Jacob opened the hangar to the Lansdowne airstrip. His plane rested inside, the same as it was when Liz flew in it last. She never thought the next time she flew in it; she'd be willingly giving up her uncle. There was no turning back now though. After she had told him about the Wolf's Den, he had immediately snapped into action. His mindset had gone into attack mode. She did her best to follow suit.

Jacob went through the process of checking his plane. Most likely to see if anyone had tampered with it. It had been locked up tight, but the Deputy was always being crafty. He had robbed a bunch of stashes in the Henbane already.

"Map." He said.

Liz pulled her Hope County map out of her jacket and laid it across the wing of her plane. It was covered in markings all over the mountain. She had told him where everything was before they came here. She hadn't held back this time.

"Show me where it is again."

She pointed to a spot in the upper left-hand corner of the map. "It's not too far north of the Chalet. It's under a small mountain, mainly rocks. There are no trees on it and there's two entrances we'd need to watch out for. Whether the Deputy is there or not is unknown. But Eli will be…"

Jacob glanced at her with a small smile on his face. He didn't question her insight further. He fully trusted her. She couldn't think of a better feeling.

"Let's go."

"We gonna drop a bomb on them or something?" Liz asked.

He scoffed. "We're scouting it out. It's useful to know what we're walking into. I know that's not an area you excel in, little lamb."

"Hey, I never need to plan ahead. That's what you're here for." She playfully hit his arm. While she shouldn't count on Jacob all the time, it sure was nice to. He hadn't let her down before and she didn't see that happening anytime soon.

Liz folded the map up and climbed up on the wing of the plane. She gracefully slipped into the gunner seat.

"Come on, old man. Waiting on you." She laughed.

Jacob titled his head. "Call me old man again I'm throwing you out of the plane."

The smile on her face grew bigger. "I'd like to see you try."

Jacob stalked over to where she sat. He placed his hands on his hips. He slowly faded out of his 'attack' mode. It always only took a little bit of flirting to accomplish that.

"You really think I can't snatch your ass out of that seat?"

Liz hoisted herself up and leaned over the edge of the plane. She was about to fall out but planted her feet into the sides. With her left hand she cupped his chin and placed a chaste kiss on his lips.

"Get in the plane cowboy."

Jacob slowly exhaled. "Yes ma'am."

He climbed onto the plane and slid into the pilot seat. Liz watched the glass click shut behind him. She got herself into position. She tucked her hat into her jacket and put on the headset. It was tight around her head which made her slightly wince. She would be fine though. She'd been through worse.

"You all set?" Jacob asked.

Her hand banged on the side of the plane. "Let's fly."

The propeller switched on and began to spin. Jacob pulled them out onto the runway. They sped down, quickly picking up speed until the tires lifted off the ground and they were in the air. Even though the takeoff was smooth, Liz felt her stomach turn. Planes just weren't fun, simple as that. Hopefully Jacob didn't try to crash them this time.

"Everything all right back there?"

The static through the headset was rough. Especially on her good side. She barely made out what he said.

"I might throw up, but overall okay!" She laughed.

"Just hang on tight! And hands off the turret. We don't need to draw any attention. And I don't want you blowing the end of my plane off."

Liz rolled her eyes. She moved her hands from the turret down to the handlebars. "Hey, I'm not that bad a shot!"

"Eh, you're not bad little lamb. But you're still got a lot to learn." He said.

"You're no fun."

"No, I'm not…" Jacob sighed and his tone grew sharp. All the 'fun' had faded away from him. It always did. "We need to focus. Let me know when we're over the Wolf's Den."

His words felt like a knife in her gut. She often forgot the reason she was there. Jacob wasn't her boyfriend, barely even her friend. They were just partners in a war. She shouldn't always be so surprised when it slipped back to a professional level. Just because he had taken her out on the boat ride didn't mean anything.

"10-4." She said.

Liz sunk further back into the seat. The plane banked right and headed south. The wind whipped across her. If she had any hair left, it would be certainly be in her face. As much as she missed the way she used to look, it had only been an obstacle. She needed to be grateful that it was gone. Jacob had told her that. Maybe he was right.

Jacob had been right about a lot of things. She was stronger than she thought all along, killing hadn't become personal anymore, and Eli had disposed of her. Just like Jacob said he would. Maybe if she had listened to him from the beginning things might be different…

'No, don't think like that.' She thought.

As much as she respected Jacob, she shouldn't become him. Someone needed to stick around to keep him in check. At least the best she could.

But deep-down, Liz knew that wouldn't happen. She had enjoyed that night at the outpost (before the Deputy had shown up). It felt good to be powerful for once. No one had called her a child, a weakling, or even knew that she had been a Palmer. She had simply been an advisory, and a competent one at that. And that was something she enjoyed very much. If she continued this path, Jacob might be the one that keeps her in check.

The dipping of the plane broke her chain of thought. She glanced at their surroundings. She could see the FANG Center in the distance slowly slipping away.

"We're close." She said.

"Good. Tell me when you have eyes on the bunker."

"Yes sir." She sighed.

The plane banked further on its side so she could see the landscape. They quickly sped towards the mountain until she could see the opening of the Wolf's Den. That was where she and Eli sat on the rocks and he comforted her. It was also where she, Dep, and Sharky had once hung out doing stupid shit. Liz had to swallow the bile that had formed in her mouth. She needed to put those feelings aside for now.

"We're here!" She shouted. "Wolf's Den is just below. But it's sealed up for some reason. It's usually open."

"He's probably being cautious after your chat this morning." He said.

"I guess so… what now?"

Jacob tipped the plane away from the bunker and headed south again. "We'll land at the Chalet and then wait it out until nightfall. Then we'll pay your dear Uncle Eli a visit."

Liz once again, swallowed her concerns. She reminded herself that she was doing the right thing. During the ride to the airstrip, Jacob had given her one of his 'speeches'. He had told her a lot of things but there was only one thing that he expected of her:

She needed to make her sacrifice.

And now she had the rest of the day to ponder on how she'll even be able to go through with it. Jacob wouldn't let her leave that place alive if she didn't…

Liz found herself gripping the handlebars until her knuckles turned white. She was quiet for the rest of the trip to the Chalet, which only took about five minutes. When the plane touched down, she let go. She needed to pull herself together. Jacob didn't need to know that there was anything wrong.

The wheels came to a stop and Liz hoisted herself out of the plane. Her feet hit the ground with a thump. At least she didn't fall this time. She took her hat out and placed it on her head. The afternoon sun was beating down hard. Even while in the plane, she had already started to sweat in her outfit. This was not going to be fun.

"You alright?" Jacob asked.

She nodded. There was no way in hell she was going to tell him her doubts. "Do I need to wear a mask this time?"

"I'd prefer it if you don't. So, my men can see you. Have you given any more thought to the role yet?"

"No… I haven't. And I don't really want to right now. I just want to focus on tonight." She said.

Jacob gently reached for her hand. "Just stick by me while I check everything out, and then…"

"No, actually…" Liz pulled away before he could grab her hand. "I just want to be by myself for a bit. To clear my head."

His eyebrow raised in suspicion. "Fine. No running off."

A smile crossed Liz's lips. He knew her all too well. She was surprised that he wasn't demanding that she stick by his side. But it seemed that they were both trying the whole 'trust' thing.

"As long as no one threatens to throw me in a pit, no running off." She hummed.

With a grunt, Jacob turned away and headed off towards the Chalet. Liz didn't really know what she had planned to do, but she needed to get her head in the game. If she wasn't injured, she would run laps or try the obstacle course again… and maybe not fall in the mud this time. But she couldn't raise her arm above a forty-five-degree angle. It made things a bit more difficult.

A gust of wind below across the grounds. She carefully tightened her hat so it wouldn't blow off and she also inspected her firearm. Jacob had gotten her a left-handed holster earlier today. So, she'd actually be able to shoot something. Or at least try with one hand. She'd never shot a nine mil one handed.

Liz headed off in the opposite direction of Jacob. She wandered past a few tents and such. She could remember the times when she sat in them, learning tactics and how to find Whitetails. It had been such a waste because the Whitetails had ended up finding her.

A group of trainees began to jog by. Liz found herself freezing up. But she quickly recovered. She wasn't one of those trainees, she was a Chosen. They passed by her without a glance. They probably were too much in pain to focus on anything else. The Chosen men following behind the pack gave her a look. But after studying her for a second, they gave her a nod and went on their way. People respected an outfit more than a person.

She continued to wander around the grounds until she came to a stop at the knife throwing range. Another place she remembered all too well. Here was the first place she tried to kill Jacob. She was just glad it was empty now.

Liz picked up one of the knives off the table and inspected it. It felt cold and smooth in her hand. She took position and lodged the knife at the target. It slammed sideways into the wood and hit the ground. A sharp pain came from her shoulder. She let out a groan. This had been a lot easier a few months ago.

She switched up her technique, and the next few knives hit their targets. She pushed aside her pain and fell into a rhythm of throwing. Some knifes would stick, others fell to the ground. This ended up clearing her head better than anything else.

She threw knives for about half an hour before a noise caught her attention. A scream came from the south of her. Liz scooped up one of the knives and headed in that direction. When reached the cliff, she saw the source. Two of the Chosen were harassing some trainee and threatening to throw him over the cliff. The same one that she had almost been killed on…

Seeing those two Chosen harass that boy, something clicked inside her.

This wasn't how Jacob's army was supposed to run. Jacob wouldn't put up with this, so neither should she. He would want her to do something about this. She was the 'leader of the chosen' after all.

Her hand gripped around the knife tighter. She slowly stalked towards the men. They paid no attention to her. She lunged forward at the closest man and held the knife to his throat.

"Shit!" The other man yelled. The boy they were harassing, collapsed to the ground. The Chosen with the knife at his throat, held his hands up.

"What's going on here boys?"

The two men stood stammering, more confused than terrified. Liz pressed the knife further into the man's throat. A small amount of blood began to trickle onto it.

"I asked you a question!" She hissed.

"Look lady, I don't know who you think…"

Liz sighed and dropped the knife. The training she'd gone through clicked into place. She quickly drew her firearm and jammed it into the back of the man's skull.

"Now that I have your attention, what were you doing?"

She pushed the gun further into the man's head and he groaned. "He was slacking off. So, we were culling the herd. What's it to you!" The man shouted.

Why did this matter to her? Was this for Jacob or was this just who she was now? Violence gave her a thrill that nothing else did. She had yelled at Jacob earlier this morning for making a decision for her. But now she was going to make one for herself.

"I'm sure you've heard word from Jacob. With Ramirez gone, you're under new management. When Jacob's not here, you report to me! You will refer to me as 'Commander' or 'Sir', nothing else. Understood?"

The man across from her stepped forward. "I-"

'They're really asking to be shot, aren't they?' Liz thought.

She moved the gun towards the other man. She'd never shot one handed, but there was no time like the present to try. She pulled the trigger and her wrist snapped back. A groan escaped her lips, but it wasn't nearly as loud as the scream came from the man who had a bullet in his foot. Liz's eyebrow raised. She was more surprised than anything. That wasn't as hard as she thought and she hadn't missed.

The man she had shot collapsed to the ground. Blood seeped out from his foot. Liz shoved forward the man in front of her.

"Take him to the infirmary and get back to work. I don't want to see either of you doing this shit again."

The Chosen scooped up his fallen friend. "Yes… commander."

She watched as the two hobbled back towards the Chalet. The boy she had saved gazed up at her. His mouth hung open. Upon further inspection she realized he wasn't exactly a boy. He was her age, maybe even a little older. He laid there unsure of what to do.

"Stand up! Don't expect help from me."

The boy scrambled up from the ground. "You saved my life. Thank you…"

"Don't thank me! Get back to work." She holstered her gun and began to walk away. That hadn't gone the way she had wanted it to.

"I know you from somewhere." The boy said.

She whipped around. "I gave you an order. Get back to work, or I'll put a bullet in you too..."

Liz shook her head and stormed off. She didn't feel like questioning him further. She just needed to get out of there. Where did that boy know her from though? They might have trained together, or maybe it was before. He had looked familiar…

That didn't matter right now though. She had accepted the role as leader of the Chosen, all in the midst of her anger. There was no going back now. Jacob would be thrilled when he found out the news. She should be the one to break it to him.

She stalked around the grounds for a few more minutes. This time, she found herself standing a little straighter, with her chin held high. The Chosen were definitely paying attention to her now. She did her best to act more like this 'commander' she was claiming herself to be. Deep down though, she felt like an impostor. She was only in this role because Jacob liked her. He liked her a little too much sometimes…

After a few more minutes, she decided that it was too damn hot to be outside. She strode through the front door of the Chalet only to find Jacob conversing with someone. He became immediately aware of her presence and dismissed the man. The Chosen scurried away without any objection from his leader. They were mostly alone.

"You manage to clear your head at all?" He asked.

Liz nodded. "Something… like that."

"I heard a 9 mil go off and two of my men hobbled in here like wounded dogs. You didn't have anything to do with that did you?"

"My bad. They had it coming." She shrugged.

Jacob leaned in close. "I'm sure they did… commander."

Liz began to laugh and gently smacked his arm. What the hell. She was almost disappointed she didn't get to deliver the news herself.

"How do you already know? I didn't know the word could spread so fast, especially twenty minutes after it happened."

"It's like I said earlier this morning, I know everything. And my men were very descriptive on who threatened them. There aren't many other small terrifying women around here, so I assumed it was you."

She threw her hand up in defeat. "You assumed right… You not pissed at me?"

Jacob shook his head. "On the contrary, I'm glad you've accepted the role. Although, I would prefer if you didn't go around shooting every single one of my men."

"Like you don't do that?" She had seen Jacob stab and shoot many people that irked him, just because he could. It only made sense that she would follow his lead.

"This is one of those, do as I say not as I do situations."

She crossed her arms over her chest and smiled. "Fine. But when you're not around, I make no promises."

"I have no doubt of that, commander." Jacob winked at her and placed his hand on her back. "C'mon let's go prep for tonight."

He led her back behind the desk with all the trainee gear on the shelves. A woman was in the back corner taking inventory. When their eyes met, the woman gave her a smile. It was the same woman from her first day here. Liz wondered if she was recognized at all. Perhaps, it didn't matter. She wasn't Liz Palmer, not anymore.

Jacob locked the door behind him and closed the shade. This was the Chalet's war room. There was a large table in the center, with several maps laid out. There were also rifles attached to the wall and a few couches in the corner. She had always wondered what was back here, and it was about what she expected. Jacob sat down in one of the chairs and she followed suit. She propped her feet up on the table.

"What else do we need to prep?" She asked.

Jacob stared at her feet on the table for a moment but didn't comment on it. "Mainly how we're going to get in. You said there's two entrances, right?"

She nodded. "Yeah. The main entrance has a staircase and then there's another hatch by the helipad. Any ideas on how to bust the doors open?"

"Got a whole bag of explosives for that, little lamb. I know that's not your area of expertise. I can set them up, all you got to do is press the detonator."

"I think I can do that." She laughed.

"Good. We'll toss a couple of smoke grenades down in there to flush them out. I'll drop down the hatch and you'll…"

"And then I kill the Deputy." Liz interrupted.

A large smile spread across her face; Jacob didn't return it this time.

"We capture the Deputy. We've talked about this."

Liz stood and came to his side of the table. She sat down on top of it. "No, you've talked about it."

"Joseph needs the Deputy alive." He said.

"I don't care what Joseph thinks!"

Jacob grabbed her arm and snatched her towards him. She grunted in pain. Jacob's face went slack, and he put a finger in her face. Fear shot through her body. The last time he had treated her this way, he had been her captor.

"You listen close. Don't you ever speak that way about Joseph again. Not around me, not around here, never. You committed yourself to this project, that means he's your Father. I better not catch you speaking out against him again. Understood?"

Liz tried to stand but Jacob grabbed her face with his other hand. His fingers brushed against her scar. There wasn't enough pressure to hurt her, but enough to keep her in place.

"I asked you a question, little lamb."

"Understood." She spat.

Jacob released her and got up from the table. He ran a hand through his hair in frustration. The anger faded from his face.

"Contrary to what you might think, I don't enjoy doing that shit to you. And I know you believe I'm the biggest asshole on the planet, but everything I've done has made you stronger! Sometimes, I just need you to listen to me. For once in your damn life."

She thought back on everything Jacob had done to her. She had been locked in a cage, beaten, starved, put through the trials, and so much more. Would she be better off if she had never met Jacob? She wouldn't have survived anything in Hope County without his training, that's for sure.

"I do think you're an asshole. But you're right, I could listen more. I won't disrespect Joseph anymore. I'm sorry…"

Jacob strode back over to her. He took her hat off and gently stroked the back of her head. Blush formed on her cheeks every time he did that.

"Good."

"I just don't agree with keeping the Deputy alive. He's gonna destroy this whole Project if we let him. And just anytime I think about him… I just get so pissed. I want him to die for what he did to me." Her hands enclosed around his wrists, seeking support.

"I know Liz. I was there that night. I would love nothing more than to beat the Deputy's face in, but we can't right now." Jacob sighed.

An idea flashed through her mind. She didn't know why she hadn't thought of it before. It was risky, but worth putting out there.

She took a deep breath. "Sometimes… I wish you were in charge of Eden's Gate instead."

Jacob took a minute to ponder her suggestion. "Yeah, me too."

His answer surprised her. But the more she thought about it, the more it made sense. Jacob was the strongest out of all of them. And the strongest would be the ones to inherit the Earth after the Collapse.

"I'm sorry." She whispered. She wasn't sure what she was sorry for this time. For doubting him, for insulting Joseph, it didn't matter. They just didn't need to fight over anything. Being together was the most important thing.

He shook his head. "It's okay. We just need to be on the same page."

"We are."

He let her go and walked over to one of the couches. He patted his lap. "Come here."

Liz followed suit and sat down on him. His arms wrapped around her, holding her tight. One of his hands stroked the back of her head again. She much preferred this side of him, even if it only did come out after they fought.

His next words sent a chill down her body. "You know I need you to kill Eli tonight, don't you? That'll be your sacrifice."

It was what she had thought about all day but hearing him say it out loud made her have second thoughts. Would she be able to kill someone she knew? Someone she had once cared about. She guessed she would find out tonight.

"I know." She said. He hands gripped at his shirt.

"You should probably rest."

She nodded and laid down across the couch. Jacob stroked her head until she slowly drifted off to sleep.

…

Liz awoke with a jolt. She looked up to Jacob's hand on her face. "Time to go." He said.

She stood up and stretched her arms. The day had gone by very fast. Jacob had changed into his army jacket. He was back to being all business. An assortment of weapons was laid out on the table. She walked over to inspect them.

"Grab a bag, put at least four of those in it." He pointed to the remote explosives. She did as he instructed and added the smoke grenades to it, and extra ammo as well.

Jacob was checking his rifle. His hands gripped it a little harder than normal. She didn't know if that was a good or bad thing.

"What else?" She asked.

"Here." Jacob held up a silencer. It looked like it would fit on the end of her own pistol. She took it from him.

"You screw it o…"

She interrupted. "I know how it works."

Liz drew her 1911 and screwed the silencer on the end. It was the most useful for stealth since she only had one arm. She spotted her bat on the table and slung it over her shoulders. It wouldn't hurt to bring it just in case. Her ballcap also found its way back to her head.

"You ready to do this, commander?" Jacob asked.

"10-4."

Jacob took the bag from her and slung his own rifle on his back. He also grabbed an AR-C off the wall. They looked prepared for anything that would come their way.

He strode out the door and Liz followed behind. The Chalet was asleep. There were no soldiers running about or any activity at all. There were only a few Chosen up in the lookout towers. They didn't distract her though from that stars that shone brightly in the sky. The stars seemed brighter than usual. It almost came across as a warning to her. Like a sign telling her to pack her shit up and go home. That's what she should probably do.

She couldn't go home though, this had to be done. This was her sacrifice. Jacob wouldn't let her put if off any longer.

The two of them climbed into one of the trucks. Jacob explained the plan to her once more. There was no playfulness in his tone like earlier today. This is how he treated her the first time they met. She was pretty sure she was holding her breath the entire time.

"Do you understand what I need from you?"

Liz nodded. "Yes."

She didn't want to hear it again. Earlier today, she had felt pride at the idea to take the Wolf's Den. But now, she only felt fear. She was determined to not let it show. She needed to match his composure. They might end up getting killed if she slipped up.

Without another word, Jacob drove away from the Chalet and into the darkness. Those warning lights in the sky continued to strike fear in her. Was she doing the right thing? Not that anything she had done with Eden's Gate was 'morally correct'. But would killing Eli make her stronger? Jacob would say yes. But as hard as she tried, she wasn't Jacob. She wasn't even sure if she could be this 'commander' she was now claiming to be.

Her hands stayed clasped in front of her the whole ride. They didn't pass anyone else on the road. It was almost as if everyone else in the county knew what was about to happen.

The truck came to a stop about half a mile away from the Wolf's Den. She remembered everything around this area very clearly from that day she tried to run away. Well, there had been a lot of days when she had tried to run from something. But that day she had been trying to leave the county forever. Some good that attempt had done her.

Jacob was the first to get out. His expression showed no fear or doubt. Of course, it didn't. This is what he's wanted from her all along. He asked her this question the first day she showed up in the cage. It only took him a few months to get the answer from her.

Liz took another deep breath and walked over to lower the tailgate. She put the bag of explosives on her good shoulder. She checked her sidearm one more time. Good to go. Jacob gave her one last look in confirmation. She nodded.

There was no turning back from this. Liz swallowed any fear she had left.

The pair swiftly dashed through the trees. She did her best to stay crouched as she ran. From the distance, they might look like a pair of wolves. Perhaps, that's what they really were. And they were going to take the Den that was rightfully theirs.

With each step, her breath grew heavier. She had to regain her grip on the bag several times. Jacob showed no concern or offer to help her. His mind was looked focused on one thing only, to crush the Whitetails. Liz was just an accomplice in this.

After running for about 20 minutes, they came in view of the Wolf's Den. Both the main door and emergency hatch were still closed. That was never a good sign.

Jacob gave her a signal to wait. He took the lead and drew his pistol. He searched the area then gave her a signal that it was all clear. Liz brought forward the back of explosives, trying to keep her feet as light as possible.

The door was sealed up tight. Liz gave it a hard tug to see if it would open. It didn't. Jacob gave her a look.

"Had to check." She sighed.

Jacob took the explosives out of the bag. He methodically hooked them up to the door. It was amazing seeing him work. Jacob had the ability to lock onto a problem and everything else would fade away. If only she could develop that skill.

He quickly finished up and handed her the detonator.

"Don't touch that till I say." He waved her away and jogged to the other hatch. Within another minute, the explosives were all attached.

Liz got up against the rocks. Jacob followed suit and pressed up against her. His arm wrapped around her waist to keep her in place. She looked up at Jacob for confirmation. He nodded in response. Liz's face scrunched up and she slammed the detonator button.

A large boom rang out through the forest. The door flew off its hinges. Flames engulfed where it once stood. Jacob's hand gripped her waist harder to hold her close.

As soon as the flames subsided, they went to work. They each grabbed smoke grenades and sprinted back to the entrances. Liz pulled the pin to a grenade and chucked it down the stairs. She did the same with a second one. White smoke billowed out the door. It had most likely filled the whole bunker by now. Liz began to cough and waved it out of her face. She drew her gun and raised it. She was ready to stop anyone that came out. Even if it was Sharky or Wheaty…

Another whole minute passed, and no one had fled the Wolf's Den. That wasn't good.

"Uh, Jacob?"

She looked over to him. He had ignored her plea. She watched as he drew the AR-C and swiftly jumped down the hatch. Almost like he was never even there.

Liz shook her head. Looks like she actually had to go down there. Hopefully, she didn't get shot in the process.

She kept a firm grip on her pistol and tiptoed down the stairs. The smoke had begun to clear out. There also wasn't any sound at all. Liz checked every nook and cranny but there was no one. She jogged down the hall and into the main room.

It looked as if she had walked into a ghost town. There was nothing. All the supplies were gone. The Whitetail logo had been scratched off the wall. She kicked down the door to the laundry room and it was empty as well. Even the Chosen soldier that Tammy had tortured for so long was gone. Her heart began to beat faster. This was not good for her. Not at all. This was the worst case scenario, even worse than having to kill Eli.

She sprinted back out and checked the two remaining bedrooms, but they came up empty too. She heard a loud noise in the kitchen. Jacob had flipped over the table. Broken dishes littered the floor.

"Whole place is empty…" She said.

"No shit!" Jacob yelled. He ran his hands through his hair. He seemed to do that more often when he was frustrated. Except this time, he wasn't frustrated but seething with rage. His whole body was tense, and he gently shook. His anger made sense. This had been the place he had searched for all this time. Years' worth of work was all a waste.

"Who did you tell, Liz? You tip Eli off?"

Her mouth hung agape. "Excuse me? I was with you all fucking day! What happened to that 'I trust you' bullshit?"

"You said you'd tell me where the Wolf's Den was. This clearly isn't it because it's empty! Neither the Deputy nor Eli are here! You lied to me again."

Liz gritted her teeth. So much for trust. She picked up a leftover piece of fruit off the counter and threw it at him. It completely missed and exploded on the wall behind him. She stalked out of the room before she could gauge his reaction. Her boots stomped against the concrete floor. She glanced over at Wheaty's old station and her chest grew tighter. Oh, Wheaty. She hoped that he was alive.

All his records were gone, every single one of them. There was something resting on the desk though. She hadn't noticed it before. As soon as she saw what it was, she almost burst into to tears. But she didn't. She couldn't.

On the desk laid a picture of Liz and Eli. She remembered the day this was taken. It had been after one of her softballs games. She had been about ten. She wore her orange and purple uniform, with clay streaks all over it. She had also been holding a trophy.

Eli didn't have a beard at that age. He had still been twenty and baby faced. His hands rested on young Liz's shoulders. The two of them had big smiles across their faces. Eli had been her best friend and number one supporter. All of that was gone now. She would never get it back.

There was also a note on the table. It read:

Elizabeth,

If you're reading this, then you told Jacob where the Wolf's Den is. As you now already know, we've fled our long-hidden bunker.

I'm sorry I never believed in your abilities. That's what started you on this path. You are stronger than I could ever be. But you've allowed that strength to be manipulated into something you're not. I know It'll never happen… but if you ever decide that you want to come home, I'll find you.

Please don't let Jacob destroy any good that is left in you.

Eli

Liz clutched the letter and photo to her chest and collapsed onto her knees. They slammed into the concrete. But she didn't care nor could she feel the pain from it. Her throat tightened and her eyes threatened to fill with tears again.

This is where her choices had led her.

She should be relieved that Eli is alive, considering that she had been nervous for this plan before. But all she could feel was shame. Shame for abandoning Eli and shame for failing Jacob. They seemed to be the two men she could never please while just being herself.

She heard footsteps from down the hall. Jacob placed his hand on her shoulder. It was surprisingly gentle gesture for someone who was pissed at her. She didn't move though. She knelt there, clutching the last remnants of her Uncle.

"We need to go."

Liz sighed. "10-4."

Just for another minute though, she could sit there in her misery. As she clutched the fragments of her past life, she willed God to turn her back into her ten-year-old self. Back when life was simple and easy, and Elizabeth Palmer was still happy…