The Last Dawn
Prologue

In the heart of the city, hidden behind the unassuming facade of BioCorp’s state-of-the-art research facility, a secret project was reaching its zenith. The building, a fortress of science, hummed with the activity of the world’s brightest minds, all under the leadership of the enigmatic Dr. Harken Grey.

Deep within its walls, in a laboratory sealed off from prying eyes, Dr. Grey stood observing a scene that was the culmination of years of clandestine research. COVID-2193, a bio-engineered virus with capabilities beyond any known pathogen, lay contained within a series of vials, each one a Pandora’s box waiting to be opened.

Beside him, Dr. Mirov, her face a mask of concentration, checked and rechecked the data. “All readings are stable,” she reported, her voice a mix of pride and gravity. “COVID-2193 is ready for the final phase.”

Dr. Grey, his eyes reflecting the cold light of the lab, nodded. “Proceed,” he said, his voice betraying none of the turmoil that might have lurked beneath his composed exterior.

Outside the secure lab, Logan Dawson, a young intern with a keen mind and an unquenchable curiosity, passed by. He glanced at the lab’s opaque glass, a fleeting wonder crossing his mind about the secrets it held.

Inside, the scientists were oblivious to Logan’s fleeting presence. They were too engrossed in their work, too consumed by the gravity of their task. The lab was a symphony of beeps and clicks, each sound a note in the melody of scientific progress.

But amidst this orchestrated precision, a small anomaly went unnoticed. In one of the vials, a hairline fracture had appeared, so minute it was invisible to the naked eye. It was an aberration that could have been dismissed as insignificant, but in the world of viral pathogens, it was a crack in the dam holding back a flood.

As the lab’s door sealed shut, locking the virus behind layers of security, the city outside continued its bustling rhythm, oblivious to the fact that its very heartbeat was about to be disrupted. The people, engrossed in their daily lives, were unaware that they were on the cusp of a dawn that would be remembered as the last of its kind.

In that moment, BioCorp stood at the precipice of a new era, one that promised unparalleled scientific advancement but flirted dangerously with the boundaries of ethics and safety. And as the sun set on the city, casting long shadows between the skyscrapers, the stage was set for a chain of events that would unfold into a terrifying and tumultuous saga, forever known as The Last Dawn.