After the End

It has been four years since the zombie apocalypse, and humans are still holding on. In North America, survivors gathered at the abandoned Area 51, turning it into the last city in the West. It is known as the Ark. Few zombies wander the desert where food is scarce, but just in case they are protected by high-tech military defenses and good old-fashioned snipers. The outer buildings contain an emergency clinic and a quarantine area, but most of the city is underground, where the existing facility has been expanded to contain hundreds of survivors. Roughly 1/5 of those are Infected.

The Infected carry the zombie virus within them. It will not harm them, but once they die it will bring them back as the undead. They are allowed to mingle with the uninfected, but for everyone's safety there are strict controls. Infected people must wear identification badges at all times, obey a curfew, and see separate doctors. They have their own living quarters, and cannot enter the quarters of the uninfected. They are also the only ones allowed outside the city.

Infected can sign up to be salvagers. Small groups travel into the cities to find anything that may be useful. It's a dangerous job, but the adventure and good pay tempt a few individuals to take the risk.

Cady sat in her small exam room, having finished her scheduled check-ups for the day. She collapsed in the chair, exhausted. Clinic hours were almost over. She just had to deal with any walk-in patients, then she could go home and sleep. She had a feeling her team could be sent out any day now.

Seth walked into the clinic and said "yo, we got a job"

Cady gave him a tired smile. "I imagine we're leaving tomorrow morning then?"

Seth crossed his arms and said "yep, so enjoy the boredom while you can"

Cady sighed. "Maybe you're bored. I've got plenty to do here, and Aleman has been on my back again." Aleman was the Health and Safety administrator, and didn't approve of doctors taking risks by leaving the city. Cady was the only one he hadn't been able to pressure into leaving her team.

Seth scratched the back of his head and replied "man, if only we had a way to git rid of him" He was about to continue when Logan walked in and said "Doctor," he pointed to his arm "the new sniper grazed my arm"

Cady smiled tenderly at Logan and patted the exam table. "Have a seat, and let me look." She examined the wound with practiced efficiency. "Deep, but no tearing. I'll have you stitched up in no time. Just be careful not to pull the stitches. Have you heard we're going out tomorrow?" Cady sometimes got teased for turning into a chatterbox while tending an injury, but she often found it helped put people at ease.

"Yes, but we do not have many well trained snipers" Logan replied "that is why I was training a new sniper to take my post" Seth mocked surprise and said "whoa, you actually say more than one word at a time?" Logan ignored him and asked Cady "can I shoot him? I will not miss his head"

Cady smiled and lightly flicked the wound she had just stitched. "Behave yourself." She looked at Seth. "You too. We're a team, we're supposed to rely on each other. No blowing off team-mates' heads."

"Right-o guv-na" Seth replied in a fake accent as he saluted to Cady and walked out. Logan groaned and stood up. Seth really got under his skin at times. He took a deep breath and went to leave.

Cady rested her hand on Logan's arm for a moment. "Don't let him get to you. Under the snark, he's not a bad guy."

Logan hung his head, silent for a moment, before saying "he reminds me of Jessie"

((Jessie was Frederica's twin. There was Diana, Penelope, Grace, Helen, Jessie, and Frederica))

Cady resisted the urge to hug him, instead simply saying "I know it hurt to lose them. Any time you want to talk, I'm here."

Logan looked over his shoulder and offered a rare smile. He placed a hand on Cady's before taking his leave.

((The next morning))

Aaron stood next to the gate, blinking in the bright desert sun. A helicopter and pilot stood ready. It would drop the team off in their target city, then pick them up after their three day mission.
Cady arrived first, carrying her med-pack on her back. She greeted Aaron with a salute and the pilot, a friend of hers, with a hug. She climbed into the copter, out of the sun, to wait for the others.

((What's with Logan's age? In his profile you say he was 18 when the infection started and he's 31 now, but we said it's only been about 5 years since the outbreak.))

((My bad XD))

Logan arrived with Seth, who was going on about his latest target practice, and said a quiet "good morning" to Cady and Aaron.

Aaron addressed his gathered team. "We're headed for Boulder. We have two hospitals to check - Cady has our list of needed medical supplies. We're also looking for gunpowder and ammunition for the snipers. We need to stock up on lightbulbs and batteries. And I have a list of parts for the second backup generator. Now let's move." He climbed into the copter across from Cady.

((edited Logan's age. He is now 23))

Logan and Seth climbed in and they headed to Boulder.

(not sure what to say DX)

The copter toched down on the roof of an office building and let them out. They watched it fly off, very aware that they were on their own for the next few days. Aaron immediately started giving orders. "All non-essential supplies will remain here. Seth, check that the roof access is secure and install our lock. Logan, eyes on the ground. I want to know what we're walking into when we leave this building. Cady, you're navigating. We'll hit the hospitals first. Find us a route." He handed her the map he'd brought from the Ark.

Seth checked the roof access and placed the lock on the door. Logan looked out over the streets and said "There's a lot of activity in the streets below, easily over 200 of them down there"

Cady peered down as well. "It's the climate. The desert is too barren to draw them out, so they linger in the cities rather than dispersing. Other states probably don't have this problem." Aaron was already working on something to help. He rigged a device using a length of string, an elastic band, a candle, and a grenade. "We should be nearly to the exit when this goes off. The grenade probably won't reach the ground before it explodes, but the sound will draw most of them around to that side of the building. Do we have our route?" Cady nodded. "There's a subway entrance at the next intersection due east. The tunnels should be fairly clear, and will take us to the first hospital." She grabbed her pack and asked "Are we ready?"

"I was born ready" Seth replied. Logan gave a firm nod.

Aaron set his improvised device and led them through the door, locking it behind them. They hurried down the stairs, reaching the ground floor just as the grenade went off. The zombies visible through the glass doors moved away toward the sound. They waited until the way was mostly clear, then followed Cady out the door and ran down the street to the subway station.

Seth turned a corner and whispered "Clear" As they walked Seth asked Aaron "once we get to the hospital what do we do first?" Logan rolled his eyes at the question.