Friday March, 2029

"Did she not tell you what she found?" Carver asked suddenly, shouting over the wind as they both pushed through.

Daniel kept his arm crossed against his chest, his hands under his armpits, but his face contorted in anger; his eyes narrowed, his lips pulled into a thin line, as he grumbled bitterly. "What the hell did I say?"

"What, two hours ago? I forget." Carver replied.

"I said, 'shut the hell up'."

"Oh, you said that when I was talking about Ella. I thought you just meant to stop talking about her not all together."

"Shut. Up." Daniel growled, blinking rapidly as the wind shifted directions and the snow began to pelt him in the face.

"Just answer me this, did she tell you what she found?"

"No." Daniel ducked his head down, his top half leaning forward into the wind.

Carver, using Daniel's body as a shield and wearing a coat, walked with his hands in his pockets and head held high. "Uh-huh. You sure?"

"She told me she knows that Syndicate has been infiltrated in a lot more than just here in Massachusetts." Daniel grunted out.

"Okay, what about Becca?"

"Carver, I swear to- get in front of me, now!"

Carver shook his head, though Daniel couldn't see it. "No, I think I'm good- I'm just saying... if you knew where Becca was, we wouldn't have to chase after the Artist. We could just go off by ourselves. And trust me, you want to distance yourself from her."

Daniel stopped and faced Carver, his back against the wind and but his hair, frozen, remained in a stiff in a spiked position on his head. "You said, earlier, that she was being protected by someone on the inside? Who? And why isn't she protected anymore?"

With an exaggerated sigh, Carver shrugged his shoulders. "Like I said, 'I don't know'. Something changed when the Elites showed up. But this order for her death- it's from the big boss, man. I've never seen him, I don't even know if he's Ousia. But he's in charge now."

"What does he want?"

"The Artist. Dead. Get the picture?"

"If my hands weren't about to fall off, I'd be knocking your teeth out."

"Yeah, well, we don't want your hand to shatter, do we?"

Daniel grumbled and pursed his lips. "God, I hate you so much."

"Yeah, well..."

"You're literally worthless." Daniel continued as he turned to keep walking through the blizzard, hoping that he'd see a sign or a light to follow.

Carver followed, dragging his feet through the boot prints left behind by Daniel. "What, the information I had regarding the Elites and Ella's past wasn't good enough for you?"

"No. In fact, all you did was stress me out."

"Oh, so sorry! Are you not going to be able to sleep at night? Join the club." Carver mumbled.

"As soon as we find the town, I will help you sleep like a baby!" Daniel barked, his hands twitching with the urge to follow through on his offer now rather than later.

"Yeah, I'm sure you would." Carver sighed, his breath billowing and blowing snowflakes out of their intended path in a mini whirl. "So, we're really not going to talk about how she hid her past from you?"

"It's not as bad as you make it out to be. She's nothing compared to you." Daniel replied gruffly, his voice thick in his throat. "She didn't commit crimes against humanity- not like you did- she ended the war the only way she knew how. She didn't kill innocent people."

"Well, directly? No. But she's the reason we're in the world today. That's a pretty big influence, don't you think?!"

Daniel frowned and pushed further into the wind, increasing his pace.

***

Michael sighed and sat at one of the several tables in the room, his right leg bouncing up and down but his toes firmly planted on the ground. Judy came over with a drink and a plate of food.

"How is she doing?" Michael asked impatiently, his words tumbling out in a mess- almost as a single word.

Judy smiled and placed his order in front of him before leaning back on her heels, one hand on her hip with her other arm hanging at her side. "She's fine, just give 'er a minute. Ya know, blizzard or not we're having a bit of a shindig here ta-day. One of tha best bands in town is gon' perform right up there." she pointed to the far side of the dining area, in the corner between the front window and the fireplace. "Welcome to stay for it."

"Why are you being so kind to us? We don't have the money to pay you." Michael admitted, looking down at the plate of food he knew he couldn't afford.

Judy's lips twitched and her dimples appeared, her green eyes soft as they met darker green. "That brand you both sport? I support what Syndicate does and I appreciate what ya'll do. This is my way of givin' back. Mostly- it's cus ya need someone to care for ya, I think. I 'magine it's not yer fault ya don't have tha funds- or tha clothes." She indicated to Michaels fresh outfit, that was bagging over his slender limbs- a contrast to Hammonds burly stature.

He looked down on himself and smirked at the plaid button-up and baggy jeans- only staying up because of the belt he wore with it. "Thank you, Judy."

She nodded curtly, "Now, I know ya wan' to run up there and check on her- again- but I want ya to sit here and wait for her to come down. Ya nearly scared the daylights out of her before and we dun want her slipping and hitting her head- again- and getting a secon' concussion."

Michael didn't think it worked that way but also assumed that neither did she, so he smiled slowly.

"Now eat up, Hammond might need some help setting up for the band- it'd be a big help if you could... ya know, help." Judy said over her shoulder as she went to serve another table.

Michael grabbed the fork and stabbed into the mashed potato's on his plate. The roast and green beans were still steaming and wafted to his nose- filling his senses. He slid the potatoes off the fork, into his mouth when the front door burst open and two figures stumbled in like drunk men.

The fork still in his mouth, Michael gaped with the rest of the patrons at the two men. The men and women sitting around tables looked to Judy then to Hammond, who had come back out from the bar rifle already in hand, then back at the figures.

"Dammit, Hamm, will you put that 'way? Yer not shootin' anyone ta-day!"

"but-"

One of the two men, without a coat, pushed his way to the other side of the tavern and stood in front of the fireplace. His eyes seemed vacant until slowly they sparked with realization. "Mike, thank god," he looked around the tavern then, as though for the first time, at the patrons. "Where's Ella?"

Michael turned in his seat and looked to the left, towards the door, at the second figure- Carver.

The second man, the person they'd spent a week tracking down in order to bring to justice, stood haughtily by the door- shaking his coat of snow to the hardwood floor around him. Carver nodded at Hamm and then walked up beside Daniel.

Carver opened his mouth to say something to Daniel when he caught a glance of Michael and pointed at him, "Oh hey, what are the chances of that happening?" Referring to them seeking refuge in the same place with no plan of it.

Daniel ignored the man beside him and turned to Michael fully, away from the fire. "Where is she? Is she okay?"

"She's taking a bath." Michael finally managed, leaning back in his chair.

Daniel leaned forward, his eyes wide and lips slightly parted. "Excuse me? You- you left her alone?"

"She is fine."

"Oh, what, did she tell you that? Maybe you haven't noticed, Ella is always 'fine'." Daniel barked sarcastically, "What room?"

Judy came up and smiled as she held out two steaming cups of coffee, "Are you Danny?" She asked softly.

Daniel took the cup and held it in both of his palms in order to warm his freezing hands. Michael watched Carver carefully but listened intently to the conversation between Judy and Michael.

"Yes, do you know where Ella is? She's a tiny thing, short hair, big bump on her head." Daniel's words tumbled out of his mouth and for the first time his hand gestures didn't match.

"Room, 'H'. I'll take you there." she gestured widely to the door behind him and to her right.

Michael stood but Daniel reacted but pointing a finger gun at him. "Sit down."

"Let her take-"

"She has a concussion, she's been in and out of consciousness, and you thought leaving her alone in a tub of water was a good idea?" Daniel barked.

The patrons were still looking on, Hamm with his rifle in his hands, and Killer at high alert in front of the bar. Michael and Daniel stared one another down, blue meeting green in an intense glaring that hadn't taken place since the train.

"Give her more credit, she's not a child." Michael argued.

"She's not in control!"

Carver stepped in, holding a finger in the air in order to gain attention. "Gentlemen, should we be having this conversation here, in front of all these nice people?"

"Shut up!" They shouted in unison.

He dropped his hand into his pocket and with the other brought his mug to his lips and took a sip of its contents.

Judy cleared her throat and tried to interject, "Sorry, but you're friend is-"

Daniel laughed harshly, "He's no frien-"

Michael took a step closer and put a hand on Daniel's shoulder to prevent him from continuing his discouragement. "Daniel, enough. See to Ella, I will stay with Jack." Michael emphasized the name by squeezing his shoulder at the same time, hoping to communicate that Carver's last name was not to be used.

Daniel's eyes narrowed, creasing the wrinkles at the corners of his eyes- accentuated by the thick, wet dust caked to his face. Still, the blond nodded his understanding and backed away from them to follow Judy who was talking with Hamm about helping to get Carver cleaned up.

When Judy saw that Daniel was ready, she stepped away from the bar and put her hands on her hips. With her head tilted the side, she smiled at Daniel, "Ready?"

Daniel nodded curtly and Michael could see the stiffness in his steps as he followed Judy; his footfalls heavy and even as he trembled, his back was straight as a board.

Michael looked to his right to look at Carver who looked appeared unbothered. He shrugged at Michael when he noticed his scrutinizing gaze and took another drink of his coffee.

The patrons slowly returned to their meals and began murmuring rumors and hushed judgements.

Hammond replaced his gun and approached Carver, his hands on his hips. "C'mon." He ordered, gesturing towards the door that led to the bathhouse.

Carver looked to Michael, who nodded approval. They turned towards the door and followed after Hamm as he led the way to the backroom.

***

Daniel followed closely behind the blond woman, the steps creaking so loudly that he thought they might fall through the staircase.

"Ya know, it's actu'lly my fault she's left 'lone. I didn't realize she's in such a bad way." She said aloud as they turned the bend to follow the hallway.

The hall had a warm feeling to it but the draft kept Daniel cold. He watched each door as they walked by, hoping that it was the entrance that would lead to seeing Ella- safe and sound. Yet, the image of opening it to an unconscious body kept him rigid.

"Ah, here we are." The woman said with a grand gesture at the door with an iron letter 'H' attached. She opened it with her master key and then gestured through the empty room, "she has the room key in here. I'm Judy by the way," she held out a hand for him to take.

He took it and shook it quickly, "Thanks." He stepped through the threshold and closed the door softly behind him.

The sound of water lapping in a tub harmonized with the howling wind outside the window. There was a soft glow of candlelight coming from behind a divider as did the calming sound of water. He rounded the corner, holding his breath- anticipating the worst.

He peeked around it timidly, his shaking increased in his apprehension. Then, all at once, his body relaxed and his breath released in a soft sigh. The tension around his eyes and the semi-permanent frown he'd worn for the last five hours, slackened.

His gaze remained fixed on her face, clean and soft. Her expression was serene, the corners of her mouth turned upward and eyes closed. There was no tightness, only peace, for the first time in a long time. Without dust and dried blood caked to her face she looked less morbid- sick. The bump on her head was still prominent but less obtrusive than before. She was beautiful.

Gently, Daniel knocked on the side of the divider.

Ella's eyes snapped open and her head turned to face the sound. Her eyes crinkled at the corners in contentment at seeing him then, when realization dawned at the reality of the situation; he was seeing her at her most physically vulnerable moment – her eyes widened. She moved suddenly, throwing herself to one side of the tub in an attempt to hide herself from him. Water sloshed over the side and onto the floor.

"Danny!" She cried, gripping the sides of the tub as she pressed herself against the wall.

"Okay, okay!" He held up his hands and turned his back, "I'm not looking, I'm not..."

Water splashed and sloshed some more as she moved to get out. There was a pause in sound and he almost turned to look when she spoke up; "I need a towel." She admitted, her tone sheepish.

He looked around the main room and saw a pile sitting on the chair by the door. After fetching it, he held it behind himself, covering his eyes. "I promise, I didn't see anything." He assured, waiting until she grabbed the towel from his hand to drop his arm back to his side.

Ella didn't respond for a moment then walked out from behind the divider, the towel wrapped around her body like a white mini dress. "You can look now." She said over her shoulder, a smirk playing at her lips.

"Hi." He managed awkwardly, rubbing the back of his neck as he tried not to look away from her face out of respect but he couldn't help but follow the length of the chain that kept the ring in place above her breasts.

She turned back to face him, one hand holding the top of the towel in place. "Danny, you look awful." Her brows connected in the center of her face, her lips slightly parted as she frowned at him.

He laughed dryly which turned into a series of coughs. "Yeah, thanks... I feel like it."

Her eyes dropped to look at his left hand, at the dark bruising that seemed to shine with the melting snow on his flushed skin. "Does it hurt?"

"Kinda stings a little but it doesn't hurt." He admitted and stuffed his bruised hand into his jean pocket.

"I'm so glad you found us."

"Well, I have Jack with me too- still glad?"

"About you- not him." She smirked.

Daniel smiled, his lips tight with their chapped skin. "C'mere." He grabbed her at her elbow and pulled them over to the window, bright with white light. He held her in the light and tilted her head up to see her eyes and head. "How are you feeling?"

"Dizzy spells occasionally but I have my feet under me," she smiled and nodded her head out of his grasp gently, "how about you?"

"I'm fine, warming up, slowly."

"Sorry, I took your coat," she indicated to where it was draped over the bed.

He waved a hand at her apology, "don't worry about it."

Her eyes flitted over his face, scruffy with a forming beard- frosted with both white flecks of hair and melting snow. "What's wrong?"

"Nothing, why? Nothing's wrong."

"You have your face," she playfully wagged jiggled her finger in front of his face.

"Oh, my thinking face?"

"Mhm," she smiled, her eyes batting innocently.

Daniel attempted to mask the expression she so readily made fun of as he half-heartedly thought to say, 'nothing' but instead said; "The Ousia call you the Artist of Destruction. Do you know why?"

As the words tumbled from his mouth like pebbles out of a small sack, he wanted to collect them and take them back. Her expression changed from soft and open to hardened and guarded in the blink of the eye. She took a step away from him, her bare feet padding softly on the hardwood.

"Where did you hear that?"

"Carver, he said that the Ousia want you and that you're known as The Artist."

"What else did he tell you?" She wrapped her other arm around her stomach, the other holding up the towel.

"That you led not only the revolution but you were also... the reason why the Ousia left." He physically winced, his left eye twitching and the left corner of his mouth turned up while the rest turned down into a frown.

Ella turned on the balls of her feet and stalked away from him. "Then you know all you need to know." She said simply, her lips formed a tight, straight line. "I need to get dressed," she held the door open, standing behind it, out of view from the hall.

"Ella, c'mon. I want to hear your side. I want to know what happened..."

"He tell you about Ryan, Mister Bishop, too?" She asked, her tone bitter and low.

He opened his mouth to respond but couldn't bring himself to throw Michael under the bus but his silence confirmed her own suspicions rather than the truth but it was enough to insist on his leaving.

"Just go."

He came to a stop right in front of her, where she leaned against the side of the door. "You knew? You know the Ousia are after you?"

Her eyes fluttered, "No."

Daniel narrowed his eyes, "Wow. Now I understand." Liar.

"No, you don't."

"Then explain it to me! It's why I asked."

"Talk to Carver about it, then." She hissed softly, her voice no louder than a whisper.

"I don't understand why you're acting this way... I thought-"

"You thought wrong," she insisted and started to close the door on him, pushing him out of the room.

"Okay, so you're just going to push everyone- me- away?" He stopped just inside the door frame, pushing back on the door with his right hand. "Is this about your 'mental health' thing that's got you so wound-up?"

"What?!" She gaped at him, her eyes wide and eyebrows high on her forehead.

"Everyone, including yourself, say you're crazy and typically I think they're wrong..."

"As opposed to?" She tilted her head to the side.

"Well, now, since you're acting crazy."

She started to push harder on the door but he kept it in place, his head peeking in between the frame and door jam.

"Just listen- talk to me Ella!" He insisted. "You knew about the nickname, didn't you? How?"

Ella pushed harder, pressing her whole weight against the door. "Daniel, get out."

"You don't have to do this alone. You're not- do you want me to get Michael, will you talk to him?"

"No." She said through clenched teeth.

"Who do you see? Who told you about being The Artist?"

Suddenly, the door gave way and he almost fell back into the room. His feet stumbled to catch up with his body. When he recovered, he looked to the right to see her standing beside the window- her arms wrapped around herself.

"I see him in my dreams." Ella said simply, her tone soft.

"Your husband?" He asked as he closed the door behind him.

She nodded, "he says these things that seem like something from a horror movie- or a nightmare. Awful things that I hate to hear but he tells me because he hates me." A soft, wavering sigh filled the break in her story and Daniel wanted to envelope her, now trembling body in his arms. "A few nights ago, he called me 'The Artist' and said that there is nothing to stop them now."

"Do you know what he meant by that?" He asked, coming to stand behind her.

Her head shook slowly, "No... but he's been haunting me for months. He'll taunt me with strange messages and reminders that I wasn't safe. I told Ari about it and he just waved it off..." She turned her head slightly, a look of realization crossed over her face- her brows shifted up on her forehead. "Come to think of it, the dreams began around the same time that he started to act strange."

"You think it's related?" He asked, shifting his weight to one side in order to get a look at her profile as she looked back out the window.

"It has to be... I just don't know how."

"So you've been seeing Ryan in your dreams- having premonitions, how is that 'crazy'?"

She bit her lower lip and turned into him, their chests nearly touching. "It's when it's paired with the hallucinations I admitted to to my doctor."

"Hallucinations?"

"I don't just see Ryan in my dreams- there are times where I could have sworn I saw him... out in the field. But after all's said and done... he's nowhere to be seen."

"Does he interact with you in the field or just the dream?"

She massaged her temple. "No, just in my dreams."

"Hey, c'mere." He took her hand that was pressed against her head and tugged her closer, his hands holding her biceps gently. She stiffened instinctively, prepared to back away from him, but when he caught her gaze he was witness to her vulnerablity; she relaxed to his touch and stood firmly in front of him, her eyes melting to a warm, chocolate brown. "I'm sorry about Ryan and I'm sorry you're as exhausted as you are... but whatever it was that you did to piss the Ousia off so bad that they're tracking you down, you're not alone. You have me and Michael and, whether we like it or not, we've got Carver- who's kinda like an inside man on the matter."

"You have no idea- Michael has no idea- what you're getting into. I might as well come with my own toe tag, whatever restriction was on me before- keeping me from being killed- is gone. All bets are off and what you can bet on is that the Huijari was going to be coming after me a lot stronger than ever before. I don't want you guys hurt because of my past."

"Well, we haven't run into any issues since West Virginia, so there's that."

"I need to go back to Sanctuary. I need to stop Ari and Roan."

"You don't even know where Roan is."

"I'll find out when I get to Ari's surrogate."

"Okay, I'm going with you."

"No." She shook her head and pushed away from him, her hand on his chest. "Rebecca is in Boston, at the old FBI Headquarters building that's, apparently, occupied by Huijari. I never knew about it but it's likely Ari's surrogate had a hand in that. You have to get her back then you can do whatever you want to do when it comes to Carver since we can't take him back to Sanctuary to be tried anymore."

Daniel took her hand away from his chest and held it in his own. "So what? This is it? You and Michael are-"

"Michael will do whatever he wants but he's not coming with me- no one is coming with me- not while I have a target on my back."

"Hey, no, that's not how- you don't get to do that." He replied, his tone gruffer than intended but he couldn't stop the emotion from bubbling to the surface and taking control of his voice.

She looked up at him, her cinnamon eyes seemingly darker in their dilation. "You don't owe me anything Daniel, in fact I owe you."

"You can't barge into my life and then leave like some sort of passing ghost! I've been shot at, tortured, shot at again, captured by violent thugs, had a house dropped on my head and walked through the ninth level of hell – do you really think this is the end? As I see it, if you hadn't interferred, I don't think I would have ever found Carver to begin with."

"That may have been better. Now look where we are?! Now it's not just me that's in danger. You need to disappear, Danny. You, Mike, even Carver."

"You just want us- me, to run away?" He scoffed and narrowed her eyes at her.

"Is there any other way? How much longer can you put up with a lifestyle like this? With me, it won't end. You were right- I'm a danger magnet."

"So what? You want me to settle down and start a family while you dodge bullets for the rest of your life?"

"Yes!" She threw both of her arms in the air and immediately brought them back down to catch her towel from sliding off her body.

"You think I deserve that kind of life? I'm just as responsible for the fall of humanity as you are- I led people to their death on multiple occasions. At least you tried to help people with your act..."

"So did you, you were trying to create a better life- a safe one. All I did was-"

Her voice caught in her throat when there was a rapid series of knocks on the door.

"Ya'll decent in there?" Judy's voice came through the door.

They looked to the door, then to one another.

"Yeah, Judy, come in." Ella replied.

The door swung open and Judy stepped in, holding a pile of clothing between her hands like a sandwich. "I forgot to tell ya, dear, we're having a party downstairs. Here's a change-a clothes for ya, I hope we'll see ya down there."

Ella looked at the clothes, then to Judy, then to Daniel. He shrugged.

"And you need to get cleaned up mister-mister," Judy continued, wagging her finger at him.

"Well, I-"

"Nope, no buts! Get you're bee-hind downstairs, my husband will take good care of ya."

Ella looked back at him and offered a timid smile, her eyes fluttering. "I'll see you downstairs."

His eye twitched involuntarily and his feet shuffled to move but it felt like his shoes were glued to the hardwood. "Ella-"

"C'mon, c'mon, out-out-out." Judy came further into the room and pushed him out- closing the door behind him, leaving him alone in the hallway.

Now, apart from Ella, Daniel became uneasy. Concerned with her decision to leave them behind in hopes of stopping a movement she had no control over. He hoped she didn't attempt to sneak out on her own and disappear into the storm- not only would she be alone in a new war that had been raging for years but in her physical state, anything could happen.

She could think about the others around her and what was 'best' for them but she couldn't think about what was best for her- too wrapped up in her sense of Justice.

As he walked back down the stairs and into the main dining hall, he found Michael and Carver sitting at a table talking dispassionately. He looked between the two men and sighed heavily. He wanted to protect her and she wanted to protect them. There was an argument to be made about how to provide everyone with the proper protection; and it wasn't 'splitting up'- it was through working together to save humanity before it realized there was anything wrong.  

***

Don't forget to comment:

If you could ask any character, in The Art of Destruction, any question; what would it be?