Chapter 1

Charlie frowned as the pack of malevolent looking Patriot soldiers drew closer to where she stood with Bass, Miles, and Rachel outside of her grandfather's house. She could feel the heat of Monroe's eyes on her as his body tensed, wanting to protect her.

"I'll go warn everyone in town," Gene announced, appearing in the front door before running off in the opposite direction. Those in Willoughby who, like them, opposed the Patriots, would need the heads-up to prepare defensive strategies or hide evidence of their true allegiances. The others, the townsfolk who were either brainwashed or intimidated by the Patriots, would want to know so that they could get ready to bow to the bastards' every whim. It sickened Charlie, who was still haunted by the memory of what the Patriots had done to Jason. What she'd had to do to Jason because of it. She shuddered.

"We've got this, Charlie," Monroe murmured in her ear, stabilizing her frenetic nerves.

"I know," she smiled at him, confidence relighting her features, seizing every scant opportunity to inject humor and the strength of her convictions into the unrelenting darkness of these times.

"Can we help you?" Miles asked as the Patriot captain stopped his horse right in front of them. His hand resting confidently on the sword at his side, Charlie knew Miles' pretense of friendly compliance was a thin, sarcastic veneer.

"We came in to see if there were any young people who might like to join up for the cause," the captain explained, an insincere, manipulative smile distorting his face, which resembled a plastic mask.

"Some of your young folks might not have been aware of the many opportunities we offer among our ranks," the captain continued, his eyes landing on Charlie. "Young lady, you seem like a prime candidate."

"No thank you," Charlie snapped as Monroe said "Forget about it" in unison.

"Hmm," the captain said, laughing and glancing back at his cohorts. "I guess maybe I need to clarify our stance on the matter. We're not asking."

As the troops leaped from their horses and tried to grab Charlie, she flailed back, yanking a knife from where it was strapped to her leg and launching into warrior mode, kicking, slashing, and punching her way through three Patriots as Bass and Miles applied their own skills to the others. Finally, however, the captain caught hold of Rachel and held a blade to her throat.

His eyes scanning the ground, where most of his men lay slain or maimed, the captain sized Charlie up, continuing to smile despite all that had just transpired. "I'd say you probably don't want me to kill her. She's most likely your Mom, huh?"

"Let her go," Charlie insisted, hyperaware of Bass and Miles standing at the ready to snatch Rachel away and kill this son of a bitch if given the slightest opening.

"I'll trade you," the captain suggested, his wicked eyes twinkling as he enjoyed this psychological torture. "You come with us, little lady. And we let this one -" he pawed at Rachel's blonde hair in a repulsive manner - "go."

"Fine," Charlie said, stepping forward without a second thought. Whatever. She couldn't let them hurt her mother, and once they got to whatever creepy training camp they were heading for, she would have to find a way to escape before they turned her into a zombie.

"No," Monroe said suddenly, taking Charlie's arm and then moving in front of her. "Leave them alone. Take me instead."

"Bass-" Charlie objected in surprise, begging him in the one word not to do what he was about to.

"I'm Sebastian Monroe," he revealed fearlessly. "Leave the girl alone and let her mother go. I'll trade myself in their stead. Wouldn't you like to end the threat of the Monroe Militia for good?"

"Well, we don't exactly fear you, given the fact that your so-called 'Militia' doesn't really even exist anymore. But, you are a valuable catch. We would like to show our fellow Americans what happens when rebels step out of line...especially prominent rebels who once had power in these parts. We'll take you to our most...impressive training camp and show the new recruits what we're really capable of, what we can destroy in a heartbeat." With that speech, the captain released Rachel, who rubbed her neck and glanced around as if startled by the speed of Monroe's sacrifice.

"You can't go with them," Charlie gasped, grabbing Bass' arm and locking gazes with him. "They'll kill you, Monroe."

Bass leaned down and kissed her passionately, epically, bittersweetly...like it was the last time. Tears stung Charlie's eyes and she shook her head as he pulled away, his hands rapidly bound by the Patriots.

"I don't want to leave you, Charlotte," Monroe told her, and it felt like they were the only two standing there for a moment, isolated by the strength and desperation of this seemingly doomed love they shared. "But this is the only way."

Right up until the last second it was humanly possible, as the Patriots rode away with him in tow, his horse bound to that of one of the soldiers, Bass kept his electric blue gaze on Charlie.

When they were gone, Miles spoke into the silence, "Well, that was weird."

Charlie turned all at once to Miles and said simply, wiping her tears away in frustration, "Let's go." She was entirely deadpan in her assumption that he would comply.

"Charlie," Rachel began, speaking to her daughter for the first time in days, breaking her vow not to do so until Charlie ended her relationship with Monroe.

"Don't," Charlie retorted. "I'm going. Miles, come with me. He'd do the same for you. He has done it for you."

"It's a suicide mission," Rachel objected, "they'll get you, Charlie, and brainwash you like they-"

Charlie didn't want to hear Jason's name right now, or think about the risk that she might become like him if she fell into the Patriots' clutches. The truth was, what did it matter? There was nothing she wouldn't risk to save Monroe.

"I don't know what it's going to take to get you to understand or respect this, Mom, but I love him. I'm going after him. I'm going to save him." Charlie mounted her horse resolutely and nodded to Miles, who was warmly embracing Rachel in farewell, indicating his decision to join in the rescue. She'd known that deep down, Miles' friendship with Monroe was too fiercely true to allow her uncle much hesitation in going with her...plus, he'd want to ensure Charlie's safety as well.

"Can't we ever just relax?" Miles complained as they rode away, leaving a stunned and worried Rachel behind.

"Miles, when have you ever relaxed?" Charlie replied drily, her schtick with Miles knee-jerk and unrelated to her panicked inner state. As she settled into this new mission, Charlie began obsessing over possible approaches to extracting Monroe from whatever awful situation he might be in when they got to him. They knew the location of the largest, most frankly horrifying camp of Patriot recruits in the area, and that's where they were headed.

Bass had given himself up to save Charlie, and to save Rachel, too, showing (just as Charlie had originally suspected after she'd heard Connor's tale of how quick he'd been to sacrifice his life for his son's) that he was changing, he could be selfless, even heroic. But especially when it came to her, Charlie feared he was all too willing to die for the cause without a second thought. She had to stop that from happening, no matter what.

Charlie hadn't found her happiness just to have it ripped from her so quickly and cruelly. As she and Miles rode on into the hazy sunset, she let love and anger fuel her equally. The Patriots should be afraid. Because there was not one of them she would hesitate to destroy if they stood between her and Monroe.