In the Woods
"He killed our family," Jonah continued, as Max looked at Morrell in horror. "He must pay, Sweet Cana."
She gulped. It should be easy, I've killed so many…I killed my pack. No, not anymore. He tried to help me. "He's a police man. We can't kill him."
Jonah pressed the knife in her hand. "Prove your loyalty in front of the children."
Born into this, she thought, I let it come to this. "Is he alone?"
"He is now."
She looked back at Morrell. He tried to help me. He's a good man and doesn't…I can never go home again if I do this. "I can't."
"You're one of us."
She dropped the knife and turned toward Jonah. "No more death. No more bloodshed."
"Cana."
She shook her head, as she helped Morrell stand up. "We're not going to hurt this man. We're going to let him go."
Oregon
Come on, Honey, John thought looking out the window. We never should have done this. we should have found another way…it was like I was talking to that stubborn 28-year-old that pushed all my buttons, that deputy who…I went all in with. I think I knew when I kissed her in the middle of the sidewalk. We belonged to each other starting right then…we stopped fighting, we fell in love, and even all this time later, I love her, and I'm terrified I'm never going to see her again.
"Dad?"
He shook himself out of it and looked over at Gracie and Anna. "Hey, you guys should be in bed."
"I want Mommy," Anna piped up. "She needs to tuck me in."
"Ah, she wants to," John said, picking her up. "And I thought Kara, was reading you a story."
"Mommy."
"I want her here too," John said after a long pause. "But you know what? Your mom is a hero, Kiddo. You know she a very smart and brave detective and she is out there trying to catch a very bad person."
Gracie looked at him. "Why does Mom have to? Why can't she stay home with us?"
"Home with you guys is where both your mom and me love to be. Your mom likes to help people, it's why she's a detective. And she'll come home to us and she's going to need us. It's a big case for her. She's going to need a big hug Anna; can you do that?"
She nodded, hugging him tightly. "I love you, Daddy."
In the Woods
"No more death," Max repeated, as they all stared at her. Work, please work, I want to go home. I don't belong here…I never did. "I, Cana, decree it. The world is not our enemy. This man is not our enemy. We will gather our things…it's time for the world to know us."
"Cana?" Jonah asked. "That is not our way."
"The world is waiting for us…Master wanted us to return to the world."
"They will take the children."
My home, Max thought, I hurt and killed so many people…I can save these ones. "The children will flourish there…show them our ways."
"Cana."
Oh, they're bowing to me…what are they doing? Goddess Cana. What Master wanted for me…to be this…Decide, Cana, Max, who I want to be. Worshipped and adored…or home with John and our kids. Always John and my kids, I need them, they make me okay. "Rise up. Gather your things. We leave now."
Oregon
"No word," John said, letting the Brocks in. "Listen the kids don't know. They think it's…just normal police work for her."
Jimmy nodded. "That's probably for the best."
"She…she feels so guilty."
"She didn't know. No one knew."
"She wants to find them."
Jill looked at him. They've been devoted to each other since they went public in Rome. They always looked so happy together, romantic and they never took their eyes off each other, John doting on her during her pregnancies, Max growing into being wife and mother. Gracie, her expression when she held her daughter…neither of them flinched at the racism thrown at them, she couldn't have…she was busy with her family. "She'll come home."
I sleep better with her, John thought, the tough detective all soft and curled up next to me. Trust her. A cop. "Come in. Make yourself comfortable."
In the Woods
"No, damn it!" Max cried, as Jonah tossed her on the pile of rags. "Let me go!"
"You don't know our ways yet."
She scrambled up on her feet. "I'm trying…I want to lead you to the world."
"Sweet Cana," he smiled, stroking her cheer. "Master had ideas…You don't belong there any more than we do. Look at your life. Look at your choices."
Murderer, she thought, I did awful things. No, I'm trying to be good now. Raise my kids to be better than me. Be the wife John deserves. "My choices?"
"You should have birthed strong Whittaker children, instead you," he started. "They won't be a problem for you much longer."
Max felt her blood run cold at that. "What?"
"Ssh," he whispered, kissing her again. "We will make you a new family."
John, she thought, he can keep them safe…a safe house. They're fine. John…I want to be home with him. Even in the chaos that is our life, the 10 minutes we get alone, I wouldn't trade it. Not for this. My kids are the best part of me. They ground me. "Leave them alone. Just let them…their father will raise them."
"We cannot have tainted Whittaker blood."
They're wonderful, Max thought, we never let race be an issue. John and I made beautiful, smart, confident, wonderful, children. John, who loves me unconditionally. I see him when I look at him, not…no. "My children aren't tainted."
"They aren't yours. They belong to that world. You belong to us."
Kara, Gracie, Noah, Anna, she thought, Max and John's kids. I'm Cana here…to them. To my blood. No, I'm committed to being Max. Looking at Jonah. "Please, leave them alone."
"Cana," he smiled, peeling off her furs. "We're starting our own family.'
She shivered at her brother's fingers combing through her braids. "Wait."
"I've been waiting for you my entire life."
She stepped back. "The pack needs me."
"I need you."
Morrell, Amy and Jacob, she thought, I can do this. Trackers in my skin…they work 100 miles underground. Help me, FBI, help me. Looking at Jonah, I won't…I can't…he's my brother.
Oregon
"They're getting grown up."
John looked across the room at his kids. "I know. We talked about having a fifth on when Anna was two, but…we decided that four was enough. She's a great mom."
Jimmy looked at him. "She's coming home."
I hope so, John thought, I really hope so. She's terrified of what she may have inside her…she's the same person. I know that and deep down she does too.
In the Woods
Max looked at her brother, grabbing himself, as she kicked him in the gut this time. Grimacing, she stuffed a sock in his mouth and bound his hands and legs together. "Sorry, Brother."
He glared at her, as she backed away from him.
"I'm not Cana and I'm going home."
Covering him with the dirty blankets, she cautiously made her way down the caverns. Where am I? Morrell? Amy and Jacob? This was a bad idea…I should be home. Cooking dinner and doing homework. Sinking into the shadows, she watched as the pack rounded another corner. Darting in the other direction, she let out a long breath as she stared at the makeshift bars. "Morrell?"
He looked at her. "You shouldn't be here."
"Neither of us should," Max started, pulling at the bars. "We need to go. Now. Get a god damn army in here or something. Stand back."
Morrell stepped back, as she sliced the lock off the cage. "You're doing well on your own."
She looked at the other cages. "I don't know the way out."
"Come on," he said, as they sunk into the shadows. "This way…it's blocked, they moved a giant boulder to bring me in here."
Max gulped, as they moved through the caves. "Where are they?"
"Waiting for Goddess Cana to command them?"
"Goddess Cana is retired. This whole thing is…I'm never leaving the house again."
"Max," he said. "The kids?"
She gulped. Kenny's kids…Freezing. "Look."
"Hello," Morrell said, as they stared at the kids watching them by the exit. "Get behind me Detective."
I'm never leaving this place. They brought me home Max thought, I'm never holding my kids, kissing my husband…No. "Let us pass."
"Cana?"
She looked at Amy Brock…they never gave them Kenny's last name. "Do you want to go see your grandparents? Where is your brother?"
She ran to Max hugging her tightly. "I want to go home. Jacob wants to stay."
Max gulped at that, hugging the girl back. "Do you know how to get out of here?"
"Not without my brother."
The little boy who looks so much like Kenny. Focus, Max, focus. "Where is he?"
"Max," Morrell said, as the kids led them down the cavern, as Amy Brock pressed closely to her side. "We have to go. We can come back for him."
"What if they vanish again? They'll never stop, Morrell. Not ever."
"I want Jacob."
Morrell picked her up and looked at Max again. "What do you think, Detective?"
She looked at the 20 kids with them and Amy Brock in his arms. Let being Cana do so some good. Save them. "Is anyone coming?"
"Go!" he yelled, seeing the torches and hearing the yells. "Run, now!"
Afraid to look back, she plunged being Morrell in the darkness. I don't want to die.
Oregon
No, John thought, no. "Where is she?"
"Her and Morrell are missing," Agent Thomas said. "There were eight agents with their throats ripped out and 20 dead cult members. There is no sign of anyone else. We lost her tracking signal."
Max, no. Looking over at his occupied kids, he turned back to the agent. "You need to find my wife."
In the Woods
"Don't touch me!" Max cried, pushing back their clawing hands, before she, Morrell and Amy slid through the gap and into the field. Swatting their hands away as they shut the rock wall tight. "Where?"
"Run!" Morrell said, looking at her. "Move it, Detective!"
She looked at him and Amy. Go, go now! Falling into a full sprint behind him, she heard the rocks scraping back. Screaming as she crashed into Morrell, she fought bursting into tears at the site of the FBI in front of them. Thank you.
Morrell passed her Amy. "They're right behind us. Get Detective Littleton and Amy Brock home."
Max squeezed Amy tightly. "You're safe. Where are we?"
"Not far from your house. In the car, Detective."
"We're going home, Kiddo," she promised, hugging her. "Back to your grandparents."
"Cana!" she screamed, stabbing her in her shoulder. "You lied!"
Max gasped, dropping her on the ground as blood gushed from her shoulder and Amy began to chew on her open wound. One of them…I was too late. Flinching, as the FBI tackled and cuffed Amy, she looked at Morrell pressing a bandage to her shoulder. "You're fine."
She nodded, as she watched in horror as they gassed the approaching cult. It's done. I couldn't save them.
Oregon – The Brocks
"What?" Jimmy said. "Where are our grandchildren?"
"They're being evaluated. Amy stabbed Maxine and then tried to eat her."
"Is Max okay?" Jimmy asked, looking at a pacing Littleton. "Are Amy and Jacob…what did they do to them?"
"They're kids, we're hoping we can…we pulled them out of it once. The conditioning they had, both times. They're being evaluated. We pull 148 people out of those woods."
We failed Kim, Jimmy thought, and we failed her children.
"We found something else," Morrell said, as they watched the doctor to talk to John. "Deputy Lacos."
"You found Kenny?" Jimmy repeated. "Kenny Lacos."
"He's not in the best of shape," Morrell continued. "The cult had some prisoners…they seemed to drink their blood. Eat their flesh."
"For 10 years?" Jimmy asked, looking at Littleton following the doctor down the hallway. Kenny who we thought…a prisoner. He vanished, we thought he ran and…Jacob and Amy's dad. "We need to get int touch with his family. His parents died seven years ago."
Morrell nodded. "He wanted to see Max. It's who he kept asking about."
Still, Jill thought he told her over and over again that he loved her before he vanished. While Kim was missing, his girlfriend, his pregnant girlfriend. Even when she eloped with John…he kept… "Of course, he does."
Oregon – The Littleton's
Looking at her reflection, she grimaced a bit. Dirty, paint smudged on my arms and cheeks, my hair in these braids, I want to go home. I want to shower, hug my kids…never leave John's side again. Amy and Jacob…beasts like the rest.
"Do you have any idea how glad I am to see you?"
Oh, John…Standing up slowly, she faltered a bit on her feet. Leaning into his steadying arms, she winced a bit as he hugged her tightly to him. "John."
He loosened his grip as she stiffened, and he looked at her bandaged shoulder, before tilting her face to his. Filthy, he thought, bandaged up, pregnant and shaking. "I love you so damn much."
She buried her face in his chest and he squeezed her tightly again. "John."
He pressed his lips to the top of her head, smiling a bit at her tightly braided hair. Shaking, he thought, clinging. "I like the hair."
She buried her face in his neck. "Don't let go."
"I always have you."
My love, she thought, I'll be the best wife and mother for him and our kids. "I want to go home."
"You smell really badly, Honey."
"I want to go home. I want to see our kids. I want to take a shower."
He fiddled with her braids. "Kara and I can help you with this…what did they put in it? You look adorable."
"I think it was blood and oil…it," she trailed off, tears welling up in her eyes. "Jonah, he said…they had people there. They drank their blood, made the kids eat the flesh…John, they followed me my entire life. Everyone who died…"
"No, get it out of your head. You stopped them."
"How do you do that? How can you see the best in me still?"
He rested his forehead against hers. "Unconditional, Honey. I fell for that prickly deputy."
She smiled into his chest at that. He does see the best me. The girlfriend, wife and mother he wanted, I became that. "Can we go home?"
Oregon – The Brocks
"Max. John."
John squeezed her tighter to him at that. Shaking, he thought, I'm never letting her go again. "We were heading out."
Jimmy looked at her, in baggy scrubs and John's sweatshirt, with her braided hair pulled back and her face scrubbed clean. "You brought them home, Max."
She nodded, not budging from John's side. "Did we get them all? Amy and Jacob…are they okay?"
"She stabbed you."
"That wasn't her. It was what they," Max said softly. Raising the pack to survive in that world. Feeding, hunting…killing. Waiting for me. No, it's done. I'm burying Cana so deep in me and I'm going to be the best wife and mother I can be. I'm going to raise our kids to be wonderful people. Maxine Littleton. I like her. I am her. "It's okay. They're home."
Jill looked at her for a long moment, all but clinging to him. "Did they hurt you?"
She bit her lip, thinking of Jonah. "They worshipped me. Or they worshipped…Cana. It's…I never want to go back there"
"You never have to," John promised. "It's over. You're home. You're safe."
They do love each other, Jill thought, John is so devoted to her…he didn't even flinch when Kenny was all over her 10 years ago. They were always a beautiful couple once they got past their animosity. I don't think they saw it coming. "Hundreds of kids are safe now."
She nodded. How deep it goes…Master, Father, he burrowed deep into my thoughts, it would have been so easy to be Cana, to continue…I'm free. No more death. Just be Max. "That's good."
"Detective."
Max looked up, meeting Morrell's eyes. "Hi."
He looked her over. "How is your shoulder?"
"I'm fine."
Liar, John thought, you're never this clingy…not that I mind you holding onto me. Ah, Max, you don't do this vulnerable in public often. "We're heading out."
"Wait," Morrell said, looking at them. "We found people in the caves. People they kept there to feed on. One of them was Kenny Lacos."
Max felt John squeeze her at that. Kenny…no…they took him. They dragged him from his bed and took him to the woods. Master said they killed him… "What?"
"He's alive and asking for you."
She looked at John, her heart racing at that. Kenny, here, now…alive. A second chance? No, I promised myself…John and our kids. They're it for me. He never loved me, not until it was too late. "What?"
"He keeps asking for you. Much like he did 10 years ago."
"All these years…we thought he…oh, god."
"Where?" John asked, looking at his shell-shocked wife. "Get it together, Honey."
"John?" she asked, seeing nothing but love and concern on his face. My rock. It's been him… the best decision I ever made was to love him.
"It's a good thing. Where is he?" John said. "If he wants to see you after 10 years, you're going."
Kenny… Happily married. Four kids. "I just…How? Alive? What did…. Where?"
That's my girl, John thought, she's okay. Kenny alive…of course he wants Max right now. He's always wanted Max. Keeping her close, they followed Morrell down the hallway. Feeling her falter next to him, he gave her a reassuring squeeze. "You're fine."
I can't, Max thought, he's dead. Alive, no my life is with John. It's the life I chose. Freezing in the doorway at the emaciated man on the bed, she felt her heart break. He's out. He's free. He can know his kids. "Kenny?"
He turned his head and stared at her for a long moment. "Max…"
She gulped, not budging from John's side at his gaze. "Hi."
"Max…you did this. You did all of this."
TBC
