Chapter 29

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A couple of minutes after the Melia, Charlie, Jim, and Jason went in separate directions Melia and Charlie are making their way through the airfield together, but instead of looking for the others to warn them the two sisters are following their father.

"Melia, I'm sorry about forgetting your Birthday." Charlie tells her little sister, as they follow her father, it being clear that she means what she is saying.

"I'm sorry about forgetting yours." Melia admits, telling the complete truth, as while she doesn't care about people forgetting about her birthday she feels bad about forgetting her sisters.

"Truth, with everything going on back then I forgot too, didn't realise until like a week later." Charlie admits, "Why didn't you remind me that it was your birthday?"

"Two reasons, one, it's not a big deal." Melia admits, "Two, I almost forgot too." Melia reveals, as if she didn't see a calendar she wouldn't have realised that it was her birthday, and once she does the two of them continue to walk in silence.


In Colorado Rachel and Aaron are on a ridge overlooking the camp near the tower, and as soon as they see all the activity they know that things are going to be incredibly hard.

"Oh, Terrific." Aaron says, sarcastically, "So, how are we gonna get to that door now?" He asks, confused.

"Here." Rachel says, going to hand Aaron the journal, "The override codes are inside. Take it."

"Why?" Aaron asks, feeling confused, and suspecting that he isn't going to like the answer.

"Because tonight, I am going to go down there, and I am going to kill Monroe." Rachel reveals, "And when I do, everyone is going to run for his tent, everyone, it will be chaotic."

"Rachel, no." Aaron tells her.

"You won't have long." Rachel says, ignoring what Aaron says.

"Absolutely not." Aaron says.

"But you'll have a shot at the door." Rachel explains, once more continuing on as if Aaron didn't speak, "Get inside. Lock it behind you." Rachel says.

"I said no." Aaron repeats, "There's gotta be another way." He says.

"I came to kill Monroe. He is down there right now." Rachel says, pointing to where Bass is standing.

"Even if you pull this off they will kill you." Aaron reminds Rachel.

"How else are you gonna get inside?" Rachel asks. "There is no other choice." She says, meaning that completely, "I have to do this. You have to let me do this." Rachel explains, "For Danny. For Ben." Rachel says, her voice breaking a little, "Get inside the Tower, turn the power back on, it's up to you now." Rachel informs Aaron, meaning that completely.


At the Plains Airforce base Melia and Charlie are still following their father, and as they aren't doing it as quiet as they could and so Miles turns towards them, with his weapons drawn.

"It's just us." Melia tells her father.

"You find the others?" Miles asks.

"Not yet." Charlie answers, "Miles, this doesn't add up." She comments, "It's the middle of nowhere. There's no food, no water. How's anyone living out here?" she asks, and as she does the three of them find Ramsey with his throat cut.

"Oh Man." Miles says.

"Charlie, go find help." Miles instructs, "NOW!" He says, and Charlie goes running, "Melia, help me." Miles tells his daughter, and as he does he squats down next to Ramsey and Melia hurries over to him as Charlie runs for help.

"Hold on, hold on." Miles tells Ramsey.

"What do you need me do?" Melia asks her father.

"Help me hold pressure." Miles tells his daughter, and she does that.

"How many of them were there?" Miles asks, and as he does Ramsey tries to answer, but it is clear that he can't speak, "Where they from a tribe?" he asks, and Ramsey shakes his head, "Not a tribe." Miles says, feeling confused.

"Was it even a local?" Melia asks, feeling confused.

"Wayne! Who was it?" Miles asks, but before Wayne can answer he dies.


A few minutes later Miles and Melia are still waiting for the others to come back, as Miles cleans the blood of his daughters' hands with a rag.

"Miles! Found them!" Charlie says, as she hurries over to her father and sister with everyone else, apart from Nora, with them.

"Wayne." Jim says, sounding shocked.

"Oh, my god, what happened?" Sanborn asks confused.

"It's not just him. The pilot is dead, the chopper's busted." Jim explains.

"So we're stuck here." Sanborn realises.

"Who did this?" Tom asks, sounding confused, and angry.

"Someone from the Plains Nation." Jason explains.

"Nope." Melia says.

"Wasn't a local." Melia explains.

"Then who?" Tom asks.

"My best guess, one of us." Miles explains, and as he does he realises something, "Where's Nora?" he asks.

"One of us? But who would do this? And why?" Tom asks.

"Where the hell is Nora?" Miles asks, sounding concerned, as everyone exchange looks.


A few minutes later Melia, Charlie, Jason, Sanborn, Tom, Jim and Miles are all in an airplane hanger, and Miles is holding a bag open.

"First thing first. Weapons in the bag." Miles reveals, looking straight at his older daughter.

"Me?" Charlie asks, sounding surprised.

"Everybody." Miles reveals, and Charlie takes off all her weapons and puts them in the bag, and once she does he moves to Melia, who makes no effort to remove her weapons, "That means you too, Melia." Miles tells his younger daughter, and quiet reluctantly Melia puts her sword, the blade Greg gave her, and her gun into the bag.

After Melia hands over her weapons Miles gets the others too, not counting Tom, before stopping in front of Sanborn.

"You grabbed a knife back at the chopper." Miles says.

"Come on, it was for my own protection." Sanborn says, as he hands his knife over.

"Oh, I'm sure it was." Tom says, sounding sarcastic, "Tell me, how did you walk out of that Militia prison again? I mean, unless you were one of them." Tom says.

"Do I look like a killer to you?" Sanborn asks.

"See 'em in all shapes and sizes, friend." Tom reveals, "We don't know anything for sure."

"All right. In the bag, Tom." Miles says.

"Travis Bickle over there, and you want me to stow my firearm?" Tom asks, sounding shocked, "I don't thinks so." He says.

"How do we know it wasn't you?" Jim asks.

"Oh, now that you mention it, Hefty, what about you? You been gone a long time, where have you been the last few weeks?" Tom asks.

"I was in Annapolis fighting with Ramsey." Jim explains.

"All right, look. I don't have time for this. In the bag, now." Miles says, and once he does Tom, quiet reluctantly puts his weapons in the bag, and as he does Miles walks over to one of the helicopters that is in the hanger.

"Hold on now, you get to keep yours." Tom says, as Miles puts the bag in the helicopter, and pulls his own gun.

"I'll be back when I find Nora." Miles reveals, "Everybody, eyes on the bag, eyes on each other." He instructs, before he leaves.


A few minutes after Miles left the others he finds Nora on the ground, and at first he feels terrified, but as he runs over to her he realises that she is still alive, just unconscious.

"Nora, Nora, Nora." Miles says, "Hey, it's me." Miles tells her, as Nora wakes up, and looks at him, "Nora? Where you been?" he asks.

"Miles? What happened?" Nora asks, sounding confused.

"You tell me, I don't know." Nora admits, sounding confused, "Uh, I was heading out to get fuel, and then I blacked out." Nora reveals, and as she does Miles notices something.

"You're cut." Miles says, "How'd that happen?" he asks.

"I don't remember." Nora says, looking concerned.

"Okay, come on, let's go." Miles says, and the two of them stand up and head back towards where the others are.


A few minutes later everyone is back in the hanger where the others were waiting and Miles has explained everyone what happened, how he found Nora.

"Let me get this straight, you found Mamacita with a knife, passed out with a bloody arm." Tom says, sounding shocked that Miles could think that that meant anything other than bad.

"She cut it when she fell." Miles explains.

"Okay. Or one of the men she killed managed to get a slice on the way down." Tom corrects.

"Okay, back off, all right?" Miles says to Tom in a warning tone of voice, and it is clear to everyone that he is far from happy.

"Look, this is what I tried to warn you. The cocktail that she's on…." Sanborn starts to say.

"The cocktail that you gave her." Miles finishes.

"It can cause paranoia, hallucinations, psychotic behaviour. It's at least possible it's her." Sanborn says.

"Well, it's possible it's you." Miles says to him, "You're not listening to this, are you?" Miles asks, looking at Jim.

"I don't know what to think." Jim admits.

"She didn't do it!" Miles objects.

"Miles, I think they're right." Nora admits, "I strangled that guy, and I don't remember doing it." Nora reveals, "What if I did this too?" she asks, looking worried.

"Look at me." Miles says, as he squats down in front of Nora, "I know you, if there is anyone I trust, anyone, it's you." Miles reveals, completely meaning that.

"I broke Miles." Nora reveals, "They broke me, I told Monroe everything." She says, "How could you possibly trust me?" Nora asks, not understanding how he could trust her right now, "I thought I could handle this, but I was wrong." Nora admits, telling the truth.

"She's right you know." Tom says, "She's a risk to us all. You know we have to leave her, don't you?" Tom asks.

"Shut up, Tom." Miles says, meaning that completely.

"Look, everybody's thinking it, even your sweet little daughter, and niece, or are they both your daughters?" Tom asks, and unsurprisingly Miles doesn't answer that.

"What if it was you? What if you did it?" Miles asks.

"You really think that?" Tom asks, sounding shocked.

"One of you did." Miles says, "And I'm gonna find out who." He says.

For the next few minutes Miles starts to go through everyone's stuff, trying to figure out what is going on, and as he does Jason realises that he has a knife in his pocket.

"What is that?" Miles asks, seeing Jason's actions, "Give me that." Miles requests.

"It's not mine. That's not mine." Jason says, meaning that completely.

"Jason." Charlie says, sounding shocked.

"It's not mine. I didn't have, I don't know what, someone planted that on me." Jason reveals.

"Right." Miles says, clearly disbelieving, "Somebody just houdini'd that into your pocket." Miles says.

"You wanna explain yourself?" Jim asks.

"You think I could this?" Jason asks, "Charlie, tell your Uncle, or Dad, whatever he is that I didn't do this." Jason requests, and Charlie just looks at him, "Charlie, tell him." Jason requests.

"Who was that guy you were talking to? Back in Atlanta, you were talking to somebody, and you looked upset." Charlie says.

"What? What guy?" Miles asks, looking straight at Jason.

"I said I didn't do this." Jason says.

'You've lied to me before." Charlie points out.

"Many times." Melia adds.

"They've both got a point." Miles says.

"Some Georgian got in my face." Jason lies.

"I don't believe you." Tom says, and as he does Jason just looks at his father, "What do you expect special treatment?"

"What, from you? No." Jason answers, honestly never expecting that from his father.

"Who was he?" Tom asks, "Who was he?" Tom once more asks.

"He was Monroe Militia." Jason answers, sounding frustrated.

"Of course, he was." Melia says, knowing that that is the last thing they need right now so of course that's who Jason was talking to.

"What did he say?" Tom asks.

"He said the war is over. There's nothing left here to save except our own asses." Jason reveals, "That if I killed Miles, I could have whatever I wanted." Jason explains.

"Good to know." Miles comments, "What did you want?" Miles asks.

"Charlie's safety." Jason reveals, knowing that he'd include Melia's safety in that too because he knows that that's what Charlie would want.

"What did you tell him?" Tom asks, wanting to know.

"I told him no, that's the truth. You have to believe me." Jason says, looking between everyone.

"We have to believe you? After all we've been through." Miles says, and as he does he goes to pull his gun on Jason, and as he does Tom stops him and Charlie runs forward to do the same thing, and as Tom and Charlie are concerned with Miles Jason goes running and Melia goes running after him, not even caring that she doesn't have a weapon, "MELIA!" Miles yells after his daughter, and he breaks free of Tom's hold and goes chasing after his daughter and Jason.


In Colorado Rachel has set a trap, using a burned out campfire, and as a Militia solider walks into the trap Rachel sneaks up on him, and strangles him with her belt, killing him, and once the guy is dead Rachel steals his uniform as she needs it.


About a minute or so after Melia ran away from the others, chasing after Jason, Miles catches up with his youngest daughter.

"Melia." Miles says, as he gets to his daughter, "You've got to go back."

"Not gonna happen." Melia tells her father, "And you should know better than asking."

"You're right, I should." Miles tells his daughter, "Take this, and stay behind me." Miles tells his daughter as he hands her his blade.

"Okay." Melia says, putting her blade in her now empty holster, and once she does Melia and Miles continue to walk together, looking for Jason, and as the two of them look they see Sanborn, holding the bloody knife Jason had.

"What are you doing?" Miles asks, looking concerned.

"You're wrong, Miles." Sanborn reveals, "The kid didn't do it." he explains.

"Put that down." Miles says, as he stands a little in front of Melia.

"The switchblade has a stamp on it." Sanborn explains, "AMD, AMD, Miles." He says, "Annapolis, Maryland. The knife was made there." He explains, "Know anyone who's been to Annapolis lately?" he asks.

"Oh my god." Melia says, realising exactly what is going on, but before either she or Miles can react to that they are both pushed to the ground, in opposite directions, as Jim kills Sanborn.

"Jim." Miles says, as he stands up, and as he does he gives Melia a look, telling her to stay down for now, until he got information, and until she is sure that she can get an opening Melia decides to listen.

"Sorry Miles." Jim says, and he almost sounds like he means that.

"Why did you do this?" Miles asks, as he looks directly at Jim, knowing that if he makes any move towards Melia then he will act, even if he doesn't know everything about why Jim did what he did.

"Militia's got Sophie, okay? They have my wife, and they're gonna kill her." Jim explains.

"Why didn't you say so? We could've rescued her." Miles tells Jim.

"Yeah, like you rescued Nora." Jim comments.

"Ouch, low blow." Melia mutters to herself, having made sure that her voice was too quiet for her father to hear.

"How long have they had her? How long you been with them?" Miles asks curious.

"A while." Jim answers.

"You give 'em the intel on the drone strike?" Miles asks, and as he does the look on Jim's face explains everything.

"You bastard." Melia says, sounding angry.

"She's right you're a son of a bitch." Miles says.

"I'm not proud, but I am done." Jim admits, "You said it yourself, right? We can't win, okay. This is over. So what am I supposed to do? Let my wife die? For a lost cause?" he asks.

"Sophie's life or mine." Miles realises.

"Not just you." Jim reveals, "It's Neville, and Ramsey, and Sanborn." Jim explains.

"And you did it out here in the middle of nowhere, avoid prying eyes." Miles realises.

"You guys are high-value targets." Jim reveals, saying something which does not surprise Melia.

"We were friends." Miles says, feeling hurt by Jim's actions.

"Friends? You ruined my life. I lost everything." Jim says, "I'm not gonna lose Sophie too, don't drag this out." He says, and as he does Melia decides to take advantage of the fact that both her father, and Jim are distracted, by running at Jim, and tackling to him to the ground.

Once Melia has tackled Jim to the ground she starts punching him, but as Jim is quickly able to use his superior strength and size to push Melia off of him, but before he can start to attack her Miles takes over and once he does he and Jim start to fight.

"MELIA, RUN." Miles tells his daughter, and unsurprisingly she doesn't listen.

For the next minute or so Miles, Melia, and Jim fight, and as Miles is knocked down Melia starts to fight back against Jim, and as they fight Jim basically throws Melia into a create.

"MELIA!" Miles yells at his daughter, and as he runs towards her Jim grabs hold of him and starts to strangle him, while pushing him against a vehicle.

"Dad." Melia says, sounding worried about him, trying to get up, but she feels a little out of it, can't see straight, and so she feels for her holster, and once she has it she opens it, and pulls out her knife, which she throws at Jim, hitting him in the leg, rather than his torso which is where she was aiming for.

Thankful for the distraction given by his daughter Miles is able to continue to fight against Jim, but as Jim gets close to getting the upper hand, with Miles on the ground, and Jim about to kill him, he is shot by Jason, who puts the safety back on the gun and drops it.

"MELIA!" Miles says, running over to his daughter, who hasn't been able to completely stand up yet, "Are you alright? Are you okay?" he asks worried, as he squats down next to her.

"Yeah, I'm fine." Melia says, squeezing her eyes and opening them again, and as she does everything becomes a little bit more focused.

"Are you sure?" Miles asks, sounding concerned, "You missed a target, and you can hit targets when throwing a knife with your eyes closed." Miles says, looking at his daughter in worry as he knows it is odd for Melia to miss a knife after throwing a knife.

"How do you know I wasn't aiming for his leg?" Melia asks her father.

"Were you?" Miles asks his daughter.

"No, but I'm oaky, Dad." Melia assures him, and Miles just gives her a disbelieving look, "I think I'm just a little out of it, that's it." Melia informs her father.

"Out of it how? What's wrong?" Miles asks, sounding worried.

"I'm fine, Dad." Melia assures her father, as she stands up, and as she does she stumbles slightly.

"Wow, It's okay. Lean on me." Miles tells his daughter.

"Okay." Melia responds, and as he does it becomes clear that Melia isn't completely okay as she didn't fight him,

"It's gonna take Nora a little while to fix the chopper, while she's doing that you're gonna sit on your ass and rest." Miles tells his daughter.

"Will arguing get me anywhere?" Melia asks curious.

"No." Miles says, looking straight at his daughter, and the two of them continue to walk towards where the others are, Melia leaning on her father as they walk.


A few minutes later Melia, who like everyone else has her weapons back, is sitting in the chopper, actually resting as she is pretty sure her father would be pissed if she didn't, and as she sits and rests, ignoring the slight pounding in her head, Charlie walks over and sits across from her.

"You okay?" Charlie asks her sister, clearly concerned.

"A little banged up, but okay." Melia assures her sister, "What about you? With the whole Jason thing, how you doing?"

"Do you really want to talk about Jason?" Charlie asks, as she knows how her sister feels about him.

"No, but I do want to talk about how you're doing." Melia informs her sister, "I may not be able to stand the guy, but I know you like him, and you've got to be having some thoughts about…. Everything. So, I'm here if you want to share them." Melia tells her sister.

"Once I figure out exactly how I feel I'll let you know." Charlie tells her sister, "But you've got to tell me if you're not okay."

"Deal." Melia tells her sister, and once she does the two of them drift into silence as they sit side by side.


A little while later Nora is doing the last steps to fix the Helicopter when Miles walks up to her.

"You look terrible." Nora informs Miles.

"Appreciate it." Miles comments, sounding slightly sarcastic.

"Thank you for back me up today. What did I do to deserve that?" Nora asks, sounding curious.

"You've done a lot." Miles says, completely meaning that.

While Miles and Nora are talking Charlie walks up to Jason as she figures that there are some things that she needs to say.

"Jason, look, I'm sorry." Charlie admits, telling the truth.

"Nothing to be sorry about." Jason says, "I get it, I've lied to you too many times." Jason says, "Why should you trust me?" he asks and as he does he walks over to the other side of the Helicopter and sits down.

As Jason sits down in the Helicopter Tom sits down near his son and Charlie sits down next to her sister.

"Want to talk now?" Melia asks her sister as Tom plugs in the pendent.

"Nope." Charlie responds.

In the front of the Helicopter Miles is starting to start the Helicopter, doing his best not to think about how long it has been since he has done this.

"You sure you still got this?" Nora asks curious.

"No, but we're about to find out." Miles admits, as he starts the helicopter and flies into the air.


In Colorado, a little while later it's night and Rachel, thanks to the fact that she has a Militia uniform, walks straight into Bass's Militia camp, into his tent, holding a grenade.

"Don't move." One of the guards who is with Bass says the second he sees her.

"Hello, Rachel."

"Bass." Rachel responds.

"Rachel, let's not do anything rash here." Bass says, and once he does Rachel pulls the pin off the grenade.