The grating of tires skidding to a stop in the dirt, followed by car doors slamming resonated a dozen yards away. It seemed much closer to her location given the sudden chaos all around. Hearing the Peggies getting their guns ready, Avery dropped to the ground behind a tree as she tried to gather her self-control back.
Did they see her? Was she quick enough to find cover?
Panting, Avery tried to slow her breathing, straining her ears to hear where the peggies were scouting. The patch of trees she was currently occupying separated the main ranch from the airfield. On either side was open ground, bare of any cover.
No man's land.
Even in the night's casted shadows, they would see her crossing the airfield without the help of a flashlight. To make it worse, with the entire compound now out looking for the deputy, her window of opportunity was shutting quicker than she was prepared for. It would be minutes, if not seconds, before they combed through the little cluster of trees and flushed her out into the open.
It was only fifteen minutes prior that she was leaving the study with the Baptist attached to a bookshelf. She took out the guard from the hallway, drug his unconscious body into the office to a fuming Herald, and left without another word and a stolen knife. John must have had the radio still on him, because after knocking out two more guards in front of the house, the whole place lit up and any shadows she was in had burned away.
It was a mad dash off the property now. No planning or tactic involved.
She had only managed a narrow escape towards the airfield because of the miniscule head start she achieved. If it wasn't for that, her escape would have ended before she could reach the end of the pasture.
Right now, the flashlight scanned the shrubs about forty feet away, creeping ever closer to her position. By the sound of it, it was only two men, though whether there were more followers nearby, she wasn't sure. It was safe to assume there were probably half a dozen that would hear her if she was too loud in taking the peggies out. Covert offense, at least in close contact, was not her strong suit, but she would make do.
She didn't have much of a choice.
Shifting as quietly as possible, she pulled her feet under her and set her back to the tree. The trunk was hardly enough to shield her from view, so she pulled her arms in close, trying to make herself as small as possible. Taking a long breath, Avery leaned her head into the bark and focused on listening to the crunch under the boots that crept closer. As the seconds scraped by, the grip on the knife tightened along with every muscle in her body.
There was no telling how close the peggies were from one another. If she attacked one, the other may not be close enough for her to reach. If that happened, he could shoot at her before she stopped him, which would give away her position to others in the vicinity, if not harming her. She doubt they would be using live ammo. Then again, judging by the death glare John gave her as she left, she supposed it wasn't out of the question.
Would he actually want her dead? Wounded, perhaps. She couldn't cause him trouble if she was incapacitated. Or put up as much of a fight…
The thought made her stomach churn.
Injured or not, she had to avoid encountering John after tonight. What he would do to her was not something she wanted to think about.
The grinding of pebble to dirt pulled her mind back to the present situation as a light blanketed her tree, settling for a split second, before sweeping to her right.
They were close and getting closer. The urge to peak around the bark was torturous to ignore, so she forced herself to take another deep breath.
Focus.
She would only get one chance to take the first man out before going for the second.
Another deep breath. The damp smell of loam and understory brush filled her senses, helping the deputy ground herself in the moment.
The light flounced over her area again, this time closer than before.
"Come out, come out, girl…" the man taunted. "Or we'll flush you out like a pheasant."
He was so close. But where was the other one?
"Shoot you down and strip you clean…" he continued.
Avery swallowed.
Quick and smooth. That was her only option. One chance.
A footstep kicked a stone across the forest floor, skidding past her location. Another second later and she saw the narrow tunnel of the flashlight peak a few feet from her hiding spot.
Wait, she demanded as her body tensed with every muscle readying to spring into motion, almost on its own accord. A couple more steps crunched the forest debris finally alerting her to how close the searcher was now.
Shooting to her feet, she stepped out in front of the man, cutting him off as she shoved the knife upwards. The blade lodged into his bottom jaw and through his skull where he instantly became heavy. Avery froze as time seemed to still around them and the man choked out blood from his lips. His arm fell limp at his side, followed by the flashlight thumping the ground. Like a sinking rock, his body then lurched forward and pulled the handle from her grip, forcing her to step back to avoid collision. The deputy stared wide-eyed at the man before her, his feet convulsing against the understory before falling still, leaving Avery shocked at her work.
The other Peggie was scanning not more than 10 feet away, his back facing the death of his companion.
Get the knife-the knife!
Any control the Deputy had was dissipating like her breath in the crisp air, but adrenaline was pumping fast, helping to refocus her on the task. Kneeling down she tried to dislodge her knife from the man's jaw, but it sawed loose only a mere centimeter. Warm blood gushed over her icy fingers as she tried again as panic swelled.
"Anything yet?" the remaining Peggy called back as he swept the light deeper in the patch of trees in front of him. There were a few firs that blocked his view of her as she gave up the tug-o-war with the blade.
Next option-next option!
Grabbing the man's flashlight, she looked for another weapon besides the gun in his hand. Seeing nothing, she opted for a branch nearby and started striding directly towards the last man. Not getting an answer, the man turned to see what was happening behind him only to be blinded by the flashlight a split second before the branch snapped over his head. He fell with a thud, giving Avery a moment to take a shaky breath once certain she was alone in the trees.
Despite the reassuring thoughts that she was out of immediate danger, anxiety was still deep in her system. She didn't have much time to collect her thoughts. More Peggies would be coming to check the airfield, if they hadn't arrived already, and she needed to put distance between her and the ranch.
Swallowing the heaviness that was lodged in her throat, she exhaled and forcefully slumped her shoulders, trying to ease whatever tension was causing her the discomfort. Turning off both flashlights, she reached for the unconscious man's flannel and wiped the blood from her trembling hands.
Wasting time… the voice in the back of her head warned, trying to keep her from falling into the cavity of shock.
She knew what her instinct was trying to do. Naturally compartmentalize the trauma and stuff it in the back of her mind until she was out of danger and too exhausted to fight it. Even though she knew she needed to stop thinking about it, Avery couldn't push the image away. She hadn't expected the kill to be so… personal.
The man's eyes had looked right at her, and she could see how they quaked in the last moments as his body convulsed before falling to the ground…. The gurgle of blood as the blade sliced through the tongue and meat… The gushing of warm liquid over her bare knuckles as she tugged at the blade to come free…
Spinning around, Avery crawled away from the unconscious man, ignoring the sharp rocks on her knees, and puked hot bile at the base of a fern. Sitting up, she felt her body break out in sweat and she wiped her face with the edge of her shirt.
God, she hadn't been this sick since her first two kills. And those were at a distance from a rifle.
Looking at the remnants of crimson smear of her pale skin, the deputy felt nausea roll her stomach once more, but she miraculously swallowed the sensation and stood to her feet.
Wasting time.
She needed to get out of here or else she would be in the same situation if she lingered any longer.
Avery closed her eyes and forced a final breath out. She needed to re-center. Now.
On her own, in enemy territory, and weaponless was not the time to become incapacitated by shock. She needed to get her shit together.
Opening her eyes, she glanced around, avoiding anything ground level where the bodies lay. A run for the airfield would be the dumbest move she could make and back to the ranch was out of the question, though it was the most unexpected option. Outside the tree line was the peggies' vehicle, which she hoped had the keys still inside. Best to avoid searching the bodies for the keys if possible.
Deciding that was the ideal plan, she jogged to the edge of the island and peered out between the shrubs. She could see flashlights scanning the grounds and some darting around sporadically as a few people ran from one location to the next.
If she managed to get the truck running, then driving away would definitely draw attention. But if she managed to drive slowly, as if she was searching for someone too, then that could buy her enough time before anyone caught on.
It was a plan. Not her favorite plan but still something.
The truck was close enough that she felt confident that no one would see her taking it, so she went for it. Opening the door, she jumped in, letting the cab light shine a spotlight on her before turning off once the door clicked shut. Being in the cabin instantly gave her the illusion of safety as she searched for the keys only to find them in the ignition.
Convenient.
After scooting her seat forward, she woke the truck with a low rumble before putting it in drive and easing on the gas. She noticed a few flashlights turn towards her direction, waiting to see what she did. Her eyes watched the searchers from the rearview mirror as she drove slowly forward, following the island of trees she had previously left. They were far enough away that none of the flashlights could reach inside. Once the peggies saw she wasn't making a quick getaway, they lights turned away, going back to comb through their sections of the property.
A triumphant smirk curled her lips as most of the earlier panic and sickness ebbed away.
After playing her part and fully circling the trees, she started her round again a little further on the airstrip. In moments, she could make out a search light panning through the darkness, turning black fields to light-green verdancy, and then flashing away just as quickly. It lasted for another five minutes as she gradually inched out of the property before a couple people caught on that she wasn't stopping and getting out.
Avery knew it was only a matter of time, and once she realized that her plan was uncovered, she stepped on the gas and left everyone in a cloud of dust. By the time others had loaded in vehicles and started the chase, she was two miles ahead and expanding the gap.
The chances of catching her that night were dwindling as the distance grew along with her advantage.
*(*(*(*(**(*(*(*(*(*
Rage rolled off him in waves despite the stillness displayed on the outside. Four other followers were nearby, one preparing the body to move as another brought a makeshift stretcher over. The teammate to the dead man was sitting a short distance away, nursing his aching head, and waiting for John to decide on whether to question or blame him. Either was entirely possible given the events of the night.
As a result, no one was ready to call attention to themselves from the seething Baptist, so each would mutter to the other or stay silent while waiting for instructions.
John eyed the body face down in muck and blood with a hint of interest. The sight was gruesome, a reminder of what the deputy was capable of under all that attentive exterior.
If it wasn't clear before, it was now. When it came down to it, the woman's fight instinct was stronger than flight.
Jacob would have a field day with that piece of knowledge.
"Spiteful little thing," he murmured to himself. He felt the heavy eyes of the closest man but ignored it. He was still replaying the actions of the deputy, trying to pick through her thought process to determine her next move.
When she threatened to burn Eden's Gate down, he thought it was all talk. Emotions running high as heated passion turned to outright betrayal. She then ignored his warnings and left the room after knocking out the guard. At first, he found it counterproductive to make such a statement, and not kill the unsuspecting watchman.
Because she was soft; overly compassionate, he assumed. All talk and no bite when it came down to her not having a gun. Maybe that was her underlying issue of sparing the kid, Liam, and his uncle. Because she was up close and a bullet in that vicinity would show the grisly result of her action. That was what he initially thought from the information he had collected thus far.
Well, she proved him wrong. She was capable of intimate deaths, even if reluctant.
Something stirred in him at the thought of her driving the blade into flesh. He always enjoyed the way the skin gave way to the edge of a knife and when people tried to hide the pain being inflicted. Then, when they finally gave in and begged for it to stop… it was so much better.
He wondered; did she find it easy to draw the knife to flesh? To inflict discomfort to someone by her own hand; every twist and pressure she applied creating a new reaction from her victim.
Or was she straight to the point, not taking the time to find value in her work?
Pity it's probably the latter, he mused feeling slightly disheartened. Still, the image of her using a knife with a wicked smile on a weak follower was both fear inducing and attractive to the Baptist.
A few feet away, blood still leaked from the lips and jaw of the body. One of the followers tried to dislodge the blade but it wouldn't budge, which caused two of the men to turn away and gag.
John glared impatiently at them.
"When you two are done fucking around, I want the body taken to be prepared for burial."
"Sorry, sir."
"Yes, sir."
John exhaled deeply and returned his gaze to the body, no longer paying attention to the fatal blow but deep in thought about his next plans. The deputy had escaped his property and was making a dash through his county to safety. She would, no doubt, reach it too. The odds were in his favor until she left the premises in a vehicle. He had no delusions about it.
But that didn't mean he would make it easy for her. Instead, he would make sure to cause as much trouble for her as possible on the way to Fall's End. It was obvious that would be her destination, making her predictability that much easier to tamper with. Unfortunately, while his followers would be out trying to recapture her, John needed to prepare to speak with Joseph.
While Avery didn't reach atonement, the youngest brother wasn't concerned about disownment from Eden's Gate. When Joseph exposed his plan to allow Jacob a chance at swaying the woman, John realized that the pressure on him had lifted, even if it was miniscule. The prior threat was just that, a string of words to keep John in line with fear from being shut out of Eden's Gate.
Well, it worked. To some degree…
Neither of the older brothers needed to find out about his misdeeds that evening. If they uncovered his delve into lust and fraternizing with the deputy, punishment would fall swiftly to him. Whether a thorough berating or orders to retrace his sin. He should do that anyway, but that wasn't a priority at that current time.
Now, his priority was making sure the truth wasn't revealed on how the deputy managed her escape, out of his own embarrassment.
The clever deputy was observant and knew he wouldn't have guards around the windows to see the private confessions… or his attempt to bed her. It was the biggest opening his ranch had, and she exposed it to his arrogant ego. He had thought so highly of his own ability to keep her contained that he underestimated her.
Under all his anger and frustrations that bound his muscles, deep down… Deep, deep down, John was impressed. Even if he couldn't admit it right away, she proved to be an opportunist and fully capable of keeping him on his toes. The nerve of her…
Damnit all.
The youngest brother would never hear the end of it if the truth was revealed. Especially from Jacob. He wouldn't miss an opportunity to remind John about it, and the teasing would be relentless. On the other hand, Joseph… Well, it was best if he never found out.
The cotton sheet that was tossed over the corpse before being lifted away seemed to break John's train of thought. Inhaling deeply through his nose, he turned his heated attention to the empty-handed followers.
"I want everyone in the county looking for her and post a scout on Fall's End," he finally ordered, bringing everyone's attention squarely on him. "We'll see if she can reach safety before we capture her."
Wishful thinking, but there was still a chance. A slim chance he could be successful and have her back at his mercy.
Oh, the punishment she would receive…
"Would you like us to have a party waiting for her around Fall's End city limits? Try to cut her off?"
"No. That would get the sinners involved and I have no patience for them."
Not to mention it would turn into a nasty fight that Joseph wouldn't be pleased with. John wasn't interested in making matters worse. As much as his pride wanted for him to send everyone out to comb through the county and burn down anyone stupid enough to harbor the deputy, he couldn't let Joseph know his own sins.
Besides, just because she would be Jacob's responsibility soon didn't mean that John wouldn't play a part somewhere. If Jacob was successful, she would be on their side, whether on her own free will or not. If she finally gave in and joined their side, John would have regular interactions with her.
And what he wanted to do about that was still up in the air. Somewhere between welcoming her to Eden's Gate or punishing her until she begged for release.
*)*)*)*)*)*)*))*)**)*)*)*)*)
The old pick-up truck pulled off the gravel path behind an abandoned house, and out of sight from any roads. Killing the engine, Avery finally leaned dropped her arms and slumped in the seat.
Daylight was creeping over the valley and hiding seemed the best option rather than heading straight to Fall's End. John would have the entire county out searching for her and she didn't want to take any chances. A short rest would do her good anyway. The constant peaks and valleys of adrenaline that night had drained her energy and she was starting to struggle staying vigilant on the road. There wasn't any reason to make it easy for the Peggies to recapture her after all the effort to escape.
How had that night spiraled out of control to that point?
It started with just talking to Liam and having dinner in her room, which seemed like a lifetime ago rather than hours. All for it to end with her escaping and killing an unfortunate person just doing their job.
Guilt spiked at the recollection, but she held onto the last words the man taunted while he searched for her. Whether he was serious or joking, the impression was that he didn't have any qualms about causing her harm. The deputy shamefully used that to justify her actions. It was a selfish move. There was no way of telling what he truly meant. Was it a joke because he was upset over being awoken to chase after her? Or was he just as sadistic as some of the others in the Project and wanted to injure her?
Won't know now.
The grumbling of her stomach pulled her back to the present situation and Avery straightened in the seat to gaze out the windshield.
She was free from John Seed. She did what she had to do. Move on to the next objective.
"Let's see if there's any snacks in this old clunker," she offered, trying to fill the silence and keep her mind distracted.
Avery opened the center console and checked around the cup holders only to find a pair of work gloves, a shotgun shell on the floorboard, ear protection, and some trash. Leaning over, the deputy popped open the glove compartment and was welcomed with a familiar sight. Among the packet of vehicle information and registration was a radio.
No food, but the chance for contacting someone was enough to lift her spirits.
Turning the dial, the radio came to life and the blue glow reflected back at her. In the right corner the battery symbol had a small bar that blinked, saying it was about to go back to sleep and needed a charge.
One call. That's all she needed.
Twisting the dial, she reached Fall's End station and brought the device to her lips.
"Jerome? Grace? Anyone copy?"
The silence on the other end was long and harrowing in the already quiet truck. Bringing the radio back up, the deputy tried again, not caring that her radio etiquette was nonexistent. She didn't have the luxury of time.
"Hey, it's me. I'm heading your way… Um, and I should be there later today sometime."
Again, she waited. Knowing it wasn't a huge issue if they didn't know, she still was hopeful to hear their voices.
"… Deputy, is that you?"
Relief swelled through Avery and a smile broke through at the tired voice on the other end. She must have waken them up.
"Mary May! Yeah, it's me."
"Oh, it's good to hear from you! We tried to get you, but John had already moved you to a new place—Did you really get free from him? What am I saying? Of course, you did! Oh, Jerome will be so relieved!"
"It's been a long couple days, that's for sure. But I can't talk long. My radio is about to die, and I just wanted to let you know that I'll be there later today."
"I will let everyone know and have a beer waiting for you."
Avery's smile only grew. That sounded too good to be true.
"It may be late by the time I get in. Have you heard any movement from John?"
"Well, we know there's more Peggies on the roads, but we thought they were just doing their routes earlier this morning than normal. Guess it makes sense now. No one has come to our area though, looking for you that is."
Maybe he's giving up, she pondered, yet didn't want to voice it out loud in case it would jinx her.
"Right. I'll just have to be careful then."
"You do that. Can't have your beer getting warm waiting on you," Mary May teased.
After ending the transmission, Avery turned off the radio and set it in the cupholder. She was almost back to her friends and more importantly, Joey Hudson.
It hadn't slipped her mind that her teammate had been rescued from her torturer and sitting safely in Fall's End. At least, that was where Avery assumed she was, unless the other deputy left to meet with Whitehorse. In a way, it was a preferred option to have everyone in one location, although Avery knew Joey would probably be lying low and recovering still.
The amount of torture she must have gone through in John's care... Avery couldn't imagine it.
The rookie wasn't naïve enough to think Joey got anywhere close to the same treatment she did from the Baptist. The fact that Hudson was bound and in the same clothes as when she first arrived weeks ago was proof enough.
Clenching her jaws, Avery couldn't stop the image of her and John locked in a heated kiss mere hours ago.
What the fuck was wrong with her?
Yes, it was better than being tortured. Yes. She missed having intimate contact and feeling like a person to someone rather than a tool, but this was John Seed she was making out with.
The youngest brother to the cult that kidnapped her friends and tortured them. The man who carved sins into people and smiled while doing it.
She couldn't let this get out.
Even if she tried to spin it as a way to get him to drop his guard and escape, there would be those who would doubt her loyalty and cause a rift. While Avery couldn't care less if the Resistance thought highly of her or not, she still needed their help if she wanted to retrieve Pratt and get their team out of the county. If they started to distrust her, then it would make her job much harder.
Deciding that discretion was key in retelling her escape, there was a sinking feeling that John may not be so conservative with the details. What if he started spouting off their heated moment over the radio channels?
Wincing, Avery couldn't keep herself from covering her face with both hands.
She could lie all she wanted about it, but her embarrassment would surely give it away. When it came to intimate topics, her poker face always failed. Always.
Sighing, her fingers dragged down her cheeks and she reclined the chair back so she was gazing at the ceiling of the cab.
At least Joey was free.
While Whitehorse would be an asset, he was older and slower in his age, which made Avery hesitant to have him help. Not that he was too keen on going out into the field as of late. Joey, on the other hand, was more capable of assisting Avery in rescuing Pratt. Whether she was mentally capable of it was a different story. Hudson was tough, no doubt about it, but even weeks of torture and fear could weaken one's resilience. There was no need to push her to help. Avery would give her the time she needed to recover before going against the Project.
Outside the truck, birds began to flutter through the trees and tall grass, each chirping and singing their tunes in the early morning hours. A soft breeze brushed through the trees and tall grass around the vehicle as daylight painted the world around in pastel colors.
Simplicity was a fine thing.
Listening to the calming sounds outside, Avery retreated to her thoughts, planning the next move once she reached Fall's End. Checking on Joey's condition was her priority before she could plan anything with Pratt. She needed to check with Dutch too on the matter. Whether he would be willing to share any helpful information about the Whitetail Mountains, she wasn't sure, still he was her best resource for the area.
He would just have to bite his tongue and accept that she was going to the region regardless of his warnings.
Fat chance.
At this point, she didn't care. She was so close to getting everyone back. There was nothing anyone could say to dissuade her from leaving.
/../././././././././././././././.
The sun was creeping low in the sky by the time the truck pulled into the main street of Falls End. After the four-hour nap, Avery had carefully picked through the back roads towards the haven, only managing two encounters with peggies. Luckily, she was able to lose them after a narrow chase and collecting a few bullet holes in the side of the pick-up. Lethal force was not off the table, apparently.
The neon lights of the Spread Eagle came into view where Avery pulled the truck up along side the curb. Shutting it off, she took in the view of the town and could see a few silhouettes mingling through the window of the bar. The hum of music reached the street, and the deputy couldn't help but smile.
"Time for that beer," she muttered to herself and got out of the truck.
Walking to the front door, she glanced back at her metal steed, noticing how a couple rounds had clipped the edges of the driver door. It dampened her solace, hinting that her life was not as valuable by the Project as she originally thought.
Shaking the realization away, she opened the door and greeted with a sight of Nick, Mary, and Jerome at the bar. A few other members of the resistance filled the room, but no one she immediately recognized.
"Goddamn, Sundance!" Nick greeted with relief flashing over his features and a wide smile breaking free. He waved at Mary who passed him another bottle that he handed to Avery.
"Thanks," the brunette beamed as she took the beer.
"Some of us thought we wouldn't see you again. I should've known it'd be easy for you to get yourself out. It's a little silly now to think you needed our support." Nick tilted his bottle to her, and Avery responded by tapping the glass necks together.
"Well, I wasn't confident. I was starting to think I was in over my head."
"If anyone could go toe-to-toe with those assholes, it's you."
Avery scoffed at that. "Too much credit, trust me."
"It's nice to have you back, Deputy. You look tired," Mary greeted as her elbows found the bar to lean on.
"Yeah, I'm exhausted, but nothing that a good night rest won't cure," Avery admitted while walking towards the stools.
"Here." Jerome stepped aside and pulled out a seat for her. She took it gratefully and mirrored Mary by slouching over the wooden top. To her right, Nick stayed standing while Jerome took a seat on her left. "I knew you were competent enough to out-smart that bastard, but I was getting worried when a couple days started to pass."
"It took a little while finding a hole in his defenses," Avery agreed taking a sip of her beer and enjoying the refreshing bitterness.
"Is that part of John's handy work?"
Hesitating taking another sip, Avery resisted dropping her gaze to her arm, which was covered by a button up she found in the back of the truck. Instead, she turned her attention to Jerome who pointed at her eye. A wry quirk of her lips and a shake of her head answered him.
"One of his followers and I had a disagreement of sorts."
"Ah. I should have guessed that you wouldn't win a popularity contest there."
"That shiner looks rough," Nick whistled. "And probably won't look better by tomorrow. Surprised your eye isn't swelled up."
"Is it that bad?"
"It ain't pretty."
"How do you have a wife?" Mary scowled. "The deputy just escaped John and here you are making comments like that?"
"You act like I'm openly insulting her." Nick huffed before spinning to Avery. "Did I insult you by saying that?"
"You downright crushed my delicate feelings, Mr. Rye."
"Ha! See she's fine."
"Why are you encouraging him?" Mary scolded the deputy who hid her humor behind the bottle.
"I don't know what you're talking about."
Mary rolled her eyes at that and mumbled something about giving up trying to help.
Looking between her companions, Avery couldn't keep from asking what had been on her mind for the last two days. She had slight reservations about changing the topic to one more serious, though it was nagging at her to know.
"How's Joey? I heard that you managed to get her out."
Jerome tilted his head with raised brows. "We did. The night that Dutch contacted us and said he hadn't heard back from you. I didn't know he had sent you out on another errand, and alone on top of that-"
"He got an earful from us," Mary interrupted as she sat up and placed a hand on her hip. "That man has isolated himself for so long, his communication skills are severely lackin."
"Yes, we've already discussed this," Jerome waved off before continuing. "Anyway, Grace and I got a group together and were able to narrow down the route John could have taken. Well, based off the location Dutch had sent you to. It wasn't easy but after a few hours we found his compound and tried to get you out."
"It was a bit of a shit-show," Nick added. Taking a sip of his own beer, he looked over his shoulder at her. "He'd been expecting us when we arrived too, but that didn't help them any. Those damn Peggies still lost."
"I wouldn't say they lost," Mary scolded. "They still got Avery away from us."
"Well… True… But that's not what I was trying to say. We left with more people than we went in with."
Avery laughed a little. "I got it. I'm grateful that you managed to get Joey out."
"We wouldn't have been able to if it wasn't for you providing the distraction to John and, in a way, leading us to the bunker." Jerome placed a reassuring hand on her shoulder.
Avery returned it with a smile but couldn't help the slightly negative thoughts that started to form.
They never wanted to help Joey. They wanted her back because she was an asset to Fall's End. Joey was just the 'while we're here' chore. The group sure was eager to jump into action when their key player was out of their grasp, but not when Avery asked. It bothered her that they could have helped her track the bunker down and get Joey out so much sooner, rather then sending her to help get properties and supplies away from John.
Clearing her throat, the deputy took another sip, hoping to drown the sinical thoughts away. What was going on with her?
"Joey's around here somewhere. I saw her a little while ago." Mary stood on her toes and started to scan over the heads of people gathered around the bar top.
There wasn't a large group of people but the section of the bar they were in was smaller causing it to seem more crowded. Finding the person she was looking for, Mary whistled and waved.
Avery straightened in her seat and looked around the corner, trying to see her friend. Seconds later, a smiling Joey stepped around a group of people and her eyes landed on Avery.
"Joey," Avery breathed out as a smile formed.
She took in the other woman's appearance, noticing the same side braid that cascaded down her shoulder. Her face was clean now with no more evidence of tears or grime caked to her skin. Instead, her left cheek had a fresher scuff but nothing that wouldn't be gone in a week or two. She wore a pair of clean jeans and a button up plaid with a white tee underneath. Her duty belt still hung around her hips; a new, non-issued handgun lounged in the holster.
"Hey, rook," she returned, clearly taking in Avery's appearance as well. "They said you would be able to get free from that fuck but I still had my doubts. It's a good time to be wrong…"
"You weren't the only one who had doubts," Avery retorted with her smile feeling a little stiff.
Do I hug her? Is Joey even a hugger? Or just sit here…?
There was a strange sense of awkwardness between them, and she wondered if it was only her who felt it. She couldn't place why that was. Perhaps because of the amount of stuff they had been through since they had been separated. Or the circumstances of their last encounter together as John puppeteered reactions from them for his amusement. Or maybe something else that Avery had yet to pick through yet. Something that Joey and she needed to address in private.
Whichever it was, Avery was just relieved to see that Hudson was safe and being taken care of now. "How are you doing?"
"I'm good… but I'll be able to sleep better once we get back at those bastards. I hope you're ready for it, Rook. We are going to make those twisted fucks pay."
Avery's relief faltered ever so slightly. She hadn't expected Joey to be ready to take on the Project so soon. Then again, after all the stuff Joey had been through with John, she could see why her coworker was eager for some payback.
"I'll drink to that," Nick responded and took another swig. Joey's grin widened as she downed the rest of her own beer and set it on the counter.
"Are you holding up alright?" Joey asked as her attention returned to Avery.
"I'm fine. Ready to get Pratt out of his own hell-hole."
"Hm." Avery noticed how Joey's mood fell a little at the mention of their teammate. "Whitehorse and the others were filling me in about everything. I'm sure it was the same stuff you already know."
"I'm sure…" Avery trailed, not certain where Joey was going with it.
"If there is a chance for us to get him, then we will. But right now, that's what those peggies are expecting. Pastor and I have been talking and we've come up with a couple ideas to pass the time while things settle down. You'll be ready for tomorrow, right?"
"Er… I think I'm missing something." Avery's pointed attention turned squarely on Jerome who shifted uncomfortably in his seat.
The Pastor chuckled as casually as he could and faced Joey. "We still have to fill her in on that."
Unphased, Joey shrugged.
"Sure. I'll just see you guys in the morning. I'm going to turn in for the night. Early wake-up call," she chimed while waving them a goodnight. "Good to have you back, rook."
Avery nodded her head to her teammate, before turning a questioning gaze to Jerome.
"What's going on?"
Before Jerome could explain, Mary jumped in.
"Joey was in the room when I told Pastor about you getting free this mornin. Then these two had a brilliant idea of how to get back at John while he's least expecting it."
"Can you let me tell her?" Jerome asked impatiently, realizing that Avery's previous mood had shifted.
"Sure, if you stop taking your sweet time with it."
"Woman, you don't have any patience."
"I do when its needed."
Nick chuckled at the bickering but refrained from making any comments to avoid their attention.
Not sure how she felt about returning to a shift in dynamics between the group, Avery reminded sternly, "Guys, tonight would be a good time to hear about what's going on."
Jerome sighed and looked up from the wooden bar top.
"When we heard you were on your way back, Joey made a point that we could use this time to get back at the Project before they could recover from their losses. It makes sense that they wouldn't be expecting a full assault on one of their compounds, so we started to toy with the idea. Grace was here when we started discussing it and offered to do some scouting with a team to weigh the risks."
The pastor reached a hand into his pocket and pulled out a neatly folded paper. Opening it up, he slipped it across the wooden bar top to Avery who took it. The drawings were of a outpost she had not been to yet. Clean lines mapped the buildings, entry points clearly defined, and placement of guards marked with 'X'.
Avery stared at it, not missing how similar it was to the diagram that Liam had gave her, though his buildings were a mix of messy squares and rectangles. The number of guards were similar, which over a larger area was not any easier. More would be inside the buildings; that was certain.
Jerome cleared his throat, pulling Avery's attention. "What do you think?"
"Grace did all this today?"
"She did. Dropped it off about an hour ago…" When Avery didn't reply, he continued. "Joey says that it shouldn't be a difficult job to do. She wanted a pretty big war-party to take it on, but we had to slow her down on that."
He voiced the last part with a dry chuckle, but it only added to Avery's previous concern.
"Grace says she wants a small team; however, she only agreed to do it if you were in."
"I think your officer pal will do it even if you aren't," Nick commented cautiously to the deputy, hinting that it wasn't just her who felt the shift in control.
Looking back at the drawing, Avery considered what was being asked of her. She had planned on leaving in the morning to head to the mountains, not stay in the valley. While they were right that John wouldn't be expecting an immediate assault, that didn't mean it was a smart move.
The Seeds are expecting you to go to the mountains. Is that smart?
Who cared if they were? Her entire objective was to get her teammates.
Avery brought a hand over the side of her face, wiping her unbruised eye before resting her chin on her knuckles. The other hand tilted the paper up while her eyes scanned, but her thoughts were still far away.
What were the repercussions of carrying it out? What were the odds of it going south and John capturing them?
On the other hand, Pratt needed her help. That was her priority.
She had spent weeks helping the rebels and not focusing on her own team… If she'd done that from the beginning, then she wouldn't have made such an enemy out of the Project's followers like Chuck or affected lives like Liam and Dean.
And it wasn't for the better, she knew that.
Even though they were divided, everyone involved were still the same people she once swore to protect a lifetime ago. And yet here she was considering doing it all over again. Didn't she just admit the night before that she regretted taking the railyard and never should have gone through with it?
"There's only two roads that are in the vicinity, and the main one would be easy to monitor and prevent more peggies from showing up," Jerome pressed when only silence came from the deputy. "Grace said that there could be two scouts on the road to watch for vehicles. We have plenty of radios for the team so no one would be without communication—"
"I can't."
Avery set the paper down and met Jerome's eyes.
"…Uh, if we need to wait another day, we can but I wouldn't want to hold off much longer—"
"No. I mean I can't do it. I need to get Pratt out of Jacob's hold."
"Hey, deputy," Mary pinned her with a grim look, one that said the hard truth was going to come out. "Dutch has said a few times now that your friend's a lost cause. People in Jacob's care have a very, very small window before they become a liability. And… in case you haven't pick up on it yet, that window passed a long time ago."
"Mary, there's no need to be so blunt—"
"Pastor, you know it's true. She needs to hear it."
"Hey," Nick interrupted noticing Avery bristle at the comments. "We can keep it civil-there's no reason to be harsh. Don't forget Mary, that same officer still volunteered to come help us when we needed it."
Mary pursed her lips and grabbed a towel from nearby to wipe the counter, giving herself something to keep occupied with rather than respond.
Avery didn't answer right away, even as Jerome rubbed his forehead from an ache starting to form.
"I understand what you need to do. Everything you'd been through and what you have done for us has not gone unnoticed. You have helped a lot, Deputy. We owe you thanks, but—"
Mary couldn't keep from piping in as she dropped the rag on the counter.
"I know you're still looking to get the last of your people out. But the truth is, you ain't the only one in need of help. Pastor and I can only do so much here, and you aren't the only person who's suffered. Your Joey friend is willing to help us, and we appreciate that. However, no offense to her, but you were able to get free from John when she couldn't. I think that says a lot about how your skills stack up and why we want your help."
Biting her bottom lip, Avery picked up the paper again, scanning the compound layout, the roads they mentioned, if only to humor them. But it felt wrong. They wanted to do this in the morning? She just got back and had no hand in the planning process. The last time she did something like that was when the Marshall marched her unit into Joseph's church.
And that turned out great, didn't it?
Shaking her head, Avery's frustrations bubbled to the surface.
"Where is this coming from, suddenly? You had no interest in it when I brought it up before. Even as I pleaded for just a recon, it was shut down. And now you're willing to trust anyone to put a plan together?"
Scowling at Avery's resilience on the matter, Mary pinned her with a glare. "It's not just anyone. It's Grace, Joey, and you—"
"But I have no part of this plan. I never scouted or was made aware of it until tonight-the night before your planned ops."
"Right-fine, but if anyone can pull it off with the limited knowledge it's you, so—"
"Are you sure about that?"
"What has gotten into you? Of course, I'm sure. You took a complete compound by yourself. Now you have a team, so it should be a breeze."
"Ok… You clearly don't understand how that works, but I'm not going to get into that with you right now. I'm just asking, why all of a sudden you want this done. When I came up with a valid argument and plan before, you told me no-but now it's totally on the table and you're pressing me to do it for you."
"I'm sorry, was that not part of the agreement you shared with us? You, me, and Jerome when we first met in my bar? You said you would help us with what was needed. That alone should explain why we want you to do it."
"I also recalled that you two agreed to return the favor."
"In case you forgot, we did just get your teammate out for you…" Mary finished with her arms crossed over her chest.
Avery's jaw clenched as she glowered at the woman across from her. The nerve….
"Hey, let's take a break from this," Jerome offered as he stood up and waved away a few people who were watching the discussion brewing. "Mary, do you need help cleaning up?"
"Er, yeah," Nick cleared his throat, as he got the hint and collected a few empty beer bottles from the bar top. "I'll help you get some of the trash gathered."
Huffing, Mary turned away, jerking a small trashcan from beneath the counter. "Fine. You can help."
"Avery," Jerome inquired while setting a hand gently on her shoulder. "Let's get some air."
Not saying a word, Avery left her half drank beer and stalked outside. Jerome held the door open for the fuming deputy before following to the sidewalk. Immediately, his eyes landed on the vehicle parked near the door.
"Was that truck like that when you stole it?"
"It's been a long day," she grounded out, stomping past the vehicle without a glance in its direction.
Dropping the subject, he caught up to her as they walked down the block towards the church. Neither said anything right away. One stewed in her frustrations while the other tried to find the most passive way to approach the seething officer.
"Mary doesn't always realize how she comes off when she gets defensive. I'm sure she didn't mean to throw anything in your face about Joey."
"That's bullshit. It's exactly what she was trying to do."
"Let me rephrase… I don't think she intended to insult you when she brought up why we want your help. It's understandable that you want answers about the change of heart but I'm afraid what she says is true. Your skills have made you invaluable to us and I would be lying if I said we weren't taking advantage of it. We are. Just as you are using us for shelter and extra resources."
Avery didn't reply, but her furrowed brows were enough to show her remorse for the topic.
"Did John say something to you?"
"John says a lot of things. Obviously, he likes the sound of his voice."
"Yes, true… But I was referring to anything that you want to discuss. There seems to be something on your mind since you've come back."
How perceptive.
She should have known he would be looking for shifts in her behavior once she returned. The veil she placed was not as effective as she thought. Then again, her temper was a chink in the armor, especially when coupled with all the sudden questioning of the group's motives.
It wasn't that she distrusted them. She was just being cautious. Each side of Hope County continued to spout off motives and actions that the other side had wrongly done. Mostly rumors or half-truths, but truth was still sprinkled in there to some degree. Pair that with John's warnings that she was being played, then of course it caused her to doubt… She promised that she would try not to put weight into his words, which was harder than she expected.
So, instead, she would keep her guard up… just in case. No need to bring up 'he said-she said' nonsense. No need to pick sides. She would just need to decide for herself what was true and lies.
"Like I mentioned, it's been a long day and I'm exhausted."
Feeling his heavy gaze, Avery knew he wasn't convinced.
"Let's go somewhere private then."
"Why? I told you I'm just tired."
"Because I feel like you don't want others to see you like this."
"Like what?" she asked as her defensiveness spiked.
"Clearly upset. The kind that needs to vent to resolve itself. Now come." Taking the lead, he crossed the street to his church.
Watching his retreating form, she contemplated making an excuse to turn in for the night. A useless gesture seeing as he wouldn't buy it. Not to mention she had some questions of her own that she wanted answers too. Leaving the conversation unfinished wasn't an option for either of them, especially when the plan for the compound was to take place the next morning.
Rolling her eyes, she followed him across the road and into the church as he held the door open again. The inside was washed with an orange tint as the final rays of sun crested the horizon. Each row of pews was silent, and she wondered why his church always seemed to have a warm air about it.
"Please don't tell me you're wanting me to confess."
The dry humor was not lost on the Pastor who laughed softly. "No, no. Not unless you want to. I just want you to feel comfortable telling me what's on your mind."
"And if I don't?"
Jerome took a seat on the front pew as he offered a warm smile. "Then I'll know you have some hesitancy with me or the others here in Fall's End. But I won't pry as I'm sure you have your reasons."
"Then why ask at all?"
"… Are these hypothetical questions or are you actually uncomfortable with something we did?"
Avery mulled over his question as she stood in the aisle, not quite sure what she was feeling besides lingering defensiveness from Mary's insults.
"A bit of both, I suppose."
"Is it because of the outpost tomorrow or something else?"
"Why does it have to be tomorrow? He's expecting me to leave for Jacob's region as soon as possible, so what difference does it make about the day?"
"Because we know you're not going to stay here much longer. When we rescued Joey, it was clear that there wasn't much tying you to Fall's End. We thought that having one more compound before you left would set us up a little better to fend for ourselves as we head into Autumn in a couple months." Adjusting his glasses, he shifted so he was at an angle to face her. "You can take a seat if you'd like."
Sighing, she walked to the chair and sat down, leaving a relaxed space between them.
"Yet you are comfortable having Grace and Joey head up the task just fine."
"Your field experience outweighs their reconnaissance knowledge. Anyone can plan. It's another thing to successfully carry it out." He paused, letting the fact linger between them, giving her something to chew on before he continued. "We want you to lead it because we know we will lose less people in the process. You managed to take a compound on your own, so it makes sense that you would be able to keep everyone safe."
"It's one thing to be trained for it and another thing to watch a team's back when they lack the skills. Just because I did it safely once doesn't guarantee the safety of anyone else the second time."
"I know…. But your guidance is still better than none at all."
Hating that he had a point, she dropped her gaze to her lap, feeling her jaw muscles tighten at the situation she was in. If she carried it out, she could leave straight from there to Jacob's region. It would only be half a day later than she intended. Was it really that bad?
And what if she managed to do it with minimal casualties to the Project? Injured wasn't a bad alternative, considering the other option was death.
"You're still hesitant…" Jerome observed. "I told you I wouldn't pry, but if John said something to you, it would be best for everyone to shed light on it…. He's cunning when it comes to manipulating people and getting what he wants. Even if it's planting doubt in one's mind to throw them off kilter."
"Pun intended?" Avery asked with a raised brow.
"I think he likes the planting puns, if you ask me but no, I didn't intend that."
A pause swelled between them. Avery wasn't keen to let him know all the details of her and John's discussions. If there was any truth to what John was saying, she wanted to find out herself. Giving Jerome an idea of what she was looking for would only help him hide it.
She knew it wasn't healthy to linger in the growing distrust, especially between allies. It wouldn't take long for it to start a rift between them and cause distrust to turn back on her.
However, she couldn't shake it. Almost like a defense mechanism, she didn't want to drop her guard and find out she was being played a fool. Despite it being her own flaw that she needed to work through, Avery did have a question that she wanted answering.
"If we capture some of the peggies tomorrow," she started, not wanting to reflect her own opinion, "what would you like us to do?"
Jerome considered her for a passing moment, making her wonder if she hinted to something she hadn't meant. The scrutinization was heavy and thick, like he was reading through her thoughts as she sat there oblivious.
Getting to his feet, the Pastor meandered to the alter and retrieved his bible. He kept his back to her as his attention was focused on the leather cover of the book.
"I often reflect on the deeds I have done since the cult entered my home. Do not sin. Do not kill your brother. But God has exceptions to the rules. At least… if you consider events of history." He fell silent, still caressing the gold letters of the cover.
Avery didn't offer any comment, curious what he was about to say on the matter that weighed on her.
"The bible is a consolidation of stories and lessons passed down from centuries of religious strife. Priests, bishops, and so many others long before our time decided what would be kept and what to be tossed aside. Did you know that? The bible we have now could have been so different if it were other people in charge during that time…"
"I did not…"
"Well," he chuckled. "Maybe it was God's plan to have them in charge. Maybe it wasn't. My point is that there is a passage I like to reflect on. If I am wrong for my acts, then I will be judged, but taking what I know of my faith, it guides me in my actions:
'Woe to the man who leads my flock astray,' says the Lord.
You see, Avery. We were given so much, this land, this life, our freedom." Straightening, Jerome faced her with his bible in hand, though remained by the podium. "What's left of it now? Our people felt abandoned, grew weary. They needed our help, but we didn't listen…"
"This was at the beginning? When the Seeds came?"
Nodding his head, he continued.
"Joseph listened to them. He listened to their fears when others would not. He told them exactly what they wanted to hear. But those falsehoods, lies, are just poison. He's driven them from pasture, from the righteous path…"
Shifting in her seat, Avery listened, realizing that he was not giving his answer lightly. The deputy wasn't sure she wanted to hear it. She had a feeling on where this was going; a side of the Pastor that she had not witnessed before.
Stepping closer, he opened the bible and gazed at it longingly until he stopped at her feet.
"Woe to the man who leads my flock astray. For if I am not their Shepherd, then you must be…"
He tilted the bible down to her level, as if offering her the answer she desired.
"…the wolf."
Avery could feel her eyes harden, not because of the unsaid order but to hide her trepidation at the sight of the revolver hidden in the pages of the book.
"We make no treaty with them and show them no mercy. They have taken us against our will, and I know you want to get your friend. Fall's End is just a piece of the whole community that needs our help. I want to be optimistic about Pratt's condition, but I'm also a realist. What everyone has told you about him is true. He may be too far gone to help and you risking your life for it is throwing away everyone's work to help you."
"I never forced anyone to help me," she retorted, pulling her eyes away from the silver gun offered to her. "I appreciate everyone doing what they can, and I have gone out of my way—"
"I'm not trying to fight, deputy. You have shielded the flock from the wicked and I am grateful for that. I'm under no delusion that you aren't going to try. You need to do what you think is best. We just ask that you help us tomorrow first, and then try to save your friend."
She didn't like it. She felt cornered, guilted into helping them or else losing respect and damage to her pride if she refused. As if she was turning her back on those that needed protecting.
"I'm going to help Staci as soon as it's done. I won't be stopping back here." Not to be manipulated into another task…
"Thank you, Avery. You don't know how much this means to me."
"Yeah, I'm sure I don't," she bit out harsher than she intended. Standing, she turned to walk out the church when Jerome's hand settled on her shoulder, halting her.
"Just promise me that if it doesn't work out with Pratt, that you will come back here where it's safer."
"Is anywhere safe in this county?"
"Some places are safer than others."
*)*)*)*)*)*)*)*)*)*)*)*)*)*)*)*)*)
Avery found refuge in her designated room above the Spread Eagle. The musty smell of the bar lingered in the air, fading through the night until only a faint trace of it remained in the morning. Then the bar would open, people would trickle in and out, stirring up the scents again until it reached the room and stayed.
She didn't mind it. While the room wasn't impenetrable from the smell, it blocked out the noise well.
After leaving the church, she had woven her way through the bar, avoiding eye contact with Mary and other's still remaining in the bar. When she opened her room, she was greeted by her four-legged friend and his rapid wagging tail. Boomer was a welcomed sight and just what she needed after her long week. Now he lay dozing towards the foot of her cot, enjoying the mindless strokes across his back.
"Sympathizing with the enemy will lead to nothing good," the radio spoke in her non-petting hand. "And I won't say that I've listened to my own advice- because I haven't. I swore an oath to protect and serve the community, just like you. But now with no arrest, no trials… It's the goddamn wild west out here."
Fidgeting, Avery turned the radio over and over in her hand, finding come comfort in the pitch of the voice as it met resistance from her chest and then nothing as it faced empty air. She needed to talk to someone about her inner conflict and Whitehorse was the only one that came to mind, especially since Boomer wasn't much for offering his opinion when she needed it.
"There's no justice system, rook. That's the truth. We're all the people of Hope County have, and we need to do what we can to protect them."
"I know," she answered absently. "But… We're committing crimes just the same. Murder even."
"When they fire at us and we return it, that is not a crime. We are still Officers of the law."
Avery adjusted the pillow to cradle her head better before returning her gaze at the ceiling. His attempt to ease her worries failed to stir her underlying guilt.
"But when I open fire first-When I kill an unsuspecting person, it becomes a crime."
The older man sighed on the line, and she imagined he was shaking his head at her.
"Rook, I know what you're coming from but stressing about it won't help matters. It's not too far out of line to call this a war. When you served, did you wait for the enemy to fire at you first?"
"I know, I get it…"
"Just answer the question."
"No, I didn't wait."
"And why was that?"
"Because we had mission objectives that required stealth."
"Alright, but why else?"
"Because we weren't going to be their targets first?"
"Ok, I'm looking for something like, 'to protect our own people-us versus them, end the fight before they realize what's going on'… Something like that…"
Rolling her eyes, she dropped her hand holding the radio back to her chest.
"I understand what you are feeling," he repeated. "But this is a war. When you served, the enemy didn't get a trial. Same goes for here. When we liberate the county then we can restore it to what it once was."
"You really think we can get it back to normal one day?"
"It may be a while, but yes. If we can do it correctly, all this work we do to rid the county of the Seeds will just be a fun historical fact 50 years from now."
"That's optimistic."
"It's true, rook. You just need to remember that the Seed family is nothing more than a doomsday cult. Promising salvation from the collapse to anyone who devotes their life to the cause. And we can't have the four horseman and their so-called apocalypse trample over our county."
"… Yeah. I know."
The room was quiet for a long time, leaving Avery to stew in the dark with her thoughts. Whitehorse didn't comment further for a while, probably sensing she needed to digest what he was saying.
The deputy knew her boss had a point. There was no due-process or judge waiting to rule over the cultist members. It was their riffraff unit and pockets of communities that stood against the Seeds. If they had any hope of saving the county, they needed to rid the land of the Project first.
As for those that stood against the resistance, they chose their side. Liam excluded. And the people forced to join? They had a choice, and they chose to give in, right? Therefore, the consequences that fell on them was justified for the greater good…
The world wasn't perfect. There was no clean way to get to the end result without unnecessary bloodshed. She wasn't some hero with a noble maxim to never kill. Avery Mason was an Airman, a Deputy, and now some kind of hired gun on the side of the resistance.
What a fucking life she was living.
"You know what is being asked… I need to know if you can do it," Whitehorse probed when she still hadn't spoken.
Clenching her jaw, she tried to push aside the obstructing doubt. Her empathy had ballooned since the time she had taken the railyard and it was now more of a hindrance than aid.
'Are you good to go?' Michael's voice echoed.
Fuck.
"It'll get done."
"Glad to hear it, rook. I don't care how you stop them. Just take care of it. Hope County is our home too. Don't let those bastards take it. Not without a fight."
*)*)*)*)*)*)*)*)*)*)*)*)*)*)*)*)*)*)
Darkness blanketed the sky in the early hours of the morning. Laying on the cot, Avery stared at the ceiling, unmotivated to move from the covers, even as a commotion from the street disrupted the muted silence. Next to her legs, Boomer's ears swiveled as he listened to the noise, but he remained still.
Likely volunteers waiting on me.
How unprofessional of her to be laying in bed instead of being one of the first people out for the mission. Like she really cared.
I could just sleep for another 6 hours….
She hadn't slept much that evening, tossing and turning, uncomfortable with the barely formed plan for the outpost. By the time she finished her discussion with Whitehorse, it had been too late to talk to Grace or Joey about an actual strategy. So, instead, she poured over the map that she retrieved from the bar, along with a quarter filled bottle of whiskey, and mulled over the options with her furry wingman.
The people in the street were just waiting for her final word now on the plan.
Groaning like a dozing teenager, Avery sat up and swung her legs over the side of the cot. Boomer instantly jumped off the bed and began to trot to the door, sensing it was time to leave.
"Wish I had your motivation, bud."
Delaying the outpost wasn't an option and it was only a matter of time before someone would be at her door, asking when she would show face. Her patience was thin already. She didn't want to deal with any nagging to get up and ready. Especially, if it was Mary of all people.
Still feeling a grudge after the argument the night before, Avery had a little relief knowing Mary would be sleeping in still and not mewing at her door. At least, if the commotion didn't wake her first.
After changing into a clean pair of earth brown hiking pants and a black hoody, she brushed her teeth, pulled her hair into a ponytail and started checking over her rifle once more.
The gun was cleaned and sites still firmly in place. She gathered the stack of loaded magazines and started filling the side pockets with them and stuffed the remaining in her go-bag. First-aid was still at the bottom with water and rations for her and Boomer. Dragging her eyes back to the bottle of whiskey, she contemplated putting that inside, but the container being glass didn't set well with her. With her luck the glass would break at some point and drench her gear in alcohol.
Maybe someone can light me and throw me like a Molotov.
Grumbling, she grabbed the bottle and took a few swallows before setting it by the leg of the cot. Boomer bounced towards her with his tail wagging, trying to encourage her to let him out. Avery smiled and rubbed behind his collar.
"If you don't settle down, I'm going to leave you here," she teased as she shrugged the bag over one shoulder and picked up the rifle.
Boomer spun in a circle and darted back to the door, not bothered by her bluff. Once she opened the door, he dashed down the stairs, leaving her to follow at her own pace.
Halfheartedly, she trudged down the wooden steps and past the bar. When she reached the front door to the building, Avery hesitated, choosing to peak out the window to see who waiting for her in the street.
Unsurprisingly, it was Jerome, Grace, and Joey. The latter two were standing close together, one pointing boldly at the other, and glares firmly etched. Jerome had his hands up, muttering something to the women, though it was clear neither were listening. Scowling, the deputy let her gaze scan behind the trio who were ignoring the group watching the interaction with murmurs and confusion.
Avery shook her head with a huff, contemplating if she needed one more drink of whiskey before entering what was clearly a conflict in the street. She brought a hand to wipe her face, feeling the reminding ache from her bruised eye.
Wasn't Joey and Grace on board with the plan the night before? Had civility really been that fickle between the group when it came to the outpost?
Recalling the confidence and eagerness of her fellow deputy the night before, Avery wasn't shocked that it would cause some discourse among a group that had been established well before Joey's arrival. She was an outlier who needed to find her place. Bulldozing to a desired position wasn't going to go well for her.
"It's my ops. I'm in charge. End of story," Avery recited to herself, rallying all her patience to see what the issue was. Looking down at the chipper canine, still waiting to be let out, she continued, "It's simple. My plan or it's not getting done. I've budged too much for them. Not this time."
Boomer only answered with a paw scratching at the door, finally making her concede.
Opening the door, she made her way to the street, attracting the attention of everyone gathered. Not quite ready to deal with it, she allowed her eyes to linger on Boomer as he ran out to start sniffing the street for new smells and to mark his territory on a random light post. It probably wasn't a random post in a dog's world. Things seemed to be much simpler for them.
Begrudgingly Avery dragged her attention back to the people gathered and noticed Grace striding to meet her with ire clear on her face.
"Avery, I won't do it. If Joey goes on this mission, I'm staying here. You choose who you want."
Halting behind the white pick-up, Avery raised a hand to calm her friend.
"Ok-wait, what's going on—"
"Deputy Mason doesn't make the decision on who's going," Joey barked as she stomped to meet them. "I'm coming on this assignment. Those peggies deserve what's coming to them."
"Exactly! That's the problem!" Grace retorted, as she rounded on Joey. "We are getting back the outpost, not going on a revenge errand."
"You don't understand what I've been through, Grace—what they have done to me! You have been lucky to have not been captured and-and tortured. I deserve to go," Joey disputed sternly.
"Joey," Avery interrupted, feeling remorseful over her friend's declaration. She wished she had more time to spend with Hudson before Avery left to get Pratt. "Would you like to go with me to the Whitetail Mountains? We can stir up some trouble there getting Staci out."
The looked she fixed Avery with was one that clearly questioned the audacity of the offer.
"I told you—I'm going to get back at these bastards first. Here in the valley."
"When we get Staci, we can return here—"
"Do you hear yourself?" Grace cut off as she turned on Joey once more. "That's all you can say is getting back at them. You are out for blood and I'm not on board with that."
Avery agreed with Grace but didn't outwardly display it.
"Then stay here," Joey said indifferently. "We'll take the outpost without you."
"Grace is a talented sniper. We're going to need her for the plan," Avery countered.
"Are you really taking sides against me?" Joey balked.
"No- I never said I wa—"
"You don't know what happened to me for the past few weeks. God, Avery, you are fortunate. You don't even know…. You only spent days with the cult when I was there for weeks!"
Neither Avery nor Grace said anything as Joey shook her head as if the memories were afflicting her at that very moment.
"I-I thought I was going to be locked down there in that cell forever. All because of Joseph…that fucking-fucking piece of shit…" Tears started to pool in her eyes as she stared back at Avery with an intensity that painted the desperation Joey had lived with. "He would visit us and just stand there and watch. We were begging for mercy and he would just fucking watch… I want them dead. And I have a right to want that."
"I know," Avery consoled, placing a hand on Joey's shoulder. "I'm sorry I couldn't get you out sooner. I wish it never came down to any of you guys getting captured and I'm sorry I couldn't hold on longer when we were in the helicopter."
Wiping her eyes, Joey nodded her head, indicating she heard. Avery took the time to glance at Grace who shrugged with her arms crossed over her chest.
Realizing that Joey was too loose for the outpost mission, Avery knew she had to deliver the bad news. As much as she wished her friend was in a better state of mind, Avery wasn't looking to make the assignment messier than it needed to be. In the end, she needed a sniper and she trusted Grace a lot more than Joey right now.
"I think you need to rest a little more before you go back out there."
Joey's eyes jerked back to Avery, hurt and betrayal shining through. But Avery didn't linger on it, decision already made up.
"Everything is still fresh for you and there's no shame in that. You've been through so much and you're brave to want to return to the job. Whitehorse would be proud—"
Joey roughly shrugged her shoulder free from Avery's hand. "You act like you're in charge now. I outrank you, Mason. Nothing has changed that."
"You outrank me but—"
"There's no buts! You aren't in charge, so take your opinion and shove it up your ass."
Avery's sympathy for her friend was quickly being washed in red as her patience ebbed. The scene she was making was beginning to get out of hand and no one dared to get between the officers. Not even Jerome who stood between them and the group of onlookers on the other side of the street.
Trying to gather all her professionalism, Avery steadied her voice.
"You're not going, Joey. Not until you have a calm head on your shoulders. None of us should be openly looking for blood."
"What the fuck would you know?"
"I think your emotions have made you compromised."
Avery may as well have slapped Joey in front of everyone with that comment. The look she received was murderous, causing even Grace to drop her arms to her side. But Avery stared back, unflinching and calm. At least on the outside. Under the surface of indifference, she was preparing for a punch straight to the face in retaliation.
"Fuck you, Avery," Joey hissed. "I am not compromised... You know what? You never told us. How exactly did you get away from John, hm?"
Not able to keep her eyes from narrowing, Avery countered, "What does that have to do with anything?"
The heavy gazes of Grace, Jerome, and the other members of the resistance weighed on her, but Avery didn't pay them any mind; trying to hide her discomfort with the turn of topic.
"I didn't tell everyone what happened during our last moments together. About how John was wanting a confession from us," Joey elaborated with her voice loud enough for everyone in the street to hear. "How you were saying 'yes' over and over to John, even as he asked for you to repeat it, you obeyed. How did you get away from him? Did you confess all your sins like a good girl, and he released you? I think if anyone is compromised, it's you."
Avery could feel her clenched hand shaking, even as it gripped the strap of her bag. All eyes were on her, though she had to bite her cheek as indignation coursed through her muscles, wanting to strike out and hit Joey. Never had she wanted to enact violence on her teammate before, but the ungrateful twisting of the story was enough to dig under her skin to a new level.
Deny it or leave it. There wasn't much denying it, as it held some truth to her story; elaborating on the circumstances could make her look more guilty.
It's too late. It's out now.
Suspicion was going to spread through the resistance, whether she liked it or not. Whether she elaborated or left it as is.
Inhaling sharply to remain calm, voice tight, she tried to ease the situation. "You're letting your anger get the better of you right now."
Joey opened her mouth to spout another insult, but it died in her throat when Avery took a bold step into her personal space. Flinching, Joey took a half step backwards.
It didn't deter the shorter woman from what she was going to say, just loud enough for Joey to hear.
"You don't outrank me here. It's the other way around. You've spent weeks in a cell, and I spent that time fighting."
Dredged up memories of Avery's time in John's bunker returned from the depths of her mind.
"…we did have a little help from your co-worker… sang like a bird…"
The familiar pang of betrayal resurfaced like busted floodgates. Before Avery could make sense of what was happening, her hand lunged forward, gripping the collar of Joey's jacket and pulling her close.
Common sense raced back into place, halting the officer from reacting further. Conflict now would cause a massive backstep with her standing in the resistance, not only by causing hesitancy in others but confirming she may be compromised.
"If you have a problem with it," Avery whispered, trying to hide her momentary loss of control behind the threat, "take it up with Whitehorse. As of right now, my word stands."
Releasing Joey, Avery stepped around and started walking to the other group of people.
After a split second of registration, Grace jogged by Avery's side as Jerome went to consolidate Joey.
"You alright? That was intense," Grace questioned under her breath, concern heavy even in the hushed tone.
"I'm fine."
"Hmm… Thank you and I'm sorry. I didn't mean to cause trouble between you two, but I didn't want to be a part of what she had in mind—"
"It's ok, Grace," Avery interrupted as she stopped. "Someone working on their own accord is a liability on the team. It needed to be done."
"You're right… Anyway, what's the plan? These are the volunteers for the outpost," she explained, waving to the group of men who looked more uncomfortable than anything.
Smirking, she could feel her frustrations start to weaken as she fell into her element. "Morning, everyone."
Polite greetings returned, though some remained silent. Next to her, Boomer appeared and sat at her feet.
"I have some good news and bad news," Avery began. "Good news, everyone got a little show between myself and my coworker. Bad news, I only need two volunteers, which means the rest of you woke up early for no real reason."
"You're taking the outpost with just four people?" one man asked skeptically.
"Is that a problem?" she returned with a raised brow, ready to hear their distrust now after Joey's display.
"Er… no. I would like to see that first-hand. I'm in."
"Me, too! I'm ready to go."
"…Great," Avery replied, not expecting the instant support. Maybe it wouldn't be so bad after all.
Hello my lovely lovely readers! I apologize for the wait. I had a plan which made it hard to get started seeing as it's a turning point, but I'm so happy on how it turned out. I don't know why, but this was a fun one to write.
On another note… She's going to Jacob's region! Whoo! Let's see what sort of trouble she finds herself in there with the Mountain Man. I don't think John will be getting over how things were left off with him and Avery either. Don't worry, I won't be skipping over so many fight scenes after this. I just didn't want to take forever to get to Jacob's region seeing as there is a LOT to uncover there. I mean we are already heading into Chapter 14 and still not at the fun stuff! What is wrong with me?!
I promise, it's all part of the plan **channels Cpt. Jack Sparrow and wiggles fingers in air**
Thank you for all the wonderful reviews and feedback! I promise, chapters will be coming out more frequently! Between school, work, and many power outages, it hasn't been easy, but I'm already partially through the next chapter.