Chapter 56: Gun
'It is easier for forgive an enemy than to forgive a friend.'
It was early morning and Becca had just finished her chores on the farm when she walked into the house. She saw Joel and Tommy sitting in the kitchen with Ralph and a few other men. They've been here a lot these past couple days to keep an eye on things and figure out what was going on.
She frowned when she saw all the guns. The men were sitting at the table, cleaning their rifles as they talked amongst themselves. She knew what they were doing. They were headed off to Battleground, running off likes fools to get themselves killed.
Joel looked up at her and smiled softly,'Hey, honey.'
'Hey.' She gave him a small smile as she waved to the guys. She cleared her throat and leaned into Joel, whispering,'Can we talk for a minute?'
He nodded as he got up from the kitchen table, following her into the living room.
He crossed his arms over his chest and leaned against the wall,'I'm guessing you ain't happy about this?'
Her eyes widened and shook her head,'Why would I be happy? Do you remember what happened in Battleground? Cause I do. We almost fucking killed there, but go on ahead. Just waltz right in there. You don't even know if it's a trap.'
'We've considered every option.' He sighed as he walked over to her and placed his hands on her shoulders,'It's the only way we're gonna know who's behind this. It might give us some clues.'
'I don't like this.' She frowned,'Not at all. What if you get there and they're waiting for you? What happens then? We just got back together. I don't want to lose you again.'
He held her face in his hands and shook his head,'You won't.' His eyes held hers, not wanting to leave room for any doubt,'We gotta do this, baby. It's the only way.'
'Then I'm coming with you.' She shrugged,'If you're going then I'm coming to.'
'No.' His tone was adamant as he vehemently shook his head,'No way. You're almost five months pregnant. You're staying here. We'll take care of it.'
She snorted and shook her head,'Men you mean? Men will take care of it.'
'That's not what I mean and you know it.' He took a step back from her and placed his hand on his hips,'It's what they want. I won't bringing ya to em. I almost made that mistake I ain't doing it again. I can't lose you, Becca. It ain't an option for me. At least with you here I know you're safe.' He stared out the window as he shook his head,'I don't what's out there. I don't know any of what the fuck is going on. All I know is that I ain't about to let you or Ellie near that fuckin base again. You, Ellie and the baby are the most important things to me.'
She walked up to stand behind him and placed her hands on his back,'You're important to us too, Joel. You need to understand that we need you too. We want you here with us.'
He turned around to face her and hugged her tightly,'And I will be. We're just going to check it out. We'll be up and back by nightfall.'
She didn't like this. Not one bit, but she knew there wasn't anything she could say. Once he set his mind to something there was no turning back.
She knew he was right. It would be stupid for her to go. If they were waiting for them, it would be exactly what they wanted. They would have a field day if they knew she was pregnant. They would be getting two for one. She wouldn't put their baby in danger like that. Not again.
She rested her head on his back as she wrapped her arms around his waist,'Promise you won't do anything crazy?'
He laughed softly as he glanced back at her,'Ya know who ya married, darlin?'
'I know.' She held him tightly as she kissed his back,'That's what worries me.'
Tommy came walking into the living room and cleared his throat,'It's time to go.' He looked at Becca,'Maria's here with the baby to keep you company. If it's any consultation. She's mad at me too.'
'As I should be.' Maria glared at him as she walked into the room with baby Sebastian,'You both could get yourselves killed.'
Joel and Tommy shared a look between them. They knew their wives were angry at them, but it was something they needed to do. This would be the first step into finding out who was behind everything. At least they hoped so anyway.
Maria and Becca walked their husbands out to say goodbye.
Becca was nervous and anxious as she watched Joel packing everything into his saddle. She saw all the numerous guns and knives. She hoped they wouldn't have to use them.
She stepped off the porch and walked over to him, handing him a bag,'In case you get hungry.'
He smiled softly as he took the bag from her and put it in his saddle bag. He bent down and kissed the top of her head,'Thanks, baby girl. Hopefully I'll be back before dinner.'
She gave him a small smile and nodded silently. She hoped he was right. A part of her hoped they didn't find anything. If he did, there's no telling what he would do.
'You better.' She looked over his horse and frowned to herself. He was nothing like Sadie or Dusty. There would never be horses like them.
Joel finished packing up and pulled her into his arms. She wrapped her arms around him tightly. She didn't want to let him go. He said he would be back nightfall. She would hold him to that. If not, she would go and get him herself. She wasn't about to let him know that though.
He slid his hand between their bodies and rested it against her stomach,'I'll be back. Keep our kids safe.'
'You got it.' She leaned up and kissed his lips,'You better come back in one piece.'
'That's the plan.' He smirked as he kissed her lips again,'I love you. I love you so much.'
She smiled tearfully as she stroked his cheeks,'I love you too. A whole fucking lot.'
He chuckled as he reluctantly let go of her and climbed on his horse,'I have some guys keeping watch on the house. Keep your rifle on ya.'
'I will.' She nodded as she patted his horse,'Be safe.'
He gave her a curt nod as he pulled the reins on the horse and sped down the trail following the rest of the guys.
She watched him and the guys head down the trail with tears in her eyes. She didn't want him to go, but she knew there wasn't any use in trying to change his mind. It would be a lost cause.
Maria stood beside her as she held Sebastian to her chest,'You think they're gonna find anything?'
'Who knows?' She shook her head as they watched their men turn the corner as they disappeared in the distance,'I think it's crazy only five men are gonna storm a military base.'
Maria laughed and shook her head,'Are you brand new?'
She turned to her sister in law and frowned,'No…just worried.'
'You and me both.' She snorted,'Let's go inside. Betsy's gonna be coming in a little bit.'
Becca nodded as she followed Maria up the porch. She picked up her rifle propped up against the chair before going inside. She never knew when she might need it.
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It took them two hours to reach Battleground. They rode straight through without stopping. They didn't want to waste any time.
They took the longer way to avoid the infected close to the city's capital. Luckily, they didn't encounter any danger. Infected or otherwise.
They stopped once they reached the entrance to the military base. Joel stared at it long and hard. He remembered what happened here. Becca killed Tess here. He came here with the Peacekeeper doctor not knowing to expect.
He truly thought he lost Becca here. It was the most scared he's ever been. He felt no remorse for Tess. She deserved to die after what she did. His only regret is he didn't get to do it himself.
That had been so long ago. So much has changed since then. The danger was the only thing that stayed the same.
Tommy looked over at him and sighed,'We're gonna split up. We can cover more ground that way. I'll stick with you.'
He nodded as he cocked his rifle,'You think anyone's here?'
Tommy's eyes scanned the area and he shrugged,'It doesn't look like it, but you can't be too sure.'
Joel climbed off his horse and gathered his weapons. He put his pistols in the holster around his waist and carried his rifle over his shoulder. He also put a knife in his coat and it in his boots. Just in case.
Tommy followed suit as he geared himself up. He looked over at Joel and sighed to himself. He didn't want to tell him he was nervous. It would only make him even more agitated.
He won't pretend to know what it's like for him. He was newly married with a baby on the way. He should be focusing on that rather than spending his time on an abandoned military base. He wasn't about to tell him that though.
They stayed close to each other as they walked further into the base. It seemed desolate and quiet. It was like this the other time too before all hell broke loose.
They walked Inside the base with their guns held up in front of them, reedy to aim and shoot. The hallway was dark and they had to bend down as wires and ceiling debris were falling down above them.
They tread lightly, making sure to avoid the water on the ground and various shrapnel. The lights blinked overhead ominously as water leaked onto their heads. Someone was going to get electrocuted.
They heard Ralph calling their names and they ran down the hallway, their guns at the ready.
Ralph jerked his head down the hallway,'Ya gotta see this.'
Joel and Tommy looked at each other and headed down the corridor. Tommy's men were standing at the end of the hallway in front of a room. Joel's heart was pounding as he walked towards the room, nervous about what he would find.
The men stepped off to the side as Joel walked inside the room first. His eyes widened as he looked around the room. There was a dirty mattress on the floor along with a two way radio.
He crouched down and picked up a folder. He opened it up and sorted through the contents. They were handwritten notes with names listed on every page. His eyes scanned through the list of names with notes jotted next to them, like someone had been keeping tabs on them.
There were states locked next to their names. Probably where to find them. He saw Becca's name. She was listed as being from Lexington, Kentucky. Her birthplace. Next to it was Silver Lake and then Jackson.
Someone had been following her. Could they have followed her before the outbreak? Did they want her even then? Knowing she could potentially save the world.
He saw Ellie's name with the location of her school listed as being the previous known location. Her whereabouts were listed as residing in Silver Lake. Whomever stayed here was keeping tabs on them.
Tommy looked over his shoulder and quickly scanned over the documents,'What is all this stuff?'
'Research.' He shook his head as he handed him the folder,'Whoever's staying here is fucking behind this.'
Tommy went through the folder as he looked down at him,'I'll make sure to have some guys out here to keep a look out?' He frowned,'You think it's Lizzie?'
'I don't know.' He stood up straight as he took the folder from him,'Ellie told me those kids are missing too.' He shrugged,I don't know about you, but two kids just don't just run away after what they've supposedly been through.'
Tommy nodded and sighed,'I agree. I knew there was something fishy about it. You think they went with somebody?'
He stared at the empty cans of food and rations,'I don't know. Maybe we'll find something else.'
He tucked the folded in the back of his jeans and walked over to Ralph,'You find any tracks?'
'None.' He shook his head,'It's like they stopped midway through.' He met Joel's gaze,'You thinking what I'm thinking?'
Joel kept quiet for a moment as he let everything sink in. He didn't know what the folder meant, but he knew it wasn't good. Whomever had been here was keeping tabs on his wife and child. It didn't sit right with him.
Joel looked up at Ralph and nodded,'That someone in town is fucking with us? Yeah, I'm aware of it.'
He walked out of the room and down the long corridor. He needed some time alone to think.
He headed outside to walk around and get some fresh air. He needed to be alone with his thoughts. He found himself walking to the area where Becca and Tess collided.
The burn pit was still there. The ashes of the dead bodies immolated. He could see some bones still left in the ash and a piece of Tess's flannel.
He sighed to himself and shook his head as he picked up the tattered and burned piece of fabric. The images of Becca bashing her head in filled his mind. The absolute rage on her face. He had never been more proud of her than in that moment.
She finally stood up for herself. She didn't let Tess get the better of her. She fought for herself. Tess was stronger, but Becca had so much to live for as well. She had been so brave that day.
He threw the fabric back into the pit and continued on down the path. He didn't want to look at anything that belonged to Tess. If he could bring her back and kill her all over again he would.
He walked further down into the training area. He looked around and found spent bullets on the ground. There were empty food cans littering the ground and blankets. They could've been remnants left over from squatters, but he knew this is where the Peacekeepers stayed. This was their home base.
Tommy walked up to him as he crouched down and surveyed the contents on the ground,'This wasn't here before.' He looked up at him and frowned,'I don't know what the fuck's going on here, but I don't like it.' His eyes widened when he saw a jacket on the ground. He picked it up and held it in front of his face,'This is that Joshua's kid's jacket.' He shook his head and laughed incredulously,'I remember giving it to him.'
Joel narrowed his eyes as he snatched the jacket from his hands,'Ya sure it's his?'
'Yes.' He nodded,'A thousand times yes. I know I gave that to him.'
He tucked the jacket in his arm as he narrowed his eyes,'Those fuckers have those kids.'
'Ya think they kidnapped them or they left with them?' Tommy sighed,'Either one are a possibility.'
He nodded silently as his eyes scanned the area. He could feel the tension building. It was only a matter of time before it reached the breaking point. They were on the cusp of something. He could feel it.
Tommy stared at his brother with a wary look on his face. He knew those kids were trouble the minute they walked into Jackson. Someone set them up. Those kids went willingly to Jackson because it's what they were told to do.
He pursed his lips as he shook his head angrily. This was personal to him. Not just because of his brother. He put his neck out to protect those kids and he got shit on for it.
Tommy and Joel walked inside one of the abandoned buildings. Joel's eyes widened when he saw the four beds lined up next to each other. It looked like someone made a makeshift lab with various microscopes and lab equipment.
Joel walked around the room. He remembered seeing a lab like this at the hospital. They brought people here to experiment on them for a cure. It's why they brought Becca here. Maria had just been collateral.
He hung his head as he felt the stinging sensation of tears. They were going to try and take his girls from him. He would burn this entire military base to the ground before he let that happen. He would burn them all to hell.
He angrily swiped his hand over the table as the contents fell down onto the ground. He went around and started pulling the shelves off the walls and shattering the vials into pieces. He wanted to make sure nothing viable was left. He would destroy everything.
Tommy stood in the doorway as he watched his brother destroy the lab. He wouldn't stop him. He knew this is something he needed to do for himself.
He wouldn't pretend he knew what he was going through. All he knew is that if someone were trying to take Maria or Sebastian from him; he would do everything in his power to make sure that never happened. He couldn't judge him for wanting to protect his family.
Joel was breathing raggedly as he braced his hands against the wall. Tears were falling down his face as he struggled to control his breathing. He was angry and frustrated.
Tommy sighed as he walked over to him and placed his hand on his back,'We're gonna figure out who's behind this.' He had a determined look on his face as he nodded,'I can promise you that.'
'This isn't your fight.' He shook his head and wiped the tears from his eyes,'You have your own family to worry about.'
'You're my family too.' He stated simply and shrugged,'We're in this together. You know we are. I told you I was gonna let you fight this alone and I meant that.'
Joel broke down into sobs as Tommy wrapped his arms around him tightly. He slumped against his chest, whispering,'They're trying to take them from me, man.'
'We won't let that happen.' He rubbed his back comfortingly,'Come on. We should go. There isn't anything else left to see here. I'll have some of my guys keep watch. Let's get you home to your wife and kid.'
He nodded as he wiped his face off with his bandana. He didn't want the other guys to see him so distraught. He had to be strong in front of the other guys. They needed to trust his direction.
It was different with Tommy. He could let down his guard and show his vulnerability. He wasn't ashamed to show his weaknesses. His fears.
They gathered whatever they could and headed back to Jackson. Joel had a knot in the pit of his stomach. He was anxious to get back to his wife and show her what they found. She would be afraid, but they would get through it together. He refused to keep anything from her ever again.
Becca heard the horses galloping up the path. She ran out onto the porch with Maria and Ellie following behind her. They had been anxiously waiting and hoping nothing nefarious happened to them. They kept vigil in the living room as they waited for their men to come home.
Becca breathed a sigh of relief when she saw Joel and Tommy. The other men were with them as well. They didn't appear injured. They came home safe. Physically anyway.
Joel climbed off his horse as Becca ran over to him. She held his face in her hands, her eyes looking everywhere at once to make sure he wasn't injured. He didn't appear to be hurt, but she had been prepared for anything.
He placed his hands on hers that were resting on his face,'I'm okay. I'm not hurt.'
She wrapped her arms around him tightly. She closed her eyes as he wrapped his arms around her, pulling her close. She closed her eyes and sighed softly, whispering,'I was so worried you wouldn't come back.' She choked back a sob,'I'm so happy you're back.'
He held the back of her head and cradled her head to his chest,'I told ya I would come back and I meant it. I'm always gonna come home to you.'
He knew there was a lot they needed to talk about, but for right now in this moment he just wanted to hold his wife. He needed something tangible. He needed to know she was safe.
Ellie walked over to them and looked up at him warily. She saw the distress deeply etched into his features. She wondered what he found back in Battleground.
He smiled at Ellie and wrapped an arm around her shoulders,'Told ya I'd come back, kid.'
She looked up at him and sighed, shaking her head,'There wasn't any doubt. You're too stubborn and hard headed not to come back.'
Becca laughed and nodded,'She kept telling me that too.'
'I was right.' She shrugged,'What did ya find?'
He sighed as he shared a look with Becca,'We'll talk about that in a bit. I'm starving.'
Becca nodded and smiled softly,'We have dinner ready for you and the guys.'
Joel nodded as he kept his arms wrapped around Becca and Ellie's shoulders. He wasn't ready to let them go just yet. Or ever.
They men gathered food on their plates as they all sat in the kitchen. No one talked about they found on their military base. It was sensitive information. Tommy trusting these guys didn't mean shit to him. Anyone and everyone were a suspect.
After eating, everyone left and headed back home. Joel and Ellie helped Becca clean up the kitchen. He went upstairs to take a shower and change into comfortable clothes.
He was anxious as he walked back downstairs and into the living room. Becca and Ellie were sitting on the couch waiting for him. They would have to talk. He would need to tell them what he found.
He picked up his bag and brought it into the living room, placing it on the coffee table,'We found some stuff at the base.' He nodded towards the bag,'I brought what I could.'
Becca opened up the bag as she took out the folders and jacket. She looked through the folder, her eyes widening as she saw her and Ellie's name. They knew everything about her. Where she grew up, where she went to school and where she was currently residing.
She blinked away tears and shook her head confusingly,'Some of this is before the outbreak, Joel.' She sighed shakily,'They know that I'm immune don't they? They've always known.'
Ellie took the folder from her and sifted through it. Her eyes widened when she saw her name,'What the fuck? What's going on?'
'I don't know.' He shook his head and sighed as he sat on the arm of the couch,'I found a room where it looked like someone was staying in. I found a jacket too.'
Ellie pulled the jacket out of the bag, her eyes widening in shock,'This is Josh's jacket. I remember him wearing this.'
Becca stared at the jacket, an ominous sense of foreboding overwhelming her. She placed a hand over her stomach. They were going to come for them, but they would fight for their freedom and happiness. It's the only thing they could do.
Joel averted his eyes between warily, a deep frown settling in his features,'We found a lab.' He sighed at the wide eyed looks on their faces,'Four beds. Microscopes, lab equipment and notes.' He shook his head,'They set up shop right under our noses.'
Four beds. They were for both of the children and them. Four. They planned to use their blood for a cure.
Becca grabbed Ellie's hand and held it tightly,'We'll be okay. Everything's going to be okay.'
She didn't know who she was trying to convince. Ellie or herself. Maybe a little bit of both.
'That's right.' Joel nodded,'I ain't gonna let nothin happen to ya.'
Ellie pursed her lips and shook her head,'No one can protect us. No matter what we do or where will go they're always gonna find us.'
She got up from the couch and ran upstairs to her room. They heard her door slam shut. They weren't surprised by her reaction considering everything's she's been through. She was also a teenager struggling with her identity and place in the world. While also trying to evade people that wanted to kill her.
Becca shook her head sadly as tears fell from her eyes,'What if she's right, Joel? What if…'
'I don't want ya talking like that.' He slid down onto the sofa and pulled her on his lap,'Tommy's gonna up security. He's gonna have some men patrolling the base. I won't let anyone hurt ya.'
He wrapped his arms around her and kissed the top of her head. She rested her head against his shoulder and closed her eyes, sighing softly. She hoped to God he was right.