Hal stretched his sore muscles as he waited anxiously beside his bike, closing his eyes as cool rain droplets splattered on his cheeks. He inhaled deeply and opened his eyes again, glancing around to see if the others had been gathered up.

Weaver had gone off to round the other fighters up, but it was taking far too long for Hal's liking, and he found himself fighting an overpowering urge to head out on his own in search of Matt and the other boys.

Maggie walked over to Hal, her semi resting firmly in her hands as always. Her face was guarded and determined as she met his eyes.

"You ready for a fight?" Maggie questioned as she reached Hal. She watched him shift from foot to foot, his jaw tight.

"You know it. As soon as Weaver gives the word…" Hal indicated that he wouldn't be waiting around long once the others were there.

Maggie nodded curtly, glancing around them quickly. Hal watched as her eyes lingered somewhere off to their side, her face becoming noticeably paler and her jaw setting firmly.

Hal followed her gaze and sighed in frustration as Pope stalked over, his eyes flickering with mild interest as they rested on the two of them.

"Well, well, well. If it isn't the royal couple themselves. And what happened to you, Mason?" Pope scoffed as he looked at the dark bruise that had formed on Hal's eye from his encounter with his father the day before.

"What is it, Pope? We're getting ready to head out." Hal was short with Pope, making sure the annoyance he felt was evident.

"Oh, I know. I'm part of your little search party. Your old man can't seem to keep up with you little brats, can he?" Pope chuckled darkly, his eyes gleaming as he saw the anger boil inside of Hal.

"You…" Hal started furiously, but he trailed off as he thought of his conversation with his father the previous day. Hal was no better than Pope. So he stopped himself from speaking and pursed his lips, looking away briefly.

"I'm what? I'm out of line?" Pope laughed at this, taking a step closer to Hal. Maggie stiffened at Hal's side, her finger moving a centimeter closer to the trigger.

"Yeah, well, get used to it, kid. I like to make a hobby of crossing over lines." Pope turned his head and spat, then he brushed past Hal and Maggie.

Maggie sighed and turned to Hal, her face hardened.

"Don't let him get to you, okay? Just focus on getting Matt back." Maggie tried to reassure Hal, but he was too encased in his own mind to really focus on her words.

Hal nodded absentmindedly and sighed. He forced himself to tear his thoughts from his harsh words to his father and meet her eyes.

"Yeah, I-" Weaver cut Hal off, his thunderous voice booming throughout the crowd of fighters.

"Okay! Let's head out for our young soldiers!" Weaver shouted from the bed of a truck.

Hal glanced at Maggie, and they both nodded. Maggie turned and hurried back to her bike as Hal hopped on his. They both made no hesitation as they started up the bikes and sped off down the streets of the new Charleston.

Tom looked between Maggie and Hal, his eyes filled with anxiety. He silently motioned for them to move to the other side of the street and lay low. They did, moving quickly but quietly, and they settled into defensive positions, ready to kill.

The group had split up once they had reached the area they'd found Matt's shoe in, all heading off in separate directions in search of the boys.

Hal couldn't help but acknowledge the sick feeling he had in the pit of his stomach. Knowing that Matt could be experiencing something similar to what he had been through made Hal's skin crawl and his heart throb.

Tom grasped his gun tightly as he rounded the street corner. Hal and Maggie prepared to cover him if need be, but Tom soon reappeared and motioned for them to follow after him.

They jumped to their feet and raced after Tom, keeping a close eye out for danger as they did so.

Hal caught up to his dad and quietly called out to him.

"Dad, we've been looking for over an hour-" Hal started shakily, but Tom cut across him, his voice coming off a little harsh.

"We'll find him. He's fine." Tom continued on quickly, his eyes searching for his youngest son desperately.

Hal nodded stiffly and fell back next to Maggie. She shot a side glance at him and sighed softly.

"Don't give up yet, Hal. Matt's a tough kid."

Hal remained silent, seeming to have not heard Maggie. She didn't push him.

Suddenly, the ground beneath their feet began to shake ever so slightly. The three of them stopped simultaneously, and Tom spun on his heels to meet Hal's eyes.

"Mechs." He mumbled as Hal nodded hastily, his heart pounding in his chest. Hal side-stepped to Maggie and grabbed her arm, pulling her quickly with him. They took refuge behind a broken down car with a missing door. Tom moved to the other side of the street and ducked behind a rusty dumpster.

They all watched cautiously as one mech after the other thudded down the damp street. A small group of Skitters weaved in and out of the mech steps, and Hal felt a cold sweat coat his body as memories of his time with Karen flashed throughout his mind.

The mechs and Skitters slowly started to vanish as they moved further down the streets, but following close behind them was a group of harnessed children.

Hal's breathing became unsteady and painful, but it halted completely when his eyes rested heavily on one boy in particular. The boy was not his little brother, but Hal immediately recognized him as one of Matt's close friends. He must have been one of the boys playing with Matt when they disappeared.

Hal waved his hands quickly, trying to catch his father's attention. The veins in his neck throbbed as he mouthed at Tom, but Tom still watched the streets.

"Dad!" Hal whispered as loudly as he could. Maggie tensed beside him and placed her finger on the trigger of her gun, ready to fire if Hal attracted any unwanted attention.

"Dad!" Hal's voice had risen, but it was still hushed. He stood a little higher, still waving his arms frantically. "Dad!" His voice was a little louder than he had intended, but it caused his father to look over at him, his eyes narrowing in concentration.

"Over there!" Hal whispered, even though he knew his dad couldn't hear him. Tom shook his head, indicating that he couldn't understand Hal.

Hal jerked his finger in the direction of the harnessed children. Tom's eyes widened in horror, and he mouthed Matt's name, assuming Hal had seen him among the kids.

Hal shook his head quickly.

"Follow them." He mouthed slowly, so that Tom could read his lips easily. Tom squinted as he watched Hal, then looked back at the kids as they disappeared down the street. He looked back at Hal and gave a slight nod of understanding.

Tom moved to his feet quickly, hurrying towards the group of harnessed children. Hal and Maggie followed closely behind him, keeping an eye on his back.

They followed the group for several long miles. Hal made sure to keep his eyes on the young boy he knew to be a friend of Matt's.

The mechs and Skitters led the kids into what appeared to be a rundown factory. The mechs took guard outside, falling into a monotonous routine of making circles around the building. The Skitters followed the children inside.

Tom stopped across the street from the factory behind a mossy diesel rig, and pulled out the radio Weaver had given him for communication purposes. Hal and Maggie jogged to his side, waiting patiently for his orders.

"Dan, we located what appears to be a hideout for the Skitters and some harnessed kids. We think Matt might be here. One of the harnessed kids is a friend of his." Tom's voice was low and rushed as he spoke into the radio. He waited in an agonized silence for Weaver to respond, praying he wasn't out of range of his radio.

"Roger that, Tom. What's the location?" Weaver's voice was clouded with static through the radio.

Tom glanced around quickly, searching for a street sign.

"We're on 3rd Street. Across from a broken down factory."

"3rd Street. We passed that a little ways back. I'll round up Dai's group and we'll head your way, Tom. Stay put. Roger?"

"Roger." Tom sighed with relief as he tucked the radio back into his jacket pocket. He met Hal and Maggie's anxious gazes, then he looked back at the factory, his heart leaping into his throat at the thought of his boy being in there.

Weaver and Dai led their groups to the factory on 3rd street, silently moving towards where Tom, Hal, and Maggie all waited nervously.

"Looks like your boy's Skitter food now, Mason." Pope scoffed, glancing briefly at the heavily guarded factory. Hal watched as Weaver put a hand out to stop Tom from rushing at Pope angrily.

"Quiet, Pope." Weaver snapped quietly. He met Tom's pained eyes evenly. "Any plan on how to get past those mechs, Tom?" Weaver lowered his voice, his eyes flickering over the building.

Tom sighed and rubbed his hands over his face roughly before shaking his head.

"Lure them away..." Hal's quiet voice broke through the tense silence. All eyes fell on him.

Hal glanced at all of them, his eyes lingering on Maggie.

"Lure them away." He spoke with more confidence now. "Create a diversion. Then a few of us could slip into the building, grab Matt, if he's there, and as many kids as we can. We just need a diversion. There're too many mechs to sneak past. We need to keep them busy long enough to get inside."

Tom bit his lip before speaking.

"That's a great plan, Hal, but it's a suicide mission. Even if we manage to lure the mechs away long enough to slip in, there are still Skitters inside to worry about. Not to mention that there are three mechs, and we've had trouble with one in the past." Tom ran his hand through his wet hair, his brow creased with worry.

Hal swallowed and spoke in unison with Weaver.

"It's our only chance."

Weaver ordered Tector, Pope, Lyle, Lee, and Anthony to distract the mechs. They were to head down a couple blocks, set off a small explosion, and hold the mechs off long enough for Tom, Weaver, Hal, Maggie, Ben, Dai, and a few of General Bressler's soldiers to sneak into the factory.

The two groups split up, and several long minutes later, Hal heard the loud boom of an explosion a few blocks away.

The noise immediately caught the attention of the mechs, and they soon broke from their routine and began to flood down the street towards the source of the explosion.

They made no hesitations. Hal and the others immediately rushed to the building, armed and ready to fire at the awaiting Skitters. There were no Skitters in sight, but they all remained wary.

As Hal stormed into the factory, he found that it was not a factory anymore. It wasn't a hideout for the aliens. It was a harnessing facility.

Hal rushed down the halls, his eyes jumping between the rooms that contained moaning children strapped to tables. Hal's heart seized as memories exploded in his mind. He forced them back for now, deciding that the memories would have to wait to take him. He needed to focus on getting Matt for the time being.

Tom motioned to separate into smaller groups and search each room. Weaver and Tom went into one room, the Charleston soldiers into another, Ben and Dai into the next, and finally Hal and Maggie into the remaining room.

After checking thoroughly for Skitters, Hal and Maggie turned their attention to the groggy, confused children who lay defenseless on the tables. Some were already harnessed, their backs still bloody and freshly torn up.

Hal swallowed tightly and moved from table to table, searching for Matt's familiar curls. His heart dropped as he failed to find his brother.

Maggie looked up, her eyes filled with something Hal never thought he would find in her eyes: distinct fear. She shook her head and moved towards Hal slowly.

Maggie started to clear her throat, but she fell silent as she heard a familiar hissing sound come from behind her.

Maggie met Hal's horror-filled eyes before turning quickly to find a Skitter lurking in the shadows of the room. It slowly crept out towards them, releasing another low hiss.

Hal stepped towards Maggie, putting himself protectively in front of her. The Skitter turned its head towards Hal, a deep, sinister screech slipping through its mouth. Hal remained in place, determined to keep Maggie safe.

"Hal, did you find-" Tom and Weaver rushed into the room, followed by Dai and Ben, but they all stopped as their eyes rested on the Skitter before them.

Everything seemed to freeze. No movements were made for several long moments.

But soon the moment resumed. It happened very quickly, and Hal struggled to keep up with the pace of the events as they occurred.

There was a loud explosion outside of the building, and the walls shook violently, threatening to collapse. The mechs had returned.

As the explosion rocked the factory, the Skitter jumped up, releasing a deafening screech. Hal raised his gun and attempted to shoot it, but it crashed on top of him before his finger could pull the trigger.

Hal's gun slid across the floor and hit a wall, falling far from his reach. The Skitter pinned Hal's arms down temporarily, but he managed to break free, screaming in fury. Adrenaline raced through his veins viciously.

Hal moved to a crouching position, and without a moment of thought, he pulled the switchblade he had tucked into his boot quickly out. He lurched forward, and rushed the Skitter.

"Hal!" He heard his father call out to him, but Hal was focusing entirely on the disgusting beast in front of him.

The Skitter grabbed at Hal's arm with one of its pincers, and it tore deep gashes into his flesh, but Hal didn't feel it. He thrust his other arm at the Skitter, managing to catch its attention long enough to rip his armed hand free.

Blood pulsed down Hal's arm as he ripped it from the pincers, but he still thrust the knife at the Skitter.

Hal forced his hand deep into the Skitter's mouth, and with no hesitation or fear, he jerked his hand up and plunged the blade deep into the roof of the Skitter's mouth. It let out a piercing, bloodcurdling howl, then its eyes fluttered shut. Hal fell to his knees as the Skitter collapsed lifelessly on the ground, his arm still inside its mouth.

Hal pulled his shredded arm from the mouth of the dead Skitter and he sat back, dropping the blade to the ground.

"Hal." Tom panted as he rushed over. Maggie and Ben trailed close behind him, the faces mirroring each others concern. Dai and the Captain remained at the door, keeping watch.

Another explosion shook the ground, and it was much closer this time. Gunshots followed close behind the explosion, and Hal knew Pope and his gang were fighting back with everything they had.

"We need to keep looking, quick." Hal stood quickly, ignoring the weakness he felt. He sensed they didn't have long before the mechs reached the factory, and he sensed Pope and his crew had even less time.

Tom looked at Hal's blood-soaked arm and then met Hal's eyes carefully. "Hal, you're-" He started shakily, but Hal shot him a look that told him he was going to keep looking, no matter what.

Tom nodded stiffly and turned back to Weaver and Dai at the door as Hal picked his fallen gun up. Tom opened his mouth to speak, but a small, faint cry from above their heads caused him to fall silent.

"Help!" The cry was muffled through the walls, and the explosions outside made it very hard to tell where it was coming from.

"Help! Please, somebody help!" The cry was definitely coming from an upper level in the factory, and it definitely belonged to a child. Hal's heart surged. Maybe it was Matt.

Hal and Tom had a brief exchange before Tom turned back to the Captain.

Weaver met Tom's eyes and nodded, motioning for Dai to move out into the darkened hallway. He did, and the others followed quickly and quietly behind him. The Charleston soldiers waiting in the hallway already, their stances ready for battle.

Weaver indicated to move slowly up to the next level. Hal stayed near the rear of the group as they moved up the stairs, keeping an eye out for any other Skitters that may be lurking in the shadows.

They reached the second floor of the building, and as they did, they heard the cry again. It was still distant, but it was undoubtedly coming from one of the rooms on that floor.

"Help me, please!" The child cried out, sounding small and frightened. It was still too faint to tell if it belonged to Matt or not.

Hal stepped forward, but Tom reached out and grabbed his shoulder. Hal turned to face him and found that his father's eyes were cautious and skeptical.

"Dad, what are you doing?" Hal questioned, his eyes slightly widened.

"Something's not right. Just... Hold on..." Tom trailed off, his eyes still gazing down the seemingly empty hallway.

"Please help me!" The voice was shaking now, and small, choked sobs echoed weakly down the corridors.

"Dad." Hal looked at him, anxious to go and help the child. The sound of fright in the young voice sent shivers down Hal's spine, and it was becoming much harder to keep the memories from overpowering him.

When Tom remained silent, holding the others back as well, Hal spoke again. "Dad, what if that's Matt?"

"It isn't." Tom mumbled, still focusing on the corridors, searching for any signs of movement. The explosions outside had temporarily halted.

"How do you know?" Ben asked quietly, stepping closer. His eyes were wide, and his voice sounded younger than it had in years.

Tom didn't answer, but instead turned to Weaver.

"It's a trap." He whispered, his voice strained.

Just as Hal was about to protest, a swarm of Skitters flooded down the corridors, hissing quietly.

"Go, go, go!" Tom shouted, pushing Ben back towards the stairway. He tried to push Hal back, but Hal brushed past him and took his place beside Dai and Maggie as they fired into the ambush.

Weaver and joined them and they all fired, while Tom attempted to evacuate the others down the stairs. But three more Skitters emerged from the stairway, forcing Tom, the Charleston soldiers and Ben to shoot.

"Gahhhha!" Hal screamed, firing madly at the army of Skitters that rushed at them.

They were cornered in. Skitters had them pinned in from both sides, and even if they managed to get outside, the mechs were surely waiting for them. Pope and his crew were probably dead by now. It had, indeed, been a suicide mission.

"Got a plan, boss?" Maggie screamed at Weaver, still firing into the now slowing swarm.

"Working on it!" He shouted back, his voice gruff.

Hal briefly glanced away from the attacking army, and his eyes flickered on a room only a few feet away. It was sure to have a window. If they could push the Skitters back just a bit more, Hal figured he could hold them off long enough to get the others out. They had a better chance of survival outside than in, at this point.

"That room! Go through the window! I'll hold them off!" Hal stepped forward a bit, showing no fear.

"No!" Maggie and Tom shouted together. "Absolutely not, Hal!" Tom shouted firmly, struggling to fight off the last remaining Skitter in the stairway. He could hear more rustling on the floor beneath them, though, and his heart sunk as he realized it was their only chance.

"I'll stay with him, Tom! We'll keep them busy until you guys are on the ground!" Dai shouted, stepping forward next to Hal.

There was only one Skitter remaining, but Hal knew there were more coming, soon. He could sense it. And judging from the look on Ben's face, he could tell Ben knew it, too.

"It's our only hope, Tom, as much as I hate it!" Weaver shouted reluctantly.

They killed off the last Skitter, but they could see two more hurrying down the long hallway quickly towards them.

"Go!" Hal shouted, making a move towards the door. Weaver rushed in, followed closely by the Charleston soldier and Ben. Hal noted now that one of Bressler's soldiers lay dead on the ground near the stairway, deep, bloody wounds covering his chest. He felt sick and fought the urge to throw up as he looked upon the dead body.

Weaver rushed towards the window as Maggie, Dai, Tom, and Hal continued to push the remaining Skitters back. He opened it, and after deciding that the fall wasn't too bad, he helped the soldier out. Ben went next, but not until he had desperately protested. Weaver all but pushed him through the window, knowing Ben was a good fighter but also knowing this situation was too dangerous for him.

"Margaret!" Weaver called out, but Maggie shook her head, still shooting.

"Not a chance, Captain! I'm not going anywhere until these bastards are dead!" Her voice was determined, and Weaver knew she wouldn't budge.

"Tom, come on! Ben's gonna need you down there!"

Tom looked at Hal and called out to him.

"You only stay until they're dead! Don't go looking for anything or anyone, Hal! Promise me!" Tom shouted, desperation and fear echoing in his voice.

Hal nodded. "I promise!"

Tom reluctantly left, ducking out the window. It killed him to leave Hal, but he knew Weaver was right, and that Ben would need him out there.

Hal fired relentlessly with Maggie and Dai on either side of him. He saw nothing but a burning hatred for the disgusting creatures that rushed at him.

Hal was so enveloped in his hatred that it took him several moments before he registered Maggie calling out to him, telling him to go. It was only then that he registered the dead Skitters before him.

Hal nodded curtly and followed Maggie and Dai into the room that Weaver waited in. Hal made Maggie go first, sighing heavily with relief when she landed safely on the soft grass.

Hal was preparing to jump at Weaver's orders when he heard a small, muffled gasp behind him. Hal turned and felt his vision become hazy as he saw the pincer that pierced through Dai.

Weaver immediately fired at the Skitter that Hal had failed to see before, hitting it several times in the head. It fell over with a screech, Dai falling with it.

Hal watched as Dai's eyes rolled back in his head, blood dripping from his mouth. His skin immediately turned a ghostly pale, and after a very short moment his erratic breathing stopped altogether.

Hal didn't move. He didn't breathe. He simply stared at his friend's dead body. His best friend.

Dai had been with the 2nd Mass from the very beginning, and he and Hal had always been very close. They fought together, side by side. They joked with each other, and in a way, Hal felt like he had gained another brother from Dai. And now it felt like he had lost a brother. Another brother. Ben, and then Dai.

Hal suddenly felt very numb, and he mindlessly turned and jumped from the window as Weaver shouted at him to do so. Hal fell hard on the grass, but he didn't feel the impact.

He rose to his feet and stepped to the side as Captain Weaver fell beside him. Weaver grabbed Hal's shoulder and pulled him towards where Tom and the others waited in the bushes. Hal saw that Pope and his crew, who were all bloodied and slightly burned, waited also, and Hal figured they must have somehow fought off the mechs. But he didn't care.

Maggie grabbed Hal's hand as he reached her, and they all ran from the factory. Hal barely registered their movements, though, and it was only as they reached their vehicles half an hour later that he really let himself become aware of his surroundings.

"They just shut down. Don't ask me why." Pope was telling Weaver, sounding annoyed and gruff as always.

"Where's Dai?" Ben spoke up, glancing around. Tom and the others seemed to only notice now that Dai was not with them.

Hal felt something inside him break.

"Where's Dai?" Hal couldn't stop himself as a small laugh escaped his lips. He didn't want to laugh, but he couldn't help himself. Hal was completely breaking down now, all of the stress and pain he had bursting out in a wild, excruciating tantrum.

"Where's Dai?!" Hal was in hysterics now, doubling over he was laughing so hard. His shoulders shook as the laughs racked his body. Everyone fell silent and watched Hal carefully.

"Where's... Where's Dai?" Hal fell to his knees, clutching at his stomach as he tried to control his laughing. He failed.

"Hal..." Tom stepped closer to his son, his eyes wide with horror as he watched his oldest son crack.

"Dai's dead, Ben! He's dead! He's... He's dead!" Hal choked on his laughs now, his chest heaving in and out painfully.

His mind replayed the moment that Dai had died, the blood that had rolled from his open mouth, the pincer that had stabbed into his back and through his stomach. His eyes rolling back into his head.

Hal started to breath in so heavily now, and he was soon gasping for air. He felt like he was suffocating. Hal grabbed at his aching chest fearfully, desperately trying to breathe.

Maggie, who was watching in horror as Hal broke down, now knelt hastily at his side, placing her hands on his shoulders gently.

"Hal, breathe. It's okay. Just breathe." She spoke soothingly. She knew he was having a panic attack, and that he was in the midst of a nervous breakdown from all the stress he had been forced to carry all this time. She had been there herself at one point, so she figured she would be able to help him better than anyone.

"Dai's... Dai's dead." Hal panted out, coughing loudly as he fought to catch his breath. He glanced up and looked around at the other fighters. They all watched him with deep concern. Even Pope and his crew looked genuinely upset as Hal broke down.

Hal met his father's eyes. Tom stood rigidly before Hal, looking desperate to help him.

"I... I..." Hal looked at Ben now, and that's when he couldn't take it anymore.

Hal's face crumpled into one of such deep pain and horror. He felt hot tears spill down his cheeks quickly, and soon he was sobbing.

Hal wept, so fiercely that he began to choke. Maggie cradled him close to her, pulling his head into her warm chest. He clutched at her back helplessly.

Hal sobbed so terribly hard, his tears soaking Maggie's shirt. His cries were so weak and strained, and they were filled with such a haunting agony that Tom couldn't stop himself as the tears slowly slid from his eyes as well.

Ben watched silently as his brother wept, feeling his heart race. Ben fought back the urge to weep with him as he heard the desperation and pain in Hal's cries. He wanted to comfort his big brother, but Ben was frozen as he gazed upon his grief-stricken brother.

Hal couldn't stop the sobs as they tore through his weakened body. He couldn't force back the pain and memories any longer. They were washing him away, as he always knew they would. Hal held onto Maggie as tightly as he could, needing to feel her.

All the pain hit him at once. It collapsed on top of him and smothered him. Hal choked on his cries as he thought of the mech murdering the children. His thoughts floated through each memory slowly and painfully. The death of his mother, pain in his father's eyes, the fear in Matt's voice, the lifelessness of his little brother, Dai's gruesome death, Matt disappearing. And as Hal thought of Matt, it dawned on him that Matt was still missing. They had failed to find him. They may never find him.

Hal suddenly felt incredibly dizzy, and his body became very weak. He slumped against Maggie, only half-conscious. He vaguely felt Tom lift him to his feet and help him into the bed of the truck.

Tom layed Hal down gently, his face streaked with tears. Hal couldn't focus much, but he felt Maggie sit beside him. He felt her take his hand.

Hal's eyes closed weakly, but he forced himself to stay awake.

"We didn't find him." Hal mumbled faintly.

Tom barely managed to catch his quiet words.

"We'll find him, Hal. We'll get Matt back. Just rest for now." Tom sounded exhausted and terrified. He looked down at Hal's pale face, and he bit back a sob. He gazed upon the bruise he had given him, and Tom found himself desperately fighting the urge to scream out in frustration and agony.

They would get Matt back. They had to. Tom didn't think he could go on if they didn't, and he was certain Hal couldn't.

Tom placed a shaky hand on Hal's shoulder and squeezed it gently.

"We'll get him back." He whispered.