hadriel | Video -

[The video feed flicks on to show the face of an attractive brunette with blue eyes, her hair pulled back into a ponytail. She's likely in her early-thirties and has an air of confidence, despite the unusual situation she's now in having just arrived on the islands.]

Hi, everyone. I just woke up here, and I wanted to thank everyone who's tried to make this... really weird situation a little more tolerable for those of us who just came through the door.

My name is Jill Valentine. Back home, I'm a member of an anti-bioweapons task force run by the United Nations.

Strangely enough, I'm told I've been here before. I don't remember that, but something about some of you feels really familiar.

[Her eyes scrunch a bit as if trying to search the recesses of her mind, but she can't remember this place no matter how hard she tries. It's almost like trying to recall a dream.]

So I just wanted to say, if you did know me before, you don't have to tip-toe around that. I'd actually like any and all information you can give me so I can prepare myself for this place. If I've already got friends here... well, I'd count that as a very good thing.

[She ends that with a little smile.]

Thanks.

Flat | Top-Level Comments Only

[Jill doesn't know if the attempt is usual for Seth, but it is appreciated. She'll take every friendly word she can get.]

Nice to meet you, Seth.

So your brother isn't here anymore?

[Perhaps he went home, just as Jill did. If he returned, Richard might not remember this place, either.]

[ He gave a single nod of acknowledgement at her greeting. ]

Apparently he hasn't been around for awhile. I got here a couple months ago with my other half and a stray, Richie was already long gone.

[ Maybe later he'd explain that he meant a being and not a dog or cat. ]

Anti-bioweapons, huh? Like nukes?

You came with another person? That must've been a comfort.

[At least he didn't arrive here feeling alone. Not that Jill minds a lot. She's been alone during plenty of assignments before, if just because she was out of touch with a partner.]

If the nuke explodes and contaminates a city with a horrific virus, yes, that would be up my alley.

Two. Yeah, it was.

[ He gave up Leo sooner than expected. As much as the monster pissed him off, Seth did consider the Sunai something of a younger brother. ]

So agent orange kind of shit? You don't mind me askin', what year are you from? Found out there's people here from when I was a kid but've only been around a year. Maybe two.

The year? 2006. At least it was when I left.

[She supposes this place does strange things with years and timelines. Not that Jill ever considered those types of things before. Her world was crazy enough without adding that into the m ix.]

Seriously?

[ He wasn't expecting that. ]

I'm a whole decade ahead of you. My girlfriend too. You don't even wanna know what year Leo's from.

[ Seth shook his head, stopping himself. ]

If you're from Earth. Since some around here ain't.

[It's a lot to consider, but Seth seems like a pretty normal guy, so maybe they're not all that different.]

Yes, I'm from Earth. I didn't consider people here were from other planets, too. But I'm guessing my Earth is different from yours if you don't know a lot about the bio-weapons I mentioned.

[Everyone back home knows about that.]

Different Earths?

[ He barely had wrapped his mind around the different points in time but completely different... universes? That kind of did his brain in. ]

I was about eighteen in two thousand six. Maybe I didn't pay attention to the news back then?

Believe me, you would've heard about the things that happened.

[There was no getting away from the news of it.]

I think everyone would notice if the U.S. government dropped a nuke on a U.S. city.

[ Congratulations! Jill had managed to silence Seth. He stood dumbfounded, mouth hanging open possibly a full minute. ]

We fuckin' nuked ourselves?!

[ He finally blurted. No wonder Leo was eating half the population in his time, if the country was nuking its own citizens. ]

That's right. To stop the spread of the virus. Within a couple of days, it had taken out most of the city. Those who could escape did. Everyone left was... feeding on the living.

[Dropping a nuke was pretty damn extreme, though.]

Then the government tried to cover the whole thing up.

Shit.

[ Maybe this was some sick joke. But she didn't look like she was joking. It might not have been the Earth he knew but Seth was still floored at possibly ending up on an Earth that what she spoke of happened to. This was only the second 'realm' that he ended up at. Anything was possible.

He swallowed thickly, giving a nod. ]

Zombie apocalypse then. Great. Fuckin' wonderful.

[ The conversation was going downhill fast. He felt sick to his stomach, wondering if Richie and Kate were home safe and sound or stuck where Valentine came from. The two could handle themselves--he just hoped they were together.

Seth's eyes had fallen away but picked back up. ]

This place is a walk in the park from where you left off at then?

I wouldn't say that. It's not like every place is covered in zombies where I come from. When an outbreak happens, it's bad. Very bad. But a lot of people live normal lives without ever seeing a monster.

[Jill smiles a little.]

That's our goal. One day, maybe there won't be anymore, but that can't happen with rogue companies constantly trying to invent new ones.

[ Her response was unexpected. Seth always imagined an outbreak to cover every inch of the planet. There was some comfort in knowing some places managed to be left untouched. ]

Rogue companies? Not governments?

[ She left him confused and it showed on his features. ]

Yes, mostly. Generally, it's work being done out of the public eye. Companies try to profit from new bioweapons they're looking to sell. Sometimes to governments, but most of the time they end up in the hands of terrorist organizations or people who try to use them to expand their own power.

After a few outbreaks, the optics don't look good for governments that try to get involved.

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