I decided to rewrite this chapter because there was just too much of a gap. The next chapter will be the last (and will hopefully be up on January 1st) so I hope you like this new and improved chapter :)

"That's your plan?" Charlie skeptically exclaimed as the group stood under a tent in the Rebel post, a judgmental smirk was scrawled on her tanned face. "Do you really think Monroe wouldn't have blocked off those tunnels by now?"

"I know he hasn't," Gen responded flatly, raising her eyes to blonde.

"How do you know?"

"Because I have influence on the decisions that Monroe makes, Charlotte." Gen said point blank, not understanding why her niece refused to call a compromise on the strained relationship. She did understand Charlie's hesitancy to accept outsiders, though it may be blood, since the young girl had mastered the art of self-preservation through adolescence.

"Gen," Her brother briskly butt in, placing his pointer finger on the map which was spread out on a table beside them. "assuming that those tunnels are open-"

"Which they are," she cut in with a threatening glare.

"- assuming they are open, and we do get into Independence Hall, how do you expect us to just walk in and empty a round into Monroe's head?"

It scared Gen how easily he wrapped his head around killing his oldest friend. It shocked her, and caught her off guard like a knife being brought down into her back. "I'm the leverage between you and Bass."

"You can't count on Monroe to be a constant factor like that." Nora quietly threw in, running her fingertip around the muzzle of her rifle. "He'll do what's best for him in the long run."

"Okay, you pose a good point." Gen readily agreed, but her sentence ended in such a way that they knew she was going to say something to contradict Nora's logic. "But he won't dare hurt me when I tell him I'm pregnant with his child."

Miles didn't bother covering his laugh at her outlandish suggestion, but the serious look on his sister's face made him recoil in surprise. "Your pregnant?"

She nodded. "Why do you think I chose to come to you now? This is it, big brother," a small, optimistic smile pulled at the corners of her lips. "this is the best time to overthrow him. These are the cards you've been dealt, and its in your favor."

"Well, what're you going to do if things go sour, huh?" A sickening feeling entered Miles Matheson's stomach as soon as the words came out. "Do you really think I'm going to let that asshole put his hands on you again?"

"I'm pregnant with his child, Miles," she pleaded gently. "there's nothing more he can do to me. He won't risk losing the baby for the Republic."

"How do you know, Genny? How do you know he cares about you when he didn't hesitate to carve into you that day?" Miles was begging her now; he was fighting a futile battle. She was right. He knew full well that the tables had turned and this was the best chance he had to settle things once and for all. But to gamble Gen's life was too great a price for him to throw away without a second thought.

Suddenly a runner burst through the tent flaps, his frantic blue eyes searching for Miles. "Sir," he panted. "Sir, our patrols have caught sight on Monroe Militia members along our eastern border."

"They're looking for me," Gen said to her brother who looked between her and the runner.

Miles ignored his sister and firmly said, "Kill them."

The young man took a deep breath in order to brace himself for the sprint to relay the message. "Yes, sir."

"See," Gen pointed toward the entrance of the tent where the heavy canvas flaps were picked up by a gust of wind. "He's looking for me, Miles."

"Knock, knock," A tall man entered the tent with a rifle in the crook of his arm, his eyes immediately fell on Gen who glared at him with eyes like rusty daggers. "I'm Joseph Wheatley, ma'am." He held a hand out to her which she blatantly refused with a turn of her head.

"You can trust him," Her brother gently urged, not wanting to push the subject lest she walk out on him.

Despite getting slightly red from embarrassment of rejection, Wheatley started again to Miles, Charlie, and Nora. "My men and me-"

"My men and I, " Gen corrected irritably.

"-we're ready to assist you," Wheatley nodded toward Miles. "wherever you need us."

"Good," The oldest Matheson nodded agreeably. "then you should be more than ready to overthrown Independence Hall once and for all in a few hours."

***Little Drops of Poison***

"Our informant sent word that they're on their way, sir." Jeremy Baker informed.

Sebastian Monroe stopped his slow pace back and forth across his office, raising his eyes to look at his old friend who stood in the middle of the room. "Is Gen with them?

"Yes, sir."

"Who else?"

"Nora Clayton and Charlotte Matheson."

A minute smirk pulled at the corner of Bass' lips before he drew his eyes toward the large window overlooking Philadelphia. The sun cast heat waves against the rooftops, brightening the city with a bright yellow hue, Bass smiled as the rays of sunlight hit his face as he rooted himself at the window. Without a word he walked past Baker and out into the hallway, making his way down to the workroom in the lowest levels.

"Hello, Rachel," He stood on the metal stairs looking over the crowded workroom.

Rachel inquisitively watched as he stepped down and came to the table where she worked, two of his officers following at a distance behind him. "Bass," she greeted quietly, rolling the wrench she held against her grease-stained palm. "I told you the amplifier wouldn't be finished for another week."

Monroe took the wrench from her fingers and turned it in his own hands, studying it. "Do you know where she is?"

"Where who is?"

He smiled as if he had expected her to answer him with another question. "Do you know where Gen is?"

"No,"

With a loud clank, the wrench clattered on the tabletop and his eyes burnt into Rachel's face. He started to walk behind her in his gut-wrenching pace, like a vulture inspecting its lifeless prey. "Well," his hot breath fanned near her ear; his tone was drenched with sweet honey. "Gen's with Miles. And guess who else is with Miles. Your daughter."

Rachel's jaw clenched slightly. "Charlie?"

"Mmmhmmm," She heard the smirk clearly in his voice. "Small world, isn't it? And it so happens that they're all coming here. See, we'll get the whole gang together again. One big happy family."

***Little Drops of Poison***

Gen glanced into the entrance of the tunnel, a large automatic hung in the crook of her arm. Looking back at the small group clustered behind her she said, "I might have forgot to mention this but six or seven years back, they put dozens of landmines across these tunnels."

Charlie leaned toward her Uncle speaking in a low voice. "Just because she's family doesn't mean we should trust her."

"She knows Monroe better than I do." He replied, nudging the young girl toward Nora while he stepped toward his sister. "Can you put me right in front of him or not?"

"Do you trust me?" Gen asked him point blank, irritated that she had to work to gain her brother's trust when he was the one who should be assuring her of his loyalty. When he didn't answer, she got her own answer and rolled her eyes, advancing first into the damp tunnels with a torch in hand.

It still confused her why her brother was so hostile. He had his soft moments, the moments when he was understanding, taking her side against others. At the same time, his words cut and dug under skin drawing more pain than having Monroe slice into her flesh with a knife. Miles was her brother. He was everything to her now. There was nothing in the world that Gen wouldn't put in front of him.

"I'm on your side, Miles," She finally said in a low voice stopping momentarily and turning her head to him as he silently came to a halt beside her.

"I know."

Sharing his look, Gen continued on into the darkness. "Remember when we were younger - "

"I try not to," He interrupted and glanced back to where the entire group had stopped, staring at Charlie whose eyes were wide with fear. "What's wrong?"

The young girl slowly drifted her gaze down to her foot, unmoving. Miles groaned, switching his lighted torch to his other hand and running back.

"I told you to tread lightly, Charlotte." Gen snapped as she leaned over to inspect the landmine that her niece had stepped on.

Her brother gripped her arm and pulled her up, coming in close with grit teeth. "Leave. Her. Alone."

"She doesn't need your help, Miles." With a crude motion, his sister pulled herself out of his grip, turning to Nora, "Do you have spray paint?"

The Latino woman rummaged through her duffel and threw over a can of orange paint. While they were working on Charlie, Gen carefully painted over the landmines that she spotted under the rocks. She knew exactly where the mines were buried not only because the military had trained her to find them, but also because she was the one that planted them. She knew they had the ability to push up like daisies when triggered.

She knew it better than anyone.

As Gen headed back out of the darkness toward the group, her hand went over her slightly protruding stomach. Suddenly it wasn't about the final objective anymore to get Sebastian Monroe. It wasn't about giving up the world and everything in it for Miles' crusade to overthrow the Republic. It was about her child. She had to survive for her child.

"You all better move on out of here before you blow yourselves up. It's clear after this batch," Gen put the can of paint back into the duffel.

Wheatley spoke up holding his torch up near his face allowing Gen to see him clearer.

"What are you going to do?"

"I'm staying with her," was Gen's simple reply, glaring at her brother to start moving further into the musty tunnels.

As the rest of the group, lead by Wheatley, made their way past them, Miles hung back along with Gen, Charlie, and Nora. Without a word, Nora handed him a torch indicating that he should hold it downward so she could see while disarming the mine.

"Why did you decide to stay?" Charlie inquired of her aunt with a guarded undertone.

Gen let out a short sigh, drawing her gaze from Nora's progress. "You're still family. And I stick with my own, no matter how big of a pain in the ass you are." And flashing a warm smile she added, "Now stop talking."

With bated breath Nora looked up. "I think I got it."

"You sure?" The young girl shifted slightly where she stood.

"No. Sometimes there's another mine underneath. Like the trap under the trap. So you're going to step off. And if we don't get blown to bits then we're going to run like hell. Okay? Ready, Charlie? One, two, three...go!"

There was a click as Charlie stepped off the mine followed by heavy footfalls deeper into the old subway tunnels before a wave of heat rippled through the air with such force as the mine exploded. Running right behind her niece, Gen covered the young girl's body with her own as they were thrown to the ground, showered by dust and loose rock.

"You okay?" She asked, raising her head and looking back at the rock that had blocked the tunnels that lead back out.

Charlie nodded wordlessly, blankly looking up at Miles when he sprinted to her side and took her face in between his hands.

"We should get moving," Gen recommended, hauling herself to her feet. "I don't trust Wheatley."

"Gen," Miles caught her wrist just before she started onward. He sent Charlie up ahead with Nora before speaking, "That was a hard fall, Gen. You have to be careful for the baby."

"I'm fine."

"I knew I shouldn't have let you come along. It's too dangerous."

"I'm fine, Miles!" Her voice flared in anger. "When has it mattered to you what happens to me?"

"It matters now, Gen." He pulled her back and forced her to look into his eyes. "I thought Ben could take care of himself and his family but he couldn't. I'm not taking that chance with you. Not after what happened with Bass. There's no way in hell that I'm leaving you again. Now, let's go," He hauled his rifle behind his back, handing her her own weapon.

As they hurried to catch up with Nora and Charlie, Gen couldn't help but smile.

"Welcome back," Wheatley nodded in greeting. "glad to you're not dead."

"You look familiar, have we met before?" Gen walked by him, her eyes keenly fixed on her brother whose pace quickened into the shadows ahead.

Wheatley shrugged indifferently. "Can't say we have. Why?"

Instead of answering him, Gen was already running after her brother. "Miles?!"

"Shhh, shhh, shhh," He threw his arm to block her and Charlie from plowing past him and drew out his sword. "Stay back." Handing Charlie the torch he held, Miles opened a storage cabinet. "He's not in here?"

His niece looked skeptical. "Who?"

"The militia scout. I saw him run in here." Miles lost eyes landed on his sister. "Is he in there?" "There's no one in there, Miles."

"He couldn't have just vanished into thin air."

Nora shared a look between the other two, unsure of what to think of his sudden outburst. "You sure you're okay?"

"I'm fine," Miles looked back at the rest of the group, along with Wheatley, joined them, taking the torch from Charlie and continuing like nothing had happened though confusion still riddled his mind.

Eventually they came across an area flooded to the waist with water. And Gen, holding her rifle high above her head, felt like she was back in basic training. She lead the group with Charlie following close behind her while Nora and Miles took up the rear. As soon as she climbed up the metal staircase on the other side of the room, she turned to her niece, helping with her rucksack.

"You okay?"

"Yeah,"

With a loud shriek that sent shivers up everyone's spine, Nora thrashed around in the water behind them, disappearing underneath the surface until Miles pulled her up.

"It bit my leg," She cried, still swatting at the water.

"What bit your leg?"

"The alligator?"

"There's no alligator's down here." He reproached, hauling her to her feet and pulling her toward the others.

A choking fear spiralled down Gen's body when the Latino woman stared at the lapping water, wondering why or how, for that matter, it didn't happen. Then the thought struck her. "It all makes sense."

"What makes sense?"

Gen covered her forehead with her hand, trying to wrap her head around the situation. "We're running out of air. The guy that wasn't there...the alligator. You were hallucinating. The torches are all burning low because it's not getting enough oxygen. I'm guessing when the tunnel collapsed it sealed the air supply too."

"So we're suffocating?" Wheatley came forward. "We're dying slowly?"

"We're dying faster." Miles corrected. "The closest exit is ten minutes away. We better hurry to make it."

Gen's body ached as they continued with the light from the dimming torch. And before long, Miles stopped at the Girard exit which was blocked off with concrete. Guilt racked her mind when she remembered Monroe ordering it to be blocked six months ago. It had slipped her mind but it wouldn't help to say it now when they were at the end of the rope. The fire on her torch burned out and she was left holding a bare stick, casting a sidelong glance at her brother who seemed equally fazed.

Following his sister farther down the tunnels, searching for any exit that would substitute, Miles widened his eyes, hoping to talk himself into staying awake even though the blackness was creeping into the corners of his eyes.
The same darkness shadowed over Gen's vision as she caught her breath, feeling the tightness clench at her throat. Her shoulders felt heavy and the tunnel walls seemed to close in around her.

"Gen," A familiar voice cooed by her ear, floating into the air around her until it was right in front of her...moving through her body, all around her. "Gen."

"I don't want to talk to you," She walked faster.

"Our baby is dead inside of you." After a moment, the voice continued. "You can't ignore me forever, sweetheart."

"I can try."

"Try what?" Miles peered down at her. "You're hallucinating."

"I'm also suffocating, give me a break."

"Was it Bass?"

"I don't want to talk about it, Miles."

As they trudged along slowly, wondering just when the air supply would run out entirely, Wheatley spoke up, holding up his torch with started to burn brightly. Gen squinted and blinked, squinting harder when his face was illuminated. She was so sure she had seem him before but the picture in her head wouldn't come into focus.

"That door," Wheatley motioned to the door at the other side of the small room they approached, "could lead out. There's fresh air somewhere here." With his shoulder, he slammed against the door, trying to break the lock. Miles took his place after a while.

"Gen?" Nora waved her hand in the woman's face. "Gen, you still with us?"

Gen's eyes were opened but her entire body was focused on the picture which was slowly becoming clearer and clearer in her head: a memory of Wheatley wearing a Militia uniform. Just as Miles rammed through the door, a shot fired followed by the sound of the door closing, locking Wheatley and Miles on one side while the others were trapped on the other. Taking turns at opening the door, Nora, Charlie, and Gen put their full weight against the slab of metal while the others in the group stood by. With one final bang, the door gave way and they filed through. Charlie ran up first and, before Gen could stop her, another bullet sounded with a loud, radiating sound as the young girl flew back against the wall.

"Charlie!" Gen screamed, sprinting up to the young girl and pulling her against her body, looking for the wound. Miles ran over Wheatley's body and fell beside his sister, running his hand over Charlie's head to the place where the bullet barely grazed. "She's fine. Just knocked out. Miles!"

"What?" He returned in a louder tone.

"She's fine. What happened to Wheatley?"

"Charlie shot him."

Gen couldn't help but chuckle as they were joined by Nora who had made a quick sweep over the surroundings. She informed them that everything was cleared, watching Gen pack her gear even while she was speaking. "Where are you going?"

"The sooner we get to Bass, the sooner you all can get out of here with Rachel. She's in the lower levels in a workroom. Nora and the rest of the group can go get her while you and I, Miles, we'll get Monroe. You'll all meet up at the north side of the city. Bass doesn't have many men up there and it'll make for an easier getaway for the treeline."

Her brother spoke up, still holding Charlie in his arms. "We have to wait until she wakes up."

As much as Gen wanted to get to Bass, as much as she wanted to tell him to his face about her condition, she knew that Charlie was just as much part of the objective. Though disappointed, she sat down against the wall behind her brother and waited.

"What was your hallucination about?" Miles threw his words over his shoulder at his sister. "What did Bass say?"

"It was a hallucination, Miles," she replied with a hand over her stomach. "It doesn't matter."