March 2030:

It's early evening; Bass, Charlie, Duncan, and Eli, were enjoying a drink when one of Duncan's scouts rode into camp. He reports a new Patriot encampment about ten miles out and just outside the town of Haley. Duncan told him to get something to eat and then ride to the Matheson camp and bring back Miles.

Two hours later, Miles, Marcus, and the scout arrived.

"Miles! Marcus! Come and sit." Duncan invited.

"Hello, Miles," Charlie greeted and gave her uncle a hug. It was the first time she had seen him since she and Bass had left, and she missed him. Bass glanced at him but had nothing to say. Miles gave him a nod.

"How about a drink?" Duncan offered.

"Perfect."

Bass passed him the flask.

"I imagine that Michael filled you in."

"Yeah, he said we've got some activity near Haley."

"Marcus, find Michael and have him come on over and to go over his report."

Marcus came back with the scout, and they joined the circle around the fire."

"How many?"

"Looks to be about fifty or so. They may be planning on infiltrating the town," Michael reported. "Jonesy's still keeping an eye on them."

After a strategy meeting, it was decided that they would hit the camp. Duncan's Clan would take out the camp while Miles, Bass, and Charlie, along with Marcus and Pete, would infiltrate the town, look for any Patriots that might be trying to set up shop, and take them out. They would attack in two days.

The Patriots were taken by complete surprise, and the camp was wiped out with only a few minor casualties among Duncan's men.

While the attack on the camp was underway, Miles and his group slipped into the town of Haley. They found perimeter guards, which they efficiently took care of. Miles located the Sheriff's office and found the Sheriff to be in the office and alone.

With Charlie and Pete standing watch, Miles, Bass, and Marcus confronted the Sheriff.

"Who the hell are you guys?" Sheriff Williams asked.

"We're the guys who are going to save your asses from being overrun by those US wannabes. They're dangerous and nothing but trouble."

"They said that they're here to restore the US government," Williams replied.

"Yeah, that's what they say, but it's no government that you would recognize. We came from Willoughby, where the townspeople let them in willingly. What did they get for it? Typhus. They claimed to be giving out vaccines when what they were really doing was infecting those, they deemed undesirable; the old, disabled, people of color, the mentally challenged. They removed books from the schools and dictated what could be taught. They orchestrated a clan attack to show that their protection was needed and to have an excuse to lockdown the town. Is this what you want for Haley?"

"Why should I believe you?"

"Well, I guess you're just going to have to trust us. They will recruit your children, willing or not. They bring them to reprogramming camps where they are turned into super zombie soldiers that will single-mindedly do whatever their handlers want. A number is tattooed into their eyelid. When the number is read, they become 'activated' and deadly. They no longer recognize their families. In fact, they would kill them without even a thought.

The Patriots have a large encampment outside of the town, just waiting for the order to move in."

"This is really happening?"

"Yeah, it's happening. What have they done here so far?" Bass asks.

"They talked about protecting the town, that war clans were massing to overrun us. Then the Captain told us that we would be given extra food and medical supplies along with their protection from attack. He said that they were here to help. More soldiers would be arriving to help secure the town from invaders."

"Yeah, all sounds pretty. Before we knew it, we were in lockdown – had to have permission to leave town. Curfews were put in place, all for our own 'protection', they said."

"What do you propose?"

"The encampment is being taken down as we speak. I need you to show us where they set up their headquarters. We'll take it from there."

"I have to warn you," the Sheriff says. "Many of the townspeople have bought into what they have been saying."

"That's where we need your help, Sheriff. The people will trust you. We need you to convince them that these so-called Patriots are bad news. They sent the nukes that took out Philadelphia and Atlanta. That was also part of their ploy to take control, to show how they were needed."

"I heard that was Monroe, the crazy son of a bitch." Not recognizing Bass.

"No, it wasn't Monroe. Why the fuck would he ever do that?" Bass snarled.

Sheriff Williams shrugged. "Never made sense to me; that's just what I heard. Heard he went crazy."

Bass was angry and disgusted. This is what he'd done with his life.

"Look," Miles continues. "I was there when it happened. It was a Patriot that pushed the button."

"You were there? How?"

"Never mind that…Look, Sheriff. We don't have time for this horse shit. Your town is in trouble, trust me on that, or you'll be wishing you had."

Listening to Miles, Williams was finally convinced. He had met with the Patriot Captain when they first came into town. What Miles was telling him was ringing true. He had heard rumors of the troubles with an outbreak in Willoughby and the clan attack. He pointed out the Patriot's headquarters.

While Miles and Bass took care of the command staff, Charlie, Marcus, and Pete skulked through town, eliminating any Patriots they found, then met up with Bass and Miles in the Patriot headquarters.

Miles and Bass burst into the Patriot headquarters. Patriot Captain Littleton was sitting behind his desk and was seized before he knew what was happening. They were about to interrogate the Patriot Officer when he suddenly collapsed forward in the chair that he was tied to. Convulsing while foaming and bleeding from the mouth, he died within seconds. Miles and Bass looked at each other and swore. "Cyanide tooth," they said at the same time.

A search of the office revealed two more towns that they had been planning to move on.

Marcus and Pete cleaned up, loading the slain Patriot's bodies into a wagon, and taking them outside the town to dispose of them. Miles had the town's bell rung, the universal call to the citizens that something important was to be announced. They gathered in the town square.

Sheriff Williams introduced Miles to the town folk. Miles explained what was happening with the Patriots and their agenda, warning them not to be fooled and taken in by their pretty promises. They were not the return of the legitimate US government. After the meeting, the group mingled with the citizens of Haley, answering questions, and reassuring them that it was essential to resist the Patriot invasion.

Their mission complete; they met up with Duncan and returned to their camps.

Over the next month, they took out three more Patriot camps and warned the nearby towns what could happen if the Patriots got a foothold.

General Frank Blanchard of the Texas Rangers was now President Frank Blanchard of the Great Republic of Texas. Texas had a treaty with the Patriots until Blanchard learned of the Patriot's plot to kill Carver, the then-President of Texas, and then pin it on California. California would then declare war on Texas, allowing the Patriots the excuse they needed to go after California. Blanchard couldn't stop the assassination, but he ended the treaty with the Patriots, killing their military ambassadors and declaring war.

Blanchard found out about the Patriot's reprogramming camps through his mole in the Patriot's high command. They were conscripting young teens to young adults and reprogramming them to become super fighters. Soldiers that would indiscriminately kill without fear or remorse. Their mission was the only objective.

Finding and liberating the encampments, Blanchard ordered a secure center setup in Austin to hold and hopefully deprogram the ones they could rescue. He called a search for psychologists, neurologists, psychiatrists, and mental health professionals to staff these camps and hopefully reverse the programming.

When Willoughby was finally liberated from the Patriots, the search of their headquarters found Dr. Horn's journals detailing the drugs and methods used in the brainwashing of the recruits. With this information, Blanchard's team of mental health professionals were able to begin the deprogramming with the hope of returning the detainees to their homes.

Late October 2030:

It was a blustery fall day when Duncan's scout rode in hard to tell her of an approaching squad of Texas Rangers, flying a white flag.

(Huh,) Duncan thought. (Wonder what they want? Better warn Sebastian to stay out of sight.)

"Jonesy, get a fresh horse and ride hard. Get Marcus, Pete, and Matheson."

"Yes, Boss." Jonesy took off.

"Eli, find Sebastian, tell him to stay out of sight and find Charlie for me."

Bass retreated to their tent while Charlie joined Duncan in riding out to meet the Rangers.

Duncan was sitting at the edge of the clearing watching the squad of Texas Rangers approach as Miles arrived. As the Rangers got closer, a forward rider held up a white flag; the Rangers held their place while the lone rider, went forward showing that they weren't a threat. Miles and Duncan rode out to meet him flanked by Eli and Marcus.

"Captain!" Miles called out, curious what the Rangers were after. "What can we do for you?"

"Howdy. General Matheson, Ms. Paige, We are here on behalf of the President of the Great Republic of Texas, General Frank Blanchard. I have a message."

"What's your message?" Duncan asks.

"Is there someplace we can talk?" The Ranger Captain asked.

Duncan thought for a moment. She has over 70 clan members to the half-dozen Rangers. What harm could there be? Except for giving up the location of their camp.

"Let me confer a moment with my partner." She and Miles rode a distance to talk. They decided that they would go to the Matheson camp as it would be easier for Miles to move his camp if necessary than it would be to move the Clan.

Miles rode back out with Duncan, "Captain, you can follow me in."

Rachel, Gene, Aaron, and the rest of the camp watched as Miles and Duncan returned with the Rangers. Rachel was surprised to see Charlie. She hadn't seen her since she left and went to Duncan's back in November.

Charlie dismounted, and her clan members came forward to take care of their horses. Marcus showed the Rangers where they could picket their mounts.

"Charlie," Rachel said, approaching her.

"Mom."

"How have you been?"

"Fine, Mom."

"Rachel, would you show these gentlemen where they can get something to eat and drink?" Miles asked. Then, "Captain, this way, and you can tell us what this is all about." Miles led them to the main firepit.

"I'm Captain Sanchez. This is LT Morris and Sgt. Flynn. President Blanchard sent us to enlist your group in the war against the Patriot scourge."

"Wait…I heard you right before? Blanchard? President Blanchard?" Miles chuckled. "How did that happen."

"When the Patriots assassinated Carver and then tried to frame Cali, General Blanchard was next in line for the presidency.

General Blanchard wasn't convinced that the Patriots were on the up and up. He was able to instill a mole in the Patriots command structure. He found out about their plot to assassinate Carver but not soon enough to stop it. Texas has ended the treaty with the Patriots and declared war."

"What is it that Blanchard is looking for?" Miles asked.

"He has gotten the remains of the Georgia Federation forces along with some the Monroe Militia that are still intact to join the fight from the east. Cali is pushing from the west as Texas forces march north. President Blanchard has heard of your escapades against the Patriots here in the north, and he's quite impressed with your success…General Matheson."

Miles raises an eyebrow.

"Yes, we know who you are. We also understand that General Monroe somehow escaped execution and has been fighting with you." Charlie took in a sharp breath.

"Well, it's a joint effort." Miles wouldn't confirm that Bass was alive. "This is Duncan Paige of the Paige Clan. She has been with us all along. In fact, it's her clansman that have inflicted the most damage, as there are over fifty of them. We have a small army." In reality, their numbers were closer to one hundred, but Miles didn't want to reveal that. At least not yet.

"That is what the President is counting on. He has also sent emissaries to several of the remaining Plains Nation Clans. Can I tell the President that we can count on you?"

"Duncan and I are partners; give us a moment…." Miles and Duncan retreated a fair distance to talk in private.

"This sounds like a gift," Miles says to Duncan.

"I agree. But we don't answer to Texas."

"Agreed."

They returned to the fire. "Captain Sanchez, we're in. We remain independent and will not be answering to Texas. We're willing to participate in any strategy meetings as necessary."

"Excellent! I believe all that is asked of you, at least at this time, is to keep pushing them south into our forces, and they get pinched from the east and west. Hopefully, we can mop this mess up by Spring.

Is there someplace we can bivouac for the night? We'll head for Austin in the morning."

"There's a meadow just through there," Miles directs him.

Miles and Duncan decided that they would be most effective if they formed three fronts, with Miles, Bass, and Duncan each leading a group of fighters. Miles would take Charlie's original ten, plus Duncan gave him fifteen more. Bass would take another twenty-five and Duncan another twenty-five. Twenty fighters would remain with the camp to protect the families. Rachel, Aaron, and Cynthia would move to Duncan's camp to be under the protection of the Clan. Charlie would, of course, be with Bass. They would spread out over the territory that they were to cover and start pushing the enemy south.