Day 31, Behavior Notes

Subject: Unknown Name, Middle Aged Female
Catalog Number: WD-1-650-1A-1034229
Classification: Whiskey Delta, Subclass Alpha
Date of Birth: Unknown, possibly around 2000
Date of Death: Mid 2050, Actual Date Unknown, approx. between 7/14/2050 and 8/1/250 (Records lost)
Sample Collection Date: 11/15/2050
Recovery Point: Toledo, OH

[Time Stamp 03:45]
So little staff, so much to do - we confirmed a third effective strain yesterday, showing considerable anatomical differences from the previous Whiskey Delta types - identified as Strain One, and One Alpha. We are still unsure if this represents a further stage of subject transformation - a beta level of metamorphosis, or distinct second type. I have been temporarily pulled from my anatomical study of [Redacted] to assist in observations of captured specimens. Since tracing the pathogen has just gotten exponentially more difficult - wee are trying to focus on methods to escape the active vectors, and in turn, how to protect from attack, rather than a cure for the attackers. 

Doctor Wilkes has come up with an unusual suggestion for starting our descriptions. Time and again, survivors have made the comparison has been made to Zombies from cheap horror films, and as such, he recommended that we use that as a baseline. Doctor Lincoln disagrees, and finds this a silly and illogical assumption, but does concede that for the average person, pop-culture familiarity may be the key to quicker comprehension than a proper bio mechanical analysis.

Those kind of films made me kind of sick before hand. Watching one to understand this point of while similar events transpire outside our compound does not sit will at all. Worse yet, Doctor Benway seemed to laugh through the whole thing. I'm half inclined to call the man a harbomaniac, but it could be just because the effects of the move were poorly done... if only we really were dealing with actors covered in gray paint. 

I watched the movie nine hours ago and still can't sleep. This probably isn't good...

[Time Stamp 12:30]
Reviewing actual footage now, and our subject. There is in fact a startling degree of overlap. The gait of Whiskey Deltas is somewhat stiff and uncoordinated, at least in subclass one, though the mutation shows far less of this. They also show a marked ability to ignore wounds that would be fatal in a baseline human. WD-1-650-1A-1034229 is missing arm and sports several holes in the Thorax and Abdomen made by an automatic rifle. 

However, our whiskey delta does not have anywhere near the purification of the movie version. It still maintains an oddly healthy pallor and shows little signs of exsanquinating, despite the multiple wounds that would have killed a baseline a matter of minuets from bleeding out.

[Time Stamp 17:53]
Dr. Wilkes has pointed out that Whiskey Deltas show a lack of fixation. Determination to get their targets, certainly, but unlike his fictitious video game examples they do not have to take the most obvious route, and they move from target to target. While in that - deplorable - movie, the ghouls would drag down the victim, them stop to rip it apart and eat its innards WDs don't. In the film, the main character was able to escape while the creatures were distracted by its meal, and at a latter point, made a dash to distract several from his friends.

Real - ugh - Whiskey Deltas don't pull the living apart, at least not humans. Reports of mutilated dogs and wolves would seem to back the idea they fight with other predators, but humans tend to be preserved. Possibly for later use as vectors? While hardly peaceufl, the attack seems to be more a combination of tackling or tripping, combined with punches to disable the target, a few bites to get past the defenses, or to start a secondary concern of bleeding or to slow down an escaping victim. Dr. Lincoln, suggested this may be toxic, and a way to get a "hit and run" kill or as a means to track the victim by blood trail or scent.

Some Whiskey Deltas have been observed using weapons, generally items found in the environment. I have noticed that even in a cluttered environ - they will go for actual tools or weapons like axes or bats, before picking up random debris. The newly identified sub-type seems to have sharpened ends on its finger-bones, giving it functional talons and seems to do far less to preserve the victim than our normal WDs.

Disection Notes, WD-3-900-A-656487, Selected Exceprts

Senses
The Eyes show a greater proportion of rods to cones than a baseline male of approximately the same age. Furthermore, the absolute number of cones is some 50% less, while rod cells are present in in larger than average numbers, and show an odd clustering phenomenon, rather than even distribution. It is possible that a Whiskey Delta is partially or mostly colorblind, with limited visual resolution, but good low-light acuity.

...the visual cortex displays unusual crowding by a new neurological structure of unknown origin and purpose. It does appear to be of human neurological tissue and DNA matches to the host. What process could spark growth of neural tissue over the course of weeks is unknown, but could have excellent benefits compared to current technology...

...Inner ears and brain are quite intact. Little physical reason for the subjects lack of intelligence seems apparent. It is as if most higher order functions are simply turned off or in standby rather than removed or damaged. Poetically, it seems the soul has left, but the body is on auto-pilot... reports from [Redacted] seem to indicate function returns with time, but to what degree...

Other Physiology
Subject shows elevated presence of metals, most notably iron, in body. Subcutaneous structures appear on arms and legs in form of thin metal spirals. Unlikely to be armor, but does show a pastern remarkably similar to flexible antennas found in wearable computers...

Also shows high presence of biological agent [Redacted] possible exposure due to Sierra Alpha Indigo activities...

...vocal cords seem to have been removed entirely... 

Dr. Anita Jurez, Day 27, Observations on WD-3-900-A

Day 27

Subject: Staff Sargent Michael M. Major
Catalog Number: WD-3-900-A-656487
Classification: Whiskey Delta, Subclass Alpha
Date of Birth: 10/31/2015
Date of Death: Mid 2050, Actual Date Unknown, approx. between 7/14/2050 and 8/1/250 (Records lost)
Sample Collection Date: 11/12/2050
Recovery Point: Chicago IL, near Devon Avenue

Notes:

Collected quite intact, despite rumors of sever mutilation seen in victims. Recovery was difficult due to heavy presence of other. [Whiskey Deltas]  Dirty and unkempt, but still mobile. Typical of victims from early part of event, when reaction to calls required quick reaction.

Personal Observations: [Time Stamp: 19:37]
It might not be professional of me to record this so casually. But I can't keep this clinical atmosphere going. I think the others who listen to this might take comfort that actual human beings were here, and not just automatons divorced from what is happening.

My god, what is happening. I've had two days to memorize a bookkeeping system for tracking -Whiskey Deltas. Reanimated Things - people. W.D. code for responder status: One civilian, Two police or EMS, Three National Guard, Four Regular military: a three digit code indicating how intact the specimen is - pristine being about 950, and a sub-class. Rumor has it, there may be different types of these...

Uh, no. No. You're more professional than this. Don't just repeat what they already know... aw chis- turn off the recorder when you talk to yourself...

[Time Stamp: 19:45]

Again. Staff Sargent Michael is a typical example of Guardsmen responders. Unaware of the true nature of the threat,and most regular military deployed elsewhere, much of the recovery effort is carried out by reservists. Unfortunately, for the time being, expedience of deployment and movement provided them with only limited armor, and many that were issued chose to forgo it due to weight and lack of weapon carrying adversaries.

Its just like our predictions for any other outbreak, or NBC scenario. Expediency and the rush to save people quickly clash with best practice, placing unreasonably large tolls on first responders...

According to reports, SSG Major went down heroically, acting as rearguard as civilians were evacuated from a housing block in Chicago...

It seems everyone dies heroically these days, just to keep spirits up. Not a one by blind chance, or overwhelming numbers...

Reports say he was beaten and dragged down by between five and eight humanoid assailants in a hallway intersection. Once on the ground, several bites were inflicted. Signs of sever blunt force trauma are present on the head, ribs, and left arm. However, these are mostly healed and revealed through regrowth patches. Skull shows severe yet healed fracturing - despite standard issue Kevlar helmet. Light scaring does reveal biting.

WD-3-900-A-656487 was recovered some ten kilometers from the last point SSG Major was seen, further into the urban areas of the city, by a special action group assigned by the CDC to collect samples for analysis.