Part 33: Allies again
Johnny put his parents tag around his neck before picking up victory and putting the sheathe on his back, "Are you two ready to go yet," Rachel said from the other side of the curtain. The two couples were given a tent to themselves but they used a curtain to give themselves some privacy.
"All good," Ellie said putting her pistol away before she gave Johnny his backpack.
"You keep those away from us," Darren said angrily from outside the tent as Steven took down the curtain.
"Great now what is it," Steven said as they headed outside to see a firefly standing in front of Darren carrying a large box. Johnny noticed it looked similar to the ones he saw yesterday at the recruitment station.
"Whats going on here," Tommy said walking over to them.
"This is for your own safety, its so we can tell apart whos the enemy and whos side your on," the man said, "Your all out of uniform and wearing your own clothes,".
"Yeah because were not a military," Ellie said getting his attention.
"Here I got an idea," Johnny said taking an arm band out of the box and took out his switchblade. He then cut out the firefly symbol before handing it to Darren.
"There now you can tell us apart," he said while the firefly soldier looked angry from what he did as he put the box down.
"Don't even try it," Ellie said taking out her own knife and the man noticed Steven and Rachel reaching for their pistols.
"Jacobs holding a meeting at his tent in a few minutes, he wants you to attend," he said before walking away.
"Thanks for that, the sooner I get home the better," Darren said as he passed some to Steven and Rachel who took out their own knives.
After handing out their own armbands to everyone in their group they headed to the open area outside Jacobs tent. All of the fireflies were standing in front of Jacob who waved Johnny over.
"Whats he doing, wheres the symbol," some of them said as he walked by.
"Maybe this will shut them up," Johnny thought before taking off into the air and landing right next to Jacob making most of the crowd look surprised.
"Didn't know you wanted to make an entrance," Jacob said.
"It was necessary," Johnny said.
"Alright everyone listen up, Im splitting everyone up into two teams, given what Ive heard about them one of them will be lead by this man," he said pointing at Johnny.
"But hes not one of us," Owen said in the crowd.
"But this is about saving people," one of the fireflies said.
"Enough," Jacob said, "If you have a problem with then go home," he said looking serious.
"Johnnys team will handle search and rescue, the rest of us will bring their main force out and take them out," he said.
"These people have military tech so make sure to be careful," Johnny said.
"Lets go," Jacob said. Jacobs group was heading to the town in trucks and Johnnys team was heading another way to reach the back of their base. Not surprising that only a few fireflies went with them.
But Jacob sent Owen with them to keep an eye on him, "Excuse me," a firefly soldier said walking to Johnny and Ellie.
"Hey hes the one who spoke up after Owen, whats your name?" Ellie asked.
"Rick ms, listen I hope you don't mind but I was from this town," he said.
"Were you one of the people captured," Johnny said.
"Yes but someone else was suppose to come with me, my girlfriend but one of those monsters shot her in the arm with an arrow and she fell," he said clenching his fist.
"We knew there was people not far from town, she told me to run so I could get help," he said before looking down, "That was a week ago,".
"Why didn't the fireflies do something," Johnny said looking at Owen.
"We didn't have enough men, the only reason he made it is because there was only two chasing him and they ran into a scout team," he said.
"Don't worry Rick will save her," Johnny said when they heard a female voice scream.
"That's close," Tommy said before they ran ahead to see a woman with brown hair running from three soldiers. They were on the left side of a large building.
"Grab the girl, the rest cover us," Johnny said before he Ellie, Steven, Rachel and Darren ran ahead.
"You heard him, fire," Tommy said before they started shooting at the enemy.
Johnny and Ellie shot down the first two and Steven shot the last one in the head, "Don't worry we got you," Rachel said holding the woman.
"Theres more of them," she said before they saw a large group heading towards them.
"Mike, get everyone into cover," Johnny said.
"Right," he said as the members of the group and the fireflies went into the building.
"Oh no you don't," one of the enemy said before Johnny shot him in the head.
Rachel took the woman into the building while the rest got behind a car, "Cover me," Johnny said taking out a smoke bomb. He threw it in front of the enemy and it went off blinding them.
"What was that," one of them said looking surprised before two of them were shot down. Johnny jumped over the smoke and shot most of the rest down with his assault rifle.
"Why you," the last one said aiming his pistol at Johnny. Only for Johnny to send it flying out of his hand.
Ellie then shot him in the head when she had a clear shot.
"You good," she said running over to him.
"Yeah," Johnny said when they heard someone crying in the building. They ran over finding Rick crying as he hugged the woman.
"Shes the girlfriend, shes been bitten," Tommy said and that's when Johnny noticed the bite mark on her right arm.
"Im sorry," the woman said sadly.
"I should have stayed, Im sorry I couldn't save you," Rick said looking at her face.
"Im just glad I got to see you again," she said smiling.
"Step aside Rick," Owen said taking out his assault rifle.
"Owen what are you doing," Mike said holding his pistol.
"We can't take her back, so she can't reach the cure," Owen said taking a step forward when Steven stood in front of him.
"Good thing we brought some then," he said and Owen then saw Ellie hand Johnny a syringe with liquid in it. He then injected into the womans arm and after a few moments she collapsed.
"Don't worry this happens to someone if their bitten," Johnny said reassuring Rick.
"Thank you," he said.
"You can thank me by taking her back to the base, Mike can you send someone," Johnny said.
"Yeah, all of you take them back Im sticking with Johnny," Mike said looking at the people from his group.
"Got it," a former scar said before helping Rick pick up his girlfriend.
"What do you think your doing, we need those men for the fight," Owen said.
"Im doing what I came here for, protecting people," Johnny said before they all left the building.
After a few minutes they reached an entrance to the base. They could hear gun fire from far away, "Looks like the attack started," Tommy said.
"Got two of them on the wall," Mike said taking out his assault rifle.
"Then lets take them out," Owen said before shooting one of them down and Johnny shot the other one.
"Owen why didn't you wait," one of the fireflies said.
"Talk about it later," Johnny said before flying over the gate and shooting anyone he ran into. He opened the gate as more people showed up.
"Rick said their being held further in," a firefly said looking at Johnny.
"Alright lets go," Johnny said before taking out victory. He flew over the enemies and cut them down while his team shot down the rest.
"Look out," Ellie said noticing a man run outside. Johnny sent him flying back in before shooting him in the head with his pistol.
"Where are you keeping the prisoners," Tommy said pushing a man against the wall.
"Down below," the man said before reaching for a knife.
Johnny noticed and sent him flying. He then snapped his neck before he and Tommy headed to the stairway. They found a guard sitting in front of a large cell with many people behind it.
"Hey who are," the guard said before Johnny shot him in the head.
"Are you here to free us," a man said as Johnny grabbed the keys and opened the cell.
"Yes is this everyone," Johnny said.
"No there was more of us, but their tied up outside," a woman said.
"The leader is watching them," the first man said making Johnny look confused.
"Why wouldn't he be with the main force," Tommy said.
"He was waiting for us," Johnny said before running to the door past the cell. When he got outside he found a beach with people tied up. When they saw him they started struggling to escape from their ropes.
"Now don't you move," a man said walking out carrying a shotgun. He was wearing sunglasses and had a beard.
"Whats your name," he said holding the gun to a mans head.
"Put that away and Ill think about telling you," Johnny said holding onto victory.
"You don't look enough to be around for when this started, you were born after weren't you," he said.
"Yeah I was and Ive lost people," Johnny said.
"Well I lost everything, but me and the others made this place," he said.
"Yeah through hurting people," Johnny said.
"They wouldn't listen to me," he said.
"So you hurt them, some of them are looking for a home away from whats out there and you just ended up making it worse for them," Johnny said gripping victory's handle.
"And what are you doing firefly, I see that arm band and tag," he said.
"Sorry but Im no firefly," Johnny said showing the scratched out symbol.
"Sounds like your angry, they give you trouble too," the man said.
"Well luckily the new guy in charge seems to be okay," Johnny said.
"Well lets see you try and save them," the man said aiming his shotgun when Johnny sent it flying into the water, "What the," he said before a rifle shot went off and he was shot in the head.
"You okay Johnny," Ellie said walking over with her rifle.
"Yeah," Johnny said before he began to free the others. Ellie did the same before they began to head back to the others. When they reached outside with the freed prisoners they found the fireflies holding the prisoners at gun point.
"Help us," one of them said noticing Johnny.
"All of you put your guns down," Johnny said stepping forward.
"Told you he would be mad," Mike said looking at Jacob.
"These people could be dangerous, were just being safe," he said.
"Do these people look dangerous to you," Johnny said pointing out their injuries.
"Well at least we know your dangerous," Owen said stepping forward with his assault rifle.
"Owen go back to base, this has nothing to do with you," Jacob said.
"Actually its always been about him," Owen said aiming his rifle at Johnny as some of the other fireflies disarmed his group.
"Guess jerks like you never change," Mike said.
"Shut up," a firefly said going to hit him before he screamed as he was sent flying into a wall.
"Knock it off," Owen said firing a shot off near Johnnys feet.
"You asshole," Ellie said.
"No hes the rucking monster from stopping us from making a cure so long ago," Owen said.
"But we have one now," Jacob said.
"What about the fireflies he killed," Owen said looking at Johnny.
"So he is the one from Salt Lake City, what happened with the smuggler," one of the fireflies with him said.
"Oh so Johnnys the monster from stopping your group from killing a girl, your the monsters for not looking for another way," Rachel said angrily.
"Do you have any idea what we've lost," Owen said.
"Of course we do," Tommy said angrily, "We've all lost someone because of the infected but we need to survive for everyone else,".
"Plus you guys never gave me a choice," Ellie said making most of the fireflies look confused.
"Wait whats she talking about Owen," a firefly said.
"Shes the girl whos Immune," Jacob said.
"I wouldn't have wanted to die," Ellie said, "Because I lived I got to stay with the man I love, get married and have a little girl," she said.
"You're a mother," a female firefly said lowering her weapon.
"Rachel is right, can we really say the fireflies weren't the monsters," Jacob said, "They should have tired harder and come up with a better choice,".
"Shut up," Owen said aiming his gun at Jacob.
"I should have locked you up when you arrived, what did you tell me, you had no choice but to escape from Seattle," he said.
"You liar, you left us all for dead," Mike said.
"Yeah he sold us out, wanted to get his hands on Johnnys power," Tommy said.
"And I would want no one to go through what I had to," Johnny said pulling up his sleeves.
"So your from Seattle too," a firefly said looking at Mike.
"Yes and so are my people, Johnny and his group came to help us but the WLF betrayed them," Mike said, "But he still saved the people that chose to do the right thing," he said.
"Wait is he the same one from Boston," a firefly said lowering his gun.
"Yeah I cant remember the name of the guy in charge there now," another said.
"Its Derrick," Johnny said.
"Derricks still alive, he did always want to go home," Jacob said.
"Enough, your finished, but don't worry we won't harm your daughter, we will keep an ye on her to make sure she doesn't become a threat like you," Owen said and Johnny looked pissed.
He flew right at Owen and aimed his pistol at his head.
"Go on do it, prove Im right," Owen said.
"No," one of the fireflies with him said as they dropped their weapon.
"What," Owen said looking confused when more fireflies walked in.
"Jacob, Rick got back to camp, his girlfriends okay," one of them said.
"Good to hear," Jacob said. But Owen used the confusion to push Johnny off him and try to make a run for it.
"Owen," Ellie said before someone ran in front of her. Someone grabbed Owen by the shoulder and Owen looked to see it was Mike.
Mike then punched him across the face and knocked him out. Johnny then sent all the armed fireflies weapons to the ground. They all then put their hands in the air as all the prisoners moved to stand with Johnnys group.
"Johnny, they were all just looking for something to blame," Jacob said. Johnny knowing he was asking him not to kill them.
"I know, I hope you all learned from this, Mike lets leave Owen to him," Johnny said as he made sure victory was secure.
"Alright," Mike said before they all of Johnnys group along with the prisoners began to leave. None of the fireflies bothering to stop them.
A few hours later Johnnys group was getting ready to leave. Rick was now wearing normal clothes and was helping Mikes group load supplies onto a truck. He had heard what had happened and wasn't long before turning over his tag and uniform. He was now going to Seattle along with the prisoners.
"Johnny, Ellie," Jacob said walking over to where they were sitting on the back of a truck.
"Hey Jacob, hows your group doing," Johnny said.
"Take a look," he said pointing at the recruitment station. There were people handing over uniforms and some of them were people who had only joined recently. "Most of the people staying behind are people that have been here as long as me,".
"But luckily the people leaving know where to go," he said noticing a lot of them were talking to Mike.
"What did you do with Owen?" Ellie asked.
"Hes being guarded by the best, we have a jail back home and hes going to be in there for a long time," Jacob said.
"Hows Mel feeling," Johnny said.
"Okay for now, shes going to keep a close eye on him when we get back," Jacob said.
"Hopefully he can see good one day again," Johnny said.
"Thanks for not killing him along with the others," Jacob said.
"Thank you for not siding with him," said Ellie.
"No problem, whats her name by the way," Jacob said.
"Elsie," Johnny said knowing he meant their daughter.
"Nice name," Jacob said before taking off his tag, "I think its time for a change," he said before holding out his hand.
Johnny then got down, "From now you can count me and your men as allies," Jacob said.
"You remember how I took in that former bandit group," Johnny said and Jacob nodded. "I guess you can change too," he said before shaking his hand. The two of them smiling and now allies.
Johnny still remembered how Jacob and others didn't stand with Owen and those that did started to realise what they did was wrong.