Disclaimer: Why even bother anymore?

Timeline Layout: Bombs +212-+213. Set the night of "Condor", and immediately prior to the arrival of Jennings and Rall.

Series Layout: Follows Hawkins on a AU path (Chinook universe) to tracking down Valente and his group of thugs. IN this AU the Western Government (Allied States of America) is not inherently evil. More like Valente, J&R and a number of picked thugs have corruptiuon throughout the government.

This will cover mainly conspiracy and laying out the outline of the politcal aspect of my "Chinook" universe. Whereas the actually Chinook series will cover the little peoples aspect. Also, I am going to stick somewhere between Canon and total AU for the next few episodes

Chapter Note: YES. Johnston is alive! It was too ridiculous a death to use...He'll make a few more appearances.

Jake will be coming into play more. I never really liked him to well so I ignored his character, but he is now becoming necessary.

Feedback: Any feedback is appreciated!

Thansk to my beta's ;) Made a HUGE help, and wrote a few chunks of dialogue I was stuck on! Thanks!

Casey walked quickly and easily down the corridors of Jericho's city hall. The soldiers and deputies jerking out of his way as he barged towards them.

He saw Johnston and Jake Green's backs as they left town hall, but he didn't immediately follow them. That had been an excuse to leave Beck without arousing any suspicions.

He neared his real objective as he saw Darcy Hawkins at the hall's front door, just putting on her coat to leave. Casey slowed, timing it to be leaving the front doors close to Darcy, allowing him to speak without anyone noticing.

He reached the door first and held it open, "Ma'am," he said cordially, allowing her to exit.

She shot him a glance but went out ahead of him. He slowed and followed behind her, keeping a discreet distance.

"What do you want?" she asked quietly, pausing at the street curb to let a humvee pass.

"Get Hawkins. Tell him to get his ass to the military route between Jericho and New Bern," he paused as a soldier walked by, and continued as they both crossed the street, "Chavez is being transferred to New Bern, then to Cheyenne...tonight. He's got a key, and a decent chance. All he needs is a diversion-Hawkins can provide that."

"What about you? Robert has already done so much..," Darcy shot a vicious glare at him.

Casey paused as Johnston Green stopped and opened the door to Bailey's tavern.

"Beck is hanging on my ass. I don't want to do anything that'll make him suspicious," He stopped, "Look, just do it. I ain't got time for this bullshit."

With that he turned and walked back towards Bailey's.

Darcy glared at him as he left before turning back towards her house. Ever since he had appeared, Casey seemed to be slowly taking control of the operation. And anytime a risk approached them, it was her husband who took, or tried to take the bullet. She sighed and walked faster.

Robert would get her opinion, weather he wanted it or not.

Casey paused in front of Bailey's door. This was turning into.......scratch that. It WAS a crappy day. It was turning into a jumbled mess inside his head and whenever he seemed on the verge of organizing it, either something new happened, or...

'Damn Chavez, Darcy, Valente and whoever else,' he thought, yanking Bailey's door open. Outside of Robert, every single person he talked to seemed to regard him as the enemy. Beck didn't fully trust him, Chavez hated his guts, and Darcy had been soured by Sarah Mason..

It didn't really bother him. He hadn't really had any close friends before the bombs, being a part of the job. But every single thing he tried, meant pushing against a wall to get it done, and it was really starting to piss him off.

As he stepped into Bailey's, he almost instantly felt the room's atmosphere change. Besides the Greens there was a half dozen other patrons. All stopped conversation and stared at Casey as he entered. Not only was he a new face inside the bar, but he was generally known in Jericho as "that CIA agent".

While Beck helped in the hunt for the terrorists, he was in the military. Casey however was known as being an intellegence officer. And in backwater towns like Jericho, almost everyone assumed that meant one thing. Trained, ruthless and deadly killers. Which was actually true for the most part on Casey, except he didn't flaunt that like many agents.

Casey ignored them, instead walking towards the Green's table.

Johnston looked up as Casey approached, acknowledging him with a nod of his head. Jake looked up a second later, a tinge of apprehension on his face. Casey glared at him, which almost immediately improved his mood, with Jake shifting uneasily in his chair. Making other people nervous and uncomfortable was one of the few things he enjoyed outside of explosives and shooting guns.

"Major," Jake said curtly. Johnston used his crutch and shoved out a chair, "Take a load off Mister Casey. Looks like you could use it."

At this, Jake gave a almost incredulous look at his father, seemingly inviting him to the table. He finally realized the intent at the same time Casey did. That minor gesture had reassured the bar's patrons and they were now ignoring the trio. Obviously Johnston's intention, now leaving them to themselves.

Casey took the chair and sat down, silent for a moment. Johnston was one of the few Jericho residents of any importance that he knew very little about. A sergeant in Vietnam, he had earned an honorable discharge and then returned to Jericho. It had only been several years after Vietnam that he had become mayor, retaining that position until late '06 when Gray Anderson won the election.

Since Casey had arrived, Johnston had remained near the Green's home, recovering from a nearly fatal wound he had received in the battle with New Bern. Beck had been the one that interviewed him, and Johnston did not hang around City Hall, which was where Casey usually was when in town.

He just made himself comfortable as the bar's owner approached them.

"Johnston, good to see you again. Jake," Mary nodded at Jake and then glanced at Casey, "Mister Casey," putting a hand on Johnston's shoulder she asked, "How's the leg coming?"

"It's still there," Johnston replied with a grin, "How about a setup for three?"

"Got ya. Be back in a jiff," Mary turned and walked back behind the bar.

"That isn't necessary Mister Green," Casey started.

"It's nothing mister Casey, and call me Johnston," he leaned forward in his chair and lowered his voice, "But eating isn't why you came here? Is it?"

Casey almost smiled, but instead drummed tapped his fingers on the table top and glanced around the bar before replying, "No. Look...Johnston. Me an' Beck didn't have a clue about Ravenwood showing up."

"Oh you didn't?" Jake interrupted.

He smothered an urge to rearrange Jake's nose, "NO," he growled, "I don't like them any more than you do. They're crooked, they will get in.....our...way," he pointedly spoke towards Jake, and watched Johnston to see if he caught it. He didn't which meant Jake might not have told him anything.

Casey then continued, "They got some good guys in the outfit. Bad thing is they are not a majority. The guy who's coming here...Goetz, is bad news. He's being sent here from Cheyenne. Moved after local officials there nearly caught ahold of his balls and strung 'em from a flagpole. Jennings and Rall used their immunity and moved him out before he died of obvious circumstances."

Johnston chuckled, "Yeah. We know. We had some problems with them," he glanced at Jake, "And we heard of a few other things they....did."

Jake then spoke up, "Here and Iraq."

Casey glanced towards Jake, "Which brings up subject number two. You better lay low."

Jake tensed at this, "What?"

"Ravenwood already knows of you. Goetz is going to gun for you. He's going to use your....record...Against you. And the worst part is, now, he outranks you."

"I can take care of him," Jake started.

He replied with a sentence dripping in sarcasm, "Oh I bet you can. Thing is Jake," Casey picked his words carefully, "You are...needed for other stuff. Goetz can't touch me or Beck. Beck can counter-act any order of his with a phone call to Cheyenne or Camp Liberty. I can trash them without even calling. But you.....you're just a ground level piece of dirt in Cheyenne's eyes. They won't think twice if Goetz decides your extra baggage."

Johnston had been watching the exchange quietly as the two talked in normal subject matter, but with seemingly deadly undertones. It reminded him of the week before Jake left, and he had walked in on a stand-off between Jake and Jonah.

Actually it had been Jonah facing down Jake and Chris. Both had been receiving an A-1 ass chewing for botching a simple job, the same one and reason why Johnston barged in, which had been the attempted re-appropriation of the local liquor delivery truck. It had been foiled when the Sheriff happened to recognize Chris Prowse's pickup following it.

Jake and Chris had shared the same defiant expressions that day when they had faced down Jonah and later Johnston. An expression they had both worn for the next several days until Chris had been killed during an attempted armored car robbery from which his accomplice had escaped unrecognized. That expression declared defiance, an obvious intent to prove the other person wrong.

The stare-off between the two bulls was halted, at least temporarily by Mary Bailey's return with the standard fare. Simply made, with what was available. Each plate contained a hamburger made from local beef, the buns with locally grown wheat, and in place of the fries, long gone with the shortage of potatoes, a demented version of pretzels, as best could be made on the ancient stove Mary used, topped off with a cup of coffee and on this particular order, an extra glass containing a dark liquid.

"Here you are guys. And an extra," she set one glass alongside Johnston, "Here."

He raised an eyebrow, "Me?....First?"

"Well we needed a guinea pig, and who better than a half-crippled old man? He can't run away as easily," Mary smiled good naturedly.

Johnston shrugged his shoulders and tested the liquid, "Not bad. Better than that acid you were making. Finally got some yeast from Cheyenne?"

"Hey don't talk like that about my recipe. And no, Dale picked it up in," she sucked in a breath as she glanced at Casey, having forgotten his particular position, and presence, "Uh, in Nebraska."

Casey smothered a snort at the coverup. The residents of Jericho were making poor attempts to hide the fact Dale was making trade runs that were not of themselves illegal, when the runs found their way into Texas and several other restricted areas they became so.

Regardless, Casey didn't care, for the most part viewing the young trader as little more than a juvenile deliqnuent compared to the overwhelming number of Jonah Prowse'esque gangs out there since the September Attacks.

That comment stalled the conversation, and the table was silent as the food was eaten. As they finished, Casey stood from the table.

"Mister Gree--Johnston," he corrected himself and extended his hand, "A pleasure to meet you, and thanks for the food."

He took his hand, "Good to finally met you in person John."

"If you need anything, let me know and I'll see what I can do," at this Casey turned and quickly stepped towards Bailey's front door. The door opened in front of him, and a figure stepped inside, then held the door as the agent strode out.

"Tank uh," he mumbled as he stepped out, some demented version of "thank you", coming out as the best it possibly could, being a combined growl and mumble

Jake got up and moved to follow him, Johnston started to rise from his chair but stopped as he watched the new figure hat entered Bailey's.

"Hey Jake!" he called. Hearing him, his son turned and glanced at him, "I'll meet you at the house. I am gonna stay a bit."

Jake nodded in acknowledgement and then hurried out the door to follow Casey.

Johnston reseated himself at the table as the newcomer came into the bar. On hearing Johnston's voice, eh turned and with a half smile approached the table.

"Mister Green," he nodded his head, "May I...?" he motioned to the empty chairs.

"Yeah sit down. What're you doing back in town? No trouble I hope?"

Grant Stout shook his head, "Nope. No trouble. It's a long story though."

"I got nuthin' but time," Johnston replied.

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Outside of Bailey's, Jake slammed open the door turning to catch Casey, instead finding him leaned against the wall.

"Figured you'd be coming," he muttered.

The arrogance that he said it with brought Jake nearly to the boiling point. A year ago he would have made a swing at him. But in that time, he had earned a valuable skill, one which he wished he'd had five years before. Patience.

"What the hell was that in there?" he growled.

Casey glowered, "What was what?"

"That show you put on for my father."

At this Casey jumped forward and put his face within inches of Jake's, "I showed your father RESPECT. You haven't seen it, and you won't get any. He served his country for four years in the military, then helped it for 30 as Mayor. He got himself wounded fighting for his town. What have you done?"

Jake's jaw muscles twitched as Casey continued.

"Let's see. Committed a decent string of crime in your youth, got your best friend killed through negligence, worked for a very interesting string of companies including our dear friend Ravenwood and...shall I continue?"

Jake squared his shoulders, "I made mistakes. But those days are over."

Casey changed the subject, "Speaking of which," he glanced at his watch, "Hawkins should have Chavez freed by now."

"Freed?"

"Beck had him transferred to New Bern for a chopper ride to Cheyenne. I had Darcy contact Hawkins and he will catch the humvees somewhere in between."

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Hawkins watched the pair of humvees trundling down the road. Both slowly travelling down the gravel road towards New Bern, the rear one mounting a .50 caliber heavy machine gun. A decent guard...for most.

He watched through the rifle's scope as they came upon his diversion. A wrecked ATV with a store dummy laying partly underneath it. Fully clothed, and in that position, easily passable for a human, as long as you didn't look too closely, especially in the evening light.

As the pair of vehicles slowed upon approaching it, the defeciency of the Cheyenne military was obvious. Four soldiers exited the vehicles, fanning out into a semi-circle as a pair approached the ATV.

It was clear that none of these soldiers had seen combat, likely assigned rear area, or prison duties. Experienced veterans would have recognized an ambush, or at the very least parked the humvees to provide cover to anyone outside of the vehicles. Instead, half of the guards were outside the vehicles, and exposed to fire.

Hawkins re-positioned himself and peered through the scope. The .50 gunner would go first, being able to lay down alot of fire if they ever pegged him.

The crosshairs settled on the man's chest before refocusing on his head where Hawkins knew there wasn't any body armor. Even with the possibility that these soldiers might not have been given armor considering Cheyenne's supply shortages, he didn't want to take the chance that it might be there.

The rifle barked once and then swung to the drivers. He fired twice more and moved again, not bothering to check his targets. Trusting the heavy 168 grain .308 bullets to do their job.

The first three shots had been fired in a matter of a couple seconds, the heavy semi-automatic M-14's bolt whamming backwards, grabbing another catridge and slamming it into the chamber, the short range meaning he only had to move the crosshairs, and not worry about bullet drop or windage.

Dumbstruck, the four soldiers paused and then scrambled for the cover of the humvees as he fired a cluster of shots towards them.

'Damn it!' he thought. They may have been green, but they weren't dumb. He had only gotten off one shot at the four soldiers, and that had been stopped by someone who definitely was wearing body armor.

After gaining cover, rifle fire began firing back into the trees bordering the road. They didn't know where he was exactly, but from the rifle reports a basic idea. And although it was basically in-effective, it still meant one thing...The job wasn't finished, and eventually someone would see him.

That's when he saw the front door of one of the humvees open. He swung the scope onto it, almost squeezing the trigger, before realizing that it was Chavez slinking out of the door with a pistol in one hand and a grenade in the other. Even if Hawkins hadn't killed the driver, it had allowed Chavez a surprise advantage. Without a wire cage, a rear attack could be almost immediately lethal, especially with the driver alone.

Chavez eased around the rear of the humvee, coming up behind the surprised soldiers. An explosion, followed by a quick flurry of shots rang out, and Chavez stood up from the vehicles, thumb high in the air, albeit a grim look on his face.

Hawkins stood up and inserted a fresh magazine before slinging the rifle and starting forward. Chavez stopped and leaned against the Humvee, slowly stretching, and flexing the cramped muscles in his wrists and legs that came from being cuffed and chained together.

"Not bad old man. Course I had to finish it for you," Chavez stared somewhat mournfully towards the humvees, "Nothing but a bunch of stupid, scared kids."

"It's a shame," Hawkins replied, "But that's what we're trying to prevent."

At this Chavez perked up, "So you do have it? It's secured? In one piece?"

"It's secured. Now we gotta move. I don't want to be around if anyone shows up. We'll head to the cabin and Jake and Casey will meet us there tonight."

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Casey was leaving as Johnston came out of the front door of Bailey's. Jake saw a strange look cross his fathers face, a cross between sadness and apprehension.

"Something wrong?" he asked as Johnston closed the door.

"Jake? You're still here eh? Oh...no it's," he sighed, "nothing."

He then looked at Jake, tense, a pissed off look on his face and seething in concealed anger.

"So," he started as they began walking back to the Green house, "What's up?"

"Up?" Jake asked, attempting to put a confused look on his face.

"Jake," Johnston glanced at his on and smirked, "Don't try it. I know you to well. You're into something. Casey has something to do with it."

He continued, "And Hawkins disappeared the day after you checked out dad's old cabin. And you been pulling disappearing acts the past three weeks."

Jake sighed, "It's nothing. I just...Can't talk about it."

Johnston's smirk disappeared, "Jake. You're in over your head. You got the same look you used to get after you were hanging out with Jonah's crowd. You were out of your league then, and you were bottling things up and not realizing or admitting when you needed help," Johnston looked over at Jake, contemplating on whether or not to try and force the secret out of him.

He stopped, and turned to Jake, "Just remember this. No matter what happens, you can't do it by yourself. No… Listen." He stopped Jake as he was about to speak. "No matter what, you can't start thinking that you're the only hope. It will drive you nuts and will only piss off everyone around you. No man's invincible. I had a team back in 'Nam and I worked with a staff as Mayor. They were as much, if not more responsible for the things we accomplished than I was. My ability was knowing every person's strengths and weaknesses and pointing them in the right direction. If you try to be the lynch pin and control everything it can fall to pieces in a matter of seconds… What happens if you are taken out of commission? Everybody here is working for the same thing, everybody needs to be able to communicate and be able to make decisions on the fly. Hell, I absolutely know that if … God forbid … something happened to me tomorrow both your mother and Eric know where everything is and how both the ranch and our own personal business is run. They know what to do and when to do it and the Green's will carry on. Hell, Jake - even you know a lot even though I spent most of my life blocking you from doing them."

"Everybody makes mistakes, I made a lot of them back when I was your age. Taking on too much was one of the big ones I made when I started out. When I had to play big ass I lost 5 people on my first mission and they are at the top of the list that I see at night before I go to sleep. Luckily I've gotten better over the years and there's not been many names added to that in the last 25. I can't help you if you shut me out, and you will eventually break down from the strain. You will get overtired and lose your perspective and worse, your sense of right and wrong. God gave us two eyes so we can see at depth. You get greater depth and more viewpoints when you add more eyes and brains to extend your senses."

"I am going to have to trust you on this one - you're a big boy now. Casey and Hawkins are a lot more reliable than Jonah and Chris were back then. It's one thing to imagine what you were doing and wait for a phone call that the worst has happened, but it is harder to sit here and watch you deliberately put yourself in harm's way with the knowledge we will see the ax fall. I can't make your decisions for you anymore and I have to admit, you've grown up a lot since you left, Jake. But your mother is going to take it out of my hide if anything happens to you - that will really piss me off."

"Be careful, is all I can say." Johnston jammed his hat back on his head and turned to stride off angrily down the street.