Zed's first rule when it comes to his business is 'don't bother him while he's sleeping.' It's very important to him. Waking up and immediately jumping into the world of violence puts a sour cloud over his head all day, one that is very hard to get rid of. But Bonzo calls him at around seven in the morning, and after taking a minute to settle into reality, Zed answers immediately. Despite the annoyance and exhaustion. A boss who makes people wait isn't a very well respected boss, especially since Zed is very new to all of this.
"What do you want?" he groans into his phone. He closes his eyes, ignoring the bits of sunlight peeking through his drawn curtains.
"What the hell did you do last night?" Bozno asks, angry but quiet because it's seven in the morning, and nobody should be shouting that early.
Zed groans again, rolling onto his back. He's been up for one minute, he barely knows his own name let alone what happened last night. "You're going to have to elaborate there, bud."
Bonzo clicks his tongue. "Bree's been calling me, all night, because apparently that waitress you were checking out at brunch yesterday is her best friend." Zed's eyes fly open at the mention of Addison, from the diner. The gorgeous blonde angel who's plagued his thoughts all day yesterday, but only a little last night. He doesn't remember his dreams ever, but he thinks he may have dreamt of taking her on a date, and seeing her pretty smile all over again.
"Her best friend, who also got mugged last night and whose purse ended up in your office. Who, by the way, is now in possession of about two thousand dollars. In cash!"
Zed winces to himself. He nearly forgot about sneaking over to her place and dropping off her purse, and hiding in the stairwell when she went and retrieved it. If he were more self-centered, he'd have hand delivered it. Take all the credit and glory, you know how it goes. But that felt wrong. His mother didn't raise an entitled and selfish mob-prince. Though he does like to think highly of himself…
"I don't like how you're on a first name basis with her," Bonzo complains.
"I do prefer to know the names of the woman currently in my bed."
"What!?" Bonzo shrieks.
Zed feels a little bad, but laughs anyway, sitting up in bed. He briefly rubs the sleep from his eyes, responding to Bonzo with, "I'm kidding! Don't have a heart attack, I'm just messing around!" Not that he doesn't wish he was waking up with Addison next to him. That just isn't how the world works. He's not going to meet the love of his life on a random Thursday at his late mother's diner. That'd be crazy! Plus, he clearly will never be allowed anywhere near her, considering Bonzo and Bree have a strict 'keep Zed away from all of Bree's friends' policy.
"So she's Bree's best friend…and you didn't recognize her at lunch?"
"I've met her like three times and no offense, she's not very memorable." Zed would disagree. "I mean, she never talks, and she's kinda overshadowed by literally all of Bree's batshit friends. Why am I defending myself! Did you give her two thousand dollars?"
"Yeah. It's what you do when you find a stolen purse. Remember when my dad gave that classics TA ten-k in his stupid satchel?"
"Your dad didn't want to fuck him!" Bonzo shouts.
"He might have," Zed grumbles.
"To me, this sounds like one of your many fucked up ways of flirting. Like when you tipped her a hundred bucks and almost gave her a heart attack."
"I was being…generous," Zed explains lamely.
"Dude. Whatever you're thinking, stop it. You can't get mixed up with Addison. She's a good person."
Zed rolls his eyes. "Thanks for the vote of confidence," he grumbles.
"I'm being serious. Addison is a good person, and she's been through enough. Stay away from her. For her sake, and mine, because Bree will absolutely kill me if you end up hurting her."
"Addison's a big girl, Bonzo."
"Zed, come on," Bonzo pleads.
Zed sighs. "Fine. I'll stay away."
"Thank you. I'll be by in an hour to get to work."
"Mhm."
"Later dude."
Zed ends the call. He sighs again, running his fingers through his hair. It wasn't like anything could come from him potentially seeing Addison. She's, well, she's her — beautiful, sweet, her — and he's … the head of organized crime. She'd only get hurt being around him.
Zed's phone starts ringing — the work phone. He hadn't noticed until now that Bonzo called on his personal cell, which probably would've given him the proper heads up that he was in for regular shit and not mob related shit. He spares a glance at the number calling before answering. "You got something for me?"
"Yup." He hears shuffling on the other line, before J starts speaking again. "Addison Catherine Jacobs came back blank."
That's good, he thinks. She's got no record or suspicious activity, not enough to show up anywhere strange like the police system. But J still sounds like he had more to say, so Zed doesn't fully relax yet.
"She's clean, boss. But a little too clean. As in, she didn't exist until seven years ago. No birth records, no medical records. Nothing."
That's…weird. People could have a clear police record and driving record. If Zed wasn't a Necrodopolis, he'd fly under the legal radar too. But most people have records for doctors, whether it be the hospital or a general checkup or even a dentist visit. Bonzo claimed she was a good person, but how much did he really know about her? How much did he know about Bree, too?
"J, stop beating around the bush. Just tell me."
"Sorry, sorry. When I couldn't find anything for Jacobs before the last seven years, I ran the name and cross referenced the chief in there, since you asked. And! I got something pretty good, if I do say so myself. There's an Addison Catherine Wells, the chief and mayor's kid. But she disappeared around the same time Jacobs popped up."
"Disappeared as in…?"
"Based off of Jacobs's license information, they're the same person. I'd need some time to know for sure, but my best guess is the girl changed her name. Wells withdrew from university a few months before Jacobs became a person, but I bet I can find a papertrail to corroborate Wells and Jacobs's living situation."
"Dude, what are you saying?"
"If Wells lived in an apartment while at university and then changed her name, there'd be a record to show they're the same person. Otherwise it's safe to assume…the chief sent his daughter to your mom's place. Which I wouldn't put past him."
Zed wouldn't either. Chief Wells is a sick man, with a vendetta against all things Necrodopolis. He once sent his own son to public school in Zombietown to try and get to Zed's dad through Zed. Insanity. Daniel Wells would never be friends with Zed. He was nice, but being the son of a cop and the mayor put him at the front of the line for every bully in all of Zombietown, and no amount of lecturing from his mother would make him befriend Eddie Carver Middle's easiest target. It's called self preservation. Plus, Zed was banned from befriending him, for obvious reasons.
Zed takes a deep breath, trying and failing to keep his cool. The whole thing with Bonzo annoyed him. He can't help but grow more pissed while talking with Jacey. "Jacey, you work with him," he spits out. "You don't know who's he's sending to try and get me arrested?"
"I mean I don't technically have clearance for that…"
"Then get some," he growls. "Time is money. And my protection is not free. Understand?"
"Y-Yes sir."
"Tonight. You know where to find me. And don't be late."
Zed hangs up before Jacey can respond. He puts the phone back on the nightstand, closing his eyes again. Five more minutes, before he needs to get up and deal with the rats in his system, put on his work-game-face, be a huge dick all around town just to muster some shred of respect. Just five more minutes.
Zed's ears perk up at the sound of the office door opening. He suppresses a grin, keeping his eyes locked on the colorful cube he's twisting in his hands. He lounges in the big leather chair, feet kicked up on the desk that isn't his as the rightful owner of the office steps inside.
He hears their sharp intake of breath and grins internally. He can't see their face, but knows the look of shock and hopefully annoyance is going to be priceless. Not only did he manage to sneak into their building, but he also managed to make himself at home in the short time he had been there. As much as he hates being annoying, annoying assholes really brings a smile to his face.
"Necrodopolis," Aspen says, their voice dripping with venom. Zed lifts his head, smirking at his old friend. "What the hell do you think you're doing? In my chair, specifically."
"Just visiting my favorite person." He feigns innocence, though the mischievous glint in his eye gives him away. "How've you been?"
Aspen frowns, eyes narrowing. "Do you really want to know?"
"No, not really." He twists in the chair to face them more. "Have a seat. About time we have a little chat, don't you think?"
Aspen crosses their arms, glaring at Zed without moving. Zed shrugs. "Stand then."
"Don't tell me what to do."
Zed shrugs again. "I see you stole my look." He waves his hand, gesturing to his bright green hair while his eyes focus on their brighter blue hair. It looks almost like blue raspberry fun-dip. Not that he eats fun-dip.
Aspen rolls their eyes in response. "Don't get your undies in a bunch, Necrodopolis," they retort. A mischievous grin settles on their face, before they ask with a taunting, almost know-it-all tone, "How's Daddy Z been? Haven't heard from him in a while."
Zed grits his teeth, but holds back his initial comment. His father wouldn't want him stirring the pot more than necessary. He distracts himself again with the multi-color cube, turning it in his hands.
Zed looks up at them, the corner of his lip lifting in a smile. "Retired. You deal with me, now."
Aspen over exaggerates a frown. "How tragic."
"Truly. Now there's no one to put up with your bullshit."
"You'd be surprised how easy it is to find people who don't like you, Necrodopolis."
"Really?" Zed raises an eyebrow. "You might want to check up on those 'people.' Last I heard, Marty and Collen got busted for laundering. Rumor has it, Marty felt so awful he just…" Zed runs a finger along the width of his neck, watching with a sickening sense of joy as realization dawned on Aspen's face.
They try not to show it, but Zed notices the sudden tension in their shoulders. "W-What do you mean by that?"
"Oh nothing." Zed twists another side of the cube. "I'll be back for ninth avenue, Aspen."
"Good luck with that," they say confidently. "Unlike your incompetent ass, I get shit done. Zombietown will be mine in a week, and pretty soon the Necrodopolis name will mean nothing in Seabrook." They practically spit the words out. Zed clicks his jaw, ignoring all the anger rising in his chest.
He stands, placing the formerly perfect cube back on their desk. He walks around the desk, crowding up to Aspen. They tense again, but Zed lowers his head and voice, whispering darkly, "This isn't a game you will win, so I suggest you back off before you get hurt." He walks to the door, turning back and adding, "Have fun with the rubik's cube."
Aspen growls, while Zed casually strolls out of their office. He may not hate them as much as he should, especially considering the two of them's history, but something about going and getting under their skin really filled him with joy.
He meets Bonzo in the lobby, the two of them exiting the building and walking down the block to their parked car. Zed climbs into the back, while Bonzo hops in the driver's seat.
"Where to now, boss?" Bonzo asks.
The sky's dark. He's spent all day running errands, moving pieces into their proper places in this game of life. Doing just enough to arouse suspicion, so someone else could call for help while the people he thought he knew and trusted had their lives destroyed.
All of it has exhausted him more than he thought possible. But, the night is still young, and he still needs to meet with one other person. Not for life-imploding reasons, not for payback, just for work. Or, well, personal reasons. But he'll tell anyone who questions him it's for work. Actually, he'll tell them not to question him, because that's what his father would do.
"The club. I have a meeting."
Bonzo salutes Zed through the rear view mirror, shifting in drive and peeling off into the street.
Bonzo and Zed arrive at Zed's second favorite place in all of Seabrook, Zombie Mash — Zed's baby, blood, sweat, and tears, all rolled in one over the top night club — around eleven. The crowded line stretches around the block on the crispy Friday night, filling Zed with a sense of pride. Bonzo parks around the back, the small lot filled with the cars of the working employees, as well as a few extra cars that hang out in the lot nearly twenty-four-seven.
They use the back entrance, walking down a dark hallway that leads to a dimly lit staircase, heading down to the basement adjacent to the club's. Bonzo leads the way, huddling close to the door to punch in the security code. It buzzes open, and Bonzo steps in, holding the door for Zed to enter.
Dusty shelves line the walls, sparsely filled with boxes of various files or products Zed can't keep around the house. An old leather couch rests against the wall to the left of the door. Zayne, the primary bouncer, lounges with his arms strewn over the back of the couch. Jacey, Zed's favorite dirty detective with the Seabrook P.D., sits next to Zayne, his knee bouncing against the cushion, a thick manilla folder clutched tightly in his hands.
Zayne stands up to greet them, first shaking hands with Bozno, then Zed. "It's been a minute, Necrodopolis," he greets, giving him a one armed hug.
Zed grins. "Too long. I need to come by more."
"That you do. Lotta hot ass in there." Zayne laughs at his own joke, before looking at Bonzo and adding, "Your girl came through earlier with her friends, by the way. I think a few left but she's definitely still here."
"Wow, why'd you go from hot ass to Bree? Are you checking out my girlfriend, Zayne?" Bonzo clutches his chest in mock hurt, the two of them laughing.
Zed momentarily spaces out. Based on his limited knowledge of Bonzo's girlfriend and her social life, if Bree's here, Addison might be too. A long shot, sure, but still some hope, despite him not being allowed to think of her.
Zed shakes his head, moving past Zayne and Bonzo to Jacey. He sits next to him on the couch with a grunt. "What'd'ya got for me?" Zed asks.
Jacey holds out the folder, which Zed takes, mindless flipping through. "Everything I could find," he says. "Every undercover agent he's sent after your family for the past ten years. There's no record of his daughter even being considered in that list. Two of the eight died in the line of duty. Jacobs is his last kid, he'd never put her in that kind of danger."
"So why the name change?"
Jacey shrugs, albeit uncomfortably. "I asked the chief about his daughter today, and he got pissed off. Sounds like a family falling out, rather than him sending her to do his dirty work."
Zed nods. He can understand family falling outs. He knows them all too well, honestly. And he trusts Jacey. He's done nothing but good work the six years Zed's known him.
"Alright, thanks man." Zed stands with a huff. He reaches into his coat pocket, pulling out a business card. "Drinks on me tonight. Go enjoy yourself."
Jacey stands, carefully taking the card and looking it over, before nodding. "Alright, see you around man."
They shake hands, then Jacey exits the room in somewhat of a rush. Zed walks over to Bonzo, passing off the folder to him. "Put it in the car, then go find Bree. Enjoy the rest of the night off."
"Awesome!"
Zed follows Bonzo out of the basement. Bonzo exits out the back door to put the folder away, while Zed heads to the center of the surging crowd. He heads to the blocked off staircase across from the bar, letting himself up to the reserved secondary level. Zed could do without the party-crowd tonight. He'd rather resign to one of the private rooms, maybe read, maybe drink a little, and let the thumping energy radiating from the walls dissolve the tension in his body.
He stops at the railing overlooking the crowd, taking a moment to soak it all in. He can't remember the last time he went out to just get drunk with his friends and awkwardly dance in a crowd of strangers. Granted, he only enjoyed the first half of that, but something about Eliza making fun of all his awful dancing while Bonzo absolutely nailed every step and beat fills him with nostalgia.
He looks around, until a particularly bright strobe light shines off of a glowing head of white hair in the middle of the dance floor. The light moves on, but his eyes don't, the carefree, dancing woman holding his attention. She sways and spins to the music, her body in perfect time to the rhythm drumming through the walls. Something about her strikes a chord in his brain. Not familiarity, but intriguing.
He sees her start moving, walking towards the bar. He doesn't know why, but he turns and follows, pushing his way through the crowd. It gets hard to keep track of her — she's pretty short, and the club itself is very dark. He spots her again at the bar, ordering a drink from Zola, lead bartender tonight.
He walks up to the bar, Zola giving him a wide grin when she spots him. Zed returns it, then focuses his attention on the white haired woman before him. He taps her shoulder almost unconsciously. She flinches at first and he panics.
He's got her attention, and absolutely no plan. What is he even going to say to her? He doesn't want to ask her to dance, he hates dancing. And he can't buy her a drink, she just got a drink!
His inner self curses whatever part of his brain got him to her, while a much smaller part of him tries and fails to figure out what to say.
She turns, starting to apologize but pausing when she looks at him. Zed's own brows jump in surprise. There's no way…but standing in front of him is none other than Addison Jacobs, the same woman he's not allowed to think about unless he wants to face Bonzo and Bree's wrath. Who apparently dyed her hair a killer white and looks even more gorgeous than she did yesterday.
Yeah, that Addison Jacobs. Standing right in front him, cheeks rosy in the dark lights, her mouth agape at the sight of him.
He grins despite himself, asking, "No fucking way. Addison, right?"
Her mouth quickly turns to a smile. "Yeah, yup. Addison, right." His eyebrows jump again. She's definitely drunk, slightly swaying in place, her words slowing and more bubbly than he remembers them being. "You're Zed. Hiiii." She draws out the ending, laughing to herself.
Zed can't help but laugh a little. She's a really cute drunk, at least. "Didn't expect to see you here."
"Neither did I!" She throws her arms out, nearly hitting someone with her beer. She immediately retracts them, calling out a sorry through her giggles.
Zed grins, albeit worriedly. "You wanna," he nods his head away from the bar. She nods, and he wraps his arm around her shoulder, leading her through the crowd back to the stairs. He ducks underneath them, shielding the two of them from the majority of the crowd and noise.
"It's so nice over here," Addison says, her voice soft, though still loud enough to hear. "I mean, it's nothing, but it's so much better than over there."
"Yeah." Zed shoves his hands in his pockets, leaning back against the wall. "I don't like huge crowds very much."
"Me neither. I just wanted to do something…nuts, today." She shrugs, taking a drink from her bottle.
Zed tilts his head. "How much have you drunk tonight, Addison?" he asks it curiously, though there's still a sense of teasing to his words.
She shrugs. "Lots, none. Who knows. Who cares."
He lets out a soft laugh. "May I?" he asks, wrapping his hand around the bottle. She doesn't respond, but doesn't stop him from pulling it from her grasp.
Instead she pouts. "Today sucked," she comments.
Zed nods his agreement, but he's sure they aren't experiencing the same kind of suck.
Addison reaches up, scratching the back of her neck. Her demeanor shifts in an instant, shoulders tensing, hands going over her ears. Zed knows what that means without her having to say anything else.
He gently grabs her elbow, leaning in close and saying, "Come on," before leading her from the little nook and to the staircase. They head up, disappearing down the hallway to a more private room.
A/N:
1. Happy Valentine's Day/Z2 Release Day!
2. Aspen! When I first planned this story, I thought Z3 would be out by now thus I'd be able to characterize the aliens. Oh well...
3. Yes, I did cut a lot of Addison fluff from this. Maybe I'll actually finish the next chapter soon...
As always, review fave and follow! until next time!
