When Addison arrived at her house she didn't break down in tears. She was still too angry and determined to give up hope. She went into her parents' office. As Mayor and Chief of the Z-Patrol, they had access to all of Seabrook's public records. She quickly found Zed's address and home phone number, since most Zombies didn't have cell phones. She wrote them down, quickly. She closed out of everything right as her parents burst in through the front door.
"Addison. Living room. Now!" Missy shouted.
Addison walked in without a word and matched their glares inch for inch.
"What happened at the game Addison?" Dale asked.
"I don't know, something went wrong with Zed, Bonzo, and Eliza's Z-Bands, and now everyone in Seabrook hates Zombies again." Addison answered, "Did the Z-Patrol figure out why?"
"Yes they did, actually, seems Zed Necrodopolis's Z-Band has a history of malfunctioning. While the others' malfunctioned for the first time today, although one of them had many hacks done on it. It seems we need to boost the firewalls on the bands." Did you know that's how your zombie was winning games? By using his monstrosity?" Dale asked.
"Yes, I did," Addison answered, "But he had to win games, it was the only way zombies began to be accepted at school, they made human friends, they could attend human classes and clubs. Zed changed Seabrook, or at least I thought he did, but it looks like everyone else's love for him was only available as long as he was winning and acting like Seabrook perfect."
"You knew he was going rogue, but you still got close to him?" Missy asked.
"He only told me last night, and hacking his Z-Band for games was hurting him, I made him promise me this would be the last game." Addison said, "I don't know what went wrong with Bonzo and Eliza's, but maybe Zed's band got knocked when he was tackled. None of this was his or any of their faults."
"But don't you see, how dangerous Zombies are? Gus told me he found Bucky on the ground in front of Zed, and you were in his arms. He was about to bite you, or worse. They are nothing but dangerous monsters." Dale said, he almost sounded scared as he spoke, but his voice quickly hardened with anger again.
"Zed was not about to eat me or Bucky!" Addison yelled, "He stopped himself before he even touched Bucky. Then I was there to help him calm down and when he did I hugged him, and he hugged me back. He was in control because we were together."
"Impossible, nothing can control a Zombie except a Z-Band, it was Gus who saved you and Bucky." Dale stated dismissively.
"Did you ask Bucky what he saw? Since you two obviously believe he could never harm a soul" Addison said.
"No," Missy said, "he was in a state of shock, scared out of his mind, not that I blame him. His parents took him home to rest and recover."
"And where are Zed, Bonzo, and Eliza?" Addison asked.
"They are still at Containment, they need to go through the protocol, get their Z-bands reset and face the consequences of their actions." Dale said.
"What consequences? Didn't you see them at the game, hauled off in front of an angry mob. I think that's enough punishment to last a lifetime." Addison said.
"Just the standard, electro-therapy while their bands are reset. They will be released back in Zombietown tomorrow morning. Not that it concerns you, you will not be seeing any of them for a long time." Responded Dale.
"What? Why? What did you do Dad?" Addison demanded.
Missy started,"I have a meeting with the city council tomorrow, and I will make sure that we reverse all the recently amended monster laws, no more Zombies in Seabrook, or at the high school. It was a noble gesture, but now everyone will realize that was all it is, Zombies will never belong in Seabrook."
"That's not fair, most of them didn't do anything wrong, and Zed, Bonzo, and Eliza didn't even hurt anyone." Addison tried to defend her friends.
"The risk is just to great, hopefully now the public will understand Zombies need to be kept banded and behind the barrier, for their safety and ours." Missy said.
"And most importantly, the wall will keep you away from that horrible Zombie." Dale said.
"No, that's really why you're doing this isn't it. You can't handle me not being your perfect daughter or living what you think the perfect Seabrook life is." Addison cried out.
"Of course not, we only want what's best for you, and that Zombie will only hurt you. Speaking of which, why did you remove your wig, and in front of the entire town! Addison, now everyone will know you are different." Missy said, pulling it out of her purse.
"Good, if that crowd is what normal Seabrook is, then I am proud to be different. Like Zed says, I will let my freak flag fly. I will never wear that wig again. This is me, freaky white hair and all." Addison declared.
"We know you aren't a freak honey, but the rest of Seabrook won't see it that way. You don't want to be an outcast at school do you?" Dale asked.
"I already feel like I don't belong at school, but I do know that Zed and I belong together. That is why I don't care what anyone else says about me. So once again, you can't make me wear that stupid wig, and you won't be able to keep me away from Zed."
"Yes we will, you are grounded indefinitely until you come to your senses. You will only go to school and come back home, nowhere else, and no phone allowed when you are at home, no TV or music, and you can only use your computer for schoolwork nothing else." Missy said. Your punishment will be over as soon as you wear your wig again and admit that we were right about that Zombie."
Dale continued, "And don't even think about trying to see him again. I'm already stepping up patrols and I'll tell them to keep an eye out for you if you go anywhere near Zombietown. I also have that Zombie's tracking info so I will be able to see where he is at all times."
"Fine, anything else?" Addison asked exasperated at her parents.
"No for now, but remember this can end anytime you want." Missy reminded her.
"I expect it to last for a long time then, I won't give up until you see how wrong you are about me, and Zombies." Addison promised, "Now good night, I'm going to bed."
Addison ran up the stairs before her parents could say another word. When she got to her pastel pink and blue room, surrounded by her years of summer cheer trophies and posters, she decided to tear them all down and shoved everything in the back of her closet. She went into her bathroom, and happily threw her 2 extra wigs in the trash. She had the beginnings of a plan in place for tomorrow but for now she felt her exhaustion, it had been a long, stressful, emotional day, and she needed to turn her brain off for a while. She was still scared for Zed, and missed him like an arrow in her heart. She took a quick shower, changed into pajamas, and pulled up her blankets.
"Goodnight Zed," she whispered to herself, "I'll see you tomorrow I promise, we're gonna be someday." she went to sleep thinking of their first kiss in the saferoom wishing she could go back to the only good thing that happened today.
Zed was sitting silently in the Z-Patrol van, Bonzo and Eliza sitting on his left. They were all handcuffed behind their backs, with 2 officers staring at them on the other side. No one was making a sound on the drive to Containment. Zed felt utterly exhausted, playing an entire football game while using his Zombie strength was normally exhausting enough, but then going full Zom afterwards, even for only a few minutes drained him twice as much. Even sitting in the cold, cramped van, with handcuffs on, he still almost drifted off into sleep, only his underlying fear kept him awake.
Finally they arrived. "Get up Zombies." One of the guards said. When they left the van, each of them got two escorts in case they tried anything. The three of them just trudged along.
As they entered the building, Zed got goosebumps from the air chilling him to the bone. There was nothing but flat gray walls, floors and ceilings as they walked down the hall passing many doors until they got to the containment rooms.
Zed had been here before, once a year, every zombie has to come in for Z-band checks to make sure their bands are working properly, and to get recharged or adjusted. Even those were horrible enough, but Zed had heard plenty of rumors and true stories about what happened to zombies that went rogue.
Zed, Bonzo and Eliza were separated and placed in different rooms. Zed was forcibly sat down in a chair, and his arms and legs were strapped down, while his hands were brought in front of him and uncuffed before being locked in. All of this, Zed had done before, but suddenly things got worse. In walked Addison's dad and the look on his face made Zed wish he could be anywhere else.
"Hello, Mr. Necrodopolis, I am Chief Dale Wells of the Seabrook Z-Patrol, but we unfortunately already know each other." Dale said in a stern, condescending voice, dripping with thinly disguised contempt. "You are here because you went rogue approximately an hour ago, and endangered human lives. Do you have anything to say for yourself?"
"I'm sorry it happened, but I honestly don't know what caused it. All I remember is I made the final touchdown and then I felt my inner Zom take control." Zed answered, "And I also don't know what happened to Bonzo and Eliza either."
"We found some evidence at the game, and now we are going to remove your Z-Band to see if there's any problems with it. The chair you're sitting in is slightly different from the ones you may have used in the past. This one can deliver the electromagnetic pulses your Z-band normally does to keep you calm, so I will be able ask you questions while they look at your band. Understood?" Dale asked, still with a glare on his face.
"Yes sir." Zed answered.
A technichian inserted some kind of key into Zed's band to take it off, Zed felt his zombie start to rise to the surface but a moment later, he felt a slight shock and he was back in control, but the shock kept repeating, he could feel his whole body twitching every few seconds from the pain, like a bunch of tiny needles stabbing into his back repeatedly, then numbness, then they were back over and over again. He grimaced from the pain, closing his eyes before looking at Dale again, they were now the only ones in the room.
"I may have forgotten to mention, that this is a new prototype for containing rogue Zombies, it may cause some discomfort as it keeps you calm." Dale said, a fire now burning in his eyes. "Now I am going to explain the evidence we found at the game, we found a cobbled together laptop made out of busted old parts, near some of the cheerleaders equipment. Do you know anything about that?"
"It sounds like it could be Eliza's computer. Zed said truthfully, even more terrified. His eyes darted side to side, but there was nothing else in the room except cold gray walls. "I don't know why some cheerleaders would have it, the only ones Eliza talks to at all are Addison and Bree."
Dale nodded, "I believe you so far Zombie, we do think it was Eliza's computer, that she isn't allowed to have. And on it, we have found that all three of your Z-bands were hacked at the game, we don't know for sure who did so. But we also found that your Z-band was hacked to allow you to partially go rogue, and partially remain in control. Is that true?"
Zed knew he had no choice, not that he would have lied anyway, he was too terrified of the outcome. "Yes, I hacked my Z-Band to win games but-"
"No buts, Mr. Necrodopolis, that is a serious violation of the law. You could have potentially hurt dozens of people every time you did so. For what, so you could gain attention from humans for the first time, did you seek your own glory? Or did you enjoy using your strength against innocent high schoolers?"
"No, at the pep rally when I caught Addison, my Z-Band accidently went offline, so when I ran to catch her I had Zombie strength and accidently ran through the football team to save her. Coach saw me, wanted me on the team, and I made a deal with Principal Lee. I would play and win games, and in exchange zombies could be more integrated, take human classes outside of the basement, join clubs, eat in the cafeteria. I didn't cheat for myself, I did it because it was the only way I could make things better for my fellow zombies. After the first half of my first game, the other guys were letting me be run to the ground by the opposing team. So I asked Eliza to hack my band to give me the strength and speed needed to win. But it is not her fault, I take all of the blame for my actions. And school at Seabrook did get better for all of us. I had human friends, and the football team trusted me." Zed explained.
"You know what, Zed, I believe you, I remember what high school was like, I was even cornerback like you are, but there is one thing you are forgetting that will make me never trust you."
"What is that?" Zed couldn't think of any one thing that he did wrong, other than their meeting earlier that day.
"You almost ate my little girl, Zombie. For that I will never forgive you. You are lucky that Gus managed to stop you, if you had, we would not be having this civil conversation."
"That is not what happened, Addie stopped-"
"I don't care what really happened or what you think happened, you are never going to see Addison again. In fact, hopefully if Missy gets her way, you and all the other zombies will never be allowed in Seabrook again!" Dale yelled. He then stormed out of the room, slamming the door behind him.
Zed didn't know what to do, the chair was still shocking him every few seconds so he closed his eyes and waited out the pain.
Eventually the same technichian entered, along with another officer. The tech put his Z-Band back on his wrist and turned off the chair. Zed was then led to a bathroom where he scrubbed some of the dirt off from the game, but he was still in his jersey so he couldn't do much. He was then taken to another room. This one had a simple bed with a pillow and one blanket. Zed was released and the officer said, "The standard protocol is an overnight stay to make sure you're no longer a threat to anyone Mr. Necrodopolis. We will be releasing you and your friends in the morning. Here is your dinner for tonight."
"Thank you." Zed said. He was given a glass of water, and a tray of cauliflower brains from a can. It tasted like sweaty gym socks, not any better than his dad's, but Zed was so hungry he almost would have eaten his own socks. He ate quickly and downed the water in one gulp. It didn't satiate him, but it was enough to take the edge off. He placed the tray near the door and then lay down on the bed. His whole body was sore, from everything he had done that day. And the freezing cold wasn't helping. He only wanted to sleep.
But he couldn't, now that he had time alone, his brain was alive, going back through everything that happened today. He had woken up feeling guilty for abandoning Addison when the Z-Patrol busted the mash, then he got to school and a whole new anxiety took over. That was then proven justified, when her parents hated him the moment they answered the door. Then Addison chose him over her parents, and even cheerleading. They finally had their first kiss, the only good thing about today.
"Oh, what could go so wrong with a girl and a zombie?" Zed sang to himself. Apparently everything. In addition to screwing up Addison's relationship with her parents, then at the game he ruined everything he and his fellow zombies had been working towards. Everyone hated him and all the other zombies again. This was their one shot to change things for the better, and Zed screwed it all up. If cheerleaders did steal Eliza's laptop, then Bucky and the Aceys had to be involved. He knew Bucky didn't like him from when he "saved" Addison from Zed in the safe room, and from trying to force Addison to choose between zombies and cheerleading. Zed almost wished he had eaten him.
He was surprised that he was still able to stop himself, it gave him hope that he and all his friends weren't only mindless monsters on the inside, maybe all zombies, even in their darkest moments can still choose the light. What Zed really didn't understand was what did Addison do to stop and calm him down? He had never heard of anything like it, he and everyone else were taught that only the Z-Bands could keep zombies in control. Did she give him a reason to fight the monster, or was it something more? He remembered hearing her heart when she touched him, suddenly he could feel it to his very core until his heartbeat matched hers in the exact same rhythm. His zombie felt drawn to it, much more so than Bucky or any of the other people around him. And then suddenly instead of hunger, he only felt safety and love. He was back in control of himself, he was with Addison, that was all that mattered.
Then the Z-patrol came, the crowd roared outrage even louder than he had a few moments ago, and Addison stood strong against the entire town in his defense. Then she revealed her true self, Zed thought she never looked more beautiful, it didn't matter to him at all what she looked like, her hair could be purple or blue for all he cared. She looked amazing because she was finally being her true self and all that she was meant to be.
He didn't know what tomorrow would bring, but as long as he could find a way back to Addison, he knew he would be alright.
"Goodnight Addison, I'll see you as soon as I can. I promise." Zed said to himself, "We're gonna be someday."