Stripes and Stars

Chapter 1 – Meet and Greet

She could hardly believe what she saw before her eyes standing in front of the barn she had been stalking for the past week.

"Monroe..." Barely escaped in a whisper from her lips as she dropped her binoculars into her lap. How he was alive she couldn't fathom. She had watched the murdering traitor die for killing all those people by dropping the bombs but yet here he was sitting pretty and playing house with them. Jena couldn't understand how or even why the Matheson's were hiding that scum. She also couldn't explain why she knew in her heart she couldn't turn them in.

It was complicated, as so many things in this world are. Being a loyal patriot and a damn good officer in their ranks had Jena's whole body screaming to turn them in. It had been six days since she found them but that was really no difficult feat. They honestly weren't as good as they thought they were at covering their tracks, especially against someone who would make it her life's mission to find them again and again.

Jena would always remember the first time she spotted Rachel. Of course, this wasn't the first time she had seen the bitch but she swore that she wouldn't allow Rachel to simply brush her off again. She was no longer the naive seven year old who just wanted answers or some kind of connection with those she should matter to. And she definitely wasn't the scared, stupid thirteen year old who had finally found her again at a Monroe militia holding camp.

Both encounters had gone pretty much the same. Rachel wanted nothing to do with the little girl she had given up for adoption in her third year of college. She didn't want to give any explanations or answer any questions; she simply wanted Jena to disappear so she could focus on taking care of and saving her wonderful little family.

Screw her, Jena thought and simmered with all of the anger and betrayal she had in her body that revolved around Rachel Matheson.

Yet, regardless of her biological mother's terrible disposition toward her, she still felt like she had to protect them but this...Monroe here with them. That's taking things way too far.

Jena's heart ached with the battle going on in her head. Turn them in or not, that is the question. She had been turned into the perfect little solider, always following orders swiftly and diligently no matter what they were because the ends justify the means, right? Lately, she was having a hard time convincing herself of this as she was welcomed deeper into the inner circle of the higher-up patriots and hearing their schemes for how to get the country back. Some of their plans were down right deplorable but what was she going to do? She missed the country for what it was, or at least what she could remember of it. All she knew for sure was that the past fifteen years had been one dark hell after another until she found solace with the patriots and of course, with Andrew.

He was her hero, her Captain America who had brought her in and under his wing. He saved her life countless times and saved a part of her heart she no longer thought existed.

Her stomach twisted at the betrayal she took part in by knowing exactly where the Matheson's and where Monroe were but not telling anyone. This was treason; she could be executed or imprisoned but nothing tore her up more than the realization that Andrew would be disappointed and ashamed of her. He might cast her out and take back the love he so selflessly gave her. He could never find out.

So she had to find out why Monroe was there and make sure her idiot mother wasn't planning any more terrorist attacks on the patriots. Jena had been so careful to watch them undetected but that was because she did so from far away and while this concealed her interest she still could never hear anything they talked about or what they plotted. She would have to get a closer look at these asshats and figure out what the hell was going on.

A path around the hills she scoped them out from and then snaking through the woods could bring her right up to the back of the barn where she was sure she would be able to hear them but that would have to wait until darkness blanketed around her. She couldn't risk eavesdropping in the bright Texan sun so she simply got comfortable in her spot and continued viewing them through her binoculars.

Hours passed and the sheer amount of drama that seemed to go down in and around that barn was exhausting her. She couldn't hear a word of their conversations but she could definitely see each and every one of them pacing, arguing, and even actual fighting between the bunch of them! Pathetic she thought as the shook her head. They look to be working together but can't be around each other for more than a couple hours at a time. Miles was constantly fighting with Monroe, Charlie fighting with Rachel, some curly headed kid, and Monroe, and lastly, Rachel arguing with Gene. It was making her head spin and continuing the distaste she had for every person down there but nevertheless she still felt obligated to that awful woman so she climbed down from her perch and began her trek through the woods.

Keeping in mind that she was trying to spy on the past generals of the Monroe republic she tried her best to be on silent footing. She had almost reached the edge of the woods when her heart dropped to her stomach at the sound of a gun cocking. Shit...

"Well look what we have here." She heard from behind her in a raspy voice she had heard only a few times before. Monroe.

How the hell did he find her? When she left she made for damn sure everyone was in the barn for the night.

"Unluckily for you darlin' whiskey goes right through me and I had to take a piss. So, this is how it's gonna go, turn around with your hands above your head and don't even think about gettin cute and reaching for a weapon. I'm pretty sure you know who I am and if that's the case then you know I'm a dead shot." Monroe answered her unspoken thoughts.

She rolled her eyes at the cocky asshole and slowly turned around while casting a scalding look in his direction. She was pretty sure that if looks could kill Monroe would have dropped dead right where he stood. Jena refused to let him think he intimidated her so she raised her chin in a challenge and stared him right in his eyes.

"Whoa, relax girl, what's with the death glare?!" He took a small step back not expecting the intensity and anger that radiated off of such a beautiful face. Who the hell was this chick?

"Well then, who are you? Whatcha doin here sunshine?" Monroe chuckled at his own silly nickname of her because she was clearly no ray of sun but he was met with dead silence on her end.

Jena thought about any way she could talk herself out of this mess but based on her equipment and general demeanor she was clearly some sort of soldier. Also, it wouldn't take them long to find the American flag she had tattooed on her shoulder from her rebel days. Shit, shit, shit. Think Jena.

"Uh, hello? Are you mute? Who the hell are you?" Monroe was getting impatient with her silence and she was running out of possible escape scenarios when a miracle happened. The loud cracking of a tree branch under someone or something's foot had Monroe whipping his head toward the noise for just a second but that was all Jena needed to break off into a sprint deep into the forest.

"Shit!" She heard Monroe growl as he took off after her but Jena had always been a fast runner and she was out like light, almost having fun with the chase because Monroe was closely keeping up with her. She soaked in the feeling of wind lashing against her cheeks and the burning in her chest but got too caught in the fun of the chase when her foot got caught under a tree root and she fell flat on her face.

Of course, Monroe didn't miss the opportunity to jump on top of her and pin her to the ground but sitting on her stomach and holding her wrists above her head.

"God damn girl...I gotta give it to you, you can really run...Jesus, were you having fun back there?!" He asked her slightly amused but between labored breaths as he tried to get his breathing back to normal. Who the hell is this woman?

"Get off me!" Jena growled in response but was met with Monroe's cruel laugher.

"She speaks! Well who would have thought?" He said while laughing and she took that moment of vulnerability to successfully head-butt him straight on the bridge of his nose.

He groaned and dipped his head in pain as blood started to drip from his nose but his grip on her wrists only tightened.

Bitch! He thought but controlled the urge to punch her right in the face. She would be of no use knocked out. Clearly this wasn't getting them anywhere though so he decided he had to get her back to the barn where he could properly figure out who the hell this bitch was.

She thrashed around as Monroe dragged her to her feet and he was quickly getting sick of her escape attempts. He quickly reached down to grab his knife and put it's sharp blade to her throat pressing just hard enough that a bead of blood gathered at the tip of his knife. Yeah this stopped all that damn movement.

"Keep trying to get away from me and I'll slit your throat right here. No one will know and no one will find you. Got it, sunshine?" He sneered at her but she only responded with her murderous glare once again.

Monroe snorted at this defiant little thing and shook his head as he started to lead her back the way they came with his knife secured right under her jaw.

He looked down to her bare shoulder that was revealed due to one of the straps of her tank top inching down as a result of their scuffle and wasn't even remotely surprised by what he saw hiding beneath it. An American flag. The little bitch is a patriot. He shook his head again and laughed a cold humorless laugh.

"Just great, a patriot? And here I hoped better from you, sunshine." He scolded.

At this Jena couldn't hold back a cold laugh in return, "That coming from a mass murderer? Ha! I'm crushed that I don't have your approval." She spit out sarcastically. Who the hell did he think he was to judge her?! The balls on this guy amazed her.

"Yeah yeah yeah, I'm the piece of crap that dropped the bombs, right? Like I haven't gotten that one before. Be more original." He shot back.

"I could imagine that the reminder that you murdered countless innocent people is definitely one you've gotten before." She said as she rolled her eyes hardly able to contain the hatred she felt towards him but was startled when he suddenly spun her around to face him.

Her nose was just inches from his own and she could feel his warm breath spread across her skin. Their bodies were flush up against each other and she could feel the barely contained rage shaking his entire body. This was the first time he had ever scared her since she had met him including his days as General Monroe.

"You seriously have zero idea what you're talking about, so why don't you shut your damn mouth and drop it before I make this trip back a whole lot more uncomfortable for the both of us by knocking you out and throwing you over my shoulder. Clear?" He asked in a deadly quiet voice.

She waited for him to spin her back around and keep going but it was clear he wouldn't continue with out a response. So, she simply nodded once and quietly responded, "Clear".

"Glad we're at an understanding." Was all he said in return before flipping her around and shoving her forward.

You wouldn't know people currently inhabited the dingy barn upon a first glance by how dark and quiet it was but once inside there was no escaping the chaos that embodied these people.

Monroe pushed her through the storm doors while still holding her arms behind her back. Jena grunted at the rough handing while shooting him another one of her famous death glares before turning back around to find four confused faces staring back at her. Just great. Rachel, fortunately enough, wasn't one of them but Jena still wanted to kick herself for being just the slightest bit disappointed that she wasn't there.

"Uh, Bass...what the hell is this?" Said a confused Miles Matheson as he gestured toward Jena as if Monroe had brought a wild animal into the room. It was no secret that Miles had been apart of the bombing that took so many lives as well, so Jena couldn't control the anger that radiated off her directed at him. Traitors, they are all damn traitors.

Miles raised his eyebrows clearly not getting why some little blond chick was light him on fire with her eyes after being manhandled into the barn by Monroe.

"I found this in the woods, she was trying to sneak up on us-" Monroe started but was abruptly cut off.

"No I wasn't, I don't even know what you're talking about" Jena said determined to get them to believe her. She knew there was no way they would that but she still felt she had to try.

"Yeah, right." Snorted the girl who she had come to find was called Charlie. This was her half sister and Jena already found herself disliking the girl more than she already had.

"Other than a colorful repertoire of insults she hasn't said much about who she is or why she's here but she is a patriot. Got their mark right here on her shoulder." Monroe continued.

Nobody had to check her shoulder to see what it was because they all knew too well from Nora the mark that hid there.

"Okay, well she's here now so what in the hell do you propose we do with her?" Miles asked unsure of why Bass even brought her back in the first place.

"We could kill her but then we won't know if others are coming. We could let her go and others will certainly be coming after that. Or we can find out what she knows." Said Charlie sound almost uninterested until she got to that last part. Jena watched as four heads collectively turned toward a chair that had ropes near it and crusted blood on the sides.

Jena's stomach turned upside down but she refused to show her fear. Here they sat debating her life with her right in front of them like she was some kind of stupid child. So while setting her face in the meanest expression she could manage she barked out "You know I am right here, you don't have to talk about me like I'm not standing right in front of you. God damn traitors, you people disgust me."

At this the curly headed kid, Charlie, Miles, and Gene all raised their eyebrows at her in shock and she was damn sure Monroe was wearing the same stupid expression behind her.

"Wow...can I keep her?" The curly headed dumbass finally broke the silence.

"Shut the hell up Connor" shot out of Charlie's mouth and before Jena could blink she has crossed the room and stuck her knife to Jena's throat.

"Do you think this a game?!" Charlie yelled into her face before going on "And you think we're the traitors?! Are you kidding me? Do you actually have any idea what is going on or are you just blindly doing what you're told like a good little girl." Incredulity dripped from every word she spoke as she waited for an answer but the anger was clear on her face and something else as well, maybe hurt. Jena couldn't put her finger on it though.

In that moment, even though she found Charlie ridiculous and far to arrogant, Jena admired her. She wouldn't want her little half sister to be any other way in this messed up world. Charlie seemed tough, deadly but like she still cared about something and although Jena knew she had no right to it, couldn't help but be proud she turned out that way.

Her thoughtfulness was taken as just more obnoxious silence and Jena realized this when Charlie, Connor, Monroe, and Miles all collectively looked away and began looking intently at each other as if they were speaking through some kind of telepathy. Everyone was looking away from her except for Gene who just kind of stared like he was trying to place her in his mind.

"Have we met before?" He asked as everyone whipped around surprised that he was actually speaking. "I feel like I've seen you before, you're so familiar."

"Well that's probably because you were best buds with the patriots behind our backs, wouldn't be surprised if you bumped into her once or twice." grumbled Monroe.

"Really?" Was Miles's sarcastic response, sick of the constant bickering between Gene and Monroe but none of this fazed Gene as he just started in some kind of amazement at Jena.

Did he know? I mean, he must have known what Rachel did but how would he know just by looking at Jena. She had never met him before so surely there was no way he could just know.

She shifted uncomfortably under his unfailing stare and Monroe immediately picked up on that. "Gene, do you know her?" He demanded.

Jena finally relearned how to form sentences and vocalize them, not wanting her identity to be blown. "You've probably seen me around HQ, I know I've seen you there plenty of times." She added a snide little grin at the end to rub in the fact that he betrayed his own family but he didn't even seem to notice.

"Alright, I'm sick of this, tie her to the chair." said Charlie clearly over Jena's games.

Jena's heart quickened and she began to sweat but said nothing as Monroe led her to the dreaded chair and tied her in. While tightening the last knot around her wrist, tight enough to leave some scars, he looked up at her and found himself frozen by her dark eyes.

With everything going on before he hadn't realized just how beautiful she really was. Her wavy, curly hair stopped just before her shoulders and was almost silver in color mixed slightly with gold that seemed artfully weaved throughout. She had the lightest blonde hair he had ever seen. Her tiny button nose sat above perfect dark pink lips and her cheeks were dusted with freckles from the Texan sun. But what captured him the most was her big chocolate brown eyes and the long lashes that fanned out around them. That's the only place he could see her fear and he found himself not wanting to let this whole thing go down.

"Just talk to me, it doesn't have to be like this." He said quietly, hoping she could see how earnest he was trying to be but he could see it was no use.

"Of course it does." Was all she said back even quieter and Monroe couldn't help but feel wrong for doing this, something just didn't seem right here.

He backed out if the room and walked up to Charlie "She's all yours." He grumbled remorsefully before walking away and back outside.

Charlie gave a slight nod and walked slowly but purposefully into the room. She looked like she didn't want to do this either but when it came down to some stranger or her family she would always pick her family. Jena cracked a small smile and was proud again that Charlie had the guts to do what had to be done in order to keep those she cared about safe.

"Something funny?" Charlie snapped at her.

"Who are you, Torture Time Barbie? Ready to play?" Jena decided to mess with her because sister or not there was no way she was giving up any information. So, might as well make this fun.

Charlie snorted and produced a cold hard laugh "Bitch, by the time we're done you are going to see just how wrong you are." She replied in that arrogant voice that Jena was beginning to loathe.

"Ha! Yeah I bet -" was all Jena managed to get out before Charlie's right hook hit her smack on the side of her face.

Ouch! To say the least, the girl packed a mean punch but Jena wouldn't go down that easy.

"What's your name and why are you here?" Charlie demanded in a cold voice.

"Hmm... let's see. Wouldn't you like to know and none of your damn business?" Jena replied in an amused tone after spitting some blood on the ground but was met with two more punches on each side of her face. She wondered how the hell she was going to get out of this and tried to mask her scan of the room for any sharp objects to cut the rope.

"Yeah, good luck bitch, there's nothing in here and those knots on your wrists are pretty damn tight" Charlie sneered before letting lose another punch.

Jena's vision began to go spotty and dark. She almost wished she would knock out so she would have a quick break from this but they had only gotten started and Jena felt she would be here for a while.

"What are the patriots planning?" Charlie demanded again in a harsher tone while holding Jena's throat and cocking her fist back.

"A pizza party" Jena managed to barely get out and winced at the on coming hit she was sure to receive when Charlie's fist was caught in midair.

"What's going on he-" was all the blonde figure next to Charlie could get out before she gasped. Jena could hardly make out her form through swollen eyes but she knew that voice anywhere. Her heart clenched and she immediately felt vomit rising up her throat but refused to appear so affected.

"Mom, go into the other room, I'm taking care of this. Bass caught her in the forest trying to spy on us, she's a patriot." Charlie said this all matter-of-factly with no hint of mercy.

"Get out of the room." Rachel demanded and managed to catch Charlie off guard with her harsh tone.

"Uh, what? No, it's fine, I'm handling this." Charlie stuttered out unsure of her mother's strange reaction. It's not like they haven't done this before.

"Charlie, get out. Now." Rachel said a little harsher.