Archive of Our Own ^beta

Chapter Text

They woke up alone.

The sunlight almost blinded them when they opened their eyes.

Their fingers brushed something that felt like crumbling concrete. The same thing pressed against their spine.

Perplexed, they sat up from the rubble. Hoping that a change of posture can clear their brain.

They did a quick self-check, the classic Three Questions.

Who am I?

...Who indeed. Their memory, feeling like an awfully blurry oil painting, yielded nothing helpful.

Where am I from?

Canada. Probably. Some country with a bicolored flag. That did not narrow anything down.

Where am I going?

No idea.

They sighed, ran a hand through their hair (realizing they had forgotten its color), and mumbled to no one in particular.

"… Forget this, let me just… Find some answers myself."

They remembered a few things as they wandered along the beach of the nearby lake.

Nothing too helpful, really:

They are 26. They hated camping, but seemed to camp a lot before. The lake in front of them is definitely Lake Ontario, but they don't have a solid reason for that certainty. They-

"Another survivor, huh. Hey, man, care to tell me who you are and what's happening?"

…They don't like people intruding upon their thoughts.

The stranger, with their short, messy blond hair and hazel eyes, was uncomfortably close to their comfort zone, staring straight at them with some sort of... indifference? As if their words were just for the sake of their entertainment and not what they truly wanted to know-

"Dude. You there?"

They opened their mouth to reply, a retort or an answer, they didn't know-

Then, they felt a strange force compelling them, guiding them as they opened their mouth.

"LII."

The stranger across from them blinked.

"... pardon?"

"I am... I think that's what I am."

The stranger paused as they went through the same line of thought.

And came to the exact same conclusion.

"…And I'm ILI."

Then they broke into a frustrated groan.

"What the hell ?"

It wasn't just them, as it turned out.

They came across "LSI", a brunette with a somewhat familiar glare and clipped words, the day after that.

Somehow, they formed a semi-functional team.

From what LII remembered, the lettering system is known as "Socionics Type".

So their team consists of a Logical Intuitive Introtim (LII), an Intuitive Logical Introtim (ILI), and a Logical Sensing Introtim (LSI).

LSI scowled as LII explained the definitions.

"It makes no sense."

ILI returned a sarcastic grin in their direction.

"This world had not been making sense since we arrived."

Their wayward team wasn't as bad as they thought.

At least they offered answers to the Three Questions.

Who am I?

They are survivors with erased pasts, with only three letters for a name.

Where am I from?

A world that wasn't broken, that had more people than this desolation, where the sky was a light pastel blue instead of this… murky orange-blue.

Where am I going?

They decided to go further west, along the shore. Where they will end up is completely unknown, as they don't even have enough evidence to pinpoint which country they're in. But they'll have to keep moving. To meet other survivors, if there were any.

For whatever they are in, it is not normal. It's wrong.

Or as ILI so stubbornly insisted, it is a post-apocalyptic world.

Which meant…

They just survived an apocalypse.

Without knowing what happened at all.

Chapter Text

They've been here before, in a dream or in reality, they couldn't tell.

Dust covered the desolate landscape, covering the sky-

And clouding their mind, perhaps.

"Ain't it weird, mon ami? The sky has never looked so much like the school's leftover bucket, hm?"

The voice. They knew the person, the Mexican lilt that often paired with a sunlit smile.

They turned around to face the person. They look-

"Do I know you…?" They asked.

The person pouted, brown eyes widened with mock hurt. "Hey, what kind of question is that? You're-"

Their eyes narrowed as the person froze.

"…What?"

"I should know you, I swear I do! Look, I am-" The person groaned in frustration, burying their head into their palms.

They shook their head.

This had to be a deliberate joke. Of course, they had always known each other; they were…

Who were they?

"I'm ENTP…? Does that make any sense to you?" The person hesitated before lifting their head from their hands and staring up at them.

ENTP. They know what that is, it's a Myers-Briggs personality type. With the function stack Ne-Ti-Fe-Si…

They must have learned that from somewhere. University?

(Have they ever been to university…?)

ENTP tapped their fingers on their elbow impatiently.

"What's your name, then?"

Their mind came to a screeching halt as four letters forced their way out of their mouth.

"INTJ."

They've known each other, perhaps in another life.

Perhaps before whatever took their memories.

INTP and ENTJ, who joined them a few days later, looked familiar. Their patterns of speech are familiar. Everything about them...

Like INTP's grimace when they heard they had to camp under the crumbling garage.

Or ENTJ's glare when ENTP brought back a dented guitar alongside the scavenged necessities.

INTJ didn't remember anything, but they knew .

They had always been a team.

Even before…

"I think this world has just suffered from an apocalypse." INTP mused one night, lying on the concrete next to the warmth of the fire.

"No shit, Sherlock. We can all see that. It's common sense at this point." ENTJ scowled, prodding at the campfire and elbowing ENTP (causing them to yelp), who was trying to play "Remember Me" on the out-of-tune guitar.

INTJ ignored the exchange and stared into the flames. "That doesn't explain how we lost our memories. And how we seem to maintain the eerie familiarity ."

The guitar finally stopped. "I think it's an experiment! A social experiment, you know, the likes. Titled 'How the xNTx quartet survive the post-apocalyptic world without eating the other', held by an evil, Jung-loving scientist-"

"Good point, actually. I believe it could be a meta-simulation, some test for a high-end VR thing. That'd explain- wait, no, it doesn't. Aw, shucks." INTP's sudden enthusiasm died down as they pondered the odds.

The oldest of the quartet sighed, sparing a quick glance at the purplish-indigo sunset.

"Let's stick with what we have and survive the night, no?"

Chapter Text

It was supposed to be easy. Find a permanent shelter, loot some unspoiled food, figure out how to farm, and wait for their inevitable end.

Not running away from the screeching humanoid thing LII accidentally angered with their morbid curiosity.

And somehow LII was the fastest in their group.

ILI seriously regretted ever teaming up in the first place, as they tried to shake off the disgruntled human-like thing.

"LII, come on and face the consequences of your idiocy! Why am I the one-"

A loud bang.

ILI's heart skips a beat. "Oh goddammit, LSI-"

They turned around to see LSI holding a smoking gun (Police-issued? When did they loot it?) , the thing crumpled beneath their feet.

LSI's expression was too calm.

"What?" They eventually scowled at ILI's stupefied expression. "Are you going to tell LII to come back or not?"

LII crouched beside the dead thing, brows furrowed.

"... This is a human," they concluded.

ILI rolled their eyes. "A human in a biological sense, yes. But it doesn't act like one. There's something off."

"Humans would still chase after an idiot that intentionally threw an empty can at their head to test if they're responsive, though," LSI commented.

LII ignored the jab. "Is it just me, or do you also think that this," they gestured to the dead body, "is what a human would be if they ran on animal instincts?"

"Are you implying that we should have been the same?" ILI glanced back to LII, who nodded.

"If we lost more than our memories."

"Hold on," LSI sighed, holding out a finger. "What you two suggested here is that this thing... this Other , was a normal person who had suffered full identity wipe and cognitive loss during the apocalypse?"

ILI grinned with a snap of their fingers. "Correct."

"Question. So why didn't we end up like that?"

Silence.

ILI had been thinking about that the moment they noticed this Other.

The clues don't add up.

Whatever mind-eating thing there is can not be the cause of such a catastrophe. The desolation in this world was not something mindless humans could achieve.

"Two separate but related incidents, then?" LII's low whisper broke through their reverie.

"That's a possibility. It could be anything else, though." ILI grimaced, letting out an exaggerated sigh. "What I'd give to return to my ordinary job instead of having an existential crisis in front of a dead man."

LSI lifted a brow. "What was your job?"

They shrugged. "Anything better than this, I guess."

LII's gaze suddenly sharpened. "LSI, what was your occupation? How did you know how to handle a gun, and how can you kill something that looked so human without even hesitating?"

"It was instinctual...?" LSI looked uncharacteristically stumped. 

A shake of their head, their trademark scowl quickly replaced the confusion. "Doesn't matter. Now, can we please hurry up and get to our hideout before sunset?"

Chapter Text

The rain had been pouring for two days. The streets were drenched, and it was impossible to move about after dark. As if that wasn't tragic enough...

They were trapped in a dusty old library on the verge of collapse.

"I told you not to get into this hellhole! Why didn't you listen?" LSI growled, pacing around the door, the only thing between them and the hostile Others (They were armed. How did they get those weapons? ).

LII didn't respond, their arms around their legs and shivering against the moldy shelves. They knew it was their fault, and they were willing to pay for their stress-induced recklessness. But to think that they could have doomed the whole team- It was but a small error, where did it start getting out of hand-

"LII. Stop worrying about finding answers. We're literally about to die trapped in this place." ILI sighed, collapsing next to the scolded teammate and idly poking at the bloody scratches on their arm. "And LSI, if you're done complaining, can you... I dunno. Go clear us a path so we can get out without being chased by a mob?"

LSI whipped around, directing their restless fury towards ILI.

"How can you be so calm about this? We're literally-" They threw their hands up. "I get it. You want me to do all the work. While you two lie there and chill?"

ILI wagged their finger with a wry grin. "Nope, not chilling. LII is burning their brains out because nothing made sense. I'm lying here because if we're going to die anyway, why bother standing?"

The tension thickened as LSI stepped closer to ILI, gritting their teeth, their voice rising. "You can shut it-"

A nonchalant chuckle. "Oh, I won't. I wanna die watching you lose your mind for the sheer chaos this world is."

"You really don't care about-"

ILI cut off whatever LSI was about to ask.

"I don't care about you guys. It was a mistake on my part to ever team up with anyone." They chuckled as if it was a joke and strode towards the door. "I'd rather deal with those mobs than die with you."

"ILI," LII spoke up, exhaustion creeping into their voice. "please don't."

ILI ignored them, bowing sardonically. "Cheers to your afterlife-"

The door swung open before ILI touched the handle, causing them to stumble backward in surprise.

With a final kick, the door to the library finally gave out.

ENTJ, half-drenched with rain but alert, took in the sight.

Three survivors, all seeming like they've not eaten for a day and in varying stages of distress.

ENTP peeked out from behind them. "Whoa, INTJ, excellent deduction earlier. They do look pathetic."

INTJ sighed, dipping their umbrella. "You're welcome."

The survivors seemed at a loss for words, simply staring back at them. They looked lost, tired, and desperate.

"They're gone now," ENTJ assured them. "You can come out. It's hardly safer in there."

Silence.

"I don't think they are prepared for such a sudden event, ENTJ." INTP mused, pushing their dirt-stained glasses up.

ENTJ grimaced, turning back to the trio. "... Who's in charge here?"

LSI scowled, looking frustrated.

ENTP immediately got the implications. "Ah, so that was the problem."

"I'm offering you a chance to join us," ENTJ continued, studying the trio's expressions closely. "We need more assistance in affairs of survival so we can move on to figuring the situation out."

LII's eyes lit up at the last sentence with something akin to hope.

ILI still looked doubtful.

While LSI firmly shook ENTJ's offering hand with a forced smile.

"Deal. Just promise me your group will be more functional than this."

"It will." ENTJ smiled back, effortlessly.

In the meantime, ILI glanced at LII, stage-whispering with an amused expression. "Did they just decide for both of us?"

LII nodded, tension easing from their posture. "...Hope so."

"You two are impossible," ILI huffed. "But at least this looked like a promising start."

Chapter Text

ENTJ looked at their new teammates, those who went by a different personality typology system (Called "Socionics"? INTJ and INTP seemed to know what that is.). They were trying hard not to talk with one another, which is understandable.

ENTJ had thought the trio would have trouble integrating with their original quartet. Instead, they didn't trust themselves.

ENTP clearly didn't believe in the impossible.

"So your name's LII, eh? You remind me a bit of INTJ there. Hm. Maybe a mix of them and INTP?" ENTP tilted his head, giving LII a curious look.

LII didn't know how to respond.

"Some people did think that LIIs are similar to the MBTI INTJ and INTP...?" They pulled at their scarf (dried, finally) awkwardly.

INTP suddenly appeared before them, holding a bag of half-eaten chips.

"Whoa, wait up. LII, did you, like, remember that piece of trivia? While not remembering your own name?"

"I-"

ILI's mutter filled in the silence.

"ENTP obviously remembered how to play a guitar. LSI remembered how to use a gun. And ENTJ remembered how to make a shelter out of an abandoned café. We all remember things."

"Anything but those that tell us who we are." LII nodded, giving ILI a begrudgingly appreciative look.

ENTP snatched INTP's food ration out of their hands and got a grab, ignoring ENTJ's shouting at them to stop slacking off and do something productive.

"They're correct, INTP. I remember stuff from the Constitution of Canada, but I can't recall how I know about that. Perhaps I was a law student in Canada?"

ILI finally joined the circle of conversation, also having a grab at the chips.

"I feel that we'd get our memories back over time."

A pause. The sound of munching on chips.

"Just a feeling."

LSI was not raging. No, it was more like a quiet seething.

"And they left us to do all the work again. How could you put up with that kind of behavior?"

INTJ, who was barricading the entrance with LSI, shrugged.

"I see it as a division of labor. They do the brainstorming, and I make sure we are all alive to do that. As much as I'd like to join them, I know ENTJ needs me for my efficiency in this work."

LSI sighed, holding up the last plank for INTJ to secure.

"It's still unfair how we had to do the harder work."

INTJ smiled slyly.

"Oh, they'll have to handle the 'harder work' soon. ENTJ is already storming off to them."

The background chattering erupted into a series of complaining and pleading.

LSI looked at INTJ quizzically as the other shrugged and finished the barricade.

"ENTJ probably just had them handle all the scouting and scavenging for the week."

They leaned against the wall, admiring their handiwork with a grin.

"LSI, soon you'd learn the meaning of Karma, or belated justice. All the labor we suffer would be less of a chore when you know they'd have to pay back some time."

"What if they don't?"

"Well, then you'd have to take... necessary measures. Like ENTJ did."

LSI chuckled as INTJ gestured at the scattering circle and ENTJ (who was waving them over to share the last chips in the bag).

Maybe their team wasn't so insufferable after all.

Chapter Text

When ENTP returned to their hideout with LII, both looking rather giddy, they didn't expect this to be the news.

"Guys, hear me out," ENTP said, eyes sparkling with wonder. "we are in Toronto!"

Five pairs of eyes fixed themselves on ENTP.

"Is that a problem?" INTJ stared at the two with a deadpan expression.

"It is. We can now be sure that we are in Canada. And we might be able to travel the continent without much trouble since..." LII answered, then cleared their throat awkwardly when the attention shifted to them. "I mean, I was Canadian. But I am certain I wasn't from Toronto."

"So there must have been a way to get us to this place. Hence the travel theory." ENTP continued, beaming at the others.

ENTJ rubbed their eyes wearily. "ENTP, I asked you to go on a supply run, not a geographical expedition."

INTP clearly disagreed. "Wait, ENTP, how did you find where we are?"

"I checked the license plates of the cars we can find. And we visited the remains of a gas station." LII explained, sliding a look at ENTP, who looked like they were about to burst from whatever they were going to say.

"Never mind, we now officially claimed a vehicle of our own! A sweet nine-seater, it's parked near our spot-"

LSI scoffed, unamused. "How functional is that thing? There's no way a car could survive while buildings didn't."

"Well, it was only partly damaged..." ENTP scratched their neck absentmindedly as they rambled on. "I'm sure someone here will be able to fix it. It's a nice Ford Expedition, with extra gas in the trunk-"

INTJ glanced at ENTJ. "Can you fix an SUV?"

ENTJ frowned. "I think so... Wait, INTJ, you can do that also."

The two stared at each other, slightly confused.

ENTP had no time for this oddity. "Come on, aren't you excited that we are finally getting out of here?"

In fact, they were all thrilled to leave their dingy hideout, no matter what they liked others to believe.

After ENTJ and INTJ fixed the SUV with borrowed parts and tools, the rest promptly stuffed the trunk with food and supplies.

ILI, who was lazing on the seats, yawned as everyone busied themselves for their post-apocalyptic road trip.

"Do you guys have a destination in mind, or are you wasting fuel for nothing?" They drawled, smirking at LSI (who was busy avoiding their gaze and trying not to flip out).

Since ENTP was double-checking the system as INTJ settled in the passenger's seat, they didn't respond.

LII decided to humor them. "We're planning on traveling southwards, across the border."

"May I request a destination, then?" ILI's voice was light, but LII sensed an underlying worry in their words.

They understood, since-

It was odd enough that they found such a well-maintained SUV amidst the Others and the wreckage.

It was odd enough when their companions started to pick up more about their past.

(It was odd enough when LII remembered how the wind combed through their hair while they strolled on the coast somewhere in the west.)

ILI must have remembered something.

"Where do you suggest we go?" They asked eventually.

ILI's voice never wavered.

"New York. More specifically, Manhattan."

Chapter Text

They've been here before.

Dust covered the desolate landscape, covering the sky-

Liam stood at the edge of a clearing. 

(Who is- ah, not this again.)

The surroundings are murky and unclear. Familiar in a way.

(No, get a hold of yourself-)

The mists swirled around him. There were shouts. Distant, shrill, anguished.

And there were shadows. Shambling, staggering, approaching shadows.

Liam tightened his grip on his rifle. 

(They’re not-)

The mists closed in on him, steadily swirling-

And the next second, he was on the ground, an inhuman weight pressing down at him, with flashing claws and blind fury.

Intense pain lanced across his throat as if it was being ripped open. He tried to scream, but no sound came out.

His mind was a haze, but he could hear a shout.

“Liam!”

(They are not him.)

“Liam-”

“Leon, wake up, it’s just a dream!”

(...What?)

INTJ gasped as they broke out of their reverie. ENTP had stopped the van in the middle of the road at some point, staring intensely at them.

“You alright? You just had a stress dream, if I ever know one.”

INTJ blinked. Tried to regain their bearing. The dream was a recurring one, right? They had a feeling it had been plaguing them since… before. 

Before the apocalypse.

“Bro, can you speak? It’s worrying, you know.”

INTJ sighed. “Yes, I’m alright. It was just a stress dream, nothing-” They stopped mid-sentence.

Wait a second.

“ENTP, what did you call me earlier?”

The driver looked confused. “Eh, you mean ‘bro’?”

“No, the one before that. When you woke me up. Something with an L.”

ENTP scratched the back of their neck. “Don’t remember.”

“Are you going to start driving? The scenery around here is disturbing. LII has been rambling about the ‘oddity of flora and the color of the sky’ for hours since they couldn’t sleep,” INTP muttered.

ENTP and INTJ simultaneously turned to look out the window.

The sun was rising. The sky was a dark orange.

A few trees grew at odd angles, but the cityscape was bleak otherwise.

INTJ turned a questioning stare at LII.

“Look at the buildings, or the lack of them,” LII insisted. “We are in New Jersey, I’m sure. But the cityscape had changed drastically. And that’s not the only thing that’s off.”

LSI, who had been silently gazing out the window the whole trip (and did not sleep during the night), nodded. “There is something strange about the atmosphere. It’s almost… heavier.”

ENTP frowned. “Well, let’s see if we can get any further.”

The road ahead was in an awful state. ILI, who slept across the back row, was jostled awake so many times they gave up sleeping. 

The party was unusually calm as they drove deeper into the ruined city.

Eventually, their van met a dead end, a road completely blocked by fallen debris.

INTP walked to the front of the van to stare at the horizon, which was bathed in the morning light.

They took a sharp intake of breath.

“Guys, what did you think… What had happened?”

ILI stayed silent.

They had just witnessed their worst prediction come true.

Their city… their Manhattan. No, the entire New York City.

It has become nothing but a saltwater lake, filled with drowned memories.

Chapter Text

[May 1st]

It was a Thursday. Doesn’t matter to them since they are in charge of their schedule and can work whenever they please.

Lynn Hammond, the “Clairvoyant of Economics,” was perfectly well-prepared for the pandemic. They only had to stay in their apartment, whisper (half-true) financial advice into the companies’ ears, and watch as the economy takes a fatal hit without too much damage to themself.

That was what was supposed to happen.

At 6:30 in the morning, they were woken up by an urgent rapping on their door.

They ignored it. The world waits for them, and never the other way around.

6:40. The last thing they saw before being tied down and thrust into the trunk of a van was the New York skyline—the beauty of the waking city.

And now, ILI stared at the crater lake. Unmoving, unblinking, not able to process anything.

Who are they? What had happened?

What are these memories trying to tell them?

INTP paced around the edge of the lake, seemingly deep in thought.

“I’ve never been to a site of mass destruction before, so I probably don’t have a say. But it doesn’t look like- It’s not a nuke to me.”

“I’ve been in those zones, for study,” LII admitted. “And your suspicions are correct. This is something… New.”

ENTJ’s eyes sharpened. “There was something akin to a cold war before. Before we woke up here. I think it was-”

“And a pandemic, or a flu season. There were more people than usual at where I worked. Wait, I worked in… Where…” INTP grimaced, rubbing their temples. “I do not recall. A hospital? American?”

LSI held up a hand. “Everyone, slow down. Take it easy. If it’s not a nuke, then there’s no stress about radiation, right? We have time. Speak in rounds. INTJ, take notes for us.”

They returned to the van. It’s more comfortable there, and ILI wouldn’t be forced to stare at the lake in agony.

ENTJ spoke first. “From what I gathered… There was a Cold War. I had a business before this, I remember the uneasiness of the corporations.”

“Where were you from? The US, or Canada?” LII inquired.

“Ame- No, my company is scattered around the continent. But I was in the north, I guess.”

INTJ nodded. “In Montréal. A software company. ENTJ, you interviewed me there.”

LSI hummed. “Alright. Cold War II, two from a company in Montreal.”

“There was a pandemic. A sickness. People swarming my… clinic? Apothecary?” INTP poked at the seat mindlessly, brows furrowed.

“What kind of pandemic was it? Pneumonia? What are the symptoms?” LII pressed, sitting up straighter.

“I… I don’t think I remember,” INTP admitted sheepishly.

“Perhaps that is the symptom, INTP. Not being able to remember the important things.” ENTP joked, resting their legs on the steering wheel and fishing out an energy bar. 

INTJ snatched the bar out of ENTP’s hands. “You’re telling me that brain fog is a disease?”

“It might as well as be. Look at all the evidence we have.” LII pointed at INTJ’s notebook, dug out their own, and started flipping through it. “Humanoid mindless creatures. Human in biology. A pandemic. New weapons. It is very clear.”

LSI nodded along. “It makes sense, but the implications… LII, do you think it’s the south or-”

“I’m sure it’s the south,” LII said, grimly.

ILI finally spoke up. “Guys, did any of you get what LII and LSI said? Because I didn’t.”

LSI shot them a look. “ILI, we will share later; we need to organize our thoughts first.”

ENTP, however, came to a realization. “No way. You two, you’re suggesting that-”

A dull noise went through their car and interrupted their thoughts.

“What was that?” ENTJ demanded.

INTJ looked out the window.

An Other, one that looked barely human and very agitated, glared back at them with a crowbar in hand.

“They were trying to open our trunk…?”

The Other threw the crowbar at the window, barely missing INTJ’s head.

ENTP slammed the gas.

They need to get out of there as soon as possible.

Chapter Text

There is something incredibly wrong about all this.

LSI and LII sat on two folding chairs outside the van, watching over the exhausted team. They had driven as far as they could, desperate to leave the destruction… no, it’s the total annihilation, behind. ENTP’s snores could be heard from outside the van, courtesy of their daring drive to reach Detroit in a day despite the broken roads and countless detours.

Why Detroit? One would ask.

Why indeed. LSI had no idea how the location came to their mind, but it was persistent. Go to Detroit. You lost something there.

No, they do not have anything to lose. They woke up in the ruins of what might once be a hospital in Toronto. How could they have lost something in Detroit?

And, judging by their surroundings… It’s Detroit that lost everything.

“You know, LSI. You seem a bit familiar. I could swear we’ve met before this,” LII muttered sleepily, gaze fixed on the stars above. They seemed to be sketching something earlier, but it was abandoned halfway. 

LSI frowned. “You have theories on our situation.”

(It was a statement. As if they already knew their answer.)

“I do.” LII fiddled with their pencil, still staring into the stars like they held the answers for the universe. “Small ones. Like… I’m pretty sure whatever weapon used on New York City was the cause of those deviant Others.”

“That was pretty clear. Deductive.” LSI nodded, eyeing LII’s notebook beside their seat. “Anything else?”

The blond retreated to their thoughts again. LSI did not push, letting them collect their words.

“Do you think… We agreed on the South being responsible for the weapons, right? So, was it a mistake? Someone trying to frame them? Or-”

LSI sighed. “Calm, LII. Here.” They scrawled a bullet point on the notebook. “One. We agree that outside forces did not cause this destruction, but the country itself did. Why?”

LII tugged on a loose strand of their golden locks, frowning. “Intuition…? No, it was a memory. You also came to the same conclusion, so it was… a shared memory.”

LSI nodded. “Good. Now, we know you have a strong connection with navigation and assessing the environment, while I have some links with something police-related, possibly in Detroit.” They paused, looking at LII again. “Do you remember where you’re from?”

“Vancouver. But I travel, likely for work,” LII spoke with conviction. “So we could have met or worked together. And found something that made an impression that the South was up to something sinister.” 

They both fell silent after that, feeling the weight of the truth on their shoulders.

“But what if… What if the memories aren’t real? What if the information we have is faulty?” LII asked shakily.

“What if we are never meant to live to find the truth?” was left unsaid.

LSI’s shoulders sagged, letting their arm brush against LII’s for comfort.

“This is the only thing we can do now, LII. The only control we have in this world is choosing to make mistakes and, hopefully, find something closer to the truth. It is better to die on the way to enlightenment than ignorance.”

They spent the rest of the night watching the stars in uncertain silence.

Chapter Text

ENTJ was coughing violently when they came to consciousness. They wheezed, pressing their dirtied sleeve to their mouth, willing the unpleasantness to pass.

What happened? Why are they sitting beside a pile of rubble-

Oh.

The hideout collapsed, didn’t it? Their SUV ran out of fuel in the middle of Detroit. They had slept in what was once a middle school that had a roof.

Well, not anymore.

“ENTJ, did you see INTP? I can’t find them anywhere.” INTJ’s voice came from behind them, and they turned to see the rest of their team: ENTP, who probably sprained an ankle, leaning on INTJ for support; LII looking pale and shaken, but otherwise alright; LSI scanning across the rubbles for a trace of INTP's ash-blond hair; ILI idly sitting on a pile of damaged cement.

“They might suffocate under the ruins. Or worse! They-” INTJ’s voice took on a panicky tone, which was unfamiliar-

No, it’s too familiar.

“ Boss, excusez-moi, but what are you thinking? Did you just sell-” INTJ: same tone, same fear, same look of anguish.

“I did not sell anything, S-. Surely you’d understand. It’s all for the good of-” They remember saying. 

But what was their name? What was it about?

What have they done?

“ENTJ. We found them. INTP’s alright, just a bit disoriented.” LSI’s calm voice broke through ENTJ’s tumultuous mind. Anchoring them to reality.

INTP was not only a bit disoriented. Their glasses were lost somewhere, a line of crimson streaked down their temple, and their unfocused gaze at the banks of the Detroit river was unsettling at best.

“Let me bandage this, don’t move,” LII muttered, rummaging in their backpack for medical supplies. 

INTP swatted their hand away. “It’s no use. They’ve came, again." Their voice cracked. "It’s happening.”

ILI scowled. “I am the only one allowed to spout unsettling predictions here, INTP. Do you really know what you're talking about?”

“They’re delirious.” LSI shook their head. “Head trauma, I’ve seen it too often.”

“I am not mad!” INTP looked frantic, pointing at the river. “The other side, it’s-”

“Gone, you’re saying?” ENTP squinted at where INTP was pointing. “The bridge is broken, sure, but surely-”

ENTJ cursed loud enough to make the rest of the squad jump. Then they traced the skyline, or what it should be before.

It’s a wobbly flat line now.

“Eh bien, merde. ” ENTP gawked. “So it has happened again. We witnessed this one, in person. It cannot be- Are they hunting us?”

INTP looked like they wanted to say something, but LII held them down, grasping their shoulder firmly. “Do not talk, you’ll make the wound worse. The Ontario peninsula is not worth you dying over.”

“They aren’t actively hunting us, no. It has to be a timed bomb or an UXO. Whoever they are, they wouldn’t be so stupid to come after us just to be attacked by those.” ILI gestured at the broken bridge.

A group of Others were fighting each other into the river, their snarls inhuman.

Deviant Others, like those in NY.

ENTJ let out a long sigh. 

They had better find a working gas station quickly.

They do not want to think of the “or else”.

Chapter Text

“Hey, LSI, so I was wondering…” LII fiddled at the hem of their scavenged coat, gaze fixated on the sorry excuse of a street ahead. “Do you remember that theory about the ‘next world war’ being fought by sticks and stones?”

LSI frowned, trying to ignore LII’s abrupt question. Since splitting up, they have much more pressing matters to think about. They need to find an intact shelter with a working roof that is not leaking, is within walking range, and is as far from the explosion as possible. According to the map LII procured, the Cathedral might still be standing and enough of a landmark to be their meeting point. They’ll have to make it a proper shelter and check a whole lot of facilities there-  Hell, there is no time to be wasted on idle chatting.

“About the weapons of mass destruction resetting civilization, was it?” INTP asked while skipping around a pit on the ground. They did not seem to mind the bandages around their head, and was oddly calm for someone who had a breakdown just recently. “You think this world is something like that?”

LII nodded, lighting up when their musings were finally acknowledged (LSI felt a bit guilty. But, well, duty is not to be sacrificed.) “It’s more complex, I know, but think about it. We have Others, humans, but of a primal nature. We have-”

ENTJ stopped in their tracks, a hand half-raised to halt their team. Their sharp gaze swept across the street, and LSI swore there was something about their posture that was familiar-

“Others. Outside the building. On your right.” ENTJ signed in ASL, which LSI understood immediately. They took the gun out of their side bag, on edge, and turned slowly in the direction of the building.

Two Others. Approaching them.

“They are curious…?” LII signed back, not daring to speak. 

Curious . That makes sense, as the two stopped a few feet away from them without making a move, staring intently at the four.

LSI stiffened as the one on the left took a step closer to them. It did not talk, but it seemed to be confused. It jogged back to the half-crumbled building, rummaged around, and handed LSI something as it came back.

LSI took the thing. Something metal. Probably a desk name plate.

They flipped the thing over, revealing thick, bold letters.

Detective Jules Stewart. 

The Other on the left looked at the plate, back at LSI, and nodded.

The two Others then returned to the building, leaving them behind.

LSI could not move. They could feel themselves hyperventilating, their breaths shallow, the rush of blood pounding in their ears, stifling any other sounds.

Them- a police detective. The two Others, Sergeant Halls and Officer Carlson. The building is the Police department. They used to bike to work, and there was once when their bike broke, which was also the day when-

They did not register when they lost consciousness.

Chapter Text

ENTP was being overdramatic again. INTJ stared at them, unamused.

“INTJ, are you sure you want to make me stay in the car? I could be eaten. The car may explode. I may never see your face again.” ENTP pouted, looking out the open window to meet INTJ’s eyes. 

“You will be fine. You can defend yourself, and the car does not even have the fuel to make it explode." INTJ sighed, slinging on their duffel bag. “Just wait a minute. No, 2 hours at most.”

ILI smirked. “Yeah, I do not think you can manage 2 hours of walking with your twisted ankle. Just listen to your partner.”

ENTP’s eyes widened. “No, ILI, we’re not-”

“You two are a thing. I do not know what it is, but it is a thing nonetheless.” ILI grinned at ENTP’s fake scandalized expression.

“ILI.” INTJ glared at the blonde, who raised their hands in mock surrender.

“Right. Gas scavenging it is. Let's get moving.”

They walked along the cracked asphalt. It was warmer than the last few days, and ILI complained the whole way.

“Are we there yet? I’m drenched here. It must be 80 degrees. I miss my air conditioning.” ILI grumbled as they passed another dysfunctional gas station.

INTJ tried to ignore their complaints and checked the map instead. The next gas station is less than 10 minutes away. They should be able to refrain from murdering their teammate during the 10 minutes. 

“INTJ, watch out,” ILI warned as INTJ almost tripped over something. INTJ halted immediately, squinting at the obstacle like it personally offended them.

A bloodstained cudgel lay innocently in their way.

“ Qu'est-ce que c'est que ça…? ” INTJ muttered, scanning around the area. No living things were in sight, which could be either a good sign or a horrible one.

ILI squatted down, expression uncharacteristically serious. “It does not seem recent. No need to freak out. However…” They glanced at the surroundings, then exhaled slowly. “I think this is important. Somehow.”

INTJ blinked. “An intuition thing. Alright.”

“Perhaps. But it reminds me of something on the news before it got taken down...? Can’t remember what it was about.” ILI shook their head. “No big deal. Let’s just get the gas.”

It took exactly 2 hours to fetch the gas (bottled up some more spare ones just in case) and return to the SUV. ENTP fixed the SUV cheerfully and drove them to their designated meeting point with their shelter-building group.

They did not expect such a cathedral in the middle of Detroit. It looked… like a goddamn castle amidst the ruins of Detroit. 

They also did not expect to see LSI unconscious on the pew, INTP cleaning up a corner for their stuff with bandages still around their head, and LII making a barricade alongside ENTJ with benches.

“Is LSI ok?” ENTP inquired, stooping beside LSI’s blanket burrito form (despite INTJ’s concerns for the sprained ankle). 

“There’s… a lot going on. You may ask them themself when they wake up.” ENTJ sighed. “Long story short, LSI got their memories back and is now having intense migraines.”

LII turned towards ENTP, one hand extended and another fiddling with their sleeve. “Don’t move, I’m going to splint that ankle.”

INTJ sat on the marble floor, watching LII work on the injury. Watched ENTP wince.

They had seen ENTP like this, they were sure.

So what was that “something” between them?

Chapter Text

[April 2nd]

It rained the day before, so the weather is still a bit soggy, aside from being chilly. 

Jules knew it was not their day the moment the coffee machine malfunctioned. They had to drink from the drip coffee bags that Halls gave them some months ago.

They let out a long-suffering sigh and put on their uniform coat before getting on the bicycle. They are used to riding their bike to the precinct. It was unusual, sure, but they had made it a habit and it has become nearly impossible for them to change.

They were a block from the precinct when the bike blew a tire out of nowhere.

“Detective Stewart! You need a lift?” The motorcycle blew exhaust into their face, and the voice sounded too cheerful for such a miserable morning.

Ah. Of course. Officer Carlson.

“No need. I can walk, thank you.” Jules waved the sergeant off and hauled their disobedient bike for the rest of the way.

Their new case started… relatively straightforward. It’s a murder case with no evidence, but a bloated body with a bludgeon wound washed up on the riverbank. 

No, there is now also a new autopsy report.

The deceased victim, Beatrice Anderson, was not even from the area. Her residence was in Vermont, of all places. 

As if that wasn’t odd enough, she had no contacts. Her files were perfectly clean, in a way Jules was sure had been wiped at some point.

Or maybe it’s just the line “requirement of a higher clearance level” talking.

They did not have many clues, so naturally, Jules contacted Reagan Robe for geographical insight. They were sure it wasn’t allowed or even legal to consult an unrelated person about a case under investigation. Do they care, though?

Robe picked up the call rather swiftly.

They did not talk much. Robe gave them a quick estimation of where the murder might have happened based on the river currents around the area and promised to offer a more detailed explanation in person after their return from Denmark.

They found the site of the murder in a park near the water, on the edge of the city. Carlson looked too pleased with himself when he located the exact spot.

They did not expect a guy sitting on the roots of a tree nearby, his hands caked with dried blood, and an equally bloodied baseball bat sitting a few steps away. 

Carlson immediately launched into action, confronting the man. The man stared back as if his words had never reached his brain. Carlson grew frustrated and repeated his order with a harsher tone.

The suspect flipped out almost immediately, transforming from a confused drifter to a raging beast. Carlson barely managed to block his blows and let out an undignified yelp.

Jules pinned him down and secured him to the backseat of the police van after the brief scuffle. The man’s gaze was unfocused, unseeing, almost as if…

As if he had no idea what he had done.

Jules checked in on Carlson, who had not returned from his detour to the public restroom. They found him gazing out at the river with a blank look that had now become too eerily familiar.

Then-

Their head felt like imploding from the intensity of the migraine. They grunted, curling further into themself.

“LSI, can you hear me? Quick, someone hand me-”

They groaned again as another spasm passed, and fell back into unconsciousness.

Chapter Text

LSI woke up with a headache. It was milder than the previous one, but the hammering had not stopped. Through their bleary eyes, they can make out the outline of someone dozing off beside them.

“...Reagan.” They blurted out. Their voice was weak, yet the cavernous cathedral echoed the word like a hymn.

LII jolted upright, attention fully on the cocoon of their teammate beside them. 

“Hvem- You mean me?” They blinked rapidly, suddenly looking a bit uncomfortable.

LSI shook their head, sitting up from their pile of scavenged blankets. “I don't know. It just… fits the impression you’ve been giving me. An old friend.”

LII looked into their hands. Mouthed the name as if testing how it felt to them.

“I suppose so…” LII exhaled softly. “Then, you remembered… everything? Your name? What happened to this world?”

LSI huffed out a half-chuckle. “I'm not anyone important enough to know the full truth, but I do remember my side of the story. It's… not a pretty picture.”

LII nodded, somberly. “Then tell me about it.”

“Vermont? LSI, no offense, but we just escaped from the very same area, going back means meeting those deranged Others again! You saw what they almost did to INTJ!” ENTP exclaimed, leaning back against the car hood. “Not to mention the broken bridge, the bombed Toronto and New York. LSI-”

“I'm aware, ENTP. I know it's nearly impossible to get there. I do not want to pass through the longer western route either, since there's less food and supplies. Yet,” LSI lowered their gaze. “Vermont is our only lead to getting closer to the truth.”

ENTJ, skeptical of the choice of destination, considered LSI’s current state: they still appear a bit disoriented and pale, but they are determined and confident in their decision.

“You were not the biggest fan of this truth-seeking business a few weeks ago, I recall.” ILI, for once, voiced exactly what ENTJ had in mind.

“I was wrong,” LSI replied firmly.

ILI grinned. “You never admitted to that before, ever.”

LSI sighed, turning to the one who had once threatened to leave them. “Look, things have changed. I have changed. I've only just realized that I have always lived for truths.”

ILI did not drop their grin, but they did not retort either. That’s a win.

INTP spoke up. “I agree with LSI on this. We should head to Vermont.” They shrugged in response to INTJ’s questioning glance. “You are questioning my memory, I get it, but I remember Burlington. Thanks to that slab of concrete that almost buried me two days ago. I swear head trauma is tied to memory recovery.”

ENTP grinned and punched INTP lightly in the shoulder, then turned to the person busying around the battered map spread on the car hood. “So, LII, which route to go?” 

“Do we want to take a bet if Mackinac Bridge is still standing? Or do we want to pass by Minnesota-” LII’s finger traced a full circle around the lakes.

ENTP quickly intervened. “God, please don’t make me drive to Minnesota. I do not want a lake tour, LII.” 

LII nodded, collecting the maps back into their bag. “Well then, let’s test our luck.”

Chapter Text

“ENTJ,” INTJ spoke, slow and careful. “You have not been talking much recently.”

ENTJ did not reply, pretending to sleep like most people in the car.

“It’s… not like you to be this passive,” INTJ added, finally turning around to meet ENTJ’s eyes. “Has anything happened?”

ENTJ forced themself to look at their former employee. “Do you remember our company in Montréal?” They asked after a short pause.

“Not much. Just you interviewing me and some… useless pieces of memory centering on the copy machine breaking down.” INTJ smiled wryly. “What about it?”

“I-” ENTJ looked pained briefly, then turned into frustration. “Nothing. It’s just that the last few days were so hectic, yet that’s the only thing my brain chose to remember.”

INTJ blinked. Looked at their boss, eyes narrowed. They chose to believe them. 

“I see.”

They did not talk the rest of the way.

ENTP felt the tension too acutely and tried to solve it.

LII drove too slowly, ENTJ was weird after the conversation, and INTJ looked mentally exhausted from another nightmare. So they let ILI take the wheel since they were the only one they trusted to drive at a decent pace and not black out mid-drive. 

Bad choice. ILI talks a lot when not sleeping.

“Tell me, LII, what do you see?” ILI spoke over the instrumental Bach CD playing in the background, one hand on the wheel and the other shoving a granola bar into their mouth.

LII, for some reason, entertained them. “Trees. The road. The wilderness had grown into the road, but not much. If I had to guess, the world has been like this for less than 6 months.”

“Nah, I’d say 4 months, maximum.” ILI chewed on their bar, gesturing to the overgrown birch on the left side of the road. “It’s not very wild-looking.”

LII frowned. “You don’t know that. Tree growth varies-”

ILI waved that comment away. “But, hear me out. Maybe those roads were still used long after the outbreak. You agreed that the amnesia- or whatever the Others are suffering, was something like a sickness, yeah? ‘From the South’, or something ominous?” They continued as LII nodded. “Point is, there’s no way the virus would spread so quickly over the continent. A.U. was... like, huge.”

“It’s called the U.S.A., I thought you were American.” LII shot ILI a look.

ILI froze mid-bite. “It had been A.U. for over a month. America United. Under the President’s orders. You don’t- You should remember, you were Canadian!” They sighed at LII’s confused expression. “Alright, you either did not regain your memories or were kidnapped before that. Either way-”

“Wait, what do you mean by kidnapped?” LII interrupted, horrified.

ENTP watched from the back row, INTJ’s head on their shoulder. If they should pick out one of ILI’s worst habits, it’s that…

They assumed everyone else knew what they had seen.

ILI was busy explaining the memory clip that surfaced back at the Manhattan Lake. LII was reeling from the information.

ENTP was the only one who saw it.

“ Hey, chicos, là-bas…?" ENTP sputtered, pointed out the window, and then yelled. “ILI, stop the car for a second!”

ILI slammed the brakes. INTP complained groggily when their head bumped into the back of the seat.

“What?” The driver barked, giving ENTP a sharp glare.

ENTP pointed again.

A rest area. Crowds of Others loitered around, collecting food from the nearby forest, and behaving like… a prehistoric community. 

"What," ILI took a sharp breath. “The Hell.”

Chapter Text

No one suggested they get out of the car. Yet everyone is awake and staring at the bustling rest area.

“How…” INTJ managed, their voice coming out odd. They cleared their throat and continued. “How did they get here?”

ILI let out a huff of disbelieving laughter. “You mean why they are all centered around this place, I assume.”

INTP shook their head. “No, it’s also weird how they behave. It’s not exactly barbaric. I would not use that word. But,” They pointed at the Others gathering food and starting small fires in the parking lot with twigs. “It’s human, just without the civilization.”

“Do you think it could be… I dunno, intentional? Did someone place them here? A containment attempt, perhaps?” ENTP mused, resting their chin on the lowered window. “Because we do not see Others along the way. Not after we leave Detroit.”

“The Detroit Others are different, too. More aware?” LSI thumbed the metal plate bearing their name, which was kept in their bag like a charm. “Aware enough to recognize me. Those here, on the other hand, do not even know what cars are.”

LII flipped through their notebook in a frenzy, muttering incomprehensible words as they scanned it through. “ Et... lokkemiddel? Men til hvad? Nej, ikke til de smittede... ” They looked up in LSI’s direction, their free hand tapping nervously against the seat. “Jules, do you think it’s possible at det - at it-” They shook their head and grimaced, trying to get their words straight. “A bait station. They wanted to save people they deemed worth saving. They set up this place to attract a certain group of people but ended up attracting more than expected.”

ILI’s eyes widened. Blinked. Turned to ENTJ. “ENTJ, you were a CEO. Did they send that to you, too?”

ENTJ was pulled back to the present upon hearing their name. “Sorry, what do you mean?”

“The letter. Sent by the government. Oh, man, it would make so much sense if you did get it, too.” ILI was grinning, lounging back in the driver’s seat.

“The… Vaccine notice? It did not look credible and had odd wording- I traced the message’s source. It was very likely spam, so I ignored it.” ENTJ shot ILI a look. “Why did you get it anyway-”

“I was important, in a way. Doesn’t matter. What I’m going to say is that- guys, LII was likely correct.” ILI paused for a sip from the bottled water. “Let me spell it out.”

[April 13th]

To Mx. Hammond, Regarding your Early Vaccination Access

Lynn had laughed at the subject line for a good minute. It was so like their current government to do that .

Not the rich privilege, no. Worse.

They saw right through the farce. This is an attempt to gather the important people . Uninfected people nowadays are either influential, wealthy, or immune. The first two, for they have enough resources at hand to survive extended self-quarantine; the last, for they are their final gamble at a cure.

There were never vaccines for this pandemic, Lynn was sure. There was no news from the related industries, despite the Immunes they gathered for studies.

This is a clear sign the government wanted the Uninfected population for something. Funds, perhaps. Immune individuals, undoubtedly. 

Test first, capture later. There won’t be a need to storm the streets like before. With this bait, the desperate will come to them automatically.

Clever? No, it was purely idiotic. They failed to remember a crucial trait of the Infected.

They imprint on anything they see.

“So, when the Uninfected population migrated to the designated spots, the infected- the Others, they followed,” INTJ concluded for ILI, who nodded.

“Correct.”

ENTP whistled. “ Mon Dieu . This only made the government more suspicious. Are you sure they did not release a brain-eating virus on purpose? And- and what about us? Why aren’t we infected- are we actually government agents?”

“No,” LII spoke, slow and deliberate. “We are the Immune.”

INTP shuddered at the words.

They’re convinced that they are much more than that.

Chapter Text

The Mackinac Bridge was unharmed. The Ford passed the border and stopped by Sault Ste. Marie as per ENTJ's insistence.

“We do not know if the road ahead is damaged, and I’d rather we pack enough for a whole month.” ENTJ had regained some of their usual vigor and started laying down what necessities to gather.

The other six came back with enough unspoiled food and supplies to stuff the whole trunk and the last row of the SUV. And a few extra things.

"ENTP, we do not need this-" ENTJ let out a long-suffering sigh. "ABBA album."

ENTP shrugged. "Better than Bach, though."

ENTJ stared at ENTP for a moment, then passed the CD to LII.

ILI had complaints, which ENTP and ENTJ staunchly vetoed.

The Trans-Canada Highway was well-preserved compared to the horrors from NYC to Detroit.

"The Canadian government must have moved their citizens away from the border, then...?" LII muttered, checking their notes. 

"Canada refused to keep borders open after what their neighbor did, so yes, you're correct." ILI seemed to be able to catch LII's words regardless of the Dancing Queen blasting in the background. "Did that work so well? Definitely not. The market has gone from bad to worse in those last days before my capture. They couldn't keep the virus out no matter how hard they tried."

LSI leaned forward attentively. "Your memory about the time before your capture seemed clear... Tell me, what colors were those people who grabbed you in?"

"Black uniforms. It could be the President's little personal force, but it couldn't be that simple. You too, then?"

LSI nodded. "Can you remember what happened after the capture, though?"

"No idea. Honest." ILI grinned wryly. "If I do, I would not be investigating with you."

After a good 17-hour drive (which included ENTP and ILI fighting over the stereo with INTJ playing referee, INTP quietly munching on their ration looking lost in thought, LII tiredly sharing notes with LSI, and ENTJ staring out the window as if more colonies of Others would appear), they finally arrived in Vermont.

To everyone’s surprise, it was not bombed, teeming with Others, or had odd-colored skies like what they saw during their first few days in Toronto. It was just another ghost town.

The team stopped in Burlington, as ENTP demanded to get out of the SUV to stretch their legs.

And so, with ENTJ in the lead, they walked towards the University of Vermont, feeling embarrassingly like kindergarteners on a field trip.

“INTP, you were from Vermont, right?” ENTP gave INTP a slight nudge. “How did you end up in Montréal?”

“I applied for McGill. And got admitted. Duh.” INTP threw ENTP a look. “Are you going to congratulate me for getting into the same university you and INTJ were in? Please don’t, I remember well enough.”

ENTP made a face. “Jeez, you’re extra prickly today, what’s the matter-”

"Hold on." LSI interrupted, fishing out something in their bag and-

A loud bang. Something crashed hard onto the pavement but did not shatter or explode.

Everyone cursed and turned to LSI immediately.

LSI lowered their gun, expression grim. “This thing has been following us since we came here.” They picked up the downed object.

It was a surveillance drone, marked with a barcode and a tiny seal.

“That’s the government research center.” LSI pointed at the insignia.

LII’s eyes lit up and dug through their coat, producing a small chip-like device. “Is this the same one?”

“It is… LII, where did you find it? That’s a spy camera!” LSI exclaimed, turning the chip over to check the seal.

“I thought I got rid of them for you some time ago, how did you find it?” ILI chimed in.

ENTJ narrowed their eyes. “You two found spy cameras on us and never bothered to warn anyone?”

“Enough,” INTJ spoke, voice stern and low. “If we’re being tracked, then it’s possible to reverse-engineer it. I can try. Can anyone bring me a working laptop? I may need a hand.”

“I’ll help.” LII stepped forward, and INTJ nodded.

“The rest of you are going to the university, right? We’ll stay back in the SUV, meet up with us when you finish.” 

ENTJ glanced at them curiously, then smiled. “Sure, stay safe, will you?”

INTJ blinked at the sudden sentiment. “Same… for you.”

And thus sealed their fate.

Chapter Text

“INTP, this is the University of Vermont Medical Center. Are you sure you’re going the right way?” ENTJ asked as INTP stopped in front of the large white buildings with a dazed expression.

“It is. I’m- I worked here. The pharmacy behind this building,” INTP said, eyes wide. “We should go in.”

“Not a good idea.” LSI deadpanned. “We can’t afford the fallout. Trust me, I, of all people, should know the downsides to regaining a memory.”

ENTP scoffed. “Dear ‘I lived for truth’, are you chickening out right now? Did you not see this place? It’s empty!”

“It’s also a hospital .” LSI sighed. “Look, I know we’ve traveled all the way here for this. But-”

“We can be careful. We’re armed, after all. You gave us weapon training on the highway yesterday for exactly that.” ENTJ countered. “I suggest we proceed.”

ILI did not talk as they kept an eye on INTP and the empty white facility, the latter which loomed over them like the gavel of judgment.

The four of them followed the former pharmacist as they took a sharp right turn, their low mutters following every step. 

Then INTP stopped in front of the wood-and-glass doors of the pharmacy and went still. 

“How can I forget…? She was on the fifth floor, she did not come the next day-”

“Who?” ENTJ asked softly.

LSI’s whole posture grew stiff as footsteps came from the other side of the hallway. Uneven. Shambling limps.

INTP lifted their head to the block letters above the door, eyes unseeing. “Beatrice… Anderson. So she died after all.”

ILI managed to catch them as INTP stumbled backward, body going prone in their arms.

And LSI’s gunshots ripped through the hall that wasn’t empty anymore.

“ENTJ, there’s more to the left!” LSI barked as they threw an empty magazine right into a deviant Other’s eye. It did nothing to stop their movements.

“Shit, they do not rely on sight!” 

ENTJ immediately aimed at the Others’ legs upon hearing that.

They were moving too slowly, having to carry INTP. And worse-

“We can only go up! The entrance is blocked by too many of them! Where the hell did they all come from?” ENTP yelled, hauling INTP across their shoulder and sprinting for the stairs. ENTP’s ankle was not ready for INTP’s dead weight dragging behind, but they gritted their teeth and kept on moving.

ILI followed close behind, gun trained on the top of the stairs.

Which meant they could not see what was behind them.

“ILI, behind you!”

ILI spun around too late.

A jagged piece of glass sliced right through their right eye. They howled, clawing desperately at the bloody wound. The deviant Other brought its glass down again, this time aiming at their neck.

A gunshot sounded, and the Other collapsed.

“You have to move, come on!” LSI urged, grabbing ILI by the collar. “There’s no time- We have to lock the stairway before more swarmed up here!”

ENTJ kicked an Other off the stairs and slammed the fireproof door shut, locking it. “Leave ILI to me, go protect the NTPs!”

“Roger.” LSI dashed upstairs to aid the unarmed.

ENTJ knelt next to ILI, pulling out spare gauze and bandages. “Fuck, Hammond, you should work on your spatial awareness-”

ILI chuckled breathlessly. “I guess-” Their remaining eye widened.

“Look out!”

ENTJ barely had the time to process when a brute force slammed into their side. A crowbar came into view, and nothing could stop it from connecting once more with their flesh. They crumpled, breathing shallowly in pain, feeling the wetness seep through their clothes.

A misformed hand held them up by the throat, cutting off the air-

They can’t… breathe…

A loud noise. The black dots retreated from their vision, and the weight was gone. 

They felt someone struggling to lift them, dragging them up the stairs.

Ah. Lynn Hammond is alive. Good.

And then they slipped into the void.

They barged into the Children’s Specialty Center, which was nearest to the second-floor entrance.

ENTP dropped INTP on the too-small bed, dropping to their knees and wheezing as LSI guarded the entrance, scanning the area.

ILI stumbled into the room just as LSI was about to mourn them for their sacrifice.

ENTJ’s blood trailed behind them, smearing the carpet floor.

“No one followed. If this floor ain’t compromised, we’re safe for now.” ILI rasped, collapsing onto the carpet themself.

ENTP rushed to ENTJ’s side, cursing colorfully in three languages while checking on their many injuries.

LSI locked the entrance, head filled with violent screams and too many thoughts.

What have they gotten themselves into?

Chapter Text

INTJ looked out the car window. The sun was setting, and the golden rays filtered through the windows of Jeffords Hall into the SUV.

“What’s taking them so long…?” INTJ frowned, a pit forming in their stomach.

“INTJ, your code just finished running,” LII said, not looking up from their laptop.

INTJ checked their screen. The drone’s signal was sent from Hawaii. As for the camera…

Charlemont, MA.

“Massachusetts?” LII glanced over, expression thoughtful. “If either of those should be where the virus came from, that should be it.”

“Hawaii would be where our observers are hiding, based on your logic.” INTJ hummed, checking the Charlemont signal. “And Charlemont… the origin of the virus?”

“I mean, it’s between Toronto and New York City. If we check the maps and draw the spreading point from Massachusetts-” LII pulled out a marker and drew multiple concentric circles around Charlemont. “-it matches the timeline.”

LII proceeded to spread out the notes. “I landed in Detroit on April 10th. I must have been captured straight in the airport, presumably for my immunity. So the virus had reached there before that. I do not remember the name transition from ‘USA’ to ‘America United’, so that and the Cold War II must have happened after I got abducted. Weapons, biological or of mass destruction, should be developed before said Cold War started.” They pointed at NYC. “ILI said the disease had been around since February, initially ignored as dementia cases. LSI found the first Other in Detroit on April 2nd. See?”

INTJ traced the lines. “Montréal… I forgot to check if it was still standing when we passed by it.”

“It’s also bombed,” LII said simply. “Right after NYC, if my theory is correct. And if the virus spreads at an equal rate-”

“Massachusetts. NYC. Montreal. Detroit. And…” INTJ sucked in a breath. “Vermont was already infected, then.”

“LSI said that,” LII squinted at their notes. “The Anderson Case, the victim, what’s she called- Beatrice Anderson. She was from Vermont.”

“Merde!” INTJ hissed, turning to the direction their teammates walked off to. “Could it be that-”

“LSI mentioned about Anderson being a doctor.” LII bit their lip, hands flapping against their lap. “She might as well as work here. The University of Vermont Medical Center.”

INTJ nodded. “She was running away from something. The government, perhaps. But what did she find that the government wanted to silence so badly?”

“A fraud? A cure? Or a… a lab report.” LII swallowed. “This is a university after all. They want to look for advice…”

INTJ shut their laptop off, grabbed a bag, and started shoving supplies into it. “We have to find them, chances are high the hospital’s got infected patients in it. They can be in trouble.”

LII followed suit, grabbing the rifles they stole from a gun shop in Detroit. They ran toward the medical center, against time.

It’s one more hour until sunset.

When night comes…

They’ll all die under the claws of Others lurking in the dark.

Chapter Text

“We got 40 minutes until sunset.” INTJ checked their watch, expression grim.

40 minutes to enter the swarmed building, rescue their team, and come out alive—an impossible task.

LII clutched their rifle with a white-knuckled grip. 

“This is suicide.” They muttered, fidgeting more than usual as they stared at the mutated, deviant Others shambling around the entrance. “They are probably dead already. We cannot make this. We will die with them—”

INTJ did not seem to hear. The sight of those Others reminded him of something.

Not a memory, no.

Of their nightmares. Of Liam, who threw firecrackers to lure zombies away. 

Noise. The zombies in Liam’s world were attracted by noise.

INTJ still could not comprehend what the dreams meant, but what if-

“LII, can you drive?”

LII broke out of their nervous wreck, confused by the question.

“I don’t have a license…? I mean, I can steer small ships, but cars are-”

“It doesn’t matter.” INTJ cut off their ramble, dashing to inspect the ambulance across the street and bringing it to life.

“Brake’s on the left, gas on the right. Drive to the water tower, and blast the sirens. I’ll drive to the back of the hospital. We’ll meet up at our van.”

The sirens blared obnoxiously in the background as LII and INTJ entered the visibly less-populated medical center, rifles in hand.

LII did not question how INTJ knew sirens would draw the Others away.

And so INTJ did not question how LII expertly gunned down offending Others while sprinting up the stairs.

“Blood in the stairway, they must be near. We search the second floor,” LII spoke in a near-whisper, just loud enough for INTJ to catch.

They made their way up to the second floor (or Level 4, as the sign insisted), tracking the trail of blood.

The second floor was… empty, at a glance. No Others. No teammates, either.

LII kept following the blood trail with intense focus. Stopped at the entrance of the Children’s Specialty Center.

“They’re here.” 

A knife whizzed past their head as they spoke.

They turned to stare at the stubborn figure standing in the hallway with another bloodied combat knife in hand.

“LSI? What- are you guys ok?” INTJ stepped forward, and LSI stumbled back.

“No- I mean, we’re alive, but-” LSI let out a sharp breath. “We need to get them out. Fast.” 

LII opened the door behind them, swore silently, and grabbed a nearby wheelchair, carefully easing the unconscious ENTJ into the seat.

ENTP eyed them wearily. “Are you going to carry the chair down the stairs?”

LII’s grey eyes shone like steel. “I can manage.”

INTJ carried INTP over their shoulder and glanced at ILI, who gave them a thumbs-up in return.

“Alright, let’s get moving.”

They made it out of the hospital just as the sun began to set. INTJ took the wheel, while LII pushed the seats down to create a makeshift ER area. LSI, though fatigued, insisted on helping stabilize ENTJ and re-wrap ILI’s eye.

ENTP sat in the passenger’s seat, watching INTJ drive through the creeping darkness.

“Where are we going…?” They asked, resting their head against the window, unable to sleep despite being worn out.

INTJ’s rigid shoulders relaxed a bit to ENTP’s voice. “New Hampshire, I’m thinking. Less populated. Slightly further from Massachusetts.”

“What’s in Massachusetts…?” 

INTJ did not answer.

That, they do not know if they can afford to learn.

Chapter Text

LII sat alone outside the SUV, raising their head to the starlit sky.

How long has it been…? They remembered their parents’ smiles, remembered themself pointing at the constellations above Aalborg with awe and wonder.

The skies are clearer here, without the smog and distant city lights. The stars are brighter.

For what cost? Millions of lives? Entire cities wiped from the continent? People returning to ancient ways and forgetting who they have once been?

This sky was the only gift the apocalypse had given. Everything else, it took.

Personalities. Memory. Cities.

Their friends were nearly taken too.

A sob rose from their throat, unbidden.

No, they can not break down now, their teammates need them to be strong-

They hugged their knees tightly, gripping at the worn fabric of their pant leg.

Their team needs a functional member. An analyst. Useful. Unbroken.

They can not -

Tears kept streaming down their face against their will.

Pathetic. They’re-

A rustle of fabrics.

They looked up, hands still clenching and unclenching in their lap, trying to get a hold of at least something in their life-

Black hair. Tired eyes, focused on the lake rather than them. Sitting nearby at a respectful distance.

Their brain fumbled for information.

LSI. Jules.

Why are they……?

Did I wake them up?

Frustration bubbled up again, and they curled into themself tighter.

A hand slowly landed on the patch of grass next to them.

Followed by a low humming, to a slightly melancholic tune they can not name.

They blinked slowly, dug their fingers into the dirt, and listened.

LSI did not say anything and kept on humming.

LII took in a shaky breath. Then another.

The air smelled like damp dirt and grass. It was grounding, in a way. So was LSI’s tune.

They held out their hand and pressed it into the grass beside LSI’s.

Thank you.

LSI nodded, tilting their head up to the starry sky.

You’re not alone.

The apocalypse failed to take everything away, after all.

Hope remained.

ILI woke up with the sun, which is an unusual thing.

Still, nothing could have prepared them for the sight of LSI and LII strewn across the grass in deep sleep.

“That could not have been comfortable…” They muttered, tossing their blanket over the two.

Then they wandered into the forest, picked a nice branch, and secured the fishing line somebody brought to it.

Somebody had to make them breakfast, after all. Their lost eye be damned.

Chapter Text

INTP had no idea what they were falling into. The surroundings blurred, but their mind was clearer than ever.

Beatrice Anderson.

A coworker, a friend, a target…

The first spark that ignited the inferno.

They eventually reached the bottom of the abyss. The darkness cushioned their fall, dark strands curling around their limbs like tangled yarn. They did not bother with struggling. There was something to this place that made them calm despite the odds.

“Charles.”

The word bounced off the space, echoing, crescendoing into a panicked yell.

“Charles!”

They turned around-

And met the bloodshot eyes of the neurologist who should be dead.

“Charles Ross… I’ve collected these for you, remember? I printed them out, you know what they say about digital footprints. You do have a shredder at home, right?” 

The neurologist’s voice (warm, flighty, and unmistakably Anderson ) was the same as Charles remembered. 

But the continuous dripping of water, the stench of iron in the air-

And the dim light silhouetted the deformed shape that had once been their friend.

The dark tendrils kept Charles in place as Beatrice (who was dead , should be dead, this is just a stupid nightmare -) kneeled in front of them, bloated fingers gently placing a stack of papers into the crook of their arm.

“If anything happened to me, promise me you’d stay alive first, alright? Truth comes second.” The corpse grinned after repeating the exact words she had told them the day before she left and never returned.

Charles looked down into the stack of papers. No, they were evidence: research papers, screenshots of banned posts, bribes tagged with names and sources. Proof that the world has mutated into something unrecognizable.

Proof that had cost Beatrice her life and Charles their memories.

They reached out a shaky hand, placing it on the corpse’s blood-soaked shoulder.

“I will.” 

And the cold body turned into ash under their fingers, disappearing once more.

Yarn, papers, a bleak space that should be their mind.

There’s no better place to build the truth than in their head, no better way than connecting the dark threads to each piece of information.

A strong, determined president who seized control like a fisher tightening his net.

Charles pulled at the bit of yarn, attaching it to the papers.

A promise of glory, of power, of respect. Everything lost, returned. Boasts of game-changing weapons, threats of war.

Pull, place, attach. 

News about Dr. Anderson’s research papers on cognitive decay being quoted by a senator. Both the woman and the papers disappeared completely.

Pull-

The papers slipped from their hands. They can not continue. This is going to kill them, the truth- The observers can find out. They will find out.

And they will either be brainwashed back to square one or dead.

Charles fell to their knees in front of the web of truth they created. The tendrils coiled around them again, pulling them towards- 

The wall?

Wait, why does it smell so nice? Is that roasted fish? God, that smells heavenly. How the hell did it pass through to the brain?

The wall opened, and the light devoured them once and for all.

ILI stared as the pale figure shuffled out of the van and towards their campfire, looking disheveled yet wide awake.

“Fish. God, yes, give me two of those.” INTP croaked, grabbing the nearest fish-on-a-stick and wolfing it down regardless of the heat.

ENTP blinked, confused. “You’re awake? How…?” 

“Yes, my head hurts like hell. But fish. Fish first, share later.” INTP muttered between bites, pausing only to glance at ILI. “Compliments to the chef. I know it’s you.”

INTJ chuckled as ILI’s face grew a shade redder while trying to play it cool, squawking economical nonsense that did not explain why they decided to feed the team for once. 

That’s when INTP realized, in between fish and laughter, that truth was not meant to be their burden alone but one to be shared.

Chapter Text

INTJ made sure everyone’s alive and fed before settling back into the driver’s seat. ENTP invited themself into the seat beside them, leaning in to take a better look at the map in their hands.

“We’re going to Charlemont, yeah?” ENTP asked, suddenly looking wistful.

INTJ nodded, giving them a raised brow. “Is there a problem?”

ENTP shook their head, grinning. “I kinda missed having you drive. We used to love taking road trips back then, you know.”

INTJ frowned. No, they still did not remember much about their past. Even their odd stress dreams are more vivid than their memories.

At this point, they’d sooner remember being Liam Hayes, the dead protagonist of their dreams, than themself.

But that’s beside the point.

“...Alright.” They settled on replying.

INTP (or, as they insisted, Charles Ross) talked nonstop along the road. They spoke of research papers, government agendas, and a neurologist who connected the dots before being murdered.

LSI had to admit it makes sense, even when it sounds a lot like some crazy conspiracy theory. 

As if what they witnessed in Burlington wasn’t enough evidence that their whole world had always been a massive conspiracy.

“So Anderson called this… bio-weapon project… IFS-⍺?” LII asked, fingers tapping nervously along their notepad.

Charles made an affirming noise. “Identity Formatting Strain, if what Beatrice figured was true. Though the fact that they were bold enough to send the research to a university lab is what intrigued me the most.”

“They could not resist.” A hoarse voice cut through the rumble of the car engine.

ENTJ coughed, struggling to get up. “... We could not resist.”

The car fell silent.

“Pray tell,”  ENTP said without turning.

ENTJ, finding their legs unresponsive, gave up changing their position and lay back down in the back row. Then they let out a weary sigh.

“INTJ… I mean, Leon Simmons. I apologize. I’m sorry I-” ENTJ’s voice caught in their throat. “I sold you out.”

The brakes slammed down, ILI almost hitting the front seat again under the force.

“Come again?” ENTP was the one who reacted first, now fully turned towards the back of the van.

ENTJ did not meet their eyes. “They wanted our company to encode their logs. Their weapon blueprints. Because some of their own defected and couldn’t be trusted… It was an order. Well paid.” They took a shaky breath. “We also had to give them a detailed list of our employees’ personal information.”

“You-” ENTP seethed, but INTJ held them back, gesturing for ENTJ to continue.

“They were looking for… people who had contact with those who knew about the virus. And well… Simmons, you told me about the virus before. Something about your roommate looking into the dementia-related crime cases.” ENTJ fixed their gaze on the ceiling like they were trying to burn a hole through it. “They promised it’s for research. And offered a bonus if I mentioned someone with immunity or connections. That’s-”

“Unforgivable.” ENTP deadpanned, glowering at ENTJ. “What you did. You handed them out to the government for, what, a couple thousand?”

“Six million. And support for our company while we work. This is not an excuse, no. Because… they came for me as soon as I finished the work.”

“Well deserved, I shall say.” ENTP snorted.

ENTJ finally met ENTP’s eyes. “You were the roommate, weren’t you? I am sorry. For everything.”

ENTP gritted their teeth. “It’s not like apologies can-”

“ENTP. Enough.” INTJ sighed, looking down at the steering wheel. “ENTJ. You would have been taken away earlier if you hadn’t sold me out. You don’t have a choice.”

“I did have a choice,” ENTJ stressed, hands crossed against their middle. “And I betrayed your trust.”

“Either way, I thank you for telling me this now.” 

ENTJ’s eyes went wide. “How… Don’t you hate me for what I’ve done?”

INTJ’s lips curled into a slight grin. “Can you change your decision in the past? Can hatred bring my memories back? There’s no point in moping about the past. We should focus on our future.”

ENTJ blinked. Then covered their eyes with an arm.

“I’m sorry I didn’t tell you earlier.” They muttered.

ENTP looked like they wanted to snap back, but INTJ silenced them with a look.

“I forgive you.” They replied somberly.

The car drove on.

And ENTP put on the ABBA track again, to cover the soft sniffles coming from the back row.

Chapter Text

Driving is good for themself , INTJ decided, as they navigated the moss-infested highway that was once I-91.

Driving takes their mind away from how they almost lost their team in a single evening, away from the fact that they felt nothing but dissociation when ENTJ apologized as if it were a great deal.

Driving reminds them they are not Liam, who died in a zombie apocalypse with a horrid slash to his throat. It did not make sense how everyone else had their memories back, but they got Liam instead.

INTJ had tried to ask ENTP about it, but they were purposefully vague. They did recognize the name Liam, but did not comment further than a few tasteless jokes on how video games can affect a teenager.

Liam was not a residue of gaming, INTJ knew . He had been present every night since the start of this post-apocalypse journey. Maybe even before that, judging by ENTP’s offhanded reference to the past.

Have they always been broken like that? Dreaming as another person who has another set of memories?

“Um, INTJ? We have to take this exit.” LII’s voice shook them out of their reverie, making them curse inwardly. 

So much for driving not bringing up unwanted thoughts…

They dutifully took the right turn, the turn signal blinking like it still mattered.

The Charlemont facility was wrapped between an eerily quiet forest and yet another ghost town.

ILI yawned as they passed through the second church in the little town.

“For a place harboring a bioweapon, it sure is blessed.” They commented, staring out the window as INTJ parked the SUV in front of the local gas station.

“Some of us aren’t atheists,” LSI stated, shooting them a glare.

“It’s just ironic, see? The start of an apocalypse, in a faithful town?”

LSI looked like they wanted to retort, but were distracted by ENTP’s incessant grousing about finally getting fresh air after a three-hour drive.

Eventually, the team, including ENTJ and their wheelchair, rushed into the shabby gas station shop as the first drop of rain started to fall.

“It’s early July, it’s bound to rain a bit here in the mountains,” LII explained patiently as ENTP complained about the gloomy weather and leaky roofs.

“And how did you know what month it is?” Charles poked their head out of the chip aisle, eyes sparkling with genuine interest.

“The drone INTJ and I dissected had timestamps. Don’t ask me how it works, though, you should ask-” LII blinked when they realized INTJ was slumped in the only dry corner with their blanket pile, breath even. “Or not, since they need the sleep.”

ENTJ cleared their throat for attention. “Now, we need a new plan for our hiking trip to the facility. Considering what Charles said about nerve damage… I can’t navigate the forest in a wheelchair, never mind fending off the Others.”

“Haven’t you noticed, though? There were no sightings of Others after we left the main roads. Not even those primitive gatherings we spotted along the highway.” ILI leaned back on the flaking walls. “I’d even say this place is taboo for them.”

LSI raised an eyebrow. “Taboo?”

“As in, they knew by instinct alone this place was its origin, and avoided it accordingly?” ENTP bent over the map spread on the dry patch of floor, tracing the concentric circles LII drew.

ILI snapped their fingers. “Correct. Finally, someone who gets my logic.”

ENTJ snorted. “Are you suggesting we wander in the area unarmed? Did you forget the fact that this is the origin of the IFS-⍺, a biological weapon ?”

“To be fair, I’m sure they won’t be stupid enough to put two bioweapons in one place, but you do have a point. This is a government-funded, highly classified lab. I’d eat my socks if the place weren’t rigged.” Charles said as they sat down in their circle, passing out the snacks they had salvaged.

LII looked thoughtful. “I say we proceed as usual. Charles, your head wound, it’s stable, yes?” 

Charles nodded, somewhat pleased that someone still cared-

“Then you should carry ENTJ with me,” LII concluded.

“Wha- Why me? Why not-” Charles’ eyes darted frantically around the room, searching for someone else better suited for the job. There were, in fact, none. 

After all, the ones who weren’t wounded were either the subject of ENTJ’s guilt or too valuable a combat asset to be burdened with tasks like this.

Charles’ shoulders dropped when they realized there was no way out. “Oh. Alright then. I guess I can do that.”