Archive of Our Own ^beta

Chapter Text

They were all hunched over the television in the barracks, watching as the CDC Director, Dr. Daniel Keaton, talked about the deadly outbreak of a hemorrhagic fever type of plague. Tommy could barely hear over the whispers of his fellow army colleagues, all of them baby-faced and fresh out of flight school and basic training and all currently on the National Guard campus waiting for their new orders. They were supposed to go to Somalia, but there was something about H, or the Hantavirus, that was preventing them—or at least the speculation that the seasoned soldiers and pilots were going to war. The new recruits and new pilots are transferred to the reserves to be deployed only in emergent situations in Hershey, Pennsylvania.

This was not how Tommy imagined starting his career in the Army as an Army pilot. "Yo, shut the fuck up. I'm trying to watch." Tommy snapped as he grabbed the remote and turned up the volume. He listened and watched the sweat splotching over Keaton’s forehead.

"H or the Hantavirus is spread via blood, bodily fluids and air, so please, wear your masks—” The television was suddenly turned off.

"New orders, fellas!" Everyone stood at attention as their commanding officer, Sergeant Bradley, held the end of the plug for the outlet. Everyone immediately stood at attention. "Ortiz, Michaelson, Jacoby... Report to Room 112. Hunter, Wilkins, Jackson, 111. Kinard, Samuels, Rogers, and Diaz, you're in 110. Move out!" Bradley barked. Tommy looked at everyone before shrugging and grabbing his cover, his mask, and he headed out to where he was ordered to go.

"114, 113, 12… 11…" Tommy muttered under his breath as he found room 110. There were already a couple of people in the room. It would only take a blind person to not see that they were Tommy's superior officers. He scanned the room. The walls were red bricks with a light gray tinted cement. The carpet was an ugly dark green with blue and red accents. Tommy noted to himself that it was cold in here, like it always was. He chose his seat in the middle of the first row. He decided that the heat from the projector sitting on the table was always nice. The room was like a class hall at a university or college. The seats were all in a straight line, with long tables bolted into the floor on different levels, like a giant staircase. Tommy cleared his throat as he read the projector screen.

EMERGENT EVACUATION PLANS: Hershey, PA, to Baltimore, ML

ESTIMATED TIME: Six hours.

Tommy's brows furrowed. "Evacuation?" He asked. The two older men turned their heads and looked at him. His superiors looked at each other and remained silent. The lack of words wasn't easing Tommy's concern. He could tell from the sweat on the older of the two's brows and the slight crinkle in his forehead that they were just as concerned. "What's going on, Sergeant Major?" Tommy tried again.

"You don't concern yourself with that, private. You just sit there and wait until we're ready to talk." The younger man, Sergeant First Class Fredricks, addressed him sternly as his black face mask move in time with his jaw. Tommy furrowed his brows with confusion. The others started to trickle into the room, laughing and joking around, hitting each other before plopping into their seats. "Settle down, boys, settle down. Now is not the time to play around." Tommy read and reread the screen over and over again. This was a lot more serious than the CDC and the government were saying.

"Gentlemen, I'm sure you're all aware of H taking the country by storm." Sergeant Major Gibbs said this with his arms folded behind his back. The sergeant major was in his mid fifties, with a high and tight haircut, a graying mustache, and aging blue eyes. If Tommy remembered correctly, Gibbs was about to turn in his papers and live his life in retirement with his wife and grandkids. There was a pregnant pause in the room, the silence was filled only by the soft hum of the projector warming Tommy's hands. It was like everyone was silently trying to figure out who was going to speak up next.

"We're all aware; it's killing folks left and right! My moms couldn't give my sister a proper burial because the CD-fucking-C ordered immediate cremation!" Samuels scoffed. "It's been an almost year into this shit… and there's no relief!"

Gibbs looked at Fredricks. There was a silent conversation between the two of them. "About that…" Fredricks coughed out as he clicked the clicker in his hand. The projector changed images: "We were given orders to," he slightly choked and cleared his throat, "provide aid in different parts of the country, starting with Pennsylvania in ground zero…"

Tommy walked out of that meeting with wariness. His first real mission as a soldier was to help evacuate the healthy civilians. He couldn't shake the feeling of unease as he thought about the devastation caused by the virus over the past year. It started around 1992. But it seemed like the CDC and the World Health Organization had everything under control. But the tide changed when the Hantavirus started spreading quicker, and killing entire countries. Nobody knew where it came from; some have said it was a government controlled virus or an accidental exposure, though it really didn't matter much to Tommy. All he knew was that he had a job to do, and that was to evacuate civilians, and that was what he was going to do. 

They ended up the locker room, suiting up in their uniforms and masks. Everything always managed to smell like mothballs, war and death, and everything Tommy had was newly issued. He was scared; maybe it was the pandemic, or maybe it was just the mission to evacuate. Tommy wasn't sure what it was, but all of it scared him. "Wait, they're fueling up the jets?" Rogers said, looking behind Tommy. The private turned around; he looked at the higher ranking soldiers fueling the jets.

"They have to; it's military regulation." Tommy said. "You should know this, Rogers; you graduated flight school with me." He muttered. He clocked the sight of two very specific cylinders with a cone-shaped nose attached to the bottom of the jet's belly being pulled up inside the jet. "Wait, why are they arming them? I thought we were just evacuating." Tommy asked.

"It could be a separate mission; maybe they're going to Somalia. Lucky bastards…" Diaz said with a huff. Tommy looked at him with horror on his face. "Why are you so shocked? I want to kill those Somali fucks. They want to hurt us. We hurt back. Harder. Worse-r." Tommy developed the belief somewhere in the middle of basic that if you're in the Army solely to kill the adversary, then you're narrow-minded and can't see the bigger picture. He believed in the mission to protect and serve, not just to seek revenge. 

He sighed and finished lacing up his boots. "It's not about revenge, Diaz. If you think it is… then you're stupid." He commented as he looked up at the jets again.

"Yeah, well, that's not what your mother said last night." Diaz sucked his teeth, unamused by Tommy's observation.

Tommy chuckled and looked at Diaz. "My mother's dead. Are you saying you’re fucking corpses, Diaz?" He had a teasing tone to his words.

Diaz rolled his eyes and shook his head. "Man, you're a real piece of work, Kinard."

Tommy shrugged, unfazed by Diaz's comment. "Just trying to keep things in perspective, man."

"Sorry about ya' moms, man." Samuels mumbled as they moved towards the hangars. "Did H get her?"

Tommy sighed softly as they walked to the humvees. "Nope, my father did."

"Shit, man. That's heavy," Samuels responded, his tone full of sympathy. Tommy just nodded, a melancholy expression on his face as they climbed into the humvees. He remained silent, not wanting to talk about it anymore. It'd been years since he'd seen his father; the drunk bastard was serving 25 years to life without the possibility of parole for the murder of his mother. But if he had it his way, he'd make sure his father got H and watch him suffer if he could.

"Alright, boys, are we ready to lead people out of Wonka's Chocolate Factory?" Rogers asked as they settled down into the vehicles. Tommy rolled his eyes at Rogers' comment playfully as Samuels pulled out of the parking spot for the Humvee. His eyes watched the jets load up. He noticed Fredricks and Gibbs arguing in the corner. Fredricks looked spooked as Gibbs laid into him. Tommy couldn't help but wonder what that was about. Did it have anything to do with the jets? He remembered something in Flight School about airstrike protocols in the event of an uncontrollable outbreak, where the diseased outweighed the healthy in war conditions. But surely they weren't going to do it here stateside, on American soil nonetheless… against American citizens, right?

Tommy swallowed the lump that was forming in his throat. Why else would they be evacuating healthy people only? They were told that they were just going to airdrop aid. But as Tommy looked around at the panicked expressions of those being loaded onto the helicopters and jets, he couldn't shake the feeling that something was very wrong and that he was being lied to. Six hours. Is it six hours until they drop the bombs? How long will it take to fully evacuate the place? Tommy frowned as he shook it off. What did he know? He's just a dumb 19-year-old private. It's nothing but protocol. Tommy let it roll off his back, and he focused on his hands, deciding they were more interesting and safer to look at than to dwell on the possibility of the U.S. government turning on its people. It was a thought too terrifying to contemplate for Tommy.

It took all of twenty minutes for their unit to pull up to Alpine Heights, their assigned neighborhood. Tommy didn't know what to expect out of this evacuation, but it certainly wasn't the quiet, normal hustle and bustle of a typical, quarantined, white middle-class neighborhood. The only difference was that they were distancing themselves. Children were only playing on their lawns wearing their masks. "How are we supposed to evacuate people when everyone seems to be going about their daily lives like nothing is happening?" Tommy asked softly.

"Door-to-door, we're supposed to get them all to head to Baltimore." Rogers mumbled. "Get your face shields on your faces, boys." He reminded them.

Tommy sighed as he pulled his face shield on over on top of his mask. "Alright. Let's go…" He murmured before getting out. They silently agreed to split up. The sooner they're able to clear out their area, the quicker Tommy can ignore the doubt. He was walking up to the front door of his first house, clearing his throat. He knocked on the door and said, "U.S. Army! We need you to get ready to evacuate the premises!" He called through the door. Then a man opened the door with a confused expression.

"Evacuate? Why would we need to evacuate? What's going on?"

Tommy would like to know too; that was the one question that Gibbs never cleared up. "Sir, Due to the recent outbreaks of H—of Hantavirus, we were ordered to evacuate the noninfected individuals. Are there any infected individuals in your house?" Tommy asked.

The man rolled his eyes. "No, of course not; we've been holed up inside for the last three months."

"That's good, sir, but now it's time to evacuate to Baltimore, in Maryland."

"Baltimore? What the hell is wrong with Harrisburg? It's a lot closer." He had a bit of an annoyed tone.

"I understand, sir, but it's not advised that you'd be in Harrisburg." Tommy tried to explain. Though the man did have a point, why can't they evacuate to Harrisburg? He didn't know either.

"You know what I think? I think you're a crock of shit," he said, looking down at Tommy's name tag and his rank. "Private Kinard."

"I'm just doing what I'm told, sir; it's important that you take your family's safety in your hands and evacuate to Baltimore." Tommy said it with urgency. 

The man shook his head in frustration and was clearly not convinced. "I'll take my chances," he declared, slamming the door in Tommy's face. Tommy couldn't help but feel a sense of unease about the situation. He banged on the door again.

The man's wife opened this time. "What's going on? Why do you need us to evacuate?" She sounded unconvinced. Tommy had to make a choice in this moment. Does he fear monger, or does he explain that he was just following orders? He decided against sharing his conspiracy theory about the jets, and go for the more sensible option.

"Ma'am, I'm just a private; they don't tell us anything but to follow orders… It's important for you and your family to go to Baltimore." She was silent for a moment, then she nodded and closed the door. Tommy exhaled in relief. That was one family saved. He looked to the right; there were a ton of doors to knock on. Gibbs said that this was better than inciting panic by using the intercom system in the humvees and ordering a mandatory evacuation. But if they had a day left to clear out Hershey's neighborhoods… it was going to be impossible.

Tommy had been banging on doors and telling people to evacuate for the last few hours. His hand hurt. He knocked on the next door. There was no response. Tommy looked over at the mailbox.

The Buckleys, 2341 Hillchurch Rd. Margaret, Phillip, Maddie, Daniel, and Evan.

There were different colored handprints for all of the names except for Evan. Evan's name was clearly drawn on by a child with a pencil. Smaller, girly, but still, a child's handwriting, compared to the rest of the names, is controlled and neater as if an adult, probably Margaret, had done it with paint. Tommy furrowed his brow; that's a little odd. Then he saw movement from behind the curtain. He knocked again.

"W-who is it?" A little girl called out from behind the door. It was probably Maddie.

"I'm, uh, I'm Tommy; can you open the door?" Tommy asked. Softly but loudly enough for her to hear him. The door knob jiggled before it stopped.

"I'm not supposed to open the door for anybody unless it's my mom and dad." Maddie said it softly. There was the sound of a crying baby in the background. Tommy frowned and looked at the driveway. It was empty.

"Maddie, are you here alone with a baby?" Tommy asked.

Maddie was silent. "You know my name? How?"

"The, uh, mailbox. It's got your n-names… You didn't answer my question, kiddo? Are you home alone?"

"I'm not supposed to answer that. You're a stranger."

"You're a smart girl, Maddie, but I'm here to help… I'm a soldier." Tommy mumbled. There was silence for a moment before the door opened. There was a short, maybe 9–10 year old girl with short, dark brown hair and brown eyes wearing a dirty blue shirt with food and milk stains. She was barefoot. The sound of a baby crying in the background was louder. 

"Well, then, yes, I'm alone… Can you please come help me? He won't stop crying!" Maddie pleaded as she pulled Tommy into the house. She led him to the living room, where there was a baby who couldn't have been any older than 1, standing and clinging on to the pack-N-play. He was just red in the face. There was a bright, reddish pink and splotchy birthmark on his face that matched the rest of his red skin. He wasn't wearing anything but a fresh diaper. 

"I'm guessing this is little Evan." Tommy picked the baby up into his arms and sat down, cradling him close. Maddie nodded as she sat down by the phone on the other end of the couch. "Shh… it's okay, kid… Shh, he's a heavy little thing, isn't he?" Evan was slowly starting to calm down, clinging to Tommy. He was hiccuping and shaking from how hard he had been crying. "He just wanted to be held." Tommy murmured as Evan's eyes closed, and he laid against Tommy's neck. He looked over at Maddie. She was staring at the phone, her bottom lip shaking.

"Where are your parents, kid?" He asked her before looking around. 

Maddie’s eyes were downcast, something about them seemed sad. "Uh, well, Dad said that he and Mom were going to the store and that they were going to be back at 4." Maddie sighed as she walked over to the wall calendar and grabbed the marker. Tommy furrowed his brows. There were three X marks in the boxes for the last three days. She crossed out today. "That was four days ago." 

He felt his heart race with anger. What kind of parents would leave their children alone for starters, let alone abandon them? "I'm sorry to hear that." He answered calmly, "You must be scared for them."

Maddie looked at the phone again. "They don't like Evan. He was supposed to save Danny… but Danny died anyway. And they don't like Evan. They pretend that he doesn't exist. I take care of him because he needs me too." That would explain the penciled in name in childish handwriting. Tommy's heart shattered as he rocked Evan in his arms. He was about to speak before his watch started beeping at him. He looked down; they were running down the clock; it was almost time to head to Baltimore. "What's that?" Maddie asked. 

"My watch… uh, it's time for us to get ready to leave."

"Leave? I can't leave with you! You're a stranger." Maddie exclaimed with a slight wariness in her voice.

Tommy sighed. "Do you know what evacuate means?" He asked. Maddie searched his face before nodding. "Good… I have to make sure everyone evacuates. I'll keep you safe." Tommy promised. Maddie looked away; her face was tilted to the ground, and she rocked back and forth on her feet as she tugged at her hands.

"I-I don't want to leave home in case mom and dad come back." She chewed on her lip. 

"What if you left them a note telling them where you two were going to be so they'd know where to look for you?" Tommy asked. He already knew that they weren't coming back, but Maddie was just a little girl. She didn't know better. 

"Yeah, that's a good idea… I'll write a note, and then I'll get our bag." Maddie nodded with determination. Tommy admired her resilience and willingness to take charge in a difficult situation. Tommy heard cooing under him, then he looked down at Evan. And he was smiling, and Tommy could see three teeth peeking at him. Evan had two bottom teeth and one on top. He had to smile back at the baby before blowing a raspberry at him. Evan giggled, reached up, and touched Tommy's face. Maddie came back with her bookbag and a diaper bag that she was struggling to carry. 

"Here, I'll take the bag." 

Evan looked over at Maddie and started reaching for her. He was humming, "M-m-ma…ma…ma…ma." He started whining and squirming in Tommy's grip as he reached for Maddie. Tommy could see the indescribable look on Maddie's face before she took him into her arms. "M-ma…ma…ma…ma." Evan touched Maddie's face before she hugged him close.

"That was his first word! Tommy, did you hear that?! He said his first word!" Maddie excitedly squeaked. 

Tommy forced himself to ignore the fact that Evan thought Maddie was his mama. He smiled and replied, "That's amazing, Maddie! He'll be your age before you know it." Maddie beamed with pride as she held Evan close, cherishing the moment. "Are you ready?" He asked her. 

"I guess so. The note's on the fridge. Mom and Dad will find it and then find us." Maddie said as Tommy held the front door open for her and Evan. She had him situated on her hip. And they walked down toward the front of the neighborhood. "So, where are we going?"

"I'm going to take you two to Baltimore." They walked in silence, minus Evan cooing and making raspberries and happy baby squeals. It wasn't long until they were back at the Humvee.

"Well, it's about fucking… Why do you have kids with you, Kinard?" Samuels asked as Tommy helped them into the vehicle. 

"They were home alone for four days." Tommy said it in a hushed whisper to avoid Maddie hearing him. Rogers swore under his breath as Diaz sighed in response and rubbed his face. "So we're taking them to Baltimore."

"Fuck, you mean we?! They're your responsibility." Rogers hissed. 

Tommy sighed. "You know what I meant… Now come on." He got in next to Maddie as the others piled into the Humvee. Rogers said on the radio that they were cleared of their quadrant. Tommy glanced back at Maddie, who was staring out the window with a blank expression. He knew they had a long journey ahead of them as they navigated through life without their parents, and he hoped that no one would separate the two of them after they arrived in Baltimore. 

They'd been on the road for a little over two and a half hours, thanks to traffic being as awful as it was because of the evacuation. As they finally approached the outskirts of Baltimore, anxiety bubbled up into Tommy's gut as he saw more military surrounding the city. What the hell was going on with the heavy military presence? Did the President call for martial law? They were led in by soldiers in PPE. "What's going on?" Maddie asked softly. They parked in the parking space they were led to. They were out of the Humvee.

"This is a Cordon Zone." A sergeant looked around as he answered the girl.

"What's that?" 

"Quarantine, this is a safe place where there is on—"

"Not that..." Maddie interrupted him, hiked Evan up higher on her hip, and pointed behind them. "That." Tommy turned around and looked at where she was pointing.

There was a gigantic mushroom cloud forming in the distance. Tommy's heart stopped, and the jets being fueled up came to mind. "We need to get inside now," Tommy said urgently, grabbing Evan from Maddie's arms and leading her into one of the buildings following his unit. 

As they hurried towards the building, the ground shook beneath them, and a deafening roar filled the air. They were inside right before Tommy instantly shielded Maddie and Evan as Maddie shrieked from the shattering of the glass. He stood up and looked at Samuels, Diaz, and Rogers when the dust settled. Evan and Maddie were clinging to Tommy, afraid. "What did we just do?"

"We're fighting the virus." Sergeant Hastings straightened his uniform and fixed his PPE.

"6 hours was not enough time to completely clear—"

"Collateral damage is expected."

Tommy looked angry as he hugged the kids tight in his arms. "We nuked our own people! They were Americans!" 

"We had no choice. It was the only way to stop the spread," Sergeant Hastings replied solemnly. Tommy's grip on Maddie and Evan tightened as he tried to reassure them, "We did what we had to do to protect everyone." 

"Yeah, you keep fucking telling yourself that." Tommy snapped as he carefully led Maddie and Evan towards the elevators. "Where's the children and family ward?" He asked trying to remain calm. 

"B1." 

Tommy pressed the button as Maddie sniffled, taking Evan from Tommy. "Don't you worry, Evan. Mom and Dad are going to find that note and come find us." She whispered against the crying baby. Tommy didn't have the heart to tell her that the note she left was likely vaporized. He wanted to break down. He signed up to serve his country and protect his fellow citizens. Not turn against them. 

Taking a deep breath, Tommy tried to push aside his feelings of guilt and focus on getting Maddie and Evan to safety. As the elevator doors opened, he put on a brave face and led them towards the children and family ward on B1. Tommy pointed out the rest of the way, staying behind, watching as Maddie walked them down towards the open doors that were across the hall. "We're going to be okay, I promise." Maddie said softly to Evan. 

Hope. That's what Maddie had. And that was something that Tommy wanted her to desperately cling to as they survived this damn pandemic. This was a lesson for him as he saw a couple nurses greeting Maddie and Evan and letting them inside. He needed to cling on to hope no matter what. 

Chapter Text

June 2018

Evan was speeding down the old abandoned highway just outside the borders of the Cordon Zone. The lights and sirens of an old and rusted fire engine were active as he laughed, hooped, and hollered with excitement. He pulled up right next to Gemma—his latest conquest—with a smug smile as he poked his head out of the fire engine. Her tongue was in between her top teeth and her lip before she clicked her tongue as she looked up at Evan. "That's unfair." She said with a faux annoyance as she was looking at him. "You didn't say you'd be driving to meet me."

Evan chuckled, "Hey, now, you said if I got to you in half an hour or less, then you'd be all mine." He was cocky as he shot Gemma a flirtatious smirk when he looked her up and down, checking her out. Gemma was silent for a moment, looking at him as if she were considering her options.

"So, you restored this heap of junk?" She asked while she looked at it up and down with a scrutinizing look.

"Yup." Evan's smugness shone through; he'd been learning how to fix up these old beat up vehicles that were once useful to society at one point or another. He looked at the girl in front of him, watching her think. She swayed just a little as she finally came to a decision. Gemma's lips curled up with mischief, matching Evan's.

"Alright… You get 5 minutes." She said as she hopped into the backseat of the fire engine and removed her shirt.

Evan's eyes widened in surprise as he watched Gemma. "You're not wasting any time, are you?" he remarked, a hint of excitement in his voice. Gemma just winked at him before settling into the seat, curling her index finger at him and silently telling him to come to her. Evan couldn't believe his luck as he quickly joined her in the back, listening eagerly as she straddled his hips. They were both fumbling for his jeans as their lips connected sloppily. Evan gasped as he was finally free from his contraints and let Gemma do what she wanted.

—

It didn't take long for him to come back into his body. Evan was panting into her mouth as she slid off of his lap. He was thoroughly satisfied by Gemma's actions. "We should go out sometime," he said.

"Yeah, totally!" She sounded like she had no plans of following through as she hopped out of the firetruck, leaving Evan alone in the back. The feeling was disappointing, but Evan knew he couldn't force someone to be interested in him for anything other than sex. The hole in his chest started to gape again; he shrugged it off before he fell into the emptiness. He dressed and forced himself to move on.

He hopped back into the driver's side and went to start it before he could hear the clicking of the engine. "Wha— no, no, no! Come on, girl, work for me! I just fixed you!" The engine continued to resist starting. Er-er-er-er! Kerplunk! Evan's heart sank. He knew he was already in deep trouble with Maddie, and this was the last thing he needed. With a groan, he realized he might be running home after all.

Evan got out and started to run towards the secret opening in the border wall; he knew from past experience that there were usually no Cordon Police patrolling the area. He looked at the sunset again out on the horizon. If he was late for curfew, Maddie was going to fry his hide and feed the hogs with his meat! He quickly reached the opening in the fence, hidden by old wood pallets, rusty old aluminum shingles, overgrown weeds, vines, and leaves.

Evan carefully squeezed through; it was a bit of a tight fit with how tall he was, but if he was careful, the metal sticking out wouldn't cut him. He could hear voices in the distance, and with a hammering heart, he prayed that he wouldn't get caught. The consequences of being caught out past curfew without the appropriate paperwork by Cordon Police were too severe to even think about, especially since Evan's got a family to consider. Evan pulled the pallet and the roof shingles back over the opening in the fence line and fixed the plant life to look undisturbed.

"Freeze! slowly turn around!" Evan's heart dropped as he got caught. He slowly turned toward the voice that caught him. He sighed instantly in relief when he saw Connor and Cameron. "What, did you think that I was CP?" Connor snorted as Cameron laughed as Evan rolled his eyes and calmed down slightly.

"Yes! I did." Evan grumbled as they walked in the direction of his home. "I gotta get home before Maddie finds out I snuck out again. And I get that, 'Evan, you're 26 years old; you can't keep pulling this shit. and find something inside the walls and settle down with a nice girl and have some babies…' which is all blah, blah, blah." Evan grumbled and gestured with his hands.

"Well, I mean, she's not wrong… Don't you think it's time to stop sneaking out and embrace life being what it is inside the walls?" Cameron said softly as she tucked her hair behind her ears. Evan scoffed and gave an unamused chuckle.

"Oh, you mean being worked to the bone like we're slaves for ration cards that barely feed a family of 3 adults?" Evan scoffed again, "Yeah, I pass. There is so much world outside of these fences, Cam. I'd rather take my chances outside of the Cordon Zone and do whatever I want. See the world, be in the world."

Connor hummed, "More power to you, Evan." They walked into the cordon square before Connor and Cameron stopped following Evan. "Hey, we gotta go. Cam's mom is making dinner. But good luck with Maddie. Curfew's officially in place."

Evan sighed again, watching his friends turn the opposite way. He turned and looked at the sky. Curfew was in place for sure. He needed to get inside before CP finds him; thankfully, his home was not that far from the cordon square. Evan paused for a moment when he heard Doug's voice from behind the door to his house. "I don't know where the hell he went, Doug! Just stop—" He could hear Maddie's exasperation before a loud smacking sound echoed. Evan all but rammed the door down. Doug and Maddie were standing there in the kitchen area. "Evan, there you are." Maddie exhaled in relief.

Evan was silent as his eyes were trained on Doug as he advanced towards him, his fists clenched. Maddie stepped in between them, pleading for peace. "Evan-Evan-Evan, hey, no, let's talk this out," she said, trying to diffuse the tension in the room. Evan's hands gently guided Maddie out of the way as he stalked closer to Doug.

"You like hitting girls, Doug?" Evan asked, his knuckles cracking as his fists clenched tight. "You like hitting my sister?!" He snapped, shoving Doug. He stumbled backwards gracefully as he held up his hands; a calm, charming smile grew on his face as he chuckled lightly.

"Evan, I don't know what brought you to that conclusion." He mused. "Nothing happened; I didn't hit your sister, did I, Maddie?" Evan didn't have to look at his sister to know that she was looking down. "Maddie. I asked a question." There was a harsh undertone to his statement. Evan didn't like the way Maddie recoiled from her name.

"Don't you fucking talk to her like that!" Evan shoved Doug again.

"Kid, you're really starting to annoy me; stop shoving me." Doug warned.

"Or what?" Evan asked, shoving Doug again. Evan's face twitched angrily as he challenged the older man.

Doug's eyes narrowed, a flicker of anger passing over his face. "I'm trying to show restraint for the sake of your sister, but you better stop." He growled, his voice low and threatening.

"Make me, dickbag." Evan gritted, moving to shove Doug again before he managed to move out of the way; his fist was clenched. "Ooh, you're clenching your fist… Swing at me then, motherfucker. Swing." Evan taunted angrily as he straightened out his back with a puffed out chest. "Swing!" Doug grit his jaw as his nostrils flared.

"Evan, please!" Maddie pleaded. "Calm—" Doug's fist quickly shot forward. There was a loud impacting thud, "Oh my god! Doug!" Evan's face went left, and he stumbled backwards, grabbing his cheek. "What did you just do?!" Maddie snapped, suddenly grabbing Doug's arm, pulling him, trying to protect Evan.

Doug immediately shoved Maddie off, throwing her into the china cabinet. The sound of glass shattering snapped Evan out of his daze, and he tackled Doug with a shout. The impact of the tackle threw the both of them into the dining table. Evan was on top of Doug, his fist connecting against his face.

Doug struggled beneath Evan, trying to push him off as Maddie scrambled to her feet, "Evan! Evan, stop it!Stop!" Maddie cried loudly before Doug managed to break free from Evan's assault, kicking him back. The room filled with the sounds of grunts and thuds as the fight escalated, leaving a trail of destruction in its wake. Evan was on top of Doug, repeatedly slamming the back of his head against the vinyl floors with increasingly louder and harder cracks. "Evan! Evan! Stop! You're going to kill him!" Maddie was tugging on Evan's shoulders helplessly. Evan was too heavy and too angry to let her pull him off.

The doors flung open, and suddenly Evan was being ripped off of Doug. "No, n-no, please; he was only trying to help!" Maddie cried out as Evan was suddenly dragged out of the house. "He was trying to—" She grabbed the arm of one of the armed cordon officers. Evan was struggling against the grip of the other two, who yanked him into the square. Maddie cried out loudly after the officer suddenly struck her across the face with his rifle. She hit the ground, clutching her cheek.

"Maddie!" Evan shouted as he fought back, managing to break free and punching one of the cordon officers in the face shield. The butt of a rifle slammed into Evan's cheek, sending him to the ground. Evan was dazed as he heard the clinking of metal cuffs being locked around his wrists as he was forced to hug the pillar that trapped him.

Evan looked up, seeing a family of birds in the remainder of the sunlight flying and flapping around. He felt the back of his shirt being ripped open by the cordon commander. He knew that this was going to hurt. Evan's body gave a preemptive shiver as he anticipated the first round of pain. He stared at the birds, searching for as much comfort as he could in them, longing that he was a bird, free to go wherever he could go. The commander was yelling out Evan's charges as well as his punishment. Whipping. He could handle that; that wasn't bad; there were worse things than lashes.

"Please—" Maddie's voice broke into a gasping sob as the crack of a whip echoed, following a searing pain ripping through Evan as the whip immediately ripped open his flesh. Evan noticed their neighbors on their front porches watching. The crowd's murmurs turned into gasps and cries as Evan sank his teeth into his bottom lip, biting as hard as he could, refusing to show weakness. Determination set in his eyes; the taste of metal filled his mouth as he squeezed the chain with all his might. He grunted in pain as he lost count of how many lashes he received after three; the pain had numbed his brain. Evan's head lifted from between his arms; he could feel the blood dripping down his chin. He refused to make a single sound other than the occasional whimper.

He didn't know when the whipping stopped, but he couldn't stop trembling. He was cold; he was slick with blood, and the cool summer air was chilling against his fresh wounds. The commander ordered their neighbors to go back inside before threatening to whip them for disobeying. There were goosebumps on Evan's forearms as he shivered. He was left alone, trapped against the pillar.

Evan closed his eyes for a moment as he tried to ignore the white, hot burning of his exposed nerves and his flayed meat touching oxygen. The pain was just unbearable. He focused on his breathing. He was still alive, out of commission for weeks, but, hey, he defended his sister. It was worth it. His eyes snapped open when his hands were released from the pillar. "There you go, kiddo… Come on, be careful; don't touch his back. Eli, help me lift him on three; one, two, three…" Evan moaned loudly, trying not to howl in pain as he felt six pairs of hands on him, hauling him inside. "Over here, clear the table!" Evan was laid down on the table. He finally caught a glimpse of his Savior. Chimney.

Evan's vision was speckling around the edges from the pain and blood loss. "Thanks, Chim," Evan managed to mumble before darkness overtook him. Chimney's worried expression was the last thing he saw before passing out.

—

Evan slowly opened his eyes; the sun was on his face through the window of Chimney's house. He was on his stomach, his head resting on the pillow. He grunted slightly, trying to move, before his body ignored him. "He lives!" Chimney mused happily as he sat down in the chair in front of Evan. "Careful not to move; I just changed your dressings. You needed stitches, so Maddie stitched you up when you blacked out. Do you know what year it is?" He asked. Evan tried to speak, but his throat collapsed on itself from dehydration. "Here… sip…" Chimney mused as he helped Evan drink down a ladle of water. Evan drank as much as he could. The refreshing liquid spilled off the sides of his mouth.

He panted as the cup emptied. "2018." Evan rasped. "I remember everything; don't worry." He whispered. "I feel everything…" Evan looked around Chimney the best he could with his eyes and limited mobility. "Mads?"

Chimney was quiet for a moment, looking at the door. He looked down at his hands before leaning forward on his knees. "She's asleep… She's not been sleeping much since, uh, well, since CPs broke up the fight between you and Doug and watched you being whipped two days ago."

"Twodays?" Evan asked. Had he really been out for that long?

"You were out for a while. You started burning up… one of your lacerations got infected. And we're trying to treat it the best we can with what I've got."

Evan nodded slowly. There was silence between them. "Doug?" He asked softly. His voice was barely above a whisper.

Chimney was once again silent for a moment; the look on his face was somber and tired, like he'd not been sleeping either. He licked his lips again, opening and closing his mouth almost as if he were trying to figure out how to say something to Buck. "They shot him for domestic violence. They were going to shoot you to take you out of your suffering, had I not convinced them to let you join us."

"What?!" Evan snapped, trying to sit up. His injuries wouldn't let him move further than lifting his head. He grunted in pain, seething.

Chimney quickly placed a hand on Evan's arm, careful not to touch his wounds as he gently urged him back down. "You need to rest, Evan. You're in no condition to move," he said firmly. Evan reluctantly settled back against the makeshift bed. He couldn't help but feel a sense of betrayal. Rage flooded his eyes as he glared at his friend.

"You know I would rather die—"

"I know." Chimney interrupted with his hands raised slightly. "But it was the only thing I could think of that could keep Maddie happy. She already lost her husband; she doesn't need to lose her kid brother too. It's not so bad once you get used to it."

"I have no training skills for this job. I'm a mechanic." Evan retorted.

"Which is why you're now a probie. Look, you just have to serve your sentence, and then you can retire and do something else. No big deal." Chimney shrugged.

"Which is how long exactly?"

"Not long at all. About seven years."

"That's a lifetime! I'll be thirty-three!"

Chimney sighed as he looked at Evan with furrowed brows. "You don't think you're being a tad bit dramatic?" He gestured with his pointer and thumb, almost touching. "You're young. You're going to be fine. Plus, it helps with the ladies. So." Chimney shrugged lightly.

"Great, thanks, I guess." Evan sighed, slumping back against the pillows again. It wasn't like he had any other choice other than death. Which, honestly, he'd gladly take right now. His back burned from his wounds. He thought about what he'd be like after seven years of being a part of the problem. He wanted out. Hell, he was saving half his rations for a working car battery from Old Man Dickens in the Van Nuys district for an old 1982 Jeep he'd been fixing up outside the border fence about five miles south. >

The Jeep was his backup plan for when he and Maddie needed to get the hell out. It very well might be time to go now. He couldn't keep living like this, constantly on edge and constantly looking over his shoulder. He certainly couldn't live with himself punishing the citizens of the LA Cordon. He had seen enough suffering and injustice in the Cordon to know that he couldn't be a part of it any longer, and he certainly wasn't going to contribute to the problem. It was definitely time to leave this place behind and start fresh, even if it meant leaving everything he practically knew behind. The thought of a new beginning filled him with hope and determination, and he knew that he had to take the risk and make a run for it, no matter the cost.

The sound of the kitchen door opening distracted Evan from his thoughts as he looked towards the disturbance. Maddie. She looked exhausted. "Are you okay? Sleep well?" Chimney asked.

"As well as I could… Eli's asking for you." Maddie whispered gently. "I'll stay here with my brother."

"I'll find out when Evan's got to arrive at the academy while I'm gone." Chimney said, taking Maddie's hand in his.

"Thanks Howie…" Maddie murmured and squeezed Chimney's hand lightly. Evan's eyebrows wrinkled slightly. Oh. So, Maddie and Chimney were… close. Maddie sat down in front of Evan. Evan looked at Maddie with a knowing look. "What?" Maddie asked softly as Chimney left the room with the door clicking behind him.

"How, uh, long has that been going on?" He asked softly. Maddie looked confused and moved her head in a quizzical manner. "Don't play dumb with me, Mads," Evan smiled. "You and Chimney are so into each other! Did Doug know?"

Maddie sighed. "We're just friends, Evan. Nothing more, nothing less." She was grabbing items from around the kitchen as Evan continued to tease his sister.

"Friends don't act like that. Not unless they want to bone." He pointed as she sat down next to him where Chimney had been.

Maddie hummed exasperatedly as she grabbed his shoulder. "Lie still. I need to change your dressings." Evan jerked slightly under her touch, hissing loudly.

"You did that on purpose! Ow!"

"I barely even touched you, you big baby. Lie still." She said it again in that sisterly tone.

"But Chimney already changed them!" Evan whined when Maddie continued her work. He shuddered and grunted as the summer air hit his stitches, and he whined.

Maddie rolled her eyes at his dramatics. "Chimney may have changed them, but I'm checking to make sure they're healing properly. Now be quiet and let me do my job." Evan pouted but stayed still as Maddie finished tending to his wounds.

"Are you mad at me?" Evan asked softly after a while. Maddie was silent for a moment. Evan moved slightly and looked at her. She sighed and looked away. He took a second to examine her face. There were scattered bruises around the right side of her face, including several stitches on her cheek from the rifle hitting her.

"No. I'm not mad at you, Evan." Maddie sighed softly. "I'm just frustrated that you keep putting yourself in danger," Maddie admitted, her voice tinged with concern. "You act like you're expendable." Maddie sighed, moving him back down. "But you're not. And I don't know where or why you got it in your head that you are." Maddie paused, "Did Doug ever—"

"What? No, he didn't; he just ignored me mostly." Evan assured her honestly. "I just… I don't know." He took a breath as she focused on one of his stitches. Maybe now's the right time to tell her about his escape plan. "I hate it here. I hate the people here, except you and my friends, of whom I don't have many. I hate the rules. Maddie, I want to be out there in the world. See everything; actually, live my life."

"Evan, this again? We're lucky to even be here." Maddie sighed gently. "Out of the Cordon Zones is not where you want to be. I've told you this a million times. We're safer here."

"Are we? Maddie. Look at me! This is safe?! Cowering behind people who are supposed to keep us safe?!" Evan exclaimed. "I can't live like this! I cannot live like a caged animal! I just want to be free! I have a Jeep. I've been working on it for a while outside the borders; I need a battery. I plan on trading some of my ration cards to get a battery from Old Man Dickens—"

Maddie's eyes were wide. "Evan!" She immediately stopped him. "No," she demanded.

"What?"

"I'm forbidding you from doing this." Maddie said it seriously. "If CP finds out that you're sneaking out of the Cordon Zone, they'll kill you for breaking quarantine!"

"H hasn't been a problem in this area for years, Mads."

"Evan. I said no." Maddie snapped softly. "I can't risk losing you," she pleaded, her eyes pleading with him to listen. "Please, promise me you won't do it." Evan hesitated, realizing the gravity of her plea as he looked into Maddie's eyes. He sighed softly and slowly nodded, caving into his sister's pleas.

"I promise," Evan finally said, knowing that he couldn't bear to see the worry etched on Maddie's face. He knew he had to respect her wishes, even if it meant giving up his plans to run away. Maddie's eyes softened with relief as she rested her head against his, kissing his forehead.

"I know you don't want to be in the same position as Chimney, but you'll be able to retire in seven years. That's not a long time. Who knows? Maybe things will be different by then." She mumbled and ran her fingers through his hair.

"Maybe…" Evan sighed softly with a fake smile. He'll do whatever Maddie wants him to do, at least for now.

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June 2024

Nirvana was on the old busted boombox that sat on the shelf, filling the makeshift garage with its melancholic melodies of 'Something in the Way'. Buck was hunched over the Jeep engine, tightening a couple of bolts. He stood up, wiping the sweat off his brow. The familiar smell of motor oil mixed with the sound of rain hitting the rusted tin roof created a sense of peace. "So… this is what you like to do when you're off." Buck jumped slightly before spinning around.

"Christ, Taylor, you scared me." He exhaled slightly. Taylor laughed as she sat down on an old milk crate. Buck looked at her; her red hair was in a top knot, with a few strands of hair framing her face. "You know you're not supposed to be outside the border fences."

"Well, why not? You are." Taylor pointed out this as she leaned forward on her knees. Her ratty old canvas shoes were caked in mud from the rain. But she didn't seem to care, as she looked at Buck with a smug but playful grin.

"I'm different; I've got privileges." Buck replied, looking out at the overgrowth and abandoned Californian district.

"Oh, really, you've got privileges, Mr. Cordon Officer." Taylor teased, raising an eyebrow.

Buck chuckled, shaking his head. "I'm just trying to keep you safe, Tay," he said with a hint of seriousness in his voice. "If anyone sees you out here…" He trailed off. "It'd suck, is what I'm saying. Trust me…"

Taylor looked at the Jeep. "So, you're fixing up a car? What for?" She hummed.

"Why are you doing here, Taylor?" Buck asked seriously to get the conversation turned away from him. Before Natalia could answer, Buck's radio went off with sudden static.

"Officer Buckley, report." Buck sighed as he grabbed it off of his belt.

"Go for Buckley, over." Buck answered.

"Commander Gerrard wants to do an inspection."

"Already? But we just did one." Buck muttered before clicking on the button on his radio. "Right, I'm on my way back from patrol." He reattached his radio to his belt, closed the hood of the Jeep, and turned off the boombox. "Well, duty calls."

Buck led Taylor back to the Cordon Zone, where they would have to part ways for now. "I'll catch up with you later," Buck said with a smile before heading off to meet with Commander Gerrard for the check-ins.

"Line up, inspection!" Gerrard called as Buck stood next to Chimney.

"Where have you been, Buck?" Chimney whispered harshly.

"Around. Don't worry about it." Buck shrugged, dismissing him as he stood at attention. With a straight back, Buck's easily the tallest (and largest) of the crew. Chimney shot Buck a suspicious look before turning his attention back to the inspection. Despite the tension between them, Buck remained focused on the task at hand, determined to prove himself as a valuable member of the team. As Gerrard made his way down the line, Buck made sure to maintain eye contact and show confidence in his demeanor. He knew that earning the respect of his commander would make his life a fuck of a lot easier.

"Someone's been breaking the chain of command and breaching the fences… I'm going to get to the bottom of this," Gerrard announced, his gaze shifting between Buck and Chimney. Buck's heart raced as he realized the implications of Gerrard's words, knowing that the tension between him and Chimney was about to come to a head. "You hot, Buckley?" He asked, stopping in front of him. "You're sweating."

"It's June, sir..." and we're in all black... Black absorbs all the heat from the sun—"

"Save it, Buckley. I don't want excuses; I want answers," Gerrard interrupted, his eyes narrowing in suspicion. Buck swallowed hard, feeling the weight of Gerrard's gaze bearing down on him. "Were you out of bounds?" He was so close to Buck he could see the individuals sweat droplets seeping out of his pores. Buck swallowed. He's been made. He had to have been. Gerrard's suspicions were confirmed when he saw the guilt in Buck's eyes. "You were out there, weren't you?" he demanded, his voice low and dangerous. Buck knew he couldn't lie his way out of this one.

"Yes Commander." He swallowed, "I was out of bounds." He'd rather fuck a cactus than to sell out his friend.

"Any particular reason?"

Buck hesitated, then finally admitted, "I needed some time alone to clear my head." It was the truth, honestly; he was working on the Jeep to enjoy alone time. It seemed to anger the commander even more, knowing that Buck had left his post for something so trivial. "Your personal issues are not a priority here, Buckley. You need to focus on the task at hand," Gerrard growled, his disappointment evident in his tone. "You know the consequences of abandoning your post, officer!" He snapped with authority.

"Yes, sir!" Buck spoke as if he were doing basic training all over again. Gerrard continued his inspection of Buck's uniform and his overall appearance. Buck stood at attention, trying to maintain his composure despite the commander's obvious disapproval. He knew he had made a mistake, and he was determined to make it right.

"You've got oil on your hands, boy." Buck looked down at his hands. It was from working on the Jeep earlier. "That's a write-up! Go fucking clean yourself up," Gerrard ordered sternly.

Buck sighed and jogged over to the locker room, particularly annoyed. He was counting down the days until he was free to retire from his duties. Buck was tired of the constant scrutiny and strict rules that came with being in the Cordon Police. He couldn't wait for the day when he could finally hang up his uniform for good. He sighed softly as he scrubbed his hands. The door opened, and Chimney walked in with a pack of cigarettes and a lighter as he locked the door and cleared the room before sitting down on the bench and lighting a cigarette. "Oh, that's the good shit." He exhaled the plume of smoke.

"I thought you quit smoking…" Buck said as he leaned against the sink.

"No. Maddie thinks I quit. And you're not gonna tell her." Chimney said, pointing at him with the cigarette in between his fingers. "Now. Out with it, where the fuck have you been, Buckley?" Buck sighed and chewed his lip. Chimney was his brother-in-law. Buck should trust him, right? "Is it a girl?" Buck shook his head. "Okay, uh, does Maddie know?" Buck shook his head again. "Were you fixing up that piece of junk Jeep again?"

"Okay, one, it's not a piece of junk! And two, it's a work in progress." Buck immediately defended himself. Chimney snorted and took another drag of his cigarette. The orange embers burned as he inhaled the smoke. "And you never know when it's time to pack up and—"

"Why are you still on that dream of leaving the cordon zone, Buck? Didn't Maddie tell you to drop it?"

Frustration built into Buck's chest, "Didn't Maddie tell you to stop smoking?" He retorted. "Chimney, we're not getting paid enough to sustain three adults and a toddler easily… Each one of us has sacrificed our portions to make sure Jee doesn't go hungry. Our options are limited. I say it's time to go—"

Chimney scoffed, "Where do we go, Evan, because I can almost guarantee you that the same shit's happening everywhere else?" Quarantine was supposed to end… 30 years ago… I get it, kid. I know you're frustrated with the situation; trust me, but you gotta let the dream of leaving this shithole go. And make the best of it. And maybe find a girl, get married, and have a kid." Buck sighed and sat down in front of Chimney, taking his cigarette and taking a drag.

"It's not for a lack of effort, Chim." Buck exhaled the smoke from his lungs. "I did try to settle down… but…" He licked his lips. He wondered if he should share what he heard. He took another drag and held the smoke in for a moment.

"But what?"

Buck sighed and released the smoke as he handed the stick of cancer back to Chimney. "I was doing my rounds around the perimeter… and I overheard Commander Mehta talking to Commander Cooper about a place…" Buck said, lowering his voice. "Where there's enough supplies and food and something called Project H.O.P.E."

"Project… Hope… right…" Chimney repeated slowly and scoffed.

"Chimney, I'm serious! It's real!"

Chimney held up his hands. "You're the one that believed in Santa Claus until you were 13… I mean, I don't want to call you gullible, but it's written on the ceiling." He pointed up. Buck naturally looked up at the ceiling. "See! You're gullible! Look Evan, it's just a rumor or wishful thinking… There's not even a known location."

"Nuuk, Greenland." Buck said instantly. "H.O.P.E. is in Greenland." Chimney frowned. "What?" Buck huffed.

"You do know where Greenland is, right? That's like… thousands of miles away… There is no way we can get there in a janky piece of shit Jeep."

"Wait, why does it sound like you're considering it?" Buck asked.

"I'm not. It's not a great plan… In fact, it's such a bad plan that it's not even worth discussing further," Chimney replied with a smirk. "But hey, if you want to waste your time chasing after a rumor, be my guest." Buck rolled his eyes, knowing that Chimney was right but still unable to shake the feeling of curiosity about H.O.P.E. He sighed and took the cigarette back from him. They smoked in silence until Chimney broke it again a few moments later. "Is the Jeep working though?"

Buck laughed and nodded. "Yeah, it's working; I just changed the oil, and the engine purrs like a cat."

—

A few months after Buck and Chimney talked about Project H.O.P.E., Buck was finally permitted to retire from the Cordon Police. He hadn't stopped sneaking out of the fence. He went to greater means for ration cards, going to junkyards and selling usable parts to the tunnels, especially since he doesn't have an income right now. He currently made about 150 ration cards for the parts that were sold. Then he was coming back inside the cordon. He snagged his shirt on the metal of the fence, and it ripped. "Ah shit…" Buck muttered as he slipped inside the fence before curfew.

Buck walked down the road to his shared house with Maddie, Chimney, and his niece, who is quite literally his favorite person ever. "Hey… I'm home!" Buck called through the house. There was a loud, high pitched squeal and the sound of tiny feet hitting the floor.

"Unca Buck!" A small, black-haired, half Korean toddler ran into Buck's legs. Buck hauled her up into his arms with a groan as she giggled.

"You're getting heavy, Jee." Maddie walked out of the kitchen and up the stairs. With Chimney coming up right behind her.

"Maddie We can talk about this! It's not the end of the… well… I guess that's the wrong idiom to use… but we'll figure it out!"

Buck tilted his head. "Hey, what's, uh, going on? Are you two fighting?" He asked as he put Jee down. He watched as she ran to her little play area. Chimney sighed and pinched the bridge of his nose.

"How much did you make today?" Chimney asked. Buck pulled out the ration cards. "150 is not enough, Buck!" His brother-in-law huffed.

"Enough for what? Chim, that's perfectly enough to ensure that all four of us can eat for… a month and some change." Buck huffed back as he pocketed the cards. Chimney looked at him.

"There's not going to be four mouths to feed for long, Buck." Chimney sighed.

Buck raised an eyebrow, sensing the weight of Chimney's words. "What do you mean?" he asked cautiously.

Chimney hesitated before responding, "Jee's going to be a big sister soon. And Maddie and I have been running our expenses—yours too. We won't be able to afford anything else. And if that happens and CP finds out that Maddie is pregnant…"

Buck closed his eyes. "They'll take Jee and the baby." He sighed. "Chim, hey. Look, we're not going to let that happen." He said it seriously.

"Oh, lovely, how do you suppose we do that?" Chimney scoffed. "And don't say—"

"—Greenland."

"…Greenland… no, Buck! Seriously, that is an impossible trip to make!" Chimney protested, "Especially with a toddler and a pregnant woman." Chimney ran a hand through his hair out of stress and exasperation. "Not to mention, Danger—Buck, where're you going?"

Buck walked to his room next to the kitchen and pulled out a map from under his mattress before walking back to Chimney. "I've already got the route planned out." Buck shook the map as he spoke with conviction. Buck was ready to reveal his plans before Chimney sighed, rubbing his temples. "I know the most effective places to travel to."

"Of course you do!" Chimney laughed exasperated. "You are banking everything on a rumor. Evan, this is serious real life shit that's happening to us… We can't play with your fantasy! I'm trying to come up with a plan!" Chimney cried out in frustration.

"So am I!" Buck shot back. "And the best one for us is to leave. I mean, unless you want your kids to get ripped away from you and Maddie. Which by all means, Han, don't let me stop you—" Then suddenly Buck was shoved up against the wall.

"Don't you ever threaten my family like that, Buckley." Chimney growled, his voice low and dangerous. "We stick together, no matter what." Buck's eyes widened in surprise at Chimney's sudden aggression, realizing he had crossed a line. Chimney's protective instincts were fierce. The tension between them was palpable. The stairs squeaked from behind Chimney. Buck could see Maddie. She looked a little worn and mad.

"Both of you, knock it off! You're scaring Jee!" Maddie snapped sternly, "What the hell are you two fighting over?!"

Chimney released Buck. They were silent for a minute. Buck sighed and looked at Maddie. "I heard a rumor about there being a sanctuary in Nuuk, Greenland. Called Project H.O.P.E. It's supposed to be the solution to preventing human extinction, which we are all on the path toward. I have my Jeep packed and ready to go… We'd just have to leave before the CP starts to suspect something."

Maddie looked pensive. Jee reached up for her to pick the girl up. "Buck, I told you—" Chimney sighed.

"It sounds incredible risky." Maddie began, her brow furrowed in concern. "But if it's our only chance at survival, we may not have a choice."

Buck sighed, "Come on, Mads, I know it's a bold and risky move, but—" Buck paused for a second, her words registering fully in his head. He lightly shook his head and looked at her. "Wait, I'm not sure if I heard you right; are you agreeing with me?" Buck asked, completely stunned by Maddie's answer.

"Evan. Any place out there is better than here… I don't want my children to grow up without the three of us… and this is the first time in years I've seen that spark of hope in your eyes. So… if you believe this is the right move, Ev, then I'll follow you to the ends of the earth if I have to, if it means Jee, and this baby gets to have a life one that's not under autocratic rule." Maddie said softly. Chimney furrowed his brows in concern as he looked at Maddie and Jee before looking back at Buck.

"So… what happens when it turns out to just be a story?" Chimney asked with a soft sigh.

Maddie looked at Chimney and said, "Even if it's just a story, at least we tried," Maddie added, her voice filled with determination. "We owe it to ourselves and our children to take that chance. I would blame myself for our children's misfortunes if we stay." Maddie said softly. "If it's a chance at freedom and safety and a better life, then it's worth the risk," she concluded, looking at Buck with a hopeful expression.

Buck's chest swelled with pride as he listened to Maddie's words. He knew that taking a chance on the unknown was scary, but he also knew that staying in their current situation was not an option. Buck nodded in agreement, ready to take the leap of faith with his family. "Chim?" He asked and looked at his brother-in-law.

Chimney nodded solemnly; there was a look of understanding on his face. The gravity of the situation was hanging over the three of them like a dark cloud. "I'm with you," Chimney said firmly, his eyes reflecting determination. The three of them shared a knowing look before preparing to embark on their arduous journey to a new beginning.

"Good… We leave at dawn." Buck said with a nod.

—

It was bright and early when Buck was standing there waiting for his family to join him. The sun was just beginning to rise, casting a golden glow over the horizon as the door opened. "Okay, we're ready." Maddie whispered as Jee was strapped to Chimney's chest in a baby carrier. Buck smiled. Feeling a surge of hope and determination, he grabbed his bookbag and his gun holsters one on his belt, a Sig Sauer P226 and the other, a Glock 19, attached to his thigh. There was a hunting knife attached to his boot, just in case. He was prepared for whatever lay ahead.

Buck quickly led them towards the break in the fence, quickly but stealthily. If they were caught, all of them were dead. The adrenaline pumping through his veins fueled his every step, knowing that their freedom was just within reach. As they made their way towards the break in the fence, Buck's heart raced with the realization that this was their one shot at escape. He stopped for a moment. Pulling Chimney back against the wall. Voices. Buck motioned for everyone to stay quiet as he listened intently, trying to determine if the voices were getting closer.

Their only chance was to remain undetected until the voices passed by. Buck knew that any noise could give them away, so they waited in tense silence, hoping for the best. He pulled out his gun making sure it was loaded. Then he reached inside the flap of his bag and pulled out a makeshift silencer; it was an old water bottle with a stuffed white cloth inside. He took the electrical tape and taped it to the barrel. He looked over and saw Chimney do the same; they were trained by the CP, and here they were ready to use it against them.

The voices went the other way. They didn't have to fight their way out of the Cordon Zone. Instead, they quietly made their way through the decaying buildings, grateful for the diversion. As they approached the edge of the zone, Buck finally spoke up, "It's over here." He said walking over the wood pallet and roof shingles… Maddie's eyes were locked over to the cordon square. Where Buck had been whipped several years ago.

"It's crazy how fast time flies." Maddie commented.

"I know just what you mean, Mads… Come on, ladies first." Buck said softly. He internally shuddered at the memory of the whip ripping open his skin. He still has nightmares of that night. Maddie walked away towards the fence slowly as Chimney cradled Jee tightly against him. Buck's body had long been decorated with tattoos to hide the scars from that night. He had an exceptionally large one on his back; a pair of wings spread wide, symbolizing his desire to be free from his cage, which was this place.

"You're next, Chim," Buck said definitively. Chimney nodded, shielding Jee as he maneuvered himself through. Then finally, Buck followed them until they were all on the other side of the fence. "Come on, it's this way."

They were walking for about twenty minutes until Buck took a left turn. To a run down house with a car park attached. The 1982 blue Jeep was still there, restored to its former glory. "Booster seat's in the back of the car park." Buck murmured as he grabbed the supplies they needed for their trip. A tent, rations, extra gas with a siphon, water, several first aid packs, some toys for Jee, a couple long guns, and ammo just in case they run into trouble.

"You weren't kidding when you said you were prepared…" Chimney commented.

Buck chuckled. "It's seven and a half years of preparation. Now… come on." Buck said, climbing into the driver's seat. Maddie got into the backseat with Jee, and Chimney was in the front passenger seat.

"Where to first?" Chimney asked.

Buck looked at Chimney and put on a pair of sunglasses as he began to drive. "Salt Lake City, Utah." He turned the radio on and put in a cassette tape of an AC/DC album, blasting the music as they hit the road. "We've got a long journey ahead of us," Buck said with a grin, excitement evident in his voice.

Chapter Text

Las Vegas, Nevada, May 2024

Her neck was tight with tension as she sat in the medical room chairs. They had always been as uncomfortable as she remembered before the world went to shit 30 some years ago. Back then, she didn't understand much about life as a teenager. Hell, she hardly understood it now as a middle-aged woman—how unjust and cruel the world truly was. Hen yawned and rolled her head, trying to loosen the tension in her neck the best she could. "Hey…" She looked up and saw the familiar and beautiful face of the woman she loved holding two cups of coffee—or was it tea today?

"Hey, babe…" Hen exhaled with a soft, tired smile. "I didn't even realize it's morning already... Please tell me that's coffee." She asked with a wink. Karen's face looked slightly amused as she handed it to Hen.

"Milk and sugar, just as you like it." Karen proclaimed. Hen took a sip as the sound of an EKG beeping and the slow, steady hiss of a ventilator filled the temporary silence. Hen loved that she could have temporary but comfortable silences with Karen. It just felt right. "Has there been any new developments yet?" Karen asked after a few moments. Hen's face was somber as she shook her head.

"Not yet…" Hen sighed as Karen sat down next to her. She watched her lips open and press against the edge of her coffee mug. "Clyde's got to make it." Hen said affirmatively. "He has to… mom can't."

"I know, baby, I know..." Karen shushed her, "We just have to stay positive." Hen gave a sad smile as she fixed her glasses and looked at her wife. There was tension in Karen's shoulders.

Hen looked at microexpressions; there was something she wasn't saying.

"Karen, what's going on? You're not telling me something," Hen said softly, reaching out to hold her hand. "How are the kids?" She was concerned.

"Denny and Mara are okay." She was quickly reassured. "It can wait."

Hen shook her head. "Baby, tell me anyway."

Karen hesitated before finally speaking, "Well, you remember that research project I wanted to do?" She asked. Hen gave a nod. "This cordon official came to me with a job offer and said it was mine if I wanted."

"Karen, that's great!" Hen gave a proud but still exhausted smile.

"In…Greenland." She paused, her voice tinged with uncertainty. Hen's smile faltered slightly, realizing the implications of such a distant opportunity. "But if we decide to go, the kids will have a better education, food, and healthcare." Karen looked behind her for a moment and started to whisper. "I heard about Greenland once or twice before; apparently there's an organization from the Old World blended with the New World. Human Organization in Preventing Extinction. This place is supposed to be better than the United Cordon Sectors of America.

"But Greenland? It's just so far away from our family..." Hen murmured, "Not to mention, there's no airplanes anymore; there hasn't been one in... 28 years... How would we get there?"

Karen licked her lips. "There's a harbor in Pointe-du-Chêne, New Brunswick, Canada. We'd have to find our own way of traveling to get there." She took another sip of her tea.

Hen's eyes widened as she considered the logistics of such a journey. "It's risky, but if it means a chance at a better life, it might be worth considering... When do you have to give them a decision?"

"I have until June 3rd to give my decision. The final boat leaves at the end of February." Karen answered with a gentle sigh, "I don't know if I even want to take the offer, especially with the kids, Clyde's condition, and Toni... Maybe we wait..."

Hen nodded. "Okay, we'll wait." She said it in agreement. "Speaking of Toni, how's Mom?"

Toni Wilson was never good with hospitals, doctors, or illnesses, even back in the old world before the hantavirus pandemic struck. Hen can recall one day as a kid when she'd asked her mother why she didn't like doctors. "Doctors are racist, Henrietta; they want to use my blackness as the main excuse as to why I feel like absolute dog shit... I don't trust them one bit." Her husband, Clyde, had been diagnosed with Stage Two small cell lung cancer a couple months ago, part from a history of heavy smoking and breathing in strong chemicals from his years of working in sanitation. Because they were in the sick ward at the medical center, there was an outbreak of viral pneumonia in the hospital. The medical team decided to put Clyde on a ventilator to give his lungs a break and hope that the pneumonia clears up in a few days.

Because of this, Toni didn't stay with Clyde. She'd been at home watching the children. Hen knew it was because she was scared of losing her partner. The distrust of doctors sure didn't help matters. "Toni's hanging in there; being with Mara is distracting her from this." Karen said as she looked over at Clyde's sedated state. The slow, repetitive hissing of the ventilator breathing for him filled the silence. "Why don't you go home? Get some rest. You're on duty tonight." Karen said, looking at Hen. "I'll stay here with Clyde for a few before I have to go to work." Hen graciously took the suggestion to heart; she was exhausted to say the least.

Hen was walking towards her house when she noticed a teenage boy running away from CP. "Get back here, suspect!" They called out after him; their guns were raised, and they were gearing up to shoot him. She instantly recognized the boy, her son. And she immediately broke into a sprint.

"Denny!" She cried out loudly before she immediately pulled him behind her.

"Ma'am, get out of our way; the suspect is a thief!" The taller of them snarled as his rifle aimed center of Hen's chest.

"I didn't do anything! Mom, I swear! I didn't do anything; I was just walking home from school with Leo! They shot him!" Denny was terrified. Anger surged into her chest.

"Who is your commander, officer?" Hen snapped with authority.

"Watch your tone, citizen; we will not hesitate to shoot." The shorter man turned the safety on his rifle off. Hen was tensed, and she narrowed her eyes.

"Citizen? I am a Commander of the South District, Commander Henrietta Wilson Badge number 526702. Want to try again, Officer?" She had a stern, authoritative tone as she glared at the both of their stunned faces. They lowered their weapons.

"Commander, we-we... we apologize... He and the other kid matched the description of two thieves." The tall one stammered.

Hen's eyebrows raised. "And you shot and killed a child?"

The two officers shifted uncomfortably under Hen's piercing gaze. "Commander, we were just following orders; he had a weapon." The shorter man explained, his voice trembling.

"Liar! It was just his baseball bat; we were coming home from baseball practice!" Denny raised his voice. Hen tried to calm him down, holding him close to her.

"Badge numbers." Hen ordered.

"231414... Peter Watson." The tall one answered.

"125732… Kyle Ortiz." The short one spoke shortly after. Hen wrote down their badges and names.

Hen looked at them. "Expect to be relieved from your duties as Cordon Police." She growled. "Call in the death. And wait for further instructions." She ordered as she led Denny away from the situation. When they were finally alone. Denny immediately crushed her into a tight hug.

"Thank you, Mama, thank you." Denny sobbed into her arms. Hen's heart shattered. Racial profiling in the northern districts had become a serious issue, and she knew that these two officers were just the tip of the iceberg. She made a mental vow to take their badges. She comforted him the best she could. "I thought I was going to die next."

Hen shushed him. "It's okay, hon, Mama's here." Hen whispered softly, "I won't let anything happen to you. We'll get through this together." She held him close, feeling the weight of the injustice and fear that lingered in the air. "Let's go home."

"What about Leo?"

"Don't you worry about him right now; I'll get it taken care of. Mark my words, sweetie." They walked back to their home in silence, with the occasional sniffle from Denny. Hen couldn't help the mental image of watching CP shoot down her only son in front of her. The thought made her shudder, but she pushed it away, focusing on the warmth of Denny's hand in hers. They finally made it back home. He let Denny go inside first, taking a moment to breathe for a second.

"There you are! I was getting worried about you, Denny Wilson." Toni cried loudly with a gasp of relief.

"Grammy." Denny's eyes got big as they welled up with tears, and he rushed to her.

"Oh, what's the matter, munchkin?" Toni asked before she noticed Hen shutting and locking the front door. "Henrietta?" Toni pressed, confused.

"The CPs… They killed Leo and chased me. I thought I was going to be next." Denny sniffled. Toni's face tightened angrily.

"They what?! It never changes, whether it's the old world or this one. To cops or cordon officers; if you black, then you must be a goddamn crook!" She scoffed angrily.

"Mom. Not now…" Hen sighed as Denny brushed past Mara to his room.

"Mama? What happened?"

Hen looked at her daughter. "Don't worry about it, honey. Why don't you go play in your room?" Mara nodded; her innocent eyes were wide as she left the two adults alone. "I gotta call Karen." She sighed and grabbed the rotary phone and dialed the medical center's number. "Hi, this is Henrietta Wilson; my stepdad is in room 40 with my wife; is there a chance that you could have her come speak to me on the phone? It's important."

About twenty minutes after her conversation with Karen, Hen saw her wife's concern plastered on her face as she flew into the house. "Where is he?"

"His room," Hen said without needing clarification for who she wanted. The look on Karen's face as she heaved out a sigh of relief as she dropped her bag and coat on the floor and rushed to the back of the hours. Leaving Hen and Toni in the room.

"I never understood how you could join those... racist sons of bitches, Henrietta." Toni commented as she drank a glass of wine. Hen sighed and didn't respond to her mother's disappointment. Hen simply shrugged, knowing that her mother's disapproval was nothing new. Toni took another sip of wine; the tension in the room was palpable as they both sat in a momentary silence.

"In order to fight the problem, you gotta fight it from inside. Besides, Mom, not all of us are bad." She declared , trying to justify her decision to join the Cordon Police. Toni raised an eyebrow, clearly unconvinced by Hen's explanation.

The older woman scoffed, "Joining the CPs won't change who you are, Henrietta. You are a black woman. You're betraying your own people." Hen's heart sank at her mother's words, feeling the weight of their strained relationship more than ever. Hen took off her glasses and rubbed her eyes. "Are you going to let those assholes get away with killing one child and accosting yours?!"

"Christ, enough, Mom! No, I'm not going to let them get away with it. I have their badges; I'm going to report—"

"Report. Hah! What good is that going to do? Henrietta. You need to do something more proactive than snitching. They targeted your damn son. Do something that says don't fuck with the Wilsons."

Hen felt a surge of frustration and anger at her mother's dismissive attitude. She knew reporting the incident was the right thing to do, but her mother's words gnawed at her. She wanted to protect her son, to show him that she would stand up for him, but she also understood her mother's call for action. Taking a deep breath, Hen put her glasses back on. "I'll... figure something out, okay? Does that work for you?" She sighed with a twinge of annoyance.

She walked to her home office and shut the door. She was being to pace the room. As she paced, Hen's mind raced with thoughts of what could have happened to her son and the potential consequences of rectifying the situation. Along with her fear and uncertainty, she knew that taking action was the only way to protect her child. She took a deep breath, reminding herself of her strength and determination. She was a commander of the southern district's cordon police. She could fix this. She knew she could. With newfound resolve, she sat down at her desk and began to make a list of all the different possibilities she could take action.

As she wrote each item on the list, she felt a sense of control returning, knowing that she was capable of handling whatever challenges lay ahead. Then she paused at the final option on her list. Her eyes were wide in horror. Killing him. She knew it was a drastic measure, but the safety of her district was at stake, especially with Northern CPs profiling the citizens in her district. With a heavy heart, she realized that sometimes tough decisions had to be made in order to protect the greater good, not to mention revenge for Leo and Denny.

Taking a deep breath, she made her choice and prepared herself for the difficult task ahead. She grabbed her radio and turned it on. "This is Commander Wilson. I'm calling for the capture of two officers from the north district. Badge numbers are 231414 and 125732." She ordered.

"Commander, you said to arrest two of our own? Is that correct?"

Hen paused for a second; her eyes drifted to a photo on her desk—a picture of Denny's baseball team. Leo and Denny were hanging on each other with big, innocent grins on their faces. They had won the Cordon Championship a couple years ago. A lump of rage and grief rushed her. "They killed an innocent child and tried to kill my son." She said it into the radio. "That's correct." Hen's voice trembled with emotion as she relayed the news to her unit. There was a moment of silence on the other end of the radio. Karen walked into the office with concern in her eyes.

"Baby, what's—"

"Understand, Commander, we'll get those assholes for you."

Karen's face fell as she realized. "Hen, what are you doing?" Hen's heart snapped at the look of horror on her wife's face.

"My job." Hen cleared her throat as she bit back the emotions. She knew Karen wouldn't understand, but she had a duty to protect her family and her community. "I'll explain everything later, I promise," Hen said softly, trying to reassure her wife.

"Okay, what is your plan, then, if you don't mind me asking?"

"It's against our cordon rules to persecute children with death unless they committed a heinous crime. You know what crime Leo and Denny committed? Being black boys. That's it. It's my job to ensure that type of persecution against the children in this district at least doesn't happen again." Hen said firmly.

"By doing what?" Karen asked with as much firmness as Hen. It was clear that Karen was just as frustrated with this situation.

"Public execution."

Karen's eyes widened in shock at Hen's response. "Are you sure that's the right way to handle this?" she asked, her voice tinged with concern. "What about your job? "I mean, you're gunning after other CPs. You'll lose your job."

Hen took a deep breath before responding, "It's a sacrifice I'm going to have to make. This job... it's not worth our children's lives, Karen." She walked around the desk and took Karen's hands in hers. "I'm considering Greenland more and more." Hen couldn't help the failed attempt at lighting the tension.

Karen looked pensive. "What happens if this comes back to bite us in the future?" She asked. Hen knew she was right. What would happen if she went through with the sentencing? What would the consequence be? Hen knew that the decision she was about to make would have far-reaching implications, not just for her career but for her family as well. She looked into Karen's eyes, seeing the worry and fear reflected back at her.

Taking a moment to gather her thoughts, Hen finally spoke, "I don't know what the future holds, but I do know that I can't sit back and do nothing. I have to take a stand. Leo deserved to be treated with dignity." With a determined look in her eyes, Hen knew that she was ready to face whatever consequences may come from her actions as the cordon commander.

There was a crowd of people gathering around the pillars in the southern district with a wave of commotion. Peter Watson and Kyle Ortiz were kneeling in the center with their arms hugging the pillars used to try offenders. But this time this was a public execution, the first one in the south district in five years since Hen had been in charge. Hen stood in front of the two officers. "Citizens of the South District, these two accused. from the North District broke jurisdiction and killed a child and attempted to kill another child." Hen announced. Her eyes drifted over to Leo's parents. They looked absolutely devastated. Leo's mother, Patricia—or Trisha as she preferred—had glassy red and hate-filled eyes. Her cheeks were wet as she huddled close to her husband, Otis. Her heart broke for the both of them.

"Accused," she addressed the officers, "How do you plead?"

The officers looked at each other before one of them, Kyle, spoke up. "Not guilty, your honor," he replied confidently.

"You son of a bitch! I'll pass judgment to you myself!" Leo's father snarled before Hen raised a hand calmly towards Otis, her expression unreadable as she turned back to the offenders, silently promising justice for their son.

"You have a brief moment to represent your case, Officer Ortiz." Hen said, "Before the people that have gathered here, with the exception of the victims, Denny Wilson, Leonard Jackson's families, will give their verdict." She was nothing if not fair. Every case of offense was publicly decided as a community. Hen usually knew what the verdict would be before the trial began because she was intimately familiar with the values and expectations of her community.

"They matched the description of two thieves... and one of them was armed. We did what we were trained to do."

"What was the weapon?" Hen asked.

"A baseball bat." Everyone was musing among themselves.

"What was the suspect wearing?" He hated calling Leo a suspect. He was a victim.

"He was wearing a... baseball shirt and hat," Peter replied. Leo had always loved baseball, and now that love had been twisted into a weapon against him. Trisha sniffled and sobbed into Otis' chest.

"The victim was wearing a baseball cap and uniform, but his weapon was a bat... Did you even stop to think to call it in?"

"This is dumb!" Kyle groaned out; that little shit ran! If he wasn't guilty, he wouldn't have run!"

"He was a terrified child! And you shot him in the back!" Hen shouted, finally losing her cool. "The trial is over; it's time for the public to hand out their verdict. Citizens, what say you?"

The crowd murmured amongst themselves, some nodding in agreement with Hen while others shook their heads in disapproval. The tension in the square was palpable as Hen looked out over the sea of faces, waiting for a response. Suddenly, a voice rang out from the back, breaking the silence. "We find the accused guilty!" The words echoed, sending shockwaves through the onlookers.

Peter started to panic. "W-wait, wait! That's not fair! We wer

"The punishment shall be execution." Hen announced. She knew it'd be shocking for everyone to hear, considering she liked the pacifist route of policing. She turned around and walked away as the sounds of two rifles cocked. The crowd erupted into chaos, with some shouting in outrage against the accused and others stunned into silence. Hen couldn't bear to witness the execution, knowing it went against everything she believed in. Two gunshots echoed through the air for miles as Hen went inside her office and she sat down. Leo's parents came in not long after.

Hen reached inside the center drawer in her desk and pulled out a crumpled pack of cigarettes and a lighter. She silently offered a cigarette to the grieving parents, to which they declined. Hen shrugged and lit one for herself. The flame danced around the end of the cigarette until there was. An orange glow at the end of it. Hen sucked in the addicting nicotine and exhaled after a second. The edges of gray smoke curled upwards towards the ceiling, dissipating into the stale office air. Leo's parents watched in silence, their eyes filled with a mixture of sorrow and understanding. Hen took another drag, the burning sensation in her chest momentarily punishing her. "Hen…" Trisha sniffled softly.

Then Hen's lip wobbled. "Dammit… I shouldn't be crying over this! They got what was deserved!" Hen shamed herself as she hunched over with her head in her hands.

"They did get what they deserved. You did right by our boy, Hen." Trisha's voice cracked with emotion as she reached out to comfort Hen. Otis walked over to the liquor cabinet and helped himself to a glass of Bourbon.

He poured himself a generous amount, taking a long sip before speaking. "We'll get through this. We're Jacksons… It's what we do." Otis said. "It's going to hurt for a good long time, but I can rest easy knowing you had our backs."

Hen nodded, tears streaming down her face as she felt the weight of Trisha's hand on her shoulder. Otis' words brought a sense of strength and unity to the room. "I'm sorry this happened."

It let out a dry, humorless chuckle. "It's the way the world is now, sadly. It doesn't matter if you are in here or out there. It's a kill or be killed world out there. We just have to stay prepared. We got too comfortable here... and it cost us our boy." Hen wiped away her tears, feeling a mix of sadness and determination after Otis' words. She knew he was right; they couldn't afford to let their guard down again.

"Don't ever blame yourself for what happened to Leo... It's not your fault." Trisha squeezed her shoulder reassuringly, silently conveying their shared gratitude. "You have given our family so much and more... and you gave Leo a second home. We will always be in your debt, Hen Wilson." Hen took a deep breath, feeling the weight of Trisha's words before pulling her into a hug.

"You two need anything; you let me know... and I'll keep you comfortable."

Hen was standing in front of the Chief of the Cordon Police Force in her uniform. "Commander Wilson. When you called for the execution of two fellow officers, did you consider the consequences?" Chief Simpson asked, folding his hands over as he leaned against the desk. Hen stood tall, meeting Chief Simpson's gaze with unwavering determination.

"I made the decision based on the safety of the public and integrity of the force," she replied firmly. "I stand by my actions, knowing that justice was served. For Leonard Jackson, a 13-year-old boy who was shot in the back for running away."

"As far as I am aware, Commander," there was a menacing-looking commander standing on the right side of Hen, "Your son was involved, no?" She asked with a tilt of her head.

"My son was involved, but once again he was a victim of racial prejudice who saw the officers shoot down an innocent child."

"So he says." The commander scoffed.

Hen's eyes narrowed, and she looked at her. "Excuse me?"

"Children lie, Commander."

Hen's anger at the accusation that her son was lying. "The evidence is completely damning considering I saw the two men chasing my son. And this is the first time that he was ever remotely in a CP's radar!" She said. "I know what I saw, and they admitted to the shooting. And I sentenced them to give Leo's family justice. An eye for an eye."

The chief held up his hand. "We cannot have commanders killing officers unsanctioned."

Hen's jaw clenched as she struggled to contain her emotions. "I understand the protocol, but justice had to be served," she said firmly. "I couldn't rely on our superiors to give proper action for unlawful force against a child. So I did what I felt was right."

"What was right?" The commander asked. "Murder? You murdered two of our fellow coworkers. You're a cop-killer."

"Commander Ortiz, you are not running this debriefing. Please leave all questions, remarks, and accusations to yourself. Or I will have you removed from this room." Chief Simpson commanded. Hen's eyes widened with recognition. Commander Ortiz? The realization hit her like a ton of bricks.

"You're related to Officer Ortiz, aren't you?" Hen asked with a gentle gasp. Commander Ortiz looked at Hen. Her eyes twitched in response, giving Hen full confirmation.

"Commander Wilson." Chief Simpson cleared his throat. "Due to the severity of your betrayal to the Cordon Police Force, you are hereby removed from your elected position, effective immediately. Turn in your badge and your sidearm. We thank you for your years of service." Hen didn't say anything as she removed her badge and her gun off of her hip, and she handed them to the Chief in silence. "Until the next election, Commander Ortiz, you'll take over Wilson's position in the South."

Hen was standing outside of the building smoking another stress cigarette before she went home. She sighed softly as she heard footsteps behind her.

"What was it that you said earlier, Command—Ms. Wilson?"

Hen looked at Commander Ortiz, "I don't know what I said. I spoke a lot. Commander."

"My son is dead because of your incompetence!"

"Your son is dead because he didn't go through the proper channels to report his concerns about my district... like he should have. Don't blame me for your failures as a parent and a leader." Commander Ortiz's face turned red with anger as she clenched her fists.

Then she released her fingers calmly, "What was it you said earlier? An eye for an eye?" She asked. Hen took a final drag of her cigarette before flicking it onto the ground and walking away without looking back. She wasn't going to allow this woman to intimidate her.

The sounds of laughter and chitchat filled the small house as Hen walked inside. Her nose was gracious to be greeted by the familiar aroma of her mother's cooking. She knew that despite being fired and threatened by an angry commander, she could always find peace and comfort within these walls. "Mama!" Mara cried happily as she saw Hen walking inside the dining room. "You're home early!"

Hen sat down next to her daughter, hugging her into her side. "Well, Mama's going to stay home for a while... and look after Grammy and you kids." Hen said, looking at Toni and Karen.

"What happened?" Karen asked with a gentle look of worry. Hen shook her head, wanting to save it for later when the kids were in bed. Some things are better left out of their knowledge. Denny was shuffling an old deck of cards and started to deal them out.

"House rules," Denny announced as he passed out cards.

"Uh, boy, what's this?" Hen laughed as she grabbed her cards. "Who taught you Blackjack?" She laughed before she looked in the direction of Toni. "Mother."

Toni turned around from the stove. "He wanted to learn how to play a card game, Henrietta. It's not going to hurt him."

Hen chuckled as she watched Denny try to mimic the rules of blackjack. "Well, as long as he doesn't start betting ration cards," she joked, earning a playful glare from Denny before he rolled his eyes and continued to deal the cards, trying his best to remember the rules he had learned from Toni. The atmosphere in the room was light and relaxed, a welcome break from the tension and stress that had been building up outside. As they played, the sound of laughter and friendly banter filled the air, reminding them all of the importance of taking a moment to enjoy each other's company in the midst of chaos. Hen glanced over at Toni, a smile tugging at the corners of her lips as she realized just how much she had missed these simple moments of connection with her family.

"Oh! That reminds me! Guess what I found on my way over to visit Clyde!" Karen gasped after the last round of blackjack was played. Hen looked over at her wife with a quizzical look as Karen got up and walked to her bag. "I just found... UNO!"

"Shut up!" Hen gasped. "Where did you even find it?!" She looked at the pack of UNO cards. They were old and ratty but still in usable condition. "It took a couple hundred rations to get them, but I saw them at the bodega on the corner. And figured it'd be worth the money for family game night."

Hen smiled, grateful for Karen's thoughtfulness. "I can't wait to beat you at UNO," she teased, shuffling the cards excitedly.

"Bring it on," Karen replied with a competitive glint in her eye, ready for a fun night with her wife.

"Wait, what's UNO?" Denny and Mara asked in unison.

"UNO. The game that ends relationships and family."

Toni hummed in disagreement. "Actually, that's Monopoly."

Karen chuckled, "Well, we'll see about that." She started dealing out the cards.

Hen winked at the kids, "Don't worry, we'll teach you how to play. It's all in good fun." As the game began, laughter filled the room as Denny and Mara quickly caught on to the rules of UNO. Karen and Hen exchanged playful banter as they each tried to outwit the other. Despite the competitive nature of the game, there was a sense of camaraderie and joy that filled the air. Eventually it had to come to an end to prepare to eat supper.

"You two better go wash up before dinner." Karen hummed with a smile as Hen helped her mother set the table and bring out the meal before them. "Oh, it looks divine, Toni." She said as she helped Hen make the kids' plates. The aroma of the food wafted through the room, making everyone's stomachs growl in anticipation. As they all sat down to eat, laughter and chatter filled the room, creating a warm and welcoming atmosphere for the family meal.

Karen was sitting on the edge of the bed as Hen got ready for the night. "Now are you going to tell me what happened at the hearing today?" She slowly removed her glasses and took off her earrings. She went to speak when the Landline suddenly rang in the living room. "What on earth? Who is calling at this time of night?"

Hen agreed silently and went to answer the phone. "This is Hen Wilson speaking?"

"Ms. Wilson…" The girl on the other end of the line sounded shaken as she spoke. "U-uh… um… My name is Lindsey Atkins. I'm your stepdad's nurse. He passed away earlier tonight from complications related to pneumonia." Her heart sank as she processed the news. She felt a mix of sadness and shock wash over her, realizing that she had lost a loved one. Hen thanked Lindsey for letting her know. Karen was standing in the doorway of the living room.

"Who was it?"

"The nurse… Clyde… he…" Hen wobbled, and Karen immediately gasped.

"Oh my God, Hen, I'm so sorry," Karen said, rushing to her side and wrapping her in a tight hug. Hen could feel tears welling up in her eyes as she leaned into her wife's embrace. She struggled to make sense of the sudden loss, feeling a wave of grief crashing over her.

"We'll tell the others tomorrow... It's been a really bad day." Hen fought off the wave of sobs to push that out as Karen nodded and took them to their bedroom to allow Hen to fall apart before she did in front of the kids and Toni. Karen held Hen close as they both cried until they fell asleep.

Hen was dead to the word in her slumber as she slept on her stomach. Hugging her worn pillow tight to her face. "Hen!" Karen hissed.

"Hmm?" Hen didn't budge.

"Hen, wake up!" Karen hissed again; Hen still didn't move. But she furrowed her brows. There was a hint of distress in Karen's tone.

"What's wrong, baby?" Hen groggily spoke, half awake.

"There's a man in—ah! Ow! You're hurting me! No! Let me go! Let me go!" Karen cried out in a struggle as she was ripped out of their bed.

Hen was now fully awake. She sprang up in a panic, her heart racing as she tried to make sense of the chaos unfolding before her. She could see the fear in Karen's eyes as she was being dragged away, and without a second thought, Hen leaped into action. Adrenaline coursing through her veins, she lunged towards the intruder, ready to defend her partner with all her might. "Let her go!" Hen's voice was strong and commanding, her fists clenched as she prepared to fight for their safety. As she lunged, she was immediately subdued with a sharp crack against the back of her head, in which everything went dark after she hit the ground.

Hen's head throbbed as she slowly came back; she was hearing the sniffling and crying from Mara and Karen. As her vision started coming back, she felt something warm and sticky down the back of her neck and shoulder, making her PJs stick to her skin uncomfortably. It was probably blood. Hen ran a mental assessment internally. "Ah, look who's finally awake." Hen's blood ran cold. Commander Ortiz.

Hen lifted her head and went to grab it before she realized that she was tied down to a chair with Karen and Toni next to her. "Commander Ortiz… Why are you doing this?" Hen immediately asked. "Your beef is with me; just let them go, and we can settle this in the Square."

Ortiz hummed for a moment before shaking her head. Her officers were holding guns to the kids and to Toni and Karen. "I told you earlier, Ms. Wilson, an eye for an eye. You killed my boy." His heart raced as she struggled against her restraints, feeling a sense of desperation creeping in. She looked over at her family, who were now caught in the crossfire of this deadly vendetta. Commander Ortiz's cold, steely gaze pierced through her, and Hen knew that pleading with her would be futile. The gravity of the situation weighed heavily on her as she realized the dire consequences of her actions.

"Your son tried to kill ours and succeeded in killing another unsanctioned! Hen did what she had to do!" Karen snapped as she struggled against her restraints.

"So it's been said. But children lie. They lie all the time." She said again, grabbing Denny by the roots of his hair. Denny cried out.

"I didn't lie!" He protested, trying to pull away from her grip. Hen's heart lurched heavily as she saw Ortiz touch her son. She knew she had to stay calm and collected, despite the anger and fear coursing through her veins. Hen took a deep breath as she felt a surge of protectiveness for her son, but she knew that escalating the situation further would only make things worse. She had to find a way to defuse the tension and come to a resolution that would keep her family safe.

"I'm going to be nicer than you were, Wilson... I'll let you choose." She muttered as she stroked Mara's cheek. Mara shied away from her and whined.

"Mommy, make her stop!" Karen's eyes were wide as rage coursed through Hen like gasoline to a flame.

Hen clenched her fists, trying to control the anger bubbling inside her. Taking a deep breath, she forced herself to stay calm and focused. "Mara, sweetie, it's okay. Commander, please, let's talk about this like adults," Hen said, her voice steady but with a hint of pleading. She knew that she needed to find a way to resolve this peacefully, for the sake of her children and her own sanity.

Ortiz glared at her, her jaw clenched in frustration, before releasing as if she remembered her original focus: "As I said, you can pick one. Your son, or your daughter."

Hen looked at the commander in shock. "What?"

"Pick a child. Who dies?" Her voice hardened. "If you don't... they both die."

"Hen!" Karen cried. Hen couldn't think. "Do something!"

Hen felt the weight of the impossible decision bearing down on her. She looked from her son to her daughter, both of them innocent and vulnerable, and felt a surge of protectiveness rise within her. She couldn't let either of them die. She had to find a way out of this. Taking a deep breath, she locked eyes with Ortiz and made a decision. "I won't choose. I won't let you do this," she said, her voice filled with resolve. "There has to be another way." Ortiz's face darkened, but Hen stood her ground. She would do whatever it took to save her children. "Shoot me. I'm the one who gave the order! Shoot me!"

"No!" Karen sobbed as she shouted in protest.

"Mommy!"

"Mama!"

Ortiz shook her head. "That's not an option. It's an easy way out. Pick one, Ms. Wilson." Two guns cocked behind Denny and Mara. “Or they both—“

"Shoot me." Denny said. "I'm the one that ran. It's my fault your son's dead... a son for a son, right? Shoot me and leave my sister out of this."

"Denny!" Hen gasped, "No! No one's killing anyone! Please, he's just a child! They're both children!"

"So was mine, Ms. Wilson," Ortiz murmured. "If the boy is offering to give his life before his sister's, well... we must honor." Hen's heart was pounding as she struggled against her restraints, tugging and pulling at the zipties. She was sobbing as she couldn't free herself. The tension in the room was suffocating as Denny was moved to kneel in front of Ortiz, his eyes filled with guilt and desperation. Hen could feel her own tears streaming down her face as she watched the heartbreaking scene unfold before her. She prayed silently for a miracle, for some way to prevent another tragedy from occurring. Just as Ortiz raised her gun, a loud crash echoed through the room, causing everyone to turn their heads towards the sound.

The back door of their home was kicked open with Otis walking in holding a pistol. And the front door was kicked in by another neighbor's husband, Marvin Jesner, with a shotgun. As far as Hen knew, Marvin and Otis served together in the Gulf War just before the world when to shit. "Ain't nobody killing another child, motherfucker." Otis declared. He's heart raced as he watched the tense standoff unfold, unsure of what would happen next. There were loud pops and bangs—the sound of gunfire. Mara was screaming, and Karen was as well.

The smell of gun smoke filled the air, making it hard to breathe. Her mind raced as she tried to come up with a plan to protect her family. She knew she had to stay calm and think rationally, but it was easier said than done in the midst of a life-threatening situation. As she looked around at the chaos unfolding before her, he knew that the next few moments would be crucial in determining the fate of his loved ones.

Then there was silence minus the tinnitus. Everyone was trembling and panting as the adrenaline was surging through them. "Everyone alright?" Marvin asked, lighting a cigarette.

"Really?" Otis asked.

"What you got me right before my smoke break." Marvin drawled. Otis rolled his eyes and started untying everyone.

"Otis, thank you!" Hen immediately hugged him. "Thank you so much! I don't know how else to pay you."

"Don't thank me just yet. Quick. Y'all grab your necessities. We bustin' you out of here." Otis declared. Hen was confused as she looked at her friend.

"Out of here?"

"Yeah outside the walls."

"But... where would we go?" Karen asked, sniffling.

Hen remembered her conversation with Karen not even a week ago. "Baby, I know where we go." Karen looked at her with confusion.

"Where then, Hen?"

"Greenland. We know where to go and when to get there, right?"

Karen gasped. "Right," she said softly. "Greenland... my job offer."

Hen instantly hugged her kids as soon as Otis untied them. Mara was sobbing heavily in Hen's arms as Denny sniffled against her neck. "Shh-shh-shh. Mama's gotcha. Mama's here." After a few moments. "Come on, Denny's going to help you pack your essentials. Only the important things." Denny nodded and held out his hand for his sister to take her to the back rooms to pack.

Hen and Karen looked at each other, "What about Clyde?" Toni asked.

Shit. Hen forgot. Somehow, in the middle of all this, Hen had forgotten about her stepfather's death. "Mom, I got a call earlier when you were sleeping... Clyde passed away some time last night from his pnumonia."

Toni's face fell. "I knew it. Them no good for nothin' hacks! I told you they don't know how to treat black folk." She began her rant as she began to pack her bags. Hen knew that her mother's anger was a coping mechanism. She could see the tears welling up in Karen's eyes as she quietly packed her things. Hen knew that they would all miss Clyde and their home in their own ways, but they would get through this together. As they finished packing, Hen made sure to grab a photo of Clyde to take with them, a small token to remember him by. They all hugged each other tightly, knowing that they had each other to lean on as they made the arduous trek to New Brunswick.

It was still dark out when they all went outside. Trisha and Penny Jesner were outside waiting for them with bags on their shoulders. "Are you guys coming with?" Denny asked.

Trisha smiled gently. "No, sweet boy, this is for you… guys. It's extra supplies for you young'ns." She explained as she passed over a bag to Karen to put on her back. Penny gave Hen another bag. "It's not a lot, but it's something to help make it easier."

"Thank you anyway." Karen nodded.

Otis led the way to the drain opening in the eastern wall of the border walls. It'd been a decade since it'd been used. "Alright, once you leave, go to Salt Lake City at this address." Otis instructed. "There you'll find our old home from before. Stay there as long as you need to.

"Wait, Salt Lake City? But that Cordon Zone was bombed 25 years ago… It's gotta be a wreckage…" Toni murmured softly.

"True, but there are still some habitable areas left. Our old home is still standing, surprisingly enough," Otis explained. Hen knew that Otis was one of the breaches of the walls, but she always looked the other way because he was getting supplies that helped his family live. "It's hidden away from the main city, so it should be safe for you to stay there for a while."

Hen looked at Otis, gratitude filling her eyes. "Thank you, Otis."

Otis nodded, a small smile playing on his lips. "Just make sure to keep a low profile and stay out of sight from hunters and cannibals," he warned before handing her a map to guide her to the hidden location. "Oh and here… you'll need this. And these too…" He mumbled as he handed her his pistol and a fanny pack of ammo with a hunting knife attached at the buckle. "You never know what crazy motherfuckers are out there."

Hen nodded in agreement, and she looked at her family for a few moments. "Are we ready?"

"We're ready. Mama…" Denny said with a nod.

"Good." They breached the Las Vegas border and went on their way east. The journey ahead was filled with uncertainty, but Hen knew they had to press on for the safety of her family. As they trekked through the night, Hen and Karen took turns piggybacking Mara before stopping at a shed in the middle of nowhere to make camp. Despite the exhaustion and fear that gripped them, Hen knew they had to remain strong for the sake of her family. As they set up camp in the deserted shed, Hen felt a mix of emotions—fear, determination, and a fierce protectiveness over her loved ones. She knew the road ahead would only get tougher, but she was willing to face whatever challenges came their way to keep her family safe.