#I double-checked and Westfield London mall IS kind of in the general vicinity of Heathrow

[victorluvsalice]

Happy Birthday Nebbychan!

@nebbychan As if Sims 4 Seasons coming out officially on your birthday wasn’t present enough, have a fic! This one’s based off that “Dead Rising” AU you came up with a while back -- I don’t know why that one inspired me this year, but here we are. For context, this is after Alice has met Victor during the initial zombie outbreak in London and brought him back to regroup with Lizzie and Emily at the library. Lizzie’s relieved to see her sister safe and sound -- especially since she’s been looking at the news, and found some disturbing footage on the zombification of Burtonsville. . .

"Oh my God. . . ."

Emily covered her mouth with her hands, tears glittering in her eyes as they watched the chaos unfold on Lizzie's phone. Alice didn't blame her -- her own stomach was churning with a mixture of disgust and horror as she watched the military wade through waves of zombies. "I can't believe -- it's -- it was always so quiet there. . ."

"Quiet doesn't mean safe," Lizzie murmured, putting a hand on Emily's shoulder. She glanced back at Victor. "I'm so sorry."

Victor nodded, head bowed. Alice winced as another gunshot echoed from the tinny speakers. "It's worse than Oxford was when we escaped," she said, shaking her head. "How does an entire village turn that fast?"

"It's a tiny village," Victor explained, voice soft. "Everyone packed in tight. . .it was only by the g-grace of God that my parents were able to get the Everglots and me out." He watched as an unlucky solider was dragged down by an slavering onion-headed man. "I'm surprised they don't just b-bomb the place, honestly. I don't think there's a single living person left within those walls."

"Probably there's some sort of protocol they have to follow, just in case there are survivors," Lizzie said, stopping the playback. Alice was glad -- there was enough of all that horrible moaning and groaning going on outside. She scrolled down. "Oh shit -- they're saying it might take a week to fully deal with the Burtonsville mess!"

"A week?!" Emily repeated, dropping her hands. "How are we supposed to last a week? It's barely been five hours and already everything is chaos!"

"We could hole up here, maybe," Alice suggested, looking around. "We've got the CCTV, and if we could tip a few over, those bookcases would make decent barricades. Lizzie, you've got your gun, I've got a knife, Victor's got his, er, fork. . ."

"Yeah, but the big thing we don't have is food," Lizzie pointed out as Victor blushed. "I checked the staff fridge -- only thing I see in there is a strawberry yogurt with a decent toupee. Supply runs would dangerous."

"That's true of anywhere."

"Still. . .ugh, if only I hadn't gotten that flat!" Lizzie groaned, rubbing her face. "I'd love to just gun it for the city limits."

"My car's definitely out of commission," Alice said, shivering as she recalled the bloody face groaning at her window, fingers scrabbling to wedge themselves in any useful crack.

"Mine's back at my apartment, and that's way away from here," Emily said. She rubbed her prosthetic arm. "Do you think we could steal a car?"

"I'd feel bad about stranding somebody else. . .and I don't think any of us know how to hotwire an ignition anyway," Lizzie added, looking around. Alice, Emily, and Victor all shook their heads. She brushed her hair back from her forehead, sighing. "You know what the funny thing is? We're actually not that far from Heathrow Airport. Would be easy if we could just grab a plane and fly out, but that isn't happening, is it?"

"Well, actually. . . ."

Alice blinked. Wait, what? She spun to face Victor, as did Lizzie and Emily. "I n-never did get a chance to properly i-introduce myself in all this mess, did I?" he continued with a sheepish smile. He held out his hand. "Hi. My name's Victor Van Dort."

Alice's body moved on autopilot to take the hand -- which was good, as her brain had completely frozen up. "Van Dort?" she repeated, aware she sounded like an idiot but unable to stop herself. "Of Van Dort's Fish?"

"You're the son!" Emily cried, bouncing on her heels. "I knew you looked familiar -- your picture was in the paper last month! That new cannery in Wales!"

"Yes -- Mother wasn't too pleased about having to pose in front of it," Victor said with a weak chuckle. "Said it wasn't 'dignified' -- made us look 'common.' Father was happy, though. Bragged about that cannery for weeks."

"I should think so -- I remember reading your name on a list of the top five richest families in England," Lizzie said, amazed. "Is it true you own your own island?"

Victor winced. "My father does -- a little one in the Caribbean," he admitted, rubbing the back of his head. "Mother talked him into it -- she's all about displaying our wealth. Things like a grand mansion back in Burtonsville, townhomes in London, New York, and Paris, a yacht that spends most of its time sitting at the dock. . ." He looked up, expression serious. "And a private jet that could rival most commercial ones."

Alice's heart almost leapt right out of her mouth. "That's how you got out. I was wondering after that zombie interrupted your narrative."

"It's still at the airport?" Lizzie confirmed, pointing a finger.

"It should be," Victor nodded. "Though we'll need a few things before we can take off."

Lizzie snatched up a pen and a scrap of paper. "Shoot."

"Well, the plane needs to be refueled -- I'm hoping there's still some airport employees who can help us with that," Victor told her. "And we need to track down my family's pilot, Mayhew -- there's no way I can fly the damn thing. And. . ." He swallowed, then stood up a little straighter. "And I'm not leaving before I find out if Victoria's all right or not."

"Victoria?" Alice repeated, tilting her head.

"Victoria Everglot -- she and her parents were at tea at my house when it all s-started, so we were able to get them onto the plane in time," Victor explained. "She's my across the street neighbor. Mother's been trying to get us to date for ages. . ." He shook his head. "She's a dear friend of mine, almost family, and -- and I can't just abandon her to this mess."

"Mama! Papa!" "No, Alice! We have to run! They wanted us to run!" Alice sucked in a breath, blinking back the threatening tears. "Right," she said with a firm nod. "Fuel, Mayhew, Victoria. I think we can handle a to-do list of that size. Do you have any idea where Miss Everglot might be?"

"She mentioned going to the Westfield London mall for a wander," Victor said, scratching his head. "She wanted to surround herself with n-normal people after. . ."

Alice bit her lip. "I don't think she succeeded. All right, Westfield London. . .Emily, can you check the CCTV? We need to find the safest route over there."