Outbreak Day
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“Take that!” Two teenagers sat side by side on a bed, mashing buttons on their game controllers. The girl yelled out, pumping her fist into the air.
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“Focus up, Ez!” The boy nudged her, leaning forward as he focused on the TV.
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“Fuck. I got downed.”
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“Don’t worry. I’ll save your ass. Like usual.” Aqil’s character ran over to Ezra’s, pulling her out of harm’s way before helping her back up to her feet.
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“Thanks, Aqil.” She flashed him a dazzling smile, making his heart speed up in his chest.
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In the other room, Aqil’s father loudly talked on the phone in Arabic. The two teens tuned him out, though, too focused on their game to care. Ezra and Aqil played their game until they were called downstairs by his father, saying that lunch was ready.
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“What’re we havin’?” Ezra pulled out the bar stool, plopping down, her eyes watching Aqil’s father.
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“Sandwiches.” He pushed them toward the teens, the phone still held to his ear. He spoke once more to the phone. Ezra had learned not to eavesdrop as a child, but that never stopped her from being curious. She looked over at Aqil to see his expression change as he listened to his father.
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“Is everything alright?” Ezra dragged the plates over to her and Aqil.
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“I--I don’t know, Ez.” The boy shifted nervously in his seat, having heard his father talk about an outbreak. An infection that’s spreading. He didn’t know who his father was talking to, but all he could think about was his mom, who was still at work at the hospital.
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“Don’t worry about it.” Ezra smiled, lightly punching him in the shoulder. “I’m sure it’s just stupid grown-up stuff. And we’ve got a mission to finish anyway.”
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“Yeah.” Aqil cracked a smile. “I guess you’re right.”
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“Kids.” Karim finally turned his attention to them. “You should pack.”
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“What? Why?” Ezra looked at him in confusion.
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“Jade and I will explain things later to you, but right now, I need you to take the food to your room and eat.” He spoke with a thick accent that Ezra had become accustomed to. Sometimes she had to listen extra carefully to understand him still, though.
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Ezra looked over at Aqil, seeing if he’d protest his father or not. Once a few moments passed she concluded he wouldn’t and picked up her plate. “Fine.” She marched back to the room, her anger of being left out of the conversation all too prevalent for Karim.
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“Go with her.” Karim spoke to Aqil, who sat there a couple of seconds longer before doing as he was told.
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“Why does he always treat us like children?!” Ezra vented as Aqil walked into the room. “What was he talking about, Aqil? You have to tell me.”
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“Something about an infection.” He shook his head. “Maybe he was talking to mom.”
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“I hope she’s okay.” Ezra wrapped her arms around herself, looking at the floor. Aqil walked over to her, wrapping an arm around her for comfort. “We should pack.” She spoke up quietly.
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The two of them opened the dressers, unpacking their items and putting them into their suitcases. Ezra had only just unpacked a month ago. It felt bittersweet packing once more. Usually, it meant her parents were back home, but not this time; this time, it meant something more.
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“Jade.” Karim let out a breath he had been holding, framing her face with his large hands. “I’m glad you’re alright.”
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“I am.” She confirmed, placing her hand over his and leaning into his touch. “Are you ready? Did you tell the kids? What about Ezra’s parents?”
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“I packed for both of us and told the kids to pack for themselves.” He nodded, brushing a hair out of her face. “I didn’t explain to them what’s happening, but they will know soon enough.”
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“What about Bill and Laura?”
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“I couldn’t reach them.” He shook his head, dropping his hand from Jade’s face. “I pray they are fine.”
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“We need to worry about Ezra more than ever now.” Jade took a deep breath, age showing on her face.
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“I will go get the kids and get them into the car. Get something to eat.” Karim left the room and walked into the room Ezra and Aqil shared. “Are you packed? Both of you?” He glanced at the television as they played their game. He never liked all the violence in the games they played.
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“Yep.” Ezra answered for the both of them.
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“We may not be coming back here.” Karim stated more quietly this time, worrying how Ezra would react.
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“What?!” She stood up from the bed. “Tell us what’s happening!”
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“Jade and I will explain when we get in the car.” He held his hands out, trying to calm her down. “Please pack your things into the trunk.”
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“No!” Ezra’s eyes flared up as she spoke, reminding Karim of her mother. “Tell us now.”
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“Ezra, please.” Aqil finally spoke.
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She looked back at him for a moment before sighing and walking over to her things, picking them up. “Come on, Aqil. Let’s go.”
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“Can we take the console?” Aqil asked his father, who shook his head, causing the boy’s face to drop.
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The two of them grudgingly brought their things into the garage, packing them into the family’s SUV. Shortly, Karim followed them, placing his and Jade’s things in the back. He has packed everything he could fit, but one of the most important things to him being their photo album. Their family had always taken photos of everything they did, which was at first odd to Ezra, but after time she learned to appreciate them. To be able to look back and reminisce.
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After Jade finished eating, the four of them got into the SUV and drove off.
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“You brought your spider?” Jade looked back at the kids from the front seat.
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“And the roach colony so I can feed her.” Aqil answered, cowering slightly, knowing how much his mother hated Faye.
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Ezra watched out the window as they drove, biding her time to ask what was happening once more. “There are a lot of people leaving.”
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“There are.” Jade nodded, returning to face forward in her seat. “We are going to a quarantine zone. The government is telling us we’ll be the safest there. There’s a large infection going around, and they’re grouping all of us who aren’t sick into one place.” She finally explained.
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“Why are we listening to what they have to say? What if we’d be safest outside of their stupid zone?” Ezra huffed.
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“Honey.” Jade spoke softly. “They know what they’re doing. The N.C.R. is helping them make plans.”
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“Fine.” Ezra huffed once more before looking back out the window, not having the will to fight anymore.
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“Ez.” Aqil called out to her, causing her to look back over at him.
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“We’ll be okay. No matter what we have each other.”
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Ezra nodded, smiling slightly. “Always.”
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Bank Job
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Ezra sat crouched, looking out over the streets, watching as a few infected shambled around. She turned as she heard footsteps, seeing Aqil jog up the stairs. He panted as he told her the charges were set.
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“Ready when you are.” He wiped his forehead with the back of his arm. Ezra stood up and followed his back down the stairs to where the trail of cannon fuse started. “Honor’s all yours.”
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Ezra flashed him a crooked smile before kneeling down and lighting the fuse. They both watched the flame as it crawled up the line before it curved around the bend. Not long after, a large ground-shaking boom followed. They both jogged down the rest of the stairs to see if their plan had worked. As planned, the large vault door was now blown off its hinges.
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“Fucking eh.” Ezra held her hand out for a high five, receiving one from Aqil.
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“I checked the doors one last time before we blew it. We’ll be fine in here until morning.”
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“Good to hear.” She smiled before jogging down the stairs and towards the vault, excited to see what awaited her.
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The two began opening the safeboxes using screwdrivers and some force, taking anything that holds value in the new world. Inside one of the boxes Ezra opened was family photos bound by a rubber band. Ezra tucked them into her backpack, interested to see what they held. Most they could be bothered to bring with them though. Old-world contacts and social security cards hold now value in a world like theirs. But any stock or bonds outside of No Man’s Land could still hold value to the right person, so they took them.
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Along with the paperwork, the two gathered up and physical collector’s items that still could be treasured outside of the walls of their state. Jewelry, rare coins, a handful of guns left by their owners.
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After searching through the boxes, Ezra and Aqil started a small fire and set their sleeping bags out. They plan to stay the night in the bank, letting the hoard, caused by the explosion, to disperse. To pass the time, the two of them looked through passports, finding a globe in the head office; they made a game of finding each location on it. Both looked at the books in wonder, amazed by how many stamps some of them had.
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Once the game became dull, Ezra started cooking their dinner of canned refried beans up over the fire. Aqil goes to check o how many infected there are, seeing how much of a ruckus they caused.
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“There’s a lotta them out there.” Aqil sat down with an ‘ump’, taking the half-eaten can from Ezra. “But we should be good to get out of here come morning.”
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I-15
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“I can’t stop this feeling, deep inside of me. Girl, you just don’t know what you do to me.” Aqil sang along to the music as he tapped the steering wheel of the old truck that bumped down the decaying road.
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Ezra sat in the passenger seat, looking through the pictures she had taken from the safety deposit boxes, tossing them out the window after looking at them. Many of them contained a happy family, two parents and two children: a nuclear family. Her mood opposed Aqil’s chipper singing as she mourned the childhood she never had, even before the outbreak. Burying her emotions, she shook her head and tossed them into the wind, allowing them to flutter away from her.
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Ezra leaned over and turned the music, striking up a conversation now that her entertainment had flown out the window. “How much do you think we’ll get? The jewelry seems nice, but Roan’s guys’ll probably not give us much for the bonds.”
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“Not sure.” Aqil shrugged. “Not much, as you said.”
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“I probably could’ve gotten more out of him a few years. Back before he was hooked on that Erin girl.” Ezra put her feet up on the dashboard, tapping her boots to the rhythm.
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Aqil glanced over at her for a moment before looking back at the road. “It’s probably best that he is then.”
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“Did I ever tell you about the few times I fucked him?”
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“You haven’t, but you can spare me.”
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“We’ve got the time, so I’m gonna tell you anyways. He’s kinda a freaky guy. Even though he’s the famed bachelor of Vegas he only sleeps with a handful of girls. You’ve got to be tested beforehand to make sure you are infected.” Ezra shifted in her seat once more, putting her feet on the floor again and leaning forward, her full attention on Aqil. “I've heard some rumors he got infected from that Erin girl, but I’m not sure. But the infected part isn’t even it. He’s real into bondage, but more than that, he’s into blood. Cutting, drinking, fuckin’ with it.” She pulled her shirt down to show Aqil the scars left by him.
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Aqil shook his head, repeating herself. “I’m glad Roan doesn’t want to fuck you anymore.”
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Ezra lightly punched him in the shoulder. “You’re just a softie. You’re basically my protective older brother.”
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Sin City
Aqil counts the money they’ve been given for their efforts. His fingers slid over the newly printed bills, these ones with Roan’s face, New Vegas’ currency.
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“I’m glad we’re giving that jewelry a new life.” Ezra laughed, not truly caring about it. “Even if it is on some rich Biotech politician’s chest.”
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“They can be used however for all I care, as long as we’re able to eat.”
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Ezra stopped Aqil, holding her hand out. “Give me my alliance for the night.”
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He placed some bills into her hand. “I need to put this into the truck before we head out.” He waved around the rest of the money.
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“And I need a shower. We can meet back up when I’m done changing into something nice.”
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The two are now at a casino on the strip, Ezra gambling away her share of the money. She was wearing a tight short dress, one which Aqil wishes she didn’t own, not wanting all these people to see her so exposed. Around her, men and women are crowded around her while Aqil sat by himself at the bar, watching her longingly. He loved her radiance and that people are drawn to her, but just wished she didn’t sleep around, didn’t just degrade herself like that for a bit of fun.
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“Are you Aqil Ahmadi?” A well-dressed man asks him.
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“Uh.” He snapped his attention back to the man. “Yes.”
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“And you work with Miss Amar.” He stated, rather than questioned.
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“Yeah. Do I know you?”
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“I work for David Edmond.” He stated simply, piquing Aqil’s attention. Though he didn’t know much about the guy, he was known to pay well. “I have a job offer.”
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Ezra walked over, planning on grabbing another drink, but admittedly also curious about Aqil’s new friend. “Who’re you?” She asked, sitting on Aqil’s lap as she waited for the bartender to free up.
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“I represent Mr. Edmond. He would like to meet with the both of you.”
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“The guy who gets the animals for Roan, right?” Ezra casually asked, not looking as the professional man eyed her like a piece of meat, not living up to his appearance.
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“Correct. Mr. Edmond has made his living through rare and exotic animals.”
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“Rare and exotic. Must be something.” Ezra scoffed, waving the bartender over and ordering another drink.
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“Won’t you take the invitation?” The man asked.
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“As long as he doesn’t want to see me right now, I’ll meet him.” Ezra rolled her head to face him.
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“Tomorrow.”
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“Then it’s set. We’ll be there, right Aqil?” She patted his leg.
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“Yeah. We’ll be there.” He confirmed.
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Ezra stood up from Aqil’s lap. “Just tell the man the details.” She patted Aqil’s shoulder before walking away.
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While the two men talked about the details of the job, Ezra drifted between the tables, everyone surrounding and enticed by her. Aqil spent the night nursing his couple of drinks, watching Ezra until she ends up finding herself the man she’ll spend the night with. With that, Aqil takes himself back to the hotel room, trying not to think too much about what they’re doing.
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Zone: 39° 44' N 104° 57' W
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Karim pulled the car to a stop. “The car lights aren’t even on up there. People are getting out and walking.”
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“We should too, then.” Jade grabbed onto the door handle.
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“What about the car?”
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“We need to get a spot, Karim.” She looked back over at him. “For the kids.”
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“Stop calling us kids.” Ezra spoke under her breath before opening her door and hopping out of the car. Everyone followed suit, getting out and walking back to the trunk to grab their things. They gathered everything they could. Jade asked Aqil why he had to take his tarantula with them, but he wasn’t going to leave her behind no matter what.
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After a long walk, they reached the opening of the checkpoint. Hundreds of abandoned cars lined the way, waiting for their owners to return though they never would. Eventually, they’d become sources of scrap, relics of what once was.
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To get through the checkpoint, they had to answer many questions. Questions about their age, gender, location, if they were around anyone who was infected. They also had to be scanned and their items checked before they were each given numbers and told where they were to be housed in the meantime.
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The four of them walked to their new home: a small apartment with two bedrooms to be shared with three other families. Makeshift bunkbeds were shoved into the rooms, giving each person a small place to call their own. Ezra wasted no time claiming the top bunk by a window, giving her a place to put her few action figures she had saved.
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The parents got together, telling the kids to go play amongst themselves, but Ezra couldn’t help but to listen in. Jade spoke of how she saw some people taken into the ER that seemed very sick. She talked about how she was worried they were infected with whatever was happening. One of the parents worried she might be infected, but another reassured her that’s what the scan is obviously for, so no infected people are let in.
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Ezra didn’t know what was going on, what had truly happened, but she did know one thing: things were never going to be the same.
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