Winter came and went, the snow had stopped falling to reveal fresh growth in the forest. The fields full of newly sprouting crops covered the land with green. Blake was eased when he saw it developing so well. Knowing he wouldn't need to buy more cans. His only stress of late was that Val had gone missing around late February. Staying gone until late march before popping up again. He shrugged it off as her checking in at home. Having stayed mainly in Temple Gate at this point for a few months. She's practically moved in, why doesn't she move everyone else? They don't want to? Assuming that was the reason without being able to directly ask. He still didn't want John to be aware that Val was discovered.

Not long after her return, John came forward with a request from Val. "People are getting sick again. We need more medicine and some pain killers."

"Painkillers? What do they have?"

"We think it's what they had before. Nasty cough, hard breathing, the cold never lets up in the mines."

"Why the pain killers though?"

"... Val didn't say." Shifting his shoulders.

"Didn't say or wont tell me?"

"Won't, but I know it's very important."

"You know it won't help any sickness, right? If someone actually broke a leg they need a doctor."

"I know, it's for something else. I promise it's very important."

"Okay." He sighed. "I'll give one bottle, that's it, unless she tells me what it's for."

"Thank you, that's all we'll need."

Blake passed on the bottles. Expecting after a week to hear about the Voltaire's recovery from their ills. John however was missing with Mathew speaking for him instead at the meeting. "Dads sick." The look Blake shot him had him reaffirm. "He's actually really sick. He's been coughing his lungs out and his necks really swollen. Was too tired to get out of bed this morning."

Doesn't look like a lie. And so, he dismissed it.

It started off small, easily dismissed by everyone. A day later, A few coughing were thought to have colds. At worst a case of the flu and needing bed rest. A few stayed home from work to rest with others staying to care for family members. A few, became a lot the next day. Many were staying home either sick or caring for others. Waving it off as the flu couldn't be done anymore. People were turning anxious, paranoid of its cause. Many turned their eyes to the freshly integrated healed. Blake felt the tension in groups drifting apart. The healed and the townies before gathered only with themselves to whisper about the other half. Blake called another meeting in almost an emergency fashion. Trying to avoid a panic if he mentioned an outbreak was happening. Afraid to find out what it could be.

John still hadn't returned and others were missing. Confirmed by Mathew. "Liam had trouble this morning and three of Marta's guard. They were all moved for better care."

Being one of the first ill, Blake had to know. "Your father seen any improvement?"

"No, he's gotten worse. I had to bring him to the infirmary this morning. Others gaining a cough like him are getting just as bad. Something serious is going around."

Blake wanted to be sure and followed up with a visit. Shocked to see how bad John was in bed. Wheezing worse than him after running for his life. Neck swollen twice past its normal size. His hacking horribly dry that it pained Blake's own throat. Many others left bedridden were in various lesser stages of John's. Aside from John the others were all younger, around Blake's age. Worried further by Mathew passing on another request from Val. "They need more medicine."

"Have they gotten any better?"

"Doesn't sound like it from what my dad said."

John wasn't the first. "... I'll give more, but if it doesn't improve then this is something more serious."

Mathew hung his head low. "Will we have to force a quarantine?"

"Yes." Blake's answer scared the boy. Quick to reassure him. "Hopefully not long. We have the doctor who can test for things. Our medicine may not work, but another we don't have, could. Keep an eye on anymore cases like this popping up. Keep a written record of any symptoms you notice. I'll take John into town and hopefully we'll find out things soon and get an order on medicine moving."

Scrubbing down before leaving he ran to gather up a small team to help transport the poor man to town. Making masks out of tightly wrapped gauze Blake, John, Mathew and Jacob crammed into the truck. The doctor saw them right away with Blake standing nearby in the room. Watching the doctor check John over with a mask and gloves. Looking down the back of John's throat his face scrunched up. "Eesh, a lot of gray at the back."

"Whats that mean?"

"Dead tissue build up, but I think I know what this is now. Your people caught Diphtheria. A bit surprising since this is usually covered by child vaccines. It's a serious infection that causes nasty breathing problems, swollen neck, dead tissue and eventual buildup of toxins in the body."

"How do we treat it?"

"Almost easy, you got half of it right now, keep the ill on antibiotics. It won't cure, but long as they keep taking them the spreading stops. For the other half, an actual cure, we'll need to order antitoxin. Figure out how many cases you got, because if they're as bad as he is you'll need multiple doses."

"How long will it take to deliver?"

"On express delivery? Could take three months."

"Three months?!"

"Maybe six. Antitoxin isn't really demanded on the market like antibiotics. Ain't too easy sneaking a stash away. Seeing a specific medication like that disappear would throw up alarms to the government. Heh, It's easier to commit tax fraud."

"Can you put in an order TO the government?!"

"And have those assholes come questioning me at my office? No thanks, I ain't lookin' for a vacation in a cell. They'll wanna see why there's a sudden outbreak here and that'll also lead back to your town."

"Ugh, what if I spread it around? Government can see for themselves then if people visit other doctors." Feeling awful for tossing up the idea.

"You wanna spread a plague?!"

"Well, what happens if they don't get the antitoxin?"

"Eeh, they might live after 10 days, but they'll suffer a lot of organ damage, brain damage and uh, death." He sighed. "Guess the idea isn't so bad." Mumbling to himself the next bit. "Maybe I'll get paid by some relief program for this." Clapping his hands together. "OKAY! Diphtheria's one of the easiest to spread. Drag him through public and let him hack his lungs out. I suggest around morn parkway, red brick avenue, and sunrise drive. They're the fancy rich neighborhoods. Those people can afford a rush to the doctors and we'll have an order in, in a few days. Then maybe a day more, or less for arrival. Rich people can't afford to die, they got money to make!"

Uncomfortable, although somewhat appreciative, by the doctors gung-ho attitude to do this. "Uh, yeah, thanks for the suggestion." Feeling worse as he paraded John around the town all while he hacked and wheezed. Receiving all sorts of glares from the rich people judging them. He kept it up all day before they returned to Temple Gate. Knowing what people had was serious, he made announcements on the fly down the streets. He didn't want people shoving themselves into the hall for a gathering. Meanwhile he had Mathew move ill to the quarantine. Put on immediate treatment of antibiotics along with the medical staff. Meeting up with him when he was sure the town was warned.

"Mathew I need you to go see Val. Tell her what's going on and that it's very important to move the Voltaire to quarantine. They won't last in the mines without regular care. When we get the antitoxin they'll have to stay for regular treatment afterwards until they're cured. This isn't a small case of pneumonia like last time."

"Move them to quarantine? I don't know if she'll do that. She hates this place!"

"None of us have much of a choice."

"I'll try, sir."

Temple Gate was slammed back by the illness spreading over the day. Tensions were rising in the few snippets of conversations he overheard. "We knew this would happen." "Those scalled are infecting us." "Our souls are becoming diseased like theirs." "We need to reject them." "Who cares what he said." "They caused this." "Cast them out."

Fuck. What do I say? What he had said already was being tossed to the side.

Undermined by someone else catching attention on the streets. "Our prophet cast them out to protect us. None of you listened and look. You're paying the price of disobedience. Pray, pray to him for forgiveness and ask that a sign be given. Have faith that he will answer us to smite those scall-"

"Farlow!" Blake shouted, silencing his street side gathering.

"What do you want?"

"This is just an illness. It wasn't caused by any shit excuse Knoth made to hide his disgusting sexual abuse."

He scoffed. "What else could it be? You took them back in and we were soon ravaged by disease. Those filthy lepers were cast out for a reason! If we are to save the rest still healthy you must turn to God. Follow his teach-"

"Knoth's words didn't come from God!"

"What do I expect from a fallen angel? Devil, you drag us down lower each day."

He rolled his eyes. "No, I'm not that. You done?"

"The lord's work is never done. If you don't attend to it, then I will." He looked to a few on his right. "Are you ready?" A wide set smile on his face that tensed up the others. "Things will only be right when he is gone. You know this." Hand pointing from them to Blake.

Each man at his side looked to Blake. One reached for something in a side pocket. Blake tensed in knowing it wasn't a pleasant surprise. A choking hold the air held was cut down by a towering shadow's appearance. Farlows men went pale under her glaring eyes. His own smile dropped into a submissive look away. Watching her from out of the corner of his eye.

"Are you smart, or are you dead men?" It was all the warning she had to give.

They separated themselves from Farlow, who stayed to challenge Marta with a silent glare.

"Well?"

"... May God forgive you." Trotting off out of view.

"Hmph, fool."

"Thanks." Blake sighed out the next. "Have any good news?"

She shook her head. "More of the healed are being harassed. Me and the guard have been separating arguers all day."

He rubbed his head, unsure of what to say.

"Hate to say, but more of my guard is falling to the sickness. By tonight they'll have to enter quarantine, If not sooner."

"Alright. Stay on patrol as much as you can." Their meeting kept short to return to their duties.

Blake handed out what meds they could until they were out. Left waiting for when the antitoxin would come in. Mathew came back with more bad news by Val refusing to move her clan into quarantine. Blake let out a chain of curses. Dammit Val, why not?! "Tell her-"

Interrupted by Mathew stating how dead serious Val was on the matter. "They won't be moved anywhere near Temple Gate. No negotiating."

"Fuck, fine, okay." Having no choice but to let Val handle her cases. Driving back and forth to the town for the next couple of days. Picking up more supplies of antibiotics with the hopes that the antitoxin would be there as well. The disease spreading rapidly had slammed to a complete stop from the antibiotics. Soon as someone coughed they were sent to quarantine. The healthy remaining were doing their best to run Temple Gate on a skeleton crew.

Blake was repeatedly hit with a barrage of questions. "Can you do something?" "Does God not help his angels?" "Why isn't the medicine helping like before?" "Did the scalled cause this?" "Should we cast them out?" "Are we diseased of the soul?" "How long do the ill have?" "Should we prepare a fire burial?" "When will you reap them?" His answers fell on deaf ears as their faith in him waned. The rest he had no solid answers for. "Shouldn't the angel of death know?"

His nightmares were asking the same questions. Lynn sitting on a throne of rocks with her organs stretched from her carved body to tangle with the tree branches. Time flashing between day and night. Her body looked more intact one moment then half rotten the next with flies swarming out her openings. "Have you told them they're dying? Why haven't you started on the coffins?" She smiled unnaturally wide. A mouth of teeth stained by blood letting insects swarm in between. "You prefer to watch don't you? You looked at her body and wanted to see more." Her voice deepened to another's he didn't want to hear. "I can help. It's natural. Just let me-"

He jolted up from bed to cover his mouth. Ready to vomit if he hadn't swallowed it down. "Ugh, shit." He breathed out. His skin prickled at the last words repeating in his mind. Remembering them, yet he wasn't sure where from. They came from him, but not during his time at St. Sybil. Further into his thoughts he tensed to not go any deeper. Facing a wall of not only warning, but a physical threat to turn back. Heeding it he focused on what the day may bring. Fresh morning turned sour as soon as he stepped out the hall. Marta was separating a bunch of complainers. looking as interested as anybody would listening to children argue over something stupid.

Holding back he wanted to hear everything first before interfering. Expecting Marta to solve the issue without him anyway. It was the same old complaints he'd gotten the past few days. Looping over and over it was getting nowhere with Marta. Stepping forward to get in the mix he started up his list of explanations. Reasoning falling on deaf ears all the other times he expected the same here. "I'm trying. I've talked to the doctor and we-" A screech of pain caught everyone's attention. Blake ran in the direction and Marta ran ahead before he got far. Finding the source of the sound within a group of men. One held his bloody face, gouged across, with two palms. Another held their own broken nose that bled as much. Three more around them unable to offer much in the way of help.

Marta reached them first. "What happened?"

One of the uninjured answered. "Fuckin' one of the scalled." Glancing away. "We was mindin' our business when one of 'em crossed us. Started rantin' some gibberish an' we told 'em to go away. Wouldn't let up."

Blake was listening at first then tuned out the longer their side was explained.

Glances switched between him, Marta and the ground. "We walked away from 'em and they followed us." Crossing his arms his fingers tapped over one. "We just had enough. Shoved 'em away and they freaked out on us. Almost took Greg's eye an' knocked Dole's nose sideways. Guess they realized the fuck up an' ran off." Shifting himself in a sway that made Blake sea sick.

Marta had looked away from him toward the ground. A separating set of tracks had her scrunch her face up. Mumbling verses under her breath she faced them. "You see their face?"

"No, they were covered like every other scalled."

"Mm." A knowing glance given to Blake. "In all black I assume?"

"Ye-"

Blake interrupted. "This is a bunch of horseshit. You all started this."

"What, you kiddin' me?! It was those diseased rats that-"

"You can work overtime on the farms and wait until your last to get dinner. That goes for all of you."

"Fuck off you-" They crowded him and only got back when Marta jabbed them in the chest.

"You want a broken nose like him?" Jabbing him a few times. "Get to the farms and you better be there when I get there." Sending them off ahead of her to speak alone with Blake.

"You think she started it?" Knowing exactly who it was they had the bad luck of crossing.

"Nay, it was them. This has been happening and it's gettin' worse by the day. Attacking healed just for passin' their homes. Haven't had one of them fight back. Too afraid to is my guess on the assumption poor behavior will get them cast out again."

"I don't know what I can do to fix this. We need the medicine, but the medicine might not be here in the next few days."

"Should we separate them?" Clarifying. "Around the hospital?"

"I don't want to do that. What if it becomes the old place part two?"

"Can be temporary 'till the medicine gets here. Otherwise you might need to start using that jail instead of the farms."

"We might not have a big enough jail."

"Uh, angel." A woman's voice grabbed Blake and Marta's attention. A few healed had come forward off a bigger group lagging back. She was covered in light gray fabrics that didn't entirely cover her. Most her arms showing were covered in white gauze. Exposed fingers scared all over matching the skin he could see of her face. Still tinted a red from the thinner layers of skin starting to grow back after so long. Voice on the raspy side after suffering her illness. "We heard you talking, sorry." Voice kept quiet to avoid offense.

Blake mimicked her volume to not scare them off. "Yes?"

"We wouldn't mind a closed space of our own. If we stay in charge of it … And we could be armed."

"How armed? I can't give you crossbows."

"Nothin' like that. We were hopin' mostly for blades. Easy to carry and easy to hide on us. It'll give us a bite to defend ourselves when we need to."

"I don't want to arm you and make the fights worse."

"Don't have much else, with how we are after the disease. Some can't run, others can't fight either, but a blade could at least buy them time for help to reach 'em."

Marta threw in her two cents. "It's gettin' worse, least give them some chance."

He hummed. "Alright, pick up what you thinks best. I'll find more to give you. … You want to make a space? Is that best? The assumptions about you may never get better."

"Those that care are already treatin' us fine. As for the rest, we don't care much for what they say. They're the ones who chanted for us to be sent to the rotten quarantine in the first place. If we're armed, they're words won't matter if they try sending us again. As for our new space. This time it'll be us making it to keep others out. A home we can run to, lock up tight, and defend long as we need."

"Sounds more like a fort than a space."

"That's the idea."

"Where are you planning on making it?"

"Where most of us are livin' round the hospital."

"I don't think I can support blocking off the hospital."

"We ain't stopping people from coming and going unless we really have to. If it gets that dire there will be bigger issues to see to first." Mentioning a sort of compromise. "For guarding the stock of medicine we wont stock up on food. If we lock down we'll have to leave eventually then."

"... Alright. I need to plan this out land wise. Come back later around dinner. I might have something planned we can look over or we can at least discuss it better then."

"Thank you, angel."

"You don't gotta ..." About to mention the angel thing, but let it go. "What's your name?"

"Asher."

"You want to lead on this?"

"The fort build?"

"All of it. The fort, the healed."

"Like a lord?"

"Sure, wouldn't hurt to have another. Mathews in charge of the hospital, but not the healed really. Someone from the healed should get a voice to speak up at the meetings for them."

"Would love to, angel. Never lead anythin' before though."

"That's fine, you'll match everyone else." Speaking then to Marta. "After you check on the farms can you check what builders we have that aren't sick."

"Last I checked we had a small group. Liam always drew up the plans though for these big builds."

"Ah, a wall cant be too hard to build."

She gave him a sort of side eye then looked away.

"I'll figure it out," He huffed. "I'll make something out of rocks and Popsicle sticks first."

"Mmhm. We still visiting the doctor today?"

"Yes, visit the farms, see builders, then we'll go. Should be afternoon by then."

Blake spent his few hours running around to count the sick. Ordering the worsening cases to go into quarantine. Breaking up fights throughout the day had made him sore. Checking the farms he stood by Marta watching a group of punished trouble makers. James was able to keep up with all the extra hands on top of the regular turned skeleton crew. Making sure James could handle them without Marta watching, they left for the doctors.

Come on, come on, come on! Fearing the doctor would say no as he entered the office.

The secretary seeing him flashed a big grin. "Ay, your meds finally here. Doctors got a bunch of it set up for ya. He wants you to see him first though."

"Oh, thank God." Blake took a deep breath. Rushing back to see the doctor.

"Ah, my favorite patient. I assume you got the good news. I wanted to show you how to administer it before you get it." Gesturing them to head inside one of the exam rooms.

"Administer it?"

"Yes, these don't come in pill form." Showing two glass bottles in hand. "This one is the antitoxin and this one is a booster the government gave out." Pointing to one then the other. Setting the anti toxin down to grab a syringe. Pointing to a certain measurement. "This is how much you need to give for a dosage of the antitoxin. This is very important, depending on the case, One shot per week until they start getting better. That should happen after about three weeks for the worst cases." Taking a dosage from the booster. Showing where the level stopped in the syringe. "This is for the booster. I suggest getting your doses now." gesturing to Blake and Marta. "Left you a case with the antitoxin."

"Thanks." Blake got ready to take his shot. And Marta getting hers before hauling the crates carefully back home. Blake showed medical staff the dosages along with proper instruction to not share needles between patients. Going elsewhere to give vaccines to those healthy still. Exhausted by the end of the day he met with Mathew again to go have another talk with Val. "Since these aren't pills, I can't chance them making it safely to the mines. If they break we can't get more like the antibiotics. They have to come to quarantine for treatment.

"She doesn't want that. What if we meet at the ration drop off?"

"They got sick first, didn't they? How bad are their cases?"

"As bad as dads."

"Then they'll need multiple doses over the next four weeks, can they make the multiple journeys back and forth?"

Mathew looked to the floor. "I don't think they can even make one trip."

"Go tell her to bring them, she has to. I'm willing to help bring them down if that's a problem."

He sucked in a tense breath, rubbing his head. "Yes, sir."

The message he got back the next day wasn't anymore cooperative. "She refuses and it's getting hard to talk with her. She wants the medicine delivered and nothing else."

Goddammit Val! "Tell her, or don't that, that's not happening." Dropping it there to handle treatment of those listening. Concocting some idea all day about how to handle them. He didn't want to leave them for dead and he'd have to work fast to make sure that didn't happen. A day passed without Blake knowing what to do. Another unhelpful message passed on by Mathew. Who didn't want to repeat what Val said. Giving up on that path he figured the only thing to do was to overstep Val's authority entirely.

He called an emergency meeting of a few select lords. John and Liam were sick and Mathew was purposefully left out due to the topic at hand. "We're going to capture the Voltaire for treatment."

"With what?" James scoffed. "A quarter of the guard are too ill for that. If they don't want treatment, leave 'em up there."

"We're going and I'm not arguing on this. Tomorrow we're leaving early morning to the mines, including you James. I don't think they'll be in any condition to fight."

"What about Val?"

"I'll handle her. Meet here, early morning to suit up and go." Dismissing everyone. Putting the rest of the plan into motion he talked to Marta on the side. "Seen Val in Temple Gate or has she gone?"

"She's been coming here, then leaving shortly after. Mathews not good at keeping the meetings subtle like John. Meeting her around the farm fields every morning."

"That could work in our favor. ... Change of plans, without telling him who, have James snag Val for early morning work after her meeting. She'll be distracted long enough for us to reach the mines before her."

"She's gonna be pissed when she finds out."

"I know, maybe by some miracle she'll just agree to go along before then." Separating from Marta to go normally about their day. Worrying until early next morning when he met up with the guard, short three people. Slipping into one of the hefty armored uniforms he picked up a catcher's loop. Sneaking everyone out of Temple Gate before the sun rose. Rowing a boat across the misted lake he watched Temple Gate fade behind them. Stepping onto the shore across the way to continue on foot. Wheezing already at the start of the mountain slope. Wanting to rush the three hour travel there. A moment taken when they met the mouth of the cave. A darkened opening covered by drooping roots out growing their surrounding dirt. Suddenly feeling ill at his last memory of this place. Escaping with Lynn before her grizzly death. Knowing very well that her dying spot wasn't too far from here. Was her body still strung in the trees? Or long rotten by now to become food for crows? Swallowing, he avoided dwelling on the thought traveling too depressingly deep.

Marta certainly noticed his pale complexion. "You alright?"

"Yeah, come on." He breathed out. Approaching the cave to peek inside its darkening length. He shined a flashlight into it. Seeing nothing much else but mine walls.

"Want me first?" She offered.

"Yeah, but be careful." Watching her step in before he did. Turning back to the others for a quick instruction. "Stay close and put a hand on the shoulder of the one in front of you. If you're grabbed from the back, we'll know right away." Doing as they were told down the deep dark cave. Blake could see his own breath with how cold it was getting. The lack of fire making this place feel like a freezer. Fucking hell. It'd be goddamn warmer to sleep outside. Shivering without extra layers for the cold. Winding down the tunnels with multiple piles of rubble still covered in old blood. Stench of rot clinging to them hinted at the buried tunnels being tombs. Watching Marta navigate through the shrinking tunnels was beginning to worry him. Any smaller and she wouldn't be able to continue crouching low enough.

Marta stopped at a widening area. "Mm."

"What?"

Looking at him over her shoulder. "No ones here." Stepping forward to let everyone into the cave clearing. A large, half collapsed, room that was covered by spreading cobwebs.

"Stay close, but look around." Walking further in their was nothing much else. "Fuck, maybe Mathew made her too paranoid and she moved?"

"Doubt it. They've been gone a long while it looks." Pointing to the various remains of a camp. Shifting her stick through a pile of ashes where a fire used to be made. Old footprints blown away from the breeze coming down the main shaft. Old bloody bandages disintegrating from age. Bones of small animals left in a web covered pile. Spiders infesting all the crevices they could across the rocks.

"Any idea where they could have moved to?"

"Another cave I'd bet. Problem is the mines went all throughout these mountains with various openings. After that storm though, I don't know how many lasted." Pointing her staff to a massive pile of rubble at the back."

"Fuck it, we don't have time for this."

"You're giving up?"

"No, we're heading back and we're going to follow Val."

"You want to grab the Voltaire then?"

"Yes."

"While Val's there?"

Blake froze, being in such a rush he didn't stop to think that he'd have to face Val after following her. "Uh … Maybe not today. We'll follow her then return the next."

"Maybe we should bring Mathew?" Feeding him an idea. "A diplomat to help keep everyone calm. They'll still try to fight the whole way otherwise."

"Yeah, yes, let's do that." Starting their three hour travel back to Temple Gate. The group tired from their stressful mission ending in failure.

"Want a small team to go instead of all of us?" Marta hid a suggestion in a question.

"Yeah." he nodded.

Marta pointed her staff toward two guards. "You two follow us. Rest of you, go get some sleep to head out early tomorrow." Walking up until they could see the fields from a distance.

"See her?"

"Mm." scanning across the horizon. "Yes."

"Okay, have James let her go. you get them following. I'm going to talk with Mathew one last time to try convincing Val."

"Good luck."

He raced over back to quarantine, where he pulled Mathew aside. Urgently whispering his plea. "You have to convince her. This is the last chance I'm going to offer her."

"I can't convince her! She refuses anything you or I try to offer. She's started shutting me down before I can get a word out if she doesn't like what she hears."

"Just give it one more try."

"I-" he heard his father start hacking from the other room. Rushing away from Blake to his side. "You okay?"

"A bit." coughing some more. "Ugh, feel like a slug."

"After a few more weeks you'll be doing better."

"Shit, how's everyone else doing?"

"Better with the medicine."

Blake crushed the small uplift. "Except for the Voltaire. Val refuses to cooperate on getting them treatment. We can't hike the bottles up there and risk breaking them. She refuses to bring them here and making multiple trips for us or them to be treated is not possible. I'm out of options if Mathew can't convince her this time to cooperate, then they're going to die up there."

"What?! Wait, Let me go this time. I've dealt with her stubbornness a lot more than my boy."

Mathew argued against that. "You're too sick to go."

"It's just talking to Val." going into a coughing fit he slowed. "Even if she is a pain."

"Okay." Blake agreed. "You have to convince her, John. This is her last chance, and make sure she knows that too. Maybe she'll agree then."

"Yes sir."

Fearing the day of the raid he held back. Given the news by the scouting guards where the new Voltaire cave was. Finding that it was actually further south from the new quarantine zone. Still being a six hour journey there and back. When the day after tomorrow came, Marta kept watch for Val and John to meet by the fields. Running to gather the guard and James for a repeat of distracting Val until they returned. Snagged for farming duty before she could slip away after meeting John. Blake went off to get the final message from him. It wasn't good based on his expression.

"So that's it then?" Blake confirmed.

"... Can I try again?" His voice softened to defeat.

"That was it, no more talking, we can't wait any longer. But I won't let them die either. I'm going over Val and you have a choice to make. I know Val's been in Temple Gate. I know where the Voltaire moved to. I will be heading out with the guard to capture them for treatment. Either you wait in jail until me and my group returns or you come with us to act as diplomat."

"NO!" John panicked. "YOU CAN'T DO THAT! I CAN'T DO THAT!" Suffering an absolute breakdown as a coughing fit took over. "If she finds out, she'll kill us!" He wheezed between fits. "ALL of us! She'll burn this place to the ground! YOU CAN'T!"

Blake was almost startled back. Swallowing down what nerves crept up from his gut. This has to be done. "Those are your choices. If you stay, I'll have to take Mathew. It's going to happen even if the both of you refuse. With one of you however, we hope to keep everyone calm and safe."

John repeated on the verge of tears. "You can't, you can't, you can't!"

"If I don't they'll all die! Is that better?! Val's forced my hand!"

"Let me talk to her! Let me-"

"NO! I'm not giving you the chance to warn her we're coming. Are you coming with us? Or do I have to jail you to stay quiet and ask Mathew instead?"

Holding back another fit. "No! I'll go, I'll go! Please-" Sniffling away the tears to pull himself together. Wheezing another plea. "Please, this is going to go horribly wrong! Please don't!" Fresh tears collected.

"I'll make sure no one gets hurt." Assisting John in walking out to the lake where they met the guard.

"You don't understand! You don't understand! You don't-" He mumbled repeatedly as they crossed the lake. Mumbling various other panicked warnings not to continue. Landing on the other side they followed up an overgrown trail toward the new Voltaire home. John mentally breaking down the closer they got. Seeing the new cave entrance, Blake went to John's side for a calming talk. Rubbing one of John's shoulders to help pull him together.

"Vals not here, okay? I made sure she's distracted. I don't want anybody hurt. We're doing this to make sure they get treated and cared for. After you, Marta's going in to make sure everybody's calm. To keep everyone safe on the way back they'll have to be tied. When we finally do get back we're setting them in the jail instead of quarantine. Only because I don't know how they'll react or if Val will try to make them break quarantine. Take some deep breaths and go talk to them. You have a minute to let them know what's going to happen. Any longer and I'll assume they're trying to take a back exit."

He sniffed and wheezed until he could speak again. "O-okay, just give me a minute." Rubbing his face before walking up into the cave.

Blake tapped his foot the longer John took. Wind blowing through the trees above, his eyes darted to a few falling pine needles. Mistaken as movement from a person hiding in the tree line. He glanced back to see the town off in the distance across the misty lake. Switching to check on his team standing by. Their attention caught between the cave and on falling needles. Marta was locked onto the mouth of the cave. He ignored the shifting sounds around him to focus on Marta's reaction. If someone approached from anywhere, she would know. It felt like time had stopped on the outside. Facing the entrance he was fidgeting on whether to go in or not. Stiffening when Marta perked at an approach inside the cave.

"Okay." John stepped from the inside. "Uh- most will follow, but Ayzel. You've met him before. Don't turn your back on him and I would keep him extra tied." He warned before stepping out of the way.

"Thank you." Helping John sit down on a log.

Waiting for Marta to duck into the cave before he followed right behind. Guards walking closely front to back with hands on shoulders. Passing by the start of tunnels that could have an ambush waiting. Passing by they saw all were collapsed like the last mining tunnel. Lacking its distinct smell of death this time. Air turned cold enough to see their breath again. Made worse by the wind blowing in he double checked if their was frost on his arms. Marta slowed toward the middle of the main tunnel. Squeezing by a cluster of annoying roots on the wall. Slowing onward before the tunnel grew wider ahead. Holding out a palm to make Blake stay back. At the end she was jumped by the one warned of. Slashing at her with a broken blade. She slammed the air out of him with a punch to the ribs. Knocking him down with a slam of her cane to his face. Grabbing his neck to pin him down fully.

"Fuck off bitchh!" He spat at her. Slurring words while over pronouncing others past his crooked jaw. "I'll rip out every organ you hhave! Keep your hhead ash a trophy!" Raging against her grip. She held him without much struggle until the rest of the guard swarmed in to tie him. Binding him so much he'd need to be carried the whole way back. "Fucking Temple Gate bastards! Wretched whhore maggots!" Continuing his verbal assault from the ground.

Blake ignored the shouting to study the home of the Voltaire. It was Homey-er then he expected an old mining cave to be. Upside down carts turned into tables with logs for benches. A small carved out area for a fire pit covered by a red metal barrel holding the huge pot he gave. Its surroundings a makeshift kitchen holding the other cooking pots and boxes of rations next to a flat rock covered in old blood for butchering. Beds holding all the sick members were made of twigs, bones and various furs for cover other than the blankets given. Noticing Val's artistry using twigs to assemble small bits of artwork. A goat, made of them, sitting on one of the tables. Birds and a few small dolls made in a similar fashion stuck on the walls. Nothing like the last huge satanic idols she made in the other caves.

The Voltaire themselves appeared as sick as Blake expected them to be. Most laying down or sitting up in bed looking exhausted from hacking all the time. Coughing regularly kept silence from filling the room. Pained by their wheezing of each breath he planned how to hike them down the mountain side. "Take him outside." Blake ordered for Ayzel, who shouted all sorts of insults. "Okay, to clarify what John had to rush through." He started toward the remaining. "We're taking you to Temple Gate for treatment of your illness. Regular pills alone can't cure it and you'll need multiple doses depending on how sick you are. When you're cured you can come right back here. Before then, you'll be forced to stay in quarantine there between one to three weeks, depending." gesturing for the guard to start gathering people.

Without a fuss they were gathered for their hands to be tied and seated outside before the walk back would begin. Blake walked out with a squeeze by the annoying root cluster. Joining Marta's side who watched over it all. Standing by her side he held himself from fidgeting under all the stares. Judging by how they locked only on him, they knew who he was. Shifting his gaze to keep from staring he watched how his guard worked. Weather any were showing old grudges in their treatment toward the once enemies. None of them were rougher then they needed to be. Standing by in waiting for the next step as things wrapped up. Turning to John fidgeting on a log he tensed up each time someone went in to fetch another. Tensing at each walk out then relaxing. When the guards stopped bringing people out, he still glanced at the cave. Rubbing his face he looked away briefly to let out a long breath fogging the cold air. Blake looked away to the cave. A move that had him see John tense up again. Disturbed their house enough I guess. Raking a hand through his hair he stepped forward to give the final order to leave. Quieted by Marta's staff smacking into his chest.

He looked at her and she whispered. "Two are missing."

Whispering back. "How do you know?"

"Twenty-seven rations, but only twenty-five." Cane waved in gesture to the seated.

"Extras? Or ..." Thinking the worst.

"Look at him." Tipping her head to John. Looks shot toward the cave whenever someone so much as walked close to it. "He's hidin' something." Heading back for the cave followed by Blake.

He gave one glance back to John and saw how wide eyed tense he got. Reaching the room they followed its edges in search of anything they missed. Without anything there Marta took to checking under furniture. Chucking a mine cart to the side created a loud clank.

"Ay!" stopping her thrashing of the place. "Don't mess up their home! They'll want to return here later."

She grumbled something then loosely set the mine cart back where it was. Passing to check the next more gingerly, then under the beds.

He mumbled after they scoured the place. "Well, I'm not seeing anything. Let's go."

Her hum sounded agreeing, but still held suspicion. Hesitant to leave after being asked to. Midway out she looked to the collection of roots. Pausing to study them up and down then looking around down the rest of the tunnel. When Blake looked around with her, he caught on to what she was thinking. Except for this one patch, the tunnel was smoothly rootless. She stepped to the side to knock her cane between the roots. A thunking hollowed sound rumbled out from the knock.

"A door?" He mumbled. Grabbing a bunch of roots to yank free with her. Scraping off a layer of wet clay next to show a slab of wood underneath. "What's behind here?" Feeling around it for a handle of sorts to pull. When he couldn't find anything. "Can you knock it down?" Standing aside as she readied her cane. One bash shoved it free from its frame. Immediately they heard a sound that stilled both their hearts. A baby's cry that was quickly stifled. They looked to one another for reassurance that what they heard was real.

aaaaand thats the end of season 1. still working on season 2, so prob no updates for a while. :v/