Chapter four ━━ Boston QZ
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IT WAS A DECENT DAY IN THE BOSTON QUARANTINE ZONE. Dust that filled the streets overlayed the suns light, making the place seem dreary and Leaden as usual. Citizens of the Qz crowded in the streets watching the latest executions. Among those citizens stood Charlotte Peterson. Looking up at the people with bags over their faces, rope wrapped around their necks and all the woman could think to herself was what a bunch of fucking idiots.

"Violation of EMC 342.3, unauthorized exit from a Quarantine Zone. Maria Elisiano, Violation of EMC 342.7, unauthorized entry into a quarantine Zone. Each of you have been trialed in a military court of Justice, and each of you having been found guilty." Charlotte didn't know why she stayed for these executions, it just reminded her that one day this could be her, brown bag over her head, and a rope knotted around her neck, considering she commits the same crimes as them almost everyday.

She just doesn't get caught.

Her gaze shifted to a familiar face in the crowd, he only spared her a glance that didn't last longer than a second before he disappeared into the rabble of strangers. Charlotte sighed before making her way from the streets, she knew F.E.D.R.A would be out this afternoon looking for fireflies. A guard warned her. The woman didn't burn bodies, and paint over firefly vandalism to be shot and killed on the streets of the Boston QZ. After everything that wouldn't be the way she died.

She walked down the sidewalk, whispers of fireflies and complaints about unjust ration thievery filled her ears. The woman just kept her head down until she reached her destination. Opening the door to the two roomed apartment, Charlotte looked around for her kids.

"Iris! Nash!" Charlotte called as she took off her jacket. A moment later Iris Peterson appeared from the second room. Only Iris. "Iris where's your brother?" The now concerned mother asked.

"Relax, he went to Joel's." The fifteen year old bluntly replied.

"What did I say about letting him leave!" Charlotte said in frustration as she threw her Jacket back on.

"Uhh, not to?"

"Yes, I said not to!" Charlotte snapped. "Don't leave the building, they're gonna be searching for fireflies."

"I'm not a firefly."

"Firefly or not, there's a 90% chance they won't stop and ask you. So stay inside unless you wanna get shot and killed." With that Charlotte left slamming the door behind her.

Safety and survival was all the mother hoped for her kids, but they made it very difficult at times. Iris was stubborn and independent, she liked experiencing things for herself and in her own way. Much like her father. Nash was also free spirited, still immersed in young innocence, which Charlotte was thankful for but if the boy weren't more careful it would not remain that way.

As soon as Charlotte turned the corner down to Joel's apartment building Fedra soldiers appeared in her line of sight guns blazing towards a man hiding behind a dumpster. Footsteps came from behind her and before she knew it she was shoved to her knees. "Not a firefly!" She pleaded with her hands raised. Roughly the soldiers brought her hands behind her head and took out a scanner. "Not infected either."

"It's protocol." One of them spoke. Charlotte scanned green and two of the soldiers dragged her into their veichle from there she'd be brought to lock up.

                                   — — — —

Charlotte placed four knocks at Joel's door. For what felt like forever for the stressed mother, the door finally clicked before opening. There stood Joel, the same cold facial expression he's worn for the past twenty years. Salt and pepper hair and brown eyes bore into hers.

"Nash?"

"Sleeping on the couch." Joel muttered, moving out of the way for Charlotte to enter. A sigh of relief left the woman's body when she saw her son sound asleep on the sofa. Silence filled the room. An uncomfortable yet all too familiar silence.

"I've been meaning to speak with you." Joel was the first to speak. "I wanted to talk about Nash." Joel added causing Charlotte to look at him.

"Yeah?"

"It's just, uh, he's been coming around a lot, and um-" Joel struggled to find the right words.

"Spit it out cowboy."

Joel let out a sigh and fiddled with the watch on his wrist. "Alright, he's looking for some father figure and it just can't be me."

Charlotte nodded to the man's words, her gaze finding the ground. "I know, I'm sorry it's just lately he's been, I don't even know." Running her hands through her hair she now struggled with finding the right words. "Bens gone, Tommy left and all he has is you, and I know it's not fair to you, I just don't know how to give him what he needs-"

"I get it's hard. It's just not a good idea for him to be hanging around me."

"Yeah, I'll talk to him."

Joel straightened up, his gaze intensified, laser focused on Charlottes face. He walked over to her gently grabbing her chin. "You're bleeding." He whispered turning Charlottes head to the side, revealing a small gash below her ear.

"Guards are out patrolling, got hit with one of their guns." Charlotte informed.

"They let you go?"

"No, I was supposed to be here about three hours ago, but they tested me and brought me back to lock up for questioning." Charlotte informed.

"Here let me." Joel walked to a cabinet taking out a medical kit and placing it on the table, before heading towards his dresser and grabbing a bottle of bourbon.
He gently cleaned her wound while Charlotte tried her best not to hiss at the stinging pain.

"How's getting that battery coming along?" Charlotte asked, she had to distract herself from their close proximity.

"Tess is handling it, waiting to hear from her. Should be tomorrow." — "Alright, good as new." Joel said backing up to put everything away, pouring himself a drink while at it.

"Thanks."

"Best you and Nash stay here. You get caught after curfew you might not be so lucky." Joel suggested.

Charlotte nodded watching the man walk back over to his bed with the bottle of bourbon in hand.

_________________________________________

The sound of clanking woke Charlotte up, she leaned up from the couch a bit and saw Tess in the kitchen. "Morning, made coffee." She brought Charlotte a mug over. Still adjusting the morning light, Charlottes eyes squinted to get a better look at Tess.

"Shit your face." Charlotte said sitting up from the couch, being careful not to wake Nash up.

"Guys who were supposed to get us the battery roughed me up some." Tess informed as if it was nothing. "Don't tell Joel when he wakes up though." She added. "Looks like I'm not the only one." She commented pointing to the identical spot on her face where a sewed up gash was on Charlottes.

"Not as bad as that eye." Charlotte retorted taking a sip of her coffee. "What's the deal with the battery?"

"Son of a bitch Robert sold it to somebody else."

"Shit." Charlotte sighed. "Joel told me yesterday they haven't heard from Tommy in weeks, so he's not gonna take this news well." Charlotte stated.

Nash released a yawn, sitting up from the couch. "Hey mom, Aunt Tess." He greeted.

"Me and you are gonna have a talk mister." Charlotte told him as she finished her coffee. "Let's get going."

"Meet back up in two hours." Tess told Charlotte. Charlotte nodded, before motioning for her son to walk out the door.

A/n: They meet Ellie next chapter!
Word count: 1277