Chapter 13: Sheltering a Siren

"Step the fuck away from him!"

The huntress' words were directed at Faith who was cowering behind Kyle in terror. She had her hands on his back and he could feel her shaking like an earthquake.

"I will say this one more time, back the fuck away from him or I'm going to make the next few minutes a living hell!"

Faith did not answer her or follower her commands. She just continued to hide behind Kyle. Who could blame her? He was staring down someone he knew could kill them both if she wanted to. If this was anyone else, Kyle would have his hand ready to draw his gun the second the assailant gave him a chance. But this one was different. Not only was she probably at least equal in skill with a bow as he was with a gun, he had no intention of doing her any harm.

"Jess, put down the bow. I know what you see doesn't make sense, but you have to trust me."

Jess was unwavering. "Bullshit! The Kyle I know would not be traveling around with a peggie, let alone a fucking Seed. She did something to you; I know she did! I don't want to hurt you Kyle but I'll do whatever it takes to free you from her clutches."

Kyle could see it in Jess' face. Beyond the anger, there was a sense of guilt, anxiety. The last person she wanted to aim her weapon at was in her sights. The problem was the girl behind Kyle was someone Jess felt needed to be wiped from the earth.

"Jess, its me. I'm not under anyone's control. I promise I will explain all of this to you. But you need to put the bow down. She's not a threat to you and you know I would never try to hurt you."

Jess tried her best to maintain her anger but a crack of worry showed. "How can I know?! How can I know that this is not a trick?! Why would you be traveling around with her if you're not her puppet? How can you prove that this is not a trick to get me to let down by guard so she can have you kill me, knowing that I would hesitate against you?"

Kyle took a short breath. He was slowly getting to Jess but there was only one thing that could prove to her that he was truly himself.

"I believe we made promises to each other before I gave myself over to John. I believe I asked you to continue the fight while I was away right? And you made a promise to me. That you would come looking for me."

Jess' anger melted way. Now her face was filled with sadness, regret at what she was doing. She lowered her bow slightly but not completely. "After John took you, I readied everyone we had. We ambushed every patrol we could, captured every peggy we could. We needed to know for sure that John was taking you to the bunker. Then someone spotted a large convoy moving from the bunker out east at night. I had Nick follow it from the air. He got as far as the border with Henbene before John's planes appeared and chased him off. So we figured you had been taken there. I told everyone to hold their positions here while I went to scout. I search everywhere in the morning, trying to find some trace of you. I figured that they might have taken you to 'her' bunker but I didn't find it. But by some miracle, I find you on the side of the road, only that you're traveling with Faith Seed." Jess' last words were softer.

"You held up your promise Jess, and even better than I expected. You immediately took command of the situation and kept things under control. But even I didn't think you would be this quick to go search. I also kept my promise. I stayed alive and I even got myself out. Now we can go back together, as we promised."

Jess finally lowered her bow completely. "Alright you've convinced me. No one else could give me such a sappy speech." She paused to glare at Faith who was peaking out from behind Kyle. "Get in. But one wrong move from her and I'm sending her out the car with an arrow in her throat." She then made her way back to the driver's door.

Kyle breathed a sigh of relief. He was concerned that Jess would make good on her threats but he was also equally afraid that he would have to hurt her. Luckily, none of those scenarios happened. He turned around to face Faith who had ceased shaking but still looked deathly afraid. He put his hands on her shoulders.

"Hey, I'm sorry things went the way they did. Jess is pretty….aggressive in her views of the cult. But it looks like she was able to see reason. Just sit in the back seat behind me. Everything will be fine."

Faith continued to have a worried look in her eyes. "I know its not your fault….but I can't help feeling that she isn't the only one to harbor such views. Are you sure this is safe?"

Kyle gave her a reassuring smile. "I promised to keep you safe. There will not be a next time."

Faith nodded and followed Kyle to the car. She got in the back seat behind him as instructed. Jess then started the car and continued along the road. As they were driving, Kyle alternated between looking at Faith who just stared out the window, and Jess who unflinchingly kept her eyes on the road. He figured to leave Faith alone for now and address Jess.

"Hey, I want to thank you for finding us and giving us a ride. It would have taken a while to reach Falls End and who knows what trouble we would have ran into on the way there."

Jess shifted her eyes toward Kyle for a moment then back again. "You might want to hold off on that. I'm still a little pissed at you. What the fuck were you thinking Kyle? This is fucking crazy, even for you."

"I have my reasons Jess. I didn't expect things to go the way they went either. I kind of took things as they presented themselves."

Jess glared at him again. "Well, are you going to explains things to me? What do we tell the others?"

Kyle turned serious. "We're not going to tell the others, at least not yet. This is going to just be a thing between you and me for now. I promise I'll explain things fully later but first we need to get her to a safe place."

Jess clenched the wheel. "This is fucking unbelievable. I can't believe I'm fucking helping a Seed. You fucking owe me so much Kyle."

"I know Jess. I can't thank you enough. Just keep this between us for now ok?"

"Fine."

Kyle turned back to Faith to see if she was listening in to their conversation. She was still staring out the window but he knew that she had heard everything. He felt bad for her. Previously, she had been at a place where everyone had treated her well. Granted she was in charge of them but they still at least showed her respect. But then Kyle showed up and convinced her to leave it all behind. And where did that get her? She had just been threatend to be killed by Kyle's closest ally. Now she would have to be hidden away, lest others had the same reaction. She went from complete kindness and obedience to hostility and defiance. It was all Kyle's fault. He hoped it would be all worth it in the end. The end goal was an environment where Faith would be free from such hate and would be able to have a life of her own instead of one that was forced upon her, no matter how ideal it may seem on the outside. It was a hope, but Kyle was determined to make a reality.

The trio finally got close to Falls End. They had encountered a few cult vehicles along the way but were not bothered by any of them. They were too busy trying to get to where they needed to go to bother paying attention to the civilian war driving past them. There were one or two areas where they saw patrol trucks but luckily they were in directions away from where they were heading. When they were close to reaching the town, Kyle broke the silence.

"Pull up to the church."

"Wait why? You're going to hide her in the church? What about Jerome? You aren't just going to be able to sneak her in there without him noticing."

"Well, we're going to have to tell him. But I think he's the one who would be most accepting of her. It'll at least be nice to have someone to watch out for her while I'm not around."

Jess pulled over near the church, turned, off the car, then turned her whole face to glare at him. "What the fuck Kyle? You just got telling me before that we weren't going to tell anyone else? Now you want to drop her off in a church, a place where a bunch of people gather?"

"Jess, we can't just fucking drop her off at an empty house. She could be spotted by anyone, some asshole who wants to take out his anger on her or a fucking cultist. I know I said we wouldn't tell anyone else! I just realized that's not going to be possible. But this is the safest place for the time being."

Jess waved her hand dismissively. "Fine, whatever. She's your problem anyways. Let's get this over with."

Jess got out of the car and headed towards the church entrance. Kyle got out and opened Faith's door. She got out slowly.

"Hey, I know you overheard us but I want to explain this more to you. Jess and I, we're going to be out taking care of business. I know you don't like fighting or violence. Plus, I don't want to risk putting you in any more danger. So I'm going to have you stay here with Pastor Jerome for the time being. He's a good man. I trust him to be able to look after you while we're gone."

"Where are you going?" Faith asked weakly.

"We're going to find someone. Someone I think can help bring closure to this situation. That's all I can say for now."

"How long will you be gone?"

"Hopefully not more than a day or two. We'll do our best to take care of things and get back quickly. I really hate leaving you like this. After what you've been through recently, it feels as though I've lied to you about things getting better. But I promise to do my best to make the best for you here and do what I can to resolve all this."

Faith smiled at him. He hadn't seen that smile in what felt like forever. Perhaps it was when she appeared to him when he was tied up? It felt that ever since then, she had been fearful, sad, angry, anything but happy. To see her finally smile warmed his heart. "I trust you Kyle. I know you'll always do the right thing."

Kyle was relieved that Faith still trusted him even with everything that was going on. It motivated him to push even harder. They finally made their way to the church where Jess was impatiently waiting. Kyle had Faith stand behind him and out of sight in case there were others in the church?

"Jerome?" Kyle called out.

The pastor soon appeared from the back of the church. Upon seeing Kyle, his face lit up.

"Well as I live and breathe, if it isn't Kyle Volker. If this isn't a miracle from God, I don't know what is. When John took you, I thought we had lost you for good, but here you are. What can I do for you?"

Kyle rubbed the back of his head. "Well Jerome, I kind of need a favor, a really big favor."

"Please ask for whatever you need Kyle, and I will do my best to meet it."

"So uh, as a man of God, I would think that you would be the best one to subscribe to forgiveness for your enemy. I've got a….former Eden's Gate member who needs shelter, someone to look out for them while I'm gone. I was hoping you could help with that."

"Of course, of course! We must be open to those that seek our help, even if they have opposed us in the past. We must be able to forgive otherwise we'd drown in hate." Jess silently facepalmed while Jerome looked for the person Kyle was talking about.

"Is this individual here?" He asked.

Kyle turned his head back to whisper something. Then Faith stepped out from behind him. She did her best to have a bit of a smile, but it was obvious that she was nervous. Jerome's eyes widened when he saw her, but he remained silent for a time. After a few moments of getting over his shock, he finally spoke with a smile.

"Well, this is a surprise. However, I believe I can still accommodate. I have an area where you can stay." He pointed to a door on the left. "That leads to a small joining home that I have just in case I needed more space. Its not remarkable but it has a bed and shower. No one will be able to get in expect me and you. Is that acceptable?"

Faith looked to Kyle who silently nodded. She then turned back to Jerome. "Yes, that would be fine. Thank you."

"You're welcome. Let me unlock the door for you so you can get settled." Jerome pulled a key out of his back pocket and went to unlock the door. He invited Faith to walk inside to see it which she accepted. Before he could follow her to show her everything, he was stopped by Kyle.

"Jerome, a few words if I may. Obviously, this has to be kept as an upmost secret. Only a few are going to know about this including you. I don't know how long I'll be gone; we'll try to get back as quick as we can. But I need you to keep an eye on her. I have no idea what sort troubles she may have had while she was with the cult. I don't know if she has any nightmares or trauma from her past. I know its asking a lot, but I need you to keep an eye on her when you can. I know you have others that come to you for help. All I'm asking is to make sure she's not in danger."

Jerome smiled and put out his hand. "Its no trouble Kyle. You've helped us so much in the past it's the least I can do. I'll look after her. But come back safe."

Kyle shook his hand. "Thank you. I'm going to have a word with her then we'll be off.' He turned to look at Jess but she just shrugged her shoulders and stepped outside. Kyle figured she might be annoyed but it was tact approval to do what he needed to do. Kyle stepped inside the small home. Faith was looking around the bed, the drawer, and examining the bathroom. She finally noticed him coming in.

"So what do you think?"

"Its small, but it seems cozy. Its so weird though. Even though I'm so used to the bunker, this house doesn't have any windows. It would be nice to have a view of the outside."

She sat on the bed and Kyle went and sat next to her. He sighed before starting. "Hey look, I know its not the best place but I think it's the best of what we have right now. Maybe soon, I'll speak to Mary and see if we can find an empty house in town that's a little more accommodating. But right now, my number one goal is to keep you safe. Jerome will look after you and take care of food and such. But I need you to promise me something. Don't let anyone know that you're here. Stay out of sight and stay silent when people are in the church."

Faith frowned. "It seems like this is more like prison or house arrest."

Kyle swore in his head. Faith was completely right. These accommodations were like prison. But what choice did he have? He didn't want to expose her to the dangers that he and Jess would face and he couldn't have her face other people when he wasn't around. Who knew how they would react? They might have had the same reaction as Jess but Kyle wouldn't be around to stop them. Perhaps when he came back, he could slowly introduce her to more people. He still had one more person that he could tell about Faith for now. That was because he trusted her and she owed him big.

Faith must have noticed the guilt on Kyle's face because she soon interrupted his thoughts. "Kyle, I understand your reasons. I know that a lot of people might not be thrilled with the idea of seeing me. What matters is that you're giving me a chance and slowly getting others to accept me too. Just promise me something as well. Promise that you'll come back safe.'

"I promise."

"Thank you." Without warning, Faith wrapper her arms around Kyle and hugged him, burying her face in his arm. He was taken aback by this, but after a few moments reciprocated and hugged Faith back. Feelings popped in his mind that made him nervous and break the hug. He got up moved toward the church entrance and turned back towards Faith.

"Stay safe."

"You too."

Walking out, Kyle approached Jerome one last time.

"We're off again pastor. Take care of her." Once he received a nod of assurance from Jerome, Kyle joined Jess outside who as usual was waiting impatiently.

"So where are we off to now?"

"We need to stop at the Spread Eagle real quick."

"Dammit Kyle, do you really need to go on a fucking tour? I know you wanna let these people know that you're alright, but we need to hit the peggies hard before they learn of your escape."

"Calm down Jess. I need to take care of one more thing and then we can go."

Jess sighed but even with her annoyance, she still followed Kyle to the bar.

"How about this? I'm going to be driving to wherever we're going so how about you get yourself a drink or two and I'll cover your tab."

"Hmmm, I guess that's fine. Haven't had a drink in a while so I think I'll take you up on your offer."

When they entered, they saw Mary cleaning the bar. It was still early in the day so there were very few patrons. Mary's eyes lit up when she saw Kyle.

"Oh my god! Kyle! How the hell did you escape?"

Kyle gave a bit of a smug smile. "It's a long story that'll have to wait Mary. Do you know where Deputy Hudson is?"

"I gave her a room upstairs. Pretty sure she's up if you want to go talk to her."

"Great! Thanks! I'll just be a few minutes. Jess might be up for some your liquor. I'll cover whatever she orders."

Mary frowned, as she turned and saw Jess give an evil smirk. Mary was already intimated by Jess and she was worried what giving her alcohol would cause. Kyle left them to her devices and walked upstairs. He found Hudson in one of the rooms rearranging things. Her back was to him, so he knocked on the open door to announce himself.

She turned around. "Holy shit. Its Kyle Volker!"

Kyle couldn't help but feel a little embarrassed. "How are you doing Hudson?"

Hudson mirrored Kyle's grin. "Doing much better thanks to you. How the hell did you escape John's clutches?"

"It's a long story that I'll share later. But right now I need to ask you a favor."

"Anything Kyle. You fucking saved my life. If you need anything, let me know."

Kyle took a deep breath. "Since it looks like you're staying in this town, I need you to look out for someone. Make sure they don't get into any danger."

"Who?"

Kyle hesitated. His mind started to have doubts. Hudson had just come out of being in captivity with the cult. Would she be willing to even consider watching over someone who had been a part of the cult, who was a regional lieutenant?

Hudson interrupted his thoughts. "Who is it Kyle? Why do you look so nervous?"

Kyle took another deep breath. It kinda has to do with how I escaped. Let just say the person was…..a part of the cult…."

Hudson tilted her head in confusion. "Who?"

"Faith Seed."

Hudson's eyes widened in surprise and Kyle watched for any signs of anger. But if there was any, she kept it suppressed.

"Shit…..that's actually more of a surprise then you getting out. Is she here with you?"

"We left her with Jerome at the church. I trust him to look after her while we're gone but I'd feel a lot better if you could also keep an eye on her. You don't have to go there and visit her. All I ask is that you keep an eye out so that danger doesn't find her."

Now it was Hudson's turn to take a deep breath. She was silent as she contemplated her response. After some deliberation, she finally spoke. "If it was anyone but you Kyle, I would have said no, hell no. But you sacrificed yourself to help me so its only right for me to help you. But Jesus Kyle, what did you get yourself in to?"

"Like I said, I'll explain it all as soon as I can. Right now, I needed to find a place to stash her and keep her safe. I really appreciate this Hudson. You went out of your way to try to talk to me when they brought me in for the operation. Right away I could tell that you're a really sympathetic and reliable person. That's why you're one of the few people I can trust with this information. Thank you."

"You're welcome Kyle. I'll do what I can even if I have some reservations. Just make sure you come back."

"You aren't the first to say that. But I promise I will. Thanks again Hudson."

They both gave a short wave to each other, then Kyle headed back downstairs. He noticed that Jess was no longer at the bar but was leaning right next to the doorway. After saying goodbye to Mary, he went over to meet her.

"So, did you enjoy yourself?"

"Of course I did. But you know what would be better? If we fucking got back into the action."

"Are you sure you're good enough to fight?"

"Please. I can hold my liquor better than anyone in this county. I could even say that some booze makes me a better shot."

"Oh really? This I gotta see. Regardless, I'll drive."

She followed him out to the car. "Where are we going anyways?"

"To find a drug-dealing peggie."