Code Zulu Alpha: Nerd in the Apocalypse!

Chances were, Quinn might really be pregnant but there was also the chance that she just might've had a late "Red Days" even though she could attest that she was definitely regular. However, her forgetfulness of dates might prove otherwise but the best course of action at this point was to get another set of bloodwork done or had another pregnancy test issued.

And in the worst-case scenario, what Mimi was suggesting—though still very improbable—was that Quinn might be undergoing menopause.

It was an option, sure, but unless we really test her out, we'll never know.

Easily enough, we have a few at home, but as Quinn went to the bathroom with a couple of them—the quietness in the house was quiet deafening. More importantly, everyone else was giving Kaley short glances though from her conversation last time with Quinn, she didn't look that bothered after the fact.

'They could talk all they want but if it was me, I'd still feel a slight knot in my heart when it starts becoming real… Fuck—even I'm completely nervous even though I'm excited to be a dad…'

In any case, it didn't take long before Quinn walked out of the bathroom then shook her head, confused, before she turned to Mimi:

"Still negative— FUCK! Is it really menopause?!"

Mimi quickly waved her off, "N-Not exactly— I mean, menopause doesn't just happen in a snap of a finger but if this is the first time you haven't had a regular period, it could be an early stage of it where it goes irregular… W-We should talk to Dr. Lo— Nichols or some other expert on this—"

Quinn cut her off, "Fuck, where is she anyway?! Is she still in the—"

"Hospital, yes, we can go now if you—"

"Come on then! Let's go! Now!" Quinn exclaimed before she glanced at me and Kaley, "You fucks come with, too—"

Then everyone else cut in almost at the same time:

"Hey! We're coming too!"

"Me too!"

"I am too!"

"I guess I'm going too!"

"I'm not staying here alone! Count me in!"

"I'm going there anyway, off we go then!"

Like one of the weirdest opening of an Anime, everyone in our circle who was present walked side by side and came with us to visit Dr. Nichols for a consult—and she was as confused at the late-night visit as much as our numbers.

"Wha— Don't tell me you're all knocked up?"

Quinn cut in, "Nah, not even me— Mimi said I'm in early stage menopause, can I still get pregnant despite that?"

"Umm~ Ah— I…" Dr. Nichols glanced at everybody else for a moment before continuing, "I could answer your questions but I'd rather it be you just here—"

"I don't care either way, Sandara— Just tell me how it is, straight-up, no bullshit. I can take it."

"Woah, easy now, you look a little tense… Why don't you sit down for a bit? I know you wouldn't mind everyone here being present but I'd still insist on a one-on-one consult though you'd be free to discuss what we talked about here with them right after. Is that okay with you?"

Quinn took a deep breath before she replied, "Haa… O-Okay, I guess… You're the doc…"

At that point, Quinn quickly kicked us out despite the earnest invitation to let us come with her and all of us were just staring in silence outside as if we were trying to hear their conversation. The only person allowed inside besides Quinn was Mimi, obviously, but everyone seemed to be thinking of something adjacent to Quinn's situation.

'I mean— if it could happen to Quinn, it could happen to them… Not just pregnancy if we're careless but also menopause… It's just that Quinn was older than all of them and second only to Dr. Nichols…'

In any case, we were still in the hospital and just to finish up a few things on my itinerary, I briefly excused myself to check on the other two: Dax and Sheepy, to give them the news.

Their room wasn't that far and it didn't come as a surprise to see that they were still up—though what did come as a surprise was that the two bathed, got clean-shaven, and most importantly, the color on their skin told me that they were eating healthy.n/ô/vel/b//jn dot c//om

I briefly knocked after letting myself in, "'Sup?"

"Yo? It's late, bro, the fuck?"

"Yeah, I was just about to jack off—"

I never looked so confused, "Hah?! You jack off with your brother next to ya? I'd understand if you're double-teaming someone else or having an orgy but jeez, I guess I shouldn't kink-shame, huh?"

Dax rolled his eyes, "He's done worse, honestly… But why are you here? Oh! Have you—"

I nodded as I took a seat between them, "Yeah, we checked the footage but all we have on him is that he came into this room."

Sheepy cut in, "And we're injured as soon as he left! It's an open and shut case, right?!"

Dax shook his head, "You said 'but' in between those sentences, why?"

I looked at him solemnly, "Want me to give it to you straight-up?"

"Of course."

"Aside from me and a few others, no one fucking cares. Everyone in their group and even the ones they made friends with thought you two deserved it."

Dax scoffed as Sheepy blew up, "Figures./The fuck? Why?!"

I waved Sheepy off, "This is how it's gonna go, you've been painted as the bad guys but if we're being honest here, their friends and families that got stuck with you wouldn't have survived a single day if you didn't do what you did."

".../Of course, they wouldn't! It's fun as hell but that's our only option!"

"Settle down. Here comes the hard part, getting everything out of your system must've been hell but old habits fucking die hard as well as newly acquired ones. If we're lucky there will come a time where your supposed colleagues will start moving crookedly again—and I fucking guarantee you that their families will blame it on you two."

"Of course, they will!/But they know it's fucking bullshit!"

"So, I have to suggestions: One, you dig deep and stay clean—"

"Why?/Yeah, why?"

"First of all, I hate fucking druggies and I would've shot not only you two but your whole fucking group if I was who I was a year ago, and for the other legit reason, you have to show everyone else that you can handle your shit and whatever happens after that wasn't your fault.

It's painting over another picture with a lie but that's how it goes, unfortunately, everyone else's perspective about you two wouldn't change unless they see significant improvement—"

Dax cut me off, "Nah, that wouldn't work for me or him— What's the second option?"

I chuckled, "This wouldn't be any different but I know of a place where you two would fucking thrive. Drugs, women, men, entertainment, fucking everything—"

Sheepy cut in, "Sold. We'll take that option."

Dax shook his head, smiling, "Let him finish but I'm already for option 2, I just wanna know the catch."

"The catch is you either stay under my name and act accordingly or I let you go in that place for a fresh start but whatever you do in there and whatever happens to you ain't my responsibility. You two could be used for target practice if you fucked up or get killed on the spot and as long as it's within that person's rules, everything goes."

Sheepy answered, "Option 2 and 2, done."

Dax looked at me solemnly, "What do you mean by accordingly and who's that other guy you're talking about? And where's this place?"

As soon as Dax popped that question, I gave them a brief idea of Cuervo Heights and what it entailed and they easily jumped ship, knowing that such a place existed. However, despite Sheepy's notion of a fresh start with a few top-ups from yours truly, it seemed like Dax wanted to use my name to get ahead for a bit.

"Hah! I'm telling you, everyone there could smell bullshit from a mile away and you'd be lucky if they make you work at the Brown House for the rest of your life. That place runs on full machismo, if you came in sly and silver-tongued, you'd just get mugged and thrown out like that."

"Then what if I honestly come in to swindle them?"

"Hah?"

"I doubt everyone there's that perceptive, I will be careful but we'll still take our chances. What are you gonna give us in exchange for the info we'll give you?"

"Your lives?"

"C'mon now, we've been through this— I thought you have our backs?"

I chuckled, "I thought you have mine too? And what happened to acting accordingly?"

"Honestly? I just planned to use your name for a bit before we latch off and do our own thing."

"Oh? Is that it?"

"Yeah, what are you gonna do about it?"

"I could easily ship you somewhere else where you'd wish you'd just stayed clean or followed my rules."

"And where is that?"

"The fuck would I tell you? I'd just send you there if you really wanna know!"

"Hahahaha! Dammit, talking to you is really fucking funny, alright, alright, if you could give me pictures of everyone stationed in the DDR Camps in Subic, I'll point them all out. Deal?"

"You know it's fucking hard to talk to you?"

"I know, it's a skill."

"Then we'll talk tomorrow, I'll prepare you a list."

"Alright… Hey."

"Hmm?"

"Thanks. Like, for real. It's the most anyone has done for us./ Yeah, I thought you were fucking gay for a second there. I'd give ass but ya know, you seem like a top to me."

"HAH! I'll just tell you this: I already have someone monitoring our guy and if he so much as slips up once again, he'll get booted someplace else. Two wrongs can't make a right but even if his judgment is cloudy, he's not seeing the bigger picture. Everyone's already a victim and he's making more by doing what he did."

"Dude. We don't care anymore./ Yeah, I am still trying to jerk off, piss off, will ya?"

"..."