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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OPEN MODERATOR POSITION
outbreak
/ˈaʊtbreɪk/ zero /ˈzɪərəʊ/
a sudden occurrence of something unwelcome, such as war or disease. number, no quantity or number; nought; the figure 0.
you all probably saw this coming, i was going to attempt to keep one character, but i think it isn't going to happen right now. perhaps i will return in the future, you guys are great! best of luck!
The brunette swallowed, her words flowing from her lips as she spoke them in quick succession. She watched Demetri's face, looking for any clue that she was correct in her suspicions. And when he looked over his shoulder, towards the two-way-glass, she knew that she was correct. This was an interrogation, whether he believed it or not. He was being used to find out what was going through her head, to find out what she knew and what she didn't. Lara found herself huffing, leaning back in her seat as he turned to address her. Why was she feeling so hostile? This wasn't like her...However, when he revealed that he thought she had been dead, and that they were all worried, her features seemed to soften. She swallowed, shaking her head, "I'll tell you whatever you want to know...but it isn't much."
Her words, however, died in her throat when he mentioned he was transferring divisions. Though, she was able to talk enough to question him about his timing, something that he seemed so confused about. His words were uttered as if he were looking for the correct thing to say. Something wasn't adding up, but her brain already hurt enough - at that moment, she felt like going home and sleeping. She swallowed again, her throat dry. What the fuck were those pills? She internally shook her head from the thought, the idea of doing it physically, already making her dizzy.
She swallowed once more, letting out a soft sigh. "It was the right call. I'm upset you decided now was the right time to tell me though," she said, looking up at him through dark lashes. She itched at her cheek, bringing her fingernails to her lips as if she were going to bite them off. The sound of Demetri standing to his full height didn't phase her, but she did listen as he spoke. She sighed, her fingers now moving to her forehead to rub at the flesh between her eyebrows.
"Here's everything I remember..." With those starting words, Lara started on with her monologue, telling Demetri everything she remembered, everything leading up to the last moment that was in her brain - the night at the bar. While it had only been last night to her, in reality, he had said it was a good seventy-two hours prior. There were so many holes in her story; she didn't even know what to believe anymore. "And that's it...nothing else besides weird dreams and hazy vision with bright lights here and there..."
Demetri Hawtrey ● i left her story blank so you can fill in the holes how you see fit! <3
So much was happening in her life these past few days, she was getting thrown for a loop. And the fact that this was the second stranger she practically threw her troubles upon showed that her head wasn't screwed on tightly enough. First was Ezra, though she had gained an ally out of that, and now this woman that had stopped to see if she was okay. At least this time, she apologized for her mouth running. Though, the woman had a sense of humor in her reply, reassuring her that she wasn't completely insane.
The woman mentions that the pandemic wasn't making social interactions easy, and she nodded her head, letting out a laugh. "Well, the fact that I have amnesia that practically took away all memories of the pandemic starting and only re-learned about it a few days ago...it definitely has fucked with my thought process on social distancing and mask-wearing," she said with a small awkward laugh. Brushing a strand of brunette hair behind her ear, the woman looks down at the papers against her chest for a moment. It was as if she wanted the ground to swallow her whole, taking her away from this weird and awkward encounter that she placed herself in.
Before awkwardness would have rolled right off her - she would have taken it in strides. But lately? It was like her confidence had been taken down a ping...I guess going missing for three months will do that to a girl. 'I happen to know of a coffee shop down that ways a bit, and they also happen to still be open. To go only, of course. But I wouldn't mind some company, and I promise not to interview you. Do you have somewhere you could put those for now?'
"I'd love some coffee," she started, nodding her head towards a car parked not far from them, "I got my car. Just give me a second," she said. She slipped past the woman, heading towards her car - unlocking it on the way. She threw open the trunk and dumped the file inside, hiding it from sight as she slammed it shut. She spun around, plastering a grin on her lips as she stuffed her hands in her pocket. "Lead the way?"
So many things traveled through her mind at that moment, she wasn't thinking. A rational person probably would have denied going to a stranger's house, but at that moment, she needed answers. She didn't care if Ezra was a stranger or a long time friend; she seemed to know how to help her. And maybe, just maybe, they could help each other. Ezra could get the story she wanted, and Lara could get the answers she craved. If Demetri was going to lie to her, right now, Ezra was the only person she could trust.
The woman seemed satisfied when Lara agreed to come to her home, though, saying that she wasn't intruding before she asked her to follow along behind her. Her attention looked towards where Ezra gestured, seeing a bike that she was driving. She nodded her head, brunette hair getting into her eyes. Lara moved to get into her car, and then she followed behind the bike. It thankfully didn't take long before they got there, and she hadn't even lost her in the thick of traffic.
They pulled into the parking area of the apartment complex, and Lara killed the engine getting out. "Is it okay to park here? Don't need like a visitor pass for my car, do I?" she questioned, following behind as the girl mentioned having a dog. She shook her head, "I'm a fan of dogs, so it'll be great," she said, a smile on her face. They continued their trek up a few floors, and Ezra opened the door to reveal a quaint apartment with a fur-ball waiting for them, tail wagging. It seemed excited to see Ezra, but also to see Lara.
The woman smiled, petting the dog and scratching behind his ears, kneeling so she could do so. "Aren't you a cutie," she breathed out, looking for a collar or something to see his name. 'Make yourself comfortable. I'll go get the files.' The brunette nodded her head, standing to her full height and making her way to the couch. She sat down against the plush piece of furniture, looking around at the home that Ezra had made for herself. She took in each different thing that revealed her personality, noticing there were no family pictures anywhere to be seen. She smiled down at the puppers as he came over, scratching behind his ear once more while she waited.
Maybe this was a sign to get her own dog.
@ezra ● if you wanna end it on your post, feel free! we can give it a generic ending like "they spent time going over research! or something!
Demetri seemed stunned that she would use such a word by how his head jerked up to attention the minute it left her lips. But even though he said that he wasn't interrogating her, she wasn't backing down. Even if he was a civilian, she was still in the interrogation room here talking to her. "You may not be interrogating me...but I'd bet my life there is someone in that room," she started, nodding her head towards the glass mirror that she knew could be seen from the other side. She had stood on that other side loads of times, watching as someone was interrogated in the very seat that she sat in. "That is likely taking this as an interrogation, but using you to get the information they want. I'm comfortable with you; you're my friend...my partner. You're the perfect person to interrogate me while keeping me perfectly comfortable."
Her words were hard, but she was standing by him. He may not believe that he was interrogating her, but surely there was someone that wanted this. Wanted her questioned to make sure she was still sane. If Demetri had been the one to disappear for a supposed three days and appeared out of the blue, she would have likely been asked to do the same. They were comfortable with each other; they wouldn't exactly freak out on the other person. And if they did, she was sure that she could calm Demetri down...just like she knew he could calm her down. But she felt level headed, just annoyed.
'I told you to let me deal with it. If anything were to happen it would be my responsibility, my fault, my job, my life. But no, you-Nevermind.' She frowned deeply at his words, shaking her head, "What the fuck are you talking about? Deal with what?" she questioned, her mind buzzing. The way he said nevermind, shrugging like that, she knew he likely wouldn't answer her. Not here, anyway.
He slowly started to answer her questions, revealing things about a virus spread through the city and turned it into a pandemic. He mentioned that what they were investigating might have been part of it, but that it didn't matter, especially since the investigation was suspended upon her disappearance and suspending him. And then he mentioned that his suspension was to last three months, but he wondered if her return might be shortened. And then came the bombshell, he was transferred to another department, missing person. She shook her head, "You're abandoning me for the missing person's unit?" she questioned, surprise on her face. "You requested it before I disappeared...when were you going to tell me?" she questioned, betrayal now feeling her features. She couldn't blame her disappearance on him wanting to transfer; she had been here last week.
Lara knew that it was a little weird to tell people she had been missing for three months - acting as if it were no big deal. But she was more numb to it now than she was when she was told that it had happened. Of course, it was more angry numbness than anything. She was still trying to figure out why Demetri had lied to her...did he think it would be better if she were in the dark? Was he trying to protect her? She wanted to smack him in the face, but she had refrained from even talking to him. The only person she had been in contact with was Ezra, the reporter that had helped her learn the truth and shared her information. A woman that she had promised to keep in the loop with what she found to bring it all to light.
Was Demetri in on it? Was he the reason that she went missing? That she had lost that part of her life? Her trust in him was slowly lowering, and she hated it. He was like her best friend, and now he was a stranger with her best friend's face. Even him moving to a new department within the force seemed suspicious to her. Lara shook her head at the awkwardness of the woman when she finally answers, and Lara shrugged. "It's okay. I'm over it. Sorry to have sprung it on you like that..." she breathed out, it was a little weird to say such a thing to a stranger.
'Still, you would think they'd be trying to avoid coming into contact with people. All of the chaos definitely doesn't help people think straight though. I'm Callie. Nice to meet you.' It was awkward, not being able to shake hands - something so mundane. Lara had even held her hand out before she realized what she was doing and quickly brought it back to herself, "Shit. I hate this," she breathed out more to herself than anything. "Lara. It's nice to meet you as well, even if this entire encounter has been awkward."
The woman revealed that she had been working doubles most days and sleeping rather than watching the news. She nodded her head, "Well, I'm glad. Usually, when people recognize me, they want to interview me or ask me a million questions that I can't answer..." she breathed out. She shook her head, "I mean...it sucks that you have to work doubles most days and don't get the sleep that you deserve..." she quickly said. This...was awkward.
'I'm sorry, Detective Shaw. It's been three months. I have documentation that shows I was informed of your case, however minute the details were, three months ago. Did someone tell you that you'd only been gone three days?'
Three months. Three months. Three months... That is what her mind kept echoing within her brain. As if something were trying to escape, a headache was forming, as if to warn her about whatever happened. It happened here and there since she had come back. But each time she felt it, she took the pills found in her bag - the pills her new neighbor had handed over. It had her name; it seemed reasonable...it made her feel better. She craved it at that moment, but she refrained from doing so. She moved a little, rubbing at her temple for a second as she closed her eyes. She swallowed, shaking her head, "It doesn't matter," she breathed out, her voice sounding a bit rough.
The woman seemed to take this revelation as a cue to stop the interview, though she didn't notice her end the recorder. Instead, she watched as she scribbled something down and held it out. Her name and phone number, fingers shaking, removed themselves from their fixture, and gently grabbed the offered paper. The woman revealed that she would be willing to help her, all she had to do was reach out, and she promised that she wouldn't bug her again. But what she couldn't promise was to keep anything off the record.
'We aren't far from my apartment. I have all of those documents I was telling you about in my file cabinet. Would you...want to come see them for yourself? It's not much - your case was very hush-hush. But it's proof. You know, for whoever told you it was just a few days. And for yourself, too.' The woman pursed her lips, a new form of determination appearing in her eyes. She shouldn't be one to accept such an offer, especially from a stranger. She was a cop - a detective - and she knew how badly this could turn out. But it was the hesitation in the woman's voice, the kindness that she had displayed when she revealed her confusion, and the fact that she was angry that she was lied to, that had her answering differently than she would have.
"I would love to. If it won't mean that I'm intruding...and I'll answer your questions as best I can there..." The words came out hard, unbroken as she nodded her head, "And perhaps, tomorrow I'll head into the station and find my file. And anything I find I'll contact you...whatever happened to me, perhaps bringing it to light will be the best for this community."
Was Lara going to regret giving an interview about her disappearance? More than likely. But more so because she wasn't exactly in the mindset of remembering everything. After Demetri had practically interrogated her, she still came up with blanks. She remembered nothing of her time missing, only bits and pieces of the moments leading up to it. And yet, here she was, agreeing to some reporter's request for more information. She hoped that the woman wouldn't be angry with her for not knowing anything. But at least she promised to make it fast.
'If I remember correctly, I first heard about your disappearance around three months ago.' That one sentence had Lara stopping in her tracks, her stance growing rigid before she laughed. "Three months? No...I've been missing three days..." she said, more so to herself than the reporter. Of course, it was loud enough for her to be heard. Demetri had said three days, why was this woman saying three months. "I..."
The brunette hadn't been in the mood for rude ass people, and that person bumping into her irked her. And without a word, the person had disappeared, leaving Lara to pick up her life pieces. Not exactly, more so, the life she had vanished from for supposedly the past three months. This file held answers, or maybe it was just clues, but she wanted it whatever it was. It wasn't like Dem was going to tell her, nor was anyone else.
The sound of someone else approaching had Lara attempting to pick up the papers faster, wanting to get them before they were trampled. Or worse...flew away. It seemed the woman was trying to speak, and when Lara glanced up, she seemed to freeze. It was as if the woman recognized Lara, which she wasn't exactly surprised by. Supposedly her picture had been everywhere on the news the past few months.
But as she looked at the woman, a flash of a needle and lab coat filled her vision, disappearing only when she closed her eyes for a second and opened them once more. Her brain started to throb, but not as bad as she needed the pills to ease it. She finished grabbing the papers, stuffed them back into the folder, and stood to her full height - just as the woman snapped back to the present. The woman said she looked familiar, before calling that silly.
She shook her head, "Could have seen me on the news...I've been missing for three months," she said, adding a laugh to the end to relieve the tension. "I can. Everyone's in a hurry these days. The whole pandemic seems to be throwing people through a loop."
'Lara, you went missing for almost 3—days. We went drinking and you told me you were getting a cab. I tried calling you the next morning because you didn't come to work but you never answered my calls. We were looking for you...I was looking for you for 3...days.' Dark eyes slowly widened as she looked at him, her mouth slightly agape. Three days? No. That was impossible. How could she have been missing for three days? With no memory of it? She shook her head, swallowing deeply, trying to find the words that she wanted to speak.
Her head was throbbing, so much that she barely heard him speak, barely even heard him say that it wasn't supposed to be a joke. She rubbed, messed with the pills that she had. Slowly, she watched as he filled the cup with a freshwater bottle, placing it before her, which she quickly grabbed. Throwing the pills back into her mouth, she took a huge gulp. 'Look...About being infected-What else do you remember other than Friday night?'
She looked up at him, placing the cup back on the table. Already her head was clearing, and she blinked. She shook her head, "Why do I feel like I'm being interrogated?" she questioned, raising an eyebrow at him. She shook her head, "I...I vaguely remember people going missing. Homeless and students...you wanted to look into them. I remember trying to talk you out of it; I didn't want you to lose your job after we had been told that it wasn't worth looking into. I remember people getting sick..." she breathed out, shaking her head. She closed her eyes with a groan, flashes of bright lights, and needles filling her vision before she rapidly opened them once more.
"Is...is that what everyone was talking about? Everyone getting sick...has turned into people being infected?" she questioned, looking up at him.
The itch of being watched throughout the entire store had left the moment she walked through the doors. Thankfully. However, it was somewhat foreign to her. She had never felt watched as much as she had of late, and she blamed it on her disappearance. It had felt like she was walking on glass, continually having people look at her. How did almost seventy-two hours turn into a stare and whisper fest?
She shook the feeling off, juggling her groceries as she dug through her bag to pull out her keys. However, just as she got to her car, about to put the key in, her name was spoken from behind her. Lara, already on edge, spun around just as she was introduced to a journalist of some kind. Great. Lethford Daily, what did they want?
I'm sorry to bother you, but I've been hearing all over about your disappearance and I just...when - when did you...come back? If you have the time, I'd love to ask you some question.' She frowned at the woman but decided to answer her question. "I've been back a few days..." she spoke, opening her car and throwing her bags inside the passenger seat. Quickly she spun around to face the woman once more, crossing her arms over her chest. "I don't have anything cold, so you have a few minutes. So I guess, have at it."
It had been a few days since the fateful encounter with that woman. A journalist, if she remembered correctly. One that had recognized her as one of the many missing people, her face plastered everywhere. However, her words completely contradicted the things that Demetri had said. Like she had said, she was missing for almost three months, while Demetri had said that she had only been gone for seventy-two hours. At the time, she wasn't exactly sure what to believe. Did she believe a stranger, a member of the media that she didn't even trust to begin with? Did she believe her partner, someone she considered a friend, would never lie to her?
At first, her mind had gone to her partner. He would never lie to her. He had never lied to her. And yet, as the conversation had continued, she wasn't too sure anymore. And she knew what she had to do. Even though she technically wasn't allowed to work as a detective until they figured out if she was trustworthy enough, it didn't mean she couldn't go looking for information on her case. And when she got home that night - she found it. The internet didn't lie, and each time she had type in her name, it said that same thing. Demetri had lied to her...
It took her a few days to figure out her next move. Each call and text from Demetri went untouched. She didn't exactly want to talk to him. How could she, after he had broken her trust? But that day, she had swallowed her pride and decided to head down to the station. Her goal? To find the file that held all her missing person reports. To get to the bottom of it all, find her last location and backtrack from there. She didn't need Demetri's help, because at that point...how could she trust that he was honest with her? What if he kept things from her, the truth from her? She swallowed, pushing her fingers through her hair angrily.
Grabbing her keys, she left her apartment behind and made her way down to the station. It didn't take long to park, get inside, find her file, and get out. Of course, she didn't exactly tell anyone she was taking her fine - not that she took the real thing. Making copies of it was easy, and quickly she slipped it into her bag before leaving behind the place she had called home for so long. Eventually, she knew they would welcome her back, maybe after she figured out what had happened to her.
The moment she made it down the steps, she ran straight into someone, her bag falling to the ground. "Shit," she hissed out, dropping to the ground to gather the stray papers that had slipped out and stuffed them back in. She realized then that the person she had run into had moved on, leaving her to stand to her feet and roll her eyes. "Watch where your going next time," she muttered.
She had been missing. Gone, without a trace, and yet her memory was blank. Nothing but a foggy haze that she couldn't get rid of. Demetri had said she had been gone for seventy-two hours, her file placed on the back burner as they worried about new missing people. And then there was this virus...one that was killing many people, leading to the military appearing and new laws placed down.
So much had happened in those seventy-two hours; it didn't make sense to her. Her brain hurt just thinking about it. But one thing that got her was...how did she not remember any of this? What happened to her memory? Did the people that take her somehow wipe her memory? Why did they take a detective? She wanted to know why and who...and Demetri was the key to that.
The only downside of Demetri's help was that he was no longer working, having been suspended. But that didn't mean he wasn't willing to be there for her, while she tried to put the pieces of the puzzle back together. This was her life, and she damn well deserved to figure out what happened to her. But for now, she needed some food. She wasn't the type to keep a lot of food around, usually shopping once and week - but it seemed she cleared the entire place out. Or maybe someone else had?
She quickly shook her head, brushing a strand of brunette hair behind her ear. The place was packed, especially for being pretty empty. There were no essentials, which she wasn't exactly surprised by. If people were panicking, why wouldn't they by all the cleaning material, paper towels, and toilet paper? It didn't take long to grab some things, especially when there wasn't much to pick from. Making it through the checkout, however, was the tough part. But luckily, she made it through, paid, and disappeared out the door. She started for her car.
A headache was forming, one that pounded beneath her forehead as if it had a mind of its own. It was like being hungover, but worse - it was hard to explain. But everything that was happening, all the words of those that she had worked with, swirled around her brain. They threatened her, confused her - and worse of all, she wanted to get to the point. This wasn't some mystery that she had to solve, this was her life - and if supposedly she had been missing, she wanted to get to the bottom of it. But she didn't remember missing, that was the problem. She remembered last night, drinking with Demetri. She needed answers, and he was the person to get them from.
He looked the same; nothing about him had changed as the faint of a smirk appeared on his lips. However, his eyes had changed. Not the color or the shape, but the way that they looked at her. Usually, they were filled with humor, determination - but now they shined brightly with something else. Worry? Maybe even something more emotional? A vulnerability in the great Demetri Hawtrey? She swallowed, her demanding words having just left her lips, her eyes trained on him.
'We thought you went missing. But...here you are.' She titled her head, confusion appearing on her lips. She shook her head, "How could you have thought I went missing. You saw me last night. Remember, we went drinking...like we usually do on Friday nights." And then he asked how she was, and she sort of laughed, "Confused...I am so confused. Is this another one of your jokes? Did you get everyone in the office to pretend that I've been missing? You know, it isn't exactly funny. And what's this about being infected? Infected with what?"
The headache grew like a tumor, and eventually, she sunk back into the seat that she had previously risen from. Rubbing at her temple, she blinked her eyes rapidly, fingers rubbing at them as well. "God, my head," she breathed out, closing her eyes when a light blinded her, one that unbeknownst to her, was simply a memory. She quickly grabbed her bag, pulled it close to her, and reached for something to calm the headache. Her hand grasped onto a bottle, and when she pulled it out, it revealed that it was the pills that the guy had handed her this morning. The ones with her name on it. The ones that said to take when her brain became fuzzy, something that surely was happening now, beneath the pounding of her brain.
"Got any water?" she questioned, quickly removing the cap and hitting it against her hand, letting one huge white horse pill fall into her palm.
Time seemed to move by slowly, her fingers tapping against the table that she sat at. However, as she waited for whatever was going to happen, she found herself pacing the place. It was a small room, and as she moved around, she looked through the mirror to see who was on the other side and felt like she was being arrested. Is this what the perps felt like while they waited for whatever or whoever was going through that door. She brushed her hand through her hair, fingers touching the tie that held her hair in the bun.
She sighed, spinning around before sitting down once more. She placed her head against the cold metal table, waiting. She knew someone had to be on the other side of the glass, from all of their reactions when she arrived this morning, why wouldn't there be? What had they meant by missing? Infected? What the bloody hell was going on?
She wasn't sure if it was her imagination, but the sound of shouting could be heard. Her eyes snapped up, taking in the mirror that stood before her. From the sounds of it, they likely were on the other side. The voice sounded familiar...but muffled. She was sure one of them was her unit officer, why wouldn't it be? He was always in that room, always watching whenever they interrogated someone. It was likely protocol. But was the other Demetri?
She sucked in a breath, rubbing at her lip that had been split. Luckily it wasn't as visible. She probably looked like shit to whoever was in there, like she hadn't slept in centuries. And then, the sound of footfall headed towards the door. Seconds later, they stopped, the knob was twisted, and the door creaked open. Her attention slowly moved towards the sound, and then there he stood. Demetri. Her partner was standing right there, and a part of her felt relieved. But there was another part that was unsure why she felt that way. Maybe it was because he would likely make sense of everything. But her brain hurt as if something were missing, withheld from her mind.
'Lara?' She rose to her feet, crossed her arms over her chest. "Why the hell do you look like you've seen a ghost? Someone better tell me what the fuck is going on..."
