Chapter 36
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In the Steel Mill that Miles is being held in he has been moved from the cage he was being held in, to another room where he is tide, with belts, to a table, as one of Titus's men start to connect tubes to him, and as he does Miles sees that there is a woman in the room, a women who looks very, very sick, in a very nice bed.
"My wife Jessica. She's diabetic." Titus explains, "Went into renal failure about two years ago." He explains, clearly talking about the women, "The filth in her blood built up to toxic levels, no kidneys to filter it, and we can't exactly just pop into St Mary's for dialysis, but the solution is simple." He says, "If her blood is poisoned we just replace it with fresh O-negative, over and over, for as long as she needs." Titus says, "Before you go, I want to thank you for the both of us." Titus says, before leaving, leaving Miles alone with Jessica, and one of his boys.
Outside the place where Miles is being heled in Melia, Rachel, Gene, Carter, and Phil are climbing off their horses and have followed Rachel to the tunnels, and once there Rachel puts her hands on the top of the entrance, and looks at the others.
"Let's go save your Dad." Rachel tells Melia, keeping her voice low, doing so for two reasons, the first being so that Carter and Phil don't hear, and the second is so that people inside the steel mill don't hear.
"Let's." Melia says, and she follows her mother into the tunnel, knowing that she can't pull her sword just yet, as the others follow behind them.
A few minutes later Melia and Rachel get to an opening and once they do, Rachel exits first, and Melia follows right behind her mother and the two of them find Miles getting his blood drained by a man and so as they walk across the room Rachel signals to Miles, who clearly saw them, to be quiet, as the two of them walk closer to the man who is hurting Miles.
"Hey." Rachel says, and once she does the man turns around, and Melia slices his chest with her sword, and as he falls both Melia and Rachel hurry over to Miles.
"Dad." Melia says worried, as she and Rachel start to try and unchain Miles, as he is tied to the table with belts.
"You shouldn't have come." Miles says, looking at Rachel, "Either of you." He adds, looking at Melia, as all he wants is for them to be safe and yet, they came right into danger to save him.
"You've done stupider things for me." Rachel says.
"For both of us." Melia adds.
"Deep breath." Rachel requests, as she pulls the needle out of Miles's arms, as Gene, Phil, and Carter enter, honestly surprising Miles as Gene is the last person he'd expect to come help him.
"Can we get the hell out of here, please." Gene requests, having looked shocked at the body as he realised his granddaughter would have been the one to kill him, walking over to Miles, as Rachel and Melia help Miles to sit up.
"You gotta take that women." Miles says, pointing to Jessica.
"Why?" Rachel asks, sounding confused.
"We can't move that women." Gene reveals, being able to tell that.
"Trust me, you want Willoughby to last through the night? Take her." Miles instructs, "Melia, help your grandfather, Rachel, you, come with me." He says, pointing to the Carter, who is holding a gun.
"What?" Melia asks, looking confused.
"Help him, Melia, it's important." Miles says, hoping his daughter will accept without arguing, even though he knows it isn't likely, "We're right behind you, go." Miles says, and he, Rachel, and Carter hurry out the room.
"Melia, help us." Gene tells his granddaughter, from where he is with Phil, by the very nice bed where the women is.
"What can I do?" Melia asks, jogging over to her grandfather.
"Help us detach everything." Gene requests, and that's exactly what Melia does.
About a minute later Jessica has been released and Gene and Phil have gotten into the tunnels with her. As they go down into the tunnels Melia makes sure she is last, and as she goes she hears a gunshot.
"Not good." Melia says, knowing that it isn't good, and even though she knows that both her parents are going to pissed Melia doesn't follow her grandfather, but heads out of the door that her father, mother, and Carter went through.
Getting to the other room Melia sees her mother, father, and a women who Melia doesn't recognize running towards her while Carter fires his gun at the people who are coming through the door on the opposite wall. Seeing her father Melia locks eyes with him, and nods slightly, and as he realises exactly what his daughter is saying Miles pulls Rachel out of what he assumes will be the line of fire, but they keep running, as Carter is hit with an axe, which gives Melia a chance to throw two of her knifes, though not the one that Greg gave her, at two of the members of the war clan, killing them both.
"Let's go, go." Miles says, and they all go running back into the other room and once they are inside Rachel puts a shovel under the door so that they can't easily break in, before Miles, Rachel, Melia and Sara all head back down into the tunnels, Miles making sure that he is last so that the others are safe.
Not long after the group get out of the tunnels, Rachel and Phil climb back on horses, and Melia, Sara, Miles, Jessica, and Gene get in the wagon, Miles, and Gene in the front while the others are in the back, and as Rachel and Miles exchange looks they start to ride back to Willoughby. As they ride, quiet fast, Melia leans forward wraps her arms around her dad, doing her best to hug him with there being a chair separating them.
"I'm all right Melia." Miles tells his daughter, even though he knows his hand is likely going to be a serious problem.
"Good." Melia says, and she just holds her dad for a little while as they ride back to town, everyone knowing that things are far from over.
In Georgia it is morning and Tom is walking into the tent where Jason is and once he is in front of his son Tom drops two patches with the US flag on them on the table.
"All right, we're in." Tom says, "We're working for the patriots, congrats." He says.
"So, what now?" Jason asks, knowing his father will have a very detailed plan figured out because he always does.
"We cut all ties with who we were." Tom reveals, as he burns the picture of Julia he has, "We use our aliases, hell, we'll bleed red, white, and blue until we climb to the top and kill them all. For your mother." Tom says, looking at Jason.
"Where do we start?" Jason asks his father.
After riding for a while Melia, Rachel, Gene, Phil, and Miles arrive back in Willoughby, basically galloping though the gate as they arrive, and as soon as Gene stops the horses from moving Miles jumps down from the wagon and as he does he sees someone he never expected to see again,
"Aaron, you're…." Miles starts to say.
"Alive, yeah, glad you are too." Aaron says, and as he does Melia jumps out of the wagon too.
"You went out there?" The deputy asks, sounding furious.
"Keep this woman breathing, you her me?" Miles asks, looking at Gene.
"Yeah." Gene confirms, being pretty sure that that isn't going to be easy.
"Melia, with me." Miles tells his daughter, doing so for two reasons the first being because Melia is his daughter and he wants her close and the second is because with his hand injured Melia is the best fighter in town and if things go wrong then they're gonna really need her, and considering all he wants to do is protect her he really hates that fact, but he also knows that it is the truth.
"Who told you to go out there?" The Deputy asks, clearly angry.
"They came out to save me, Riley, and I appreciate the support." Miles says, as he, with Melia right next to him start to walk towards the gate.
"Hey, Stu, you don't let me treat that hand, you're gonna lose it." Gene revels.
"Later." Miles says, as he and Melia continue to walk towards the gate and as they do Miles and Rachel exchange looks before they go in different directions.
About ten minutes later Melia and Miles are on top of the wall with Deputy Riley, Ken and another guy, Melia standing right next to Miles on his right side, and as they stand they watch the wall clan, what looks to be all of them, approach.
"You son of a bitch, you brought them here." Riley says, looking at Miles in both shock and anger.
"Haven't you been paying attention, they were already coming." Melia reveals, resisting the urge to call him an idiot.
"She's right, they were, you can't hide from a clan like this." Miles reveals, "Granted, I may have made it so they come sooner."
"Great, great." Riley comments.
"At least now we got a chance at staying alive." Miles says, knowing it won't be much of chance, but it is something.
"Yeah, how?" Riley asks.
"Shut your slack jaw and follow my lead." Miles requests.
"You've got a plan, right?" Melia asks, her father, having leant towards him and whispered.
"Yeah." Miles says, and Melia isn't completely convinced by her father's words.
"You have my wife!" Titus yells.
"His wife?" Riley asks, sounding confused.
"Yep." Miles confirms, clearly talking to Titus and ignoring Riley, "You send any of your boy toys in, I will slit her throat." Miles says, "Still got one good hand left." Miles says, showing his good hand.
"You hurt her, and I'm coming in." Titus says.
"You come in, and I will hurt her." Miles counters, "So it looks like we're at a stalemate."
"I'd say so." Melia mutters to herself.
"So, what are we going to do about it?" Titus asks.
"You and I are gonna have a little chat about where to go from here." Miles reveals.
"Not till I see that she's okay." Titus informs Miles.
"She's in no shape to move." Miles says, knowing that.
"I need to see that she's okay! I need to know that she's okay." Titus says, clearly getting upset.
"I'll show her to you, then we'll talk." Miles says.
"And if you let her die, then God help you!" Titus says, and once he does Melia and Miles exchange looks and the both of them, along with Ken and Riley, head down the stairs.
In the Plains Nation Charlie is tracking Bass along with the young, surviving bounty hunter, honestly Charlie would rather be without her company, but there wasn't much she could do.
"I can't let you kill him, you know." The Bounty Hunter says to Charlie, who turns to look at him.
"Monroe murdered your partner, like I said he would, and you still won't listen." Charlie says, before she continues to walk.
"You know, you're rocking some real anger issues, you should wear a black belly shirt." He says, causing Charlie to roll her eyes.
"Do you take anything seriously?" Charlie asks, as from the time she has spent with the guy she very much doubts that fact.
"Nah, not really. It's how I stay sane." The Bounty Hunter explains, "So this is personal, right? You and Monroe?"
"He murdered half my family." Charlie says, turning around to look at him once more, "So yeah, you might say that." Charlie admits.
"I'm sorry to hear that, I am." The Bounty Hunter admits, "But I still can't let you have him."
"All so you can collect your bounty." Charlie says, with a frown.
"So, I can save my dad." The Bounty hunter says, completely lying, but Charlie doesn't know that, "The people who want Monroe, those United States whoever they are, they've got my dad, and they're willing to trade Monroe for him."
"Some trade." Charlie says.
"But I'm telling you if you kill Monroe, it's the same as killing my father, and that I take seriously." The Bounty Hunter explains, once more complexly lying but he wants Charlie to believe that, before he starts to walk away.
A little while after the left the wall Melia, Miles, Riley, Ken, and Aaron are all in the kitchen of Gene's house, Melia, Miles, Aaron, and Gene are sitting around the table as Gene fits Miles's hand, as Gene and Ken are standing by the door.
"You sure you don't want something for the pain?" Gene asks curious.
"Not really the time to get high, is it Gene?" Miles asks, and as he does he and Gene exchange amused looks, "Listen, if I can actually pull this off, be ready okay? Get everybody ready." Miles says, looking at Riley and Ken.
"Aren't you pretty much the town drunk?" Riley asks, and Melia looks angrily at Riley, but before she can move towards him Miles reaches out with his hand that isn't being stitched up and puts it on his daughters leg, clearly telling her not to do anything, "We're supposed to listen to you?"
"Who else, Riley? You? Anybody else feeling the bold leadership of Barney Fife over here?" Miles asks.
"Hey, do not call me that." Riley says, taking a step forward, "I'm not some idiot, worked for this town for a lot of years, you? You brought hell down on us." Riley says.
"Hell was already coming." Melia says, standing up and taking a step toward Riley, "Stu's the only reason we stand a chance." Melia reveals, "You should listen to him, because he wasn't the one drinking in corner when the town needed to look to someone." Melia reveals, sounding angry, as she still hasn't forgiven him for that one.
"Melia." Miles and Gene say the exact same time, both of their tones being that of warning, as Riley looks completely pissed.
"You should get the town ready, unless you want to be the one responsible for everyone dying." Melia says, before walking out of the room, knowing that she needs a minute or so to calm down otherwise she will likely do something she shouldn't.
In the treatment room of Gene's house Rachel is putting a jacket on Jessica, having to basically do all the work on her own, as Jessica isn't really up to helping.
"Your husband just wants to see you." Rachel explains, "Make sure you're okay."
"Are you gonna give me back to him?" Jessica asks.
"It'll all be over soon." Rachel says, purposely avoiding answering the question, "Don't worry." She says, it feeling wrong for her to say that.
"No, you don't understand. don't let me go back there." Jessica begs, "Please." She requests, "When I got sick, I thought at least I'm finally free, but even then, he wouldn't let me go." Jessica explains, "He, he chained me to the bed, he killed people for me, he'll never let me go."
"I'm sorry." Rachel says, trying to be comforting, but Jessica just pulls away.
"I'm not used to people being nice." Jessica reveals, and as she does Rachel sees Miles, who's hand is now in a sling, outside the door and so she heads out to him, closing the door behind her.
"She's terrified of the guy, and we're gonna make her go back?" Rachel asks, looking at Miles in surprise.
"I don't see another option." Miles admits.
"Miles." Rachel says.
"I can't fight like this, can't use a sword, so how else am I gonna protect you, and Melia?" Miles asks and as he does Miles gets a look which says he knows it might not be a good idea to say that, and so Rachel just walks forward, and lays her head on Miles's chest, causing him to just turn towards her hair as the two of them stand together, neither nothing Melia standing at the other end of the corridor, watching and smiling slightly at her parents, but as she doesn't want to interrupt Melia turns around and walks around the long way back to the kitchen.
A little while after Rachel and Miles talked Melia, Miles, Aaron, and Rachel are by the town line, while Aaron and Rachel are helping Jessica to stand in the wagon Melia and Miles are standing near the front of the wagon.
"Hey, stay where you are." Miles instructs, walking towards Titus, "You pull anything, we'll kill her." Miles says, telling the truth.
"Love? Are you all right?" Titus asks, "You'll be home soon." He says.
"All right, she's gonna take a nap." Miles reveals, "You and I are gonna talk." He says, as he walks out of the gate and towards Titus, and to Miles's great concern Melia follows him and as he knows he can't protect his daughter without revealing what she is to him and, so he just tries to stand a little in front of her, hoping that it will be enough to keep her safe.
In Georgia Jason and Tom, who have been working for the Patriots, have been kidnapped and taken to another location, and as Jason has managed to fight back he goes to shot one of the men, but before he can his dad says,
"Hey, give the man his gun back." Tom tells his son.
"What?" Jason asks, feeling confused.
"We're not being mugged." Tom reveals, "We're being vetted. Muggers don't take you to a second location for a pat down." Tom informs his son, "And by the way your nails are too clean." He says, to the guy, and Jason drops the gun, "So, we gonna sit here and make bedroom eyes at each other, or can I talk to your CO?" He asks.
"Not bad, Mr Crane." A voice says, and tom turns to another patriot solider, "Did you find anything?" the man asks, his men and they shake their heads, "You can't blame us, after all, we want to know everything we can about you. So why don't we start with who you are?" he asks.
"Edgar Crane, and this is my son, Nate." Tom lies.
"Well, that's very interesting, 'cause I happen to know that you're Major Tom Neville, and that is your son, Jason." The man says.
In Willoughby Melia and Miles are both outside the wall talking to Titus, Miles having just finished explained to Titus what he wants.
"So, I'm just supposed to let everyone waltz right out of here unpunished?" Titus asks, looking far from happy.
"The town did nothing to your wife, Titus." Melia says, as even though it is probably better that she remains quiet she can't really help it.
"She's right. I'm the one that took her." Miles reveals, honestly wanting his daughter to stay quiet as it would decrease the amount of danger she is in, but Miles knows that isn't going to happen as Melia is way too much like both him and Rachel.
"Jessica is fragile and precious, like a porcelain doll on the high shelf." Titus says, and as he does Melia and Miles both feel disgusted at the fact that he called his wife a porcelain doll, though Melia is better at hiding that fact, "It's my job to protect her. It's always been my job." Titus explains, "So how do I just let you go?" Titus asks.
"Everyone in this town gets out, everyone." Miles instructs, "And when they're safe you can have your wife back, and me." Miles reveals.
"What?" Melia asks looking at her father in shock, and Miles gives her a warning lock, clearly telling her to shut up.
"I'll stay behind, you can take every ounce of my blood, you can milk me dry, tiger." Miles says, and with every word her father says Melia hates the plan even more.
At the Porter house Rachel is walking into the treatment room where she finds that Jessica has cut her own wrist using the IV container.
"Jessica." Rachel says, hurrying over to her.
"I'm sorry." Jessica says.
"No, no, no, no, DAD!" Rachel yells, as she starts to tie material around Jessica's wrist, "Jessica."
"I had to get away." Jessica explains, clearly telling the truth.
"Jessica, stay with me." Rachel requests.
"I had to get away." Jessica once more says as her eyes drift close.
"Jessica, Jessica, hey, hey, hey! Jessica." Rachel says, trying to do what she can to help Jessica, but she dies.
Just inside the town wall Riley and Ken are closing the wall once Melia and Miles are inside and as soon as they are away from the others Melia turns to her father.
"What the hell was that, Dad?" Melia asks, sounding both angry and upset, "You do know he'll kill you, right?" she asks, being pretty sure that her father would have known that before he even made the offer to Titus.
"It's the best plan I got Melia." Miles tells his daughter.
"How is you getting the killed the best plan?" Melia asks curious, looking at her father in disbelief.
"It will save the town… it will save your Mom." Miles informs his daughter.
"Low blow." Melia informs her father, knowing that Miles mentioned saving Rachel as that has the best chance of getting Melia to agree to undertake his plan.
"I know." Miles admits, "It's the best plan I got, and I'll figure something out, but I'm gonna need your help to make sure everyone gets out." He says, "Please." He adds.
"Fine." Melia tells her father, really not liking her father's plan but knowing that they don't have much choice right now, as she takes a step forward, "But I'm not getting on a wagon until every single other person in this town is, and that includes Mom." Melia reveals.
"Okay." Miles says, with a nod.
"And for the record, I really, really, hate this plan." Melia reveals.
"Noted." Miles tells his daughter, and the two of them start to walk, so that they can do what they have to do, even though Melia is doing so against her better judgement, as she meant what she said to her father, she completely hates this plan, and is completely sure that it won't end well.
Truthfully, Miles is thinking along similar lines to his youngest daughter, but he knows he doesn't have a choice, as what matters most to him is making sure that Melia and Rachel get out of town safely, even If doing so costs him his life it will be worth it if they are okay because Rachel, Melia, and Charlie are all that matter to him, and he'll do anything he has to do to keep his three girls safe.