Chapter 11: Traveling across the country

Train box car. Somewhere over the Plains Nation. Late afternoon

Charlie slowly comes awake. The first thing she feels is a throbbing in her upper arm. Then she notices the rumble of the train beneath her, and finally the feel of something warm, a warm body. A familiar warm body. She opens her eyes and everything comes back to her. The train station. Louis from the bar. He shot her. She gingerly rolls her shoulder. Ouch, that wasn't a good idea. She realizes that her hand had been resting on...her eyes dart up... Monroe's chest. He is still asleep.

She thinks back again. Monroe gave himself up to Louis without even trying. Just walked out with no weapons. That was really stupid. The more she thinks about the angrier she becomes. They could have figured something else out. Instead he gave himself up without a fight. She rolls away from Monroe onto her back and sees that Miles is sitting at the far end of the box car, where the door has been opened about a foot to let in ventilation. She quietly gets up and joins him.

Surprisingly, he doesn't say anything about Bass or the fact that she's just been sleeping against his chest. "How's the arm?"

"Sore."

He nods his head. "Train's slowing down. Probably a rest stop." They quietly sit and watch the outside world.

Monroe wakes up mad too. He's not mad that he gave himself up for Charlie, because he would do that again in a heartbeat. No, he's mad that he allowed himself to have feelings for a woman again. For this particular woman. Strong feelings. People like Louis will continue to use that against him and he's putting her life in danger. Rachel is right. He hates that Rachel is right. He doesn't want Charlie dragged into the mess of his life, paying for his mistakes.

POP POP POP!

Everyone in the box car wakes up when they hear gunshots outside. Miles and Charlie peer out their door, as Monroe and Connor open the other door a small amount.

Outside they hear, "Everyone drop their valuables out the windows. Don't try to be clever, because we're coming in!" "They're robbing the train," says Connor. "Thank you Captain Obvious," says Miles. People are screaming and crying. It's not pretty out there. "We have to help them," says Rachel. "No we don't," Miles and Monroe both say, still watching by the doors. "Ahh shit," says Miles. "They've got a hostage. It's a fucking kid." They can hear outside, "Pass over your valuables or he dies!"

"Okay, Connor, Rachel, you cover me and Bass from here. Charlie," he looks to the top of the box car where there's a small ventilation hatch. "You're up there. Aaron, help her stack all these boxes."

When everyone is in place, Miles and Monroe leap out from the box car taking the robbers by surprise. "Let the boy go and we'll let you live," Miles calls out.

The robbers look to find guns pointed at them seemingly everywhere – in front of them, the side of the box car, and the top. They're surrounded.

"You think we're bluffing here?" Monroe calls out. "Let them go or I won't hesitate to blow your heads off." He cocks his gun. This is therapeutic for his anger.

The game is up and the robbers know it. They let the kid go, and grab some of the valuables before jumping on their horses and riding off. The passengers pile into the rest stop building, hugging and crying.

"What are you, John Wayne?" Miles says to Monroe. Bass shrugs. "If they're going to rob a train like the wild west, I can be John Wayne."

"Who's John Wayne?" asks Connor, who's joined them along with Charlie, Rachel, and Aaron. Miles and Bass ignore him.

"You!" the train driver is coming towards them. "You're a menace! All of you! Off my train!"

"Are you kidding me?" Monroe says, pointing at him. "We saved your asses. You should be giving us a goddamned medal."

"Okay," Miles turns to Bass. "Maybe not quite so aggressive." He turns to the driver. "But we did just save your train. So how about we all just take a break, get something to eat, and head back on our way?"

The driver seems unconvinced. "Think of us as your security team," says Aaron. 'Yeah, yeah, okay." He's coming around. "You can stay in the box car." "How about we sit in the passenger car?" Aaron is really tired of being in the box car. "We'll sit quietly in the back. Keep an eye on things."

Amazingly, the driver is okay with that. Half an hour later, they're all back on the train. Miles sits with Rachel. Connor sits next to Aaron and quizzes him about life at Google. Connor is fast becoming obsessed with the world of Big Tech that existed before the Blackout.

Bass chooses a seat in the back, next to a companion seat that is too broken to sit on. That's fine by Charlie. He's clearly sulking about something, so she'll let him sulk, especially because she's still annoyed with him anyway. She sits in front of Aaron and Connor and listens to Aaron tell stories of the good old days.

Hours later. Southeast corner of the Plains Nation.

The train slows to a stop and the conductor calls out, "Kansas Station! End of the line! If you're taking the train to Georgia Federation, train leaves in an hour."

They all eat and then go their separate ways for a bit until the next train comes. Monroe is especially quiet. He hasn't been this close to the Republic and his beloved Philadelphia in a long time. He takes a walk to clear his head, even though he knows it's a terrible idea since they're so close to the Republic.

When he returns to the station, he finds Charlie sitting on a bench, first aid kit opened next to her, putting antiseptic on her arm. Just seeing her calms him, even as guilt continues to prick at this conscience. He sits down on the bench across from her. She looks to him and then back at her arm, tossing the cloth with antiseptic back on the bench. He's been a moody little shit for the past few hours, but she's still mad too, so this feels like a good time to pick a fight.

"You shouldn't be wondering off by yourself in this part of the country," she says without looking at him. The idiot.

He doesn't respond, just watches her dabbing at her injury. He's relieved to see that it will heal nicely, but still angry at himself for putting her in the situation where she could get hurt in the first place.

This man is so frustrating. Charlie thinks. So cavalier with his own life, and then doesn't say a thing when someone calls him out on it.

She stops dabbing at her arm and looks at him. "Why did you give yourself up? Miles could have gotten the shot. Hell, Connor could have."

He just looks at her, arms crossed over his body. "Miles didn't have a shot. I didn't know what Connor would do."

She rolls up the antiseptic cloth and tosses it back into the first aid kit. "I don't want you doing that for me."

"I wasn't doing it for you."

She doesn't understand that, but she lets it go because she realizes she has a problem – she can't tie the bandage around her arm by herself. She stares at it, willing a better option to present itself than asking Monroe for help. There's no one else around, so she's going to have to suck it up. She huffs out a breath and slides her gaze over to him.

He raises an eyebrow in response.

"A little help here?" she says.

He can't help but smile. She's actually asking for help. "See how easy that was?" He crosses the space to sit next to her. Their fingers touch as he takes the bandage from her. As he rolls it around her arm, the back of his hand comes dangerously close to the side of her breast, and she finds herself holding her breath. Damn Monroe.

He finishes and ties it tight.

She hisses in surprised pain. "A little warning might have been nice."

He ignores her, turning away and leaning his elbows on his knees. He lets out a breath. "I know you can take of yourself. But when someone uses you to get to me, I have a problem with that."

She thinks back to what Louis said about her being Monroe's woman. "That's just because he saw us in the bar." "It'll happen again." "Get over yourself." She leans down to pick up the first aid kit.

"I'm not going to let you get killed because of me," he says, looking over his shoulder at her. "I'm not going to let you give yourself up to save me."

He looks forward again. "Well we're at an impasse, aren't we?" He stands up without looking at her and walks away.

She just stares at him. What the hell just happened?

"Hey." She jumps, and turns to see Miles approaching her. He looks to where Monroe has walked away. "You guys have a fight?"

"Just Monroe being Monroe." She gathers her things.

He puts his hands on his hips and looks at her. "You scared him Charlie. When that guy grabbed you."

She turns her head to look at Miles, then looks back to where Monroe walked away. That thought never occurred to her.

"And you know Bass," Miles continues. "He acts on his instincts. Maybe cut him some slack."

She considers this for a second. "That's his problem, not mine." She turns to pick up her pack. "Shall we?"

Miles just shakes his head. These two. So stubborn.

On the Train to the Georgia Federation

"Now this is a nice train!" Aaron is impressed.

"Did you have your own trains when you were at Google?" Connor asks. "I had my own plane! Which was a hell of a lot nicer than this, but this isn't bad."

Charlie is getting tired of listening to Connor ask Aaron questions about Google, so she takes a walk through the train cars. It really is a nice train. The Georgia Federation is much more civilized. She decides to explore the train.

She comes across Monroe sitting at the back of an almost-empty passenger car. He's reading what passes as a newspaper, but she can tell that he knows she's there. She remembers what Miles said about cutting him slack. She's also really bored and misses his company, and she's just starting to feel comfortable admitting that to herself.

She plops down next to him, sliding her eyes over briefly to him. "Stop sulking." "I'm not sulking." "Yes you are." 'Why are you here?"

"I needed a seat." She waves a hand at him. "Give me a section."

He makes a point of searching the almost-empty train car with his eyes and then sliding his eyes back to her. Everything he's done to mess up her life, and she still chooses to sit next to him. He doesn't deserve her.

They hear giggling from the doorway of the car. Two pre-teen boys approach their seats. The boys fidget nervously before one finally asks, "Are you Sebastian Monroe?"

Monroe lifts his head. "What?"

The first boy points to his brother. "He says you're Sebastian Monroe but I said you aren't because you aren't wearing your uniform."

"He doesn't have to wear it all the time you dummy," responds his brother. Bass just looks at them. "Sebastian Monroe is dead."

"I can assure he's not Sebastian Monroe." Charlie says to the kids. "It's not a good idea to be roaming around the train." She looks purposefully back to the door they came through. The boys give another look to Monroe, the older one gives a long look at Charlie too, and then they leave.

Monroe raises an eyebrow to her.

She also raises one in mockery. "You think those kids came back here to kill me?"

"They probably saw us together earlier and followed you back here to get to me."

She does think it'd odd that the kids came back there, she says nothing.

He looks out the window to gather his thoughts, before waving a hand between the two of them. "This can't happen."

She raises her eyebrows. "I can't sit here? That's taking sulking a bit far. Give me a section."

"No, we can't happen. This. You and me." "I never said I wanted it to." That hits her right in the heart, but she'll be damned if she lets him

know that. She grabs a section with a little more force than necessary. Well that hurt. But what did he want her to do – plead with him? This is Charlie. "You wanted it last night," he has his General Monroe face on as he stares at the paper. "So did you." She can put on her game face too, as she stares at the paper.

They're both intensely aware of how close their bodies are. Their shoulders almost touching. Their thighs almost touching. She remembers the feel of his arms around her, hands touching her. He thinks about how good it felt to touch her, feel her, kiss her...

But they're both equally stubborn, and push those thoughts away. "It's dangerous to be around me. You'll get hurt. Or worse."

"I can take care of myself, Monroe. But you certainly aren't helping things by strolling around where everyone can see you. It's like putting a sign on your back."

"Well I can't hide away and still do what I need to do." "Ditto." "If you're around me, you're a target." "So is everyone!"

"No. Not the same way."

"So now I'm supposed to hide away?"

He looks to the window. Why doesn't she get it? "That's not what I'm saying."

She does get it, but she's equally afraid of what is happening between them. "It'll be fine. Just don't do stupid things for me Monroe." She goes back to her paper.

"Fine. I'm more than happy to let you take care of yourself." He goes back to his. "Good."

"But if one more person comes into this car and recognizes me, I will physically move you myself."

"Well that would defeat the purpose of not being seen together, wouldn't it?" "I'd take that one risk." She gives a little smile because she knows how absurd this is. They read quietly for a while, eventually switching sections, giving Charlie the front page.

"So someone's taken over the White House, but they don't know who?" Charlie asks, after reading the front page.

He shrugs. "There doesn't appear to have been a VP, so...maybe Blanchard? Hell, it could be Affleck from California. Whoever it is isn't allowing anyone in to write about it."

"Did you tell Miles?" "He's the one who gave it to me." "I guess we have some idea of what we're getting into."

Harrisburg, 30 miles from Washington DC

Despite the bomb that took out Atlanta, this part of the Georgia Federation still looks like it did before. The town of Harrisburg looks like an old southern town before electricity was invented. Old fashioned street lamps with kerosene, lots of candle light. The buildings are nicely painted, and flowers are everywhere.

They choose a hotel that is a series of small buildings surrounding a courtyard. "This town is beautiful," Rachel says to the innkeeper. "It reminds me of before the Blackout."

The innkeeper smiles proudly. "We've been working hard. Times have been tough the past couple of years." He gives the group a look. "You family?"

"Mostly, yes."

"Well the hotel's pretty empty right now. I can give you each your own room if you like."

"That would be wonderful, thank you."

As he hands them their keys, he looks at Miles and then Monroe. "You've been through here before haven't you? You look familiar. You with that new government?"

"Uh, no, I've never been here," Monroe says, before ducking his head and feigning interest in some artwork. The closer they get to the eastern border, the more they're all realizing that there is a very good chance that Miles and Monroe will be recognized.

"Okay, how many keys do we need?" "We'll take one," Miles says, indicating him and Rachel.

"Here you go." He hands the key to Miles and looks at Charlie. "And who's your fella?" He briefly looks at Monroe, Connor, and – very briefly – Aaron.

"No fella." She grabs the key out of his hand.

He winks at her. "Good for you. You know, they say there's a woman running things in Washington."

"Yeah?"

"Yep. We've been getting some people coming in and out, and that's what I hear, and I sure hope it's true. Women are better at that kind of thing."

'We sure are."

"You remind me of my daughter," he gives her a smile and then distributes the remaining keys.

** They meet in Monroe's room to strategize their plan.

"A woman?" Miles says. "Foster? You don't think Affleck came all the way from California." "She could have," says Monroe. "That sounds like her."

"You know her?" Charlie asks, before stopping that thought and rolling her eyes. "Of course you know her."

Monroe just gives her a look. "She came to the Republic once to discuss trade." "I bet." "It could be Neville's wife. She's ambitious and never seems to die," Miles says. "She was something else," agrees Monroe.

"Maybe we head out tonight," Miles suggests. "See what people are talking about."

That ends up being no help. This is a town like any other, with people talking about normal things. "I don't understand how people can be so close to power and have no interest in it," Connor says.

"Because not everyone cares about it," Miles snaps back. "Says the guy who's planning to bust into the White House tomorrow." "Keep your voice down," hisses Miles. "But fair point." "It's not like everyone in San Francisco was talking about Facebook all the time," said Aaron. "I would have been," Connor says as the conversation moves on.

As dinner continues, Charlie starts to realize how many people are looking their way. Monroe purposely has his back to the room, and made sure that she wasn't sitting next to him, so he doesn't notice what she does. But she surreptitiously watches the room to see who they're looking at. Is it Monroe? Is it Miles? Monroe catches her eye and raises an eyebrow in question. She slightly shrugs a shoulder and shakes her head. Something is weird, but I don't know what it is. He stiffens in awareness of his surroundings.

"Excuse me." They all – except Monroe – look up to see a man in his 30s, wearing a hoodie. He looks to Aaron. "Are you Aaron Pittman?"

"Uh, yeah I am."

"Holy shit I thought that was you! I fucking worship you, man! Could I get your autograph?" He shoves a piece of paper and a pen at him.

"Oh, uh...yeah." He signs the man's paper, and watches in wonder when the man goes back to his seat. That hasn't happened in a long time. Not since that reporter recognized him about a year ago.

Connor is mesmerized. Of all the people at this table, it's probably Aaron who could ultimately have the most power. He certainly did once upon a time.

Unfortunately, Aaron's fanboy had created a bit of a scene and now more people are watching them. "Time to go," Miles says.

But as the least recognizable members of their group, Connor and Charlie decide to explore the little town. Monroe watches them go, not happy at all about that. Miles watches Monroe watch Charlie. "There's nothing between them, you idiot."

Monroe looks at him in surprise. "I don't know what you're talking about." "Sure you don't."

Charlie and Connor nurse drinks at a bar, Connor sharing stories of Mexico. She envies him in a way, because he had adventures. He's been outside the former United States. He envies her growing up with a real family, dysfunctional they may be.

"Tell me about Monroe," he says. "All I know is the stories. That he was this evil dictator who escaped after the bombs dropped."

She gazes into her glass, sifting through the stories she'd heard about Monroe versus the man she knows. "He was a dictator. Deadly. Terrifying. Most of the stories about him are probably true." She pauses. "Except the bombs. He wasn't there when the bombs dropped. He wasn't directly responsible for that."

"What are you not telling me?"

"They were dropped by a man named Randall Flynn. He was DoD. Department of Defense." She pauses, remembering.

"Annnnd?" "Monroe let him into the Republic thinking he was going to turn the lights back on."

"Ahh." She's quiet so Connor goes on. "And if Monroe was so awful, what do you see in him now?"

What a loaded question. She can feel her face heat as she contemplates her feelings for Monroe. "I think we have to be careful about how we judge people. Miles and Monroe...I believe they didn't initially have bad intentions. They tell me that and I believe them."

"And you trust them." She looks to him now. "With my life." "And you and Monroe..." "There is no me and Monroe." "Uh huh."

As the night goes on, they meet a group of people around their age. Connor flirts with a girl and is clearly having a great time. Guys flirt with Charlie, but she just can't. These kids feel so young to her.

"Hey." A guy leans onto the bar table. "Smile, gorgeous." Charlie looks at him. He's handsome with scruffy light brown hair. Brown eyes. Friendly smile. But her head is filled with curly blonde hair, blue eyes, a cocky grin. Goddamnit Bass. Stay out of my head.

"I'm tired." Charlie gives him a weak smile. "Have a nice night." She gets off her stool, catches Connor's eye and points towards the door. I'm headed out. He nods and gives a thumb up.

The guy follows her out. "Let me walk you home."

"I'm fine, thanks. I'm just right here." She points to the hotel.

"Could be dangerous out here." He puts his arm around her.

"Remove your arm."

"Come on sweetheart, let's have some fun."

"I'm not warning you again." She slightly changes her direction so she's walking towards the main house and not her own room.

He reaches to touch her hair, but before he knows what's happening, Charlie has turned around and kneed him in the balls.

"Ohh fuck! Bitch!" he rolls on the ground, clutching himself in pain. Charlie turns to leave but practically runs into Monroe who steps past her to point a gun at the guy. His eyes are alight with fury.

"What the hell?" the guy asks.

"She told you to back off." Monroe cocks his gun. "Run."

The guy gets up and runs.

Charlie stares at Monroe, furious. "What are you doing?"

He puts his gun back in his waistband and raises his hands. "I know you had this, but I hate guys like that."

"You are an idiot. What are you doing here?" she indicates the courtyard. She lowers her voice. "Anyone can see you."

"Yeah, I got bored. Sucks for Romeo here." He jerks his thumb in the direction where the guy ran off.

"I don't want you doing that for me." She grabs his upper arm and shoves him back in the direction of his room.

"So you're sending me to my room?" They arrive at his porch and she turns to leave.

He doesn't want her to. He touches her forearm with his fingers. "I'm not going to apologize Charlie. If I see that you're potentially in trouble, I'm going to come running. Deal with it."

"Don't do that for me."

"I'm doing it for me!"

They're at a stalemate again. Staring at each other, sparks flying. The heat of his fingers burning her skin. She wants to be clear that he's saying what she thinks he's saying.

"Why?"

Why? She's asking him why? Is it not obvious? "When these people figure out who I am there will be more people coming after you."

"You're being paranoid." She tries to pull her arm away.

How can she not understand? "I'm not paranoid if I'm right. If anyone thinks I have feelings for you, that puts your life in danger."

"Why would anyone think you have feelings for me?"

"Because I'm sure it's written all over my face." There. He said it. He caved. What will she do with it?

His words hang in the air between them, and she lets them for a bit. After all, he was the one who said nothing could happen between them, and now he gets to change his mind again?

But she waits a fraction too long, and he drops his eyes, and steps back, loosening his grip on her. He opens his mouth to say something, but she steps to him, puts a hand on the back of his neck and pulls his face to hers. She rises on her tip toes and kisses him.

It turns passionate very quickly. He wraps his arms around her waist, pulling her tightly to him as she wraps her arms around his neck. They can't get close enough. He turns her and presses her against the closed door.

"Bass," she whispers into his ear. "It might help if you opened the door." He smiles into their kiss. "Always so mouthy." "Just wait."

"Jesus you really are going to kill me." He opens the door, maneuvers her inside, and lifts her to the dresser. He takes off her boots, and toes off his own, watching each other the whole time. This is finally happening. He runs his hand up her thigh, and then around her waist, using his other hand to cup the side of her face.

"I thought this wasn't happening," she breathes. "It's happening." "Prove it."

"Oh I will." He kisses her with everything he has before grabbing her more tightly around the waist and under ass and carrying her to the bed. He unceremoniously drops her on it, making her laugh, before he crawls over her, covering his body with her own. He kisses her, his mouth traveling from her lips to a spot behind her ear, and finally her collarbone. Her laughter becomes panting, her hands gripping his shoulders.

He kisses her and explores her and teases her like he has all the time in the world. She is dripping with need – and he's happy to point this out – before her clothes are even off.

Slowly he lifts the hem of her shirt, kissing her stomach, dipping his tongue in her navel. He takes her shirt off, careful of the bandage around her stitches.

She pulls his off as well, and finally his familiar chest is hers to touch and explore. She runs her hand down it as she leans in to kiss his neck, at that spot on the side that she'd always stared at. She can hear his breath catch, his breathing becoming shallow.

She runs her hand lower to another spot she'd fantasized about. "Oh god, Charlie," He whispers into her ear. But when she reaches for the button on his pants, he stops her with a little laugh. "Not yet. Unless you want this to last about 30 seconds."

But she has his pants undone. "We'll just do another round." He groans. "I'm serious Charlie. It's been a while, and I will last probably not even 30 seconds." She raises her eyebrows. "Let's see."

But two can play this game. He reaches under her and unclasps her bra. He doesn't remove it, he just runs his tongue along the underside of her breasts. Slowly, teasingly, he lifts her bra, and lightly runs the tip of his tongue along the tip of her nipple. She clutches his arms and starts panting in earnest. "Well played," she breathes.

It doesn't surprise her that sex with Sebastian Monroe is equal parts passionate and playful, generous and vulnerable, because that's who he is.

Kissing everywhere, holding each other so tight that they leave marks... Eyes roaming over her naked body, then meeting her own eyes. "You're beautiful"... Fingers deep inside her, bringing to the brink of orgasm, and then maddeningly backing off... "Bass, I need to come." "Not yet," with his knowing grin...

Moaning her name when she finally has her hand wrapped around him."Charlie, if you don't stop that I'll come in about 5 seconds..." She responds by cupping his balls and making him shout out in need...

His mouth between her legs, teasing her until she's close to coming and then backing off with a grin...before she kicks him to get back to work and he finally brings her to orgasm...twice...

And when he finally enters her, they both catch their breath, letting it out on a sigh the more she takes him in. They touch their foreheads together. They've wanted each other for so long and now they're finally here.

Sex with Monroe is like...well, sex with Monroe. Not the man she grew up hearing about, not the man she first met, but the one she met again in the swimming pool after trying to kill him. The strong, vulnerable, sarcastic, funny, intense, and unpredictable one. The man who saved her life, who she travels with, who she fights with, who she trusts.

The next morning.

Charlie slowly comes awake, feeling a warm arm wrapped around her. Bass. She slept with Bass last night. And it was amazing, and feels so right.

Bass wakes up feeling happier than he has in a long time. He's spooning Charlie, something he's definitely thought about, but never dreamed would actually happen. Part of him knows this could be dangerous for her, and that he is behaving selfishly, but being with her feels so right.

Suddenly there's a hard rap on the door. "Up and at 'em guys!" Miles. "Charlie, Rachel's looking for you." His footsteps retreat.

Charlie rolls over to look at Monroe, who's eyes are wide as hers are.

"Well shit," he rubs his eyes and laughs a little. "Guess we're not keeping this between us."

"Guess not." She doesn't care.

He pushes himself up to lean his elbow. He searches her face. She smiles and brings her hand up to the side of his face. That's all they need to see that they're on the same page.

She moves to get out of bed. "But I should go before she figures it out."

She leaves and Monroe takes some time to pack his things before opening his door to head to breakfast. He finds Miles sitting on his porch with coffee, bagels and fruit.

"This is 5-star stuff," Miles waves the bagel he's eating.

"Yeah, it's like the all-inclusive option at the Holiday Inn." Monroe sits next to Miles on the porch, both leaning against the wall.

Miles hands him his coffee and food before saying, "Don't make me ask this, Bass."

"What?"

Miles sighs. "What are your intentions?"

Bass smiles in acknowledgement at the ridiculousness of Miles asking him this. Then he looks at his friend. "Sincere."

Miles nods. "Okay."

"How did you know she was here?"

"She wasn't in her room, so there was only one other place she'd be."

"We never intended this to happen, Miles. It just...did."

Miles nods. He looks briefly towards his and Rachel's room. "I get it. I'm not exactly in a place to judge." He pauses. "But if you hurt her –"

"I'm not going to hurt her." "Oh god, this is even worse than I thought."

About an hour later...

They've packed up and are making their way out of town when two men in uniforms approach them. "Hold up."

"Is there a problem?" Rachel asks.

Charlie and Monroe look behind them. There are two more men there. And then about five more join them.

"We're with the New United States and we're here to take you into custody." "I feel like I've heard this before," Miles mutters. "Who is the New United States?" "We're not going anywhere with you." Monroe, Charlie, and Connor reach for their weapons. There are now a dozen men in uniforms and each of them have their weapons drawn. This is clearly a lost cause. They all share a look. "I guess we'll play then," says Monroe, holstering his weapon. "Let's see who the New United States is," says Miles. "Take us to your leader."