Hideout
Harley was leading Ana, Jax and Tony through an alley.
Ana, Jax and Tony were in hoodies and sunglasses to keep their identities secret.
"Why do we need this kid?" Tony asked.
"Because he knows where the explosion happened," Ana answered.
"How?" Tony asked.
"His sister was a victim," Ana answered.
"You knew that when he found us, didn't you?" Jax asked. "That's why you let him find us, because he could lead us here."
"Guilty," Ana answered.
They caught up to Harley.
"When can we talk about New York?" Harley asked.
"Maybe never," Jax answered. "Relax about it."
"What about the Avengers?" Harley asked. "Can we talk about them?"
"I don't know," Tony told him. "Later. Hey, kid, give us a little space."
Harley led them to a memorial site in the alley.
"What's the official story here?" Ana asked. "What happened?"
"I guess this guy named Chad Davis used to live roundabouts," Harley told them. He sat at his sister's memorial picture. "He won a bunch of medals in the army. And one day, folks said he went crazy and made, you know, a bomb. Then he blew himself up, right here. Took five people with him. Including my sister."
Ana looked around at the burn marks on the walls. "Six people died, right?"
"Yeah," Harley answered.
"Including Chad Davis?" Ana asked.
"Yeah, yeah," Harley answered.
Ana looked around at the burn marks. "Yeah. That doesn't make sense." She sat next to Harley. "Think about it. Six dead. Only five shadows."
"Yeah, people said these shadows are like the marks of souls going to Heaven," Harley told them. "Except the bomb guy. He went to Hell, on account of he didn't get a shadow. That's why there's only five."
"Do you buy that?" Tony asked.
"It's what everyone says," Harley told them. "You know what this crater reminds me of?"
"No idea," Jax answered. "I'm not... I don't care."
"That giant wormhole in, um, in New York," Harley told them. "Does it remind you?"
"That's manipulative," Jax told him. "I don't want to talk about it."
"Are they coming back?" Harley asked. "The aliens?"
"No," Ana answered.
"Can you stop?" Jax asked. "Remember what I told you, that I have an anxiety issue?"
"Does this subject make you edgy?" Harley asked.
"Yeah, a little bit," Jax answered. "Can I just catch my breath for a second?"
"Are there bad guys in Rose Hill?" Harley asked. "Do you need a plastic bag to breathe into? Do you have medication?"
"No," Jax answered.
"He should probably be on some medication," Tony told him.
"Does he have PTSD?" Harley asked.
Jax shook his head. "I don't think so."
"Absolutely," Tony answered.
"Are you going completely mental?" Harley asked. Jax gave him a look. "I can stop. Do you want me to stop?"
"Yeah," Ana answered. "Please stop."
Jax was trying to stay calm, turning away. "Ah, man, you did it, didn't you? You happy now?"
"What did I say?" Harley asked. "What's going on?"
"He's having an anxiety attack," Tony answered.
Ana stood, scrapping up a handful of snow, making a snowball, throwing it at Jax's chest and face.
Jax was starting to calm down, confused. "What the hell was that?"
"You starting to feel okay?" Ana asked.
"A little," Jax answered.
"Good," Ana answered. "Cold is good. It brings you back."
Jax wiped the snow off his face, catching his breath.
Harley smiled.
"Okay, back to business," Tony told them. "Where were we? The guy who died? Relatives? Mom? Mrs. Davis, where is she?"
"Where she always is," Harley answered.
"See?" Jax asked. "Now, you're being helpful."
🚀
Jax and Tony walked into a bar.
A police officer was sitting at the bar, drinking.
Jax and Tony walked toward Mrs. Davis at her table.
"Mrs. Davis?" Tony asked. "Mind if we join you?"
"Free country," Mrs. Davis told them.
Jax nodded. "Sure is."
Tony and Jax sat down.
"All right," Mrs. Davis told them. "Where would you like to start?"
"I just want to say, I'm sorry about your loss," Tony told her.
"We want to know what you think happened," Jax told her.
"Look, I brought your damn file," Mrs. Davis told them, putting a file on the table. "You take it, go. Whatever was in here, he wanted no part of it."
Jax went through the file. "Clearly, you're waiting for someone else. Huh? Supposed to meet someone here?"
"Yeah," Mrs. Davis answered.
Jax went through the file, finding the man who had caused the explosion that had hurt Happy on accident. "Mrs. Davis, your son didn't kill himself. I guarantee you, he didn't kill anyone. Someone used him."
"What?" Mrs. Davis asked.
"As a weapon," Jax told her.
"You're not the people that called me after all, are you?" Mrs. Davis asked.
A woman walked closer. Her name was Brandt. "Actually, I am."
Brandt pushed Tony head first into the table.
Sheriff stood. "Hey, hey. What's all this about? What the hell is going on here?"
"It's called an arrest," Brandt told him, handcuffing Tony, kicking Jax to the floor, turning to the Sheriff. "Sheriff, is it?"
"Yes, ma'am, it is," Sheriff answered. "And you are?"
Brandt showed him her badge. "Homeland Security. We good here?"
"No, we're not 'good'," Sheriff answered. "I need a little more information than that."
"Well, I think it's a little above your pay grade, Sheriff," Brandt told him.
Jax took the file from the table, putting it in his jacket.
Sheriff looked at Brandt. "Why don't you get me someone on the horn to Nashville and, uh, upgrade me?"
"All right," Brandt told him. "You know what? I was hoping to do this the smart way, but, uh, the fun way is always good."
Brandt held a pair of dog tags in her hands. Red energy filled her hand.
Sheriff looked toward the officer at the bar. "Deputy, get this woman out of--"
Brandt started to glow with the red energy. She tried to punch Sheriff in the face.
Ana appeared, pushing Sheriff away, turning to Brandt. Brandt tried to punch Ana. Ana ducked, spinning to kick Brandt in the head. Brandt drew a gun, trying to shoot Ana.
Ana ducked for cover, looking toward Tony and Jax. "Go!" Tony and Jax stood, running out, leaving. Brandt walked closer to Ana. Ana stood, kicking the gun out of her hand, spinning to backhand punch her in the face. People were running away. "Hey, hot wings, you want to party? Come on. You and me. Let's go."
🚀
Tony and Jax ran outside.
Savin got out of his car, firing toward them.
Harley was hiding, throwing a snowball at Savin to make him miss.
Tony and Jax ran for cover toward a car, looking at a man on the ground.
"Crazy, huh?" Jax asked.
"Yep," the man answered.
Jax picked the lock to Tony's handcuffs.
🚀
In the bar, Ana tackled Brandt over the bar, making her fall. Brandt kicked Ana off of her, standing, trying to punch her. Ana ducked, kicking her in the chest, spinning to kick her in the head. Brandt grabbed Ana by the head, red energy passing through her skin, burning Ana at the touch, making her gasp in pain. Ana kicked along the wall over the bar, landing on the other side, making her let go. She looked at all of the bottles of alcohol between them, breaking all of them, making the alcohol spread over the bar and the floor. Brandt walked around the bar toward Ana. Ana punched her in the face. Brandt tried to punch her. Ana ducked, sliding past her over the floor, spinning to kick her legs out from underneath her, making her fall. She stood, backing away, grabbing a bottle of bourbon. Brandt stood, walking closer. Ana slammed the bottle over her head, shattering it, making the alcohol spill all over her. Brandt tried to punch her. Ana ducked, jumping up, wrapping her legs around her neck, flipping her to the floor, landing in a crouch next to her, standing, backing away.
Ana grabbed a set of matches, pulling out the gas line, running out of the bar.
Brandt stood.
The gas hissed out of the line.
🚀
Ana got outside, lighting the matches, throwing them inside the bar.
The matches lit the alcohol all around.
The flames reached the gas, setting off an explosion that took Brandt with it.
Savin stood nearby the water tower, touching it, burning it, melting the legs of the water tower, laughing.
Everyone ran away from the water tower.
The legs snapped.
The water tank at the top fell to the ground, bursting, sending water through the entire street.
Ana, Jax and Tony were drenched.
Ana was trapped by a piece of the water tank leg that had fallen onto her.
Jax and Tony ran toward her to help.
Everyone else fled the street.
Savin walked closer with Harley over his shoulder.
"Let me go!" Harley told him.
"Help me," Savin told them mockingly. Jax and Tony struggled to push the water tower leg off of Ana, though it was very heavy. Savin sat against a car nearby, holding Harley. "Anyway." He started to glow with red. "Hey, kid, what would you like for Christmas?"
"I am so sorry," Harley told them.
"No, no, no," Savin told them. "I think he was trying to say, 'I want my goddamn file'."
"It's not your fault, Harley," Ana told him. "Remember what I told you about bullies?"
Harley looked at Ana.
Ana nodded.
Harley took out the shocking device Ana had given him, throwing it into Savin's face, shocking him, making him let go, standing, running away.
"You like that, Westworld?" Tony asked. Savin stood. "That's the thing about smart guys. We always cover our ass."
Jax had a Gold Strike glove, firing a light ray into Savin's head, killing him, making him fall.
Tony and Jax pushed the water tower leg off of Ana.
Ana slid out of underneath it.
Tony and Jax let it fall.
🚀
Tony, Jax and Ana walked toward Ana's car.
Harley walked closer. "You're welcome."
"For what?" Jax asked. "Did I miss something?"
"Me, saving your lives," Harley told them.
"Yeah, A, we saved you first," Jax told him. "B, thanks. Sort of. And C, if you do someone a solid, don't be a yutz. All right? Just play it cool. Otherwise you come off grandiose."
"Unlike you?" Harley asked. "Admit it. You need me. We're connected."
Ana stepped closer to Harley. "What we need is for you to go home, be with your mom, keep quiet, and stay connected to the telephone because if I call, you better pick up. Okay?"
"Can you feel that?" Tony asked. "We're done here."
Tony got into the backseat.
Jax got into the passenger seat.
Ana got into the driver's seat. "Bye, Harley. You did good."
"So, now you're just gonna leave me here, like my dad?" Harley asked.
"Yeah," Tony answered. "Wait. You're guilt-tripping, aren't you?"
"I'm cold," Harley told them childishly in an attempt to get a ride.
"I can tell," Jax told him mockingly. "You know how I can tell? Because we're connected."
Ana gave Jax and Tony a halfhearted look. She looked at Harley. "Get in the car. I'll give you a ride back to the hotel."
Harley smiled, getting into the backseat next to Tony.
"You just had to guilt-trip one of the most badass assassins in the world, didn't you?" Tony asked.
Harley shrugged. "It was worth a shot."
Ana drove them away.
🚀
Savin was still lying in the middle of the street. He was healing, groaning in pain, sitting up.
🚀
Mandarin took over all of the news stations to broadcast a message. "Mr. President. Only two lessons remain. I intend to finish this before Christmas morning." He had a man unconscious at his feet. "Meet Thomas Richards. Goo strong name. Good strong job. Thomas, here, is an accountant for the Roxxon Oil Corporation. But I'm sure he's a really good guy. I'm going to shoot him in the head, live on your television in 30 seconds. The number for this telephone is in your cellphone. Exciting, isn't it, imagining how it got there? America, if your president calls me in the next half-minute, Tom lives."
🚀
Ellis was with his guards, showing them the phone number. "How did he hack my phone?"
"We can't allow terrorists to dictate--" a guard started.
Ellis took off his glasses. "I have to make this call."
"I'd strongly advice against that," the guard told him.
Ellis stood. "This is the right thing to do."
Ellis made the call.
They all watched the TV.
Mandarin let the phone ring, shooting Thomas in the head, killing him.
Everyone gasped.
Ellis put his phone down.
Mandarin smirked. "There's just one lesson left, President Ellis. So run away, hide, kiss your children goodbye. Because nothing, not your army, not your red, white and blue attack dog can save you. I'll see you soon."
Ellis looked at his guards. "Tell Rhodes, find this lunatic right now."
"Sir, we tracked the broadcast signal," a military aide told him. "We have a possible point of origin in Pakistan and the Patriot is ready to strike."
"Right now," Ellis told him.
"Yes, sir," the aide told him.
Ellis turned away.
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