Thursday March, 2029

Ella jolted, the train whistle starting her awake with it's low bellow turned shrill whistle. She hissed and rubbed at her head after it connected with the glass she'd been leaning on. The hoodie, her buffer, had fallen when she initially woke and allowed for her to smack herself in the head when she reacted to the whistle.

"You alright there, Bishop?" Daniel's sarcastic droning brought her attention to look across the seating area where he sat, slouched, with his arms crossed against his chest.

She dropped her fingers from the offended area and clasped her hands in her lap. "Yeah. Thanks." She replied curtly, looking to his face where the bruise had changed color from blue and purple to green and yellow.

Daniel nodded somberly but the tight, closed lip smile revealed his amusement.

Rolling her eyes at him, she turned to the seat beside her but found it empty. Quickly, Ella looked at the bags and saw one of them open, the clothing inside disheveled. She glanced up to Daniel then down at his fresh clothing. "You changed." she observed, looking at his black long sleeved shirt that covered the bandages which slightly bulged underneath.

"Yeah, I don't exactly like to smell like shit." He closed his eyes and readjusted to get comfortable in his corner, stretching his legs out. "I threw it out the window." He peeked open one eye, "You don't think they'll consider it littering anymore... do you?" He asked rhetorically before re-closing his eye.

She glanced at his leg position, annoyed that he was now taking up most of the leg space in the cabin. "Where's Mike?"

"He went to change." He replied dryly.

Ella glanced down at herself. Checking to make sure Daniel wasn't looking, she pinched her shirt at the front and smelled it subtly.

"You smell like roses," Daniel said gruffly, not bothering to open his eyes.

She dropped her shirt and just as she opened her mouth to retort the train whistled again. She fought the urge to jump, her mouth snapping shut audibly.

Daniel sat up and ran his hand down his clean shaven face in an attempt to wipe away the remnants of sleep away. "We here?" He asked, his voice gruff with tiredness.

The train chugged into the station slowly, greeted by both wide eyed people still in awe of the working train and the veterans who were less impressed. Pine Hill Station was more lively than Pennsylvania. The crowds larger and faster moving, reflecting the usual high population that New York had.

Ella watched out her window as the train pulled into the station slowly, the mechanics of the train released large amounts of smoke in audible puffs. The people moved in disorganized lanes, brushing shoulders and their large luggage collided with others more often than not.

When the train chugged for the last time Ella turned away from the window to see Michael, dressed in jeans and a long sleeved, red v-neck, standing in the aisle way expectantly. "Ready?"

She glanced to Daniel who was already packed and pulling on his jacket. Realizing they were waiting on her she pulled her hoodie and jacket on, pulling the hood over her head. "Yeah," she replied hurriedly and stood.

"Welcome to Pine Hill, New York!" George said in passing, patting Michael on the back as he walked by.

O.o.O.o

"Alright, I need my own horse if we're going to keep doing this." Daniel stated moments before grunting when a woman with a roller suitcase ran over his foot.

Michael made a small noise in the back of his throat in a small effort of laughter before replying. "You had your own horse." He walked to Daniel's left, leading both horses.

"Okay, that was not my fault! Maybe if you weren't so busy chumming it up with Hercules back there we wouldn't have had a confrontation with your 'oh so great' leader- and I wouldn't have lost my horse!"

"Ladies! Can we focus, please?" Ella shouted from the other side of Daniel, dodging a family by forcing her way through the middle of them.

When they finally broke free of the crowded platform and into the road that led to the highway, Ella stopped them so they could discuss the plan. "There's a Syndicate branch in Stock-"

"I'm serious about my own horse." Daniel chided, expressing the gravity of his words with emphatic hand gestures.

"And I'm serious. You're not getting one." Michael rebuked and handed off one of the reins to Ella.

Daniel whipped around to face them, his eyes icy blue. "Let me fill you in on something, here." he paused for dramatic effect, "I don't take orders from you! I'm not your friend. I'm not some 'agent' of your stupid little 'Syndicate'. And I sure as hell am not a pushover that you can tug and push to do what you want! I only followed along because you knew where the train was. Now that we're here..." he threw up his arms, "I'm out!"

He dropped one of the two bags he was carrying on his shoulders, hiking the other further up on his arm as he started to walk away.

"Where do you think you're going?!" Ella shouted, dropping her pack at the horses hooves and chased after him. "Hey!" she passed him and rounded so she was standing in front of him. "Hey, this goes a lot better if we work together!"

"Lady! There is no 'we'! There is no 'us'! There is only 'I'... and I am going to get myself a horse and find Carver!" he looked her up and down, "-and I don't want your bossy, goody-two-shoes, ass following me around!" he sidestepped her.

She followed his dodge, meeting him step for step. "Daniel!"

"Bishop, I swear to god." His voice was low, his eyes wide as he met her gaze.

Ella shook her head slightly, her eyes fluttering as a strong wind blew up behind Daniel. "Fine." she finally replied, "Go. We know where to look for Carver but we have Syndicate resources," arching her brow, Ella sidestepped. "good luck bartering for a horse with what you've got on you." she brushed by him, muttering, "Wish I could say it's been a pleasure."

"Yeah? And good luck finding Carver without knowing what he looks like!" he snapped over his shoulder.

She held her head high as she walked back to Michael who was standing beside the horses, watching on like a hawk. Waving her hand in the air she indicated for Michael to get ready to go. As she loaded her bags up on the horse saddles, Michael approached her on his horse.

"So, what, you're just going to let him go?" he glanced back at Daniel's departing form then back to her, "Where's he going? Where are we going?"

Placing her foot in the stirrup, she mounted her horse. "We're going to Stockbridge."

On her horse, she clicked her tongue and turned her around to watch after Daniel who had nearly disappeared behind the bend of the street. When her mare snorted and fidgeted, Ella patted her neck affectionately though she kept her gaze fixed on the horizon, "Easy, Echo..." she hushed.

"Stockbridge? I thought we were going to Becket." Michael commented, following her gaze momentarily.

"It's on the way... and we can't exactly just ride into Becket and look for someone we don't know."

"And Stockbridge is going to help with that?"

"Maybe Carver is on their radar..." she replied distractedly.

Michael maneuvered his horse to block her view so she would look at him. "Carver would be on their radar... because he's going to find his wife?"

"Daniel said that he tries to recruit wherever he can, he might have destroyed other way-stations on his way up here."

"Okay, just because Daniel said it doesn't mean shit." He leaned back, his hands resting on the horn of the saddle. "In fact, we don't even know if he was telling the truth about Becket! We should just head home now."

"We're not going home."

"Why not!?" he guffawed.

She clicked her tongue and spun her horse around to face the onramp. "Because we're going to Stockbridge." She spurred Echo on and galloped down to the abandoned freeway.

Most of the cars were pushed out of the way or had been shuttled to a automobile graveyard, leaving the crumbling roadway open for carriages or horses to use.

With the sun setting behind them, they rode as fast as they could, the hooves of their horses clapping against the exposed pavement.

O.o.O.o

Ella was deep in her own thoughts. They'd slowed to give Echo and Michael's horse, Spirit, a rest from running. She'd become a rag doll in the saddle, bending at the waist and her head bobbing with each step Echo took. Her eyes looked to the horizon but she barely noticed that there was nothing to see, night had fallen.

"Do you smell that?" Michael asked, sniffing at the air. When she didn't respond right away, he repeated himself.

She blinked rapidly before turning her head to the right, sitting up straight. "Huh?"

"Do you smell that?" He indicated outward to the dark trees around them.

Ella sniffed, looking around despite knowing she wouldn't be able to see. "Yeah..." she could smell it. The fire. Not just fire but the scent of what was on fire. She shuddered and looked to him, "What's nearby?"

"Uh, I think just a small township. North of here." Michael informed, "You don't wanna-"

"Yeah, Mike. It could be Carver."

"Even if it was, how would you know?"

"I saw what he can do- didn't I?"

He dropped his mouth open to reply then snapped it shut before replying differently, "We don't have time- -- we're less than an hour away from the border. If you want to reach Massachusetts by-"

"Git!" Ella spurred on Echo, galloping towards the smell and northbound.

Michael sighed, "Goddammit." he muttered as he chased after her.

She cut over the median and over the lanes of highway to break into the woods, looking up she could see the light of the moon reflecting off massive clouds of black smoke. When they got into the woods, she slowed down- allowing Echo to take her time navigating the brush and trees.

"Ella, wait! Ella... Ella!" Mike called after her, pushing his nervous horse through the paths to catch up to her.

"What?"

"Okay, why are we doing this?"

"Doing what?"

"Investigating this fire, it could be nothing- or it could be a forest fire and we're going to trap ourselves in it and die."

"There could be survivors, Mike!" she called over her shoulder, still guiding Echo through the maze.

"Were there survivors at the waystation?" he pulled up beside her when she stopped.

She looked to him, her brows high on her forehead though they could barely make out each others faces in the darkness of the shelter of the trees. "I don't know, Mike..."

"Then, let's say it was Carver. What makes you think he'd leave survivors this time?"

Ella grumbled and pushed Echo forward.

"What?" He asked and chased after her.

"Nothing."

"No, what did you say?"

"I said, 'you and Daniel are more similar than I thought'. I never realized how pessimistic you are."

He made an uncouth sound in the back of his throat. "I'm not a pessimist. I'm being realistic."

"Funny how that seems to be what all the pessimists say." She replied snarkily before pausing, her eyes flicking in unspoken emotion. She distinctly remember this exact conversation being one of the last she had with Ben.

"Whatever, just don't compare me to that cabron."

They rode in silence as they neared an orange red glow through the wall of trees and brush. As they broke through the tree line they came to a sudden halt, their horses both rearing slightly- anxious from the hot flames in front of them.

The town was leveled, all that remained were house frames that a small gust of wind and could blow down. Glowing embers and what remained of the fires continued to light the area in a morbid red glow across the devastated town.

Ella urged Echo on, coming closer to the wreckage in search of life.

"Ella," Michael called, his tone soft but stern- warning her to stay away. She heard but continued on, skirting the edge of the ravaged town.

Her eyes burned against the thick smoke and heat of the flames. The lump in her throat ached and she swallowed against it- only making it worse. No one could have survived. She knew that- but she had to look. Had to try.

O.o.O.o

"Ella," Michael's voice was gentle, the only sounds around them were the clapping of horse hooves against the pavement and their own breathing. "Do you want to talk about it?"

"Talk about what?"

Michael winced, scrunching his face. "Uh, what we just- what was..." He breathed sharply out his nose, "What we saw... back there?" He tossed his thumb over his shoulder, still watching her profile as she stared ahead of them.

"There's nothing to talk about."

"You-"

"It just proves that Daniel and I were right. I'm not crazy like Ari tries to suggest. Carver is dangerous." she uttered suddenly, every word she spoke was clipped and harsh, pointed like invisible daggers in the air.

Michael paused and waited for her to take a breath before responding, "Ari thinks your crazy?"

Her head snapped to the side. In the early light of dawn, her eyes shone with unshed tears despite the anger that flashed behind them. "Don't even get me started." she said coldly.

One hand still holding the reins, Michael lifted his hand in surrender, "Alright, you're not crazy and Ari is an asshole."

She turned back to face forward, exhaling sharply.

"But... you are right, if that was Carver- we have a serious problem on our hands. We need to report this to Stockbridge."

Ella turned to look at him and responded in a flippant tone. "Wouldn't you know it, we're heading there right now."

He chuckled, "Convenient."

It was only another hour before they rode up to a large, iron gate to a massive mansion. The colonial style estate was enclosed by a short brick wall topped with an iron fence to match the gate. At the gate, marked by two brick pillars, were two guards armed with assault rifles and swords.

"Halt," one of them ordered, holding out a hand.

"Ella Bishop from the Maryland Branch." she identified herself followed by Michael who reported the same.

"What's your business?" the second guard demanded.

Ella and Michael shared a look before she responded. "To report an attack on one of our townships, resupply, and... gain information?" she struggled for the right words at the end, unsure of how to state what they were looking for. When the guards seemed unimpressed, she continued. "Where is Director Roan?"

The guards looked at one another before one nodded solemnly and the other began to open both sides of the two part gate to let them through.

Michael nodded in thanks as he and Ella walked their horses through.

They rode up the gravel driveway through the courtyard, the brown, dead grass was still trimmed nicely. Rounding the garden turnabout in the center of the driveway, Ella nodded at the caretaker that was inspecting the marble fountain that sat in the middle of the garden display. Off to the left of the main entrance of the manor were hitching posts. Both Michael and Ella dismounted and tied the horses off and stretched immediately after.

"God I'm sore..." Michael moaned.

Ella narrowed her eyes in amusement though her lips refused to twitch upward, "My ass is numb."

He chuckled and they walked up the few short steps up the white staircase to the massive, wrap around porch. The guards posted at the door stepped ahead to open the double doors, holding it open until they were inside. Once inside the doors slammed shut behind them.

The massive foyer was empty but they could hear incessant murmuring further into the estate. They walked further in to the end of the foyer, passed the double winding stairs on either side, to the double doors, shadowed by the balcony of the staircase. Opening the doors, they were met with a strong scent of burning candles and old papers.

Their entrance took little notice by the scattered agents as they scrambled around the transformed ballroom. It was filled with a large round table in the center that had a massive map of Ataxia pinned to it with several markers and pins. Around it were several smaller, long tables with people leaning over it; pointing at papers and discussing matters to one another – their words lost to the scrambled noise around them.

Ella looked to the right, at a small, curtained off, clinic and noticed a small group of people covered in ash with bright red gashes shining through the dull gray. Her breath left her even as she batted at Michael to turn and look. The people were being treated and questioned by some of the agents and they barely nodded in understanding.

"Oh... thank god." Michael uttered as a weak, relieved smile spread across Ella's face.

"Can I help you?" A man came up beside them, dressed in olive drab, an expectant expression on his face.

Ella turned and looked at him, her eyes narrowed slightly in unexplained suspicion. "Yeah, where's Rachel?"

"Director Roan?" the man corrected, "I think she's upstairs. I'll take you up there." he replied monotonously even as he smiled and indicated to the foyer behind them.

"Thanks." Michael replied just as plainly, looking to Ella.

They walked up the stairs in a straight line, their footfalls echoing in the room. Michael looked up to the ceiling at the exquisite chandlier that had been modified to fit candlesticks instead of light bulbs- the flames flickered and lit off the vaulted, dome ceiling.

O.o.O.o

The man led them to double doors, the only entrance on the second floor, directly center of the balcony and knocked gently. A voice called from inside to open it and he complied. Revealing the room, the one room was the entire size of the downstairs transformed ballroom downstairs.

"Rachel." Ella greeted and walked up to the blond woman, who was talking to a tall man.

"Yes?" She turned at hearing her name, immediately disregarding the discussion she'd been having with the man.

"I need to discuss the refugees downstairs." She pointed behind her, barely missing poking Michael in the stomach.

Rachel nodded solemnly. "Okay, how does it concern you?" she asked, folding her hands in front of her and pursing her slender lips. Her eyes were cold and calculating and it made Ella squirm.

"Well," Ella began but then stopped and looked to the man who stood in front of them appearing uncomfortable- running his fingers through his hair and shifting his gaze nervously. "Who's this?"

The man ran his fingers through his curly hair and forced a smile before offering his hand out to her while Rachel introduced them. "This is Jack, he's a... transfer. And this is Ella Bishop, founder of Syndicate." her tone seemed to drop lower in mentioning Ella.

Ella accepted his extended right hand and shook it. Her eyes flicked from his deep blue eyes down to his hand for only a moment when she felt a lump under her palm. On the outside of his hand was a circular scar, white and puckered in it's years of healing. She swallowed thickly and dropped their handshake, her eyes flitting back to meet his gaze.

"What was it about the refugees? And what brings you from the Maryland Branch?" Rachel continued, offering a bright, toothy, smile.

"We were given the opportunity to stop a man who has been recruiting people for a, well, an army... really." Ella cleared her throat, "he's been making his way from the Plains Nation across Ataxia destroying settlements and townships- cities even – to force people into joining his cause."

Rachel's eyebrow arched so high on her brow Ella thought it might shoot off her face, "I see, and where are you getting this information?" she crossed her arms across her chest and brought her lips into a thin line.

Ella's mouth fell open but she could only bring herself to exhale shortly.

"We had a... an 'informant' but there was a difference of opinion and we went our separate ways." Michael stepped up and glanced at Ella in surprise at her inability to articulate.

The thought of Daniel's departure made her feel a loss she didn't realize she could feel for a man she'd known for only a few days. It made her feel out of control. Exposed. The very thought of discussing Carver without him now seemed strange. She'd lost her words as though she might expect Daniel to step in and start ranting about the man hunt. 

"I see." Rachel turned away - pointing her dainty, pointy nose in the air - to go to her desk that was directly behind her, grabbing at a pen and paper, scribbling out a short message. When she turned back around, folding the paper in half, she indicated to the man who'd escorted them in.

He came up and grabbed it and ran out of the room, the door slamming shut behind him.

Ella glanced at Jack, her eyes darting up and down his figure before resting on his face and studying him.

"So, what makes you think he was telling the truth? I mean," she shrugged and crossed her arms against her chest again, tilting her head to one side so that her long blond hair fell around her shoulder, "if he ran away, don't you think that's a little bit suspicious?"

"He wasn't lying." Ella snapped to attention and looked back from Jack to Rachel, "he predicted another attack and there was one."

"How do you know?"

"You have the refugee's downstairs!" Ella pointed at the ground to the ballroom below them.

Rachel nodded and walked back up to stand beside Jack, who was staring directly at Ella, his eyes wide. "What's the name of this man-"

"We only know him as Car-"

The door re-opened and Rachel stopped to watch her man come in with a piece of folded paper and handed it off to her. She apologized briefly and opened the paper, reading it's message. A smile tugged at the corners of her mouth and she tossed the paper on her desk.

"Good news?" Michael asked, crossing his arms.

Rachel looked at him in feigned surprise and offered a cordial nod, "Yes, in fact." she looked back to Ella, "Now you were say-"

The door burst open and both Ella and Michael turned to see two guards come through the double doors, holding a blond between them- his head hung low.

Ella's eyes went wide and Michael arched a brow in surprise. "Daniel?" they called in unison. 

O.o.O.o.

AN: I don't do Authors Notes very often but considering I have such a horrible writers block I thought I'd extend an olive branch in light of how forced this was. I'm very sorry but I struggled throughout this ENTIRE chapter. I hope it doesn't sound as forced as it really is. If you caught any mistakes, feel free to bring them to my attention. Any feedback on this painful chapter would be much appreciated.

Thank you!