Chapter 37
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While Rachel, Melia, Miles, Aaron, and Gene are dealing with a very difficult situation in Texas, In the Plains Charlie, having no idea what is going on with her family, is walking in front of the bounty hunter, and as they walk Charlie realises something.
"Keep your eyes at sea level, or I pop'em out." Charlie says, completely meaning that.
"Yes Ma'am." The bounty hunter says, "You know you…." He starts to say but before he can finish he is knocked over the head by Bass and Charlie quickly turns around, to see Bass pointing a gun at her.
"I don't want to hurt you." Bass says, meaning that, and so he lowers the gun, "Charlie, trust me, you're gonna want to see this." He reveals, knowing that for a fact.
Not completely sure if she believes Bass Charlie follows him, and the two of them end up back at the wagon that Bass was being transported in.
"I was looking for a weapon." Bass reveals, "and I found this." Bass says, showing Charlie a bounty with his name on it from the US government.
"Yeah?" Charlie asks, not seeing the big deal.
"I also found this." Bass says, showing a bounty with Rachel's name on it.
"What?" Charlie asks, sounding shocked, as she takes the bounty, "What do they want with my mom?" Charlie asks, sounding shocked and worried, being pretty sure that things are actually even worse than she thought, which fills her with complete and utter dread.
In Willoughby Melia and Miles are walking with Ken and Riley, Miles discussing his plan which it is more than clear Melia isn't happy about.
"Hitch up the wagons right away, get everyone on 'em." Miles instructs, "We'll meet up in Denison."
"So, we have to leave our homes?" Ken asks, "That's what you're saying?"
"Hey, you want to hang around here? Be my guest." Miles says.
"Miles, Melia." Rachel calls, and they both walk over to her, "She cut her wrists." Rachel says, once Melia and Miles are close enough to hear, but no one else can.
"What?" Melia asks, looking surprised.
"How the hell did you let that happen?" Miles asks.
"I was out of the room for a minute." Rachel explains.
"This is bad." Melia mutters, knowing that.
"Maybe not." Miles tells his daughter, "Both of you are gonna smile." Miles says, looking between his daughter, and Rachel, as he smiles too.
"What are you doing?" Rachel asks, wondering what Miles is up to.
"The town panics, Titus is gonna smell it." Miles says, "Okay, so tell no one." He instructs, "Just act like everything's fine, bring her some empty food once in a while, come out with some empty place, get it?" Miles ask, "Smile." He tells Rachel, "You're not smiling."
"This is me smiling." Rachel comments.
"Pretty sure it's not Mom." Melia informs her mother.
"These days it is." Rachel tells her daughter, "What are you gonna do?" she asks, looking at Miles.
"I'm gonna get as many people out as I can before Titus finds out." Miles says, "Come on." He says, looking between Rachel and Melia, knowing that the three of them have to get to work, right away.
A little while later wagons are starting to get packed and people are getting ready to leave. As Melia and Rachel have helped horses get connected to the wagons Ken walks over to the two of them.
"It's a shame." Ken says, "This town survived the blackout, bandits, two cholera outbreaks, but today is the day it dies." He says.
"We don't have a choice, Ken." Rachel tells her old friend.
Not far from where Melia, Rachel, and Ken are Miles is talking to the wagon driver of the first wagon that is about to leave town.
"Ride fast and hard." Miles instructs, "No matter what, don't look back." He says.
"Yeah." The driver responds.
"Stu? A word?" Aaron asks, who is nearby asks, "Is something wrong? Just tell me." Aaron requests, as he walks over and as he does Miles keeps his voice low and looks around for anyone close enough to listen.
"Just grab Cynthia." Miles says, "Get out of here as fast as you can, okay?" he says, and as he does Aaron walks over to Cynthia who is near the wagon.
"You're getting on this wagon." Aaron informs Cynthia.
"What?" Cynthia asks, sounding shocked.
"There's one seat left, take it." Aaron instructs.
"Not without you." Cynthia says, completely meaning that, "I'll wait for the next one."
"Look, you said I had to figure out why they brought me back, well, now I know." Aaron says, "I'm here to protect you." He says, before helping Cynthia onto the wagon, and then he walks over and passed Melia and Rachel, and once Aaron walks past Rachel looks to Miles, and nods.
"Melia." A voice calls, and Melia turns to see Bryce.
"I'll be right back." Melia tells her mother, and she walks over to her friend, who has a bag on his back, "Guess you're getting on the next wagon?" Melia asks.
"Yeah." Bryce confirms, "And I'm guessing you're waiting for the last possible minute before leaving." He says, knowing that because he knows Melia.
"Of course." Melia says, smiling slightly.
"I'm not surprised." Bryce admits, "Amelia Matheson, protector."
"More like Melia Matheson, fighter." Melia corrects, as while she doesn't completely hate being called Amelia she certainly prefers Melia.
"Right, got it." Bryce says, with a laugh, "You know, I'd kiss you again, but your Mom's watching and I'm not sure how she'd react, not to mention Stu, who is also watching." He admits, and as he does Melia takes a step forward and kisses him, and after about a minute they break apart.
"Stop with the excuses, either way." Melia requests, once they break apart.
"Will do." Bryce says, "I'll see you." He says and once he does Melia nods and walks back over to her mother, being able to tell that Miles, who clearly saw everything isn't looking to happy.
"Um, so, who are we to help next?" Melia asks curious, once she is at her mother.
"Don't you want to talk about what just happened?" Rachel asks her daughter, as she knew that her daughter and Bryce were friends, but she didn't know they were more than friends.
"Kind of, but now's probably not the best time." Melia admits, "Talk later?"
"I'd like that." Rachel tells her daughter, as she wants them to have more mother and daughter bonding.
"Cool." Melia says, with a slight smile, as she would love to have a relatively normal conversation with her mother, "Help me with Dad?" Melia asks hopefully.
"You're on your own with that one." Rachel tells her daughter, knowing that she will help make sure Miles doesn't act too over the top, but apart from that she'll stay out of it.
"Of course, I am." Melia says, not at all surprised, "Great." Melia says, clearly sarcastic, before she walks over to her father, "Hey Dad." Melia greats, trying to sound as normal as possible and being able to call him Dad because there is no one around.
"We'll talk later." Miles tells his daughter, "If there is a later, but right now, we got to work."
"That's exactly what I was gonna say." Melia admits, and she and her father continue to help others get ready to go.
In the Plains, Charlie and Bass are still together, and Bass is pouring water over the unconscious Bounty Hunter so that they can try to get some answers.
"Up and at em." Bass says, as the Bounty Hunter wakes up, and he points a shot gun at him.
"Hey? What happened to all the 'he killed my family' stuff?" The Bounty Hunter asks, looking at Charlie in surprise.
"What are you doing with all these?" Charlie asks, showing the bounty's.
"Those are bounty's, I hunt them, it's kind of in my job title." The Bounty Hunter says,
"What's the US government want with this one?" Charlie asks, squatting down and showing the man the one with her mother's name on it.
"What's so special about that one?" The Bounty Hunter asks.
"Answer the question." Bass instructs.
"Look, all I know is these guys, they came up from Cuba, they pay well, I bet you fifty other bounty hunters have those same warrants." The Bounty Hunter says.
"So, all that about your Dad, that was all crap." Charlie says.
"No. no, that was truth, my Dad, he's a well respect… yeah, no, it was crap." The Bounty hunter says.
"Okay." Bass says, "Thank you." He says, and he goes to shoot the Bounty Hunter, but before he can Charlie puts her hand on the barrel.
"We're not gonna shoot him." Charlie says.
"Excuse me?" Bass asks, sounding shocked.
"I don't like killing." Charlie says, "Not unless I have to." She reveals, and as she does Bass uses the butt of the shotgun to knock the guy out, "So, what now?" Charlie asks.
"I'm guessing Miles is with your Mom, and Amelia, knowing him he is." Bass says, knowing that after everything that has hppaned Miles wouldn't go far from either of them, "You're gonna go warn them." He reveals, "And I'm coming with you." He admits.
"'scuse me?" Charlie asks, sounding shocked.
"You see this?" Bass asks, pointing to a drawing on the warrant, "Randall Flynn had a ring with the exact same eye on it." he explains, "If he's one of these guys, if there half as bad as he was, we're all in trouble." Bass says, telling the complete truth, "And your family could use my help."
"Do you think they want your help?" Charlie asks, knowing that they both already know the answer to that one.
"No." Bass admits, "But they're gonna need it."
"You're delusional." Charlie says, "I'm walking away, and when I'm gone, you won't be able to track me. So, if you want to stop me, shoot me." Charlie says, before walking away, and as she walks away Bass points his gun at her, but as Charlie continues to walk he lowers the gun.
Back in Williougby Melia and Miles, with Gene's help are setting up barrels, while Rachel and Aaron are saying goodbye, when Ken walks over to Melia, Miles, and Gene.
"Hey, what's all this?" Ken asks curious.
"Plan B." Melia and Miles say, before walking away, heading over to a wagon as the second to last wagon, with Aaron on it, starts to get ready to leave.
"Here it is." Miles says, referring to the wagon as he, Melia, and Gene get to Rachel, "Last boat off the titanic, you're both getting on." Miles says, looking between his daughter and her mother.
"Come with us." Rachel says, looking straight at Miles.
"That's not the deal." Miles says, having been expecting this argument, "Titus sees me on a wagon, he will charge." He says, "I gotta stay here."
"He finds his dead wife, he comes for you." Rachel says, and as she does Melia just looks between her parents, not saying anything as she knows that her mother has this under control.
"Well, let's just make sure you two are long gone by then." Miles says, clearly talking to Melia and Rachel.
"No, I'm not going." Rachel says.
"Me either." Melia says, deciding to speak to support her mother, as Miles looks less than happy at two of the three most important women in his life.
"What? We went through too much to save your life, I'm not going to let you die." Rachel says.
"Neither of us are." Melia reveals.
"We don't have a choice, Melia you know that." Miles tells his daughter, having no idea who is going to be easier to convince right now, his daughter or her mother, but he does know that either way he's in for a challenge.
"No, we do have a choice Miles." Rachel says, "We stay, we fight, we find a way out." Rachel says.
"Yeah? How?" Miles asks, "One hand tied behind my back? When this gets bad, I'm not gonna be able to…." Miles starts to say.
"Protect us? That it? Protect me? I don't need a martyr, Miles, I need you." Rachel says, clearly meaning that, "So how about we just protect each other, okay?"
"Mom's right, Dad." Melia says, "This family fights for each other, we always have, we can't stop now." Melia reminds her father, telling the complete truth.
"This is all very touching, but Rachel, get on this wagon or I'm going to throw you on, you two Melia." Gene says, but before Melia, Rachel or Gene can say something in response members of the Andover clan run through the wall, and start to kill everyone in their path and so Melia, Rachel, Miles, and Gene, go running Melia, Rachel and Miles going running straight to the barrels.
Once they are at the wagon Miles tries to light them, but it takes a few seconds, and once they are lit Melia, Miles, and Rachel go running as the barrels explode, killing some of the Andover men.
While some of the men get killed a couple don't and so Melia watches her parents closely and one she is sure that they aren't focused on her Melia stops running, pulls her sword and starts to fight, killing both of the men quiet easily, but during the fight, she loses sight of her parents.
"MELIA! BEYHIND YOU!" Gene yells, and Melia turns and continues to fight, but she didn't react fast enough, though no one other than her could tell, and as a consequence she gets slashed by a sword, on her left side, and she knows that it isn't a minor wound.
As it isn't the first time Melia has had a wound like that she doesn't let it stop her, instead she just keeps fighting, keeps taking down Andover clans members, with some assistance from her grandfather who has a shot gun.
For a few minutes Melia fights until suddenly the Andover clan members start to get taken down by guys in uniforms, with United States Flags on their shoulders,
"What the hell?" Melia asks, feeling completely confused.
"Melia!" Gene says, hurrying over to his granddaughter, knowing exactly what is going on even though he can't reveal that, "Your bleeding." He says, sounding concerned.
"I'm fine, Grandpa." Melia assures him, knowing that she is lying, "I've got to find Mom and Dad." Melia says, holstering her sword and going running.
Not long after she goes running, once she is sure she is sure she is out of her grandfather's sight, Melia stops near some bodies of the Andover clan, bends over, and rips the shirt of one who's shirt isn't bloody, and folds the ripped shirt a little, then lifts her shirt to press against the wound that is bleeding quiet a lot, and as she holds the shirt against the wound with one hand Melia steals a belt with the other, and then uses the belt to hold the ripped shirt in place.
"Tight, tights', good." Melia says to herself, and then she continues to go running, going after her parents, hoping that they are both okay.
While Melia is fighting, and patching her own wounds Rachel and Miles have ran down a little alley, where the two of them fight more than a few Andover clan's members, but they are both hurt, and Rachel takes an arrow to the chest, to Miles's horror, but like their daughter they are saved by the men in kaki with flags on their shoulders.
A few minutes after Melia temporarily patched her wound she sees her father, near where a United States Flag is being put up.
"DAD!" Melia says, running towards him, ignoring the pain in her side.
"Melia!" Miles says, feeling relieved as he sees her, and as soon as she is close enough Miles hugs his daughter close enough, "Aare you okay?" Miles asks, sounding worried.
"Where's Mom?" Melia asks, ignoring her father's question, and the two of them break apart, "Dad? Where's Mom?" Melia asks, sounding worried, and once more her father doesn't answer, and so Melia goes running in the direction her father came from.
"MELIA!" Miles calls, going running after her.
About half a minute later Melia sees her mother on the ground, unconscious, with an arrow in her chest and the men in karki all around her, clearly helping her.
"MOM!" Melia yells, her voice breaking, as she runs towards her mother, but before she can her dad holds her back, and as he holds her back Gene goes running up to his daughter, with a medical bag.
About an hour later Melia, Miles, Gene, and Rachel who is still unconscious have arrived back at the Porter House, where Gene is still treating Rachel as Melia and Miles wait outside, both worried about Rachel and both of them wanting her to be okay more than anything.
As they have been waiting Melia and Miles have been standing in silence, Melia doing her best to ignore the pain she is feeling in her side, though if she had to guess she would say that Miles has at least begun to suspect that something is wrong.
Finally, after what feels like an alternately to both Melia and Miles, Gene finally walks out of the treatment room,
"How's Mom?" Melia asks, sounding worried.
"Unconscious, but stable." Gene reveals, "She should be okay."
"Oh, that's great." Melia says, looking relieved.
"It really is." Miles confirms, meaning that, "Now you need to look at Melia."
"What? I'm fine." Melia tells her father.
"After everything that's happened you really think I can't tell when you're hiding the fact that you're in pain?" Miles asks his daughter.
"Okay fine, I might be hurt, but I've had worse." Melia reveals, realising that there is no point in arguing.
"Considering some of the wounds you've had that doesn't say much." Miles tells his daughter, "So, you're gonna let your Grandpa check you out."
"Fine." Melia says, rolling her eyes, "But don't freak out, either of you." Melia requests.
"That doesn't sound good." Gene says, looking at his granddaughter in concern, "You said you were fine."
"Melia doesn't have a normal person's definition of fine." Miles reveals, "You should keep that in mind." He tells Gene.
"Yeah, well, I'm just like you and Mom, what do you expect?" Melia asks, as realising that there is no point in arguing anymore Melia removes her tank top to reveal the fact that she has a blood piece of cloth held in place against her side with a belt.
"MELIA!" Gene says, being able to tell from the amount of blood that is on the piece of cloth that it is something to be concerned about.
"Damn it Kid, you've got to sit down." Miles tells his daughter, knowing that that is even worse than he thought it was.
"No, she's got to lay down." Gene comments, "Um, go lie down on the kitchen table, I'm gonna have to stich it up." He says, knowing he'll deal with the mess later, but it is the best place to help Melia as Rachel is in the treatment room.
"Great, I'm gonna have matching scars on both my sides." Melia says, sounding sarcastic.
"Come on." Miles says, helping his daughter over to the table, "You know you're lucky you haven't bleed out by now."
"I used the belt to hold pressure." Melia reveals.
"Still not the best strategy, Melia." Miles tells his daughter, as he helps her onto the table, "It could have killed you before you admitted that you were hurt." He says, clearly worried.
"Honestly, I didn't even think about that." Melia admits, as she lays down, wincing as she lays down, "I was more worried about Mom."
"I know." Miles says, taking his daughters hand as Gene walks into the room.
"Even giving you something for the pain it's gonna hurt a lot." Gene tells his granddaughter.
"I can handle pain Grandpa, don't worry." Melia assures him, and as he is pretty sure that Melia is telling the truth about that he can't help but frown.
"I was watching you fight, I didn't see your react to getting hurt." Gene informs his granddaughter, as he undoes the belt that is holding the cloth in place and sees the full extent of Melia's injury, and as he sees it Miles and Gene exchange looks, both looking worried.
"Yeah, that's because it's been a long time since I reacted to a little pain." Melia comments, "Especially during a fight." She adds.
"That would have been more than a little." Gene tells his granddaughter, surprised by how calm and casual his daughter can be about such a serious wound.
"Like I said, I've had worse." Melia says, as Gene starts to treat his granddaughter's wound, and honestly Gene really doesn't like that and not for the first time in the past six months he has wonders what the hell his youngest granddaughter has been through, and as he sees the scars that are all over his youngest granddaughters' body, Gene's curiosity, and concern, only grows.
A couple of hours later Melia's wound has been stitched up, Miles's arm has been put in plaster, or the closest thing that is possible since the blackout, and he is sitting by Rachel's bedside when he hears footsteps and Melia walks in, having clearly snuck through the slightly open door.
"Melia, you should be resting." Miles tells his daughter, honestly not at all surprised by the fact that she isn't resisting.
"Yeah, so Grandpa kept saying." Melia admits, "But he's asleep now, and I wanted to see how Mom was doing." She admits, telling the truth.
"She's still unconscious, she'll likely be like this for a few days." Miles admits, "You should sit down." He informs her, knowing that if he can't get Melia to rest he can at least do that.
"Yeah." Melia says, sitting down across from her father, on her mothers' other side, "So, these US guys, any idea what we should be thinking?"
"Not yet." Miles admits, "But we need to be careful, at least until we figure out what is going on."
"Got to agree there." Melia admits, as she takes her mothers' hand.
"So, you're dating Gordon?" Miles asks his daughter.
"I'm not sure I'd call it dating." Melia admits, "We've just kissed a couple of times."
"Yeah, I don't like the sound of that." Miles says, and as he does Melia laughs, causing pain in her side.
"Dad, relax." Melia tells him, "He's a god guy, who thinks I need to have fun, and maybe he's right, but I don't know what's gonna happen. Right now, he makes me happy, isn't that what you want?" Melia asks, and honestly that stumps Miles for a few seconds,
"I still don't like him." Miles reveals.
"Don't expect you too." Melia says, looking amused and she and her father drift into silence as they sit either side of Rachel, both waiting for her to wake up, both needing her to be okay as both father and daughter know that neither of them will manage to handle Rachel dying.