Emergence

Emergence by David R. Palmer. mass_market edition. ISBN: 9780553245011.

Candidia Maria Smith-Foster, an eleven-year-old girl, is unaware that shes a Homo post hominem, mankinds next evolutionary step. With international relations rapidly deteriorating, Candys father, publicly a small-town pathologist but secretly a government biowarfare expert, is called to Washington. Candy remains at home. The following day a worldwide attack, featuring a bionuclear plague, wipes out virtually all of humanity (i.e., Homo sapiens). With her pet bird Terry, she survives the attack in the shelter beneath their house. Emerging three months later, she learns of her genetic heritage and sets off to search for others of her kind.