Chapter 7:

Devin stretched his back and looked around him. Expansion had begun days ago and Devin had been there since they had started. He looked at the small house they were working on. It wasn't really much more then a log cabin really. But Devin was sure that once they'd finished the building of it, the place wouldn't be half bad.

"Hey Devin." He looked up at Tommy as he walked over. "Why don't you take the rest of the day off? Hell, just about everyone else is ready to pack it in for the night, and you've been here every day since we started." Devin looked back at the house. "You sure? I don't mind staying for a bit longer." Tommy grinned and shook his head.

"Naw, you should head on home and get some rest." Devin sighed and nodded his head. "Right, I'll see you later." He grabbed his denim vest and pulled it on before beginning down the street. "See ya' later Tommy." He said, giving Tommy a small wave before turning away completely. He walked in a peaceful silence. He looked up at the sky. It was springtime. He didn't know why, but he suddenly felt uneasy. As if he were now experiencing the calm before the storm.

When he got to the front door of the house, he opened the door and quickly shut it behind himself, through the window. He could see the street was deserted. It was late and most of the townspeople were probably inside. Devin stepped away from the window and entered the kitchen. He saw that Joel, Rebecca, Ellie, Angel and Zack were in the living room. Ellie, Angel and Zack were busy playing a card game at the kitchen table. Devin walked over to the table and gave Ellie a kiss on the cheek.

"How was work?" She asked without looking up at the cards. Devin shrugged. "We're making progress. That's really the only thing I can say." Ellie nodded her head. Devin chuckled and went down the hallway to his and Ellie's room. He grabbed a black T-shirt and traded it for his denim vest. He pulled it on before walking back down the hallway and into the living room. As he began to move by the coffee table, he said: "You know, I think-" he didn't finish his sentence. Zack's backpack had been sitting on the coffee table, and Devin had accidentally hit it with his hand, causing it to go tumbling to the floor.

The pocket on the side had been open. And out of it slipped a small band. Devin could easily see the firefly logo. Joel had seen it too and both of them had froze. Joel had told Devin of what really had gone down back in Salt Lake three years earlier. Devin had totally agreed with what Joel had done. Joel had also decided to tell Ellie. She'd been furioua beyond words. It had taken a lot for Devin to calm her down and get her to forgive Joel.

But now Joel and Devin were frozen. They just stared at the firefly band lying on the ground. When Zack had heard the sound of his backpack hitting the floor, he'd looked up and stopped. Ellie and Angel looked over as well. The entire room had gone silent. Joel put his hand on Rebecca's shoulder and gently pushed her aside before climbing to his feet and moving around the coffee table and standing in the middle of the living room. He stared at Zack, who stood up. He looked mostly calm, but on the inside, it was almost as if he were having a miniature heart attack. He couldn't believe it, he felt so stupid. He'd been so wrapped up in spending time with Angel that he had almost completely forgotten about the fireflies and his mission for them. He'd even highly considered just not doing it. Staying with them, living a calm and easy life.

But now it seemed he wouldn't be doing any of that.

Joel bent down and picked up the firefly band. He took a few steps forward and tossed the band onto the kitchen table, in front of the chair where Zack had sat. "You wanna' explain this?" He asked. His voice was so cold that even Devin and Ellie felt their hearts race. Angel looked from the band to Zack. She was at a loss for words. Zack swallowed. "...I can explain."

"Well, you'd better explain fast." Joel growled. Memories of the events that had transpired at the St. Mary's hospital were coming back to him. He knew that if Zack were walking around with a firefly band, there would be more. Where there's fire, there's smoke. Zack scrubbed a hand through his hair. He supposed there was no point in lying now, it was already out in the open. He took a deep breath before speaking. "Well...I guess it's kind of obvious that I'm with the fireflies." Joel tensed. The vocal confirmation made his blood boil even more than it already was. He felt like he needed to punch something. No one moved. It seemed as if everyone except for Zack and Joel had froze.

"What do they want?" Joel already knew. There could be no other reason. He just needed to hear it out loud. Needed to know for sure. Zack took another deep breath.

"They want your girl, Ellie." Joel was moving quicker than he could think. At first he didn't even realize it. It was almost like his body began to work on it's own. He gripped Zack's black hoodie in his fist and slammed him against the wall. Zack didn't struggle, but Joel could feel his body tense up. "Hey, hey, hear me out."

"There ain't nothin' to hear out." Joel was just about ready to kill him. He didn't need any other reason. Zack was a threat that needed to be eradicated.

"Listen...the only reason they sent me out here was because I'm expendable. They didn't say that, but I know it. I've only been with them for, what? Eight or nine months." Joel didn't loosen his grip on Zack's hoodie. He held him in place, trying to decide whether he should kill him or not. Zack swallowed. "But I've been gone for over a week now. The fireflies are stationed out in Vegas-the Palace Station. If I'd succeeded with my mission, I would've been back by now. They're probably getting more men-more able bodied men-ready to take the trip out here. Hell, they've probably left by now."

"How does that help us?" Joel growled. Zack took a few deep breaths. "Hey, you know now. I could've kept that info from you man. I could have let you kill me, and let the fireflies give you a surprise visit. But I didn't." Joel's grip tightened on Zack's hoodie. But then he heard Ellie's voice.

"He's right Joel." Joel looked back at Ellie. "Excuse me?"

"He could have not told you. And Devin and I have seen him shoot. He's probably one of the best shots we have here. He could be useful." Joel looked at the ground for a moment. He took a deep breath and exhaled loudly. He looked back at Devin, who shrugged his shoulders. "He did kind of warn us." Joel looked back at Zack and leaned in close.

"If you've lied to me in any way...I will kill you." Zack nodded his head. Joel slammed Zack into the wall hard and let go. Zack rubbed at his shoulder and watched Joel as he walked towards the hall to his bedroom. Joel stopped and looked back at Zack. "How long of a drive was it from Vegas?" Zack shrugged his shoulder.

"It took me about twenty-four hours. That includes the time it took me to sleep." Joel put his hand on his hip and studied the floor. After a moment he looked back at Zack. "You meet us at the wall in the mornin'. We're gonna' have to keep a good lookout for them fireflies." Then he walked down the hallway and disappeared through the door to his bedroom.


AN: Man, Joel was so close to murdering the fuck out of Zack. Well, what did you guys think? Are the fireflies on their way to get Ellie? If they are, what's going to happen when they show up? Is Joel going to be able to keep them from Ellie (if they show up)? Is Joel going to be able to restrain himself from murdering Zack? Find out the answers to these questions next time.

~Exangellion