CHAPTER 20 RELEASE

Cookie Fields spent the entire ride to Maryland on the phone with one person or another. She focused on everything except the road and it was pissing him off. He finally told her to hang up or he'd call 911 and report her. Once she hung up, she was all talk. She filled him in on her job, the hassles, the constant fighting to get the truth or something close to it out there. Jay knew she was trying to connect to him, get him to interact. She acted like she was doing him some kind of favor. she loosened up once in the car, kicking off her heels and driving in her bare feet. She chewed piece after piece of gum and when she ran out of gum, she pulled out some Swedish fish.

"Thanks for turning me onto these. These are wonderful little candies." She said, offering him some.

He took a handful, "Thanks."

"Never heard of these things before you sent me to buy them."

"They're her favorite." Jay said, putting one in his mouth.

"I have a lot more candy, if you'd like some. I quit smoking and-" She opened up the bump in the rental car between seats. She pulled out a bag. "Packing on the pounds with all this sugar." She frowned, talking about her tiny frame.

"You're small, Cookie. No pounds. Where?" He smiled.

"I work out all the time. I like to run." She shrugged. "That keeps the weight down too."

"I run too. Haven't been able to do it the last few days though."

"Every morning. Up early and out the door. I go to the gym and run though. I don't like to run in the dark around town here."

"I hit the high school track every morning. Up before the sun. Up before the kids. Up before the rest of the world."

"You two have a daughter, right? She went to the elementary school where-well-you know."

"The girl at the elementary school is our sister, Tatia. We've been raising her since she was born."

"You share a sister? Are you two-?"

"We share a sister, yeah, and we are not related, no, Cookie."

"Never know nowadays, Jayson. This world we live in..."

"Hey, we're almost there. I'll give Chess a call and we can maybe meet up for dinner after-I could really use a drink."

"I don't drink." Jay said.

"Well, you eat for sure. Or I can grab some take out later for us."

Jay swiped the Swedish fish from her and got out of the car at the curb in front of a fairly small medical center. Research and Development. A man met him at the door, extending his hand.

"Hello, you are Jayson Keller." He said. The man was tall and had smooth black skin. Dark, middle aged, a full head of short black hair. Fit and trim. A nice and welcoming smile. A strong handshake.

"I am. You are?"

"I am Dr McGill. I am in charge of Mrs. Morgan's care. Please, come with me."

Jayson followed Dr. McGill, eating Swedish fish along the way. He led him to the elevator and turned a key, which set the elevator into a light descent. There were no numbers on the elevator panel indicating it even had lower levels. Jay started to feel slightly trapped as the elevator halted and the doors opened to a full lab behind glass windows and doors. He escorted Jay into his office to the right and they sat. Over Coca Cola, he took a full medical history from Jay and then led him into the exam room to the right of the office. He performed a full physical, including drawing about 10 vials of blood and swabbing every orifice he had. He declined the rectal and urethral swabs firmly.

"I have a female colleague that could-"

"No. That's worse." Jay said, holding up his hand and shaking his head. "No. Absolutely not. No. You have more than enough."

"Understood. Deferred." He said as he wrote on a chart. "You appear very physically fit. Healthy."

"I am." Jay nodded. "I can't bulk up to save my life. And I have tried."

"Any problems currently?"

"I feel fine. Like usual."

He instructed Jay to redress and when he was ready Dr McGill escorted him to another room where he got a full psych exam and an IQ test. He participated, but wondered what the point was. His blood work came back normal, except for the marijuana in his system. Dr McGill sat Jay down in the same office and gave him a clean bill of health, both mental and physical.

"As fit as you are, Jayson, why the pot?"

"It makes me feel good." He shrugged. "I don't drink, so it's my thing."

"And Julia's as well."

"Yes."

"For different reasons."

"Yes."

"Very well. Would you like to visit with her?" He asked, rising from his desk.

"Yes." Jayson answered. "What about my blood? Do I have antibodies as well?"

"You, Jayson, appear immune."

"Immune to what? The virus. Both strains?"

"Appears that way. Come with me."

"So my blood could help her? Make her better?"

"We're not at that stage yet, Jayson. No. One day, however-"

"Oh, so I'll wait then." He shrugged.

Dr McGill led him to one of four patient rooms. Julia could be seen behind the glass, laying in bed and appeared comfortable. She was the only one. Instead of taking him inside the sick room with Julia, the doc sat him at a computer screen and showed him a play by play of how the virus attacks the body and how it decimates the immune system. A play by play of the breakdown of the intestinal mucosa and the cells within the GI tract. A play by play of its action within the human brain before, during and post infection.

"Yeah, nice. Can I go in now and see her?"

"You don't think this is interesting?"

"Not really." He shook his head. "You do and that's all that matters, doc."  Jay stood from his seat. "Hey, why'd you have her brought here anyway? She was getting better where she was."

"She was stable enough to transfer. The talk in the community had some fearing the worst."

"Would have been no talk if her case had been kept quiet in the first place." Jay informed him. "Her condition was no one's business, but you all made it that way coming in and taking over like that. You created the fear."

"I'm trying to prevent the fear." Dr McGill hit a button on the desk, which slid the curtain back in the fourth sick bay. There lay on the bed, tethered to the side rails was the living dead.

"Interesting." Jay said, creeping closer to the window. "So I am immune to this, huh?" He asked as he looked at patient Z, as Dr McGill called her.

"Patient Z. Kinda cliché, doc." He laughed.

"Her true name is Zoe, thus patient Z." Dr McGill corrected him. "Julia, if she were in that condition would be patient J." He elaborated.

Zoe...She'd recently turned. They'd probably brought her there in a similar condition to Julia's and took a turn for the worse. Jay opened the door and stepped inside the sick room. The smell was grossing him out upon entry, reeked of tissue death. It was an odor he hadn't appreciated since the farm house. It didn't overwhelm him like some of the people they had working there. He stood at her bedside with his back to the lab and its workers. His eyes scanned the sick bay, searching for a sharp object, something to put the girl out of her misery. She had short brown hair and her eyes had once probably been brown, but they'd since glazed over with a shadowy, milk-like film. Her skin had a slight greenish hue to it, blue in places. She'd been cleaned up nicely, no blood whatsoever in the room. "Where are her teeth?" Jay called as she craned her neck, gnashing only gums at him. Jay's bedside manner so to speak was drawing some attention from those in the lab. No one ever dared enter without a suit or some healthy fear. He touched her skin, cold and leathery, no longer soft and moisturized. She had tubes in several orifices, rectum and bladder, and drained into those bags a pus like fluid, a thick yellowish-greenish goo. A tube was stuck in her abdomen and when they needed to, they could access it and drain the contents. She, patient Z, was a guinea pig.  He was immune, he thought. Dr McGill was sure about that preliminarily. How sure was he? Jayson wanted to know. He pulled his cell from his front pocket and filmed the specimen that lay before him in the lab. Her jaw snapping at him.

"It's ok. It's ok, Zoe." He said softly.

"Where's her family?" Jay asked, tucking the cell back in his pocket. He circled the bed and lifted his head, looking at the lab's staff.

Dr McGill hit another button and spoke through a speaker in the room. "We have removed her teeth. Her family will receive her when her work is done."

"Or when your work is done?" Jay asked, eyeing the Wi-Fi monitor on the wall near a computer on a mechanical arm just behind the privacy curtain which draped in front of it. He started unscrewing the Wi-Fi antennae from its box. There were several long and sturdy antennae on this box. It was firm in his hand as he unscrewed it and then held it in his hand.

"Both, Jayson. Our work."

"So she volunteered to be your lab rat?" He asked, palming the sturdy object, getting a decent grip. He only saw Julia in his mind, laying turned in a bed, bound and toothless, at their mercy. He hadn't done this in a long time. If this thing even got unrestrained, near a door, near a human-teeth or no teeth-she could cause numerous problems and have a feast on the staff and patients, creating a small horde. Were they insane? Did they think removing the teeth kept them safer, kept them from getting ripped limb from limb? Tethered to the hospital bed, she looked rather harmless. Jay jabbed the antennae through her eyeball, exterminating the remnants of life that had been kept in the sick room. He heard Dr McGill scream 'no' as he ended her. Jay left the antennae in place rather than withdrawing it. He began untucking the linens at the four corners of the bed and he folded her up like a dead and decaying burrito. She would not be feasting on Julia during her stay here. If they were to make him leave, he had protected her from that threat. He washed his hands and stepped out.

"So do we burn them or what nowadays?"

Jayson was allowed a short visit with Julia then was thrown out of the lab and out of the medical research and development building altogether.  He'd never seen people so angry as that staff at that time. He ended their patient Z and ended any research from that moment forward. Zoe lay at rest, his Julia was safe.

"Out. I will escort you to ground level." 

Chess was picked up by Cookie as he left for the day. He'd been informed of Jayson's stunt, killing the specimen and halting any and all research that was being conducted. He'd been informed of Jayson's immunity, which made sense considering Julia should have very well infected him from the moment her blood and her body fluids were exchanged with him. Blood, sweat, tears, urine, vomit, stool, and possibly semen, vaginal secretions. He'd slept in the same bed with her, though Jay denied they'd been together intimately upon returning, he had laid at her side. He'd had her sweat and her vomit and blood soak onto his clothes. He should have been infected as contaminated as he was. Chess and Cookie had orders to remove Jayson and not return him to the facility. Both knew of the lab's existence. Chess and his comrades from boot camp had been under quarantine there. Those that had survived crammed into those sick bays, the five that there were and they waited out three weeks of interviews, blood draws and testing to determine if they were as infected as those they'd come in contact with at camp that night.

When he and Cookie arrived to retrieve him from the research and development building, he waited for them in the lobby and was sullen, but appeared rather pleased with himself. He was not on anyone's good side and he didn't care. He'd seen Julia and in his own mind created an environment that was safer for her by exterminating patient Z. Jay had all he needed on his cell phone. Jay sent an email to Alex titled, Patient Zoe. He attached video of patient Z, Julia laying in bed in a quarantine room, the lab, its employees as they scrambled, the elevator and the ride as well as Dr McGill's own voice as he described in very professional terms that all their research halted as soon as patient Z ceased to exist.

Jayson had filmed it all with his cell and Alex was currently at home with Tavin at his side watching the email attachments and uploading them to every website on the internet that he and Julia had joined as conspiracy theorists. With any luck, the theorists and truth seekers from the sites would turn the research and development building into the area 51 of zombie related lure. Jay included Blondie in his email, dressed in her pants suit and he made sure to zero in on her name badge. Though he spent a millisecond tossing the idea around to include his cousin's identity and further out the marine squad, he held back. He'd have eyes all over this facility and he wouldn't have to be anywhere near it.

Jay knew he wouldn't be staying in that underground lab for any length of time. He had a job to do in the boys' reformatory and he started on Monday. Julia would not want him hovering over her. She would want him at the fortress. She would want at work, getting the information that she and Chess desired. He felt sure Julia would rouse soon and once she did, she could take care of herself.

He had one final problem to work out and then he'd be in the clear. He needed clean urine to take to work on Monday.

"I can't believe you're leaving her, Jayson. The whole point to this is for you to stay with her and take care of her."

"That's your job, husband." Jay replied sarcastically. "Take time off and if this doesn't count for a family emergency, then I don't know what does."

"It doesn't work that way." Chess raised his voice. "We vouched for you, you know."

"Thanks. Anyway, I got a job to do. Just like you have a job to do. Just like Blondie has a job to do." He replied coolly. He had a feeling he'd see Julia at work anyway, considering that is where she currently resided. He'd know when she woke up and he would know that she was alright merely by stepping foot on that campus. His presence alone should drive her crazy, he hoped.  His presence in the reformatory should amount to something. She was, after all, sensitive to his energy. She would understand his decision. She would want him to do his job, secure their future. He was boots on the ground. She'd said it herself.

When they arrived home, Jay was met at the door by Kelly. She embraced him, held onto him a little too long. "The visions have changed, Jay." She said softly in his ear.

"They better be." He replied. "She told you she'd fix it."

"She hasn't fixed anything. You have. Thank you."

Chess and Blondie accompanied them inside the house. Chess was embraced by Kelly as well as he rubbed the baby bump. "I know why you're here." She smiled, separating and taking him by his hand upstairs. "Come inside, Cookie. You may." Kelly called as they ascended the steps. She brought Chess into the bedroom. Tavin lay on the bed and Alex sat beside him watching the message boards and the chats light up the website where he'd loaded the videos. They'd created their own event. They said hi to him and didn't move their eyes from the screen.

"You get a feel off her, Kelly?" Tavin asked.

"She's ok. No bad vibes. She means well, but...we'll chat later." Kelly replied, moving to her book shelf. She loaded up her sketch books in a spare back pack.

"But what?" Chess asked curiously.

She looked to Chess. "You'll need to get her own and add them into the bag, Chess."

"No. No books."

"Change your mind. I have added some new sketches. She needs to see them. Look here." She smiled, setting her book open on the end of the bed. "Who's this?"

"Tia." He answered, studying the curves and the innocence. "Probably her boyfriend, Jody, with her."

"This."

"I don't know." Chess replied, studying the picture. Shaggy black hair, dark skinned. He touched the sketch lightly. "Antonio." He felt that was right answer.

"This." She flipped the page. Chess smiled. "That's Julia's child with Antonio. Antonia Morgan Freeman. I have seen her."

"She will need this. When she wakes, Chess. This is her daughter. Do you know what she's leaving behind?"

"Ok, Kelly." He agreed.

"This will give her comfort and it will give her enough work to keep her busy. She won't have Jayson there obviously. He won't be permitted back there now. Not after what he's done."

"You all know about what he's done?" Chess asked, adding the sketch book to the bag. He zipped it and slung it over his shoulder.

"We know, of course. You don't." She smiled. Chess felt strange, looking at Tavin and Alex as they stared at the iPad screen. "Let's get her books, then you can leave."

Chess followed Kelly down to Julia's room and she tucked her books in the back pack. "I would have had this ready for you, but I was napping." Kelly remarked.

"Tired, are you? You never did like being pregnant."

"The future isn't weighing so heavy on me now. I was so upset, Chess, but you talked to her and it's clear that my son lives."

"It's what she said, Kell."

"We would not allow any of you to die." Chess told her. "Did you think we would?"

"It's not up to us who lives and dies sometimes."

Chess rolled his eyes. Scared kid. "Not how we do things, Kelly."

"As Julia would say, it's not how we operate."

"The plan." He smiled, taking the bag from her.

"She's always on the losing end of this shit. Wouldn't it be nice if-"

"Losing end? From the sound of it, she's making out just fine."

"Why's she suffer so much? Why is it always her? She finally was to a point she was so happy, then this happened. Ugh, I feel sorry for her sometimes."

"She wouldn't want your sympathy." Chess reminded her as they reached the landing to the kitchen. Jay looked guilty as sin. Cookie paced the living room floor with her cell against her ear.

"What have you done now?" Chess saw the anger come off Cookie. Her entire body had tensed up. Her face flushed red from frustration. She stared at Jayson.

"Yes, a new protocol must be placed for civilians. Yes, the program is in its infancy. I assure you this will not happen again. Yes, on my way, Sir." She glared at Jayson. "I oughta pull my weapon and shoot you."

"Wouldn't be a smart move." Chess warned her. Cookie moved, if only to place her cell in her pocket and she had weapons drawn on her. "Christ, put that shit away." She gasped in awe as the they stood ready. Chess moved in front of Kelly and her bump. "I'm putting my phone away, guys. You don't fool around do you?" She asked, staring at the pistol in Chess's hand and the gun in Jay's.

"No, Cook. We don't." Jay replied.

"Nice gun. Where'd you get it?" Chess asked, taking the weapon from his cousin.

"As if you have to ask?" Jay grinned. "Hayley's home. There's an early release and Hay's pissed."

"Oh, shit. Early? That's supposed to happen in May, not now."

"Either way, she gave it to Tavin. She was never into firearms."

"If memory serves, we don't need one in your hands either." He said sarcastically.

"What the fuck, Chess. That's the past. You all are safe." He rolled his eyes, returning the knife to its hiding spot.

Chess unloaded the clip and handed the unloaded weapon over to Kelly. "Give it to Tavin. Secure it."

"Sure." She answered nervously. "Yeah, sure."

"You think it's necessary to remove the gun? After all this time."

"I'd be crazy not to. I'm not apologizing for that either. The fuck outta here, Jayson. It's peace time. You don't need that."

"Go save the fucking world, ass hole." Jay moaned. "Get out."

"Don't need that out around the kids either."

"Chess." Jay snapped angrily.

"See, you're mad. Glad you don't have that gun now."

"I don't need one." He replied, balling up his fist.

"Morgan, we need to leave. There's a mess in Maryland." Cookie spoke up, distracting the cousins from their back n forth. "Messes follow this girl around don't they?"

"Unfortunately." Chess agreed. "I'll call you when I know something, Jay."

"Yes, Keller. Thanks for all you have done." Cookie said dryly. She approached him and held her hand over the counter to him. "Your phone."

"My cell? Why?" He asked.

"Don't make me remove it from your person." Cookie threatened.

"No." Jay shook his head, sounding like a defiant little kid.

"Jay, just give the phone to her. You can get another." Chess sighed.

"No." He repeated. "Get out of my house."

Chess and Cookie departed, taking the back pack over his shoulder with them.

"Julia Morgan." Chess seethed, approaching from the end of the hall. The sector two leader was beyond angry. Napoleon...Julia winced as he approached. Why is he angry with me? He's angry with everyone. Current circumstances were taxing on him. He had his sidearm. Lord...he's carrying my belt.

"Chess, babe. Can we please calm down and think about this before you go off half cocked?" Julia put on her most soothing voice, hoping to disarm some of the frustration. "Please, my Chess. We can figure this out." He still approached as she held Antonia to her chest.

"Place the baby with Macy." He demanded, pulling her weapon belt from his shoulder.

Julia rolled her eyes. "I am tired, Chess." She said, her voice flat and lacking any interest. "Where might we be going?"

"We are going after that family of yours."

"When they are bad, they are mine?" She asked. "Where are they anyway?"

"I know exactly where your brother and sister are. Macy with the child please." Chess felt as though he'd lost control. Chess did not enjoy losing control of his world, his people or his family. "These children will not mock my family or my good name."

Julia took her time, but did as he wished, leaving Antonia with the Macy. She complained. "I shall make it worth your while, mama." Julia assured her.

"I may like to venture out of this fortress one day as well, Julia." Macy frowned, cradling the baby against her ample chest.

"Do you own a weapon?"

"You are my weapon." She snapped.

"Fine, we shall venture out one evening. Just us. Would you like that, wifey?" Julia asked as she stood defeated by both Morgans.

Chess approached her and placed her belt around her waist. She latched it in front and settled it on her comfortably. "As if that will ever happen. Let's go."

"I may take my wife out, Chess." Julia grinned. "She's as caged as Tia. You do not see how wrong this is? All of this?"

"What is wrong with all of this, Julia? You created all of this, Julia. You made it this way to keep them safe from harm."

"They will want to lead their own lives. You shouldn't restrict them. Do they have free will? You restrict me as well. You keep me here. You have control over me."

Chess slapped her. "I will not explain myself or this to you again."

Julia stopped in her tracks. "Did you just slap me, Chester?"

"Yes." He answered, pushing the button for the elevator.

"You do not raise your hand to me. What the fuck?"

Chess gave her a gentle shove into the elevator and when the door closed he pinned her against the wall. "I will place my hands where I please, woman."

"You're scaring me, Chess. Stop it."

"You do not scare." He smirked, leaving her go.

She righted herself. She had weapons on her. Did he not see that? She slapped him back. All be it a few moments late for the effect, but she was pleased with herself. "Don't ever raise your hand to me again. How dare you? All I put up with and deal with and have lived through. You are outta your fucking mind if you think for one second you are even permitted as my husband to touch me like that."

"Julia," He sighed.

"I will kill you. Raise your hand again. I will fucking shoot you. Are you crazy, Chess? You better remember where you fucking came from."

"Julia, please..."

"My Chess would never..." She said.

"You are a hypocrite, wifey." He said, holding the door open for her. The jeep awaited them by the fence. "You have placed your hands on me 100 times."

"I am a woman. We protect our women. We do not harm our women."

"You are my woman." He corrected her as she climbed into the jeep and seat belted herself in.

"You think that? Anything that happens in Vegas does not cross over to the real world, Morgan. You don't take that submissive shit seriously do you?"

"Up till now, you have." He argued, starting the jeep. He drove them in silence to the watering hole and entered inside where they met with Greg Mayers. Allen Mayers was no where to be seen, but he lurked closely.

"Thanks for calling me." Chess stated, shaking his hand firmly.

"No problem. I want my brother reinstated in that juniors bullshit you have going up there."

"I will reinstate him in the bullshit I have going. Thank you for addressing this situation with me." Chess nodded.

Greg looked at Julia as she watched her surroundings. She'd found Allen. She didn't like being caught off guard by anyone. "Hey, pretty lady. You want something to drink?" Greg smiled at her.

"Vodka. Double. Straight." She sighed, remembering back to the first nights. Risk...she thought. What a fine piece of ass this kid had been. Chess slinked off to the darkness to speak with Allen on the exact location of this place they called home. He set the vodka in front of Julia. "Thanks. I remember you, you know. You fuck like you fight. You still got that rule going at your place?" Julia asked, remembering him from the journals. Her journals documented her encounters with various partners.

"It does not apply to the princess, J." He grinned.

"Smart move, Mayers."

"Only applies to the queen."

"Don't tease me." Julia smiled, drinking her vodka down. She slid the glass to him again. "I may take you up on it, if the offer still stands."

"Anytime. Maybe sooner than you think."

"Oh." She gasped a bit. She'd only been flirting. What was Chess planning? "Well, please bring the bottle." She pointed to the vodka as he poured it into the glass. She drank it down.

"I'll do that."

Chess gathered her and led her outside. She felt the negativity flowing off Chess. "Are we common tonight, Chess?" Julia asked, feeling nervous.

"We certainly are. We were born common, Julia. Enjoy flirting with Greg again, I see."

"And you, my Chess. Allen..."

"You choose your poison and I will choose mine."

"You like your women and men fucked up? I see a pattern."

"Your sister wishes common. We should show her what common means. Your sister wishes savage. We should show her what savage means."

"Holy fucking shit, Chess. I don't want..."

"I know. I know."

"What do you have planned here, Chess? Honestly. How far are we taking common and savage?"

"All the fucking way. She wants to lead a people. The little cunt, let her lead." Chess smiled. He pressed Julia's small body against the jeep. "Babe, we're going to New Jersey. We're joining the troops. We'll watch it fail or we'll watch it succeed."

"Now? With the clothes on our backs? One gun and a knife, Chess?"

"Absolutely. Yes. We've done this before. Babe, we did more with less. Do you remember?"

Julia smiled. "I knew you remembered where you came from."

"Bitch, you always get your way."

"My Chess, so do you."

"I'll tell you something though. We will not ride horses to Philly. That's why I brought the jeep."

"Oh, my God. Remember when you first joined the marines? You wrote me that letter. This is the shit that gets my dick hard and..."

"I remember." He nodded, holding her close. "Know what? I miss the farm house. I never loved you more. You were completely mine."

"I am still yours."

"Never completely. We don't do completely."

"We do completely honest though, correct?"

"Sure, always. If we do nothing else."

"I need to tell you the truth then." Julia admitted, tossing the idea of making him aware of her truth, her awareness. "Cause I have only been in one nest and I haven't done this since the first night."

"The fortress. Virginia. You have a lot of history."

"Chess, no babe. Part of the reason this whole north campus thing makes me nervous. The whole idea of leaving the fortress scares me. I-"

"You do not scare." He repeated as he had stated earlier.

"I do. Can we talk, Chess?"

Chess sat in the jeep with her and he listened as she detailed her current circumstances.

"How long have you known?"

"Since I was pregnant with Antonia." She replied.

"No wonder you fell for Antonio." He muttered. "You were not supposed to have relations with anyone. That had been our agreement when you returned to the field."

"I wouldn't agree to that." She said softly. "You know how we are."

"All your confusion and questions." He observed. "You must have been terrified by the room."

"I adjusted." She replied. "I enjoy the room. It's interesting and you have some new tastes obviously and I am cool with it. It's just me. I am still me."

"Antonio. That was your first nest. With him. You felt that energy and you both went in blind?"

"I woke up in that fucking truck on the way to the nest. Why do you think it took me so long to find the nest in the first place, Chess? Thank God I still carry the knife. You know how I feel about firearms and zoms, but he knew what he was doing. I gave him the credit because he deserved it."

"You know so much though."

"I read the journals, Chess. It's how I know who the brothers are."

"You don't have to do anything tonight you don't want to do. Plans can change."

"No, I'm down." Julia assured him. "He fucks like he fights. And he's brutal." Julia grinned. "From what I have read."

"So is his brother."

"Whose idea was the male aspect of this room? Damon...You can tell me anything. I think I have heard and done it all. I have had relations with Alexander, which will not happen again as long as I am here."

"I always have given you your time with him. I never made you choose. I never restrict you."

"How is she supposed to move on like that?"

"It keeps her alive. Otherwise, she'd have taken her life a long time ago. Julia, there's things that are not in the books."

"I am not surprised. But I think you're safe now. She won't wish to die any longer."

"Why is that?"

"Chess, babe. I have Antonia. As if I would ever leave her voluntarily. Alex has indicated I can go home with her."

"How?"

"I have no idea."

"You know this and you haven't left yet? Why?"

"Antonio. I would disappear with his daughter and it would hurt him terribly. Should I leave, I have written a note to him and others. They are in my room. Please hand them out. Save the one I have written for Antonia for when she is older. I would appreciate that."

"Leave?"

"Wake up. Recover. You are going to have a confused wife to deal with. My journals are very detailed as usual. But there are things I need to say to the people I have met here."

"I'll take care of it. Why tell me now?"

"Because I feel it is the right time."

"I'll walk you through it. Should you get that far."

"It's why I agreed to the training, north campus, partnering up with others. It's one reason I had reservations about going in the first place. You know I trust Macy and Jess with my child."

"I will admit you have done an excellent job in the field. For as long as you worked out there before coming home. You fell right in place and I couldn't tell you were not my Julia."

"I wasn't completely aware, Chess. I don't exactly have her memories, but I do what I always do. Go with the flow and try to do the right thing. Like I said, I am still me. I keep excellent records and lists. Checklists, protocols. It's written. I followed the plan."

"It's your plan. Your protocols. Your ideas."

"I feel strongly that Jayson had some input here."

"He did. But I don't know what you all did and came up with in Virginia together. You rarely spoke with me while you were there. You didn't want us coming for you."

"I wish you had. He'd still be here."

"Do you plan on fixing that when you return? Do you plan on changing the course?"

"I do. I will not interfere with you or your sectors or whatever you have going on. We will go to Virginia. I do like the idea of the small statue."

"I never thought we'd truly wind up here. When all that happened, I really thought we'd stay at the fortress and just live."

"And all this-"

"Would stay outside our fence."

Jayson sat on the lap top and watched the conspiracy theory explode. It took on a life of its own. Cookie was off somewhere spinning her story and had the local police outside the research and development corporation building. No military personnel were visible anywhere. Locals were interviewed on the news and by reporters that were interested. The major news networks scoffed at the zombie apocalypse and merely poked fun at the truth surrounding the building. The building...small, only two floors. A tour had been given to the local news authority and it was picked over by them and the security guard who had given the tour. Office space. No lab. No beds. No zombies. None of the evidence Jay had filmed was on the news obviously. A joke. A cruel hoax.

"This is the elevator from the video." The news reporter observed.

"I can't comment, ma'am. I was told to give you a tour." The security guard had said.

"This elevator, in the video, Sir, was riding up from lower levels." The reporter indicated to him.

He showed her the elevator panel. "Two floors, ma'am. There's no lower levels." He stated. He was honest with her as he had no idea that there was a lower level. On the elevator panel there was visible a key lock. The reporter didn't know to ask about that as it wasn't mentioned in Jay's videos. But she probed him on it anyway. The security guard responded, "It's for elevator maintenance, ma'am."

Alex joined him at the counter, catching the tail end of the story. "This shit is insane, Jay. Thanks." He said excited that Jay had taken the videos.

"Yeah, it is. It's out there now." Jay replied. "Alex, can I ask you something?"

"Sure." He replied.

"Do you smoke yet?"

"Smoke what? Weed?" He answered. "Why?"

"I need an honest answer. So don't fuck with me."

"No, I don't smoke. Julia lets me drink. You offering?"

"No. I need clean urine. Monday, before school, piss in a cup for me."

"Ok."

"She lets you drink what?" He asked.

"Whatever's laying around at the time. Not a lot. She lets me taste though."

"Ok. Know what I would like to do?" Jay asked. "I wanna find Zoe. Patient Zoe. Find her true identity."

"What do you wanna do when you find her?"

"I could ask Kelly. Maybe she could read her somehow."

"Maybe, you could." He suggested, opening the phone. He showed Alex her video again. "Listen to her. Anything?"

"Why would I know anything?" Alex took the phone from him. "Zoe. Zoe. I think she's like your age. 20 maybe. She knows Julia."

"Huh?"

"She knows Julia. I don't know how, but...Philly, maybe. Remember when she was crazy and her and Chess went to Philly and didn't come home forever? That's where. Ask Chess. He knows her too." Alex's finger swiped the screen lightly over her face. "Did Julia write about Philly in her journals?"

"I don't know." Jay replied.

"We could look. Want me to get them?"

"No, Philly is private. We don't talk about Philly."

"Philadelphia. I see her in a Phillies cap and they do drugs together. I see...Oh..." He set the phone down. "More than friends." He looked away. "How'd I do that?"

"You got the same gift that Julia has. You are her brother after all..." Jay realized he'd slipped and told him information he shouldn't have, but didn't retract it. He left it hang in the air, waiting for Alex to react.

"I know. Mommy told me. And she told me about Tatia."

"She did."

"She hugged me. She was drunk. I think she thought it, but I can't be sure. You know how Julia gets in our heads sometimes."

"You're aware of all this."

"Yes. I know things."

"You connected to anyone yet?"

"Care. Only Care." He answered. "I'm not sure if I even did it right. I connected to her and we started fighting and we can- it's unreal." He complained.

"I hear that. It's like they get inside you whenever they want. It's annoying."

"That's what she said. I wish I could disconnect. There's so much I don't wanna know now. She's crazy. Love, love, love."

"Oh. If you stopped connecting it would fade, weaken the connection."

"I'm gonna have to try that. It is cool not needing the iPad. I can just call to her. She can call to me. Can you do that with Jules?"

"No. Not me. I don't know why."

"Cause she won't let you. She doesn't want you in there. You'll know too much."

"I don't want to know everything."

"No, you don't." Alex seconded that and slid off the bar stool. "I'll try and find Zoe."

Julia woke when the jeep started. Allen and Greg climbed in the back and they drove off down the road a ways to their home. A small encampment had been set up and they looked shocked and awed when the brothers returned with Julia and Chess in a jeep, except for Alex.

"Oh, my God, Jody. They're here." Tia whispered, pulling her pants up as they crawled from the small tent.

"Calm down. Don't worry. It's only Julia and Chess."

They cautiously moved around to the front of the trailer. The four looked rather confident as they disembarked the jeep. The headlights briefly illuminated the encampment. Chess left them on purposefully as he met with Alex, overlooking all the juniors as he went to him. Greg and Allen opened up the trailer and head inside. "Alexander, come in with us." Chess stated. "Tatia Rose. You as well. Inside."

Tia stepped forward nervously and she accompanied them inside the trailer. Compared to the fortress it was cramped and small and getting crowded. Julia slid onto the counter and hooked her arm around Greg as he handed her the bottle of vodka she requested. Tia watched as she and Greg kissed and his hands were roaming her.

"Julia, pay attention." Chess announced.

"You got this, babe. Shall I wait for you?" She asked.

"You know of their rule." Tia stated, cautiously standing beside Alex.

Chess grinned, rules were human creations meant to be followed or broken. "There's business to be discussed. Tatia, Alex. I assume you have plans. Let us know when you're ready to head out."

Julia yanked Greg's shirt over his head and dropped it to the floor behind him. From behind, he looked like Jody. Same stature, similar body type. Only older, more scars. Broad shouldered, muscular back.

"Head out? Plans?" Tia asked, looking from Greg's sculpted back to the door where Jody stood, peering inside. He watched Julia and Greg as well. Her shirt came off next. She was nude from the waist up, like his brother. No shyness, no cares in the world. What an odd couple, Jody thought of her and Chess. She took a drink from the bottle, then shoved Greg back. She pointed at Jody. "You come." She demanded. A hedonistic smile crossed his face, but then he righted himself. "No thanks."

"Is this not your home?" Julia asked, leaning back, drinking her vodka. He looked to Tia, then to Julia, then back to Tia. Tia was fuming mad. "There are rules here. It's quite a common and basic rule, Mayers. Are you sure?" Julia smiled, reaching for Greg's hand. She observed Jody looking to Tia. "Not her, you. I offer it to you. I am a guest in your home."

"The boy says no, Julia." Chess stated.

"It's a shame. I bet you fuck like you fight, too. Come to me if you change your mind." She smiled, turning her focus back to Greg.

"Keller," Jody called, getting her attention off the sexual tension in the room.

"Yes, the plan. You have one I assume. The both of you. As I said. When you're ready to roll out, let us know."

"I think you'll find us quite useful. We are at your service." Julia said as Greg unhooked her belt. She took it in her hand. The belt stayed with her. He unbuttoned and unzipped her black juniors pants.

"Pass that vodka, please." Chess said, moving to the counter. "Off you go now." Chess advised, taking a long drink from the bottle. "Unless you're staying. Things can get quite savage in here, Tia."

"Keller, now." Jody called, stepping inside to physically remove her.

"A word of advice. Then I will say nothing more. One day you will be faced with a choice. You will have to violate that moral character of yours for the greater good and thus take one for the team. From the standpoint of a leader, Keller, you should stay."

"I will not." Tia shook her head and left with Jody.

"Explain this to her Mayers. You're not a stupid boy." Julia called.

Chess put Alex out as well and as he closed the door, he glanced to his cousin and the child bride at his left. "This, Alexander, is Vegas."

"Vegas? I see. It's us at our most common."

"Yes. And savage. It can be quite...satisfying." Chess admitted. "Get working on a plan. Good night."

Chess turned into the trailer, removed his shirt, his gun belt. Allen approached him, touched his chest with the palm of his hand. "I need my wife for this, so be patient." Chess told him. He was quiet and studying Chess as he removed his pants, his underwear and his boots.

"While we wait..." Allen said. "I can please you, Sir."

"Sir, Allen?" Chess grinned quizzically. "Drop the formality. Just suck my dick."

"Tia, what the fuck is wrong with them?" Jody asked, standing among the juniors and Alex by a low burning campfire.

"That's Vegas." Alex announced quietly, looking to the trailer door.

"That's not what I had in mind when I wanted to go to Vegas." Jody said, shivering at the thought of the bodies.

"And you? She asked you?"

"She had to. It's respectful."

"Not to me it isn't. What is that about? 'you'll find us quite useful. We are at your service'."

"They're going too."

"Where?" Tia asked. "Jersey? I don't know what to do. I-"

"Sleep on it." Jody told her.

"I agree." Alex said.

The three looked to the juniors who stared at the whole display in awe. They appeared tired and daunted. "I wanna go in." Devine said suddenly, pointing to the trailer with a bare chicken bone. He broke the thick tension around them. He tossed his chicken bone in the campfire.

"You like Julia."

"She's not obliged me with the full service like Keller has to you."

"Fuck you, D."

"It's true though." He shimmied inside his tent and laid down.

"Come up with some direction, Tia. You got till morning."

"Me? We should all sit and come up with-"

"Night, Tia." Alex said, taking Kat toward their tent.

"Jody." Tia said under her breath.

Jody led her back to the tents. He directed her into hers then he crawled in his own. "We're not the team that lays together, Jody?" She asked a few minutes later, peeking around her tent. He was already asleep. "Well, I guess not tonight."

Tia lay with her head stuck out of the tent, looking up at the night sky. Sleep on it, they'd said. She could not sleep on it. She thought back to Adam, Jody's brother, in his apartment. Their conversation. Humanitarian efforts do not begin with military invasions. She thought back over the course of the last 24 hours. The knowledge that Alexander provided. Her threatening words to Chess. She would bring the savages on his land and into the fortress and into his war room. She would gather a people behind her. To do what and why? Her threats were personal. What was the point? The war. Stop the war. She didn't wish to create one. Let Chess take responsibility. Let Julia speak and let Julia do her job. Let the infantry do their job. Stop the war, clear the nests. Let those people alone. All this had started because of a boardwalk empire she wished to build. Surrender. Surrender! Take one for the team. Go against your character.

"Oh, my God." She giggled. "They will not like this."

She jumped to her feet and circled the trailer in the dark. She arrived to Alex and Kat who slept. She needed validation. She needed to tell someone of her plan. As she nearly gave up, the trailer door flung open and a half naked sector two leader appeared before her. He flung the door shut behind him.

"They indicated the bathroom is out here." He said to her.

She motioned around them. "Pick a place. Any place."

Chess stepped off the step and stood at the trailer. He pulled out a rather large dick and started pissing. Tia turned her head. "Whatcha doing out here wandering? Thinking of coming inside?"

"Oh, no, Chess. That's not for me. I was hoping my brother was awake. I have a plan."

"Tell me." He suggested. "Julia said we are quite useful."

He approached the jeep after a long piss, rooting beneath the front seat. He pulled a bag from beneath the seat and sat down. "Tia. What's the plan?" He asked. Still feeling drunk. He needed a joint. He was sore. Fucking Julia...He preferred Damon to Allen. He hit the joint and tried to relax. He wasn't done in that trailer by a long shot.

Tia stood at his side and she took the joint when he offered it to her. "Hold the smoke in a bit, T." Chess said softly.

She leaned against the jeep. "I'm sorry, Chess, for saying those horrible things to you. I was angry. You need to fix this. I have an idea."

"Spill it then."

Chess listened as she detailed a rough plan before him. He thought it bold and her heart was in the right place.

"How do you plan on keeping us alive? That plan is suicide."

"It is the right thing to do. We gather a people. We exterminate their nests, at their sides. We leave when it's over."

"Leave?"

"Yes."

"Empty handed."

"Yes."

"The point?"

"What's the point now? Up to this point? I think we should fix what is broken. We should send aid to get these people through winter. We, all the free states."

"Then what?"

"California." Tia said out of nowhere.

"I'll sit that one out, thanks." He smirked, dragging on the joint. "You really want back in Vegas don't you?"

"If that is Vegas, then no thank you."

"What did you think it was, Tatia? Who do you think goes in?"

"I think the boardwalk idea is all that. I personally do not want the boardwalk in my bedroom. Maybe a pole though."

"It's what you want. What does he want?"

"The same." Tia answered.

"I'm done then. I'm going back to Vegas." He handed the joint to her, then tucked his bag back beneath the seat. "Hey, whatever you want to do." Chess told her as she finished the joint.

"I feel strange." She admitted, taking the final hit. "I feel so..."

"High, Tia." Chess nodded. "You never got high before?"

"No."

"Well, if you are anything like your sister, it should calm you. I will see you in the morning."

Zoe Flannigan. Philadelphia. 19 years old. Jay studied her picture closely. Pretty eyes when they were not glazed over with a milky film. Nice smile when she had her teeth in her mouth. He took a screen shot off her Facebook page and texted Chess.

-you know this girl?

-kinda, maybe, why? she looking for me? Is she there?

-I met her...

-I have visions of her dragging a kid to the house. philly, jay...she's Zoe, one of the girls.

-she's patient Z, patient Zoe...

-how'd you find her?

-Alex found her.

-What R U doing now, Jay?

-we know her identity. so does the world.

-STOP THIS SHIT. THIS IS NOT OPSEC.

Alex sat next to him on the sofa and uploaded a pic beside the zombie pic to the site, leaving her true name out of the upload.

"Good. Go piss, Alex." Jay said, pointing at the cup on the counter.

He went to work with a sandwich bag of urine in his underwear. It felt squishy, but his brother said to keep it tucked under there and keep it warm. Body temperature. He tossed around the idea that he didn't need this job that bad, but he did as he was told. Julia would have told him to do the same thing. He spent the day at work having passed his drug test with Alex's help. He stuck to Hector's heels and met his son, Julio, in between his classes. The kids were friendly and didn't make fun of the janitor. Jay's biggest fear had been resolved right there. A couple of them stood out. A couple of them knew Jay was stoned. A couple of them asked if he had some to share.

"The fuck outta here, kid." Jay laughed, catching up to Hector who spoke in a thick Spanish accent.

"Two weeks." Hector advised him. "You pay attention." Hector demanded.

"Si, senor." Jay grinned as he worked his way around behind this janitor who made a career out of this building, its kids, its rooms.

"I work, my son goes to school. Free." He said, waving his arms around the campus. "Free. Son not on the streets."

Jay somehow doubted good boy and reformatory didn't match up. Was Hector confused? He felt as though these kids couldn't be trusted despite their outward appearance that said otherwise. No kid could be trusted. He sat on the bench outside on his break with his cell and scanned the site that held Zoe's uploaded info. Her photo had so many hits that there was an amateur investigation into her death. As Jay clicked the link to the news article, he saw a mangled car. Charred beyond recognition. As her body had been charred beyond recognition. The only way they could identify her had been her teeth. The teeth that they'd removed maybe. A car accident? Cookie and her lies. He stared at the charred car, her devastated parents who got caught up in the lie. Shit, Jay moaned. He deleted the photo of Zoe. He deleted the whole video they'd uploaded. Shit, her parents. He never thought about parents. Their pain.

He opened up the photo gallery and looked at pics of Julia.

He texted her phone. -wake up. IMU...

Whenever she woke, she'd see it. Whenever she got around to waking up, she would text him back. Then he realized, he had her phone.

-wake up, ILYSVM

Where was she anyway? Her energy? She hadn't found him here yet and he'd been here all day. Shouldn't she have sensed him? Come to him? Anything. But nothing happened. No conversations, no cold spots, no chills, no energy. They'd come through so clearly the first time. Now nothing. Same thing happened on day 2, then day three, then the week finished out and he texted Chess to ask if she was awake.

-no, she's not awake yet. why?

-she's not at the fortress. where is she?

-i'll let u know.

As he finished the week, he observed and watched. He took in the layout, learned the building and its entrances, exits, asked questions of Hector and had them answered. No pics yet. He needed to be alone to explore and take pictures and document like Julia and Chess would want. His training weeks consisted of orienting to the grounds and the buildings. There was a specific list of things he'd need from Julia's notebook when he returned to his own place on the evening shift in 2 weeks. He had a lot of work to do, he realized, once he sat and scanned the list.

Jay arrived home from work, starting his weekend and Hayley arrived with it. Fat Hayley, or what was approaching fat Hayley. In a sweat suit and sneakers, no make up and her hair in a pony tail. He hugged her hello and let her inside the house. "Hayley, what's going on? You look so-"

"I am pregnant." She announced, flopping on the couch.

"By me? Do we need a talk?" He asked, taking her pretty face in. Was history repeating itself? It was time. Kelly was half way through her pregnancy.

"Of course not. We're not at some farm house anymore, Jayson." She snapped.

"I'm happy for you?" He asked, unsure whether this was a moment of happiness or angst or both.

"Blah. I wanna go out. Take me out."

"Where, Hay? What would you like to do?"

"Anywhere. You gotta be bored here and lonely. We can be bored and lonely and miserable together."

"I won't fuck you, Hay." He warned her.

"As if you could ever please me." She snapped.

"I'll take you out. There's some place I wanna go anyway. You up for a drive?" He looked through the door to the driveway at the car. A sweet Camaro sat in the driveway.

"Where to, Jay?" She asked.

"Well, since we're both miserable I was thinking a viewing."

"Great. It's out of here and this fucking little town. Let's go."

"Hay, it's tomorrow."

"Well did you plan on spending the weekend with me? You think you're slick."

"No, I-"

"Could be fun. You always liked fat Hayley, Jayson."

"She will kill you." He laughed. "Then me. No thanks, Hay."

"She is fucking married." Hayley smiled, tossing him the keys.

He tossed the keys back. "I ain't fucking with you Hay." He smiled. "No. I learned my lesson."

"Fine, then Jayson. Where are you taking me for dinner?"

"My kitchen."

"Oh, I am impressed. You cooking?"

"I guess. Where is mommy? She's supposed to be here."

Hayley giggled, "Your mommy?"

"Yes, my mom." He replied.

He head to the fridge and decided on stir fry. It was quick and it was good. Julia had everything written out before...and now he'd take advantage of it. She had written on the stir fry bag a list of the other ingredients he'd need. It was written on the bag, but she had her own way of doing things. Her and her lists. He had help as Hay joined him, mostly watching as he cooked and talking about Kevin. They'd chatted and argued on her iPad. She walked out on him after grilling him on why he couldn't "leave the life alone."

"It's a life style, Hay. It's his way. Like this is ours."

"This is not my way, Jay. I miss my life style of choice. I miss my boyfriend."

As they spoke, Tavin arrived home from work and spied Hayley in his kitchen. "Hayley." He said, stripping half the uniform and tossing it inside the laundry room. He saw the laundry pile and rolled his eyes. "Yo, where's mommy?" He asked, picking up the wash and placing it in the washer.

"Don't know." Jay replied. "I do know that Tia is with Alex up there. I heard them fighting."

"Where's Kell?" Hayley asked, watching him walk through the kitchen.

"Home. Bitchy thing she is. We got in a fight. She said she couldn't deal with me. She doesn't wanna do Julia's work and to expect her to...blah, blah, blah...you know the deal." He stepped out of the laundry room and looked around. "Fuckin sick of this shit. How much longer she gonna be out?"

Jay shrugged. "I'll do it this weekend." He said, stirring the stir fry.

"Hay, why are you in my house?" He asked.

"She's bored." Jay replied.

"You're looking kind of anti-Hayley. What's the problem?"

"Anti-Hayley. Ha, that's a good one."

"Yeah, color is off. You're chubby." Tavin looked at Jayson. "So you're here because?"

"To get out of my house. My parents are driving me nuts and I had a fight with Kev. I'm bored."

Tavin looked her over, smiled at her. He tugged at her pony tail. "How bored are you exactly, Hayley?" He asked.

"Are you hitting on me?"

"That depends on your attitude." He replied.

"Just go. He's the same fucking thing." Jay waved at her.

"I am not the same fucking thing. Watch your mouth." He laughed.

"Similar. I've heard stories." Hayley corrected him.

Tav held out his hand. "You coming?"

"Your psychic won't zap me or anything will she?"

"No, it doesn't work like that. She'll zap me. But I like her angry. Come."

"Um, ok. You'll do." Hayley smiled, taking his hand.

"Yes, yes I will do. So will you. But you gotta leave. Don't start hanging out here and get all crazy."

"Please, Tavin. What do you think you can do that no one else has?"

He grinned. "Jay, hold our dinner."

"Yep." He replied. "Send them down." He called.

The kids filed down as Jay dished out dinner then set aside two plates.

"Jay, why's Hayley in with Tav?"

"None of your business. Eat." He replied fast.

"Jayson, when we're done. We'll play dollies." Tia said, coming in the kitchen with her folded up house and her bucket with all her dollies and their accessories. She set them on the table and climbed into a chair.

"Ok." Jay replied. "We'll play dollies together."

"You can be the dolly with the black hair. You like that dolly."

"Ok, Tia." He set her plate in front of her.

"You can fill up the pool with water. They will swim."

"Ok, Tia."

Chess entered the R&D building from the rear emergency exit. He was escorted through the building to the elevator and noticed the tint had been added to the front windows. A dark tint, rumored in local reports to keep the sun out, but the building faced west and most were gone by the time the sun reached that side of the building. Nonetheless, the conspiracy theorists theorized that they had something to hide inside that small building. The street was still cordoned off by the police and in order to pass, ID had to be shown and there was a list with people allowed to enter. No exceptions. Chess felt this only further fed the conspiracy theorists food for thought. Nonetheless, he accompanied Dr McGill's lab tech to the lower level and he went to sit with Julia.

He felt heavy. He had news. He needed to talk to Julia. He set by her bed, connected to her. Dr McGill observed them through the glass and watched as he held her hand, watched as he reached in his pocket and he slid her ring on her finger.

-Julia, where the hell are you?

-beneath you as usual. what a night.

-connect me

-I cannot. not now. back off me. you don't need to see this. you aren't ready for this

-what the hell are you doing with me then?

-taking one for the team...so are you...

Julia laughed at him. Not with him. At him. He left her hand go and he decided to back off like she said.

"Julia, it's been a bad fucking day. I need to talk to you." He said aloud. "Wake the hell up."

"Morgan, your cell." Dr McGill called. Chess rose from the chair and handed his cell through the door. He looked defeated. "I'll leave it on. In case there is a call, Morgan. I can't allow you to have it."

"No need, doc. Turn it off altogether. I don't care if you throw it in the trash."

"I see. You are not on call?"

Chess laughed. "No, Sir. Not currently. No."

Chess sat back down on the chair next to Julia. He needed to talk to her. "Fuck it." He muttered.

-I need to talk to you. babe...

-what?

-are you done whatever you were doing?

-I am. so are you...

She's giggling. Christ.

-are you drunk?

-I am fucked up and I am sore. this guy fucks like he fights.

-so you're not under me anymore?

-no

-ok. can we talk, Julia? Babe. I need you to wake up.

-nope...i'm on a mission kinda...

-you fuck on missions?

-it's a common  rule...what do you wanna talk about...

-you're not at the fortress and Jay is worried about you. He started work today.

-good. I am glad. and I am on the way to Philly, then Jersey. I don't really wanna go. I'm scared.

"Wake up, Julia Morgan. Open your drunk fucking eyes." Chess demanded.

He was startled at the moment by a noise from the lab. He spun around, disconnecting from Julia and saw a lab tech in one of the sick rooms. She had dropped a tray and the metal had clattered on the floor of the sick room. The new patient Zom had startled her, bucking wildly against the restraints.

"You know." Chess announced from his seat, getting Dr McGill's attention. "That is why Jay put down Zoe Flannigan."

"How do you know her name?" Dr McGill asked, turning his attention to Chess.

"I know Zoe Flannigan personally." Chess replied, his back to the lab. "Did you know-" Chess continued, "that eventually her flesh and bone will rot to the point that her hands snap off and she will be loose in your lab?"

"Morgan-"

"And she will use you as a chew toy. And the rest of you. And you better hope to God that my wife is not in here when it happens." Chess paused. "If you're lucky, she will be awake and she will kill them for you."

"Morgan-" Dr McGill said urgently, stepping inside the sick room with him and Julia.

"What are you doing, doc?" Chess laughed.

He backed against the wall. The door swung shut. "There's a situation."

Chess turned in his seat. "See what I mean." He said calmly as he watched the lab tech in the sick room panicked with a fast and hungry zom on her. "Teeth or no teeth."

"Morgan-"

"What? Didn't you hit the panic button or whatever you got down here in case of a breach?"

"There isn't one."

Chess laughed. "Did you phone someone?"

He shook his head.

"If I was not here? What is the protocol?"

He looked panicked.

"Calm down." Chess demanded. "Wish my cousin was here now don't you?"

Dr McGill glared at him.

"So what do we do? Cause I am no longer part of the united states marines special squad of exterminators."

"Morgan."

"Scared much, doc? Look at that shit. No teeth. The flesh still rips apart. The infection still spreads. Jayson was correct wasn't he? Wait till I tell him this shit." Chess placed his hands on the glass and leaned forward. "Amazing isn't it? Got a firearm?" He asked.

"In my office third drawer down. It's locked."

"Well, go get it, doc. I'll hang here with wifey." He took his seat and scanned the room. This was new virus. They moved fast. The new zom thrashed against the glass. The lab tech would be reanimated shortly.

Dr McGill's shaking hands fumbled through his pocket and found the key. He tossed it to Chess. Chess tossed it back. "Damn, you still got my cell?"

Dr McGill fished through the same lab coat pockets and came up with the cell. He tossed it then the key to him. He sent Cookie a picture of the incident in the lab and then sent the same pic to Jay and Alex.

His phone rang immediately. "Yeah, Cook. You need a team down here. In the lab, yeah. It's a shame I am not serving anymore or I could save a lot of people."

"You are reinstated."

"Reinstated? That's not even the right word. You don't have the authority for that, Cook. Sorry. It's the strangest thing too. There's no protocol for this." He disconnected the call. He looked to Dr McGill. "We'll wait to be saved." He grinned. "Hope that glass holds or we're screwed."

"They can't get down here, Morgan." He said. "I have the key."

"You're fucking kidding right?"

"Let them come." Chess said. "Conspiracy theory my fuckin ass."

He rose from the chair and left the sick room once his conscience got to him. Passing the lab employees as they stood in their work stations, he ordered them all in with Julia and McGill. They didn't hesitate to enter the sick room when there were two zoms now thrashing against the glass. Eventually they'd move, find the door and throw it open. New virus was strong and fast. Two alone and no gear. He went to the office and retrieved the gun from the third drawer down. He loaded it and returned to the lab where he sat on the desk and waited for the door to open.

"This is why Jay put down Zoe Flannigan." Chess called. The zoms heard him, thrashing their bodies against the glass. One found the door. It was only a matter of time. He heard his cell ringing. Chess yelled, "What would you people be doing if I wasn't here?" Chess raised the gun as the zom got the door wedged open with its body. The other pressed against it. And then one was out. Fast, like lightening. Chess fired off one round, piercing its skull with the small caliber bullet. Then another. The other zom was still wedged in between the door and the glass. Chess fired, hitting its skull. Fragments scattered and blood splattered.

-Julia, you're missing this.

-no I'm not.

He fired again, the second bullet extinguished any signs of rebirth.

"4 shots, doc. You need a protocol. A panic button. A phone. Side arms."

"I am not allowed that side arm. There are no weapons allowed in the lab. It is a lab, not a war zone."

"What does this look like to you? Research? If you people had stayed in this lab, you would all be fucking dead. Infected. You don't know the danger. Do you understand it now?" He screamed.

-Chess, calm down, babe. They don't know. They've never seen it before.

"A nest. You would have all been part of a nest that we'd exterminate and burn."

Chess set the gun down and walked to the glass. He held out his hand to Dr McGill for the phone and the elevator key. He called Cookie. "It's fucking done. You still need a team down here. I will meet you at the elevator that doesn't fucking descend to the lower levels." He disconnected, then dialed Jayson. "She's awake. She's alive. You got what I sent you?"

"Yeah." Jay answered.

"There's more coming your way. Julia will call you right back."

Chess started snapping pic after pic and sent them all to Jay's phone.

-Chess, stop it.

He set the phone back in Julia's hand and she called Jay. Chess went to the elevator, then disappeared upstairs to ground level.

"Hey, baby. You ok?" Jay asked.

"I am. I'm weak and I couldn't get up to help. I wanted to get up to help, Jayson." She sensed Jay's relief to hear her voice. "I wanna come home, Jay. I don't wanna stay here." She said, tears in her eyes.

"I know, Julia. I know. Soon, baby."

"Oh, I got so much to tell you. Chess wants me off the phone. I'll talk to you soon. I love you."

"Love you too. Hold on." Jay said, handing the phone to Tia.

"Julia." She said.

"Hey, baby. Whatcha doing?"

"Playing dollies with Jayson. He's the dolly with black hair."

"Again?"

"Yes. When you coming home?"

"Soon, Tia. Soon. I'll call you ok."

"K. Bye."

Tia set the phone down and went back to playing. The phone dinged repeatedly with the pics Chess had sent. One at a time, through time and space. He called Alex downstairs and handed it over. "Upload this. Create an event at the Research and Development place. There's bodies there."

The lab was swarming with life as opposed to death. Julia watched it all go down from the bed. Thus the birth of the protocols, Julia thought. This is why I am such a hard ass when it comes to prevention and protocols, checklists and training. She had a feeling she watched the birth of Napoleon, himself. She liked watching Chess save lives. She got a little thrill from it. Evidently Jay had done the same thing in this very lab and she sensed that was the reason he wasn't at her bedside. Chess would have to suffice and as soon as he was done doing his report and giving his version of events, she'd have him at her side. More Chess. She'd spent the last couple years at Chess's side.

"I'd like to leave this place." Julia announced as the biohazard team clean up the lab. "Hello. I am ready to leave." She called.

Chess turned and glared at her and she piped down. He looked to the other sick bays and saw two other patients laying unconscious. Chess started arguing with a man in uniform. She saw them going back and forth with each other.

-Chess, what's going on?

He looked at her, approached her room and he closed himself inside. He pulled the curtain around her bed and he held her. "Thank God, you're awake." He said, covering her ears. As if that would keep the echo of the gun shots from reaching her ears. 

"We don't kill the living." She cried. "Chess, get me out of here."

"I can't, Julia." He said. "We're stuck here. All of us."

"No. I wanna leave.  I wanna leave. This is not how we operate."

Cramped quarters. Chess moved the hell in.

"There's no one I would rather quarantine with." He smiled, propping his feet on her bed.

"I just spent a couple years with you. What's a few more weeks, Chess?" She sighed.

When everything settled down and the military left the lab, the brass showed up and spoke with Chess through the door. They only entered when it was thoroughly cleaned.

"I believe we may have discharged you in error, Mr. Morgan."

"You were discharged, Chess?" Julia asked.

"We didn't discuss it yet, Julia." He replied.

"Why?"

"Not right now, Julia." He said, holding his hand up to her.

"Morgan, as I said, you may have been discharged in error. Your commendations dating back to boot camp have been noted and I rescind your discharge."

"Don't. I'm fine with it. I'm out." He answered.

"Morgan,"

"Chess, no. It's what you wanted, babe."

"Perhaps you should listen to your wife."

"We want out of this death trap you got here." Chess stated. "Tonight."

"No. We cannot do that."

"Then I want a sidearm. And a knife."

"A knife?"

"A hunting knife. Yes, a large one with a decent grip."

"A bowie knife." Julia stated quietly behind him.

"Get Fields on the phone and have her accomplish that." The man in command ordered.

"Oh, Chess, Swedish fish. Please." She called.

"And Swedish fish. Fields should have some on her."

"Once you're out of quarantine, you will return to duty."

"No. I said no." He answered. "You made your decision. This is why he did what he did. This is dangerous and irresponsible. I won't be a party to it one more day."

"There will be no more live specimen research."

He looked to Julia. "Is he lying?"

Julia smiled. "Yes. This isn't the only lab. California alone..." She sighed, thinking of the state and its future disarray. "These labs could start a crisis. These lab techs are inadequately trained and there are no protocols in place to- you are going to kill half the country."

"I respectfully decline any future involvement. Thank you."

"You would prefer a court martial and trial and spending the rest of your life in prison."

"For what?"

"You know exactly what you have done, Morgan. Would you like the same for Mr Keller?"

"Jayson? What's he got to do-"

"Rethink this decision."

"I will return."

"Smart choice, Morgan. After quarantine. Then a week with your family. I suggest you phone Mr Keller and inform him of his options."

"Yes, Sir."

"Within the hour, Morgan. You have your orders."

"Fuck." Chess said angrily, sitting down and pulling the cell from his pocket. "Take it down. All of it. Every pic and video. Now." Chess ordered. He stood and explained to Jayson the options he had.

"Fuck. Is that legal?"

"You killed Zoe Flannigan, Jay. That's murder."

"Our Zoe F?" Julia gasped. "From Philly?"

Jay grumbled. "I'll get Alex."

"I thought you'd understand. Thanks."

"Jules ok?"

He handed the phone to Julia for her last conversation with Jay for three weeks. When Cookie arrived with the sidearm and the knife and the Swedish fish, he took the phone and handed it to Cookie. They'd never see that phone again. Chess tossed Julia the sheathed knife and he set the 9mm on the table in front of Julia as well.

"The fish, babe." Julia reached her hand out.

"Bitch." Cookie snapped.

"Cunt." Julia mumbled.  "Nice knife." She commented, unsheathing it. "Love knives. Have I ever told you why I love knives?"

"Please, do tell." Cookie smirked.

"No. No, Cook. That's not something we need to get into now." He urged.

Julia picked up the gun and put the clip in, took off the safety.

"Nice gun. Have I ever told you why I like these 9mm?" She aimed at the glass, centering on Cookie. Chess stood between the weapon and Cookie.

"Get out. She's warning you." Chess said.

"Enjoy the fish, Bitch." Cookie said flatly, heels clacking on the floor to the elevator.

"Bring me more. I may let you live through the apocalypse." Julia put the safety on and set the gun down.

"Julia, can we please live through this 3 weeks?"

"Sure. She doesn't make it easy."

"She's not that bad. She's not. Trust me."

Julia ate a handful of Swedish fish, enjoying the first food she'd eaten since her illness began. She could only stomach so many of them before resealing the bag and setting it aside. Chess left her knife on her table, but tucked his gun out of sight. Chess needed to distract her and moved to the back pack. "I have something for you. From Kelly."

"Not now. Please." Julia frowned, crying again.

"Babe, I think it'll help." He said, dismissing the tears.

"Nothing will help, Chess. Just leave me alone."

"Oh. Ok. I'm not Jayson. Is he who you want? I-"

"No, Chess."

"I'm not a fucking mind reader, Julia." He rummaged till he found the sketch book and he flipped to the sketch he knew she'd want. He tossed the book on the bed her as she lay quietly crying. "Like I said, babe, I think it'll help."

"It's Antonia. You said you weren't a mind reader." Julia touched the sketch. "She's so lifelike."

"I thought so." Chess agreed, standing over her, gazing at the sketch and Julia's reaction to it. "Kell said you'd want it."

"She's right. I finally have a picture of one of my kids."

Chess touched her side, slid his hand over her belly. "This one."

"Caroline." She nodded. "Yes. She's alive and strong for now."

"How'd this happen?" He asked. "What happened to the Mirena? You take it out?"

"Yes."

"Jay's?" He asked.

"Yes." She nodded. "Yeah."

He crossed the room and clicked off the light above her bed. There was enough light from the lab to light up her picture. He stretched, pulled off his tee, peeled off his socks, then sat on his cot that had been wheeled in earlier.

"Chess, you really gonna make me ask you?"

"To do what?" He asked. "Oh,  no. You don't have to." He sighed, lifting himself off the cot. He brought his pillow. "Move over." He nudged her, sliding into her bed behind her as she shifted forward a little.

"I'm glad you're here. I wouldn't have been able to do that. I'm too weak. And I-"

"It's ok. I'm glad I was here. I think you could have shot a zom though."

"They're fast aren't they?"

"Yeah. I prefer the original zom to the new one. These things would have been over our fence at the front door."

They lay beside each other for a long time, keeping each other company. One of those nights with Chess where she didn't have to say anything, because it seemed like he was listening on another level.

"What are you thinking about?"

"It's silly." She laughed.

"What? Tell me."

"Think they'd let me watch Family Guy? I haven't watched Netflix in over a year. I need to laugh."

"I'll send Cookie for it. I think we'll have to settle for a dvd player and dvd's."

"That's fine. I could use a laugh. I have money. Did you bring my card?"

He laughed. "No. You know we're not in a motel right?"

"I noticed the lack of a hot tub."

Julia was awake and complaining to get everything out of her. IV's, tubes. She started stretching her legs and moving herself around. She'd spent more than a year and a half away from home over the course of a few days time. She felt tired, but she felt good. She sat talking with Chess, letting him hold her as she told him about her trip. A long and crazy trip, fun at times, but worth every second she was away. They talked a few hours while she ate and she played cards.

The lab's staff had been temporarily quarantined and a new staff had been brought in temporarily for the lot of them. This new staff was beyond professional and tense. They didn't fool around either as they had serious protocols and policies in place and never stepped outside of them. Julia felt like a monkey in a cage as they watched them and hovered over them. .

Dr McGill observed her through the glass from the adjacent patient room. He spoke with her not to her. He observed Chess playing cards with her and conversing with her. His staff would have a litany of questions for her.

She'd never met Dr McGill before the incident the previous day, but she'd recognized him instantly and his calm, professional demeanor. The next few days passed painstakingly slow. Dr McGill had his work to keep him busy as it was brought to him in his enclosure. Julia and Chess sat on the bed together watching Family Guy and Doc observed their friendship and closeness, their lack of fear and stress. This quarantine didn't seem to weigh on them in the least.

"We've done this before, Doc. It's not a big deal." Chess assured him.

"He's good company." Julia said.

"You're married." He observed.

"We are." She answered.

"Where does Jayson fit into this marriage?"

"Right this minute, he doesn't." Chess answered.

"It's a long story, but we've been separated since June 15th."

"You seem happy."

"We are."

"Affectionate."

"We are, Doc."

"In love."

Julia turned away from the DVD player. She looked at Dr McGill. "What do you want to know?"

"Why are you separated if you are happy, affectionate and in love?"

"It works in here." Chess answered.

"Yeah, once we walk out of here, it's a hot mess. We cannot function in the normal world. We get bored and we fight and-"

"We lose interest." Chess added.

"That's unfortunate. You seem right for each other."

"We are." Julia smiled, turning back to the screen.

"You see other people."

"We do." Chess answered.

"Other than Mr Keller, your other people are aware you're married."

"Yep."  Julia replied. "We don't have enough time in quarantine to explain the dynamic of our relationships to you."

"Don't they wonder where you are, Morgan? Your 'other people'."

"Jayson called my girl for me. And Fields knows where I am."

"They know what you do."

"Fields obviously does. Macy knows. I don't keep secrets or lie to my women. I have learned it doesn't work out in the end."

"You some kind of marriage counselor now, Doc?" Julia asked.

"Curious is all."

"And if I asked you all about Trudy and your relationship with your beautiful wife, would you answer so openly?" Julia asked, looking over her shoulder with a similarly curious grin.

"Yes. How do you know of Trudy?"

"And your three boys.  Marcus, Malcolm and Anthony."

"How do you know my children?"

"She smells of coconuts. It is her favorite scent. It is yours too." Julia giggled. "Keep her close, Doc. You don't want to lose her." Julia said. "We'll talk sometime and we'll figure out a plan for her...and your boys."

Dr McGill called her to the glass when he noticed the two were looking bored and tiring of each other's company. They'd bickered several times over some Family Guy storyline, so Dr McGill offered Julia or them a welcome distraction. They'd been shown the computer recreation of Jay's cells and the virus as it acted on them. In the simulation, his cells did not allow the virus inside. She'd seen a simulation of her very own blood cells, watched how the virus attacked and mutilated them. Where Chess had been disinterested, Julia had the opposite reaction and had numerous questions. Relieved someone was finally on board with this virus and seeking answers, she sat for a couple hours asking questions and having them answered. She was part of the conspiracy. Then it was her turn, she answered all Doc's questions. The physical exam had been completed by a temporary physician and the report was provided to him. She had the mental assessment. She passed one and failed the other. He didn't suggest it as a failure, rather an alternative to the norm. Looking through her history-rape, trauma, drug and alcohol dependency-he could see the results on her mental assessment from a professional standpoint.

"Well, it is what it is. I survived it all and I will survive some more." Julia informed him.

The staff had started snooping around in her sexual history. She wasn't offended and she told them politely to bug off. She refused to detail the men and women she'd taken to bed or vice versa. No list of anyone would be provided.

"When you lay up with someone, it's the chance you take right?" She shrugged.

"It is the chance one takes until you are laying in a bed as patient Z." He advised her.

"Yes, Zoe Flannigan. Chess told me." Julia frowned, thinking of young Zoe. "The answer is no."

She and Chess played countless games of cards, watched several movies, ate several meals, played 20 questions. They'd spent so much time together, Julia was getting bored. She was at the point she asked Chess for her notebooks and her Xerox copies of Kelly's drawings. She needed to look at them and compare the faces of the new people she'd met. She had details she needed to get down on paper. She had details of the fortress she needed to write down and she had plans to make. They spent hours looking, sensing and writing over their second week in quarantine.

"Where's the other ring? My amazon ring?" She asked, noticing she only wore one. She glanced to his backpack, got out of her chair and she rummaged till she found the ring box. She opened it and found it empty, the satiny slit inside.

"On Macy's hand." He said honestly, sounding testy.

"You gave Macy my wedding band, Chess?"

"I did."

"And you have nerve to be running around with the Blond?"

"I have needs. I never said I didn't have needs, Julia. I can't be with Macy 24/7."

"I'm not surprised really. You were never faithful." She sighed, sliding her ring around her finger, circling the knuckle. "Don't say it back, please." She added, sensing he was ready to come back at her.

"It's the past, Julia."

"I realize that." She said, looking at the privacy curtain.

"Whatcha thinking, wifey?" He asked, observing her as she looked at the curtain's tracking around the bed. It would not allow for complete privacy, but it would allow for just enough privacy. " I know what you're thinking." He smiled.  Julia pulled the flimsy curtain around the bed, insulating them from the night staff's eyes.

"Can we? Is that ok?"

"I can do that, Julia." He said, reaching for her hand. He took it and tugged at her.

She stood next to the bed, looking at the ring. "Make this easy, Chess. How do you want this?"

He tugged her till she climbed onto the bed with him, "I like this the way it is." He answered.

"You know, I have spent a long time dealing with you and your craziness."

"No, you spent time with the king."

"Don't poke fun. One day you will take yourself and that role very seriously."

"Ok, sounds like you do already."

"Well, Chess, there's a lot of stuff..."

"I don't want to know, Julia. Not yet. Just let me be surprised."

"Ok. But let me say one thing." She kissed his cheek. " I don't wanna be unbroken, babe."

"Oh, well, uh, I won't unbreak you."

"Once it's done, it's done. Can I show you something?"

"I guess. Yeah."

"I wanna show you Vegas." She said softly, kissing him by his ear. "No one's allowed there." She bit him lightly by his ear. She sensed the chills on his flesh. His goose bumps. "Unless we take someone in together. Usually female, sometimes male."

"Male?"

"Don't judge, Chess." She warned, biting him again, a bit harder this time on his chest. "We're very open. We explored alternative lifestyles."

"What do we do there?" He asked.

"We do drugs." She answered. She scraped her nails over his arms lightly at first, then a bit harder as she kissed him. "We drink." She added, taking his hands in hers. She kissed him over his face and neck on down to his chest. "We fuck." She continued as she kissed and licked and bit all while showing him through the energy the different scenes from the room, flashing little memories of their time there. She took Chess's size in her mouth as she showed him the more intimate scenes of them and his favorite girl. "Mia." She said, rising off his erection. She licked around the head for him a bit, sucking gently on the head, teeth ever so lightly over his length and his girth. "Don't judge. Promise?"

"This room is-"

"Promise me, Chess. I am aware you are open to it." She urged, wondering if it was too soon.

She sucked him a while longer, getting him as deep as she could possibly take him and then moved lower to hear him moan and make him quiver. Power of the tongue, she thought. "Damon." She said as she showed him his favorite male, which she blinked away from quickly.

"Oh." Chess said.

"Be open." She reminded him as she moved up and sat over him, sliding down onto him.

"Open. I'm trying." He said, feeling strange.

"Damon." She repeated.

Damon's hands, Damon's mouth. Damon and Mia together.

"No. Stop." He urged, feeling squeamish.

"Too soon, my Chess."

"Um,"

"Shhh, it's ok. It's just us, my Chess. Our room. Our sex. Our drugs and our people."

"I could feel it." He whispered as she made love to him.

"Me too." She nodded. "Let me know when you'd like to see more."

"Fuck me, Julia." He said, grasping her waist.

"It's very hot to watch isn't it?" She asked, holding onto him as he fucked her. Her arms tight around his chest. His arms under hers, holding her shoulders tight, moving his body beneath her.

"You ok?" He asked as he always asked as this would be when he backed off of her.

"Yes, my love." She said. "Do as you like."

"Sure?"

"I am." She assured him, showing him more.

She flashed his methods of conditioning her to the pain, small doses, more drugs. What normally may turn him off, turned him on more inside of her. She revealed to him her pain and then her pleasure. As he came, she opened up the room wide, welcoming him in. He succumbed to the intoxication, the male with whom he lay who pleasured him from behind and his wife whom he pleasured through it with his erection and his Mia whom he pleasured with his tongue. The bodies, the high, the pleasure.

When he slowed and relaxed, he wasn't sure how to react, having seen the future. He never in his years had thought that would ever happen. 

"I know, Chess." She said, picking his head up to look at her.

"No, you don't." He said, shaking his head as if he could forget that view.

"I do and you don't have to talk about it."

He thought a minute. "Your head game has improved."

"A lot of things have improved."

"Where'd we find the guy?" He asked awkwardly, blushing.

"Awe, babe. I'm telling you this is normal and it's alright." She said, shaking him. "Damon, we picked him up at the school. He's a student there."

"And the girl, Mia. She's so pretty."

"Mia's your fave. You've had her since she was a child, well 16. She's also Damon's sister."

"Enough. I heard enough."

"Usually it's just you and me in there." Julia laughed. "I love you, my Chess."

Dr McGill was not pleased with them. Julia was up front and honest with him about her activities, but made no apologies to him.

"You are still in the process of recovering, Julia. Do not forget that."

"I shall not." She called as she dealt a hand of solitaire on the table in front of her.

Week three of quarantine, the curtain was pulled around them more than it was open. They spent it nude and shielded from the prying eyes of the staff. At first the curtain being pulled aroused suspicion.

"Are you attempting to escape?" A man in full biohazard dress asked from inside his bubble mask.

"He's my husband, you know."  Julia snapped, peeking around the curtain.

"Jules, come on." Chess whined. "Don't make excuses."

"Fine then, no excuses."

Their last night under quarantine, they lay beside each other. Chess had started to tense up and Julia was feeling sentimental, but excited because in the morning she'd leave and go home to Jayson, her family, the people she hadn't seen in more than a month. She invited Chess along, to go home since he'd been given a week's leave.

"I'm going to Macy, Julia." He said. "You're going to Jayson."

"About that." She said, feeling strange. She had spent three weeks explaining him to himself, three weeks explaining their future relationship and at times showing him their memories that she'd gathered. She nervously took his hand and intertwined their fingers.

"Julia, what's up?"

"Well, you know how I have been telling you stories, like all about us. We need to talk about that in the context of now." She said.

"What the hell does that mean?"

"Remember we had the talk about the whole surrender thing?"

"I remember."

"Well, right now, it's a story and I think you like the story."

"Oh, I liked the story."

"Well, what's a story to you is, umm, how do I say this? Umm, it's a reality for me."

"You don't wanna go home?"

"Oh, no. The opposite. I want to, but..."

"Spit it out, Jules."

"I need you to release me. I need you to do that before I go home."

"Release you, Julia. I don't own you. Do what you want."

"I expect you to take it as seriously as I do."

He laughed, then righted himself. "I release thee, love of my life, to fuck my cousin and have his daughter."

"Ass." She mumbled.

When Julia left the compound for work a full year and a half prior to meeting Antonio Freeman, she'd left with the understanding that she may not have relations with another man. Julia jumped into the future unaware of this term of agreement, unaware of surrender, unaware of the room, unaware her husband had released her. She worked tirelessly, she worked alone. She'd traveled the northeast and she'd put in place the programs to keep her people safe. She'd devoted herself to her work.

When Julia arrived to the future and met Antonio, that rule had been unknowingly broken. Upon returning to the fortress very pregnant and with Antonio, he had been welcoming and he had been restrained. Once Antonia had been born and he shipped Antonio out of the fortress on duty with Alexander's squad into New Jersey, Chess returned to the room with Julia and he reminded her, only as he could, that he was her husband and he had her surrender all over again. Though she longed to see and continue a relationship with Antonio, she was under advisement from him that any and all relations with the young, handsome, enigmatic Antonio Freeman would cease.

Julia's hand had not been forced, though through surrender, she'd chosen the marriage and her husband before her relationship with Antonio. She'd informed him as much and also informed him that Antonia would be available to him as he saw fit. Antonio was, after all, Antonia's father.

Chess controlled any aspect of Julia's life. Julia was home. He would direct her as he saw fit and Julia would agree without hesitation to his direction. Antonio Freeman was not Jayson and he allowed her to have relations with Jayson and Jayson only. He was patient till Jayson died and after his death, all deals ceased and he came after no man or lover.

"You give and you can take away."

"Jesus, Julia. That's what I do? I have that control over you."

"Oh, yes. Absolutely. Here and now, you do. I told you I don't wish to be unbroken, but under the circumstances, I do seek release from our agreement until the time comes that, well, you know...he passes."

"So if I sent you home, took you home, and didn't release you, then what?"

"I may not enter into relations of any sort with him, or anyone else, unless you permit me."

"Does this go both ways? Do you direct me like-"

"No. But I will say this satisfies your needs and rarely do you seek love outside our marriage. Macy, of course, but she comes with the territory. She's just there. On her back."

"Does she come in the room?"

"You wish to chain her to the wall? I think she'd be traumatized. Besides, you already have with her what you always sought with me. She's given you surrender from day one." Julia paused. "She couldn't make time for it anyway. She's got five kids to chase around plus Layla."

"She doesn't have help? With the kids I mean."

"No. You and Tatia when she's there, but-"

"Where's Jess?"

"She has her own quarters. I do not see Jesslyn. You restrict me from Jesslyn. You share Layla equally. Jess has her own life and she's content with Miller."

"Surrender is very serious then." He said aloud, trying to convince himself that Julia needed release. "You wouldn't be able to hook up with anyone?"

"You don't permit it. No. I would not."

"How?"

"A great amount of self control. I call to you when I need."

"So you could handle the separation now because of this surrender shit?"

"It is not shit and I would. Yes."

"This is weird." He admitted.  "What are your thoughts?"

"I will do as you wish. What do you wish?"

"Stop talking like that."

"It is how we speak."

'So it'll work here now because of surrender."

"Occasionally, Chess, you may need to remind me. But for the most part, yes."

"How on earth do I remind you?"

"I'm gonna have to explain that too?" She asked. "But you should come up with that on your own."

"I like to punish you?"

"Oh, no. I wouldn't call it that. It's much different."

"Do I abuse you?"

"No." She answered, thinking back to when he slapped her in the elevator.

"I didn't expect this. I'll think about it."

"Very well, my love. Also think about what you will tell Jayson. You know he'll need an explanation or none at all. It is up to you. If you want, I can talk with him."

"If I release you, do we still have the option of this."

"They are your rules. Come up with them. I have noticed that our future has begun in this room. My work, your work, and us."

"So even if I release you, I may demand relations when I please."

"If you wish. There is something to be said for being discreet."

"You want us on the low, Jules?"

"Chess, enough. The terms are yours. Let me know."

"One more question. Do you do what I want when I tell you?"

"Yes."

"Can I hit that ass?"

"Yes. Usually with drugs, but I can manage just fine without. You may not just enter. It hurts. There's a process to it and it takes time. Would you like me to explain your method?"

"Hell yeah." He grinned, excited. She hadn't seen him this excited in a long while.

"This always has excited you. It is...different for sure."

"I like this new you."

"No, my dear. You love me. You trust me. Just do as I ask. You'll see." She smiled. "Can you follow orders?" She joked.

"I think so."

"Good. I'm gonna need..." She rose from the bed, dropping her gowns on the floor.

"The curtain, Julia. Geeze."

"Yes, sorry." Julia pulled the curtain around their bed. "You got a belt or something?"

"For what?"

"Lord, you lack the basics. I don't need to be tied I suppose. It helps things along."

Chess used her knife to slice off a strip of the sheet. He stood. "So I tie you to what, babe?"

When they were released from quarantine, Dr McGill gave Julia and Chess their follow up appointments. Every month for three months then every three months for a year then every six months whether they needed it or not.

Julia waited by the car door as he loaded the back with their bags. He rounded the car to get in. "Excuse me." Julia called. "You need to open my door for me. Thanks."

He rounded the front of the vehicle to her. "You forgot how?" He smiled, pulling the door open. "Do I put your seatbelt on too?"

She stayed quiet and left him shut the door too. Half way home, she wondered what his decision would be. He hadn't given her any indication of release, so she sat nervously and quietly and watched the road as it passed them.

"That ass, Julia." He said suddenly, breaking the silence and startling her.

"Is sore." She said softly.

"Is addictive."

"I realize this."

"Don't let him have it."

"Alright. Are you returning me to him?"

"Yes."

"Are you releasing me to him?"

"It's what you want. Yes. One month, Julia. That's when I will see you again."

"That is fine, Chess." She said. "Any other terms?"

"No." He responded.

"May I touch myself?" She asked. "Jayson likes that."

"Yeah. All you want."

"Oral sex?"

"Jesus, Julia. Just fuck like usual."

"Ok, sure. The usual."

He looked at her, then put his eyes back on the road. "Julia, no one else."

"No one else? What's that mean?"

"No women, no brother."

"Which brother? Mine or his? Jules, that's gross."

"Agreed, Chess. 100%."

"Do I gag you?"

"Not usually, no. You gag Mia and Damon."

"That. You do not speak of that with anyone. I know how you like to tell him everything, but that is off limits."

"I wouldn't." She argued. "I see how it makes you feel now. But you are thinking of him. You are very close."

"Julia."

"It makes you uncomfortable, but you are thinking of someone. Not Damon. I know things. You may experiment, my Chess."

"Get out of my head. You're like Kelly."

"I am not in your head. I just know you. Would you like to do that? I will do that with you."

"I am not gay, Jules."

"I know. Neither am I. You can talk with me about your feelings for the opposite-"

"I'm gonna gag you. Stop. Please."

"Yes, of course. I apologize." She giggled. "There's nothing to be ashamed of, Chess. So who are you thinking of?"

"I'll work on it and let you know." He smirked.

"You pick up guys the same way you pick up girls." She reminded him. "I think guys are easier."

"Not a word. Not one word, Jules."

"My lips are sealed."

"They better be." He said and it sounded like a warning.

When they arrived home, no one was there. Karen had Tia with Cal and would drop her off when they went to work. Jay had left for work. Tavin was at work and the rest were at school. Chess brought her things inside and downstairs to the basement. He set her things on the floor and she looked over her new carpet. Strikingly similar to the last carpet.

"Well," he said, approaching her from the steps. He put his arms around her waist. "I should go."

"Not just yet, Chess."

"Wanna fuck before I leave?" He smiled, kissing her cheek.

She looked down at her ring. "That's not what I meant, Chess."

"Oh. Nevermind. I wanna go bang out Macy. Try that ass method with her."

Julia laughed. "Good luck with that." She held out her hand. "Take the ring off and leave me go."

Chess felt silly doing this, but it appeared as though Julia took this action very close to her heart.

Chess slid the ring off her finger and tucked it in his pocket. "Ok. I release you."

"That's it?"

"Did you expect me to recite a poem or some fucking shit?"

"Get out. I love you. Bye, Chess."

"Hey, call me if you need me." He said, kissing her forehead. "I love you too."

CHAPTER 19-SAVAGE

-I'm hot...I cannot keep up with these kids...dying...of thirst...in pain...my muscles...my belly is jiggling...I want my flat stomach back...help...

Where was Chess? She needed to talk to Chess.

Julia kept that on loop through her head in the harsh August heat and humidity. She veered off course and sat beneath a tree, in the shade, and rested before she died of heat exhaustion and turned the course into a real live one person nest populated by one out of shape, overweight red head. Her obnoxious teenage boy jogged over to her and started yelling in her face. She was flushed and sweaty. No matter what shape she ever found herself in, she knew she would never tolerate anyone screaming in her face.

"You obnoxious, little piss ant back off me." She screamed, reaching for the kid's throat. She shoved the boy back, having left her nail impressions in his Adam's apple. She balled up her fists and prepared because these infantry kids did not take orders and they had no respect for the female persuasion. They were dicks. He'd come back at her as the boys had been told to treat the females as if they were males. The more brutal ones loved that and turned into these obnoxious and pushy fools. He stepped back toward her and she hit him square in the face, cutting her knuckle on his tooth. She dove out of this kid's way, but still caught him with a fist into his abdomen. This was only junior infantry. The entire two week affair still loomed in the near future. This was merely normal infantry training.

"Get up, Morgan!" Her partner, Justin Kidd, all of 14 or 15 years old, screamed at her, snatching her by her pony tail.

"I will break your fucking arm. You get one warning." Julia said calmly if he even considered dragging her by her hair. She was seething mad. "One." She counted. "Two." He released her.

"Please, Mrs. Morgan. I am sorry, but I was ordered to treat you like a guy."

"Do you pull a man's hair and attempt to lead him by it?"

"No, ma'am."

She slapped him hard. "You are an insult to the infantry." She yelled, shoving him. "Get away from me."

"I'm your partner, ma'am."

"You. You need your ass kicked is what you need."

He stood at her side and waited her out in the shade.

"Why are you still here?"

"I have to wait for you. And you're holding me up, ma'am."

"I told you to leave, Kidd." She sighed, wiping the sweat from her brow. "I am not a runner."

"Are you a fuckin' walker then? Let's go." He said impatiently. Julia watched as his lip bubbled up from the punch. "Why are you out here?"

"You, Kidd, who's third in the class? It's Mayers, Keller then who?"

"Devine."

"You. Kidd, take me to Devine. Who ever he is. If I cannot have one or two, then lead me to three. Cause you're an annoying and obnoxious little punk."

"That may involve you moving your ass."

"How fast are you? I'll give you a head start. Cause when I catch up I will give you the beating of your life. Five seconds." Julia said calmly. "One...Two..." She started counting off to five and the kid sprinted off from her. She kept her word and she gave chase. She chased Kidd till he stopped at a short and skinny little fellow with close cropped strawberry blond hair. His fair skin sizzled like hers in the sun. Julia was behind but when she got near Kidd she leaped and grabbed onto his head, knocking him to the ground. She sat across his chest and aimed her fist at his face. Strawberry blond caught her and dragged her off Kidd.

"You are insane." Kidd screamed at her, pointing his finger in her face.

"You point that finger all you want. You stay away from me."

"Hey, lady, shit, calm down." His small arms had her firm around her flabby waist. For someone so small, she didn't budge an inch, he restrained her.

"Let her go." The instructor demanded.

"No. She needs to control herself and act her damn age, Sir."

"Devine, are you refusing an order?"

"Yes, Sir. I am." He said firmly.

Julia settled. "Hey, you're Devine?"

"Yeah. What's it to you?" He said, still holding her in his clutches.

"It's cool. Lemme go." She said, relaxing. She spun around and he put his hands up, but didn't strike her. "Gosh, D. What are you doing?" Julia asked, stepping back a step. "I came looking for you."

"Why?" He asked, straightening up.

"You're number 3." She smiled. "I'm Morgan."

"I know who you are. What do you want with me?"

"I can't have number one or two, so I choose you."

"I don't want you."

Julia frowned. "Why? Cause I'm a girl? Another one. Damn."

"A bitch. You're angry. You're mean. You're immature. You're-"

"Oh, thank God." Julia smiled. "Thank you, God. Finally. I have been through about five little dick heads and finally I find the honest one. A scrappy little fellow you are, too. I like the way you defied orders there. Good choice. We'll learn a lot from each other. You got good energy, D."

"I won't put up with your shit, lady."

"Fantastic. That's the spirit. Good. You don't care who I am, right? I keep telling them not to, but-"

"I don't give a fuck or two fucks who you are. There's goals we have to reach. I expect you to reach them." Confident. Divinely confident. "You raise your fist to me and I will end you. Understand." 

"Understood. So what's the goal before we get too crispy out here?"

Bossy little man he was. He was all work. He was no nonsense. He was insane as well. OCD to the max. He had goals and he went for them with all his might. He may have been small, but damn he had heart. He was tough, fair. Didn't assault her or scream at her at every turn. He wasn't much of a talker. He was perfect for Julia.  She'd wondered all afternoon in the hot sun whether this young man failed at anything. He kept it moving and he motivated her with respect instead of insults. He was miserable, never smiled, but the kid kept it positive with her. Kept calling her lady. If they were only all like this kid, she'd thought. Till the end of the day when they both hit the wall. Both stood there looking up.

"Go on." He said. "Up and over. Ladies first." He smiled.

"Awe, hell no." Julia laughed. "How?" She laughed. "Oh, please. We're not Spiderman, D. How do you usually get up there?"

"I usually walk around, lady. Figure that's why I am 3."

"No one can-" She started to say till a couple kids sprinted through and went up and over the wall. "Well, I'll be damned." She said in awe. "Know what, D? I had this happen once. We were in a garage lot." She said, walking around the wall, looking over the slats, wondering if she could fit her fingers in there. "You know. One of those places that fixed cars back in the day. Musta been about 16. Anyway, we led a horde of zoms into this lot and when they were all jam packed in there, Tavin closed and locked the gate, which left me and Jayson inside. Now I had never scaled a fence like that. Tavin, he could. Up and over. He'd taught Jay, right. So there I was. Same size minus the baby fat here." She said, grabbing at her roll at her waist. "So these zoms are closing in on us. I thought, shit. I am a goner, you know. But Jay wouldn't leave me. He said he'd get me up there even if he had to pick me up and throw my ass over."

"How'd you get up?" Devine asked.

"Come here." Julia said. She bent in half, cupping her hands, linking her fingers together. "You weigh less than me. Put your foot in my hands."

"You gonna throw me?"

"Up, D. Yes. You catch the top and do your thing."

"You cant throw me up." He said.

"If there was a horde on your ass you'd be putting your foot in my hands."

He placed his dirty boot in Julia's sweaty palms. "So, on three, you jump and I will push. Yeah?"

"How you getting over?"

"One thing at a time."

"Julia, what are you two doing?" Jody asked , stopping and looking at the display in front of him.

"Team work, Mayers. You do you and I'll do me. Same result."

"How are you getting up there?"

"Watch and learn." Julia said, sounding more confident than she felt. She looked at Devine.

But she already had the answer. She needed his upper body strength at the top of the wall. "Trust me." She whispered. She counted to three and hoisted that kid's skinny ass as hard as she could and he missed. "Again. You were almost there."

"You were. She's right. Do it again." Jody ordered. "Stretch, Devine."

Julia counted to three and hoisted his skinny ass as hard as she could. She took a boot to the face, but Devine was up, dangling on the wall. "Pull up. And sit there." She ordered. Please, please be able to pull up. She thought as she unbuckled and removed her belt. He did it. That was the easy part. "Now here is where things get tricky. So in zombie world, at this pivotal point in my story, this is where my Jayson stood about over there and he ran and he jumped. I was sitting up there like a princess in her tower, right." She looked at Jody. "Take your belt off and throw it down." Devine unbuckled and unstrapped and tossed her his belt. Julia linked them together, then pulled on them at their connection point to test the strength. "Any who, all these monsters are closing in and that kid jumps up and over and hauls ass away from that fence, leaving the princess sitting on top of the fence. Or something along those lines. Catch, partner." Julia said, tossing him the belt. A little crowd had formed as they were waiting to hop that wall and run, but Jody held them up. "Yeah, so dangle that belt down over the wall and this is where the true test of your strength will be proven, D. Cause your pulling me up. This may hurt similar to the boot you planted on my cheek a couple minutes ago."

"Yes, Julia." He said, dropping the belt down for her. She still couldn't reach it. Jody stepped to help her.

"Back the fuck off me, Mayers." She snapped.

He stepped back, "You sound like Keller."

"Keller sounds like me." She corrected him as she ran and jumped and caught hold of the belt. The kid held on for dear life up there, then stabilized and pulled Julia up high enough to reach the wall when she left go of the belt and pulled herself to a perch just like her teammate. "Thanks, D. So I sat there on top of that fence just like I'm sitting up here now and I lost my fucking Nike to a zom clawing at my foot. I lost a Nike. My Nike. You cannot possibly comprehend how pissed off I was because I lost that shoe. I only had one pair. It was winter dammit."  She shifted her body and sat with both legs over the wall. "Which brings me and you, D, to the next problem."

"What's that?"

"Jumping down. It's why I lost my fuckin' Nike. I was scared to jump down." She paused, stalling. "Do you understand what Nike's are and you don't seem as upset by this loss as I was."

"Jump. Or is he catching you too?"

"Gonna let that slide, Mayers."

Devine scooted over on the wall closer to her. "Hey, put your hands here. Push off, hands and feet, Morgan. Watch." He jumped. "On 3."

"Yeah. 1,2,3." She counted quickly and leaped off after him. They moved aside, looping their belts through their pants and buckling up. "The moral of the story is..."

"Use your fucking brain."

"Ah, gosh. I was thinking love conquers all, but whatever." She smiled. "Oh, hey, it takes more than one man or woman, you know. It takes a handful of bad asses to do the unthinkable, create a plan and act on it. We wanted off that street and away from that place. It was awful there those first nights."

"So why did you lock them in?"

"We didn't just lock them in, they would have pushed that fence down. The goal, D, and I witnessed the goal. It was amazing. Alcohol in a bottle with a tee shirt stuffed in as a wick. Or we may have used kerosene. I doubt we used alcohol. I was a raging drunk back then. So it makes a fire bomb once lit."

"I see. Makes sense. So, let's go. The rest is simple."

As the afternoon closed to an end, she was about to drop. All she wanted was to bathe, curl up in her bed and drift off to sleep. She stuck by Devine's side till the instructors called it a day outside the school. Julia went to the hose with the rest of the juniors and washed off, drenching her body with the cold water. Once cool and fairly refreshed, she went straight for Chess and asked him to go outside with her. He went without asking why. She looked like hell, sopping wet and dripping on the floor in the main house and then soaking the jeep seat.

"Get in." Was all she said as she climbed inside and she drove the leader to the course she had tackled with Devine. She drove through most of it as it was completely doable for all ages and even her fitness level. She parked by the wall. The dreaded wall that restricted Devine from moving forward and being Mayers number two. "Get out." She demanded as she dragged her small and aching body from the jeep.

"What are we doing all the way out here?"

"It's just me and you, Chess. Look around."

He looked around.

"Go over that wall."

"Julia," He laughed nervously.

"Go over that fucking wall or I will make you. I am in no mood, Chester Nicholas Morgan."

"I can't, Julia. God. Look how fucking high it is."

"Remember the firebombs?" She asked. He took too long to answer. "Green Street, Chess. It's how we got off Green Street."

"I remember. Yes."

"How did I get out of the yard?"

"Jayson-"

"How would I have gotten out alone?"

"You wouldn't have."

"That wall is higher than the fence, Chess. How am I supposed to get up there, babe? You, how are you? We're midgets, Chess."

"Alright, my love. Alright."

"My partner, Devine. He's number three, Chess. Why is he number three?"

"You have a new partner?"

"Yes, not the point. Have you stood beside the kid?"

"No. I know of him-"

Julia rushed him and she stood against him. "This is how tall the boy is." She yelled pointing at herself. "He's shorter than you. How is that kid getting over the wall?" She screamed.

"Julia, what is wrong with you?"

"You people set the kid up for failure. How, alone, do you propose he get up there from down here? Me? You? This has nothing to do with male-female. It's short versus tall."

"A rope."

"Where is the rope? In the field we would have a rope. The kid would be two or one, not three."

"I can make that happen."

"This course is unrealistic from a field stand point."

"It's not about the field. You know this."

"Get in the jeep. I'm tired."

"I will add rope."

"Thank you." She said, starting the engine.

"Did you go over it? The wall."

"Of course. Together. I want the kid on north campus."

"He's three."

"He's mine. I wish to train with him. He deserves a chance and really what's one more?"

"Poor attitude and he has some issues with authority."

Julia glared at her husband. "Who's that sound like?"

"You can work with him?"

"He reminds me of someone."

Julia drove the jeep back to the main building. She parked and let the guardsman have the jeep back. Once in the house Chess directed her straight toward the shower and clean clothes. He handed over Antonia when she emerged refreshed from her room. He ran over a report with her about her behavior on the course. Again. He did mention the instructors agreed that she and Devine worked well together. They'd spent the day on the course and they'd had no issues with either Julia or Devine after having teamed up. They'd reported on their teamwork and their instant camaraderie.

Chess informed her to stick with him and work on the behavior problems. Whose behavior problems exactly he was unsure. She was only supposed to be training and he'd partnered her up purposefully to get acclimated to the routine. She didn't necessarily have to stick together with someone after the first day. They normally didn't do that. Julia had been difficult from the outset. She found the juniors to be disrespectful.

"They are boys." Chess said.

"The boy was going to drag me by my hair this morning, Chess. What's that got to do with being a boy?"

"Which boy?" Chess demanded.

"I took care of it. But you do need a course on how to interact with females. If any of them have done with Tia what they have dared to do to me..."

 "Tia has not complained."

"I am. I am. Hello. Right here. Wife. Mother. Friend."

"We will hand their asses to them, then."

"They need strong females to do that."

"I do not want the grounds over run with girls. A select few."

Alex had Katara doing her own special training program. He refused to let her go into the infantry first day with Julia because she was so awkwardly shy. He had worked with her and Thursday and Friday she'd set out with them to test the waters. Alex still believed she was too young, too small, too shy, too everything. In addition to that, she seemed disinterested. Bored.

"Perhaps you were wrong on the girl, Chess. Did you ever think of that?"

"What have you been doing with her?"

"One on one."

"Aside from that."

"No, I have been doing it one on one with her. Assessments first, evaluating her strengths and her weaknesses, of which she has many."

"She is quite athletic, Alex. I have witnessed her fly through the air and climb. She has endurance, agility, balance. What is the problem?"

"Advanced thought. Chess, it is her age. Physically she is doing well, but the maturity level is-"

"Put her on the course first thing. Let her run with Julia and her new partner, Devine."

"Another new partner."

"This may be the match. This late in the week, I don't see how it matters, but she was impressed by him. She is young, perhaps if she felt like she were playing instead of working."

"Chess-"

"You said it yourself. Jesus Christ, Alex, how old is she after all?"

"14."

"Shit. Are you dealing with her properly, treating her-Has she spoken yet?"

"She wont shut up."

"I haven't heard her utter a word. She speaks in sentences? You think she's retarded?"

"No. She is not."

"On the spectrum maybe? Haven't seen autism in ages. They don't last long out there."

"I don't know. Maybe?" Alex shrugged. "Anyway, you haven't been listening. She speaks. She's chattering now in there. You don't hear her?"

Chess looked over his shoulder as she sat with Antonia on her lap. He heard nothing.

"She's not loud, Chess."

"She's not speaking, Alex." Chess stated, looking back at him annoyed.

"You seriously cannot hear her?" He pointed to Kat, quietly cooing at the baby, telling her how pretty she was and bouncing her on her lap.

"Speak, Katara." Chess demanded.

"Yes." She said not looking away from Antonia as the baby giggled.

"She is a strange child." Chess observed, struggling to hear the barely audible 'yes' that she'd uttered.

Cookie Fields was on time to get Jayson for the interview at the reformatory. She prided herself on punctuality. Jayson waited for her on the curb outside the main lobby to the hospital. He appeared nervous, fidgety. He didn't want to leave her, but she'd say this interview was important for the cause. He dressed, took his paperwork that Tavin dropped off and he got in the car with Cook. She drove like the countryside was a Nascar track. He had belted in and feared that wasn't enough restraint for him as she edged through red lights as they changed from yellow. She drove too fast. She never applied her seat belt. She was frightening. The navi system spoke through her car, guiding her to the Reformatory. She was waved through the gate and they drove to the main entrance, parking outside the front door. The place was ominous and huge. All stone. He'd only seen the fortress on line and in the pics Julia had taken with her phone.

"What kind of interview is this?"

"For a job, Cook. I gotta get this job."

"Why are you aiming so low?" She asked. "You're a smart kid. She wants you to work here?"

"Yes." Jay answered. "I'll be back."

He entered through the first floor main entrance out front. He was directed to the HR area through the first floor and was told to follow the signs. He wound his way back through a hall to a sitting area where he checked in with the secretary and he handed over all the paperwork. She created a clipboard for him and she told him to wait, which he did. He took the seat across from the elevator.

Alex and Chess's conversation ceased when he picked up and moved on to his war room. He had several days left till the departure and had to gather reports on the progress being made at North campus. Chess was a reluctant organizer. He had to keep all these affairs straight.

"Kat, something's weird." He said, peering behind her.

Kat looked around and saw nothing. She shrugged. "I don't see anything."

"Take the baby and send Julia. Wake her if you must."

Kat rose with Antonia and stepped into the elevator. Alex felt him close, but he hadn't called him. He hadn't been thinking of him either. His energy appeared without being summoned, which was strange because that never happened. He'd come of his own accord.

When the elevator door opened a few minutes later, Julia stepped into the foyer looking annoyed and beat. Sunburned, her skin felt crispy. She rubbed her eyes, having been awoken by Kat. She was unhappy about being called down by Alex, but she went as asked.

"S'up? What did I do now?" She asked, rubbing her eyes.

Alex waited for her to adjust, wake a bit. "Are you feeling what I'm feeling?" He asked.

Julia felt nothing, but she smelled him right away. She sniffed. He was near her, close enough to touch. She waved at Alex to come to her. She touched her nose as he approached. She turned, sniffing the air and closing in on the far wall by the elevator where the play pen had been set.

"I love that smell, Alex. He rocks that smell."

"Jay." Alex said.

Jay looked up from his papers the secretary had given him and started to get up when he noticed no one had called him. He set back down. The voice sounded familiar. "Yeah." He said softly, looking over his shoulder behind him. He felt shivers.  "Jay." He heard clear as day. The hair on his arms stood up. He got goose bumps. "Tavin?" He said low, trying not to attract the secretary's attention. The voice sounded like Tavin's voice, slightly off, but it was definitely..."Jay, it's Alex." Jay was confused, hearing voices. That voice did not sound like Alex's. It was too old, too mature.

"He heard me. Thinks it's Tav." Alex said to Julia. "What are you doing here, Jay?"

"Interview." He answered.

"Yes, shortly." The secretary smiled. "Anxious are you?"

"A bit, yes, ma'am. Bathroom, ma'am."

She handed him a key and pointed to the hall. "To the right next to the elevator."

"The bathroom is to the right next to the elevator." Jay repeated. He thought he was losing his mind. "Yes, thanks." Jay smiled at her as he took the key. He left his clip board on his chair and head to the elevator. The unisex bathroom was next to it. He opened the door with the key and then locked himself inside.

Julia followed the scent trail of the cologne from next to her to the elevator. "He's moving."

"Bathroom to the right of the elevator." Alex repeated. "He's here for an interview."

Julia looked excited. "He's gonna be the best little janitor ever."

"Thanks." he grumbled, sounding unhappy about that. "Where are you?" He asked, looking around the bathroom. "Jules, wake up."

"I will, babe. I love you."

"What are you doing?"

"Gonna go to bed. I'm tired. I just put the baby down."

"I wanna go with you..."

"Awe, me too, Jay."

"I wanna go with you."

"You smell so good. Go to your interview."

"Yeah, I'm gonna get a job."

"Go. Love ya."

Julia wandered back to the elevator a few feet and pushed the button. Alex watched her step inside and ride up. Alex thought a moment, thought about the Julia he had in the main house currently and her attitude about the relations they'd had. He figured he'd go for it.

"Jay, you know there's a way you can stay with her." Alex proposed. "Let me run something past you real quick."

"Don't fuck up my interview."

"Don't forget about Kat. Tell her to go to bed. She has an early morning. She'll do as you say."

"The women around here do that from what I hear."

"It's a good thing."

Jay stepped off the elevator, stretching out in his new skin. He didn't ask Alex how or why and didn't care. Alex was rather pushy about the whole affair, but he transitioned right into him as if he'd had experience with it. He found the room Alex had directed him to. He saw a kid sitting on the bed and she jumped a bit when she saw him.

"Hey, Kat?" He asked, eyeing this young girl on the bed.

She didn't reply, but she was understood by Alex somehow.

"Go to bed. Sleep." He said softly. He pulled the door shut and walked the hall to Julia. He saw her sprawled on the bed knocked out. The baby in her bed asleep as well. He stood in the door way a while and watched her sleep. He nearly went in when the door behind him opened. The sudden company startled him a bit. He spun and saw his sister in a lip lock with the junior infantry boyfriend.

"Jody." He said.

Jody pulled off Tia, kept his arm around her waist. "Yeah."

"Get out." He said sternly.

"Yeah. I'm going. Night, T." He said, kissing her cheek. "I Love you."

"Awe, Jody, I love you too."

Jayson had spent more than one night in his lifetime sitting next to a sleeping Julia, but a live and young Tatia, he'd never had the pleasure. He crossed the hall and welcomed himself in her room. He was quiet at first, looking around at her stuff, searching for a personality in there. Books, science fiction and horror. A couple drawings, laundry on the floor. Sheets in disarray on the bed.

"Tell me about the boyfriend, Tia."

"Get out, Alex." She sighed, straightening her bed up.

"You love him? Why?"

"Alex, as if you care."

"I am interested, yes."

"No child bride tonight, brother?" She questioned him.

"Uh, I never asked for commentary on my moral character." Sounded like the right thing to say. Child bride? The young Katara. Jay glanced at Alex's hands. "I wear no ring."

"I like Jody's moral character." Tia replied. "I found in him what I looked for."

"What's that, Tati?" He asked.

"A strong person that...why am I talking about this with you?"

"Because I ask."

"A strong man, commonly decent who has the stuff of my brothers." She answered.

"What stuff, Tati?"

"He treats me with respect. He talks to me like a human. He holds me like a female should be held. He shares with me, bares his soul to me."

"You've made a good choice."

"I have made no choice. He chose me."

"I see."

"I know my limits, he sees none. He sees me as an equal."

"He respects you."

"Yes, Alex. What is this about?"

"I haven't spoken to you in awhile."

"You never speak to me. You insult me, tell me I am incapable."

"When you said that you found in Jody the stuff of your brothers, you were not including Alex, me, in that equation."

"What qualities do you possess that equals that of Jayson or Tavin or even Chess?"

"You do not think much of me?" He asked, sitting on her chair at her desk. Tia lay on her bed and curled on her side facing him.

"You are arrogant. Elitist. Narcissistic."

"You would prefer a more humble man."

"You flaunt your accomplishments, Alexander."

"I am proud." He said.

"With pride comes humility. You have none."

"Oh, you do know who your brothers are, correct? The way you talk about them. You remember where we came from?"

"I do. I have been here half my life."

"What about the first half?"

She smiled. "I had a pleasant and safe childhood. I would not have wanted it any other way. Perhaps you should remember as well where you came from. New Jersey has changed you."

"I might not say it much, Tati, but I love you."

"I love you in that you are my blood, Alex. Beyond that..."

"That's enough, I guess."

"I saw Jayson tonight. That is why we were in the stables so long." Tia announced.

"Why there?"

"He's buried there, dumb ass. Why not? I sat with Jody and I told him about Jayson."

"You miss him."

"Yes, I do." She nodded. "I told him of our memories, everything he taught me. We spent so much time together."

"I did as well."

"You were chasing girls here, Alexander. When Julia did not have time for us, Jayson and I spent time together. I'm so grateful he taught me what he knew or I would not be able to do what I do with the juniors."

"I'm glad he did that, Tati."

"And what of you? I had hoped you would be able to take his place in that regard, teach me more. We shall be side by side soon and what then, Alexander?"

"You are my sister. I will protect you and-"

"I do not need protection."

"What do you need?"

"Nothing I cannot get from Julia. Get out, Alexander."

"Has she been to New Jersey?"

"No. But she's been in nests. A nest is a nest."

"I never talked about New Jersey with you have I?"

"You never talk about anything with me, Alex."

"I can talk about zombies and the death they do. I can talk about humans and the death they do. Human suffering, the extent that people go to in order to survive despite their suffering."

"Mature coming from you. Considering New Jersey is always a game to you, a game to be played."

"Death is not a game, human or otherwise, Tati."

"It's all very permanent, death."

"Quite the opposite. Life is limitless. Death is not death, but rebirth into-"

"Jayson, stop. It's time to go." Alex said. Jayson looked around Tia's room, having heard him. He felt the pulling of his organs and his body stretching away from Tatia and that time.

"You sit and talk with Tati. Make things right with your sister." He said as he transitioned.

Jay found himself in the HR office shaking hands with a man named Hector. He'd read as much on the name badge he wore on his shirt.

"I will show you around, Jayson."

"Rebirth into what, Alex?" Tia asked, laying before him on her bed. Jay had free will to visit Julia and he chose Tatia. He'd warned him he had little time, but Jay went where he chose.

"More death evidently." Alex replied. "I'll sit and talk with you. What do you wish to know, Tia?"

"What is this? You invite yourself into my room, tell me you love me despite my criticism of you..."

"I love you." He stated. My Lord, what had Jay been saying in here? As in blood loves blood. "Yes, I can say that."

"Why are you against me going to New Jersey? Why are you against me joining the infantry?"

"It is not something I want, Tia. Why would I wish the same for you?"

"Huh? You love the infantry, Alex. You love the-"

"I do not, Tia. I do not like being in the middle of a war zone. I do not like-" Alex stopped himself. "I did not want this life. I woke up one morning and they sent me in to Jersey. I was content in my home with Care beside me. That's all I ever wanted. It cycled into this."

"Huh?"

"If I did not have experience I would have died the first day. We met with human and dead and battled both to retreat with our lives. It was the ugliest and worst of human atrocities." He paused. "People are starving and we attacked them. We broke their strongholds, even though we were against that idea. It violates our beliefs. We unleashed the dead on them, which only created more dead."

"Alex, I-"

"We beat the savages back with weapons advanced for them. We slaughtered them and then set the dead on them. Is that what you'd like to hear, Tia?" He asked, watching for her reaction. "The plan for next gen was to turn the savages, every last one of them, then slaughter the dead, then move into New Jersey, only the savages are just that-savage. They came back and they came back strong, they turned the tables, doing with us what we had done to them. They led us in and they unleashed the dead on us. They gained weaponry, vehicles and most importantly our men who they tortured and retrieved information."

"They are stronger than you, us."

"Yes, at times. Your plan, the peace, was introduced and they said, 'fuck you'."

"It is a good plan, Alex."

"I agree and we have given them more than a fair share."

"So what's the problem?"

"It's not ours to give. It belongs to them in the first place. There is nothing to share, Tia."

"Why are we there? What's the purpose?"

"It's a game, Tia. That's all."

"Fuel."

"What fuel? They have no more than we do. They have nothing, except land."

"Supplies."

"Tia, we have more than they do. We are civilized, grow our own, make our own. We burn their shit to the ground. Their food, their livelihood, we have destroyed it. They are still hanging on."

"Should we pull out?" She asked.

"Then what? What happens when we pull out and they come over the bridges?"

"We blow up the bridge."

"At this point, Tia, we're keeping them over there. The growing season is done, Tia. They won't last the winter most of them. Then what? Hungry people will look for food. They will cross the bridges into Pennsylvania. They will cross into New York. There's intelligence that suggests they are already here, Tia. That they have blended into our society and they lie in wait for word to start their rebellion. Then, sister, we have all out war. War with humans, live, thinking and thirsty, hungry humans in the dead of winter. So would I like to send my sister to New Jersey? Absolutely not. You will see New Jersey, Tia. It will come to you, you will not need to go to it."

"Is Julia aware of this?"

"I do not know what Julia is aware of."

"Is Chess aware of this?"

"Yes." He nodded. "It's speculation. He believes we can hold them off. He believes that once the die out starts, there will not be many to cross. We have mobilized infantry along the coast from New York to Pa to Maryland. They will not get through, or so he believes."

"What do you believe?"

"I believe what I am told to believe. As will you. There is no room for free thought. Are you an activist and humanitarian or an infantry man-woman-whatever?"

"Oh, I never really knew what was really happening, no one has ever told me until now. My plan would have been different, Alexander."

"That was the only part of your plan that was right. That's why he liked it so much. Your plan keeps them over there. Keeps them from coming here. There was a window of opportunity with your plan, Tia and that window has closed. It was hinged on the growing season."

"And now?"

"Now, those nests that you think you're going to destroy...all it is, Tia, is figuring out where they are, protecting the seer in there. It's strategic. Unleashing the death again. Once we know where the pockets are, we unleash them. Let them out, burn them out, force them into the sunlight toward the strongholds and toward those that seek to cross the bridges, luring them to the coasts on the west. We may not know where the living hide, but the dead do. It is a well devised plan and our only chance to prevent war in our very own back yard."

"Chess thought this up."

"And others, yes. He's protecting his interests, Tia. His land, his people, his family."

"How do you know this?"

"I've been briefed, Tia. You'll be briefed as well, next week, but not here. And you will be sworn in. Welcome to the family business. This is it. Once you're sworn in you are obligated to hold all this information in your head and not repeat it. You are obligated to do all the stuff of the infantry, Tia."

"But you are telling me now. Aren't you sworn in and not allowed to speak of it?"

He blatantly ignored that question. "You can change your mind yet. You haven't left for north campus yet. You haven't held up your hand or anything-yet."

"You cannot quit?"

"No. You're sworn and you're in for life. You are owned from that moment on. You cannot leave. It could be considered treason. You are lucky, though."

"How's that?"

"You are on the team that bleeds together. You have your out. You are the only one who has that option of getting out, leaving, living a normal life."

"Huh?"

"You can have a baby, stupid." Alex smiled. "Why do you think there's no females in infantry? You get knocked up, you get knocked out and you know too damn much."

"I'm in for life, Alex?" She asked. "Unless I have a baby?"

"Pretty much. Make sure you want this."

"What about Julia? She has a child."

"She knows she'll return and the baby is going to be taken care of by people she trusts. She's O.I. She has some say in regards to her place."

"O.I.?"

"Original infantry."

"Alex, you are original infantry."

"I am. As well as next-gen. Aren't I lucky?" He paused, looking at her hands. "Tia, do you have the gift? You're nearly 17." He asked.

"What gift?" She yawned. "Do you mean my monthly?"

"Damn, no." He laughed. "You'll know it when you receive it. Come to me not Julia, please."

"Yes, ok. As soon as I receive the gift, I'll be sure to make you aware first."

Jay returned to the car and Cookie more than excited. He was thrilled in fact to have received a job offer and to have communicated with the grown Tia. He hoped that Alex was making things right with his sister as he had asked. Finding out there was discord between the two was off putting. He didn't want that. He didn't raise them with that animosity and dislike of each other. That was uncalled for, Jay thought.

"I am a janitor, Cook. Take me back now, please." He said, grinning from ear to ear.

"Congrats." She said, trying to match his enthusiasm. "Nice place in there."

"Very. Yeah. It's got a homey feel to it. It is perfect. Julia was right."

Jay pulled his phone from his pocket and he turned it on. He texted Chess that he got the job.

"You seem very excited by this opportunity." Cookie chuckled.

"I am. I am indeed." He answered, strapping himself into the seat and he held onto the handle above his head.

When Jayson returned to the room, he found she'd been transferred. Not only had she been moved from the room, she'd been transferred from Maverick General altogether. He gathered his things that he'd left in the room and he left the hospital without knowing where she'd gone. It was ordered by her attending physician. A team from another hospital had arrived and transported her away from Mav General. To where, they wouldn't say. 

Jay called Chess and Chess stated he was unaware of any transfer.

"Where the hell is she, Chess?" Jay screamed at him.

"I don't know, Jay. I'll find out. Let me call you back."

The phone disconnected and he sat outside the hospital on a bench and he waited. He had a sinking feeling Cookie Fields was involved. He was angry. He swore under his breath that the next time he saw her, he'd pull her gun on her and shoot her. He hadn't felt like killing someone in a long time.

Tia had information she needed to share with Julia and couldn't get Devine away from her long enough to do so. She couldn't get her away from Devine either as they sat and talked waiting for their morning to begin.

"Anything you need to say, Tia, can be said with my number two here." Julia said.

"You're my 2." Devine corrected her quietly.

"It's about New Jersey, Julia." Tia said.

"He's going to north campus and he's going to New Jersey, so let it out, girl." Julia informed her.

"Were you ever sworn into infantry?" She asked.

Odd question, Julia giggled a little. "No. We did not swear in back then. We just did it, Tia."

"What do you know of treason?" Tia asked as Jody stepped in beside her.

"Treasonous acts? Um, I haven't really thought about that. What does one need to do to get thrown out of Pennsylvania?"

"Treason is betrayal and you pay with your life when caught. You give the enemy our information. You speak of our orders and directives freely with civilians or persons not sworn into infantry." Devine answered for Julia. "Number two." He informed her cockily.

"Who? We can go kill him ourselves." Julia laughed.

"Alexander." Tia answered, looking at Devine.

"Your brother is giving our plans to the enemy, Tatia Rose? I hardly think that-"

"No, he has not, Julia. He's given our information to me and I am not in the infantry."

"We shall kill him then?" Julia asked, looking to Devine.

"If we are ordered, yes." He answered.

"He briefed me on New Jersey." Tia stated, looking at Devine. "Look, I am tired of playing with words. Can we talk or not?" Tia said impatiently.

"You wish to brief me?"

"Fuck you, Julia." She said. "How's that for a briefing? Fuck you and your little number two."

"One." Devine stated, laying back on the grass.

"Keller, could you please-"

"Not now, Jody." She snapped. "Get the fuck up or I will make you get up." Tia smiled.

"Ladies, not the time or the place for your cat fight." Devine interjected, laying comfortably on the patch of grass.

"Get up, number two." Tia demanded of her, raising her voice.

"Morgan. My name's Morgan." Julia said, not wishing to fight with Tia or do anything else with Tia.

"By marriage only."

"You, child, were one secret away from being a Fry. You, child, are a Keller by default. So I would tread very carefully."

Jody intervened, stepping between Julia and Tia. "Back down. This is family shit, Tia. Keep it in the Main house."

"Jo-"

"Back down." He said, cutting her off. Tia backed off and backed away, sitting across the grass by herself in the sun.

"Why is she trying to get a rise out of me?" Julia asked, looking at Jody.

"She is not. She asked one simple thing of you." He answered, taking a seat next to Devine. "This is not the time or place for it though. Devine's right."

"Watch your back, number two. You've pissed her off and I do not intervene when females fight." Devine stated, pulling his hat down over his eyes.

"Neither do I." Jody agreed.

"Why not?"

"I like to watch girls fight." Devine answered.

"We do not get involved in personal disputes." Jody explained.

"I have no personal dispute." Julia said, looking across the grass to Tia.

"You've created one. You haven't been in infantry in a long time. When a fellow junior asks to speak with you, you do it."

"I forgot you boys take this seriously."

"That's your problem, number two. You do not take this seriously." Devine said.

"So now I have to fight her?"

The boys laughed.

"That's not what we did back then."

"This is not back then."

Julia stood up. "In my day, boys, we just came out with it instead of beating around the bush."

The boys watched her walk off to Tia.

Jody had the information that Tia had entrusted him with that morning. She fetched him before the others woke. She sounded less than excited about heading forward with the plan for New Jersey as well as the infantry. He argued with her, of course, that Alex could have been mistaken or misleading her, but she hadn't sensed any dishonesty during their conversation. She made her reservations clear and said she'd inform Julia because Julia would know what to do. When Julia snubbed her, she felt slighted and dismissed. Jody only stopped her to prevent the boot from kicking her face. She'd done it before. Tia could be the bully when she needed to be.

Julia took a seat beside Tia in the sun and she listened to Tia talk and talk and talk some more. Julia's facial expression changed from her typical early morning miserable façade to that of surprise then awe. She said nothing to Tia, got up and reclaimed her spot next to Devine. She was pensive, running through the information she'd been given. She needed to think. She didn't appreciate being 'a pawn' as Tia had called her. Why had Alex been briefed on New Jersey and not Julia herself? She wasn't sure she was even willing to go anymore. Julia considered herself a humanitarian first and if Alex was correct, that went against the humanitarian inside her. Killing the dead and rebuilding societies town by town and shoulder to shoulder with survivors was what she prided herself on. She had earned respect for that. Minus some scuffles in Virginia, she was revered for rebuilding a fallen society.

A game...Julia thought...a game...do I wish to play?

I do not participate in killing my fellow human beings. It goes against everything Jay and I stand for.

"Jayson." Julia said to herself. "Tia, what would Jayson do?" She yelled across the grass.

"He would not stand for this for one minute." She answered. "So what do we do?"

"Think. I will think and I will figure this out." She said. "I'll write it all down later. And I will need to speak with our brother." Julia looked to Devine. "Plans may be changing, Devine. You're still going to north campus as I said. So don't worry."

"I don't worry about shit, Julia. Easy come, easy go." Devine said.

They'd been called in from the course and invited to the war room. Chess stood on the landing and awaited them.  He welcomed them inside. He had Kyra and Layla playing on the floor. "Sit, please." They sat in the chairs and remained quiet. Same stoic, stone faces. Chess wondered if they were bored as this was a matter of formality only. Chess flipped through Devine's folder.

"Issues with behavior and insubordination, Devine. Excellent skills and field assessments. Over all poor attitude."

"If that's what it says, Sir."

"Julia has latched on to you. Why?"

"If I may speak freely," He smiled.

"Please, we do honesty here."

"I do not take her shit, Sir."

"Her shit, Devine?" Chess asked, a crooked smile on his face.

"Yes, sir. She's mean. She's angry. She's violent. She's a bitch, Sir."

"Would she appreciate you speaking of her in this fashion, young man?"

"She would because it's the truth. And she's immature, Sir."

"Anything else? Any other observations?"

"She's strong. She's a fast thinker. A problem solver. She's got balls. She's pretty."

"Sounds like her." Chess sighed, scanning the paperwork in front of him. His file was thick and his corrections too many to count. Little slips of paper, known as corrections, were handed down occasionally to the ones with behaviors or poor attitudes. Punishments were scribbled on the bottom of the corrections slips. Commendations, little slips of paper that noted his skills and achievements, were as thick as the corrections.

"I like her, Sir. She's bad ass."

"Yes, Devine." Chess smiled.

"She said I had good energy. We do not raise our fists to each other and she doesn't scream at me like she does the others. Honestly, no one wants to deal with her." He paused. "She's one of us and it's an honor being by her side all day."

"She speaks highly of you as well." Chess looked over the folder some more. "Oliver Devine." Chess said, tapping his pencil on his desk. His attitude alone went against the grain. His instructors were very critical of him in that regard.

Julia giggled and whispered 'Oliver', poking his arm. "Ollie." She giggled. The boy smiled.

"Julia seems to think you have what it takes to be one or two."

"I do, Sir." Devine interjected.

"Did you ever think that it is your attitude that holds you back?"

"I say what I say because I believe it, Sir."

If not for Julia, he would not have had the pleasure of meeting this kid. He had some spunk in him. Cocky for his size. "Devine, welcome to the team. I have spoken to your parents. Your mother has some reservations, but your father has indicated you may advance."

"Julia stated I am going to Jersey. Am I to trust her?"

"She did. Lord, this woman has a lot to say this week. Only been out there 4 days." Chess closed his eyes and rubbed his temples. "Yes, Devine, trust her. She's going out on a limb for you."

"She goes out on no limbs. I find her very cut and dry. Either she likes you or she does not."

"Devine, enjoy her company. She is at your side and you are at hers 24/7 at north campus. You are responsible for each other and each other's actions."  He looked to Julia. "I want zero problems at north campus."

"Won't come from us." Julia replied. She thought a moment then changed the subject. "Would you care to remind us of our role as you see it in the conflict in sector three. So my number two here is clear."

"One, lady. Number one."

"Yes, of, course, number one. Please, Chess, elaborate."

"You'll be briefed upon arrival as to the details. Julia, you've been in nests before."

Julia sat a moment, an idea sparked into her brain suddenly. "I have another suggestion. These juniors are not yet completed their three years training. I don't believe they should be sworn in to infantry. Maybe they should be sworn in upon returning-"

"What is this about?"

"I was speaking with Tia today who spoke with her brother last night and Alexander indicated that once sworn in, she would be sworn in for life. Team A now has some reservations about this. They'd be lifers."

"You know this and they know this and it is clearly stated upon arrival to-"

"Tia was not informed until last night and she arrived into 2nd year, not first with the rest."

"I will speak with Tia personally."

"She brought this to me in confidence. I would like you to consider what I asked of you."

"Julia, I will not change traditions for her. When a unit is called, they are sworn and that is it."

"They are juniors." She reminded him.

"There are also 25 other teams. To back out of infantry now is insane, especially for Mayers. He feels similar to Tia?"

"I have authority where she's concerned. I can restrict her from New Jersey and I will send my number two here in her place. I cannot speak for Jody."

"This is insane." Chess said sternly.

"Then I shall not go." Julia said. "I would prefer to be with Antonia. She is my daughter. She is my out from all this nonsense. I believe Antonio would prefer I am home with her. Fight your war, Chess." Julia said, rising from her seat. She stepped out of the war room and her boots could be heard thumping down the two flights of stairs.

Chess leaned back in his chair and rubbed his temples. Eyes closed. "Devine, are you still here?"

"Yeah, I haven't been dismissed."

"Yes, do me a favor, Devine. When you get out to the course, take the female from Alexander, and tell him to report to me. Do the full course with the female, Katara is her name."

"Yes, Sir."

"I think you'll find that the wall is easier to scale."

"Yes, Sir."

Alex did not like interruptions. When Julia's partner, Devine, informed him that the boss wanted him and then further informed him that he was to hand Kat over to him for the course, he was irked. Chess was not pleased when he arrived to the war room. He handed his ass to him, then demanded to know what he'd been filling his sisters' heads with to cause the both of them to retreat from sector three prior to their arrival in sector three.

"She has every right to be informed of the decision she's making." Alex said.

"What possessed you, Alex?"

"Jayson was here last night."

"You called him?"

"No, he appeared. I call him when she asks me to call him and she has not asked me to call him."

"She hasn't?"

"No. She hasn't. Your marriage-"

"Is not your business." Chess snapped at him. "Did he visit with her?"

"No, he did not. He visited with Tia. He told me to sit and talk with her and she guided our conversation to sector three. She asked questions and I answered those questions honestly. We do honesty here."

"Whatever you have told her, she has told Julia and now Julia is not interested in this endeavor. Neither is team A."

"Mayers? I find that hard to believe." Alex said. "There are 25 other teams."

"Julia's abilities-"

"This plan of yours goes against their beliefs. Tia wishes peace. Julia wishes peace. This is not peace. Is it any wonder why they are conflicted? It is not that they cannot do this. They are physically and mentally capable."

"You told her the whole truth, Alex?"

"Yes. She is my sister. Tia believes what she speaks. Julia can play either side of the coin." Alex thought a moment. "They do not like this because we are not going to peace with New Jersey."

"Despite the fact there is an imminent threat to our livelihood and well being from the savages, they do not agree?"

"They feel they are an oppressed people, by you, us, all the free states that are involved.  Honestly, most of us do feel that way. It is why there is not much enthusiasm for this war. The purpose is-" He waved his hands in the air.

"Tia's plan was an excellent plan. They refused intervention despite all we offered. What would they have us do, Alex? Strategically speaking."

"It is not a mystery." He replied sarcastically. "If you still need her on board for this, ask your wife."

"I ask you. You sit in front of me."

"Go to peace with New Jersey. Leave them alone. Pull up any and all stakes and walk away. End it. We should have never started it." Alex stood. He paused, placing his hands on the back of the chair. "Do not blame Tia for this sudden change of heart. It was my doing."

"She's in Maryland, Jay. She's fine. She was transferred on orders due to her condition."

"Whose orders, Chess? Yours? She's not their property."

"I-I-"

"Chess, I'm pissed."

"When I agreed to allow them to take her blood and tissues samples I may have consented to this without my knowledge."

"You don't think this is shady?"

"It is. I agree 100%." Chess said trying to sound reassuring. "Look, I'll have Cook bring you down here."

"Does Cookie have something to do with this? You don't think it's ironic that as soon as she's alone in the room, this happens? Did you have anything to do with this?"

"No, Jay. I had no idea."

"I am fucking pissed off, Chess." Jay yelled. "She's getting better. She's coming around. She's not looking like death anymore. They should have transferred her a few days ago."

"She wouldn't have survived a transfer then. You know that." Chess told him. "She's got antibodies in her blood. They want to run tests on her."

"What would she want? Would she be alright with tests, Chess?"

"If it could make a cure or a vaccine, I think so, yeah, Jay." Chess raised his voice. "Cookie's on her way to get you and bring you here. They want blood from you."

"I don't wanna be a lab rat."

"You won't. You were in close proximity to her and they feel as though you might have some of the same antibodies. Why didn't you get sick? She hurled blood all over you. The clothes you were wearing were tested and came back positive."

"I have never been sick."

"Why? They feel as though you should have been."

"I don't fucking know. I am fine."

"I know that. You know that. I have given them my blood. I have antibodies built up to the old virus, not the new one. The one you two came in contact with in Mount Oliver is new virus, nesting virus."

"There's two different viruses?"

"No, there's two different strains of the same virus." He corrected him.

"Fucking fantastic." Jay mumbled. "Fine. Whatever. Ok. Where's this fucking blond at?"

"Checking out of the hotel. Stay there. She's coming."

"Yeah. Of course. Whatever."

"You know they would have taken you too. It just happened you were at an interview. When do you start?"

"Monday morning. I can't miss that or all this is over. It's a great place. You guys were right. There's-"

"Not now, Jayson."

"Ok. Ok. There's a lot I need to tell you, though."

"There's a lot I need to tell you too."

"Like-"

"Later, Jay."

"Like-"

"They're going to need a list of all her sex partners."

"You have got to be kidding me."

"Jay, there's stuff she tells you that she may not have told me or your brother."

"Um, I am not sure that she would-um...I don't know what to say."

"Lord, there's more than I thought?"

"Um, depends on what you know, cause she's confided some-shit, Chess."

"Thus another reason why you need to talk with these people and give them a clear picture on her. You know her best."

"I can't help them with Philly. I asked her not to tell me anything cause I don't wanna know."

"I haven't mentioned Philly, Jay. That was so random aside from the shit that went down with Kev."

"Chess, I don't wanna know."

"We were so fucked up, man. The drugs-You have no idea."

"Are we talking men and women here or just guys?" Jay asked as Cookie pulled to the curb in front of him. He stood up and gathered his belongings from the bench.

"Everyone." Chess said.

"Well, that's information only she will give. I will not betray her trust."

Jody was not pleased as he and Tia were replaced by Devine and Furlong as Team A. He was fuming mad. He let her know it in no simple words. "What the hell did you do?" He screamed at her. The approach was menacing. Completely caught off guard, still working that day's drills, she had no idea what he was talking about? She looked around her to make sure he was directing his words and his anger toward her specifically.

"Nothing. I haven't left the course, Mayers. What's wrong?" She asked.

"You make decisions for you. You do not make them for me. What were you thinking, Tia?"

"I don't know what you're talking about." She said softly. She truly didn't.

Jody was angry obviously as he got in her face. "You are very lucky you are female. If you were male I would knock you out right now." He balled his hands into fists and used every bit of control he had within him to keep his hands from her. I am not my brothers...I am not my brothers...he repeated as he walked away from her.

Tia stepped to go after him, but Devine held her up. "Keller, that was a warning."

She glanced down at the kid who had only placed a hand on her forearm. "It's a fight I would not win anyway." She nodded and then stepped back. His eyes said no, so she heeded the warning and went back to the work at hand, leaving him fume and walk off. "I haven't done anything." She said, feeling resentful for actions she didn't take. What decisions had she made? She hadn't made any decisions for herself or him. She wasn't left with good vibes, she felt off balance.

Devine pulled her aside and spoke to her. "Keller," He said, looking around to the others. He moved with her out of ear shot of his fellow juniors. He felt comfortable informing her of what had transpired in the war room with Chess. "He then sent me for Alexander."

Tia was awestruck. "There are 25 other teams." She sighed, letting that sink in to her conscious as she became emotional.

"You and he," Tia motioned to Furlong. "You're 3 and 4."

"Mind if I ask what you told Julia this morning?"

Tia felt fine alerting him to the truth as she felt he should know as well what the directive was heading to Sector 3. "New Jersey plan is not what it seems. It's a holocaust, Devine."

"A holocaust?" He asked, folding his sunburned and freckled arms across his chest. "You come out here and accuse your brother of treason and now you speak of a holocaust? They're some serious accusations, Keller."

"I realize that, D." She nodded, tears in her eyes. "You should know as I know. Understand why I have reservations? If you know Julia at all, you'd understand why she has the same reservations. But Mayers has nothing to do with this. She included him in this? He has no reservations, the infantry is his life, all he's ever wanted."

"If what you say is true, that means-"

"That means, in no confused words, that we will exterminate those people who live and survive in sector three. We will turn them into monsters then we will doubly exterminate them and take everything from the Delaware River to the Atlantic Ocean."

"Wow." He said, shaking his head. "Tia, this is-"

"It's fucking wrong. We do not treat other human beings like this. And we call them savages, D. That is exactly why I took this to my sister. This is not the foundation on which this compound was formed, D. Have you learned your history?"

"Yes. I have. There's right and wrong. Why do the others-"

"They are sworn to follow all orders and directives."

 "What of you now, D? You know the truth?" Tia left him with that question and went back to her business, alone and pensive, alone and with anger building inside her. What had Julia done to Jody's future? Her own future? She and Mayers had not thoroughly discussed their thoughts yet, no decisions had been made between them.

The instructor approached her a half hour later with Mayers at his side. He escorted them both from the course altogether.

"Why? Where are you taking us?" She asked as the instructor placed them in a jeep and drove on to the dorms. He drove silently till he deposited them in front of the main school building.

"Keller, Mayers, you are no longer members of junior infantry." He stated. "On a personal note, Tia. It's a shame. You're an excellent junior. It's been a pleasure to have you in the group this year."

"But why? What have I done? I don't understand." She said, tears welling in her eyes.

"I am not the man you should ask. Good day, Tia. Mayers," The instructor said, extending his hand. "I hope you find your way in this world."

"Yes, sir." Mayers answered, shaking his hand. He climbed back inside his jeep and drove off, leaving her in front of the building's entrance.

 He looked to Tia. Both stood shocked and she couldn't speak through her tears. Jody, on the other hand, was not crying.

"Tia Keller." He said, no inflection to his voice. "How on earth did you manage this? What happened, Tia? T, what the hell am I gonna do? Go home to my brothers, T? You know that-what this means for me?" He placed his hand on her shoulder more to hold himself up as opposed to comforting her. "Is this a damn dream, Tia?"

"I can fix this." She cried.

"Tia, you cannot fix this." He said. "It's done."

"My sister-" She cried.

"Is not my sister." Jody sighed.

"I trusted-"

"Tia, it's done." He said as he observed the house master exit the school building. He approached them both.

"Mayers, you need to come with me. What happened today?" He asked as he guided Jody from Tia back to the dorms.

She turned and looked at the school, then rounded the building to the courtyard. The children played in the yard. Macy sat with the babies on a blanket. She saw how upset Tia was, but Tia ignored her when she went past her. "Where's Julia?" She asked, crying and confused. She had confided in her the truth and had she betrayed her? She was angry, but held it back till she faced her. She glanced to the second floor and her stomach was in knots. A vibe, not a good one. It felt like she'd been kicked in the gut. She had worked too hard and too long and trained to be as strong and to catch up with the rest of the juniors. She had not wasted her time and effort.

"Inside." Macy answered. "Tia, honey, are you alright?"

"Not now, Macy." She said firmly. The first level was empty. She rode the elevator to the second level and stepped into a fight between Julia and Alex. A heated one, which quieted when she made an entrance.

"What have you done?" Tia asked.

"I told Chess the truth, Tatia."

"I told you what Alex said in confidence. I came to you because you would know what to do. I didn't come to you to get us thrown out of infantry. What the hell is wrong with you? Is this your big plan? Is this how you work now?" She asked, flushing with anger.

"What? I did not know he'd-"

"You told him. Some sense of honor or obligation or something?" Tia asked, moving toward her.

"I didn't know he'd-"

"Why did you tell him at all?" Tia screamed. "Everything I, everything Jody has worked for is gone-poof-up in the fucking air. Do you have any idea how hard I worked? I trained and took insults and lowered myself and strengthened myself and gained their trust and earned their respect. Do you have any fucking idea how hard it was to break through that stereotype and feel equal?"

"Yes! I do! I think-"

"No, you did not think."

"Tatia-"

"I trusted you would do the right thing, Julia. This is what you think is the right thing?"

Tia walked past her and Alex to the hall to her room. Julia followed. "Tia, I will talk to him. Let me-"

Tia turned and hit her square in her mouth. "Back off me or I will fucking kill you where you stand."

Julia smarted from the punch, but said nothing and didn't back off. She stood still, a little woozy and trying to believe that had actually happened. Julia felt Tia's hand gripping her around her throat. "The throat. That's what you always go for. Right?" She screamed, cutting off Julia's airway. She couldn't breathe. She held back though. Unsure whether to go there with Tia, whether to strike back. Tia jammed her body against the wall. "I said I will kill you." She screamed.

"Tia, stop it." Alex ordered calmly. "Leave her go."

Tia pulled her fist back and punched the wall beside Julia's head, then left her go. Alex observed Julia, sucking in air and gaining her composure. Alex shook his head. Not many got away with that with Julia. Not many got to turn their back and walk across a hall and slam a door. A few moments later, Tia stepped into the hall again. They still stood in the same places.

"Where is he?" Tia asked calmly.

"War room." Alex answered as Tia walked down the hall. "What are you gonna do?"

"More of the same." Tia answered, pointing to Julia.

"Not recommended, Tia." Alex said, watching her walk away. He leaned against the wall with his arms folded over his chest. Tia flipped him the middle finger and kept walking. "Shit, Julia. What have you done?"

"Trying to help, Alex."

"Help? Learn your fucking place." He said, taking off at a slow pace behind Tia. He watched as she went through the double doors to the stairway. "You think she's really gonna do it?" He asked, hoping the vibe coming off her was incorrect. He hadn't read human vibes or paid much attention to them like Julia had.

"Are you going or am I?" Julia asked. "I don't feel like fighting him. It's a fight I had once. I lost."

Tia did not knock, rather she walked in and she leaned over the desk. He sat in his chair, going over paperwork for Furlong. "You replaced Jody." She said calmly.

"I did." He answered, not raising his head to look at her.

"You pulled us off infantry." She said calmly.

"I did."

"Why?"

"There is no room for reservations in the infantry. You have reservations or doubts, you are out."

"Why Jody? He never doubted."

"It's done."

"We-"

"It's done. Leave my office."

"Asshole." Tia muttered.

"Tatia Rose."

"I am not infantry. I will call you what I please." She said angrily. "And you are a little asshole. And that wife of yours is a cunt."

He stood and he went to slap her. She caught his hand. "Do not raise your hand to me. I am not your child nor am I your wife."

"Did you come to fight with me, Tia?"

She left his hand go. "No." She laughed. "I came to tell you this is not over."

"Are you trying to intimidate me, Tia?"

"Yes. Cause this girl is going to New Jersey and I shall gather a people behind me. When I return, Chess, I am bringing savages on your land and I will bring them through the fences and I will bring them into the main house and into your war room. Get fucking ready."

Tia turned her back and walked away. She took the steps slowly and with confidence. She found her brother on the landing at the bottom of the steps. "You, brother, you coming with me or not?"

"Yeah, what the hell." He smiled, following her through the door.

"You know people. You know who I mean. The ones who have no enthusiasm for this war." She said.

"I do." He nodded. "Certainly, sister."

"Brother, let's go earn us some respect and a sector. Whatcha think?"

"I think that sounds like a lovely idea on this August afternoon."

"I'm gonna gather up my boyfriend, then we'll recruit a couple thugs. You getting your child bride?"

"Yep. On it." He said.

"Cause it's wrong and we're right."

"Fuck yes." He nodded. "You feel it yet, Tia?"

"I'm feeling something, Alexander. Energy."

"Welcome to the family curse."

Jody was packing when she got to the dorms. He thought she was coming to say good bye, maybe apologize, explain how the day spun completely out of control. His control. When he woke that morning he pretty much had his future planned out, then Tia walked in and with one conversation about sector 3, that was all gone.

He pretty much had his future planned out till this pretty girl showed up in juniors one morning half awake and toting a cup of coffee. He would never forget that morning. Finally something good to look at and of all people, the princess from the tower. He'd seen her before she'd seen him. He observed her from the castle watching the juniors. He'd observed her activities with Leo in the dark, overheard a few conversations and then watched as she ran away that night from the gym obviously disturbed. He knew the story Leo gave wasn't true, but he let the guy have his moment never having thought she'd be a junior or attempt to infiltrate the club with a cup of Joe and smelling of flowers. A guest, the instructor had informed them. Hands off, eyes off and mouths shut. A fine guest she was. After a day on the course with the guest, he knew she would stick around because, for one, she wanted to and two, she was capable, strong even if uncoordinated and scared.

As a few weeks passed with this stubborn girl in their midst, she had no clue the meaning of teamwork. She was the kinda junior that thought she could do everything on her own. She was skilled, but clumsy, didn't take instruction well and they'd eventually had enough and they broke her. The meaning of stay down, she stayed down, on her knees or lower all afternoon till eventually she'd crawled away and they thought they were rid of her, had defeated her, broke her. The girl was already crying as they sent her back to the main house filthy and spent. It had been him that told her if she were male, they'd strip her down and spray her off with the hose. She crawled on to the main house and he had no idea what went on inside the door once it closed, but the girl came back out. He noticed Julia was with her and he thought they were about to get their asses handed to them, but they didn't. In fact, he'd sensed Tia had, for crawling inside to begin with, for giving up. She either talked Tia into crawling back or had made her crawl back, which one he wasn't sure. He knew that the Julia inside the main house would have never allowed herself to be overwhelmed or overruled by a junior.

Once Tia had been released from her crawl for the afternoon, she stayed on the ground. Was she stuck? Was she doing it purposefully? He had felt bad for instigating the stay low afternoon, so all he did was offer the girl a hand up. He sprayed the girl with the hose as he would any other junior and he called it a day with her. From that moment on with the infantry, Keller started to fit in. She improved in leaps and bounds, asked for help when she needed it and she listened to those who knew more than she knew. She came to life and she excelled. The difference one punishment made, he thought, to one junior female. She latched onto him and a select few others that had treated her, as Tia liked to say, commonly decent. She'd sought the ones that put her learning and her strengths ahead of her tits and her ass and above all her name. She became aware, watched and learned, followed them around relentlessly from field activity to activity and in class. She never was pushy and never forced her way into the circle of juniors, but remained on the outskirts till the time was right. She had an inside scoop on the history, could detail the stories of the first nights and the years before the state had been cleared and declared free. All the lure and rumor had been cleared up by Keller as she remembered it. Tia, the girl, was funny and weird, but she still fit in and she grew herself a little backbone.

How he'd let her transition them from the field to her bed was not as much a mystery as a moment of weakness. He was a guy though. After all was said and done, when the princess invites you inside because you 'owe her', then you go. He did hesitate once inside, but he went there and that opened up a whole situation. They kept a lid on it awhile, but eventually it was no mystery where he spent his spare time or with whom. Their activities, he never spoke of. He'd seen her rage with Leo and he respected that rage. Not that he couldn't take care of her if she came after him, but he never wanted her to come after him like that either. He was falling hard for the princess. She was more than the girl in the main house. Awkward and weird at times, no social skills, a poor conversationalist, had few hobbies. She was just actually quite dull till she let her guard down and became vulnerable. She only wanted a friend after all was said and done. The sex was a bonus.

"So what now, princess?" He asked as he zipped up his pack.

"Oh, you'll see." She answered him quietly. "I will meet you outside, Jody."

He turned his head to look her way and he swore he saw a knife on her left hip. Distracted by her ass, he turned back to his bag.

As Tia went down the stairs toward the game room, she met up with a handful of soaked juniors making their way back to the dorms, but she also met with a handful who had stopped her and cornered her in the stairwell. Devine was with them. "You leaving? You gonna do something about this, Tia?" Devine asked.

"I saw your brother outside with Katara. Where you going?" Leo asked.

"I wanna make this right." She answered, pressing her back up against the wall. They were closing in on her.

"Room for a few more?" Devine asked.

"Want some help?" Furlong asked.

"Is Mayers going with you?" Another named D'Angelo asked, rounding his way up the stairwell to the landing.

"Yeah, I wanna go if all you guys are going." Kidd said, following D'Angelo.

"Pack up then." She said, suddenly feeling responsible to all of them. She suddenly felt the weight of her words that she'd spoken to Chess. She'd rallied some sense of loyalty in Alex.

What have I done...

Alex stood with Kat as Tia emerged from the dorms, holding his pack and Kat's on his back. She appeared to have a look about her that suggested she'd seen a ghost. "Changed your mind? You haven't left the yard yet." He smiled. He was, after all, calling her bluff. As if he'd dare take his sister and her boyfriend to New Jersey. He knew she was angry and intent on leaving. He knew she'd cool off and he knew she'd spend a few nights in the common world and then return to the fortress and apologize to Chess and possibly Julia. That was his plan. He did plan on letting her leave, have her moment of defiance that they all had taken with the family. This would be a good time to do as Jay said, make things right with his sister. He had confidence in her and knew she'd fair alright with Mayers, but it was a different world than the one she remembered from her childhood. The one night she'd spent outside would not suffice in world experience. He'd told Julia as much when he left with her.

"Tia." Jody called from the door. "What the hell is going on?" He had his pack on his back and had a small group of juniors on his heels with their packs as well.

"It seems I have found us a squad, Alex." Tia said quietly as they filed out the main entrance. "Um, Jody, there has been a change in plans." Tia said nervously as the others formed a line by Alex.

"Tia, you have stolen the top four and a few others."

"It appears that they believe in the cause, Alex. So I suppose-"

"Boys, you do know what this means, that once you leave the grounds with your packs that you are no longer part of the junior infantry."

"Did you get us all kicked out? Tia, what's going on?" Jody asked.

Devine stood tall, looking to Alex for some guidance. "Is what you told your sister the truth?" He demanded.

"Yes," He replied. "Who are you?"

"Devine." He answered.

Alex looked at the rest, thinking he'd have to fix this incident with Chess before they were all expelled from the juniors. He was about to leave grounds with five additional juniors with packs.

"D'Angelo, Kidd, Furlong, and I am Carpenter." Leo said, pointing at the others as he named them. Leo had been the surprise tag-a-long as he'd only just returned from his leave a couple weeks prior. He'd healed, obviously, the knee was doing well on the course. The injury could have put him out altogether, but he wanted to return. He wanted to make things right with the juniors and Tia, which he had done upon arrival.

Alex led them to the armory adjacent to the range and he tapped in the key code to open the door. He handed out pistols to each junior. He observed Tia placing hers on her right, then she stepped away and waited for the others to arm up. Alex took one for Kat, but he kept it on his side as he'd witnessed the girl shoot and she wasn't safe yet for her own weapon. Extra rounds to each person. He watched her looking at the stable. Small and white wisps of light flickered in the small pasture. The energy appearing similar to fireflies.

Guardsmen approached in their jeep and questioned the kids immediately as to what their purpose was at the armory. Devine directed them to Alex through the armory door. "Is there a problem?" Alex asked.

"Saw the kids, Alexander. Thought something was up."

"Going out on a night course is all. Going to north campus next week. Getting them ready for night course."

"Of course, of course. Have at it then." The guard said with a hand shake. "Good seeing you, Alex."

Night course? Tia asked under her breath.

"Skills weekend. One night and one day, Keller." Jody whispered. "We do train at night. Mind telling me what we're doing, Tia?"

"I-I" She stuttered. She pointed to the light. "You see that?" She asked.

"The barn, T. Yes."

Alex locked up the armory and walked to her side. He saw it too as she pointed.

"Energy, Alex." She said to him. "How many horses are inside?"

"Enough to ride out of here. I was thinking a jeep, Tia, or two."

"It's a sign." She whispered unsure of that statement as it escaped her lips. "Yes?"

"Yes." He rolled his eyes. "Can everyone ride?"

They all gathered in the stables and they all chose their ride and mounted up. "I cannot stress enough the seriousness of what we are about to do." Alex warned them. "Are you boys sure about this?"

"Alex-"

"Tatia Rose, we are crossing some major lines here. If anyone wants to back out, it would be a grand idea. We're going from common to criminal."

"I wanna know how we're getting out of here with the horses is all." She replied.

"You're not allowed to head out of your own grounds on horses with your juniors?" Jody asked Alex.

"Never tried, Mayers." He replied.

"Someone make a decision." Devine insisted, still standing on the ground beside his horse.

"Having trouble, shorty?" Kidd asked.

"Not a fan of horses." He admitted, climbing on top of the mare he'd chosen. He settled onto her.

"Fuck it. Front gate. No one will question me." He said, leading them out and around to the main exit. As he had said, no one questioned him. They left all of them through the security points as getting out was a breeze as opposed to getting in. That time of the early evening, half the staff was already out of there and headed home. As the dusk fell on them, they trotted away from the fortress and Jody led the way to the next town where he'd find his brothers at the bar.

The Watering Hole bar was a hole in the wall, small town bar. Here, they were not bouncers rather they did whatever was required. Cooking, cleaning, maintaining, bouncing, filling drinks or just shooting the shit. Depended on the day and the crowd. On a Thursday in this small village bar there were few patrons. They rode up to the building and Tia hopped down then Jody hopped down after her. His hand flew to the small of her back again and stayed there.

"Ok, what is that about, Jody?" She finally asked as they entered through the doors to the bar. "The hand on my back thing."

"It's me, my nerves." He replied, flicking her with his thumb and index fingers.

"Princess and her prince." Greg teased, leaning over the bar. She gave him a strong hug. "Princess," He said, kissing her cheek. "Hey, Jo. What are you two doing here?"

"Fuckin problems." Jody muttered, taking a seat on the bar stool.

"Shots, Princess. One on the house." Greg said, pouring out tequila in shot glasses.

Tia slammed hers. Jody looked at the shot. She set the glass back down and then she picked up his and slammed that one. "Love me some tequila." She shivered as the burn swept through her mouth to her gut. "Not here for this." Tia said, placing the second glass on the bar. He motioned to pour more and she waved her hand over the glasses. "No. Thank you." She shook her head.

"So Whatcha here for?" Greg asked.

"You and Allen."

"Interesting." Greg grinned.

She smiled, leaning over the bar toward him. "You'd like that wouldn't you?"

Jody gave her a good yank by the seat of her pants and sat her ass back on the bar stool.

"What do you want, Tia?" He asked, looking sideways at his youngest brother.

Tia skimmed over the details of the last 24 hours. Greg laughed, "Jo, you can stay." He said. "Princess, you need to go home before they come looking for you."

"I told you, T." Jody said, rubbing her back.

"But why?" She asked. "Why not? You said to Chess that you'd go if you were needed. Were you lying?"

"I think Allen said that."

"Well, I think I'm talking to the wrong brother."

Greg poured her another shot. She drank it down.

"I see you're little life is falling apart, princess." Greg said. "But what do you think is gonna happen out there?"

"Not sure yet." Tia answered.

"You're a kid who got herself in over her head." Greg looked at and then pointed to Jody. "Dragged him by his dick right along with you." He filled the shot glass one last time and tucked the bottle away. "You want us to leave our life for something you aren't sure about? 

"Yes." She said honestly, taking a good look around her. "I would."  She nodded.

"Jo, explain this to your princess." He moved on to the next patron.

"There's nothing to explain, Jo." Tia said sarcastically. She slammed the last shot and clunked the glass on the bar. 

Jody set her down on the bar stool and told her the truth. She sounded crazy and angry and she'd come to regret what she was doing in the morning. He thought his brother was right. She needed to go home to the castle and get over it. What could five juniors and two ex juniors possibly do to make a difference in the sector three with or without Alex? Greg listened to Jody explain this to her. The tequila was having some effect on her at this point. Tequila only fueled the rage toward the brother who sat in front of her.

She counter argued with him that Alex knew others that felt the same. There was a squad of next gen-ers that felt the exact same way in Philadelphia. One group of juniors, one disgruntled next gen squad and all their experience heading to sector three could only mean one thing, they had a chance to do something, anything, that would change the face of what was to come.

"There are others in Philly? Your brother, Alex, is among you?" Greg asked.

Tia nodded, "He's out there." She pointed to the door.

"Jody, are you in on this?" Greg laughed.

"I guess I am. I got nowhere else to go." He answered, sliding off the bar stool. "Tia, come with me." He guided her to her feet.

"Take her home, Jody." Greg called as they head to the door. "She's in it up to her ass already from the sounds of it."

Jody had to practically force the princess to the door. She didn't have a way with words, couldn't get her point across and came off sounding like a spoiled kid who ran away from home. Jody told her as much. There was that awkward side of her rearing its ugly head. She couldn't make a point if she tried. She couldn't speak clearly for herself or the people she wished to save. She had done so when she was angry with Chess, she said.

"What did you tell Chess, Tia?" Jody asked, trying to calm her down and distract her at the same time. "Tell me, T."

"I threatened him." She admitted, separating herself from Jody's strong arms. "I told him to get ready. I told him I would go to New Jersey and I would gather a people behind me. I would bring savages on his land and through his fences. I will bring them in the main house and to his war room."

"Bold of you, Tia."

"It was the truth. I felt it, Jody."

"Come on, we'll get you back to the fortress, you can apologize and I might be able to see you again sometime in the next decade when I get out of jail for stealing the horses and the guns."

"You stole horses and guns? You followed her?"

"My decision, brother." Jody replied.

"Jody-"

"I'll deal with it!" He shouted.

"We're asking you for your help. Your experience." Tia yelled, turning to Greg. She met with Jody in front of her, his wall of a chest and arms beneath her arms.

"Babe, we don't need them, either one of them." Jody said as he backed her toward the bar door where they bumped into Allen and Alex who were entering.

"Go on, Tia. I'll speak with them."

Within an hour Alex returned to the lot and they mounted their horses. He instructed Jody to head up front and lead them to the boys' home. Alex rode beside him slow and steady as it seemed that Jody was reluctant to head there. Alex sensed the unease and reminded him they'd all come from similar. His family was his and his alone, good or bad. He had to accept their issues as Alex had to accept all his own family's strange behaviors and beliefs.

"It's quite common." Tia piped up from behind them.

"You been drinking, Keller?" Devine asked.

"I have had 3 shots of tequila." She answered, holding up 3 fingers to him.

"We almost there?" Kidd asked.

"It's down the road a ways." Tia replied.

"You drink a lot, Keller?" Devine asked.

"I drank twice." She answered. "Come on, Jody. I can walk faster than this."

Jody picked up the pace and they arrived to the near hidden path to the trailer in the woods. They tethered the horses and they set up camp in the brothers' front yard. Their packs were complete with their gear for north campus and included tarps and a tent. Nothing fancy, but a requirement for night training. Jody pulled their gear down as Tia wandered off around the back of the trailer.

"Where you going, T?" He asked, following her.

"I'm fine. I gotta pee."

He stuck with her though and he dropped their gear behind the trailer. He started setting up the tent in the rear rather than out front.

"Why back here, Jody?"

"I can see better, Tia." He answered, pointing to the moon above them. "You know how to set this up?"

"No." She shook her head.

"Next time." He said, setting her aside and out of his way.

"You mad at me?" She asked softly.

"No." He replied, but she could feel the tension coming off him. "I just-I can't believe this day, Tia."

"It is not what I had hoped for when I woke this morning."

"What did you hope for?" He asked, looking up at her from his crouch on the ground.

"I thought by telling her I would have a resolution to the problem. She solves problems, Jody. She usually does not create them."

He continued to work in silence, had a tent sent up in a few minutes, the tarp he spread out over top and used as a flap over the entrance. He doubted they'd fit in there together, but at some point through the night they'd certainly make an effort.

"You're angry."

"Not with you or your intentions, T." He replied, trying his best to be understanding of her feelings. "How about something to eat?"

"Sure. You light the fire and I'll take care of a chicken or two. Deal?"

"You know how to do that?"

"There's things I can do, you have no idea."