Chapter 28

Disclaimer: I do not own anything. Everything belongs to their rightful owners and I am not making any profit from this.

AN1: Thank you so much for the support. PLEASE, PLEASE Leave a review/comment.


It has been twenty-one days since Nora was taken and with every day that passes Miles can feel himself becoming more and more concerned about her.

It is early morning and Miles in his office when President Foster walks in, and right away he can tell that she isn't coming to him with good news.

"What is it? Have you found out something about Nora?" Miles asks, clearly concerned.

"No, not about Nora." President Foster confirms.

"Then what is it?" Miles asks, honestly having very little patience for much else.

"As you know most of our spies are gone, but there are still some." President Foster reveals, "One of the spies that are left informed me that Sebastian has given a description of your daughter Melia to every one of his men, with orders to bring her to him, alive." President Foster reveals.

"He what?" Miles says, sounding furious as honestly there is a part of him that cannot believe that Bass is crossing that line, as he thought that Bass using his daughter to get to him would be one that he wouldn't cross as what happened with Danny was different.

"I've increased security around the compound, but with what is going on I cannot guarantee that I'll be able to keep it going for long." President Foster explains, and as she does Miles just storms out of the room, without another word, planning on finding his youngest daughter.


After a little bit of searching, which honestly caused Miles to feel worried with every single second that he didn't find her, Miles finds his daughter sitting in the window sill of one of the windows in the upper floor of the compound.

"Melia?" Miles calls, as he hurries towards her.

"Dad?" Melia asks confused, as she stands up and once he is close enough Miles just hugs his daughter tightly, "Dad? What's going on?" Melia asks, sounding concerned, not even phased with saying Dad multiple times as she has gotten rather used to calling Miles that.

"I need you to keep your weapons on you at all time, no matter what." Miles tells his daughter.

"I always do, and you know that, so what's going on?" Melia asks her father as they break apart, "Dad?" Melia asks, drawing out the word, and as she does it is more than clear that she wants to know what is going on.

"Things are starting to get more dangerous, the city is collapsing." Miles tells his daughter.

"Yeah, so I can see." Melia says, as that is what she has watching.

"Which means you need to be more careful, keep your eyes open, and look out for any threat." Miles tells his daughter not telling her about the specific threat as if he does she might be so focused on looking out for that that she doesn't look out for, or protect herself against, other threats, "It may also be a good idea to cancel your fighting classes." Miles says as Melia has been giving lessons in the compound for weeks and while he knows how much teaching those classes mean to her safety is more important.

"I already have." Melia admits, having done so as Atlanta is pretty much chaos right now, "And I'm also careful, Dad." Melia reminds him, "I won't let down my guard, not now." She assures him.

"Good." Miles says, sounding relieved, "I've got to go check how repairing the equipment is going, but I want you to check in with me every couple of hours, and don't go out on the streets right now." Miles tells his daughter.

"Okay." Melia says with a nod, not arguing as considering everything both of those requests are pretty reasonable, "Is there something else I should know?" Melia asks her father, getting the feeling that he isn't telling her something.

"No." Miles answers, feeling a little bad about lying to his daughter, "I'll see you later" Miles assures his daughter before leaving, and as he goes Melia sits back down in her window sill and watches as Atlanta slowly collapses.


Far away from Atlanta, Rachel, and Aaron, are walking past the 'Welcome to Colorado sign' as it pours with rain.

"We'll be there soon." Rachel reveals, speaking for the first time in a while as Aaron just looks at her, "hope we're not too late." She says, meaning that as she knows how bad it will be if they are.


A little while alter Miles is outside checking on the machines that are being repaired, with Jim, who has been told by Miles what is going on with them, why they are fixing the machines even though they have no power.

"Let me get this straight." Jim says, "You're milf-y sister-in-law/baby momma, flips a magic switch, gets this crap working and we point it all towards Philly?" Jim asks, "And that's our best chance?" he asks, sounding doubtful.

"I know." Miles says, "Things aren't going too well, are they?" he asks.

"No, they are not." Jim confirms, "Any world on Nora?" he asks, as the two of them lean against a truck.

"We'll find her." Miles says, needing to believe that.


Outside the fenced off compound area Charlie is walking with Jason, both of them watching the city collapse as people flee.

"Look Charlie, I think you should think about getting out of Atlanta, get Melia and go to Texas maybe." Jason suggests.

"And miss all the fun?" Charlie asks.

"I'm serious." Jason says, meaning that, "The front's collapsed, Monroe's troops are a few days out. What if they take the city? What do you think they're gonna do if they catch you? What do you think they're gonna do to your sister?" He asks.

"Since when are you so worried about me?" Charlie asks, and as they do the two of them kiss. As Charlie and Jason kiss Jason sees someone he recognizes over Charlie's shoulder.

"Um, I'll meet you back at base." Jason says, and as he does Charlie is pretty sure that something is going on.

"Okay." Charlie says, as she watches Jason walk away, her suspicion growing as she watches him and becomes even more sure that there is something he isn't saying going on.


In the Building of the presidential compound Melia is still sitting in the window that her father found her in, and as she sits she sees something she almost can't believe what she is seeing, and so she moves closer to the window, trying to get a better look out the window, and as she does she sees something.

"Oh my god." Melia says, sounding shocked, and so she goes running, as fast as she can.


A couple of minutes later Melia has ran outside and as she does she sees starts to look for her father, and as she does she notices her father talking to Jim.

"DAD." Melia says, as she runs up to him.

"Melia? What's wrong?" Miles asks, sounding concerned.

"I just saw a car drive into the compound." Melia explains.

"That's impossible. Are you sure?" Jim asks, sounding shocked.

"Positive, and I can't be completely sure, but I think I saw Nora in the backseat." Melia reveals, looking directly her father.

"Come on, show me exactly where you saw the car." Miles tells his daughter, and once he does the two of them go running Miles following his daughter.


A few minutes later Miles and Melia have found the car and found out that Nora was taken to the medical area, while the man with her was taken to interrogation and after they found out where Nora was they headed there.

"General." One of the medical persons calls as Melia and Miles hurry over to the person who called them, who is right near Nora.

"Hey, it's me, it's me." Miles says to Nora, "And Melia." He adds.

"Nora? Are you okay?" Melia asks, sounding worried at the state that Nora is in.

"What, what happened?" Miles asks, sounding worried, "I've been looking everywhere for you, trying to find you." Miles reveals.

"Miles." Nora says, sounding out of it, "I'm so sorry, I'm so…"

"No." Miles tells her.

"I'm sorry, I'm sorry." Nora keeps repeating, causing Melia to feel incredibly confused.

"You, you have no reason to apologise, okay." Miles assures her.

"I, I, I told him." Nora reveals.

"Who?" Melia asks confused, feeling her heart sink as she has a sinking suspicion as to exactly what Nora is talking about.

"Monroe, I told him everything." Nora reveals, and as she does Melia and Miles exchange looks.

"Get some rest, okay. I'll check in later." Miles informs Nora, trying to hide how concerned he is at Nora's revelation, and once he does he and Melia walk several steps away from Nora, "I've got to go talk to the guy brought her in." Miles explains.

"I'll go find Charlie, tell her what is going on." Melia explains.

"Okay." Miles says, and the two of them head out of the medical area.


After leaving the medical area Melia heads to the front entrance of the compound, and is just about to start her search for her sister, when she spots her.

"CHARLIE." Melia says, as she hurries over to her.

"Melia? What's wrong?" Charlie asks her sister, clearly concerned.

"Nora's back." Melia reveals.

"What? How? Are you sure?" Charlie asks, sounding confused.

"Dad and I just saw her, she was brought here in a car, with someone with an Amplifier and Pendent." Melia explains.

"You're kidding?" Charlie asks, sounding shocked.

"Wish I was, she said she told Monroe everything." Melia admits.

"Where's Miles?" Charlie asks, needing to know.

"Talking to the guy who brought Nora in." Melia explains.

"Okay, then let's go see what he finds out." Charlie says, and once she does Melia nods, and the two sisters head back into the building.


As Melia is looking for her sister Miles is walking into the interrogation room where the person who brought Nora, Sanborn, is, and as Miles talks to him, Neville, Ramsey and Jim watch on from an observation room.

"Thanks for springing the girl." Miles says, "Almost makes up for the time you jumped me." He comments.

"Yeah, there was that." Sanborn says.

"You know, it's not easy strolling a prisoner out of a Militia black site. How'd you do that?" Miles asks, needing to know.

"I drugged her, put a sheet on her, and took her out like she was dead." Sanborn explains.

"And you just snagged one of those little necklaces to booth, huh? Not sure I could have done that." Miles admits, telling the truth, as he knows how protective Bass would be of those amulets, and amplifiers.

"I got lucky." Sanborn admits.

"Or maybe this is all a setup." Miles says, as that is what makes the most sense, "You're spying for Monroe, using Nora as your ticket in." he says.

"No, screw you. I'm here to help." Sanborn explains.

"Trying to help?" Miles asks, sounding disbelieving, "So you're a good guy now?" Miles asks, sounding even more disbelieving.

"A good, no, I'm not a good guy." Sanborn admits, "They made me do terrible things. They ordered me to kill your friend, Nora." He explains, "Couldn't do it, can't do it anymore." He explains, "Look, we're, we're, we're wasting time here. Rachel's in danger." He explains, and the second he says those three words Sanborn has Miles's complete attention, "Monroe knows she went to the tower, he took an army. He's gonna find her, and he's gonna kill her." He says, and as he does Miles can feel his terror rising up inside of him.

"You know where this place is? This tower?" Miles asks, his voice hurried and worried.

"Yeah." Sanborn confirms.

"Good." Miles says, "You're gonna take us there."


A little while later Miles, Melia, Charlie, Sanborn, Ramsey, Jim, and Jason are all getting ready to go to the Tower, and as they are leaving the building Miles has walked over to Jim.

"So, I've been thinking maybe you should sit this one out." Miles says to Jim.

"What the hell are you talking about?" Jim asks, sounding confused.

"Rescuing Rachel, it's a hail Mary." Miles admits, knowing that he has to try as he can't do nothing when there is a chance Rachel is in danger, "Chances of us finding her before Monroe does or us even getting out of there in one piece." Miles says, "Look, you, you got somebody to go home to, so go." Miles explains, "Go home to your wife."

"You son of a bitch." Jim says, "You got some never saying that to me." Jim says, completely meaning that, "She will not take me back because you dragged me into this." He says, "So you better put on a dress, 'cause you're all I have left." He says, as Tom walks up.

"Ladies." Tom greats.

"What are you doing here?" Miles asks, with a frown, thinking that this isn't going to be good.

"Fosters orders." Tom explains, "She wants a representative on this stupid-ass mission of yours." He reveals, "I ride shotgun." He says.

As Miles is talking to Jim and Tom Melia and Charlie are walking up to the helicopter and Jason.

"You ever flown before?" Charlie asks Jason, as both she and Melia are quite nervous about what they are going to do as neither of them have ever flown before.

"Yeah, when I was, um I think I was five." Jason says, sounding uncertain.

"Okay." Charlie says, looking uncertain.

"Hey, it will be fine." Jason assures Charlie.

"You sure about that? That thing looks like a death trap." Melia comments, and as she does Miles, Jim, and Tom walk up to the helicopter.

"Seriously, a fifteen-year-old girl shouldn't be coming on this stupid ass suicide mission." Neville comments, as he sees Melia.

"Sixteen, I'm a sixteen-year-old girl." Melia corrects, and as she does Miles looks at her and realises something,

"Your birthday was ten days ago." Miles realises, feeling bad that he completely forgot that it was his daughter's birthday, "I'm sorry, I forgot."

"It's okay." Melia assures her father, honestly not caring that he forgot as she really doesn't think it's a big deal.

"It doesn't matter if your fifteen or sixteen, either way you should stay behind." Tom says to Melia.

"Melia goes where I go." Miles says, it being more than clear that he completely means that, "Either deal or stay behind, I don't care." Miles reveals, and as he does Melia can't help but smile as she climbs in the helicopter and sits down across from her sister and Jason, and as she does Nora walks up and puts her stuff into the helicopter.

"What do you think you're doing?" Miles asks, as she sees Nora.

"What do you think?" Nora asks.

"You're not coming." Miles informs her, knowing that it wouldn't be a good idea.

"The hell I'm not." Nora comments, it being more than clear that she is not going to be left behind.

"Um, I shot her up with psilocybin, scopolamine, she's gonna need a hot minute to come down." Sanborn explains.

"I'm fine." Nora says.

"He's right, you know." Miles says.

"Miles, this is my fault." Nora admits, "If Monroe gets Rachel, we lose and that's on me." She says, "You know I can do this. Let me help, please." She requests, and as she does she climbs onto the helicopter and so does Miles, and the others, and within a few minutes the pilot has gotten them into the air, and as they take off Melia grabs her chair tightly, honestly feeling a little terrified.


In Colorado, Bass, his men, and Randall Flynn have arrived at The Tower.

"Got the Collins tribe to our North." A member of the Militia informs Bass, "Kaminski's to our south, and neither are gonna be very happy we're here." The man explains.

"So, give them some smallpox blankets, and call it a day." Bass tells his man, "Just find Rachel Matheson, if she's out there." Bass requests, "You understand?"

"Sir." The solider says, as Bass walks over to Flynn who is in cuff's.

"The tower? Kind of false advertising, isn't it?" Bass asks.

"Don't judge a book by its cover, Sir." Flynn says, "It goes down half a mile." He reveals, and as he does he puts his hand to a screen, and as it scans his hand print, but it says he doesn't have any access.

"Is this another trick?" Bass asks.

"I don't understand, it should work, somethings wrong." Flynn says, having no idea what is going on.

"If you can't open the door, what good are you to me?" Bass comments, completely meaning that.

"Just give me some time. I'll open it." Flynn assures Bass, knowing that he has to do whatever he has to do to get into the tower as he needs to for his plan to work

"You are seriously trying my patience, Mr Flynn." Bass warns, completely meaning that.


After a while of flying Melia, Charlie, Jason, Nora, Miles, Jim, Ramsey, Tom, Sanborn, and the Pilot have landed at a deactivated Air Force base in the Plains Nation as they can't go any further without getting more fuel.

"All right, let's go! Over here." The Pilot says. "You got hangars and runways all around. Hit every plane, chopper, fuel truck you find." He says.

"Melia, you're with me." Miles tells his daughter, doing so for two reasons, the first being that he knows what some tribes in the Plains Nations would do to a teenage girl, and the second reason being that with Bass's order it's too dangerous to let Melia out of his sight right now.

"Okay." Melia says, with a nod, and everyone starts to spread out, as they do Miles notices Sanborn get something out the helicopter.

"Can I help you with something?" Miles asks Sanborn getting a bad feeling from the guy.

"Me? No. I'm okay." Sanborn says, "I'm fine." He says, before walking away and as he does Melia and Miles walk over to where Nora is, looking like she is pretty out of it.

"Nora." Miles says, and Nora doesn't react, "Nora." Miles tries once more, "Maybe you should stay here, huh?"

"I told you, I'm okay." Nora says, before walking away.

"She's not okay, is she?" Melia asks, as she and her father start to walk.

"I don't know, Melia, I don't know." Miles confirms, as the two of them start to walk towards one of the helicopters.

Once Melia and Miles get to the helicopter Miles puts one end of the tube into the fuel tank, and the other in his mouth, and he sucks, causing the fuel to come out of the tank, and down the tube.

"That can't have tasted good." Melia says, looking slightly amused.

"Trust me, it didn't." Miles assures his daughter, as Melia just looks at her father in amusement.

"No other way?" Melia asks curious.

"Do you really think I would do it like this if there was?" Miles asks curious.

"I don't know, maybe." Melia admits, grinning at her father.

"There isn't." Miles informs his daughter.

For the next few minutes Melia and Miles stand in silence as Miles fills up the container with fuel, and once he has he and Melia head back over to the helicopter, and just as Miles starts to fill up the helicopter Charlie walks over.

"Hey." Charlie says as she walks up to her sister and father.

"Good. Put it there." Miles requests and Charlie puts her fuel on the ground next to the fuel that her father and sister collected.

As her father continued to fill up the Helicopter Jim and Jason, both carrying containers of fuel walk over, and as they do Charlie notices something, and so she starts to walk over to it and as she sees her sister do that Melia follows.

"What's going on?" Melia asks, sounding concerned.

"Look." Charlie says, pointing to blood that is coming out of a container, and as sees that Melia pulls her sword, then nods at her sister who opens the container.

"MILES!" Charlie yells, at the exact same time Melia yells, "DAD!"

"The pilot." Charlie explains, as Miles, Jim, and Jason run over.

"What happened?" Jason asks confused.

"Damn it." Miles says, sounding annoyed, as he squats down to check on the body.

"Who did this?" Jim asks.

"Check it out." Miles says, referring to the body.

"This is just perfect." Jim says, clearly sarcastic.

"What's with the x?" Charlie asks, saying the same thing that Melia is thinking.

"Some local did it. it's a Plains Nation message." Miles explains, "They don't want us trespassing."

"Hey." Jim says, calling everyone over to the Helicopter which he is looking at, and once he speaks everyone hurries over to him, "Guess they don't want us getting out of here alive either." Jim admits.

"We do not have time for this." Miles says, sounding annoyed.

"So, what do we do?" Jason asks.

"Well, I'm not great, but I can fly it." Miles reveals.

"You can?" Melia asks, sounding surprised.

"Yeah, it's been a while, but yeah." Miles confirms, "Nora's not great but she can fix it… maybe." He says, "Find everybody else." Miles explains, "Warn 'em." He says, "And Melia say with your sister." He instructs, as he knows that that is what's safest for Melia.

"Okay." Melia says, with a nod.

"What are you gonna do?" Charlie asks curious.

"Goin' hunting." Miles explains, as he pulls a weapon, and as he does everyone separates and goes in their different directions.