In case anyone skipped the last chapter, which was admittedly violent, the following is just a quick recap!

Emily was NOT shot by Curran (sorry I couldn't resist the cliffhanger…who thought Emily was actually going to be killed off?). A nameless homeless man interfered and took the bullet himself. He'd overheard them talking about Dr. Shannon and, upon recognizing the name of the state hospital's doctor whom those on the streets and in trouble know to be selfless and unbelievably helping, he sacrificed himself, so the girls could get away.

Emily and Maddy are now on the run …

The girls quickly blend in along the crowded Chicago streets as morning rush hour settles in. They are both breathless and shaken when they reach the monorail. "I'm going to go get the kids and a few things from the apartment," Emily says, panting through her rebreather. "You have to warn your family. If you happen to find Mark, warn him. He can't go home, they'll be on the apartment as soon as Curran gets back to recruitment."

Maddy nods robotically, her face ashen and tear stricken.

Emily shakes her shoulders aggressively. "Madelyn!" she yells, her voice hoarse. "You can't grieve yet. Okay, you can't shut down, and you can't grieve, because we still have to get your family through that portal. No one is safe here anymore. Tell Elisabeth the plan with Z is still on, but I'll get the rest of them through too; I swear on my life. Hope Plaza is going to have all of their IDs flagged after Curran has his way."

Before heading off, Emily has Maddy repeat the plan to her. "Home. Plan Z. Warn everyone," Maddy manages, but her eyes are wide, and her demeanor is shaky. She is traumatized, yet coherent enough to realize what's at stake. With a jerk of her head, Maddy runs off.

Maddy runs into the apartment, breathless. "He told them," she gasps as she flies through the door. Elisabeth sits at the table with Josh while both Reilly and Foster are in the room, everyone getting ready for their day. They all turn to look at her quizzically. "It's Curran," Maddy rushes to explain. "He knows about Zoe. He knows about Dad having a plan to escape. I met up with Emily Reynolds and he followed me before going straight to recruitment to report. They are on their way here and if they catch us, the only one getting to Terra Nova is me and that's only so they can force me to help with their plan, whatever the hell it is."

Everyone in the room looks at her in shock for completely different reasons. Elisabeth looks terrified. Josh seems like he's never seen the girl in front of them before. Reilly appears concerned. And Foster is confused. Maddy realizes she probably sounds like a crazy person.

"Okay," Foster starts slowly. "First of all, who the hell is Zoe? Second, who is Emily? Third, why in god's name would Curran turn on us?" He doesn't even mention the jailbreak part.

Instead of directly answering Foster, Maddy looks at her mom desperately. "You have to believe me," she quivers. "I don't know what to do."

Elisabeth and Reilly exchange a look that Maddy doesn't completely understand. "Well," Elisabeth says briskly as she stands up, "I guess now is as good a time as any to start being honest with one another. Reilly and Mark Reynold's sister, Emily, helped me connect with Jim to plan his escape so that he can join us on the pilgrimage. The reason we're going on the pilgrimage isn't only because of me being a doctor; Maddy was also recruited by the commander himself, for reasons unknown to recruitment."

Reilly doesn't appear fazed, though Josh seems mildly surprised, by the first revelation at least, and Foster looks like he'd seen a ghost.

"I hacked into recruitment's files," Maddy bursts. "I don't know what's happening, but I know there's a conspiracy, I'm involved, recruitment's behind it, and whatever it is entails me being as asset to some sort of scheme by people named Weaver and Lucas Taylor. Curran said they want to detain me until I can be sent through the portal to a woman named Mira."

Reilly looks at her sharply. "Lucas Taylor. As in Commander Taylor's son?" she asks, and Maddy nods.

"Weaver," Foster snaps out of his stupor. "I've heard that name before. I'm pretty sure he commands one of those mercenary armies. I was offered a job by them before but they're reputation is a little too bloody for my taste … uh, the Simurgh army? No … Chamrosh?"

On the verge of hysteria, Maddy yells, "Why are you naming mythological birds?"

"Phoenix!" Reilly jumps up. "I know what you're talking about. The Phoenix Army, a group of heartless trained killers, the best group money can buy. They're based in a dome a short distance from Hope Plaza but outside the City Center. Their dome is full of industrial equipment, to manufacture weapons. One of my friends was sent in undercover by her employer to investigate them; she worked for a rich guy with his own army who felt threatened. She was reported dead less than two weeks in. An accident, they called it."

Everyone looks at one another uneasily.

"Alright," Foster says. "One more question. Who the hell is Zoe?" Reilly looks toward the three Shannons with as much questioning in her expression as her coworker.

Elisabeth glances at her children worriedly. Josh is tense and Maddy continues to be visibly upset. She turns back to the two guards. "If I share with you what I'm about to, do I have your word that you won't betray us? You don't have to continue helping us, but please don't follow Curran and aid recruitment against us."

"Never," Reilly says quickly, though still obviously confused. These people are endearing by nature, and it seemed impossible for the guards not to become loyal to them.

"Zoe!" Elisabeth calls. "You can come out now. It's alright." Nothing happens. With a glance from her mother, Maddy darts into the back, reemerging with young Zoe in her arms. "Laura, Ken," Elisabeth addresses. "This is my daughter, Zoe. Our third child."

Foster's jaw falls to the floor and Reilly's eyebrows shoot into her hairline. Neither say a word for a while.

"H-how …" Foster starts eventually.

"Very carefully," Maddy concludes with a frown. "Mark knew. That's why he was always volunteering to take the indoor shift; Zoe could be out with him around." Foster's cheeks darken, his previous assumptions having been proved wrong.

The group then devises a plan. Maddy informs Elisabeth that the meet up with Emily for Zoe is still on. "I was supposed to go to the hospital today," Elisabeth says. "It's my last day, and I need some medicine for …" she trails off, glancing at the youngest. They need a six-year-old to stay calm and quiet while stuffed in a bag for a journey through time, something that undoubtedly won't happen without a bit of scientific assistance. "They'd notice if I signed the pills out, so it had to wait until the last minute."

It is decided that Elisabeth will go to the hospital, get the medicine, and leave, accompanied by Reilly in case they run into trouble. The only suspicion raised should be that they leave earlier than scheduled. Afterwards, they can go to the bank and finish liquidating the remaining accounts to repay Emily for all of her help. Meanwhile, Josh, Foster, Maddy, and Zoe will all stick together on the streets, killing time until the meet up with Emily early in the morning when Elisabeth and Reilly will reconnect as well.

"The best plan we have," Josh says flippantly, "is hiding in plain sight? We're just going to roam the streets for an entire day until we may or may not get to Terra Nova?"

"We can blend in with the homeless. It's what Curran did, and it worked for him," Maddy replies. Everyone is bustling around, putting the finishing touches on the Terra Nova packs. "Anything is better than staying here where we'll be sitting ducks."

Within a quarter of the hour, all are adjusting rebreathers and pulling on backpacks. Josh holds a wide-eyed Zoe who hasn't seemed to make up her mind about trusting Reilly and Foster and who has never been outside for more than short bursts in an adjacent alley.

Foster is visibly nervous, his age showing as he fidgets with his things. "I … um, I support you guys. One hundred percent," he voices. "But I have someone waiting for me at home. If recruitment catches wind that I helped you … I'm trying to start a family," he says, his voice full of apology. "I need to keep my head down."

Though Maddy is heartbroken again, Elisabeth acts as the vision of understanding. "You're Josh's age," she says softly. "You have an entire life to live."

"If Foster is backing out, can I stay with Kara?" Josh pipes up, hope creeping into his voice. "We don't even have legal passage anymore. You guys go for it, but I could be with her."

"It's about family, Joshua," Elisabeth says resolutely. "We stick together."

"I won't even get to say goodbye to her now!" he yells back. "She is my family."

But rough knocking at the door silences them all.

Foster and Reilly draw their weapons, everyone taking a breath, and Elisabeth pulls her kids behind her. Reilly inches forward to open their only and now compromised exit. At the last moment, instead of raising her hand to the door, she raises her weapon and points it at Foster. "What the hell?" he gasps as loud as he dares. Maddy grips onto her siblings. She can't take any more betrayals.

"Help us," Reilly says, her gun trained on him.

"What?"

"Help us."

The knocking grows louder and louder.

Though Elisabeth tries to reach for her daughter, Maddy, having caught on, saunters past the potential violence towards the door, saying they need to get this over with. "What?" she smirks at her family looking at her like she has three heads and Foster looking at her with true fear in his eyes. "She just gave you deniability," Maddy beams at Foster. "You can still walk if you want, but if you don't mind a night on the streets, you're welcome to join and not make the decision based on recruitment's rule book."

Reilly finally trains her weapon back to the door and sighs. "I don't have anyone to lose," she says. "But now you and whoever you're protecting will be safe. You can tell recruitment I forced your cooperation." She bites back a smile, "Like our resident genius said, your choice now. You're welcome."

Foster shakes his head in disbelief, the corner of his mouth threatening to turn up. "Let's kick ass," he says, and he opens the door.

Alright, alright! Do we think this will actually work out for the Shannons? I want guesses on who is going to make it through the portal!