Chapter 39
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In the Plains Nation, where it is raining, Charlie is just starting to wake up, and as she does she sees a canteen of water get thrown to the ground near her.
"Drink." Bass informs Charlie, who, still feeling quiet out of it, tries to move away from Bass.
"Take it easy." Bass instructs, "Take it easy!" he once more stresses, as Charlie tries to move away from him even further, "You've got to flush the drugs out of your system, drink." He says, and as she is actually thirsty Charlie takes the canteen, sits up, and takes a drink.
"How did you find me?" Charlie asks, as she is pretty sure that she made herself pretty hard to track.
"You're not as hard to track as you think." Bass says, as while she is pretty hard to track she isn't impossible.
"How long was I out?" Charlie asks curious, wanting to know how long she was unconscious with Bass for.
"A fall day." Bass admits, "Don't worry, I was complete gentlemen the whole time." He reveals.
"Why are you doing this?" Charlie asks, really not understanding what is going on, or why Bass is acting the way he is and she is pretty sure that her drugged effected brain isn't the only reason why.
"A show of faith." Bass reveals. "I need you to take me to Miles, and your Mom, and your sister." Bass reveals, "I know I can never make it up, but I've got to try." Bass says, telling the truth.
"Wow. Can you make your water like that, just, at will?" Charlie asks, slurring slightly as she is out of it.
"What?" Bass asks confused.
"Well, this whole, 'poor wounded Monroe' thing, I mean, it's pathetic." Charlie says, not even caring a little bit what she is saying, "You're a sociopath, you say what you need to get what you want. Behind the mask, you're cold and empty, and a kill, that's all." Charlie says, and once she speaks she sees a blade on the ground and she goes to grab it but Bass puts his foot on it, stopping her.
"You're right about one thing." Bass admits, as he holds Charlie, "I am good at killing, I'm very good, even better when I'm with your Uncle." Bass says.
"You mean father." Charlie corrects, the drugs affecting her so much that she doesn't realise the implication of what she just did by telling Bass the truth about who she is, nor does she realise that she just called Miles her father out loud.
"I knew it." Bass says, still not letting go of Charlie, being rather proud of himself at the fact that he was right when he guessed who Charlie's father is.
"Yay for you." Charlie says, it being clear that in the past six months her feeling about Miles being her father haven't changed a lot, though they have changed a little.
"My point is, for the time being at least, we're all on the same team." Bass admits, "Those US guys, they're gonna be a problem, a big one." Bass reveals, knowing that for sure.
"What if I tell you to go to hell?" Charlie asks.
"What makes you think you've got a choice?" Bass asks, and as he does he and Charlie drift into silence.
In Willoughby Aaron is looking out the window where he watches as kids who are trick or treating are greeting Patriots,
"Trick or treat to you too." One of the Patriots says,
"Happy Halloween." The other Patriot responds, and once he does Aaron closes the curtain, but as he does he starts to feel dizzy and his eyes roll back, and as they do Aaron sees, perfectly clearly, Melia and Miles at the Andover camp, and as they both look directly towards him, or what It seems like to him, he wakes up.
"Aaron, Aaron!" Cynthia, who has gotten right by Aaron's side in the time he's been unconscious says.
"It's okay. It's okay." Aaron assures her, "I'm okay." He says, having no idea what the hell just happened, but he doesn't want Cynthia to worry.
At the Andover Camp Melia and Miles are walking through when they see a whole lot of Fireflies together in one place.
"Aaron's right, they are acting weird." Melia tells her father, keeping her voice low.
"Yeah, they are." Miles confirms, feeling confused, and as he speaks the two of them hear a sound and so they exchange looks and follow the noise.
About a minute later Melia and Miles, both of whom have their swords drawn, walk into a room where they find Titus going though things in his clearly tossed office, and the second he enters Titus pulls a gun and Miles pushes Melia back, as even though, with his hand, she'd be able to fight better than him he is still going to do whatever he can to protect his daughter.
"Drop it!" Titus tells Miles.
"Okay, you're the boss." Miles says, dropping his sword.
"Her to." Titus says.
"Not gonna happen." Melia says, trying to figure out a way to get around her father so that she can attack, but she can't do that right now, and once she speaks Miles gives his daughter a look which tells her to drop the sword, because he wants answers, and so, quiet reluctantly, Melia drops her sword, only doing so because she realised what her father meant by the look.
"You? You're the one." Titus says looking directly at Miles.
"Take it easy." Miles advises, "Let's just talk." He says, trying to think of a way to get Melia to safety If needed.
"She was lovely, and perfect, and she died because of you." Titus explains, clearly getting angry, "And then that Judas betrayed me, he packed me and my children into those trains." He explains.
"Trains?" Melia and Miles ask together.
"What, what trains?" Miles asks.
"I escaped, but they're all there, they're all still there." Titus explains, "I was a loving father, but those Patriots, they're inhuman." Titus says, as he starts to walk towards Miles and Melia, "I lost everything, I lost the only person I ever loved because of you." Titus says, and as he does he cocks the gun, and fires it, but it doesn't go off.
The second the gun doesn't go off Miles pushes Melia back and charges at Titus, who has managed to grab a knife, and once he is close enough Miles fights Titus, trying to stop him from killing him with a knife, a fight that isn't going to great with Miles's hurt hand, but before things can go too far Melia ducks going under the arm that her father is using to try and hold Titus back, pulls Greg's knife, and stabs Titus, and pulls the knife out, causing him to fall to the ground, and within a few seconds he is dead.
"Thanks Kid." Miles tells his daughter, as while he still isn't sure about how he feels about his daughter killing he does know that she just saved his life, and so he's thankful for that.
"No need, I'm just doing what you've done for me a hundred times." Melia tells her father, "So, train yard?" Melia asks as Miles picks up both the swords.
"Train yard." Miles confirms, handing his daughter back her sword, hoping that they will actually find some answers there, "Maybe we'll get some answers there." He says, not really county on that, as both father and daughter holster their swords, and head out, knowing it will be a little while before they get to the trainyard.
While Melia and Miles are at the Steele Mill Rachel is sitting outside the two bar, drinking as she thinks about everything, what's she's gonna tell Melia, her fight with Gene, what all the Patriots could be up too, and honestly she can't help but feel like she is being watched, and surrounded, by all the Patriots.
As Rachel is sitting, drinking, and thinking about everything, Ken walks up and sits down across from his old friend, knowing her well enough to know that something is wrong,
"You want to tell me what the hell is going on with you?" Ken asks.
"I'm fine." Rachel lies, really not wanting to get into what is going on, partly because she doesn't want to put him in danger, before quickly drinking the rest of her drink.
"You look fine." Ken says, clearly disbelieving as Rachel takes Ken's drink and pours half into her glass.
"I don't want you involved." Rachel says, meaning that.
"You think I'm gonna let you off that easy?" Ken asks, "Don't forget who you're talking to." Ken says, and as he does Rachel knows exactly what he is referring to, "Remember when my Dad died?" Ken asks, and as he does Rachel remembers and can guess exactly why he is bringing that up, "Everyone else texted or called, but you, you were there." Ken says, "You drank with me, you watched Spaceballs with me," Ken says, causing Rachel to look slightly amused, and almost roll her eyes, "What a thousand times? I owe you." He says, "So, whatever's going on, let me help." He requests.
A little while later Rachel and Ken have moved from the bar to Ken's shop, and since moving to a more private location Rachel has explained everything about Randall, and the Patriots, though leading out the stuff about the Nano, and the two of them have drunk practically a whole bottle of wine.
"That's an incredible story." Ken says, and as he does Rachel nods,
"You wanted to know." Rachel reminds him.
"You're saying those US guys are behind the bombs?" Ken asks.
"I know It sounds crazy." Rachel admits.
"It sounds more than crazy." Ken reveals, "But you believe it? you think it's true?" he asks.
"It's true." Rachel corrects, not wanting another person she is close to think she is crazy, as Ken downs the rest of his drink.
"All right." Ken says, "What do you need me to do?" Rachel asks curious.
"People in town look up to you. They'll listen to you." Rachel says, "We have to be careful." Rachel says, and as she does Ken picks up the empty wine bottle.
"More wine." Ken says, as he stands up and he goes to take a step, and then gives Rachel a look to follow him, which she does, "Come on." He says, as they go.
About a minute or so later Rachel and Ken are walking down the stairs in Ken's shot, Ken holding a torch.
"It's cold." Rachel notes, as they enter the downstairs area.
"I put in insulation." Ken explains, "Watch your step." He says, as he hands Rachel the torch, before heading over to the door, and as Ken heads to the door Rachel looks around and realises something,
"Ken, where's the wine?" Rachel asks,
"It's in here." Ken says, referring to the locked room that he is trying to open.
"Right." Rachel says, realising that that makes sense.
"Can you bring that over here, please?" Ken asks, referring to the torch, "I can't see." He says, and as Rachel walks over to Ken she sees a piece of paper which has a drawing on it, a drawing she has seen before, in Truman's office, "Here we go." He says, getting the door open.
"You know, I should go." Rachel says, realising that she has to get away from Ken, as quickly as possible, "It's late, Melia's probably wondering where I am, and I'm a little drunk." Rachel says, purposely mentioning Melia so that Ken think someone is waiting for her and will do something if she doesn't show up.
"I thought we had a lot to talk about." Ken says, starting to become suspicious.
"Yeah, I'll come by first thing." Rachel says, "I'm just so tired." She says, before dropping the torch and going to run upstairs, but before she can get to far Ken grabs her leg, and pulls her down causing her to be knocked out by the stair.
A little while later Rachel wakes up, and the first thing she realises is she is tied up, with her hands above her head, as they are connected to a bar with a chain, and the second thing Rachel realises is that Ken is digging a hole, a hole that looks like it is a grave.
"What's going on?" Rachel asks, starting to wake up.
"I'm a Patriot, Rachel." Ken says, and as he does Rachel flashes back to Randall, "I'm a Patriot." He repeats.
"How long?" Rachel asks, needing to know.
"Seven years." Ken answers.
"Seven years?" Rachel asks, sounding shocked, realising that things may just be bigger than she thought.
"They've been working on this a long time, much longer than you think." Ken explains, before he continues to dig the hole and Rachel continues to try to get free, "A man approached me, said he needed me to make a better America, a cleaner one." He explains.
"Why Willoughby?" Rachel asks, as Ken starts to climb out of the hole.
"They have plans for dozens of places, they're everywhere." Ken explains, "They want every town, USA." Ken says as he whips his head with a cloth as he walks over to a bench, and picks up a knife, "You know, they didn't even want me to hurt you, they want you Rachel." He explains, causing Rachel to feel worry.
"What? What does that mean?" Rachel asks, as Ken turns to look at Rachel.
"But they'll understand." Ken admits, "Can't have you strolling around, telling everyone our secrets, telling everyone about the nukes." Ken says, as he walks towards Rachel.
"I'm crazy." Rachel says, "No one will believe me." She says, knowing that.
"You can be very convincing." Ken informs Rachel.
"I will leave town, I will get Melia, and we will be long gone." Rachel says, "Listen, I will not tell…" Rachel starts to say.
"No." Ken says.
"Anyone, I promise." Rachel reveals.
"No, no, because once you start, you never stop, it's who you are." Ken admits, "I do wish this turned out another way." He says, telling the truth, "You know, secretly, I've always had a crush on you." Ken says, as he reaches out and touches Rachel's face, "That's my problem, too many secrets, I'm sorry." He says before going to stab Rachel, but before he can Rachel headbutts Ken, then knocks him down, once he is knocked down Rachel tries to reach for the knife with her foot, and tries to get free, but doesn't have much success.
After about half a minute later Ken starts to move and Rachel, realising that she has only one choice, hurts her hand to try to get free, which she succeeds in doing, and once she is free she picks up the knife, and stabs Ken.
Once she has stabbed Ken Rachel raises the knife, goes to stab him again, but she sees that he is dead and so she drops the knife.
Over the next half an hour or so Rachel buries Ken, wipes down the entire shop so that her prints aren't anywhere, cleans up the evidence of her and Ken's evening and then takes the information she wants, blows out the candles and leaves, going straight to Miles's as that's where the two of them agreed to meet once Miles and Melia get back from investigating things outside the wall.
Not far from where Rachel is, at Aaron's and Cynthia's house, they are both in bed together, as he lies in bed Aaron realises something and so he opens his eyes.
"Are you watching me sleep?" Aaron asks.
"No." Cynthia lies.
"Look, Cyn, I just got a little light-headed." Aaron says, trying to get Cynthia to calm down.
"You collapsed, Aaron." Cynthia says, clearly worried, "You're seeing Doctor Porter first thing in the morning."
"Okay." Aaron says, realising that there is no point in arguing, and as he does he realises something, "I'm sorry, it's gonna be a little hard for me to fall asleep, if you're giving me the creepy eye." He admits.
"I'll stop, I promise." Cynthia assures him.
Outside the town Melia and Miles have arrived at the train yard and the father and daughter both easily jump a fence and start to explore. As they explore Melia and Miles make sure to stay together as they move in silence.
As they move Miles notices something and so he signals to Melia to get down, and then once they are both hidden Miles gestures over to the train where they see the Andover clan in a one of the box carts and Patriots all around. As they watch Miles and Melia watch as the Patriots kill some of the Andover Clan members,
"Dad? What is it?" Melia asks in a whisper, as she notices the look her father got on his face as they watch the Patriot kill.
"The guy pulling the trigger, he was with the Andover's." Miles explains, but before Melia can respond they both hear the sound of guns being clocked.
"Who are you two?" A patriot asks, and Melia and Miles both stand up, both knowing that they have guns pointed at their heads.
As they stand Miles gives a slightest look to his daughter, and realising what he wants Melia carefully, and quietly, opens the holster where her knife is in as Miles hits the guy with the gun on him, causing a bullet to go off, though miss both Melia and Miles, and as Miles elbows one guy away Melia stabs the other, before he can shoot her, and then Miles slashes the other with a sword.
"Let's go." Miles tells his daughter, and the both go running, knowing they have seconds before every Patriot in the area is on them.
About half a minute later Melia and Miles get to the fence which they both jump once more, Miles making sure that Melia goes over first.
Once they are over the fence Melia and Miles find their paths blocked by two Patriots, and so both father and daughter pull their swords in perfect unison.
"Hold it! Don't move." One Patriot says.
"Don't get cute." The other patriot says, and as he does Melia looks to her father, wanting a clue about what to do, but before Miles can give her an idea, or one of the Patriots can react a tone of fireflies come out, seemingly out of nowhere, and then all a sudden two Patriots catch on fire.
"That's new." Melia realises, "What the hell was that?" Melia asks, looking at her father, feeling completely confused, and hoping that he has an answer.
"No idea, run." Miles tells his daughter, and he pulls her along as they both start to run.
Far away from where Melia and Miles are, in Willoughby Aaron suddenly wakes up, having seen everything that just happened to Melia and Miles.
After leaving the train yard Melia and Miles head straight back to Willoughby, and by the time they get back To Miles's place, an old photography studio, it's day time. The trip having taken so long as Miles wanted to make sure they weren't being followed.
When Melia and Miles get back to Miles's studio apartment they find Rachel waiting, Miles noticing that Rachel's hand is bandaged, but before Miles can ask Rachel about it Melia speaks,
"Mom." Melia says, hurrying over to her mother, and hugging her, after everything that happened she needs a hug from her mother.
"Are you okay?" Rachel asks her daughter, knowing she won't be in a minute.
"Physically yeah, not sure about otherwise after what we just saw." Melia admits, as she and her mother break apart.
"Rachel, what happened to your hand?" Miles asks, clearly concerned.
"It's a long story." Rachel admits, giving Miles a 'not now' look, "Melia, I've got to tell you something." Rachel reveals, as and she does Miles realises that Rachel has bad news form Melia, knowing that from the look she gave him, as well as her tone of voice.
"What is it?" Melia asks, already knowing that what her mother has to tell her is bad news.
"A while after sunset the Patriots brought a body to Dad." Rachel reveals, putting her hands on Melia's shoulders, "I'm sorry Melia, but it was Bryce."
"What, no." Melia says, tears coming to her eyes, "You're lying." Melia says, even though she knows her mother wouldn't lie about that.
"Melia." Miles says, taking a step towards his daughter.
"No! He can't be dead, he wanted to go out last night! But I said no, he can't be dead." Melia says, starting to cry a little and honestly her mind goes straight to the fact that if she had said yes then maybe he wouldn't have died, "We have plans tonight, he can't be gone, he can't be dead." Melia says, almost like she doesn't want to believe that.
"He is, I'm so sorry Melia." Rachel tells her daughter, "They said the Andover's killed him, but I think they were lying." She says, looking at Miles, before she takes another step closer to her daughter, and starts to hug Melia, but as she does Melia starts to fight her mother's arms.
"No, no, no." Melia says, as she starts to hit, not very painfully, her mother's chest, as she cries while her mother tries to hug her.
"Melia, stop." Miles tells his daughter, grabbing her hands from behind and practically hugging her from behind as Rachel holds their daughter, Miles not wanting Melia to hurt herself or Rachel.
"I'm sorry, I'm so sorry." Rachel tells her daughter, and as speaks Melia's legs give way and she starts to cry, as she is held up by both her parents, both wishing they could take away the pain that their daughter is in.
In Georgia Tom Neville, who has spent the last few days trying to find out where Allenford sent his son, is standing in front of Patriots giving orders, doing the job that usually belongs to a man he killed the night before.
"Taylor? You got food distro." Tom says, "Take a couple of extra guards to control the crowds." Tom says, "Patrick, for the love of god, shut down that opium den, on route three." Tom says, talking about the opium dead that he used the night before to kill the guy who's job he now has.
"What's going on?" Allenford asks, coming to the doorway of the tent.
"Well, Cooke didn't show." Tom reveals, "Someone had to saddle up, when's he coming in?" Tom asks.
"He was transferred to another camp." Allenford lies.
"I see, well, I'm happy to step aside. Let someone else run point." Tom says.
"You seem to be doing just fine, Tom, please continue." Allenford says, before leaving and once she does Tom continues to give out duties to the other men.
Back in Texas, it has been a while since Rachel told Melia about Bryce and the youngest Matheson is no longer crying, but instead is sitting on her father's bed, leading against the headboard with the legs out straight while her parents are sitting on the end of the bed, both drinking as they talk about what happened during the night, as they keep glancing over to Melia, it being clear they are concerned about her.
"They just burst into flames?" Rachel asks, feeling shocked.
"I can't keep talking about it." Miles admits, telling the truth, as he takes a drink.
"And wat the hell is this?" Rachel asks, showing Miles the paper she took from Ken, as she puts down her drink.
"You got me." Miles admits.
"If they got to Ken, they could get to anyone." Rachel says, "We need to be careful, I need to be careful." Rachel says, clearly feeling guilty.
"You didn't know." Miles reminds her.
"I charged right in, I didn't pay attention." Rachel says, "I could've seen something in his face."
"It's not your fault, Mom." Melia assures her mother, finding her voice as she doesn't want her mother to find guilty.
"Melia's right, the guy was wearing a hell of a mask." Miles tells Rachel, "Look, both of you, whatever's going on here, we can fix it." Miles reveals, looking between his girls, and as he speaks Rachel gives him a look, "What?" Miles asks.
"Last time I tried to fix something I broke everything." Rachel reveals.
"All right, come on, Rachel." Miles tells her, not wanting Rachel to feel that way.
"Who's to say it's not gonna happen again." Rachel says.
"It's not gonna happen, I won't let it.' Miles says.
"Neither will I." Melia assures her mother, who smiles slightly back at her.
"So, what do we do?" Rachel asks.
"Well, this is an occupation, every good occupation deserves a resistance, right?" Miles asks.
"Now we're talking." Melia says, managing something that is almost a smirk as she looks at her father.
Outside of town Charlie, and Bass are on wagon together, and as they pass a sign that says they are Ten Miles away from Willoughby Charlie, who is feeling a lot more like herself realises that she told Bass the truth about who she is, about who her father is, and as she remembers that she can't help but think, 'oh crap', being pretty sure that she made a huge mistake that is going to come back and bite her, and her family, in the ass.