Tuesday March, 2029

Daniel released the lead to the horse and jumped through the gate moments before it slammed against the blacktop pavement. The mare bucked at the loud noise and stepped away, barely being retained by Gustav before she galloped into the streets.

Before he could react further, Daniel felt Ella's hands pulling him up at his arm and around his back- away from the chain link gate.

"Ella, stop!" Ari called out, "Don't do this!- Open the gate!" He ordered Gus but the towering man was still attempting to calm the horse and pass her off to an agent.

"Go!" Ella pushed Daniel towards her horse.

"Ella- stop!" Ari shouted, "open this gate, now!" He demanded and Gus finally turned to begin opening the gate, pulling at the chain.

As Daniel mounted the horse he looked out through the gate and saw Olivia standing malevolently behind Ari and his squad of men and women Syndicate agents.

"Bishop, come on." Daniel rushed, watching as she stared Ari down through the opening gate. "Ella!"

"Those people deserve justice!" She finally seemed to find her words, her voice mostly drowned by the grinding of the gate. "Go to the waystation, Ari. You'll see!" As she spoke she began to walk backwards to the horse. "Carver needs to be stopped."

Ari watched on, refusing to respond, his jaw clenched and rippling his facial muscles.

"Ella," Michael called out to her from further up the street.

She turned to Daniel, who was holding out his hand to her, and grabbed it- allowing him to help her up on the horse behind him.

The gate was nearly raised when Daniel and Michael both urged the horses into a gallop, riding up the street and out of reach. Suddenly, gunshots rang through the cold, mountain air and all three instinctively leaned closer to the horses, making themselves a smaller target.

"He's shooting at us?!" Michael shouted.

Bullets zipped by and embedded themselves in the trees around them, pinged off the snow covered pavement, or disappeared into the woods around them.

When they were out of sight and safely hidden within the forest, the horses were brought to a stop and all three dismounted.

"What. The. Hell?!" Michael shouted and walked up to Ella aggressively, looking her dead in the eyes. "What the hell was that?!" He pointed outward in the direction of Sanctuary.

Ella licked her lips and her eye twitched slightly.

"Hey-hey-hey," Daniel intervened and pushed slightly on Michael to back him away from Ella.

Michael whipped his arm away from Daniel's touch, "Get off me, man! Ella, why- why was Ari shooting at us?! And-and, how did he even know we were leaving?!"

"I think Olivia had something to do with that," Daniel remarked.

"Whoa- I didn't tell you- there wasn't supposed to be an 'us'!" Ella snapped out of her stupor and pointed an accusatory finger at Michael, "I told you two horses. One for me and one for Daniel. You weren't supposed to have any part in this!"

"Why was he shooting at us, Ella!" Michael demanded, taking another, indignant step towards her.

"Hey!" Daniel stepped in again, "Take a step back, man." mocking Michael slightly in his use of the word. 

Michael swung his fist in his direction. Daniel threw himself back to dodge the swing and instead redirected Michael's energy to spin a 180 and pushed the spirited man into the snow, onto his hands and knees.

"Wha'd I say?! Huh?!"

"Both of you stop!" Ella came in between them when Michael shot up to his feet and began to run at Daniel. "I think it's fair to say that everyone is a little on edge right now."

"A little?!" Michael scoffed and turned away, pacing, distraught.

"I don't know why Ari shot at us." She finally answered Michael's question.

"What-" Michael took a deep breath and stood in front of Ella, though to Daniels pleasure he was no longer combative. "What have you gotten us into?"

"Michael, you don't have to be here. Go home." She attempted to persuade him.

"Uh, no... I can't 'go home', Ella. Ari and Olivia- hell, Gustav knows... everyone knows I'm involved!"

Daniel tilted his head to one side and stuffed his hands in his jacket pockets. "Tell 'em I took you hostage." He shrugged.

Michael glared at him. "and leave her alone with you?"

"That's enough!" Ella shouted and one of the horses snorted behind her.

"Yeah, you're right." Daniel pivoted to face Ella, "You should both go home. This is enough. You have enough on your plate with the Huijari. Carver is my problem."

"No. Nope!" Ella shook her finger in the air at him. "No, Carver became my problem when he killed my people. I'm taking leave from Syndicate and the Huijari until we get this guy."

Daniel shook his head adamantly, "No. I don't want your help. I don't need you're help. Just go home!"

"Oh really? Where is Carver?" She crossed her arms and leaned back on her heels, watching him from under shuttered eyes.

"I wouldn't know, I've been walked a 'days journey' out of the way and locked in a basement for another day!" He cut his hands through the air with every emphasized word to further punctuate its relevance.

Ella nodded in mock understanding, "Yeah, well... I know where he is."

Michael looked on in quiet disdain but listened intently while Daniel thrust his upper body forward in disbelief and engaging her to continue.

"Oh, oh," Daniel laughed, a rapid-fire chuckle of fascination, "is that so."

"Yes, I do."

"Well, please..." He gestured between all three of them before pointing at her casually, "Please, enlighten us!"

"Massachusetts."

He leaned over to one side, his head appearing to lead his body. "Massachusetts." He echoed with incredulity, "the state."

"Yes."

He inhaled deeply and looked around, enthralled. "Uh-huh," he blinked and smacked his lips, scratching at his beard. "and how do you know this?"

"The initiates were talking about it at the church." She replied confidently, crossing her arms and meeting his icy gaze.

Daniel paused, straightening and pushing his lower lip over his upper, gaining her look of 'told you so'.

"Okay, where?" Michael asked, extending a hand into the air.

"I don't know," she admitted, glancing at him before looking directly at Daniel. "That's why I'm going. I can help."

Sighing, Daniel diverted his gaze briefly before nodding. "I don't need-" he looked back at Ella, her gaze narrowed but he saw something in her eyes. Longing? Desperation? An emotion she'd yet to reveal but he could see it behind her hardened scrutiny. "Fine." He conceded.

"I'm coming too." Michael interjected.

"Do I have a choice?" Daniel grumbling, shaking his head.

"Quit mumbling, Shorty." Michael commented, rubbing at his clean shaven face.

Ella turned away but paused at the insult, watching on.

"I'm not- -- five-five is not that short. It's average." Daniel defended and put his foot into the stirrup of the horse he'd taken before.

"Sure, yeah, it's 'average'... for a woman." Michael retorted and mounted his horse effortlessly.

Daniel burst out in loud, mocking laughter. "You're a cop, a horseman and a comedian!"

"Will you two knock it off?" Ella huffed and pulled at her hair.

"Ella," Michael beckoned her, "C'mon..."

She glanced at him then up to Daniel who looked down on her, his glasses stuffed in his jacket pocket, he could see clearly into her dark, warming eyes. Wordlessly, she walked up to Daniel and held up her hand to him.

His surprised expression was quickly masked and he helped her up.

Michael couldn't help but ask, "What- you're...?"

"He can't run off with me on his horse." She excused and Daniel looked over his shoulder to check her expression, smiling when he saw her eye twitch- she was lying.

Daniel clicked his tongue and spurred the horse on, Michael doing the same.

"So where are we going then?" Michael asked, pulling his horse up beside Daniel and Ella. When neither responded he continued, "Massachusetts? Because that's five states up..." He paused again but Daniel and Ella both remained silent. "That's a lot of horseback riding. I didn't really pack for-"

"We'll take the train." Ella finally interjected.

Daniel choked, "Train?"

Out of his line of sight but he could feel it, Ella shifted proudly. "First train since the blackout goes to the Fifteen Colonies." She stated haughtily.

"Where's that then?" Daniel asked.

"Pennsylvania. It'll take us up into New York, it'll only be a day on horseback from there."

"How long to the Pennsylvania Station?"

"Uh," Ella looked over to Michael who's face was set in discontentment, his usually handsome features contorted in bitterness. "How long would you say?"

"I don't know, a few hours if we really rush." He replied dryly.

"Alright then, let's go..." Daniel spurred the horse on faster and fought the feeling that rushed through his chest when Ella leaned closer and wrapped her arms around his waist in reaction to the accelerated pace.