Hey guys welcome back, and I think I found a fix for the problem, so you guys won't have to worry about anything for now.

And I forgot to mention this before: Aloy is using her default outfit, but she uses the best weapons in the game, and she doesn't posses the shield weaver armour, because you know how overpowered she would be if she had it. I might add it in the future though.

Long chapter incoming.

But anyways guys enjoy. :)

Aloy and Jack rested on the bank of a small stream as they drank water from it. Jack's mind was still focused on one thing. And that thing was Aloy. Her behavior, and expressions towards him are very odd, like she's hiding something from him. Something important.

He'll have to interrogate her, even if it means pulling it straight from her throat. But he doesn't want to underestimate her - she's a huntress after all. But he has it all planned out.

A few minutes later they finished their short break, and they were on their way. But first…

"Aloy," Jack called out to her.

"Yeah?"

"Is there anything you're not telling me?Cause I think you should tell me," Jack said. Aloys heart sank.

I think he know, but I think he doesn't, Aloy thought.

"Um no there nothing for me to tell you," Aloy said.

"C'mon you can tell me. Even if you're hauling drugs, you can still tell me. Hell I won't care, everyone does that these days. Its america after all," Jack said.

"Um not really comfortable to talk about it," Aloy said.

"Why?You lost someone?" Jack asked.

"Well yeah," Aloy said. She did lose Rost, and she was still kinda bummed out about it. Aloy tried to calm down, and change her expression to hide from Jack.

"Oh um...okay. I guess you really can't talk about, but is there really nothing you can talk to me about?" Jack asked for one more time.

Aloy shook her head left, and right. Jack examined her facial expressions for a moment.

"Alright, guess you really aren't hiding something. Let's go, we only have a few more klicks to go."

Aloy exhaled a sigh of relief, but it was a mistake. Jack was still watching her, and the large exhale indicated that she was relieved from talking to him, which means she was still hiding something. That and the fact that he was able to read her body language: breathing increased, muscles tensed, sweating, and speech getting bad all told him that she wasn't being truthful to her. And now all he has to do is hear the truth himself.

They continued down the path in silence. It was time. Jack would probably regret doing this, but he had to it, he needed the answers.

Aloy was on autopilot, and Jack began by breaking the silence.

"Aloy," Jack called out to her.

"Yep," She said.

"Are you like allergic to chemicals?" Jack asked.

"No, why?" She said.

"Because of this," Jack said, and pulled out a syringe filled with a sleep drug. Jack kicked Aloy's legs which caused her to lose her balance, and fall to the ground. Before she could react Jack was already on top of her, and pinning her down. He cover her mouth with one hand, and the other on the syringe. He drove the syringe straight into Aloy's heart, and injected the fluid.

"Shhh...calm down it's only a sedative, you'll be alright," Jack said.

Aloy's breathing was lowered, and she slowly stopped squirming. After a few seconds she started to fall on a deep sleep.

Aloy struggled to get Jack of him, but she became really sleepy, and started to lose control of her body. Her eye began to blur, hearing getting shoddy, and mind shutting down. Her eyelids fell, and she lost all control. She was in a state of deep sleep…

She woke up a little bit later, but her eyes were still blurred by a little bit, and her strength still down too low for her to do anything. She felt like she was moving like she was being dragged, and lifted. But her eyes became dark again, and she was back to sleep…

She woke again later, but she had regained, control of her body, strength, and eyesight. She tried to get her hands to bare but they were both tied to her back, along with her legs. Her gear was completely striped away from her besides her clothes. She saw her weapons along with her focus a few meters from her, and beside them was Jack who had his back turned against Aloy, and he seems to be sharpening a knife.

Aloy had a pin hidden in her sleeve. She took it out, and began to pick the lock.

"Guess you're awake," Jack said. He put the the sharpening stone, and put the knife in it's holder, and faced Aloy. The sun was still setting, but Jack had started a bonfire.

"What do you want from me?" Aloy asked.

"I know Aloy, if that's even your name," Jack said.

"Yes that's my name, and you know what?" Aloy said.

"I know you're lying to me Aloy, and I want the truth," Jack said.

Aloy heart started to pump hard. She's been caught, but she still doesn't have an explanation yet. But there's no other way out of this, she's been pinned down to deep to escape. She has to tell him the truth, and maybe the two of them can come out unscaved.

"Alright I'll tell you, but I'd have to take you somewhere," Aloy said.

"Fine, just don't try to lie anymore or try anything funny," Jack said. "Let's go."

"Hey!Are you not gonna get me out of this?" Aloy said.

"You have been picking that lock since you woke up, so by now you should have it undone," Jack said.

Aloy had finished picking the lock, and her hands were freed. She proceeded to pick the lock of the shackles on her legs, while Jack took his things including Aloy's stuff. Once Aloy finished the last shackle she stood up.

"Can I have my stuff back?" She demanded

"Not so fast, you still owe me the truth," Jack said, cocked his rifle, and pointed it at Aloy.

"Can I atleast have my focus back?" Aloy said.

"Fine," Jack reached into his pocket, and took out Aloy's focus, and tossed it at her. She catched it, and put it back on her right temple. "Now lead the way," Jack said.

Aloy went first while Jack trailed behind while keeping his rifle ready, and keeping a distance incase she tries anything funny.

Jack noticed that they were still heading their present course towards Denver.

"Why are we going this way?" He asked.

"You'll see," Aloy said. Jack's own theory he hopes is wrong started to get stronger. He swallowed the lump in his throat from that thought.

An hour of walking later they arrived at the end of the forest at edge of a cliff overlooking the city of Denver. Or what it used to be. Jack's heart sank. He tried to process what he was seeing.

"What is this?" Jack said.

"This is Denver Jack," Aloy said. All the bright lights of the once capital city of the state of colorado was replaced empty ruins long abandoned.

"This is not a city, these are ruins Aloy!" He yelled.

"This was a city before the plague, but after it's just this," Aloy said.

"That can't be possible!"

"You standing there doesn't make it possible?"

"It's impossible!Project Zero Dawn, the super weapons program!We bought them enough time, they should've been able to eradicate the swarm!" He yelled.

"Project zero dawn had a different outcome"

Jack couldn't believe it. He just couldn't.

"Oh I see what's happening," A smile formed on Jack's lips, and he laughed.

Oh no, he's lost it, Aloy thought.

"All of this was just a prank. A joke, it went too far though, but all of you still got me. So now y'all can come out. I surrender, you got me real good now you can come out!" Jack yelled. Inside he hoped, and prayed this was a joke.

"You can come out now!" Jack pointed his rifle onto the sky, and let out a burst of shots. "COME ON!COME OUT!"

Still whatever Jack imagined never happened.

"Please come out!" Jack fell to the ground sobbing. "Please...come out," He refused to believe, he just didn't want to.

I'm sorry, Aloy thought while she stood a few feet away. She feels ocean full of pity towards him. I mean how can't she? This man is trained to fight anything, to not be overwhelmed, to be unbreakable, but unfortunately his training never taught how to overcome this.

"GODAMMIT!" He cried out. He knelt on the ground while sobbing uncontrollably, and knelt while it all came down on him. "God why?just why?"

"This is no joke Jack, this is real, i'm sorry," Aloy said. Aloy pitied the poor man. She knows how much is crashing down on him.

Jack looked at her, stood up, drew his pistol, pointed it at her, and pulled the hammer down. The two sides on his mind fought on what to do. Shoot her?Don't shoot her.

Aloy didn't run, but tried to negotiate with him.

"Jack...put your weapon down. It's gonna be okay," Aloy said while raising her hands on a defensive position, and slowly taking small steps toward him.

Jack didn't respond, instead he pointed the away from Aloy, and onto his head.

"NO!" Aloy yelled.

"This is all just a bad dream. If I shoot myself now then, I'd just wake up back at home, and it would all be over," Jack said.

"Jack, don't do it," Aloy has seen people kill people before, she's even taken lives herself. But she has never seen a man take his own life, and she's willing not to see one do it right now."Jack this is not a dream nor is it a joke, this is all real. I'm sorry, but it is."

Jack kept a firm grip on the gun, while his mind battled it out. Pull the trigger!Dont pull the trigger!If you pull the trigger, all would be well!All of this is real, if you pull the trigger you would only set yourself on a darker path! His subconscious told him.

"Jack don't you do it," Aloy said. She was close enough to grab the gun from his hand, and point it away, but he was quick, and he retreated back. "Jack," Aloy insisted. "Please," She begged.

The grip Jack kept on the pistol became harder, and harder, until…

He put the hammer down, and dropped the gun.

"I see now. This is no joke, not even a bad dream. It's all real, ain't it?" He said.

"Yes it is Jack. I'm sorry, is there anything I can repay you?" Aloy asked. Jack looked at her for a second.

"Theres one way," He said.

"What is it?"

"The rest of the happened to world?"

"Alright" It was at the verge of complete night time, only five more minutes to complete darkness. "We should probably get back to camp first"

"Good idea," Jack rubbed of the remaining tears from his eyes, and proceeded. "Let's go,"

On the way back Jack didn't bother to put his guard up or point his rifle at Aloy. If she wanted to run away then he'd let him, If a robot sabertooth would jump him then he'd allow himself to be eaten. He just didn't seem to see the value of his life anymore.

They made it back to camp, Jack restarted the fire, and Aloy began to tell him the rest of everything. She started on the different role of project zero dawn, then the death of Elisabet Sobeck, and how she was her mother, then the formation of the tribes, and the reason why everyone was back at the stone age.

"1000 years. Damn so everyone really is dead," Jack said.

Well look at the bright side, at least I don't have to pay for that stupid overpriced tax anymore, He thought.

"Now tell me about you."

"Alright," Aloy said and began. "She told about how she was raised as an outcast by a man named rost, the the proving, then the massacre at the proving, her journey around the land, the battle with HADES, and how she stopped a second plague from happening.

"Wow. You killed all of those things with just a spear, and a bow, and arrow?"

"I had some help"

"Still, it's amazing. In my time we could have fifty men armed with AT rocket launchers, and railguns, supported by artillery, and still only be able to kill one.

"Really?"

"Well they had shields at the time so it was harder to kill them, but the deathbringers shield must've been damaged by time, and judging by the fact most of the men were ill-trained civilians unlike the warriors you have who have been programmed from birth."

The two laughed it out.

"Then there was Rost. He was pretty much the only person I could call a family. Unlike Elisabet who died a long time ago," Aloy said.

"This is gonna turn this around, but I know how you feel," Jack said.

"You wouldn't know. I was there I saw him get murdered on front of me," Aloy said.

"I know how it feels to see someone you love die in front of you," Jack removed his focus, and tossed it at her. "Put it on, and see for yourself."

Aloy removed her focus, and put Jack's on. There was a holo-vid so Aloy played it.

She was transported to the backyard of the house.

"What is this?"

"Just keep watching it."

There were two kids playing on the backyard.

"Pass me the ball!"
"No I want to take the shot"

"Not fair Jack, you already had your turn already!"

"Just wait"

Younger Jack threw the ball, but it didn't go in the ring.

"Aww shucks, now your turn Johnny" Younger Jack passed the ball to the other kid whose name is Johnny.

"Alright watch me kill it!" Johnny threw the ball, then it landed dead straight into the ring.

"Nice shot bro!" Younger Jack said.

"Boy's, c'mon in I made sandwhiches!" A more feminine voice called coming from inside the house.

"Yes!" The two boys said in unison.

"I call the ham, and cheese"

"I call the bacon"

The two brothers ran back into the house.

Aloy was now transported somewhere else. She found herself inside a tight space with a group of men who were armed.

"Where am I?" Aloy asked.

"You're in a transport heading to the front Aloy," Jack said.

She saw that they were all sitting down with their weapons. Some said prayers, while some wrote notes. She saw Jack who looked a little bit younger with that Johnny guy who was a lot older, and who sat next to Jack with a bigger weapon.

"Hey lieutenant, once this is over drinks are on me!Assuming I make it out," Another man said.

"You better not be screwing us Martinez, like what you did last time," Jack said.

"No I am not sir," Martinez said.

Jack looked to his left, and saw that Johnny was sweating from nervousness.

"What's wrong Johnny?" Jack asked.

"I don't know. Maybe pre-battle jitters."

"You can calm down. It's just another day in the office. Just keep that MG firing, we'll be alright."

"Sure thing big brother...er I mean sir," Johnny said.

"LZ inbound in ETA 1 minute," The announcer said.

"Everybody check your gear," Jack said.

A second later a sound buzzed, and they all stood up facing the door. The ramp went down, and they all exited the transport.

Aloy could see everything. She saw wounded being loaded into more of those before flying away. She could hear loud explosions, followed by loud continuous gunfire. She looked up, and saw the sky was also a battlefield against Faro drones, and other aircraft.

"Where am I now?" Aloy asked.

"This is the front. The year is 2064 AD. The city of Los angeles. We fortified the edge of the shoreline turning it into a fortress, and fought the swarm there," Jack said.

Aloy looked out to see, and saw Metal devils dropping more, and more corruptors, and deathbringers. Once the corruptors reached the beachhead they unleashed their weaponry to try, and bring down the fortifications.

"So this is the plague," Aloy said.

"This is only the west coast branch. The machine came from all directions of the country. So fighting is in all sides of the country. It's like shooting fish in a barrel at that point except we were the fish," Jack said.

Younger Jack surveyed the area, and gathered his men.

"Alright men, welcome back to the office. When we were fighting in the middle east it was hard for us. We were scared. Just like now well guess what i'm scared too, we all our, but now that we are fighting in our own backyard it's actually easier now, because that we know that we are fighting for our families, for our love ones, and for our home our country. So let fear be a distant memory to you!We defend this beach or we die with honor!As long as our flag flies on this beach we have a chance." Younger Jack said."To your posts men"

"YES SIR!" They all said.

Later younger Jack found the man in charge here.

"Status report sir," He said.

"There's a train leaving Los Angeles carrying parts for project zero dawn. The swarm was able to intercept the message though, and they will pound the wall in order to stop it. Your objective is to hold them off long enough until the train can leave." The captain said.

"What's the cargo of the train sir?"

"I don't know, a hades something," The captain said, put it on his helmet, and went outside.

Aloy gasped.

"Yup, we defended the parts to make that thing," Jack said.

The men set up their guns on the wall, and shot at the incoming swarm.A plane flew overhead, and dropped bombs at the Faro robots.

"Focus your fire at their shield generators first," Younger Jack said. The team went after a deathbringer first, one of the team members managed to destroy its shield generator.

"I got its shield!"

"Good job, now go for the legs," Younger Jack said. They focused their fire on the machine's legs, and rendered it immobile.

"Clark!"

"Yes sir!" Clark pulled out a rocket launcher, and fired it onto the deathbringer. The deathbringer exploded into a fiery flame.

"Whooo!Nice shot!" Younger Jack said. They heard a whistling noise. Jack looked up, and saw a missile flying towards them.

"INCOMING!" Jack yelled, and they all fled for their lives. The missile impacted, but Jack was able to get away.

"Who's hit?" Jack asked. Everyone seemed to be okay. "Where's Johnny?"

"Here," Said a weak voice of Johnny. He was a hit by shrapnel, and was bleeding out fast.

"Oh hell," Jack ran over to his sides. "Keep pressure on that wound !" He called out.

"Jack I don't think I'll make it," Johnny said.

"No, don't say that, just keep pressure on it," Jack said.

"Jack,"

"What?"

"Promise me you'll keep fighting for what's right no matter what," Johnny asked.

"Yeah sure, anything you want," Jack said.

"Good," Johnny's head became limp as well as the rest of his body."

"Johnny don't do this. Stay with me Johnny, stay with !" Jack called out.

The medic came, and put two fingers on Johnny's neck to try, and find a pulse, but found nothing instead.

"He's gone," The medic said.

"No he's not!"

"Yes he is!"

"At Least do something, you didn't do anything!"

"Sir look at 's nothing else I can do!" The medic said. "I'm sorry sir, but there really is nothing."

Jack felt a deep weight inside of felt to the ground crying over his now dead brother.

Aloy ended the video, and removed the Focus, and hers back.

"I'm sorry for doubting you, I didn't know," Aloy said.

"Why are you apologizing?I should be the one to apologize, i'm the one who almost killed you," Jack said.

Aloy chuckled a little, "Well, apology accepted, I guess," She said. "So how do you feel about the new world?"

"I don't really know what to say about it. It's a fresh start for the world, but we could just repeat all the world's mistakes all over again," Jack said.

"Not really all of it," Aloy said.

"Maybe we could prevent some, but not everything. It's even too late to tell everyone about the old world or there'd be chaos."

"Yeah you're right, it's just…"

"Just what?"

"It's just my tribe. To them i'm some sort of god, and I don't like them treating me that way. I wish there was a way for them to just kick me out of the tribe," Aloy said.

"Don't say that," Jack said.

"They cast me out to be shunned then they treat me like a god afterwards."

"They were just scared. People like that tend to lose their way in hard times Aloy," Jack said."

"I still don't like it though," Aloy said.

"Well you have to give them a break. I mean they found you inside you inside of that mountain, took you to Rost who made you who you are today, or they could've just left you inside that mountain to die or kill you where you were found or worse," Jack said.

Aloy didn't respond.

"Remember what I told you? When you're part of a country, you're part of the people, which make you part of the family. Same goes with a tribe, but in a smaller scale," Jack said.

"You're right, I guess I just took it too seriously," Aloy said.

"Well, we should get to sleep. You know how late it is already," Jack said.

Aloy nodded, and they went to sleep.

"Aloy," Jack said.

"Yeah?"

"I just felt like I should say sorry again for any troubles I caused you. So i'm sorry," Jack said.

"And again it's alright"

The two dozed off into sleep.

Thank you guys for reading, and i'll have the next chapter in a week.

No promises though.

:)