Riverside Park.
Hazel practiced again as sunset hour came with isolated pathway showing wind stirring around hands while water tendrils rose from Hudson, conscious control improving.
Evelyn watched from distance at 100 meters as portable sensor stayed active while readings spiked, electromagnetic signatures confirming.
Four days observing.
Four days recording.
Four days analyzing.
Now approaching.
Decision made.
Walking slowly with non-threatening posture as hands stayed visible, no weapons while tablet was carried openly showing scientific equipment, not hostile intent.
Calling out from 30 meters.
"Excuse me. Please don't be alarmed. I'm not law enforcement. I'm a scientist—Dr. Evelyn Sato, atmospheric physicist. I've been detecting electromagnetic anomalies in this area, and I think we should talk."
Hazel spun.
Wind flared defensively.
Water dropped.
Eyes wide.
Terrified.
Caught.
Witnessed.
Exposed.
"Stay back! I didn't—please don't—"
Panic.
Evelyn stopped.
Raising hands as universal peaceful gesture.
"I'm not here to harm you or report you. I'm a researcher. I've been tracking atmospheric anomalies since October. Signals appearing worldwide. I know what you are—they're calling people like you Magicians now—but I'm not government, not military. Just a scientist trying to understand what's happening."
Hazel shook. "You've been watching me? For how long?"
Evelyn stayed calm. "Four days. I know that sounds invasive, possibly unethical, but I needed data. I needed to understand. You're the source of the very first signals I detected back in October. You started this, or at least you experienced it first. Patient zero for these powers."
Hazel's terror shifted to confusion. "Patient zero? You mean there are others? I'm not alone?"
Evelyn nodded. "Tens of thousands globally. You're not alone, not crazy, not unique. This phenomenon is spreading everywhere. I've detected hundreds of signals similar to yours. Some of those people are helping others. Some aren't. But you—I've watched you practicing out here, alone, being careful, not harming anyone. You're trying to understand this, same as me. Maybe we could work together?"
First bridge.
Scientist.
Magician.
Understanding.
Beginning.
Hazel's defensive posture relaxed.
Wind dissipated slowly.
Tears formed.
"I thought I was losing my mind. Everything I studied—quantum mechanics, electromagnetic theory, conservation laws—it's all being violated. I had nobody to tell because I'd sound insane. I've been so alone, so terrified."
Evelyn's expression softened. "Physics isn't broken, just expanded. Something fundamental has changed. I detected a 2.3% elevation in atmospheric composition—an unfamiliar energy saturating the air. I call it ambient electromagnetic anomaly, but honestly I don't know what it actually is. What I do know is that it's real and measurable. Your powers are real. Not hallucination, not insanity. This is a scientific phenomenon. It's just unexplained at the moment."
Hazel spoke desperately. "Can you explain it? Tell me how this works? Why me? Why wind and water specifically? And will I mutate into something worse? The news keeps showing those infected people—the zombies—are Magicians turning into those things?"
Evelyn's honesty came through. "I don't know yet. There are two phenomena happening—the zombie infections and the Magician awakenings. They might be related, might be separate. I'm studying both. But I can tell you that after four days of observation, you're stable. Your abilities are controlled and developing, not degrading. You're different from the infected. You're blessed, not cursed. At least that's my assessment so far."
Hope.
Small.
But present.
***
Sitting together on bench overlooking Hudson as sunset faded while December cold bit.
Evelyn spoke. "So here's what I'm proposing. Collaboration. I can offer scientific understanding, detection equipment, data on the global situation, analysis. You can offer direct experience with these powers and potentially combat capability. What we tackle together is the zombie threat. Locally, in the Manhattan area. Small scale to start. We're just two people—we can't solve a global apocalypse—but maybe we can protect our neighborhood? Help where it's possible?"
Hazel responded uncertainly. "You want me to fight zombies? I've been practicing on tree branches and water. I've never been in combat. I've never hurt anyone."
Evelyn's tone stayed practical. "The infected aren't people anymore. Their humanity is gone. They're aggressive and dangerous. You have abilities that could defend innocent people and neutralize threats. Maybe freeze them like that Magician in the Tokyo video? Non-lethal if possible, but effective either way."
Hazel hesitated.
Then spoke carefully. "Okay. Small scale, working together. You guide and I'll act. But if I start becoming a monster—if these powers make me violent or change me—you have to stop me somehow. Promise me that."
Evelyn met her eyes. "I promise. I'll be monitoring you constantly with my sensors. Any sign of degradation and I'll warn you immediately. We're in this together."
Partnership.
Scientist plus Magician.
Two-person team.
Against apocalypse.
Small.
But beginning.
Screaming nearby.
Both stood immediately.
Evelyn checked tablet.
Sensor detected electromagnetic signature.
"Infected individual, about 200 meters north. Attacking someone."
Hazel's hands trembled. "Right now? Already?"
Evelyn's voice stayed steady. "Right now. Together. I'll observe while you engage. Try to use ice if you can—freeze and immobilize, don't kill if avoidable. Are you ready?"
Hazel breathed deeply.
Wind stirred.
Water formed from moisture in air.
"Ready. Let's go."
Running.
Together.
First mission.
Team operational.
Small beginning.
Arriving showed zombie attacking elderly woman.
Hazel intervened.
Water gathered as moisture from air, humidity showed instant condensation while forming around zombie.
Freezing rapidly as ice encased body while movement stopped, threat neutralized.
Zombie frozen solid.
Elderly woman safe.
Fleeing gratefully.
Hazel stared at frozen zombie. "I actually did that. I saved her. These powers can be used for good."
Evelyn agreed. "Yes. This is how we fight back. Together. Small victories, one at a time."
Team proven.
Effective.
Hopeful.
Slightly.
***
United States.
Presidential executive order came.
"—declaring martial law effective immediately—military authority superseding civilian—curfews enforced—unauthorized travel prohibited—gatherings banned—violators subject to arrest or lethal force—"
National Guard mobilized as all 50 states meant 500,000-plus troops deployed domestically.
Active military deployed as Army, Marines, Air Force supported domestic operations with unprecedented peacetime deployment.
Quarantine zones established as major cities divided into sectors while checkpoints armed, movement restricted.
But enforcement impossible.
Guards overwhelmed.
Checkpoints overrun.
Quarantine breached within hours.
Martial law declared.
But unenforceable.
Order symbolic.
Reality chaos.
Manhattan, military operation Steel Barricade.
Objective: Quarantine Manhattan Island, prevent zombie spread to mainland.
Execution came.
Bridges fortified as GW Bridge, Brooklyn Bridge, Queensboro showed all checkpoints militarized while tanks deployed, machine gun nests established.
Tunnels sealed as Lincoln, Holland, Queens Midtown meant explosive demolition with tons of rubble blocking passages.
Riverfront secured as Coast Guard patrolled Hudson and East Rivers with shoot-on-sight for unauthorized boats.
But zombies not respecting geography.
Swimming across rivers, slow but persistent as hundreds entered water while dozens reached shores.
Fortifications overwhelmed as GW Bridge checkpoint was overrun after 18 hours while soldiers retreated, tanks abandoned.
Operation failing within 48 hours.
Manhattan not contained.
Infected spreading to Bronx, Queens, New Jersey.
Military retreating.
Containment impossible.
Conventional tactics insufficient.
Zombies adapting.
Overwhelming.
Unstoppable.
London, Operation Thames Shield.
Objective: Defend central London using Thames River as natural barrier.
Execution showed bridges destroyed while riverbanks fortified as military defended northern shore.
Result: failure.
Zombies fording river at shallow points.
Infected overwhelming defenses through sheer numbers.
British Army retreating.
Withdrawing to M25 motorway ring while establishing secondary perimeter, abandoning central London to infected.
Ten million people inside M25.
Half potentially infected.
Containment failed.
Capital lost.
Military retreating.
Survival prioritized over territory.
New strategy: abandon cities, defend countryside.
Worldwide military assessment.
Tokyo, containment failed as infected spread into suburbs while Self-Defense Forces retreated.
Paris, military withdrawn from city proper while defending Loire Valley, capital abandoned.
Beijing, quarantine breached as 20 million residents proved uncontainable while PLA was overwhelmed.
Moscow, winter slowing zombies slightly but not stopping as military retreated to Urals.
Sydney, island nation advantage minimal as coastal cities infected while outback evacuation began.
Cairo, Nile River no barrier as 23 million city population showed chaos while military fragmented.
Every nation.
Every continent.
Same result.
Conventional military tactics, futile.
Quarantine zones, breached.
Fortifications, overrun.
Cities, lost.
Territory, abandoned.
Survival, retreat.
Zombies, unstoppable.
With current methods.
Futile resistance.
Pentagon, classified discussion.
General proposed. "—nuclear strikes—infected concentrated in urban centers—tactical warheads could eliminate millions of infected—"
Immediate opposition came.
"—killing billions of uninfected civilians alongside infected—genocide—"
"—fallout rendering cities uninhabitable for decades—"
"—international law violations—crimes against humanity—"
"—infected spreading faster than targeting possible—would need to nuke 100-plus cities simultaneously—"
"—setting precedent—other nations might retaliate thinking we're attacking them—nuclear war alongside zombie apocalypse—"
Nuclear option.
Discussed.
Debated.
Rejected.
Too horrific.
Even now.
Humanity's last restraint.
Holding.
For now.
***
Eight days since NYC first zombie case.
Infected: five million-plus globally, exponential continuing as doubling every 24 hours now.
Deaths: 500,000-plus from trampling, accidents, starvation, violence, infrastructure collapse.
Magicians: 100,000-plus awakened with 10,000-plus rogue creating additional chaos.
Cities lost: 50-plus major metropolises as abandoned by military while governments retreated.
Countries collapsed: 15-plus nations as governments non-functional while communications lost, anarchy.
Martial law: 100-plus nations as declared but mostly unenforceable.
Military operations: 90% failure rate as containment impossible while quarantine breached, fortifications overrun.
Nuclear option: discussed, rejected as too horrific for now.
Conventional resistance: futile.
Current methods: insufficient.
Humanity losing.
Badly.
Apocalypse accelerating.
Eight days.
From first case.
To global collapse.
Unstoppable.
With current approach.
New methods needed.
Desperately.
Manhattan, Riverside Park area.
Hazel plus Evelyn patrolled together.
Five zombies neutralized tonight as frozen, not killed while immobilized for potential future treatment, optimistic but humane.
Three civilians saved.
Small victories.
Localized.
Insignificant globally.
But meaningful.
Hazel spoke quietly. "We saved three people tonight. But globally there are millions infected. What we're doing is nothing. It's futile."
Evelyn responded firmly. "We saved three people. That's not nothing. To those three people and their families, it's everything. We can't save the whole world—there's just two of us. But our neighborhood? Maybe. One person at a time. It's a small resistance, but it's still resistance. Not futile, just small."
Hazel's voice stayed doubtful. "Small resistance against an apocalypse. That still sounds futile to me."
Evelyn's tone carried quiet determination. "Maybe it is. But we're trying, and that's better than surrendering. Right now we're a team of two. Eventually maybe more will join us—other Magicians, other scientists. We could build an alliance. But until then it's just us. Small, yes. But still fighting."
Partnership strengthening.
Hope small.
But present.
Contrast.
Globally, military retreating, cities abandoned, governments collapsing, millions infected as conventional resistance proved futile while apocalypse remained unstoppable, humanity losing.
But locally.
Manhattan.
Riverside Park.
Two-person team.
Hazel plus Evelyn.
Scientist plus Magician.
Fighting.
Saving.
Resisting.
Small.
Insignificant.
Futile?
Maybe.
But trying.
Hope tiny.
Resistance localized.
Victory impossible.
Currently.
But not surrendering.
Not yet.
Team formed.
Alliance beginning.
Two.
For now.
Small resistance.
Against apocalypse.
Futile.
But necessary.
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