Moving fast I headed past Brad as soon as we entered the building and despite his protests to wait I found the room where Frank West was supposed to be, a classroom at the very back of the building.
I had only just grasped the doorknob in my right hand when I felt another grasp mine and I looked back slightly to see Brad frowning back at me. "Oh come on. He's not exactly dangerous and besides I survived a zombie apocalypse." I protested as he lifted my hand from the doorknob. Rolling his eyes at the ceiling, Brad waited until I stepped back from the door. Now rolling my eyes at him I waited a little reluctantly for my boyfriend to open the door, trying to hide a grin once I saw the name on the door. "Hank East? Is he kidding?" I whispered.
Once he did I heard a voice I'd only ever heard on television and as Brad fully opened the door I pushed past him, ignoring the frown he gave me to find a familar face.
"Frank West?" Brad asked, stepping through the door after me and Frank West turned around.
"Am I under arrest?" He asked, standing in front of a blackboard and I just shrugged.
"That depends." Brad answered as I looked around the room, a tiny smirk on my face as Frank inched towards the nearest window. I had to fight back a giggling fit as he tried to open the window then, failing that, tried to throw a chair at it. The chair bounced off and I did snort, clamping a hand over my mouth when both men fixed me with a stare.
"Sorry. Carry on guys." I giggled and Brad rubbed a finger across the bridge of his nose.
"Anyway I came here to ask for your assistance. There's been another outbreak in Willamette." Brad explained, pretending not to notice when I stepped over to him. "I only found out because someone passed me a high level report I wasn't supposed to see."
"So what does this have to do with me?" Frank asked and I snorted, causing him to stare at me. "Why is she here?" He asked, nodding towards me as he sat at his desk.
"I have a name you know and it's not 'she'. I'm Bridget." I replied but his attention was already back on Brad and I glared at the so-called 'photojournalist', arms crossed against my chest. Leaning back I waited a little impatiently for Brad to tell him why we needed the jerk's help.
When Brad explained that the Pentagon had covered up the recent outbreak for six weeks that made me pale, remembering my experiences in Los Perdidos and the resulting nightmares. When I bumped a tape dispenser causing it to crash to the floor both men looked at me. Brad sighed, about to scold me when he noticed my shoulders shaking and he frowned. "Bridget?"
"It's nothing." I muttered, glancing towards the door. "Tell him why you're here."
"I'm wondering why Frank West isn't out there covering the story. Instead he's in here teaching a goddam night class." Brad explained, raising his voice and I sighed rubbing my arms.
"I quit. The last time I tried to prove what the military were doing...it didn't end well." Frank snapped, pulling out a flask from his pocket. I snorted when he took a long drink from it storming towards him and he blinked when I snatched it from his hands. "Hey!" He yelled at me only to see me glaring at him.
"For fucks sake! I survived a zombie outbreak with a bite and you don't hear me bawling my eyes out. Grow a pair and try helping someone else besides you for a change." I growled, handing the flask back. I moved back to stand beside Brad who raised an eyebrow at me in suprise and I shrugged. "Couldn't stand his bitching anymore." I told him, earning myself a tiny smile from Brad.
"I thought you'd want to be the one to cover the story. Not let an rookie cover it instead." Brad said and that made Frank stand, looking at him and I grinned despite being annoyed at West. "Here's a photo of your former student, Vicky Chu." Brad said, taking his phone from his pocket before he tapped on the screen with his thumb. After a moment he raised the phone and with a cough, Frank pointed to the screen.
"Wow. I thought you deleted that photo." I giggled as Brad quickly swiped the screen, pretending not to care that he'd shown a photo of himself in just his jeans to Frank West.
Once he found the right photo I shook my head after Frank saw the photo of a woman younger than me hiding behind a wall, a horde of zombies staggering about inches from her. "So are you in or what?" I asked and Frank nodded, watching with a raised eyebrow as Brad quickly pocketed the phone.
A few hours later...
"What do you mean I can't come along?" I snapped and Brad let out a breath, pulling on a bullet-proof vest over his shirt before he glanced at me.
"I've already explained why you need to stay at our apartment. It's too dangerous for you to go wandering around in a zombie outbreak. Now I have to leave in an hour and you're staying here." Brad told me and I growled, stomping towards the front door. When I blocked it with my body he frowned at me, trying not to react once he saw my eyes well up. "Bridget, I'll be back in a few days." He protested but I just sniffed.
"Fine, go. Don't expect me to be here when you get back...if you get back. Colonel Brad Park thinks he can survive Willamette without me so maybe I should let him go. Don't come crying to me when a zombie bites you again." I whispered, stomping past him with my arms wrapped around me.
Brad looked towards the door then he shook his head, following me when I slumped onto the couch.
"I promise I'll be alright." He whispered, sitting beside me but I forced myself to look at the wall instead. Even feeling his arms wrap around my shoulders couldn't budge me from the couch and Brad softened. "You know it's part of my job to prevent another outbreak like Los Perdidos. They are survivors out there that need my help." He added and I paused, glancing at him to see him staring at me.
"How do you know that? For all we know everyone, maybe even Vicky's dead." I replied and Brad gave me a one-armed shrug, leaning in to kiss the top of my head.
"I have to believe there are people out there who need our help." Brad said and I closed my eyes for a few seconds, opening them before I stared back at my boyfriend.
"You have to promise to come back, no matter what. Promise?" I told Brad and he nodded, giving me a quick kiss before he released me.
I couldn't help following as he walked towards the front door, leaving before I could convince him to stay. After standing there for a minute I returned to the couch.
I thought I could stay put and wait for him but as I heard Brad's car pulled out of the car park I shivered, glancing at the front door again. "Sorry, Brad but I can't just wait here and hope you get back safely. I'm coming after you." I whispered to myself as I climbed to my feet, quickly moving towards the cordless phone. Glancing at the numbers on the post-it note stuck to the fridge I squeezed the phone before I dialled.