Rachel unbuttoned the militia jacket that was wrapped around Charlie, gently tugging it off. "Aaron, get me the med kit."

Miles tore his eyes off the military papers, "Rachel, do you even know how to clean and dress that?"

"You do?"

"Yes."

"So do I." she began cleaning the wound. She opened the med kit. "Gauze, sutures, antiseptic, a half empty bottle of pain meds. Someone didn't get the chance to restock."

"Maybe it was the only one she could grab?" Aaron suggested.

Rachel nodded in agreement as she sorted the first aid supplies. As she started to clean the wound, Charlie stirred and tried to fight her off.

"Stop, please, stop. Hurts."

"Hey, hey, it's me, Charlie. It's mom. It's okay now."

She opened her eyes, looking confused. "Mom?"

"You're safe now."

"Okay." she looked around. "Where are we?"

Rachel looked up at Miles. "About eight miles from Neville's camp." he answered.

"Where's Jason?" she clenched her teeth as Rachel resumed.

"Jason's not here." Rachel told her.

"But, but, he was here, he was."

"Sorry, sweetie. He's not here now."

Miles sat down next to Charlie. "So you saw Jason?" He was trying to distract her and calm her down long enough for Rachel to finish.

"Yeah."

"Did he hurt you?"

"Don't be stupid." she said, softly. "He helped me escape."

"All right." He hadn't really thought it had been Jason, the boy liked Charlie too much to hurt her physically. "Who did then?"

"Take a guess."

He sighed. "I already know." He gave her one of the pain meds Rachel had gotten out of the bag, turning his attention to her. "Are you sure you can do that?"

"I can do it. Just help keep her still. Aaron will be my nurse."

"Do what?" Charlie asked.

"Stitch you up."

"Oh." she shut her eyes again.

"Is she unconscious again?" Aaron asked, nervously.

"No."she opened her eyes again. Turning her attention to Miles, she said, "We were right."

"Stay still, Charlie. I can be done in just a few minutes if you do." Rachel told her. "Keep her calm, Miles. You can question her later."

"Not going anywhere." he assured Charlie. He hesitated for a minute but then swept her hair back. "No reason to get your hair in the way, right?"

Charlie didn't say anything for a few minutes. "It's okay."

"Aaron, give her one of the pills." Miles reached over her to get them before Aaron actually had the chance to do it. "One of these will help. You'll be able to rest. Talk to me, Charlie."

"About what?"

"Whatever you want."

"Okay." she struggled to focus on him. "Jason helped me escape."

"Good. That's good."

"Yeah. He wouldn't come all the way with me. I told him to."

Miles swallowed a laugh. Another time, another place, that answer could've meant something else. "That's 'll be okay."

"His dad wants to kill me. And mom,too." she found his eyes. "You won't let that happen, right?"

"Of course not. You're both going to be fine, just fine."

"There's a bounty out on us. What's new?"

"What about the papers? Where did you get them?"

She looked confused. "What papers?"

"The military papers. They're battle plans."

"Miles, I didn't get any papers. Neville had me pretty much the whole time."

"Maybe Jason got them for you?"

"Maybe." she thought about that for a bit. "He gave me a knapsack."

"You didn't know what was in it?"

"He said med kit. I know that."

"He must have wanted to help you." Rachel broke in. "You're all stitched up now but I want you to rest. Don't upset her, Miles."

"Jason is stupid. He's staying with his dad."

"Smart boy. Some of the papers are maps,showing where they intend to go next." Miles told her.

"Really?"

"Yeah, really."

"Huh." Charlie seemed to doze off then and Miles started to get up. "I think he's trying to take over the militia."

"Is that so?" He didn't look entirely surprised as he'd figured as much himself.

"Can't let him, Miles."

"We won't."

"Good." She closed her eyes again. "Tired now."

"Okay. You sleep. We're not going anywhere til you're ready." He got to his feet.

"Did she explain the papers?" Aaron asked as Miles came over to them.

He shook his head. "She doesn't seem to know anything about them. I think Jason got them for her."

"Why?"

"That I don't know. I guess he's trying to help us again."

"Dangerous." Rachel commented.

Miles shrugged. "Could be useful."

"If he really is trying to help, how is he going to get information to you?"

"He's gotten these to us."

"At the cost of Charlie being held hostage and hurt!" Rachel exclaimed. "She isn't going back to that camp."

"No." Miles was too tired to argue. He hadn't wanted to send Charlie in the first place, and to nearly lose her like that was too much.

Jason snuck back into the camp as the warning bells began to clang. He slid into his cot, discarding his boots as quickly as he could, hoping to pass munster as he knew his tent would be the first stop on his dad's list.

Seconds later, Neville burst in. "Where is she?"

"Who?" Jason acted like he'd just been woken up by the bells.

"The girl! The Matheson girl you're so fond of! She's disappeared!"

"I wouldn't know anything about that, sir. I've been asleep in here, alone. I haven't seen Charlie since yesterday in the woods."

Neville's eyes narrowed. He looked over his son, carefully considering what was Jason was saying and what the truth might be. "You're sure?"

"Yes, sir. I haven't seen her, I don't know where she is." He wasn't exactly lying, he didn't know where she was anymore. He hoped she'd had enough time to get far away from the camp. She hadn't been very steady on her own and that worried him.

"I'm not sure I believe you, son. The girl said the reason she came here was you, she wanted to see you. She didn't get to see you."

"Yes, sir."

"If you see her, you report it. Or else I will forget you are my son and punish you accordingly."

"Yes, sir."

Neville studied his son again, then turned and left the tent. "Fan out, search the woods, search every corner of camp, she couldn't have gotten far!" he yelled. He whirled around. "Keep an eye on him. He is not to leave this tent or go anywhere without an escort."