After finishing our dinner, the soft hum of the evening wind whispered through the glowing lights of the Federation plaza. The artificial stars above shimmered like they were watching us, perhaps cheering me on in this moment.
Taylor stood just a few steps away from me, her eyes sparkling gently, her lips parted as though she wanted to say something but couldn't find the words. Her hands lightly fidgeted with the edge of her skirt—a soft, pale pink flowy dress that swayed every time she moved. She looked like a dream under the faint glow of the lamps.
I didn't want to end the night just yet.
"Taylor," I said, stepping forward.
She looked up at me, clearly expecting a goodbye, maybe a simple wave. Instead, I gently reached for her hand, and before she could ask anything—I leaned forward and kissed her on the forehead.
Her eyes widened.
A blush bloomed across her cheeks.
But before I could even pull away, she surprised me—her lips brushing against mine, a kiss short but soft, filled with unspoken emotion. Then, as if realizing what she just did, she gasped quietly and turned around to bolt away.
Not so fast.
I quickly caught her hand, gently but firmly pulling her back. Her body turned with mine, and this time, I didn't hesitate.
I kissed her—fully, truly.
Our lips met with more certainty this time, and my arms wrapped around her waist. She didn't resist. In fact, her hands instinctively found their way to my chest as we stood in the middle of the rooftop, the noise of the world fading away.
When we finally pulled apart, both of us were breathless.
"I… I didn't expect that," Taylor murmured, voice barely above a whisper, eyes not meeting mine.
I smiled. "Me neither. But I'm glad it happened."
She glanced up, searching my face as if trying to figure out if I was serious. I could see the conflict in her eyes—vulnerability and affection clashing all at once.
"Does this mean… we're something now?" she asked softly.
"I don't know yet," I replied honestly, brushing a stray strand of hair from her face. "But I want us to be."
Her lips curled into a shy smile. "Me too."
And for a moment, we didn't say anything else. We just stood there, holding each other under the Federation lights, like we were the only two people in the world.
Meanwhile…
POV--- Alex Caruso
I kept staring at my phone, my grip tightening as I reread Marcus's last message over and over again:
"If you can't reach me, head for the resort or Federation now. Go by sea. It's safer than land."
Easier said than done.
How the hell am I supposed to do that when these bastards locked me and my family up like criminals?
That's right—Alex and his family had been in Los Angeles when everything went to hell. The only thing he managed to do right was get to his family in time. His wife, Leah Caruso, and their two children, Ray and Angel—both still teenagers. By some miracle, all four of them had made it to one of the safe zones.
Now, they were in quarantine—just like him.
The only blessing? They were all kept in the same unit. That didn't mean it was comfortable. Concrete walls, metal bars, and the suffocating stench of fear. Across from him, in the adjacent holding cell, was a tall Black man with tired eyes and a teenager to his side. The man kept glancing toward the guards, whispering something under his breath—like he knew them.
I watched him closely but said nothing.
Just faces. Strangers clinging to whatever sliver of hope they had left.
I sighed and turned toward my kids, curled up together on the bench, sleeping like they hadn't just lived through hell. Leah sat with her back against the wall, eyes half-lidded, exhausted but alert—still a mother, still a lioness, even in chains.
I need to get them out.
If I can get them out of here, get to Marcus's location, we might still have a shot. That resort he mentioned—it was supposed to be well-defended, stocked, and out of the way. But getting there meant escaping this place first. And if I didn't move soon, things would only get worse.
I kept remembering what we saw when we passed through LA. The streets were madness. People—if you could even call them that anymore—attacking each other. Ripping flesh, shrieking like animals.
I shook the images from my head.
Time's running out.
And I need a plan.
Now.
Right then, a loud commotion erupted outside—shouting, gunfire, the distant clanging of metal.
"Shit," I cursed under my breath, instincts kicking in.
The noise startled my wife awake. "Alex? What's happening?" she asked, her voice laced with tension.
"Get ready. Wake the kids," I said quickly, already scanning the hallway beyond the cell bars.
She nodded without question and moved fast, shaking our two children awake.
"Dad, what's going on?" my daughter, Angel, asked sleepily.
"It's gonna be fine, darling. Just stay close to your mom," I said, forcing a calm tone. She nodded, clutching her brother's hand tightly.
Then I noticed something strange—the guards that had been watching us were gone.
A shadow moved in the hallway.
It was him—the tall black man. He wasn't alone. Beside him walked that teenager. Their cell was now open. They were free.
"Hey! Hey!" I shouted, stepping forward and rattling the bars. "Over here!"
Other people started yelling too, voices overlapping in desperation.
But the man didn't look our way.
The teenager did. His face was conflicted, eyes flickering between us and the hallway. He hesitated.
"Hey, kid," I said quickly, seizing the moment. "If you can get us out—I know a place. A way out. Somewhere safe."
The boy froze, considering.
Then he turned to the man. "Maybe we can—"
The man cut him off with a low, stern voice. "This one's custom made."
He meant the lock.
I slammed the bars again. "Come on! You can't just leave us here!"
The sounds outside grew worse. Screams. Automatic weapons. Explosions.
Then the man spoke again, already turning away. "We can't save everybody, Nick, let's go."
The boy turned too.
"No. No—wait!" I shouted, desperation rising in my throat. "Don't do this! Don't—"
They didn't even look back.
They vanished down the hall.
I grabbed the lock and thrashed against it with everything I had—my hands, my weight, my fury. "DAMN IT!" I roared, but it didn't budge.
Behind me, I heard my wife gasp. My kids shrank back in fear. Their faces were pale, stunned, watching as the only hope we had just walked away.
"Why would they do that?" Angel whispered, trembling.
"I don't know…" I muttered, jaw clenched, breath heavy. "But they'll regret it."
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