Fall of the Core: Netcast 01 (The Frontiers Saga) Read Online Free PDF

enthusiasts, mostly.”
    “Then analog is our final fall back plan,” Brent announced. “As long as we have power, we keep broadcasting reports, every six… No, make that every three hours.”
    “You want me to go on the air every three hours?” Hanna said in shock, speaking for the first time since the meeting had started nearly an hour ago.
    “No, no, you’re right,” Brent agreed. “We have to step up our game here. There is too much going on. We’ll broadcast hourly updates. Fifteen minutes of headlines, followed by fifteen minutes of on-the-scene reports. Thirty minutes total per broadcast. Hanna will be lead, and we’ll bring in Constance, Jonas, and… what’s that guy’s name, the one that works the Asian division?”
    “Lee Kwong?”
    “Yeah, that guy. He’s got a trustworthy face.”
    “You think Jonas has a trustworthy face?” someone said doubtfully.
    “No, but the ladies love him,” Brent replied. “That gives us the strong female, the stylish female, the trustworthy male, and the ladies man. That should cover everyone, right?”
    “Even with four anchors, you’re talking six broadcasts per day per anchor,” Arielle said, finally joining the conversation.
    “We need at least one more to rotate in now and then.”
    “Fine,” Brent agreed. “What are we missing?”
    “How about a fatherly type?” one of the staffers suggested.
    “Bob Ludlow!” someone yelled.
    “Is he still working?” Brent wondered.
    “At a local desk in Chicago, I think.”
    “Great, then get him here, pronto,” Brent directed.
    “I thought we would be in the field?” Hanna said.
    “Sorry,” Brent replied. “This thing is moving too fast. I mean, four million infected, and four hundred thousand dead? In what, twenty hours?”
    “It might be a good idea to send our anchors out into the field on a regular basis,” someone suggested.
    “Make them look more involved, increase their credibility.” another person agreed.
    “We’ll need a couple more anchors,” the operations director said. “Maybe hourly broadcasts might be too much?”
    “No,” Brent disagreed. “It’s got to be hourly. We’re the only ones that can pull it off. Within a few days, the entire world will be watching Netcast News World, every hour, on the hour, and no one else. If there is still a world to broadcast to when this is over, we’ll be the only ones left standing.”
    Graham leaned forward from his chair behind Arielle and Hanna, whispering in their ears. “So much for that ‘do the right thing’, speech.”
    * * *
    Hanna stared out the window of the shuttle as it flew in low over the buildings. From above, she could see the entire scope of the chaos. From street level, it had been terrifying, to the point that she would rather be back at her anchor desk in New York than live her dream of being a Netcast News World field reporter.
    The streets below seemed barren for this time of day, with only small groups of people scurrying about. Citizens had already started moving in small packs for protection, trying to avoid commercial districts where most of the disturbances had occurred over the first thirty hours.
    Above street level, police drones zipped back and forth, occasionally pausing to hover as they monitored events on the ground and relayed live images back to command. Large fire-suppression drones blasted by, racing to combat the numerous building fires caused by careless looters.
    The shuttle suddenly banked left, dipping lower as it changed course.
    “Why are we turning?” Hanna called out toward the cockpit. “I thought we were going back to headquarters?”
    “Troops are using stunners on rioters in Brooklyn,” the pilot yelled back to her. “Dispatch wants aerials and voice-over.”
    “Don’t they have anyone on the ground there?” Arielle asked.
    “It’s not on the ground,” the pilot replied, “it’s on the upper decks.”
    “How are we going to get the shot?” Hanna wondered. “We can’t