To bury his head in his hands was how Serrano decided to deal with the chaos thrown on his plate. Amongst the damage reports, images, statistics and beeping messages were piles and piles of problems scattered across his desk, all for the sovereign of the city to magically resolve. Instead, he ran his hand down from his head to his chin to his neck to then readjust his tie.

"The situation is now under control, sir."

The leer he cast Ardmore had never been so hostile. "Oh, sure… It's all straight sailing from here." He pounded his desk. "How am I going to survive this?!"

"You allowed the city to think the recombinants were behind this. And I already told you they weren't." The air clinging to Serrano would have broken away as steam if he were left to fume for a few seconds longer. "The recombinants were out on a mission, Governor. They couldn't have had any involvement."

"And how do a bunch of primates learn how to drive a vehicle and use automatic machine guns?!" his question climaxed into a riled scream.

Ardmore had no theories.

"Someone trained those Na'vi!—that's what the citizens will be saying! You may be military smart, General, but I know politics. And the bottom line is—we need a scapegoat."

The arms behind her back fell to her sides. "You mean, you don't believe they were actually involved?"

"What difference does it make if they were or not? We allowed a band of unsupervised Na'vi to access deadly assault weapons. Do you want to take the heat for that?"

"They're awfully expensive scapegoats, Governor. I thought you were against that?"

"My neck is worth it. Listen, General, we both answer to the investors. You and I have a common interest in keeping them happy. Now, the recoms were always a wild card—Pandora Effect and all that. We sell them the idea they were a hundred percent to blame for all of this, and we don't get shipped back to Earth."

She had to think about it; his plan had potential. "What do you want me to tell them?"

"Give all the evidence you can that points to their involvement. Say they were already showing signs of sympathizing with the enemy, just like Sully was." He noticed her reflective frown. "What is it?"

The taciturn woman returned from her thoughts. "During the recombinants' raid on the village, one of them rescued a Na'vi mother."

"Good. Good!"

"As for Quaritch—I was told he had the option to kill Sully and didn't. Left the traitor completely unharmed."

Serrano clapped his hands and rejoiced. "That's perfect! We can use that as proof!"

The general didn't say anything, for she never wanted to be accused of thinking the man intelligent.

"Anything else?"

"There is one issue. For some reason, the recombinants went AWOL after returning from their mission. I've no intel on their current whereabouts."

"That's because I gave the order to have them rounded up and sent to Hades to await termination."

Ardmore went very pale. "You signed off on their execution?"

"We can't afford them talking."

"And what of the captive they returned with?"

"What captive?"

Ardmore bunched her lips, then threw her palms on his brown desk. "The girl they were sent out to capture! The one the investors wanted!"

His nerve started to leave him. "I wasn't told of any girl…"

Ardmore barreled around his desk. "Have you issued anything yet?"

"Well, I—"

With one fist, she grabbed him by his overly-white shirt, "Rescind that order!"

"But what of the recombinants?"

"I'll deal with the recombinants! You make it your priority to rescind that order and have the one named Kiri placed in solitary confinement before the investors learn of your idiocy. Do you got that, Governor?" The frazzled Serrano, now white as his shirt, understood with a nod. "And next time, sir," she said after letting go and returning to the appropriate side of the desk. "Let me do the thinking."

With Säro guiding the way, CJ rode Baby's Back over the grey valley, thick with wet smoke. The recombinant woman saw no signs of ships or banshees and feared she had just missed her team. |"We should circle back. I don't see—"| Rapid gunfire suddenly burst through the jungle. Casey felt her jugular veins implode, and she screamed in agony, clasping her undamaged neck. The ikran spiralled into a gully below as the two passengers fell from the mount and splashed into a muddy brook. CJ winced while trying to get up, chancing to spot the lifeless body of Baby's Back, contorted in the mire. "No…" her voice quivered, but there was no time to grieve; roars in the jungle warned her of nearing predators.

"Säro! Säro!"

To CJ's left, the muddied Anurai thundered a cry in response after raising her bat to fend off the dozens of warriors soon to fall upon them, but instead of warriors, projectiles flew out from the trees and rolled across the mud, unleashing a green fog.

|"Shield your face!"| Säro shouted, yet it was too late; their eyes watered and throats convulsed as more acrid fumes tainted the air. With blurry vision, they caught figures surrounding them and a horde of screaming Na'vi emerging from the smog. They wore ghastly masks of screaming faces painted with intense colours. CJ immediately countered the one targeting Säro, then the second one who tried to jump her, but for everyone she hit, more kept manifesting. A rising shriek spun her around to a masked man falling upon her with the butt of his rifle. It cracked against her torso, and she was thrust into the muck. In the seconds it took her mind to recover, she heard the orders given—spoken in an odd accent—for them to be tied up and hauled back to camp.

On the mire of the river delta, where the encroaching forest fire could not reach, the grieving clans hastily set up shelters. Smoke drifted past the tents and blotted out the sun, making the entire camp thick with despair. Children often stumbled due to the viscous mud clinging to their little bodies. Many were burned, with those seriously injured set upon giant leaves and placed by rivulets to keep them cool after their bodies were coated in tree pitch to soothe the wounds. Neytiri and Neteyam were helping set up shelters when they noticed the party, sent out to rescue supplies, returning with two captives instead. Mourning was replaced by rancour as the Tawkami, Anurai and Omatikaya all shouted disparages at the she-rekom being led through their camp.

The captured women were brought into a low tent lined with muddy, sodden leaves. CJ was immediately tied to one of the several stakes holding up the tarp while Säro was tied to another. The recom seethed at the way they aggressively bound the expectant mother; afterwards, the Na'vi left, silently saluting to him who stood at the entrance—the man whom Casey recognized as the one with the rifle. He stepped inside and stopped before the recombinant, staring down at her from the two slits of his screaming mask. Black and red quills bounced as the face guard came off—It was Sully.

Squatting before her, he invaded her space. "Why did you take my daughter?"

"I don't know what you're talking about!"

"Quaritch came here with your team and stole my daughter. Why?"

"How should I know? He had me sit this mission out!"

Watching this scene from the entrance was Neytiri, who made her presence known to Jake. "She pretends."

Casey threw it back at her. "I'm telling the truth! I already told you. I don't know why my team was sent out. It's useless to ask!"

"Do you also not know that your team burned the whole village—food, supplies, homes—everything?! Do you also not know that I now have hundreds of homeless people—women and children—who risk dying of hunger if I don't think of something?"

Neytiri bared her fangs while drawing a dagger. "I say we sever her kuru!" She flew for the recombinant but was stopped by Säro's cry.

"Toruk Makto! | Do not let your mate harm her! She risked her life to save mine! She speaks the truth."|

Jake glanced back at Säro, whom he surmised was one of the Bridgehead Anurai. |"Speak up,"| he bid in a gentler voice.

|"I am Säro te Pakaw 'rrtang'ite. My sister is Häku, olo'eykte of the Anurai. My father is Zwefnawo."|

Surprised, Jake moved completely away from the recom as he positioned himself before the Anurai. |"He mentioned he had a daughter in the city. That was you?"|

When she affirmed it, Jake's mind was overcome with need. |"Did you see anyone called Spider? A young Skyperson who was taken to Bridgehead?"|

|"Yes! I know of whom you speak. He was seeking one from our camp who could deliver a message, but I did not understand why and could not help. The poor child was desperate for you to know that he was safe and well."|

Jake shut his eyes, and his head bowed. |"Did you—"| He cleared his throat. |"Ever see him again…after that?"|

|"No, that was the only time I saw him."|

Silence dominated the space until the olo'eyktan was ready to speak again. |"So, why are you here, Säro? What do you mean when you say this rekom helped you?"|

|"Her name is Seezay. My people rebelled, took the rekom's weapons, and attacked the land, slaying many innocent Skypeople. Seezay fought back to save me, but now the Skypeople think the rekoms were responsible. That is why Seezay is seeking out her olo'eyktan—to warn her family not to return. We truly know nothing of your daughter or what happened to your poor village, but I will say this—her leader is a good man."|

|"Are you… Are you referring to the rekom named Colonel Quaritch?"|

|"That is him. One night, when I was out beyond my grounds, he prevented me from being discovered by an evil Skyperson. And when my father was found out, it was him who intervened and spared his life. Rider of Last Shadow, I tell you these things so you know that if the Skypeople had him take your daughter, he would not harm her. Deep within him, there is a great compassion."|

"Ney—" Jake twitched his head to recalibrate his thoughts. "Neytiri, can you take her outside? Please."

His mate did not hesitate to sever the deluded woman's bonds and politely guide her out of the tent, leaving him alone with the other captive—wholly unaware that the recombinant had understood every word just spoken.

For a pause, Jake was quiet, thinking about where to go with the information he just learned. He got up and reached for an RDA-branded storage unit and took out a photo, his arm lingering on the lid as his eyes roamed over the token. He turned to the captive. "The Na'vi woman has a lot to say about your team… I guess she's seen a lot of things I haven't." He flipped his paper treasure, and CJ was treated to the sight of a smiling family. She recognized the faces of Sully, Neteyam and even Spider, but she was unfamiliar with the Na'vi girl whom Jake pointed to. "That's my daughter, Kiri. She's sixteen… I adopted her after her mother died. She can't talk, so she has to use sign. She's…" His voice caught, and the man had to take a moment to work his tongue to undo the knot. "She loves the forest. Loves to grow plants and befriend all the damnedest critters. You don't know a girl more special than her… I know we're enemies, but she's got nothing to do with this! Please… I'm just a dad who wants their kid back."

Casey was pained to say the following, "Look, I am sorry… But I really don't know anything…"

Jake rubbed his pinched lids and unleashed a sigh that affected CJ deeply. With a conflicted expression, she said, "My banshee harness…"

"What?"

"It emits a signal that allows you to bypass the kill zone."

The father was dumbstruck as he stared into the recom, then his lips somehow were able to move. "Thank you…"

"Just remember, if you do encounter my team, those guys are my family too. That includes Quaritch."

His expression switched from gratitude to resentment, letting his sight drift to the cloth of the overhang. "What is your name?"

"Casey."

"Then, Casey, if I find even one hair on her head was split by him, I will kill Quaritch."

Her eyes hollowed at the thought of what she just did.

"If not…then in exchange for what you told me, I'll spare his life in return. But that all goes out the window if he engages."

"He will if he sees you."

"For his sake, he better not."

Jake spoke those last words just as he was leaving the tent. He did not see Neteyam crouched by the entrance or the empathetic way his son's eyes looked back in the rekom's direction with a newfound opinion that could not be reversed.

All the recombinants sat and waited; some hoped, some prayed, some wished, some feared, and some dispaired as Wainfleet lay half-conscious on the floor. Kiri was crouched beside him, his hand still clutching her ankle. Their thoughts were all interrupted when the doors retracted for a second time, and guards equipped with shotguns and cattle prods bellowed at them to move aside. The recombinants were forced up against the wall, including a very reluctant Brown, who shouted at the soldiers that he had a dying man on his hands; they didn't care. A SKEL suit moved in, grabbed Kiri, and yanked her away, but Walker, having hold of her other limb, stopped them with a hiss. A cattle prod jolted the woman back, and Kiri was released into the bony clutches to be dragged away.

"Why did they take her?"

Mansk ran his arm around Walker. "Don't be afraid, Bridgie."

"She's just a kid…"

Brown didn't have time to reflect with the others and rushed back to Wainfleet; that's when he noticed something unusual. He alerted his team, and when they gathered, the medic turned over the compress he had been using the whole time—there were only a few flecks of blood on it.