Disclaimer: I do not own any character of (The Last of Us) TLOU is owned by Naughty Dog, but all the Oc character is from my invention.

Chapter 14: The Fireflies Return

Ellie let go Bill shirt and look at the entrance of the underground station. "Someone is on the front gate? That can be Joel and the others." Say Ellie while she running away.

The worker goes closer to Bill. "What is wrong with that girl? She didn't know, that the sirens, mean that we're going to be attacked?" He says while he watches Ellie running toward the entrance.

Bill compose himself and look at the man. "Well, I hope not, because without the part we need we can't leave this place."

A soon Ellie walks out of the underground station, she looks at the direction of the front gate. By the siren was stopped and the sun was starting to go out, indicating that the night was over. As she starts running at the direction of the gate, she saw a few people running around with guns at hands. So she starts to think that the people at the gate can't be Joel and the group.

At the front gate, the two tower guards were pointing their guns to the humvee that just stop on the bridge check post. They saw two men getting out of the vehicle and pass the concrete barricade and walk close to the front gate. The two guards point their guns at them, and one of them speak up. "That is far enough… what is your business here," asked the guards.

The two-man stop in front of the gate and one of them look at the guards in the watchtower. "My name is Aaron and I want to talk with the person in charge of this place," he said in a firm voice.

"What you want with him?" asked the guard.

"You can tell him that I have a proposition to him… and this town," said Aaron calmly.

"Well, if you're coming on behave of the gans that is been attacking us for the last month, I can tell you now to turn around and go," said one of the guards keeping his rifle pointing at the two men.

Aaron shook his head and smile. "Is better to call you boss kid, I don't want to discuss this matter with anyone else."

"First I am not a kid… and second we don't want to hear any of you treat, so is better for you to go… if you don't want to get shot. We already hear enough of your partners, so we're not interested in anything you-"

"Listen… kid. Just call your boss, mayor or whatever you called the person in charge here. And tell him that the fireflies want to talk to him." says Aaron in a harsh way.

The young man and his companion look at each other, then back at the two men with a surprised face. By that time, some of the citizens of the town were getting to their post with guns in hand. A few civilian were gathering close to the entrance of the town with some curious expression. "We don't want any business with the firefly, so what you want here?" said the young man.

"Yeah, we don't care if you're a firefly, so you better-" start to add his partner, but he was interrupted before he finishes.

"What seems to be the problem here?" Asked Frank a soon he gets to the front gate.

The two boys turn around and saw Frank walking through the crow below them. "There are two men on the bridge, claiming to be fireflies members, and want to speak with you.. sir."

Frank was a little surprised to hear the Firefly name and curious of what they want here. All his years living in Eureka, he never saw any fireflies group come to town or his surrenders. Frank started to walk to the tower stair and climb up. A soon he was on the top, he moves close to the wall and looks down. "Hello there, my name is Frank and I hear that you want to speak with me?"

"Are you the person in charge?" asked Aaron.

"That is correct… so why is the reason for the fireflies coming here? This is not a Qz any more, so we don't have any military in here," answer Frank looking at the man that looks in charge.

"Well, that is good to know, because we do not come here looking for them," Say Aaron moving a little closer. "But I do have a proposition for you and your town, so if you be so kind and open the gate, maybe we can talk about."

"Sorry, I don't like to be rude, but I know how you people do business these days. And I really not want any trouble with you, we already have some of our own. But if you're looking for supplies or food, I can tell you right now that we don't have anything to give."

Aaron shook his head, and look up. "I don't know what you hear about us, but our only purpose in this country is to bring hope and freedom to the people that have to manage to survive all this," said Aaron in a calm voice.

"Yeah, yeah I hear all you propaganda before. But destroying towns and killing people is no my idea of hope. I know that you don't come all the way here to talk about freedom, so why you don't tell me what you really want?" asked Frank with some curiosity. Because is not coincident that after the attack stop for two weeks, the fireflies show at the front door.

"Oh yes. I hear about those people that are been causing you trouble, but like I said I have a proposition for you that can make those men go away."

"Yeah… I bet you can, but you still fail to tell me what you want," Frank turn his head and whisper to one of the boys. "Go down and tell the others to get ready and keep their eyes open. All this can be a trap or a distraction, so I want everyone ready," the boy moves away and Frank turn his head back to visitors. So what you want?"

Aaron makes a grim and looks up. "Look I know that you have a lot of people here, and some of them are probably pointing guns at us. I can see that you don't trust us, but if you give me what I want, I can guarantee you that those men leave you in peace."

"Well, that sounds interesting… Coming from the firefly. Are you going to tell me what you want from us… or I have to guess?"

"What I want is simple… I looking for four people, four visitors that I know you have here in your town. So if you just give them to me, we leave in peace."

"You have to be more specific, because we don't get many visitors here this day's," Say Frank with some caution.

"We're looking for a white five-year-old boy named Liam. He is traveling with a black woman, she is probably on her middle 30. The other two are a young woman, white, red hair and scar on one of her eyebrow, we think that her name is Ellie, she is probably 19 or 20 and she is traveling with an old man, he must be on his 5o or 60. We don't care much about the two adults, but the kid and the girl are vital to the survival of humanity."

Frank tries to absorb the information he just hears. Why the fireflies are looking for these people? What is so important about them… the last hope for humanity? What do they mean by that? I don't know anything about the boy and the black woman, but something is for sure, the other two are Joel and Ellie. Frank turn his head to the young man beside him and whisper something at him. Then he turns his head and looks back down again. "Sorry for disappointing you, but I'm fried that we don't have anyone with that description in here."

Aaron looks to his partner, then back to Frank. "Are you sure? Because we're be tracking them, and all the information we got, lead us to this place."

"Well. like I said before we don't get many visitors here. So if people with that description come here I will know," Say, Frank, trying to hide the whole truth.

Aaron patience was getting to his limited, he is been playing the good and calm guy. But these people are starting to get to him. He know that they're lying, he could see the expression on the old man face a soon he mentions the girl and the old man. So he knows that they are hiding them. He was trying to do this the easy way, but things never go that way. "Well maybe you don't remember to see them, so if you can let us go inside and check for-" Aaron started but got interrupted by Frank.

" I don't think that will be necessary like I said they're not here. So I suggest that you look elsewhere," Say, Frank.

"Oh… I see. Well, I was hoping to be able to help each other, but…" The man beside him move closer and whisper something at his ear. "Oh well, seems like I needed elsewhere… So thank you for your cooperation, and I wish you a good day," Aaron turn around and start to walk away. But before he enters the humvee he stops and turns around. "The people that are... been attacking you. They're looking for a man too, he is a fat old man, do you know anything about him?"

"Nope! That not sound right either," said Frank with some conviction.

"Okay then… thanks again." Aaron enters the vehicle and tells the driver to go away. After they were far away on the bridge that crosses the little bay, the man that was with him speak.

"Do you really think that he was telling the truth?"

"Of course not, I was expecting them to lie. I not sure about the boy, but I pretty sure that the girl and the old man are in there, the fat man too." the humvee continue his way out of the bridge.

"I don't know why you want to come here if you know that they're going to lie. Now they will know that we're coming back and get prepared."

"I just want to see their faces and see this place closer. Besides I was counting to them to know that we're coming back. So that way they will try to hide them, so they will be out of danger when we get inside the town."

"Okay… So what now?"

"We going to call John and make sure that his men keep an eye at the town, while we get back to the airport and wait for our men to arrive. But before that I want you to stay here and keep the signal disruptor on, to prevent any kind of communication," said Aaron while they continue driving away.

Frank go down from the tower and was received by a crowd asking him all kind of question. Who were those men? or what they're going to do now. Frank started to move his hands to dress the people there. "Those people mean trouble for us, so we need to move things faster if we want to get out of here before they come back. So people that don't finish packing yet, go home and finish. The rest of you go back to your post," Frank starts to walk away while some of his trusted men start to disperse the crowd. He gets closer to one of his men. "I need to put more men at the wall and keep watching. Those fireflies are something we didn't expect, so we need to move faster," he says in a lower voice.

"What we're going to do if they come back?" asked the man

"Oh… they're coming back, I can assure you that. So I want you to take some men and start to make some barricade at the entrance. Where is Bill? He asked while the continue walking.

"The last time I saw him, he was still at the train station." answer the man.

"Okay, what about Paul and the others? they come back with the parts?"

"I don't know, I been busy all night moving people around and-" both men stop their conversation when they saw a young woman running toward them.

"Hey, who was in the front gate, it was Joel Group?… Because Bill said that-" Ellie start a soon she gets closer to them, but Frank stops her.

"I think we have some problem and those have to do with Joel and you, so we need to talk, but not here," said Frank putting a hand on her shoulder.

"What you mean by that… Where is Joel?" she asked quickly.

"I don't know, it seems that they're not back yet," he turns his head back to his man. "Go to the building where the tunnels are and check with Mike. Find out why Paul group have not returned yet."

"Okay!" said the man, then he ran away.

"What is going on?" asked Ellie. "Who was outside that makes people so afraid?"

"Not here, C'mon," Frank drag Ellie away from the front gate and walk for a few minutes until they get into a solitary ally between two buildings.

"Frank what is going on, if Joel is not back yet, we need to-" Ellie started, but Frank stops her.

"We have a bigger problem now…" he stops for a moment trying to think what to said or ask. "The men outside said that they're fireflies members," He watched Ellie expression a soon he mentions the Fireflies, but continue. "I think that they're working with the people that been attacking us, and that is bad."

Ellie looks away for a moment, try to think what to say, without saying too much. "The Fireflies! Why they will be working with those people, that not make any sense?"

"Well, you tell me because they're also told me that they're looking for four people, and two of the description they give me much yours and Joel. He also mentions your name directly, so I want to know, what the fireflies are looking for you two?"

I don't know how they found us, but that is not much as surprised there. Since I found out that the Fireflies were still looking for me and also Bibi's boy. I now that those mercenaries make a deal with them but then they show up and kill each other. But I know that they were going to be more of them and that they will continue looking for me, and the little boy. They asked for them too, so that means that they don't find them yet. Ellie moves away from Frank, she needs to think about all this and know what to say without telling him the whole truth. He maybe is Joel friend, but there are things that not ones should know about me. I need to talk to Joel first, but he is not here... Joel where are you? Ellie was lost in thoughts, but snack out of them a soon she feels a hand touching her.

Ellie got jumping a soon Frank put one hand on her shoulder. "Look if you and Joel have any kind of problem with the Firefly I need to know. Fight again those gangs was one thing, but fight against the Fireflies is another."

Ellie lowers her head, she doesn't know what to say. If the fireflies are here looking for her, that means that if something happens to this people is going to be on here. After a minute she up her head and look at Frank. "I can't tell you anything about the fireflies, at least not until I find Joel. Maybe if we go away, they leave this place alone," said Ellie with a sad tone.

Frank looked at her, he needs to know why the fireflies are looking for her and Joel. But right now he needs to make sure to get the people to safety. "We can talk about that later, but I need to take my people out before they come back with more men. And the only chance we have for that gets that train to work a soon as possible," he said with a firm tone.

Ellie looks at him. "I… we're really sorry for all this. It wasn't our intention to-" she started to say but stop. "Maybe it was better if we never-"

"Even if the fireflies didn't show up, we needed to abandon this place, so this is not your fault, they also asked for Bill too. So this was something that it was going to happen anyway," He put his arm around Ellie's shoulder and start to walk with her. "Now, lest doing what we need to do to save my people. If you and Joel have some kind of problem with the fireflies, we can talk about that later. But for now, let's go to Bill and try to figures a way out of this."

( Back in the city )

"How far we're?" asked Erick while he was walking on the sidewalk with the others, in another random street.

"We have to be closer now, umm… maybe a few more blocks, I think," Lex answer while he was walking behind him. The sun was starting to come out, so the city was less dark now. And that it wasn't good for them.

Jessica was walking in front of them. She stops when they arrive at the corner of the street. Jessica moves closer to the wall of a building and stake out her head and take a look at the next street. "You said that a few blocks behind, so I hope that we're not lost because we don't have time for that," she says looking back at him.

"Sorry, but is not the same reading a small map that walks on the real place. But I am pretty sure that the entrance to the tunnel is somewhere around here."

Erick moves behind Jessica and starts looking over her shoulder. "Well, at least they're not infected in this area," Then he turn his head and look at Lex and see that he was checking the map again. "So what streets we need to take now?" asked Erick.

"Well, the mark on the map says that the tunnel entrance is on the Watson St. We're now on Wabash Ave, so that means that our destination is three blocks ahead. So we need to follow the F st that is in front of us and then turn left on Watson Street, the tunnel entrance should be shortly after that."

"Okay, then. Let's cross the street and continue," Jessica cross first to make sure that is no one close. Lex and Erick follow her until they get to the other side. "Okay let's keep moving."

After the three of them get to the other side, they walk closer to the buildings and houses to keep themselves out of sight and try to not attract any infected in the area. After walking for 15 minutes, they finally arrive at the street where the tunnel entrance is. Jessica looks around and checks for any sign of infected or otherwise. After she was sure that is not one close, she indicates the other to move to the entrance of the sewer. "Okay Erick, Lex opens the top and go down, I will cover you," said Jessica looking at the surrender area. After Lex and Erick go down, she enters the hole and move the sewer lid and closed.

But a soon she does that, a shadowy figure emerges from behind a building, closer to them. The man grabs a radio from his belt and makes a call. "Hey, Tom are you copy?"

After a minute's someone answers him back. "This is Jag… Tom is in the truck with the others… did you find Leo and the others?" asked the man on the radio.

"No, we're having some problem with the radio. But I found something much better… just tell Carson that I think that I found a way into the town."

( Back to Eureka )

Frank and Ellie arrive at the train station and start looking for Bill. Frank ask one of the workers and ask him where Bill was, the man told them that Bill was inside of one of the train car taking a nap, so they walk there and start to call him.

"Hey Bill we need to talk to you," yelled Frank a soon they get close to the car he was in.

After a few calls, Bill shows his face through one of the train windows. "Hey what the hell is going on," he says rubbing his eyes. "I don't sleep all night, so why you're interrupted my nap?"

"Yeah, yeah, sorry about that," said Frank calmly. "I hear that Paul group has not returned yet, do you know anything about that?'."

"Nope, they don't… and I'm worried about that too. Why you ask I already told her that," he says pointing at Ellie.

"Well, I sent someone to check with Mike, but he doesn't come back yet or call either," he looks at Ellie, that stays quiet beside him. "Anyway, we have a new problem, some firefly men just show up at the front gate. And after they ask for some people they ask for you too."

Bill looked at him with a worry expression. "Fireflies...? Why those assholes were asking for me?"

"Maybe because they're working with those gangs members. So I need to know if you can fix the train without the parts we sent Paul for," asked Frank departed.

Bill go back inside the train and a few minutes later he goes out of the train car and jumps down. "I can fix part of the engine and make it work, but that is going to take more time, and I will still need some of the parts, to make the train works efficiently," said Bill walking toward a table.

Ellie was looking at the two men while they continue talking. She wasn't hearing much what they were saying. Because her mind was concentrate on Joel. She was worry, not only because the fireflies come here looking for them, but Joel be out there for so long it starts to eat her soul. "Sorry for interrupting your conversation, but I need to go and see if Joel come back. So if you can tell me where the tunnels are, I will be on my way."

Frank turn around and look at her. "You don't need to do that, I already sent someone to-"

"I know, but I need to check myself… you don't understand I need to go there or I will get crazy," said Ellie almost begging.

Frank looked at her for a moment. "Okay, I will send you with someone to check if they arrive, but after that, I need you to come back here and help me," he saw Ellie nodded, so he continues. "Okay, we don't have much time until those Fireflies come back here with an army. So we need to start to get people down here, is that clear?" his question was more directed to Bill. Frank turn around and call one of the workers. The man stops what he was doing, and walk toward him. a soon he gets closer, Frank starts to talk to him. "Umm Alex.. right?" the man nodded. "Okay, I want you to escort, this woman to the tunnel where Mike is.

I don't know what happens there, but we lost contact with Mike and the team that goes outside," he just explained at the man. "I already sent someone but he doesn't contact us yet either, so I want you to take her there okay."

The man looks at Ellie and tells her to follow him. Ellie nodded, then turn to look at Frank. "Thanks."

Frank just smiles at her. "You're welcome, just don't do anything stupid. Just go there talk to Mike and tell him to contact me okay?" Ellie nodded again and walk away, following the man.

Bill starts to grab some tool from the table. "Do you think that she is not going after him if Joel does not come back soon?" asked Bill, looking at him now.

"Oh, I know she will, and I just know her for a few days. I was surprised that she doesn't that already," Frank turn around and call another man. He told him to follow them and make sure that she doesn't leave the town. The man nodded and ran after them.

Bill walks close to Frank. "I meet that girl six years ago when she and Joel come to my town looking for a car. I can tell you that those two were inseparable back then, and now that they're married, nothing that we do are going to stop her to go after him."

"Yeah, I can see that. But I make a promise to Joel to keep her safe if something happens…" he said looking at the entrance. "So you meet them six years ago? Did she was always like this?" he asked with some curiosity.

Bill let out a laugh. "Worse!... I can tell you she never shut up and was a pain in the ass. But if she gets this close to Joel and changes him, I can tell you that this girl is something else."

Frank look again at the entrance of the station, but they already go. "Those fireflies also ask for them, do you know why?" he asked looking back at him.

"I don't know... Joel was supposed to take Ellie to fireflies six years ago. That was his job, but I don't know what happens after they leave my town," Bill started to walk toward the train again. "If you want to know what happens, you need to ask Joel when he comes back."

"I don't know if we're going to have the time for that. With the coming attack, we're going to be busy. So work your miracle, before they come back."

"I will do my beast," said Bill walking away.

( Outside the town )

Hiding behind a house was the humvee with the three Firefly on it. Aaron was waiting for a call of his second in command. After Aaron contacts a few of John men, he told them to keep an eye on the town and make sure that no one goes out. Then he calls his second in command and told them to call him back a soon the rest of his man arrive. After that, he activates an interfering signal that he was carried on the humvee to cut any transmission on the town.

"What time is it?" Aaron asked the driver.

The driver looks at his watch and answers him. "In 5 minutes is going to be 8:00 am," answered the man.

"Okay turn off the transmitter, so I can call the base," said Aaron grabbing the radio mic of the humvee. "Hey, Beny do you copy?" Aaron starts the call.

After a few minutes of calling an answer come from the other side. "Hey, boss is that you?"

"Yes, what are you report, is lieutenant Bronson group arrive yet?" asked Aaron.

"Yes, sir… he and his men just arrive 10 minutes ago," the man answer.

"Oh that is great, is he is with you now?"

"No sir, he is with John… He goes to ask him for some fuel for the vehicle. Do you want me to go and find him?"

"No… that won't be necessary. Just told him that I'm on my way back, and stay on the hangar until I get there."

"Okay boss I do that… umm, how things go out there?"

"As I expected, they denied to have the hiding on the town, so we're going to do this the hard way," said Aaron to the man at the other side of the radio.

"Okay, sir… we're going to be waiting for your return," after the man finis, Aaron cut the transmission. He helps the man that was with him, to move the transmitter to one of the houses and told him to wait there until he comes back. After that ho go back to the humvee and drive back to the airport.

( Inside the town )

Ellie and the man that was guiding her to the building arrived. They quickly go down to the basement, where the exit tunnel was.

The man found strange that there wasn't any guard waiting for them. So a soon they walk in there they saw two men talking to each other there. "Hey, Mike… Frank send us to find out if Paul team come back?" Say the man while he approaching them with Ellie behind him.

Mike and the other guy turn and look at them. "Hey Alex… I was going to send him back there to tell Frank that they're not back yet," said Mike pointing to the man beside him. "I try to contact them, seems this morning but we've been having problems with the radios."

The man was going to say something else, but Ellie moves forward and speaks first. "Why they're not back yet? They supposed to be here before the sun come up," asked Ellie moving closer to the Mike. "Did you sent someone to check out why they're not back?"

"Excuse me!... who are you?" asked Mike.

My name is Ellie and Joel is my-" Ellie stops there, not sure of telling him that they are married. "I'm with Joel, so I need to know where is he?. just answer the question did you send someone to investigate?"

Mike look at her with some curiosity. "Oh, so you're the one that comes with him to this town a few days ago?" Ellie nodded. "Well, to answer your question, yes I send two men like 3 hours ago to check on them. But they're not back yet either and as we've been trouble with the radio-" the man stops when the radio starts to make some noise.

"Mike… Mike are you there?... somebody copy?… can you hear me... over!" says woman voice on the other side of the radio.

Mike grabs the radio and answer. "Jessica… is that you?"

"Mike?... thank god… we're been try to contact you since... we get out but-" the communication was cut and the static noise starts again on the radio.

"Jessica?… Jessica, can you hear me?"

The communication comes back a minutes later. "…." Mike… can… you… hear… me?"

Mike tries to move his position to get a better signal. "I am losing you… Jessica are you on the tunnels?" he continues to call her name but after a few minutes, he only gets static on the radio.

"What the hell happened?" asked Ellie desperate.

"I lost the communication again," said Mike while he put the radio back to his belt. "There is not much signal inside the tunnels, so they may be closer," said Mike moving to a table and grab a flashlight. "Hey can you go down there and see if they're close?" he says looking at the man that was with him.

The man moves closer at him and grabs the flashlight. "Sure, I can-"

Ellie moves closer at them. "I will go!" says Ellie then she looks at the man and asks him to give her the flashlight.

"No!" say Alex quickly. Frank told me to just bring you here to check if they're back. He doesn't say anything about you going out there."

"Well, I don't care what Frank said, if Joel is down there, I will go to check it myself."

"Wait a minute… you're not going down there," Mike says looking at her. "I will send one of my man to do that okay, so you-" Ellie was going to protest, but all of them stop talking a soon they hear some noise coming from inside the tunnel. All of them move quickly to the entrance of the tunnel and kneel. Mike turn on his flashlight and use it to illuminate the tunnel. "Hey, Jessica is that you?"

"Yeah… so stop flashing me in the face with that… we're coming up," A little smile form in Ellie's face a soon she heard the woman talking. Mike and the others move away from the hole as the people down there start to climb up the stair. A moment later, the woman was the first one to go out.

Mike and the other move closer to her. "Hey what the hell happened, we've been trying to-"

"Sorry we're late... but we go a lot of trouble…" She was trying to take some air into her lungs, before continuing. While she does that the man that was with Mike start to help Erick out of the hole. "So we came as fast as we can… but-"

"Did you get the parts?" asked Mike, while Lex coming out of the hole too.

"Yes, we did," answer Jessica pointing to Lex and Erick backpack. "But we need to get some men and-" Jessica started, but Ellie interrupt her when she looks at the hole and doesn't see anyone else coming up.

"Where are the others?" Ellie asked standing up and look at her. "Where is Joel?"