OUTBREAK: ZERO is a semi post-apocalyptic pandemic roleplay set in the fictional city of Lethford, USA. Current season: Winter, 20/21.
March 2020. The world is in pandemonium as one month ago, GHNv-20 was confirmed, five months after the beginning of norovirus season. The number of the infected are in the higher hundred thousands, and the death toll is at an estimated 250,000, with about seventy percent of the rest of the population experiencing mild to moderate illnesses connected to the S. pyogenes bacteria.
The fear of the unknown has caused mass hysteria and panic.
In an attempt to provide a semblance of safety and control, military personnel patrol the streets, even here in Lethford City, and the police force is trying to keep up with the rising street violence, assault, and theft.
Welcome to OUTBREAK: zero. Will you survive?
HAYANA
SITE OWNER + HEAD ADMINISTRATOR
Hi! I'm Haya. I'm pretty much your girl for everything! If you have any questions regarding our plot, membergroups, etc. don't hesitate to ask me. I'm also in charge of coding, graphics, anything skin related, and advertising/affiliates.
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ADDI
ADMINISTRATOR
Hey! I'm Addi. Hit me up if you need help with anything. I'm always for plotting so don't be shy. I like coffee, booze, and working out. I'm back from a long hiatus the dead so if you need anything, best ask the others until I get back into the groove of things!
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FINNLEY
GLOBAL MODERATOR
Hi hello! My name is Finnley, or Finn, call whichever and I'll be there for you (yes like the FRIENDS theme song). I am in charge of the claims and helping with miscellaneous things. Let me know if you have any questions!
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outbreak
/ˈaʊtbreɪk/ zero /ˈzɪərəʊ/
a sudden occurrence of something unwelcome, such as war or disease. number, no quantity or number; nought; the figure 0.
She stopped short at his table and her eyes held his. She seemed to be debating on what to say to him and he couldn't blame her. He had halfway hoped that she would have forgotten all about him. That she would have realized that he wasn't anything worth spending her free time with. Just another annoying patient. As she stood at a standstill though it was clear that she had a strong opinion on him and it didn't look like it was favorable.
She ignored his offer for coffee and repeated his comment back to him. No, this wasn't good at all. He found himself holding his breath. The hard way she set her features against him made him want to hold her, hell, take her hand in his and apologize for everything under the sun. Promise her that it'd never happen again.
He couldn't though. That would be a lie and he wouldn't lie to her. Not her. His life was a constant game of lies but Brynlee was the one steady, ceaseless thing he had right now. He wouldn't lie to her and that was yet another reason he knew he should let her be mad at him. He knew in the back of his mind that this was a good thing for her. That if she was mad at him, she would find someone else, someone who was actually worthy of the woman she was. He knew it, but knowing and selfishly not caring were two paths he couldn't get to cross.
She put his chart down on the table and he listened silently as she continued to lecture him. It was deserved and he knew it. He tried to look very sincere, but the way she spoke with such solid, unrelenting authority had the corners of his lips pulling in a grin. She was fire and steel in a small package, a grenade wrapped up with a bow.
His mind told him not to press his damn luck but the words came out before he could stop them, "Well I'm here now. You still want me in bed?" His eyes met hers. He normally wasn't the kind of guy who flirted, who made suggestive comments, but she had always brought out another side of him. His eyes moved to her lips, pausing for a brief second, oh how he missed those lips. Even when she was furious at him, they still demanded his attention.
Forcing himself to look away though, he spoke, the words quiet, "I'm sorry I haven't been by lately. I had to go out of town for a while." Not that he thought she was waited with bated breath by the phone. Sure, he had thought that there was something between them, and if nothing but friendship's sake, he knew she was owed at least some sort of explanation for his absence.
Kane kept his cool when the woman in front of him got defensive, bringing up gangs of murderers and rapists. He wasn't aware that that was an issue in the locked-down, quarantined-district part of the town, but he supposed crazier things had happened during the pandemic. She asked if she looked like a piece of ass and he replied, "Can't really tell, you're wearing enough gear to fund a small African militia. You always accessorize with weapons or was today a special occasion?"
Kane didn't waver with his pistol. He could stand here for hours if he needed to. Unless she threw her weapon he wasn't going to remove her from his sights. He wouldn’t need an hour though, about twenty minutes had passed since he had sent his coordinates in. In forty minutes a signal went out to his team. Another ten from that and he'd be the least of her worries.
When she said he was hitting above his weight class he replied back, again with his low voice steady, "I'm shaking in my boots over here." He didn't doubt that she believed what she was telling him, but by strapping all of those weapons on herself she was laying her cards out on the table. He could analyze all he needed to know just by how she murdered the man, carried herself, and what she chose to display.
She asked about his weight and brought up that she could take him and he didn't retort. He had learned quickly in his first year of basic that the louder you screamed something, the less it was probably true. Badasses didn't need to talk up that they were badasses.
The woman called him another pet name and it took more control than he thought would have been necessary for him to suppress an eye roll. She then began going on and on about the government and the shady things they had done and he found himself trying not to laugh. If anyone knew about classified missions and sketchy orders it was him. Not that he was about to let her know that. "Is that why you're here? Do you have some magic get-out-of-jail-free card that makes you exempt from murder? Seems a little ridiculous that the Feds would be concerned with some civilian thugs out in the woods. Sure you don't want to send another less-crazy answer my way?"
The woman started arguing with him about what she was tasked to do and he listened quietly. Were a few officers and soldiers crossing lines? Sure. Was it wrong and something that should be dealt with? Absolutely. Did it justify murder? Not in the least, at least not in his mind. "I'm not condoning any of that. Not my job to. Last I checked, that isn't anyone's job but a judge, jury, and executioner which you, ma'am, are not. No matter what you think those credentials say."
She spoke up again and he watched silently as she threw her weapon to the ground. It wasn't a huge vantage, but he hadn't expected her to throw it more than a foot anyway. He kept his pistol trained on her as he crouched down, picking up the ID card and tucking it inside his back jean pocket.
He kept the weapon leveled on her and with his free hand, pulled out his cell, hitting star, 911 dialing immediately. "Dispatch this is Officer Shelby, Badge #73471, I have a 140. 133. Multiple units requested at 47' 6.3276'' N and 73° 58' 5.8260'' W. Suspect hostile and armed." The dispatcher verified and hung up as Kane let the phone call end, directing a command to her, "Get on the ground. Hands behind your head." He had no interest in looking at the card she had handed over. If he was right, she was a crazy vigilante who had just committed mass murder. If he was wrong, well it wouldn't be the first time he had been in trouble with his superiors.
Kane took a sip of the dark liquid. It was fresh, but slightly bitter, not that that little detail would cause him to not drink the entire cup. He had gotten accustomed to eating or drinking whatever was available and not complaining about it. It had started when he was six and refused to eat broccoli. After his mother sent him to bed without anything to eat he quickly learned to be grateful for whatever was placed in front of him.
He sat back in the chair, wincing slightly. He forced himself to take a long, deep breath and had to stifle a grunt of pain. The thought that maybe he should have stayed a little longer in the room came to his mind, but he pushed it out just as quick. Even if he was hurt worse than what he had assumed, the PD needed him. If he could walk, he could be used and that was just how it was. He was trained to work through pain, eventually the problem would go away, at least that's what he told himself.
He finished the cup and rubbed the back of his neck. He'd have to get a ride back to the station. Scratch that, his mind remembered, he'd have to get a completely new patrol car. The car wouldn't need to be scrapped, and he was sure the damage would be worth the apprehension. He had no regrets, even if his body might be currently telling a different story. Kane grabbed his personal cell out of his pocket and clicked on Brynlee's name, his fingers awkwardly typing,
Hey. I'm in your neck of the woods. Coffee break?
Delete. Delete. Delete.
Hey. How are you?
Delete. Delete. Delete.
He sighed and put the phone back into his pocket without hitting send, his eyes naturally scanning the room as he did. Her hair caught his attention immediately, his heartbeat quickening as her presence caused a chain reaction inside of him. A grin came to his lips immediately.
His ADA was living up to her nickname. The people in the cafeteria naturally parted around her, her eyes unmoving from his, pinning him to where he sat. He caught sight of the folder in her hands and it clicked pretty quickly as to why she was making her way over looking none the happiest. He held up his hands in an act of surrender. "I didn't know they'd be sending their big guns after me. I concede."
His eyes scanned over her. She looked impossibly beautiful. Her eyes exactly as he had remembered. He motioned to the seat across from him, "Can I buy you a coffee?" He asked, sitting up straighter in his seat, the action causing him to stifle another grunt that he knew her instincts wouldn't let go.
Kane's lips pursed as the woman refused to drop her weapon. As she began speaking he remained with his pistol trained on her, ignoring the snarky name calling. She looked as if she had raided an armory, plated vests and all. She was well-funded, whether those means were legal or not was yet to be determined. Vests weren't a problem though. Kevlar and ceramic didn’t cover necks. "Don't." The stern words a warning to her as she proceeded to ignore his command and turn to face him.
After what he'd just witnessed, he very much doubted that they were about to have a calm and civil chat about what had just went down. As she began to turn, her hands still lodged behind her head, he narrowed his eyes, his fingers ready to squeeze the trigger. One shot would be all it would take, he was confident in that. Even if by some miracle, she did survive his shot, he had a good 100 lbs on her, plus she was carrying the weight of all of her tactical gear. That was two points in his corner. He could have her subdued quick if she tried anything stupid.
She asked if he was local PD and he spoke up, "You got it." She wiggled at him after making a joke, as if this was all a funny misunderstanding and he stayed planted where he was. "I don't care if that badge says you're the president's mistress, you put the weapon on the ground and kick it away or you're going to have a really bad day." He didn't lower the weapon. She insisted that he could call command and he wondered if anyone had ever been so stupid as to obey what she was asking of him.
"Again...you toss that gun away and then toss over your credentials if you don't want to end up being medevac'd out of here." He mentally ran through the agencies that he knew were in the area. She wasn't from any of the local groups, though his knowledge was almost entirely of the military. His team and the other spec ops groups had been in constant contact since arrival. It was paramount to keeping the ruse and intel between the coverts. Federal, however, was gray area for him. His department never interacted with the Feds and he wasn't technically high enough up in the pay-grade to know if she was lying when it came to the PD government realm. Still, he had never heard of any federal agency condoning laying waste and massacring individuals for funsies out in the open.
"You really expect me to believe you have federal clearance to massacre civilians? Last time I checked the amendment said innocent until proven guilty." He kept his weapon level as he watched every action she made. He had taken an oath to protect his country from enemies both foreign and domestic and a pandemic didn't change any of that. Unless someone with higher clearance than himself gave him the order to stand down, he was taking her in.
Kane had been approaching the far end of town when a call came through the patrol's radio. "All units we have a suspect on the run. Driving a red Chevy Tahoe. Plates 37T5 2RE8. Suspect fled the scene of a domestic abuse case. Be advised suspect is armed and hostile. Northwest of Jefferson and Bermuda Run."
Kane did the mental mapping in his head and made the call without allowing himself to think much about it. He floored his police car, passing one street and turning quick onto another. He gunned the engine as he drove through the STOP sign and slammed into the rear door of the Tahoe. Two police cruisers came to a halt behind them and Kane closed his eyes, wincing from the impact. He heard officers yelling orders and as he opened his cruiser door he watched them take the man away in cuffs. Kane felt a wave of nausea as he stood. An officer came over and he nodded that he was fine. Unfortunately, his knees had buckled as he had waved her off and that was all that it took for a quick call to his boss and a mandatory CAT scan ordered.
He rode in the other officer's cruiser. The pain wasn't the worst he had felt and truthfully he was more irritated than anything to have to go in for the scan. The nausea had gone away after draining a water bottle and he was fairly certain he didn't have any serious damages internally. Policy was policy though. As the cruiser neared the hospital he couldn't help but think of Brynlee.
It had been too long since he had seen her. His ADA. Though she was far from being anything of his. Still, a guy could dream. He could still remember laying in the hospital bed, her body close to his, her red hair spilling over his chest. He had let himself get carried away in the fantasy of a life with her. In the idea of a life that he would never have. And just like their dreamy future he had let himself imagine, it hadn’t lasted. He had been pulled and sent away. He had thought they were pulling him out of the city for good, but it had only been for a few months. A quick trip to a small nation overseas and back again. The US wasn’t the only one in mass chaos.
He arrived back in town a week ago, and his cover had been put to use quickly. The police department had lost a few officers and they were desperate for bodies so he found himself working in constant shifts. Not that there was a true alternative. She didn’t deserve someone like him. Someone who was gone all the time. It wasn’t fair for either of them to keep up the fantasy of having something more. Still, he didn’t know if he was strong enough to see her yet. He wasn’t sure which hurt worse, being physically taken away from her or emotionally pulling away from her. It was a heartbreak either way.
Kane had done the test as asked, unable to keep the smirk from his lips as he had been asked to lay in the same machine where he and Brynlee had met. When the woman informed him that he could get down, dressed, and wait for the doctor to come in, Kane got dressed and got out of there. He figured he was fine and any results would be sent to the PD. He walked out and shut the door, moving out and down the hallway to where the cafeteria was. He again tried unsuccessfully to think about Brynlee as he ordered coffee and sat down at a small table near the window. For a guy who was used to having zero attachments, this small town was quickly becoming his own little version of hell.
Kane shifted on his feet as the commotion grew louder, his senses on edge. Gunshots echoed through the clearing and Kane ducked behind the side of the structure. As far as he knew, these woods were supposed to be under strict evac. A male's voice screamed in pain and Kane unholstered the pistol. With his free hand, he pulled out his com phone and sent coordinates to his commander. If he didn't check in within the hour, a team would be sent. He didn't know what he was facing, but it was suddenly very clear that he had stumbled upon something heinous.
He silently slipped the phone back into his pocket and pulled his Lethford PD badge out from around his neck, careful to pull it and it alone out and not the dog tags as well.
Kane moved to the edge of the woods silently as a female's voice carried. She spoke numbly, distant, and the sound of her voice grated against every sane and reasonable part of his brain. That was the voice of a killer, and not the kind who did it behind a badge. No, that kind of talk came from serial killers and people who enjoyed killing for sport. People he was usually in charge of taking out.
The woman was focused on the dead man in front of her, speaking to him as if he was alive, relishing her kill. Kane moved silently, closing the distance as he let her continue her speech. As she made a little joke to the body, Kane leveled his pistol at her from behind, making sure he was far enough that she couldn't make a move against him. "Drop the weapon slowly. Kick it to your right and get on the ground. You make any other moves and you'll join him on the other side." He kept his aim steady, his voice level.
The dirt and leaves crunched under Kane's feet as he made his way through the park. He was in a quarantined part of town and he'd be lying if he said he wasn't downright enjoying himself. The park was away from the center of town, the trees and woods providing a perfect buffer between the serenity of nature and the outskirts of the bustling city. With this part of town being on lockdown, the area was blissfully quiet and calm.
He had gotten orders that morning to covertly make his way to the park. The area needed to be canvassed and assessed for anything that shouldn't be there. His commander was concerned that the area could be taken by hostiles and it was his job to make sure if something like that did happen, he could get a handle on the situation quickly with as little damage as possible. To do that, he needed to know the ins and outs of the place, as discreetly as possible.
He had parked two miles away from the quarantine zone border and huffed it through the outskirts and to the wooded area. He had his gun discreetly stowed, his id and dog tags hidden, his fake police badge also stowed, and a backpack slung over his shoulder to cement the image of a normal civilian out for a walk. Not that he expected to see anyone else.
He walked along, noting a path that diverged, one of the paths clearly leading farther into the woods and the other to what looked like a small building. He jotted down the coordinates in his phone after checking his watch and then began to make his way to the building. It appeared to be a restroom and utility building for the park, but he wanted to make sure. The building had another path leading to it, another way to get inside the park, which wasn't great tactically speaking.
He noted the exits, the windows, and the position of the building. As he gained ground he pulled out the small flashlight in his pocket, walking to the nearest window. He clicked it on and shined the light inside. He could see boxes of paper towels, a first aid kit and a flashlight or two. He clicked the pen off and turned, ready to make his way back to his original path as he heard the crunching of leaves.
Kane turned quick, a soft curse word leaving his lips as he realized he wouldn't have time to run. Instead he stood firmly, put on his best innocent smile and waited to see what or who was coming his way.
Kane didn't doubt the redhead's words. There was no way of being around someone like her without it being anything less than a wild ride. She was quick and smart, she was confident and funny. There wasn't another girl out there like her anywhere else in the world, and that he was sure of. When she made a joke about his entanglements being hook-ups or one night stands he laughed. "Way off the mark Valentine." He had tried that route and sure, when the nights got way too lonely he wasn't against them on the rarest occasion, but on the whole, he just wasn't that guy. He got too involved, too invested. He wasn't good with keeping his feelings out of things so having romantic entanglements with women who didn't care enough to remember his name wasn't something he considered fulfilling in any sense of the word.
Kane grinned as she threatened to make him walk back. She was shorter than him but he didn't doubt for one second that if need be, she could muscle her way into making anyone do what she asked. He had seen plenty of women like her in the military. Small-sized utterly delicate-looking women who were absolute tanks when they wanted to be.
She talked about his coming to her defense and he couldn't help the feeling of pride as she spoke about him. "I'm just a normal cop miss, I don't have the slightest idea about what you're talking about." the grin was apparent as he spoke lightheartedly about what he had done. There wasn't anyone else in the room with them and though soon he'd have to keep on top of what cover story he told, right now he was enjoying the banter with her.
Brynlee's laugh filled the room as he spoke her nickname and he was smirking as she rattled off her ideas about just where exactly it had come from. He shook his head, the grin still on his lips as his eyes shifted away from her gaze. "Air Defense Artillery. They're the ones you call when you're in too deep. It doesn't matter what you might be against or what's coming your way. They've got your back." His grin softened as his eyes found hers, "Just one call and a red-tailed missile comes over your head, breaking through the sky out of nowhere like a vengeful angel. Leveling the threat, securing your safety. Sometimes it's all fire and explosions and other times you don't even see what they do until you get the all-clear. They are a force to be reckoned with and often, my only back-up, and you..." His hand reached over softly, slowly, his fingers touching the end of her hair. That red hair that reminded him of those missiles, coming in and over him, lighting the sky on fire. His eyes drifted back to her, a small tug at his lips, "You fit that bill."
He wasn't sure what her reaction would be. He was learning quickly that she wasn't someone who could be classified as predictable. He hoped in the very least that she thought it was humorous. At the worst, he supposed she might think he was a naive love-struck dummy but he could work with that.
Then she was in his arms and he didn't care much about what was happening around them. His first reaction was to shake his head at her suggestion that he was the one who needed sleep, but instead, she moved in closer to him and he leaned his head over to rest against hers. She called him blondie and he chuckled. "Yeah, I'll just pack you in my rucksack. You've had all your shots right?" He sat back in the bed, a soft grin on his face. It was easy to banter together about things like this when he was stuck in the hospital. It was easier to pretend that he wasn't who he was when it was just the two of them. Much too easy.
Brynlee spoke about having him over after her blackout and he nodded, giving her a mock salute, "Affirmative ADA. Will wait for your go-sign." He wasn't sure if he'd actually follow through. Spending a night with her was skirting that line of common sense that his brain kept throwing at him. He shouldn't, and he knew that. But it was hard to convince himself of that as her eyes met his again, a pleased smile on her lips. "I bet you had brothers growing up didn't you?" He angled his head so he could see her better.
As a knock sounded on the door, Kane tried sitting up more. Brynlee greeted the woman who walked in and as they began talking about him, Kane felt his cheeks getting hot. When the women told him to take care of Brynlee he nodded, "Yes ma'am." He resisted the urge to straighten up the hospital gown they had on him, but knew it didn't make much of a difference. The woman was out just as quickly as she came and he gave a soft laugh when Brynlee spoke fondly about her.
Kane watched as she took off the tops of their meals and he listened silently as she spoke about her work. He nodded along, it would make sense. He supposed if he had been in her shoes he might have done the same. Get in somewhere small so you could rise up quickly. It was smart. He took a bite of the BLT, pleased that he had made a good call on the sandwiches. "That's smart. You'll be able to land whatever job you want after all the experience you're getting here." He didn't know much about the medical field, but he did know it took a while to get where you wanted to be, especially when it came to specialist stuff.
Kane took a bite out of the jello and gave her a pleased grin, "Alright. You called it on the jello. That's actually really good." He grinned before taking another bite. When she asked about his career he shrugged, "My mom and dad were both military. So were my grandpas on both sides of the family. Guess you could say I had it in my blood."
Kane sipped the water again, Brynlee's comment about being inside of him causing him to half-laugh and half-choke on the drink. Kane wasn't a dirty-minded person, but he had been in the military for most of his life. Being around men and women who were free with the jokes and comments tended to make his mind immediately pop up with inappropriate thoughts or jokes when certain things were said. Not that he voiced those thoughts or jokes, but they were certainly there. His eyes met hers, a grin wide on his face as he fondly spoke up, "There is never a dull moment with you, is there?"
She commented about his previous dates and he shook his head, "You've got me there. Though it's not much of a competition, my job doesn't offer up much time for dating." He gave her a tight smile, hoping the words didn't come out as odd as he felt as he said them. He knew it had to be said though, he had to interject it because it was the truth. There wasn't some normal path that he could offer up to her. This was his normal and if her smiles and glances were any indication of the way she was feeling, he owed it to her to see that now. He owed her that at the very least of it all.
He listened as she spoke about the pudding. He didn't care one bit about it. Dessert was a luxury in his line of work, something he did without, and that worked just fine with him. What he never got was her. There was no option of having an attractive as hell fiery red-head to give him company while he recovered box anywhere near his command checklist. As long as she was there with him, her bright smile lighting the room around them up, he was just fine.
As soon as the word ma'am left his lips, he knew he was in trouble. Her fiery side almost made an impact to his injury and he found himself in response holding up his hands in surrender, "Ah. Sorry." When she threatened him with riding in the back of her truck he put his hand mockingly over his heart, "Oh ouch. Kicked to the rear like cargo. Come on, you wouldn't do that to a defenseless, wounded soldier would you?" He looked over and gave her his best sad face and pout lip. He prepared himself for the possible swatting that might come of course. And when she threatened to call him sir he chuckled, "Alright. Fair point. No more ma'am. It'll be...ADA for here on out." He smirked, sitting back in the bed, pleased with his nickname choice. It was perfect. Absolutely perfect. At least it was in his humble opinion. He was curious to see if she had any guesses to what it stood for, or if she guessed that it was an acronym and not some random short name.
Kane listened quietly as she began speaking. She sounded tired and as she gently pulled his hand to her lap, her fingers tracing his skin, he wished he could do something for her. He was all but helpless when it came to what she was dealing with. He couldn't lessen her load, he couldn't promise her that it'd get easier, no all he could do was hold her. So that's what he did. Kane moved his right hand away from hers so he could put it around her, softly holding her to him. His other hand moved to hers again, and his head leaned over, his lips softly kissing the top of her head, "You need rest." He wished more than anything he could freeze time in that moment, with her in his arms. It was frustrating and downright tragic at how natural and right it felt to him.
He listened to her speak out against the government and media's front and he chuckled. Yes, ADA had been the right call. He continued to listen as she spoke about her childhood, repairing things and her father. He met her grin as she looked up at him. "I wish I could take you along with me to some of these places. You'd get a kick out of all the crap we have to rig up or make on the fly daily." That was a part of the job he was never that great at. Physical stuff? Sure. Mcgyver kind of stuff? No thanks.
Brynlee mentioned she'd like his company and he leaned his head over to rest his cheek against her head, her fiery red hair tickling his cheek, "Comfy bed. Entirely too much television and obscene amounts of takeout? How could a guy say no?" He was wistfully speaking of course. There was no way he could allow himself to fall that far. It would be easy, utterly too easy to spend days with her, but it wasn't rational. It wasn't something he could indulge because he wasn't sure if he was strong enough to climb back up out of that free-fall.
She angled herself to look at him as he had complimented her and he might as well have been hit with a shovel as he saw the red blush that crept into her cheeks. How someone so damningly beautiful could make his heart stop so suddenly was unnatural. How she could still the beating in his chest with the slightest incline of her lips was beyond him. Yet, she did.
A wry smile came across his face as she mentioned the surgeon. "Heaven help the person who tries to defy your wishes ADA. Poor guy never had a chance." Was he talking about the surgeon or himself? He wasn't sure anymore. When she spoke about protecting him his eyes searched her face. Why? Why did she have to be so brave and smart? Why did she have to be so beautiful? The questions bounced around in his head. Control. He needed to get control of himself.
What he wanted to do, was to kiss her lips. To lock the door and spend the afternoon talking and making out in bed with her. But he needed to get control. He needed to remember who he was. He swallowed hard before softly squeezing her hand back in return. "So, why Lethford? Seems like too small of a town for someone like you." He asked as he glanced over at her. He needed to keep this light, friendly. If he distracted himself with easy conversation maybe he could find it easier to resist the damn hold she already had on him. Maybe he could pretend that she wasn't the damn answer to a question he had been afraid of ever asking.
NOTES ; Nickname is pronounced like Aid-ah if that makes sense? Also...cannot wait to explain that one
Kane grinned at her joke before shrugging, "Well I figured since you've seen the inside of me, sharing food wouldn't be such a milestone." He was thankful things hadn't been worse. If she hadn't of acted as quickly as she did he might not even be sitting there, smiling at her beautiful face. And by god was she beautiful. Even in the exhausted state she was in, every time her lashes fluttered and her lips pulled into a smile he had to remind himself where he was. He had to remind himself who he was.
He watched her as she got the phone, putting in their order. He softly smiled as she grinned on the phone, chatting with the person who was taking their order. He wondered how someone so incredibly smart and beautiful ended up in a town like Lethford. There wasn't anything necessarily bad about the place, but it wasn't anything remarkable either. He imagined a girl like her would be happy in New York or LA, someplace bright and exciting. She was too full of life, too charming to be stuck in a place like this. His mind wandered to traveling with her, taking her halfway across the world, wherever she asked. He could practically picture her lazy smile, red hair dancing in the wind on some beach somewhere. It was the kind of things dreams were made of.
Her attention was pulled to the phone conversation and he too found himself averting his gaze. He sat back in the bed, glancing over at his pile of clothes and personal items they had taken off of him. He didn't mind of course, there wasn't anything worth mentioning inside anyway. He knew better than to travel with anything compromising. Brynlee put the phone down and spoke up, pulling his attention back to her. He chuckled lightly at the Jello comment, "That's some high praise for Jello. I was always more of a pudding kid, but I'll give it a shot."
The pair were grinning at one another and he couldn't help but wonder how in the hell she was so perfect. It was so easy to be around her. He had never been this relaxed around anyone, had never been this comfortable. He wasn't exactly a people-person, he tended to be a man of few words, but with her it was all he could do not to smile and make jokes. He was settled in this little back and forth they always seemed to have going. It felt natural, it felt right.
Kane had put his hand to her soft cheek and as she moved into it, closing her eyes for a moment. She was bound and determined that she would be the one taking him home and he couldn't help the amused grin that came to his face. "Ma'am yes ma'am." He put his fingers to his forehead and gave her a playful salute.
When he asked about the damage at the hospital he watched as the humor left her face. He nodded softly as she spoke about keeping the infected away. "I'm sure the military is already underway working towards barricading the hospital. I'm kind of surprised it hasn't happened yet. They should set up a barricade and a checkpoint. That'll help with making sure the right people get in when they need to get in."
She settled in next to him and he resisted the urge to pull her closer. When she laughed sarcastically about what they were being told he smirked. There was no fooling her. He was a little amused she saw past what the politicians and officials were trying to spin. "Not everyone is as level-headed as you. They've got to say they have everything under control or people will revolt. Big messes like this make a vacuum and it wouldn't take much for a rebel to gain traction as some sort of righteous leader." He had to remind himself that she wasn't trained for this. That seeing all that she had seen that day wasn't something she was trained for like he was. "Time off is good. You should take it. Stay home and do something you enjoy. You have any hobbies?" He glanced over at her. He didn't know why she was invested in him but he was damn thankful for it. He was thankful for a lot of things when it came to her. "You kicked ass by the way. I don't remember if I told you that or not, but you were amazing back there. I've dealt with special forces recruits that weren't as calm and quick as you were."
Light laughter came from her and he felt himself mimicking her smile. She was the incarnation of happiness. Her freckled face lit up when she was happy, her eyes bright as bright and warm as the sun. He had never in his life met anyone like her. She was a kind of one-in-a-million girl and as much as he would deny it, if anyone dared asked, he knew she had him hooked. It was stupid, he knew that. He knew there was no chance of having a future with her. He had years left on his contract and he couldn't, he wouldn't, ask her to wait on him. And that was assuming their relationship could even make it to that point. No, he knew in the back of his mind that he needed to get himself under control. But when her bright eyes moved to his, he knew he was powerless to her.
He asked about being hungry and, as if on cue, her stomach grumbled. She called it a traitor and he laughed, "No denying it now Valentine." He watched as she moved towards the counter, picking up the menu. She held it out to her and his eyes scanned the list, "What do you recommend to stay away from?" She warned him not to eat too much and he knew it was probably sound advice. His stomach was protesting otherwise, but he wasn't a fan of throwing up either so the lighter the better. "Hmm. How about a BLT? Not too heavy and you get bacon." He looked up at her, his face playfully tempting, "Maybe I can tempt you into splitting some fries with me?" He wasn't sure where french fries fell on the medical grade of being heavy or light, but he figured with the lighter sandwich he could swing it. He hoped she took him up on it. He knew she could use the rest and the food of course, but more than that he wanted her near. Call it selfish or foolish he didn't care, he wanted her close for as long as he could get it.
Brynlee had locked eyes with him after he had begun to tell her his assignment and why the secrecy was important. He could almost read the thousands of questions that came across her face, her bright eyes turning dark and confused when he began to talk. He hated that. He hated every word that came out of his lips. He knew there was no other way, but he'd be damned if it didn't hurt to watch the realization move across her face.
She moved to his bed and he gently scooted over a bit so she'd have room. The pain was there, but it was easily manageable. She said his nickname and he smirked. That was a good sign, he thought amusingly to himself. He had thought she might just walk right out the door after he told her, but she was proving once again that she wasn't the kind of girl who could be described as predictable.
When she brought up their date he almost had to pick his jaw up off the floor at the surprise. The smirk turned to a genuine smile as he spoke, "Do you still want to take me up on a date after hearing all that? Let me feel your head, you might be the one needing some medical attention." He playfully moved forward as if pretending to see she if she had a fever, the back of his hand pressing for a short moment on her forehead. He looked into her brown eyes, skimming over her beautiful freckled face. The playful grin fell away as his hand dropped to her face, his thumb softly caressing the side of her cheek. "I think we can safely call it even. And as far as saving your ass goes...." His eyes moved over her face, committing it all to memory before meeting her eyes again. "You just say the word and I'll be here."
His eyes stayed on hers for a moment more before removing his hand and listening quietly as she spoke again. She mentioned getting him out of bed and he nodded. If she hadn't been there he would have already tried putting weight on it, but he figured with her nearby, she'd kick his ass if he tried anything without her approval. When she mentioned that she would take him home he chuckled, "I'm sure you have much more important things to do than worry about driving me home." He reached over and took another sip of the water before turning his attention back to her. "Speaking of...what's the aftermath? Did you guys lose many staff?"
Kane wanted to throw the phone across the room for waking her up. One glance at her pretty face told him that she was exhausted. She wasn't the kind of girl to slack off and he knew, especially with what had happened, she'd be jumping into superwoman mode. He couldn't fault her for it of course. He was exactly the same way. If things had to be done, he did it. There was no other option. There wasn't any shifting blame or taking it easy. Even if it meant stretching yourself much too thin to get the job done.
It was clear that she wasn't going back to sleep either as her eyes met his. The corners of her eyes glistened and he felt his brain come to a sudden halt at wondering what caused them. When she spoke, his brain might as well have died from shock as he realized those were happy tears...for him. The corners of Kane's lips pulled into a grin and he shook his head, "Did you doubt it? C'mon. I had the amazing Dr. Valentine working on me, of course I made it."
Kane sipped the water that the nurse left for him. The icy liquid soothed his throat. He hated being on narcotics. He knew why of course, and he wouldn't complain about it, but they always left him slightly groggy. They made his throat dry and he, on the whole, felt like he was moving through a fog. He would be glad to be done with them. He watched Brynlee as she looked over his chart, relating the information to him. He didn't personally care what they said. It wasn't like he knew much medically anyway. If she said it was good, it was good enough for him. She then put the chart down and spoke, her voice oddly serious.
He wanted more than anything in the world to hold her. He knew that was entirely impossible and it wasn't even warranted, but damn did he want to have her in his arms when she said things like that. His chest tightened at the mere thought that a girl like her caring anything about a guy like him. And that was when his mind snapped back into place. A guy like him indeed.
He was a soldier, but even more than that, he was SEAL. Guys like him didn't have families or friends and there was a damn good reason for that. Relationships couldn't stand up against the rigors of living a life like that. He could be sent half-way across the world in a minute's notice. There was no paternity leave, there were no sick days. He gave a tired grin, "Sorry about that." He looked over at her, wishing they could stay like this, just the two of them with the world locked firmly outside, "How are you? When's the last time you've eaten something?" He nodded towards the hospital menu that was laying on the nearby counter, "Can I tempt you into having some five-star gourmet dinner with me?"
He listened as she spoke about what went on with his surgery. Nothing stood out to him, he had assumed they had done the transfusion. He couldn't remember much, but the color of red stood out which was never a good sign. Then she pulled out his dog tags and he felt his heart hit the floor. She held them out to him, yet another reminder of who he actually was thrown in his face, who he couldn't keep pretending to be. "Thanks."
He took them from her, moving his hand to cover them. The cold metal might as well have been blindingly hot with how much they rattled him. He wanted to say a million other things than what he knew he had to say, but he picked this road a long time ago and there were no detours from it. At least none other than the grave. "Brynlee, I can't thank you enough for what you did for me. I owe you my life. And I don't say that lightly." He looked up at her, meeting her eyes, wishing he was someone else. "I need a favor from you though. I need you to promise to keep what you saw and what you might have heard a secret." His eyes moved to the door, making sure there was no one lingering before he continued. "I'm not with the police. I'm with the military and my job is to remain covert until I'm needed and to do that, it's imperative that no one knows anything other than my cover of being a policeman." He searched her eyes, hoping he was conveying how incredibly serious of a situation this was. "Can I trust you?"
Kane had only blacked out twice in his life. Once was during SEAL training when the underwater submersion tank had fallen too fast by mistake and he had slammed his head into the wall, rendering him unconscious underwater. The second had been when he had gotten shot during a mission. The wound hadn't been all that bad, but the blood loss and shock got to him quickly. If it hadn't been for a teammate pulling some off-the-cuff thinking, he wouldn't have made it out alive. The hospital attack was apparently number three.
Kane's eyes fluttered open, his throat unbearably dry. The lights were bright in his room and he found himself squinting until they adjusted. He swallowed hard as the room slowly came into view. He kept still as his eyes made sense of where he was. The hospital room came into focus at the same time her fiery-red hair did. Brynlee's head was laying against his bed, her hand reaching out to his. An unfamiliar emotion exploded in his chest and it took all of his willpower not to grab her up and hold her to him.
Why she had bothered to wait around in the room was beyond him. She had saved his life, she didn't owe him a thing. The way her hand was reaching for his though sparked the idea that maybe, just maybe, he wasn't the only one falling head over heels into something. And he knew for certain that he was falling. It was in the way his heartbeat quickened whenever she looked at him, the way her smile made him feel like everything was right in the world. He knew he had already bought a one-way ticket down that path. He knew it was pointless. He knew where the path would end but damn it all, he didn't care. He couldn't stop himself. He couldn't leave her alone and he knew that it was selfish, but he couldn't resist the pull she had on him.
His hand carefully and gently closed around hers. He didn't want to disturb her, she was sleeping soundly and he knew how badly she probably needed the rest. There was no telling what had happened since he had passed out. He wasn't even sure how long he had even been asleep. Someone slipped inside his door and he moved his free hand quickly, pressing his finger to his lips to tell the nurse to be quiet. She nodded and quietly began moving about him, checking over his vitals and handing him some water. He did what was asked of him, moving very minimally so he wouldn't wake Brynlee. When the nurse was done he asked her for a blanket for Bryn. He wanted to pull her into his bed, to hold her against his chest so badly it was killing him. He knew that wasn't an option, at least not right now.
The woman covered Brynlee with a light blanket before leaving and he gently stroked his thumb against her soft hand. She was beautiful, heartrendingly beautiful. Her face was relaxed in her sleep and he watched as her lips pulled softly as she continued to dream. Kane watched her a minute more before he leaned his head back, closing his eyes. He had almost fallen back asleep when his phone went off nearby, and not the good one. He turned to see if he could see it, the action causing a dull roar of pain from his leg. He grunted, trying to keep his voice down, knowing that the ringer would probably wake her up anyway. He saw the phone on the nearby sink's counter and he reached over, his voice gently trying to soothe Brynlee as he did, "Shh, it's okay. Go back to sleep."
His fingers made contact and he pulled it to him, answering the phone to silence the loud noise, knowing it was probably too late. "Shelby." He spoke. "Local PD identified you before we could get McCabe over to bring you to base. Looks like your cover wasn't blown. Go dark until we reach out again. Your cover's patrol car will be re-stocked, cleaned, and dropped off at your apartment. Are there any loose ends we need to know about?" Kane's eyes met Brynlee's face, his chest tight from the question. He knew he should call her in, they would force her to sign a non-disclosure, and that was at the very least, but he couldn't do it. He didn't want anyone who knew about him to know anything about her. "Negative." the words coming out smooth and sure. "Affirmative. Destroy this phone, a new one will be in your cover car." The phone cut out and he let it drop onto the bed, his eyes finding hers.
An amused smile came to his lips again when she groaned in protest to his calling her ma'am. She wasn't the first person of the female variety to call him out on it and she wasn't going to be the last. The many years of the military had all but instilled and bred it in him, it was almost an instinct. A knee-jerk reaction when he spoke to women. The same when it came to men, especially civilians. It was a hard habit to break. "Sorry, I've been with the department for a long time. It's not about age or anything, I assure you. Though, you don't have anything to be worried about in the ma'am looks department, believe me." The words came out before he could stop himself, his cheeks burning like fire as he tried to back-peddle, "Not that, my opinion on the matter..." He shook his head, "I mean, you know, I was just stating that it wasn't a reflection on you, the...is it always this hot in here?" He looked around, rubbing the back of his neck with his hand. He was damn near half-naked and he felt like his blood was running red hot. He wasn't the best with women. Unless he had a clear objective he tended to be a little lost when it came to flirting or apparently speaking like a rational human being.
He gave a small laugh when she spoke about the cost. He hadn't had to worry about a medical bill in years. That was part of his job, tucked in right next to the possibility of never coming home again. In actuality, he wouldn't have to worry about anything financial wise for a very, very long time. That was another perk of having the kind of job that he had with no personal life tying him down. There was no lodging to worry about, no bills, no family to support. The paychecks came in and 90% went right into his savings account. During the nights where he was sitting alone on some rooftop waiting for something to happen or the days when he stepped off the plane and watched as other soldiers ran to their families, he thought about retiring. He thought about leaving that life behind and moving on, to try, but in the end, his sense of duty always won out.
She asked if her voice or appearance gave her away and he shook his head, "Nah." He repeated the phrase, 'do not comment on her appearance' over twice in his head before speaking, "I don't do anything more than donut and coffee runs, I'm sure you work circles around me." He couldn't imagine the kind of pressure that nurses and doctors dealt with every single day. Sure there were many times when he'd consider his job more demanding, when he had lives in his hands, but they did that every single day. They had to fight for lives every single day for hours on end. It wasn't anything small.
He gave her a small smile when she thanked him for being her victim. With her fiery red hair and brilliant smile, he doubted anyone would have been able to tell her no. She was ridiculously charming and if she would have asked him to move a mountain he knew he'd have his rear end finding a shovel before she could utter out a please and thank-you.
He sat on the cold table, awaiting his instructions. He tried not to stare as her face took on a look of concentration, moving the dials and buttons near him. She moved his ankle over and he obliged, nodding when he told her to be still, "Yes ma'am." The words coming out before he could stop them again. "Ah, Sorry." His eyes found hers and he was a little surprised to see that her eyes had been on him. He found himself breathing more shallow, wishing he could read her mind. He didn't have tattoos or anything else that he suspected might have caught her attention, excluding maybe a few bad scars here and there. He didn't truly know what to think so he shook the idea away, laughing when she made the joke.
"Guess I've got to take you into custody then huh?" He sat very still as she disappeared behind the little wall. Before he knew it she was back again, handing him a black and white image. He took it, standing up from the table and slipping it into his pant's pocket. When she told him her job title he raised his eyebrows, letting out an impressed whistle. "Wow. Talk about impressive. You sure you want to get coffee with a boring cop? Don't you have some handsome surgeon friends you'd rather hang out with?" He was joking of course, but in a way, the possibility was undoubtedly there. He watched as she hopped up on the table, kicking her legs. He couldn't help the grin that came across his face watching her smile. She asked him about the coffee and he tilted his head to the side, an idea popping into his head, "You want to go for a ride?"
Kane watched her as she laughed at his quip, her eyes lighting up. A small part of him pleased that he could make her laugh. He wasn't normally a flirt, and he wasn't even sure if making a girl laugh even counted as flirting but he enjoyed it. Making her laugh seemed a whole hell of a lot easier than trying some godawful pick-up line he had heard the soldiers in his unit use before. They were so bad he sometimes got second-hand embarrassment from them. He laughed lightly at the notion of needing a CAT scan, jokingly raising his hands in surrender, "I make police officer salary ma'am. Let's keep the tests to a minimum."
She murmured a thatta boy to him before walking towards the other side of the room. He felt a little awkward to be standing in a room half-naked with a stranger, but he supposed she was in the medical field and seeing him shirtless wasn't probably anything special. His medical experience had all been in the military and privacy wasn't a factor. It was common to stand in a room in only your skivvies with a few hundred other soldiers in theirs while waiting for exams and shots. Privacy and modesty wasn't something that was considered where he was from. He glanced over in time to see her come around the wall, yawning. A pang of sympathy hit him.
Sure soldiers were on the front lines, but they weren't the only ones. Men and women in the medical field were working just as hard, sometimes harder and with as little rest as he and his buddies got. It was fine for them. He had signed up for this, he was trained for this, but civilians weren't. They had found themselves shouldering more than they should have ever had to and he hated it for people like her. "End of shift huh?" She answered him back oddly after he asked if he was alright how he was and he found himself nodding, "Well alright."
Kane moved to the place where she had stepped forward earlier as he watched her. The quiet was nice but allowed the odd feeling of being nervous to seep into his thoughts. He hadn't had much experience in having tests done unless something was bad. They were typically assessing damage and that old anxiety about what they'd find crept into his senses for a moment while he waited. He had been lucky, luckier than most but he knew the day would come. The day where the damage would be too much to fix. He snapped out of it when she laughed, telling him her name and asking for his. "Shelby. Kane, Shelby. Nice to meet you miss Valentine."
The corners of his lips pulled again as she told him to hop up on the table. He did as instructed, pulling himself onto the table. His eyes watched her as he waited for further instructions. He hoped she wouldn't glance too much at the scarring he had scattered over various parts of his body. Sure he could blame the uniform, but he doubted she'd quite believe him. She didn't seem like she missed much of anything. "So are you a doctor?"
