Before we begin,” The Loon fury speaking; “just so you know it’s nothing personal if the questions get invasive. It’s just part of my job, to get to the truth of the matter.”
“Just so long as it is not spun to benefit some political agenda,” Denise responding with a heavy sigh.
“I can’t control how people will edit the program as they record it,” The reporter shrugging his shoulders; “But we do ensure an unedited version is available for the purposes of fact checking and what not.”
“Not much of a comfort there,” Denise looking despondent as she responds; “you’d think they could use better chairs for this.” Denise shifting in her seat; “or were these chosen for the purpose of making the interviewee as uncomfortable as possible.”
“30 seconds to air.”
This caused the reporter to toss his notes just out of view of the fixed cameras as he began a few vocal stretches. Observing the producer behind the camera counting down before he engages a silent signal signifying they are now live.
“Hello, I am Andrew Blackwebb, your host for Here and Now the newest segment on Fury News Network or FNN. Today my guest is the newest director of the CDC Denise Proudhoof. Welcome to the show,” Andrew speaking professionally as the second camera clicked and focused on the anthro Tigress fury sitting across from.
“Thank you,” Denise responding; “I understand your viewers have concerns regarding my statements the other day during the president’s announcement.”
“The fact that you admitted to creating a virus that made us into the sexually promiscuous individuals,” Andrew chuckles; “while I cannot speak for everyone, I will admit becoming a fury has improved my sex life. But hasn’t it all for the rest of us,” Andrew managing a smile despite his beak making such a facial expression difficult.
“Not quite the true purpose,” Denise fighting through her nervousness; “the reason was to spread this gift as those of us in the town I live refer it as to as many as possible. Physical contact was a slow method of spreading the virus, especially when the urge to become the new dominate sapient spices on this planet is driving that urge.”
“Funny I don’t have that urge,” Andrew looking at the anthro Tigress fury quizzically.
“That’s because we are now what is it four billion furies,” Denise trying to recall the rough census that was made in January; “to the half billion humans still remaining?”
“That would make us the dominate form of life on earth,” Andrew nodding; “but can you explain to us why the virus killed some but changed others?”
“My theory is the body was already under stress at the time of infection,” Denise recalling her earlier experiments she performed; “those who were already in bad health, due to diet, disease or age, could not handle the stresses and caused their hearts to give out. It is why you don’t see any eighty year old furies with Alzheimer’s or someone who was morbidly obese strolling around.”
“But what about those that didn’t get infected,” Andrew asking; “when you made the virus airborne, was it not your intention for it to infect everyone?”
“Intent and reality are two entirely different things,” Denise feeling more at ease with the questioning; “With the virus circulating in the jet stream, I knew it would infect a mass amount of humans in a short time. What I could not predict was how many would be inside a structure, outside or underground upon infection.”
“And those that tried to fight back from those who you said were given this gift,” Andrew asking.
“Fear of change,” Denise answering; know her response would rankle those human survivors that have banded together in a desperate attempt of survival. “Desperate to maintain their tenuous grip on power,” Denise adding; “no better example at a desperate attempt to maintain control then what happened in Iran and Afghanistan. The morality police unable to force females to remain subservient and trying to force a head scarf or a burka on a fury who can cast magic always ended badly for the oppressive regime.”
But what about countries such as Russia and china,” Andrew quickly looking at the q-cards before turning back to Denise.
“I can’t comment on that,” Denise shrugging; “I am just as much in the dark on the political situation going on there as much as you are. I suggest you ask our President that question.”
******************
“Denise seems to be holding her own,” Jimmy Proudhoof speaking as watches the news program along with his pregnant mate Allison; an anthro cougar fury who was rubbing her belly. Sitting next to her was her parents, Edward and anthro fox fury and her mother Julian, an anthro cougar fury. All four were together while Michael was with Jake Proudhoof and his mate Brittany. They couldn’t come over as Brittany was busy nursing her twin cubs she gave birth to several weeks ago, but did text that they were also watching the same show along with Brittany’s parents Lucas and Rachael Soulfang, who were also with her daughter and grandcubs.
“That’s because these are softball questions,” Edward responding; placing a hand paw on his daughters belly in hopes of feeling the kick of the cub growing within. “Are you certain about the gender,” Edward looking at his daughter; “that it’s a boy?”
“Yes dad,” Allison answering; “the half dozen sonograms we had at the gynecologist’s office have not changed that fact.”
“So no surprise twins,” Edward smirking; recalling the clever ploy Brittany pulled to fool everyone until she suddenly gave birth.
“If it’s twins,” Jimmy answering; “I’ll be just as surprised as Allison here.”
“Quiet you three,” Julian speaking; “I want to hear what Denise is saying.”
********
“One unexpected surprise when I made the fury virus airborne,” Denise about to drop another bomb on the media landscape; “is how it mutated the existing viruses we have been battling.”
“How so,” Andrew turning from his pre-written questions as the producers behind the cameras looked confused as to where this is going.
“Cold and flu seasons,” Denise explaining; “We all got the cold from time to time, and now and then a nasty bout of the flu. Now the fury virus mutated these so that we will still get them, still survive them, thus making our immune systems stronger. The downside,” Denise looking at the camera; “is those bigoted and hate fueled humans who feel they should still be the ones in charge but aren’t. They will soon no longer be human,” Denise smiling; “so they can hid in their fortified compounds as long as they want; but in a year or two…”
“They’ll be like us,” Andrew just realizing what is going to happen; “or dead?”
“Exactly,” Denise nodding; “but this is very new information, and the CDC and medical communities will need to research this more. Plus come up with new vaccines for the various inoculations given to children to protect them from Diphtheria, Measles, Mumps, Rubella and the many others listed CDC website.”
“What would you recommend parents of newborn cubs do in the meantime,” Andrew asking, now looking genuinely concerned.
“Continue to do what they are already doing,” Denise responding; “love and protect their cubs. If they are still breast feeding, then continue to do so. Mother’s milk is not only nutritious for the baby, but also rich in antibodies that will help the developing child’s immune system.”
************************
“Now this is something Brittany and Jake should be paying attention to,” Edward nodding as Denise explained that on top of the heavy death toll, sexually transmitted diseases such as Gonorrhea as well as the Aids virus should now be a thing of the past.
“Hurry up Allison,” Jimmy shouting; “You’re missing an important part that should concern you.”
“I’m coming,” Allison rushing out of the kitchen as fast as she could in her pregnant condition; carrying a bowl full of ice cream with loaded with both pickle spears and black olives. Both Jimmy and Edward rolled their eyes at the disgusting combination of sweet and salty. Only Julian didn’t bat an eye at the odd ball concoction.
“What did I miss,” Allison shoveling a spoonful of her pregnancy craving concoction into her maw.
“The various childhood vaccines that may be delayed,” Jimmy answering; “so it’s best to breast feed for the time being.”
“Oh,” was all Allison asaid as she savages her concoction.
********
“Well that is all the time we have on Here and Now. I’m your host Andrew Blackwebb.”
“And we are clear,” the producer in the back signaling.
“Well that went well,” Andrew looking at Denise; “was it your intent to go off script like that in the end?”
“I saw an opportunity,” Denise remembering the intel she quickly grabbed from Dick’s dossier before tossing it on the madam president’s lap the other day. “So I decided to take it,” Denise smiling; “just like did at the press conference yesterday.”
“And the whole humanity coming to an end,” Andrew waving off an assistant for the moment; “is that true?”
“It was inevitable the moment we furies started coming into existence,” Denise getting up off the uncomfortable stool and stretching; “my air born virus just accelerated humanity’s twilight.”
“I got one more question for you,” the anthro loon asking with a sly look; “you free for a romp tonight?”