[Harrison Frost]
{Location: Harrison's house}
7/8/22 Edit: Grammar update, made dialogue clearer
~~~
I wake up sometime later to an unfamiliar ringtone coming out of the speakers. I get up, just as confused as Devon is as a holographic screen pops up in front of me.
I instantly recognize the number calling and turn to Devon, "Sorry, Devon, but you're going to have to step out."
"What's going on?" he asks.
"I can't tell you. If this were dad calling, I would, but it isn't him."
"That's okay."
He gets up and goes upstairs as the holo-monitor adjusts itself. I take off my flannel jacket in hopes to make myself more presentable and accept the call.
A face instantly pops up on the screen to greet me, "Doctor Frost. Thank you for taking this sudden call."
"It's part of my job, President Hilton. What can I do for you?"
"I wanted to talk to you about the toxin storm that went through Africa. I understand that it's going to come straight through America. I wanted to contact you since you and your brother Heath both worked front and center in forging the Mist. Your background in this will certainly help me make a decision before the election"
I look at the browser windows that have just popped up next to me with the information on the storm, as well as photos and footage of what happened to Africa.
"Well, sir, it seems that the toxin has evolved somehow. Changed its properties in unusual ways, which shouldn't be possible at all since it's a natural phenomenon," I explain.
I look at all the pulled-up footage around me, seeing destruction, decay, and death at every glance.
"We haven't had a storm this bad since the apocalypse," I mutter to myself. I turn around to face the screen, "Sir, my recommendation would be the USDP. It was built for this exact purpose."
"And what about the small portion of people that don't have it?" the president asks.
"I'm not sure. I mean, we could try evacuation, but their homes would be destroyed," I answer.
President Hilton sighs, "Something can be arranged to rebuild those homes, as well as add dome systems for future protection."
"What about personnel?"
"People from the community can work there, but if we can't get enough people in, we can always send some people."
I just nod in response, "Will that be all, sir?"
"For now, yes. Thank you for your time, Doctor."
"You're welcome, sir."
The call ends abruptly, and I'm left in silence.
"Not even a goodbye," I mutter to myself.
I sigh and pick up Devon's empty pop can, throwing it into the recycling. I put my unfinished water bottle in the fridge and look around.
"House, remind me in the morning to go to the USDP building when I get up for work, please."
"Okay."
I sit down at the island, thinking about the storm. The USDP, or United States Dome Protocol, was made just in case there was another apocalypse. It's basically a field of energy that forms around a city or town to prevent any toxin from getting inside while still letting everything else in and out.
"House, has anyone analyzed a sample of the toxin from the storm?" I ask.
"Yes, sir. Would you like me to send the data to your at-home lab?"
"No, send it to my desk at work in the morning, as well as data from previous storms. I want to run some tests after the domes go up."
"Okay. Anything else?"
"Wake me up early so I can get to the facility on time, please. That's all."
I get up and go upstairs, finding Devon sitting on my bed, staring at his phone.
"I need to go to bed early, is that okay with you?"
"Of course," he says, looking up from his phone, "I can sleep on the couch if you need me to."
"No, it's too small for you. You can sleep in here with me. We've shared a bed several times before. This isn't any different," I insist.
"Are you sure? I mean, we were teenagers then and it was just a boy thing. But now, we're adults and... two adults sleeping in the same bed can be perceived differently," he replies hesitantly.
"So? It's not like we're going to tell anyone. And if dad were to see us like this, it wouldn't really bother him since he's seen it so many times already."
He shrugs, "Alright, but don't blame me if Erin comes in here and starts assuming things."
I just laugh and walk over to the dresser, change into my pyjamas, and then lay down next to Devon. He puts his phone down on the side table and gets under the blanket, throwing it over me as well. After a bit of fidgeting with my side of the blanket, he finally settles down and closes his eyes.
It's been so long since I've had someone else next to me. The fact that it's Devon makes me feel a bit more comfortable. I just don't know why he's suddenly so hesitant about us just simply sharing a bed.
I roll over to face him and scoot closer to him, listening to him snore lightly. I toss and turn for at least an hour before dozing off.
{In the Morning}
My alarm goes off at five in the morning, and I look out the large windows next to my bed. The clouds in the sky are a greyish purple, and fog is covering the grass outside. I pull away from Devon, who's still asleep, and get up. I take my uniform out of the bedside drawer, put it on, and then nudge Devon.
"What?" he groans.
"I'm leaving. You can stay here if you want," I say groggily.
"Alright..."
I grab my ID card, go outside, and get in my car. I press the button to turn the car on, and then pull out of the driveway. I drive to the edge of town, which, granted, took a while, but eventually made it to the Dome Facility, which is separated from the city by a forest. Of course, there's a road going through the forest so people can get to it.
I park out front and get out, walking up to the front doors. I scan my ID and go in, walking to the front desk.
"Doctor Frost, what can I do for you?" The receptionist asks.
"I'm here to activate the Domes. President's order," I respond.
"We got that order in this morning. Go right ahead, Doctor," she says with a nod.
I nod and go through the doors, heading to the control room.
"Facility, give me my monitors, please."
There's a responding beep as several monitors pop up around me. I look around the huge room at all the people sitting at their desks.
"Okay, get ready to activate the Dome Protocol. We need to do this quickly," I say, loud enough for others to hear me.
I take a deep breath and slowly release it to calm myself down, "Turn on all generators around the city and raise the Dome Towers located around the city."
"Generators activated," someone says.
A generator in the next room thunders to life, followed by a constant, faint hum.
"Dome Towers raised," another person shouts.
Mechanisms in the ceiling start to click and whir as the tower on top of the building raises into the air.
"Turn on projectors!"
"Projectors on!"
I pull one of my screens in front of me, "Connecting towers and generators!"
The voice of the Facility assistant rings through the room, "Dome Web is now on. Please confirm using voice command to finish turning on the Dome Protocol."
"Activate protocol, command code Harrison James Frost, code 9-14-55!"
"Voice command accepted. Activating United States Dome Protocol."
I race down to the door within the room and go outside, watching the Dome Web spread in every direction, forming around the whole city.
I go back inside and close the door, "Good work everyone! Make sure those generators and towers stay online until the storm is over! It only takes one of them breaking to take down the whole system. Do routine checks and release a round of the Cure just to be safe."
I make my way back through the facility and leave, getting into my car and driving back into the city, just as the pale, mint green cure mist was released throughout the city.
I park in the parking lot of the Zombie Containment Facility and get out, scan my badge, and then go inside. I go through the main area, where dad greets me with several other officers.
"Hey, Harry. Got the notification that you activated the Dome Protocol."
"Yes, sir. I just got back from doing that."
He nods, "Good to know. You're dismissed."
I walk off awkwardly and enter the infirmary, the lights instantly turning on.
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