CHAPTER 52

John was still recovering from the fact that Uly had them all snatched up by the Terrians. Before John could speak another word to Uly, the kid was already walking away. Devon and Yale were distracted by the cries and pleas of the escaped colonists, and John rolled his eyes as nosy New Pacificans began to wind their way toward the spectacle. The town was falling apart. Didn't they have anything better to do?

Suddenly Morgan came running down the steps of town hall and through the park in the town square, his hair falling out of its ponytail, his long jacket swirling behind him. "What the hell is going on here?" he yelled.

John, torn between following Uly to the hospital to see True and his duty as mayor, rushed to meet him. "You tell me, Martin. What the hell happened?"

"Big storm, Danziger. What's it look like?" Morgan replied harshly, throwing his arms around him to encompass the entire town in one large gesture. He then took a deep breath and softened his voice. "I know you need to check on True. Bess is with her now. But I need help, and you're the best guy for this kind of thing." Morgan began counting off his troubles on his fingers. "There's flooding, power outages, people trapped. We need about a hundred Danzigers right now."

John shook his head in frustration. He placed his gear on his head. "Keep in touch. I'll see what I can do." He began to turn away, but Morgan grabbed his arm to stop him.

"And town hall is triage right now. The hospital is overflowing. Those damn Aquans nearly killed us, I know it," Morgan hissed.

John glared at Morgan's hand before yanking his arm from his grasp. "Yeah, you might be right. Seems like Uly put a stop to it, but I'm not sure how. I need to get some answers from him."

Morgan's eyes widened in concern. "Uly? You found him? When we found True and not Uly, we didn't know what to think…"

John turned around and realized Uly hadn't waited for him and had already made his way inside the hospital. "Uly Adair," he muttered to himself.

Morgan took in the group of newly arrived colonists, some of whom were sobbing softly, others standing dumbfounded. Some were grasping at Devon, looking for answers and some sort of consolation. Yale was trying to keep them calm and wasn't having any success trying to keep them from touching her.

Morgan sighed loudly and rolled his eyes at the wild display. "Why'd you bring them here? They were better off in the caves. We'd all be better off in the caves, if there were room for nine hundred people."

"I didn't bring anybody here!" John said, trying not to shout. "It was the Terrians. It was Uly." He tapped his gear. "Alonzo, what the hell did Uly say to you? Get in touch with Morgan ASAP." Without another word, he tapped his gear again to end his order. He faced Morgan again. "There. And maybe I'll get a clue as to what's going on one of these days. But I gotta check on True."

"I've got enough to do right now than try to find a place for these…strays," Morgan grunted, pointing sharply at the panicked group.

At this point, John couldn't care less about these people. He'd send them back to those caves in a heartbeat, if he could.

Baines stepped forward and placed a hand on his arm. "Listen, Danz, I'll get these guys situated, ok? I can figure out where to put them, what to do with them. You and Yale just get to True."

"Thanks, Baines," John said, sighing in relief and gratitude. "Just make them sit tight and keep them from doing anything crazy. Who knows what the hell they might do after everything they've just seen."

Baines nodded and managed to restore order with the colonists. It seemed they were desperate for a plan and someone to tell them what to do.

As Yale and Devon made their way to him, John faced Morgan, knowing he needed to take a moment to settle things. "Morgan, you can do this. Just hold down the fort. Got it?"

Morgan gave a sharp nod, obviously angry and frustrated. "Yeah, like usual, right?"

John felt a sharp pang of guilt. Morgan had taken on a lot more than he'd bargained for lately with John out of the picture so much. And he'd done a pretty decent job of it, John had to admit. He'd have to make sure Morgan got plenty of time off. But not too soon. It didn't look like any of them would be getting a break for a while.

As if reading his face, Morgan appeared to relax and said, "True's gonna be ok."

John had to remember that no matter how much Morgan could drive him nuts, Morgan and the kids were close. "Damn right, she is," John replied.

With another nod, Morgan rushed back to town hall, Jackie in the doorway beckoning to him with an anxious look on her face. She waved hello to John before disappearing back into the building.

Devon looked like she was about to ask John a barrage of questions and then thought better of it. Yale gave his shoulder an encouraging squeeze as the three of them hurried to enter the hospital.

"Julia?" John asked, tapping his gear.

"I'm with her now. And with Uly," she said simply, instructing them on where to go.

John's heart was in his throat, and he tried to prepare himself for the worst. But he couldn't even let himself imagine what that might be.

Devon and Yale kept silent, thankfully. He knew they were just as clueless as he was, and any platitudes would ring false.

He opened the door to the room, and he froze. His little girl, hooked up to mysterious machines, the beeping of the equipment. That still look on her face and the limpness of her body. God, Ellie, he thought. His eyes filled with tears and he tried to choke them down. How many years had he forced himself to visit her, knowing it would never bring him peace? How many times had Alex and his mother begged him to let her go? And now, True.

Devon laid a hand on his arm. He was blocking the doorway, and Devon and Yale were stuck in the hall, eager to get inside.

John hadn't even noticed Uly and Bess by True's bedside until Bess stood and came toward him. She wrapped her arms around him. She'd been crying, but she suddenly seemed to be ready to dry her tears and be strong for him instead.

"She's going to be alright, honey," she said quietly, maternally. "She just needs to recover."

Julia stepped forward. "She has a head injury and lost a lot of blood. She inhaled some water being out in that rain. But she's going to be fine. We just need to give her time."

John realized his arms were stiff at his sides as Bess held him, and he raised his arms to hug her back. His arms felt so heavy and numb.

Bess took his hand and led him to the chair. Uly moved behind it, his brows furrowed.

"Have a seat," Bess said with a smile. "Hold her hand. Talk to her. I know she wants to hear your voice."

What does it matter? John thought to himself. Ellie had never heard him. Never responded. How he had prayed for a single twitch of Elle's finger, her lip to curl up in her usual mischievous grin. The same grin she'd passed on to her little girl without ever knowing it.

He needed the arm rests to help steady himself as he lowered himself into the chair. Otherwise, he would have just fallen right into it.

Yale approached the bed from the other side. He stroked True's cheek with a shaking hand. "Dear girl," he whispered.

Devon stood by Yale's side, seemingly unsure of what to do. "It's lucky she was found when she was. And that they were able to bring her here," Devon said.

Her usual optimism, of course. He was grateful for it and just nodded, his fear for True turning to anger. "What happened with the Aquans, Uly? Why the hell would they do something like this?"

Uly didn't answer, and John knew he wasn't really looking for an explanation. He just wanted someone to blame. Somewhere to focus his hurt and rage. If Hunter was right, these storms were inevitable. And since it seemed the Aquans were responsible, it was possible they just didn't know, or care, what was in the way.

After a few moments of awkward silence, John grumbled, "Devon, you don't need to stay here. You have plenty to do. And True isn't going anywhere."

For a split second, Devon looked hurt before putting up that face she was so damn good at. She nodded slowly.

"I'll go with you, Devon," Yale offered, taking her hand. "John is right. True is in good hands. And the others need help."

"Uly? I need you to help me with something," Devon said, beckoning to him.

Uly seemed reluctant to follow and leave True, but after a sharp nod from John, he went to his mother's side.

John kept his eyes on True as the three of them began to meet up by the door. Then it hit him like a crashing wave. Although he didn't know what exactly Uly had done, he'd done a lot. And it had taken courage and strength, no doubt. Before they could leave, John rose out of his seat and pulled Uly into a bear hug. "You did good, son," he whispered into his ear.

Uly's head nodded against his chest as Uly wrapped his arms around him. "You, too, son," he whispered back.

John shoved him away gently as Uly smirked back at him. "Get outta here," John said with a laugh. He loved that little brat.

But then John was left alone with Bess and Julia, and the seriousness of True's situation hit him all over again.

"She's on a steady incline, John," Julia stated. "I promise. I could help move things along, but honestly, I'd rather not when she's healing on her own."

"You need to take care of other patients, Julia," John replied. "Don't feel you need to hang around for my sake."

Julia nodded and left without another word. She'd said what she needed to say. John appreciated that about her. She didn't have to talk things to death like Devon. Although Devon had been noticeably quiet since the Terrians had dumped them in the town square.

John let himself drop into the seat again. Bess crouched down by his side. "I'll stay with True," she offered. "You heard Julia. And, you know I understand how much you want to wait here, but, well… Morgan needs your help. He's been working his tail off lately, and he needs you. The town needs you."

John felt his lip curl in a sneer at the suggestion that he leave his daughter's side. But it quickly turned to a grimace of pain. "I can't lose her, Bess."

She put an arm around him, and he laid his head on her shoulder and just let himself cry.

"It's going to be alright," Bess said, rubbing his back.

He definitely appreciated having Bess there with him. It wasn't the first time over the years he'd let himself lose it around her. But John suddenly wished he hadn't sent Devon away. That she would be the one comforting him right now. That everything would be alright between them and they could count on each other and help each other through this mess.