EXPECT THE UNEXPECTED
[ chapter one—whatever it takes ]

While rain fell over the group, Adaline stood on the ridge looking down at the smoking helicopter, rubbing her hands together attempting to get rid of the blood that had stained into her skin. Tears wound in her eyes as she gazed upon the wreck.

Lee sat in the dirt, his head in his hands, sobbing for the man he'd started to think of as a father figure. The blonde exhaled a shaky uneven breath as she heard Charleen and Jake behind her. "We waited too long," Jake spoke, "this weather won't lift for a few hours."

Adaline ran her fingers through her hair, shifting her gaze to her younger sister who stood gazing off in the distance. "We need to double-time it." Jake continued, Charleen looked back at her finance with furrowed brows.

"Yeah, I don't see that happening with her." Jake held his gaze with the women, Charleen ultimately giving in to him. "Okay, all right."

Jake shifted his gaze to Adaline and Lee as she crouched down beside him, wrapping her arms around her brother as he began to sob. Lee buried his head into his sister's shoulder, swearing to kill whoever had done this.

⭑ ⭑ ⭑

meanwhile... Rock music blasted over the speakers of the truck as they came up to an overpass, Nadia sat on the tray of the truck sitting uncomfortably around three other men.

"You know, if you want I can show you around," One of the men spoke, close in age to the red-headed girl. "Show you a couple of things." His friends beside him and the girl chuckled, grinning at one another.

Nadia raised a brow at the man as he leaned back against the truck. "Really, you can show me something." She mocked in a flirtatious tone. The red-headed girl leaned forward, "How about I show how good my knife looks down your throat?"

The man jerked his jaw to the side, adjusting himself against the truck as Nadia raised a brow at him. "Not interested?" She asked, tilting her head. Inside the truck the music ceased. Madison turned in her seat to check on the red-head in the back.

Nadia scoffed at the men, wedging herself harder into the side of the truck. Soon enough the trucks followed after each other onto a dirt road, Far enough along the road they saw the wildlife, the fences, and the people. Living and thriving.

As they came up on the gate of the ranch their truck pulled to the side, allowing the fuel trucks behind them to pass by. "Man, who'd you piss off to draw guard again, huh?" Troy asked as the guard at the gate left his post to speak with the boy.

"Your father wants to talk to you." The guard spoke, glancing in the back of the truck. "Jake already talked to him?" Troy asked, Nadia clenched her jaw shut as her eyes wandered over the ranch. "Jake ain't here."

Nadia sat up straighter, her eyes wide in fear. "That's the thing, he ain't been here since he left. He's overdue." The redhead heard the indistinctive chatter inside the truck, the guard who'd previously stood at the passenger's door shifted to Nick's opening it wide for the passengers in the back.

Nick climbed out first, looking back at the men with furrowed brows. Nadia stood in the tray, "Nick," she mumbled, catching his attention. The boy moved to the tray where Nadia stood, helping her out.

"Joe watch them," Troy muttered to the guard as the engine turned over. Madison watched as the truck drove through the gate, Joe giving the order to close it while part of her family stood outside.

Nick glanced at Nadia, sighing deeply as he stepped up beside his mother. "They're not here. Let's just backtrack and find them." Nick spoke to his mother in a low tone, bringing Nadia to their side in order for her to stay in the loop.

Nick turned to carry out his plan, "Backtrack to where?" Madison asked, Nadia stood with her eyes forward. "We don't know where they are. You don't know where you're going."

Nadia glanced behind her at Nick who'd taken more than a few steps up the road. "Better than goddamn waiting." The redhead sighed glancing around her for somewhere with shade for her to sit.

"No its not." Madison hissed, "We leave, get lost. If they show up, then what? they have to go find us?" She asked, her son finally turning to face her. "Overreact now could get us killed."

Nadia met Nick's fearful gaze, "Okay." he agreed, "And what if they don't show?" Madison lowered her head. "What if it is just you, Nadi, and me?" he asked, turning with his mother as she circled him.

"What the play then?" Madison turned to her son with her back to the road, "Hug your mother." Nick furrowed his eyebrows, glancing at Nadia who shared his confusion. "What-- no..."

Madison stepped closer to her son, "Just do it, now." Nick hesitantly returned his mother's embrace, moments passed and Nadia noticed the boy's hand slowly sliding down his mother's back, pulling her jacket up to reveal a Glock in the back of her jeans.

Madison stepped back muttering something amongst Nick, she stepped toward Nadia reaching for her hand and rubbing her thumb over her knuckles. "Bring our family together, take what we need. Stop anyone that gets in our way."

⭑ ⭑ ⭑

Nick plucked at the grass, twisting it between his fingers before finally tossing it back. "Armed patrol at the gate here." Nadia leaned back against the seat, sighing as she stretched out her arms.

"Perimeter watch on the ridge, " Madison recalled what she'd observed in the last half hour. "But most of these folks are civilians."

Nadia looked up from her daisy chain as Nick spoke, "Well, we are not civilians, okay?" He asked, tossing a stone hard to the support beams of the bay. "We do not need this place. We do not need these people."

Madison turned back to her son, "Nick, we need someone to treat your girlfriend." The woman retorted, glancing at Nadia as she stood, sitting back down on the seat.

Nick stood vastly, "Listen, we are not breaking bread today with the people who tried to kill us yesterday."

"They didn't try to kill us. We don't know them." Nick groaned out loudly, turning to Nadia and back to his mother. "Jesus Christ."

Nadia stifled her laughter, tossing the string of daisies into the dirt. "Nick, you don't have to like what it is you need to survive." Nick looked up over the ridge where they'd come from. "You exploit it. You turn it to your advantage."

Nadia looked between the pair, "We use them to treat Luciana, fine." Nick began, facing his mother. "We use them, we go." Madison went to speak, and Nick spoke over her. "Believe me, you do not want me here any longer than necessary."

Madison went to follow her son as he walked away from her, an older man on the inside of the fence calling out to her. "Ma'am," he spoke, Madison glanced at the redhead moving toward the man at the fence.

Moments of glances between Nick and Nadia passed as Madison spoke with the man, "Nick, Nadia. Welcome." The man welcomed them, and the pair previously at the fence began to move toward the main gate.

Nadia stood glancing at Nick who waited for the girl before he continued toward his mother. "Welcome to Broke Jaw Ranch," Jeremiah spoke again, raising his cup to the two.

"This isn't safe." Nick muttered to his mother, "Right now we're just two families with missing loved ones." Nick stopped at the gate, Madison and Nadia stopping with him.

"I don't trust these people," Nick argued, looking back at the ridge. "Don't trust them. Trust me." Madison assured, nudging Nadia to follow after her, knowing Nick would eventually follow.

Jeremiah led them around the mobile homes set up in a field. "People bought in here before the world ended." He began to explain. "They prepared for the fall of democracy. Banked on that."

Nadia walked with Nick a few steps behind the older pair. "But the rise of the dead, that caught us by surprise."

Madison glanced over at the children running after one another giggling and squealing. "You seem to be managing." She shrugged, and Jeremiah agreed. "Yeah. We're fairly self-sustaining."

"Yeah, and heavily armed." Nadia scoffed, and a familiar guard from the truck headed for the gate glared at the women. "Yeah, well, no sense in having all these resources if you can't protect them."

Jeremiah glanced back at the redhead and back ahead of him. "Self-defence is the cornerstone." Nadia met Nick's cold gaze as his mother began to mention Troy and the border. "Is that what Troy was doing at the border? Self-defense?"

Nick and Nadia continued toward where Jeremiah had been leading them, Madison following after while the man stood in place, "Troy was out there harvesting fuel, protecting his men." The man explained, following after them at a slower pace.

"I heard his side of it." Nick stepped past Nadia, nudging her. "Wanna hear ours?" He scoffed, and Jeremiah shrugged subtly. "We're, uh, building a new nation here. It's not perfect. It's very imperfect. I'll sort out what happened at the border when Jake gets back. Meanwhile, this is the safest place to live in a world gone mad."

The older man shifted his gaze from Madison to the teens beside her. "Most people would be damn grateful for being here." Shifting his gaze back he spoke again. "I had the idea you might be, too. Was I wrong?"

⭑ ⭑ ⭑

The siblings sat around the camp's fire, Jake and Charleen stood arguing over who would have the first watch.

Jake hesitantly sat across from Alicia and her sister who huddled together beside the fire. Meeting Alicia's gaze he spoke, "We go back." Adaline lifted her head off her sister's shoulder.

"What happens to Luciana when we get back to your ranch?" Adaline asked, Jake looked down at the dirt dragging a stick through the loose dirt on top. "You worried about my brother?"

Adaline glanced at her younger brother who lay in the dirt, his gaze set on the fire. "Things he did to her people," Alicia spoke for her sister, shifting her gaze to Lucianna who lay like Lee beside the fire. "Things he almost did to mine."

Jake met Alicia's cold gaze, "It won't be like that when we get back." He assured them, "We watch him when he's close." Adaline lowered her head into her hands. "I can control him."

The blonde girl lifted her head out of her hands. "How long has it been going on?" She asked, Jake shifted his gaze from the younger sister to the older sister. "My dad, Troy's mom pulled him out of school."

Jake's gaze fell, "gave him the run of the ranch. It's a lot of land." Alicia entangled her arm around her sisters, "Well, you make allowances for the ones you love."

Adaline sighed, lowering her gaze as Jake sat on a wider tree log. "I made allowances for our brother, Nick, " Alicia began. "till I saw that was going to get him killed. Our mom made allowances like Nick's drama was giving her purpose."

"At least when we get back, your brother will be happy to see you." Lee looked up at his sisters, "Mine?" Jake continued, whistling in the distance drew the group's attention, Lee stood looking down the ridge where the whistling originated from.

Adaline stood her eyes on the fire as Jake stomped the flames out, his hand met his pistol loading it so it was ready for the older girl. "Do you know how to use one of these?" Jake asked, looking up at Adaline as she nodded. "Yeah, I--"

Jake put the pistol in her hand, "it's ready to fire. No matter what happens you stay here till I get back. If I don't, you follow the main trail. By midday, you'll see the ranch." Lee stood, standing in front of Jake, taking his knife from his jeans. "I'll come with you."

Jake shook his head profusely, "Lee--" Alicia began, her younger brother shook his head. "You think they'll let us in if we don't have him? If we show up without their people." Adaline sighed handing Jake's pistol to her sister, taking her own out from the back of her jeans.

Lee nodded at his sister as she handed him her gun. "There's only five rounds, make them count." Jake stepped past Lee making his way into the night, the youngest Clark following close behind.

Lee held the pistol at his side, turning to watch behind them. The pair turned to a clearing in the bushes, guns aimed as they heard a twig snap.

Lee took a step back nothing came from it, Jake took a step forward falling into the clearing. Lee winced, leaning forward and seeing nothing but the flashlight shining at the dirt.

"Are you okay?" Lee asked, holding in his laughter with everything in him. "Can you see anything?" Lee stood up straight sighing as he took Jake's silence as there was something down there.

Lee slid down the bank, cursing under his breath as one of the dead stood over Jake snarling, fresh blood dripping down onto him. Lee took his knife from his pants plunging it into the dead that stood over Jake.

Jake stood, fumbling with his rifle as two more emerged from the dark. Lee grunted as another of the dead flooded them, ceasing his chance to retract the blade.

Lee held the dead in place with his feet and his hands working on getting the safety off the pistol.

Jake grunted as the dead snarled in his face, "Lee." He grunted, pushing the dead up for him to take the shot. And she did, On the ridge of the bank Jake and Lee had slid down into stood Adaline, pistol in hand, aimed at the dead that stood over her little brother.

Jake reached out beside him to the flashlight, shining it at the next infected to stumble out. Lee pushed the dead's corpse off him, raising his gun at the next one to stumble out, taking his shot before it could reach him.

Jake's torch hit a body, and Charleen must've tripped and hit her head on a boulder allowing the dead to tear into her flesh. Jake lowered his gaze with the flashlight, raising his hand to Adaline who stood on the bank behind him. "Hand me the gun."

Adaline placed the pistol in his hand, looking back at her brother as he stood. "Find your way back." Lee picked up Jake's rifle, gazing at him as he stared ahead. "Please. I have to take care of her before more come." He mumbled.

Lee handed his sister the rifle, reaching up for her hand as she set it down. Alicia stood not far from them, watching as Adaline helped their brother up the bank.

⭑ ⭑ ⭑

Morning came, and the rest of the night was long, every sound keeping the group up and alert. Alicia stood from Luciana and Adaline's side, walking toward Jake who sat cleaning his rifle.

Alicia crouched behind Jake as he stopped cleaning the gun. "I'm sorry." Adaline glanced back at them, ceasing her finger's movements as it ran over Luciana's hand.

Alicia met her sister's gaze, "Luciana's unconscious." She spoke, shifting her gaze back to Jake. "We can't get her to wake up."

Jake was quiet for a moment, "I'll carry her." His voice was almost a whisper, "We'll be at the ranch in two hours." Alicia and Jake stood, and the oldest Otto loaded his rifle. "It's a terrible world, isn't it?"

Lee stood up, "I'll help you carry her, we'll make better time." Jake nodded at the younger boy, glancing back at Luciana and Adaline.

⭑ ⭑ ⭑

A little over an hour and a half later they could see the gate, The four had switched who'd carry Luciana as they walked, Adaline and Jake held her up while Alicia and Lee carried the bags. "Open the gate," Jake ordered, Adaline muttered to Luciana begging her to stay awake.

As they set the girl down in the middle of the open gate a doctor ran over, medical bag in hand. "Let me in there." He muttered, taking Jake's spot beside her.

Madison and Nadia ran up soon after, "Aw, bug." she spoke softly, wrapping her arms around her eldest, almost knocking her off her feet. Madison pulled her youngest into her arms, and placing a kiss upon Lee's forehead.

Madison released her eldest and her youngest moving to her third born, her eyes wandered past her daughter and out the gate, looking down the road for Travis. Nadia wrapped her arms around Adaline, releasing her as moments passed.

Adaline shifted her gaze to her mother as she stepped past her daughter and shielded her vision. "Where is he, where's Travis?" Lee glanced at Adaline who kept her gaze on her mother. "Mom." Alicia hummed, approaching him.

"He's not..." Alicia began, Madison leaned forward on her knees. "No." She cried tears weld in Alicia's eyes. "No." Slowly Madison fell onto her knees, Alicia going down with her.

Lee and Adaline stood beside Luciana, waiting for their brother. "Luci," Nick mumbled, dropping to his knees beside her. "Hey, hey, it's Nick."

The doctor stepped back from Luciana, and Troy shifted his gaze from his father to the sick woman on the ground. "I'm not sure she can hear you." Adaline put her hand on her brother's shoulder, "Nik."

"What does that mean?" Nick looked up at his sister for answers. "She's not going to make it, is what he means," Troy spoke, Adaline crouched beside her brother. "She's going to be fine, Nick." She assured.

Nick turned to look at Jeremiah, "Help her." Adaline looked back at their mother. "We take her to the infirmary where she may turn. It's against policy." Troy shrugged, Nick scoffed looking up at Troy. "It's your fault. You shot her."

"I was defending my people," Troy argued, shifting his gaze to Adaline. "I'll do it again." Adaline's eyes followed Troy's hand as he reached for his pistol. "I know what to do."

Lee's hand met his sister's pistol hidden beneath his shirt, "No, no, no, no." Nick got to his feet as Troy approached, Adaline leaned over Luciana using her body as a shield. "This is how it has to be."

"No, come on." Lee stood at his older sister's side his hand in reach of his pistol. "Out of the way," Troy warned, pushing Nick back as he put his hands on Troy's chest.

Nick glanced back at his sister, breathing heavily. Nick nodded, agreeing. "Nick," Adaline mumbled, pushing her brother to remain behind her as she stood between him and a bullet. "Move, Adaline," Troy warned, stepping toward her.

Adaline looked past Troy to his brother, and back up at her own. The blonde girl stood, putting her hand across her little brother's chest and pulling him back with her.

Nick grasped onto his sisters arm as Troy clicked the safety off, "I'll do it." Nick spoke up, causing his sister to furrow her brows. "I'll do it." He repeated, Troy finally shifted his gaze to him.

"Im allowed this." Lee looked back at his mother and older sister. Adaline's eyes traveled over Troy as he considered Nicks's request, When shed reached his gaze, she inhaled sharply as Troy's eyes were already on her, a grin on his face. "Alright."

Nick took the pistol from Troy, his sorrowful eyes lay on Luciana. Adaline saw the look in her brother's eye and watched how his body changed as he looked up at the Otto family, ultimately raising the gun at Troy.

Everyone around them raised their guns at the boy, Adaline's hands met her brother's chest as he went to take arms at her older brother's side.

Adaline took the gun from her little brother, pushing him back to their mother. "Let her in," Nick ordered, Adaline stood behind her brother, her pistol aimed at the ground. "Nick," Madison spoke, pulling her younger son behind her.

"I said let her in," Nick demanded. "Nick, this is not how we do things here." Jake explained, "Nick," Madison spoke, the blonde girl looked to her brother, "Put it, down Nick."

Nick shook his head, "Not this time."

"Do what your mommy says." Troy mocked, and Adaline rolled her eyes at his. "Shut up, Troy." Nick left his sister's side, marching toward Troy, stopping as his father stepped in front of his gun. "Whoa, whoa, Nick, easy there."

Adaline glanced at her mother, Madison nodded her head toward Nick. The blonde girl put her gun into the back of her jeans, "Nick," she mumbled.

Jeremiah held his hand out for the gun. "Let me have the pistol, Nick's hand shook against the pistol, his voice breaking. "You can't let her die." Adaline put her hand obrother'sothers shoulder. "If she's got a pulse, we'll let her in. But you got to give me the gun."

Adaline put her hand on the barrel of the pistol, diverting his aim at the ground. "Give me the gun, Nick."

Nick inhaled deeply, allowing his sister to take his gun. Adaline held the gun in her hands unloading it before passing it back to Troy as he stepped toward her.

Jeremiah nodded, "Get her to the infirmary." The man beside Luciana nodded, crouching back down beside her. "Secure her before you treat her."

Adaline glanced at her brother, turning back to her remaining family outside the gate. "Go with Nick, get yourselves looked after."

Alicia placed her hand on her mother's arm, "Mom, I want to be with you." Madison refused, begging them to go. Nadia took Adaline's hand, "I'll wait for her, go."

⭑ ⭑ ⭑

Lee sat on the infirmary bed, being checked over by a redheaded man. Nick stood beside Luciana holding her and hand gazing upon her as she slept. Adaline stood from the bed she'd been checked over in, shifting her gaze to Alicia as she approached their brother.

"Are those necessary?" She asked, referring to the cuffs around Luciana's hands, keeping her locked to the bed they're just in case."

Nick inhaled a deep breath, his head falling to his hand. "Thank you for bringing her back." His eyes met and shifted between siblings.

Alicia looked down at Luciana, "Bear." Nick spoke under his breath, "Are you alright?" Alicia looked up at her brother, unable to express how she felt, Adaline's eyes fell as she let out quiet sobs against Nick's shoulder, slowly they grew louder.

Lee glanced behind him at his sister, watching Adaline hurry past him and out of the room. Adaline sat down on a chair outside the infirmary, placing her head in her hands as she listened to her sister's sobs.

Troy approached the girl, a book in hand. Adaline lifted her head from her hands, scoffing as she lay eyes on him. "Go away." She mumbled, Troy clenched his jaw glancing past her.

"You need to check it in." The tall brunette spoke, "What?" She asked, her eyebrows furrowed up at him. "The gun." Troy held the book out for her, "it's procedure."

Adaline leaned back against the chair, "You'll shoot me if I don't, turn me into one of you're," She paused, thinking hard for a moment. "Science experiments?"

Troy tilted his head, "It's for our Betterman." Adaline lent forward taking the book from him, "Yeah, im sure." The blonde signed her name down on the page.

Adaline's eyes scanned over the page reading the names of those who'd signed guns out. "You are crazy, you know that right?" She scowled glancing up at him. "well if you say i am then i must be."

The blonde raised a brow taking her gun from the back of her jeans and reading the serial number. "Not funny crazy, like Nick, more like clinically insane crazy."

Troy grinned, chuckling as she spoke. Adaline scoffed as she put the gun back into the back of her jeans. "At least you're not in denial about it." She sneered handing the book to him.

"We should be friends, Clark." The boy spoke, taking the book from her. "Well, we're not staying, so..." Her voice trailed off as she looked around them.

"Yeah?" Troy asked, taking a seat beside the girl leaning forward to face the girl as she refused to move to face him. "Is that what Madison wants?"

Adaline shrugged, "What my mother wants and what I want, that's none of your concern." Troy raised a brow, scoffing. "I don't like being here as much as you like having me here."

"I love having you here." Troy shrugged, watching as Adaline scoffed, sitting back in her chair and looking at him fully. "We've been here less than a day. That's bullshit and you know it."

Troy shook his head, shrugging. "I want you here. I wouldn't have asked you here if I didn't." Adaline stood, glazing over the camp ahead of them before she looked back at him. "You also said you'd let Travis go, now he's dead, so... none of this matters."

Adaline went to step back inside the tent when he spoke again, "well, you're not going anywhere anytime soon, so you should think about what I said." Her gaze fell back on him,  glaring at him as he returned her gaze.

⭑ ⭑ ⭑

Alicia stepped inside first, "Mom?" she spoke out, Nick and Lee nudging one another to see through the glass of the door. "Close the door." Alicia glanced back at her siblings as she opened the door wider.

Adaline stepped inside last, closing the door behind her. Her siblings, Naida included sat around Madison. "Im okay." Their mother began, You asked me if I had a plan, Nick."

Nick shook his head, reaching over to take their mother's hand, "Mom, that was before." Adaline stood at the end of the bunk bed, resting her head against the top bed. "It was the right question."

Madison shifted her gaze between her children. "We're going to stay here." Lee raised his head, with wide eyes. "What?" Nick asked, retracting his hand. "We're going to make it our home, even if we have to take it over."

Nadia shifted on the bed looking up at Adaline. "Mom..." Lee muttered, That's insane."

Madison shook her head, No, it's our fate." Adaline crossed her arms over her chest. "We suffered to get here. Travis died getting here. We have to accept it. We have to be stronger." Alicia looked up at her sister from the bunk bed. "Tell me how it happened."

Adaline pressed her eyes shut, her mind replaying it again. "Tell me everything."

⭑ ⭑ ⭑

Adaline sat beside her mother pressing her nails into the palms of her hands, listening to Charleen's mother talk about her life. "Charleen embodied the spirit of this place. Always ready, never quit."

Jake's elbows pressed against his knees as he covered his mouth his with hands, pressing his eyelids shut as the women spoke. "Get it right this time, Spirit." The women looked directly at the Clark's who shared their grief only in another.

"And she would've." She paused, swallowing her words and bringing them right back up. "If she wasn't risking her life for the unprepared."

The tent fell quiet as the people of the ranch whispered to one another and stared at the family.

Jake stood, placing his hand on the woman's back in comfort. "Thank you."

"Hello." Madison greeted as she stood from her plastic chair. "I just wanted to introduce my family. I'm Madison Clark, and these are my children. We wanted to offer our condolences, for Charleen. For the others you've lost."

Madison paused glancing at Jeremiah. "We've lost loved ones too, Travis... Travis, he was our campus, and he-" Troy tilted his head a smirk lining his lips, watching Madison perform her life. "We just wanted to say thank you, for sheltering us and thank you for your generosity."

Jake nodded, "We've all lost, we share that. Grieving's hard but we must process it-" a man in the crowd stood. "More important to prepare, Jake. I'm sorry, there is a place for mourning and Patty is owed that but.. who brought down the helicopter?"

Jake had tried to calm his people down, although they were angry, and rightfully so.

"Where gonna find out..."

"When! What's your timeline?" The man turned to Jeremiah. "Jeremiah, please."

"Nothing changed, Vernon. Make no mistake, we're in a wartime posture here." Adaline leaned back in her seat, observing the Ottos. "We tasked Alpha Station to scout the crash site. When we know what we're dealing with, we'll act. If it's some wing, we'll act. If it's a larger challenge. We will act."

Troy locked eyes with Vernon. "Payback, Vernon." The crowd cheered in agreement. "That's what my father means. Whatever this threat is, large or small, we will make this right."

Jake stood in, "Hey, we'll meet our justice when we know what It is we're dealing with. We can't afford to lose ourselves." Troy sighed lowering his head to face the ground. "We're more than a mob."

Adaline leaned forward resting her elbows on her knees making eye contact with Troy. "We have to be something hopeful in this world. Like my father says, If your plan for the future..." Adaline redirected her gaze as the crowd recited Jeremiah's words. "...plan for a better one."

⭑ ⭑ ⭑

The blonde pushed the door open and stepped inside, stopping suddenly as Troy towered over her in the doorway. watching the girl closely as she lifted her chin to face him.

She broke eye contact as she moved past him. "Looking for something?" She asked, Troy shrugged, pushing the door shut as he turned to face her.

"Just thought I'd check in, see how you were settling in." the girl half shrugged. "Okay?" Troy grinned, lowering his head. "And are you, okay?"

"Like you give a shit." She scoffed, a scathing tone taking over her voice, every bit of anger in her body resurfacing. Troy smirked, enjoying every ounce of anger she'd let out just in those five words.

Adaline sighed as she faced the window, pressing her lips together, "I liked your mom's speech." The blonde's gaze remained on the scenery beyond the glass. "Makes him matter, makes him real."

Troy gazed over the girl's side profile as she shook her head eventually turning to face him. "He was real." Troy jerked his head to the right as he stepped towards her. "Yeah, but that's not why she said it."

Her gaze fell, "It wasn't out of grief, it was—" he paused, looking down at the blonde with a grin across his lips. "It was pointed, she wanted to remind us that you are all victims, too."

Adaline rolled her eyes, raising her brows as she looked away from him. "You think you're a victim?" She scoffed, clenching her jaw as she pushed the words past her lips.

"I think I was saving those people," Troy exhaled, clenching his jaw as he returned her gaze. "You don't believe that, do you?" She asked through gritted teeth, Troy licked his lips. "You killed people, and called it science."

"I needed to know." He shrugged, "I needed to know why we spoil--" Adaline shook her head, "You said you were gonna let him go, then you gave the order for him to be put in a hole in the ground with over a dozen of those things?"

Her eyebrows knitted together, their gaze fixated on one another. "You're the one who said you weren't a bad person. Now he's dead, and you're trying to be friends?"

His jaw tightened as his eyes wandered up and down the girl, shaking himself out of it as he began to change the subject. "What--" Troy glanced at the door and back at the blonde before him. "What did you do before, in the old world?"

Adaline shifted where she stood, "What's it matter, now?"

"It still matters." His voice trailed off, his eyes taking their time to wander over her face. Moments that felt like they'd lasted forever passed, and a wave of relief washed over the girl as he spoke. "Plus, my father doesn't take well to freeloaders."

The much taller boy stepped closer to the girl, grinning as she held her ground. This was all a game to him, a sick and twisted game he spun in his mind. And Adaline knew that hence why she'd kept so much of her true feelings for the Otto boy locked inside.

He jerked his head again, gazing down at her as he tilted his head. "Gotta earn your keep."

Adaline closed her eyes for a second. "I went to med school for a while." Troy stood straighter, his intriguement toward the girl grew bigger. "Why'd you stop going?"

"Grew to hate it." Her voice was low, her eyes avoiding his as she answered him. "Huh," He exhaled, glancing at the window. "What about you?" Adaline asked, shifting her gaze to meet his. "What'd you do after high school?"

Troy's gaze fell, "I never attended." His gaze lifted to hers again, " 'Certain social aspects of academia proved challenging for Troy.' "

Adaline's fingers dug into the palms of her hands, her eyes looking sorrowed up at Troy. "You must've been lonely." Troy smiled, chuckling shortly.

Her gaze followed after him as he stepped past her, looking beyond the window at the Ranch. "No, I, uh... I had this place." Adaline scoffed through separated lips. "Yeah, I had three younger siblings and I was still lonely from time to time."

Troy shrugged almost unnoticed by the blonde. "I like being alone." Adaline inhaled a deep breath. "Everything that I do," Troy muttered, standing before Adaline. "Is in service to this place." Adaline lifted her gaze to his, "You know, complicated problems call for complicated solutions."

The blonde girl shrugged her shoulders, "Killing people, it's not complicated." she began, shaking her head as he shifted her gaze away from Troy and back to him. "It's simple."

Troy grinned as if Adaline had cracked the code to the world's biggest mystery. "See, you understand this world. You..." Adaline's breath hitched as Troy grasped onto her hand. "You understand me. That's why I picked you."

Adaline chuckled shortly, "You didn't pick me." Her words were laced with poison. "You're here aren't you?" He asked, his grip on her hand tightened. "Because my family is here, Troy."

Troys clicked his tongue, raising his eyebrows at the blonde as he dragged his tongue around the inside of his cheek. "You were gonna come back with me before that." He spat.

Adaline considered her words carefully. "Only because you said you'd let Travis go." Troy's grip on her hand felt as though he'd leave bruises behind. "You're hurting me." Her voice was almost lower than a whisper.

Her eyes fell on his chest, watching as it rose and fell much quicker. "But your right, I do understand you." Troy jerked his head to the side, loosening his grip, smoothing his thumb over her skin.

⭑ ⭑ ⭑

Adaline stood at the door of the cabin contemplating entering. "The hell you can't Nick," Madison exclaimed, The room fell quiet as Adaline stepped inside. "What's going on?" Alicia sighed, glaring back at Nick.

"Nick is just being Nick," Lee muttered from his bunk. "Shut up, Lee." Nick hissed.

"We already went over this." Madison hissed. "Rule number one: stay away from Troy." Madison Clark set out three rules for her children when they'd returned from the chopper wreck. They thought she was kidding, but she wasn't.

"If we stay here we have to do something." Nick started again.

Adaline sat on the bunk beneath her younger brother, waiting for someone to start yelling. "What does that mean?" Alicia askeTheireir mother began to speak over her.

"I am doing something."

"No," Alicia spoke up. "What do you mean, Nick? What are you gonna do?" Lee climbed down to the bed below, sitting beside his older sister. "Do you want my knife?" Alicia stood, holding her knife out for her older brother. "Are you gonna do something?"

"All I'm saying is that we should start over somewhere else." Nick muttered, "Okay, like, find a house, grow crops..." Lee leaned over to his sister. "Luciana." His sister glanced at him raising her eyebrows. "Shut up, Lee. God, look, all I'm saying is we don't have to stay here, that's all." Nick continued, shooting daggers at his younger brother and sister.

"Warrior style," Alicia muttered, flicking her knife around. "We have options." Nick continued. "We're not leaving." Their mother hissed in a low tone. "Why are you so convinced this is the place?"

Madison turned back at her eldest child, rage coarsening through her veins. "Because it's all we have." she sneered as she flounced toward her son. "Because there's no place better. because we hauled you out of that hell hole and Travis died because of it." his mother's words stung as they made their way out of her mouth.

The cabin fell silent, Nick stared at the ground as he processed his mother's words. Adaline looked up at her brother with sorrowful eyes watching as his lips parted to speak again. "Luciana, won't be safe here." He muttered Madison turned to face him. "They let her in." She spoke, softly. "What if they make her go?"

A sigh left their mother's lips. "Then you'll have a decision to make." Adaline's eyes fell to the palm of her hand where her nails had been digging into her skin. Alicia rubbed her head, taking in and letting out a long, deep, audible breath, as she headed for the door.

The family looked up at the door as Alicia stopped abruptly, There stood Nadia, her smile fading as she was met with a wave of tension you couldn't cut with a knife. She hesitated, speaking as Alicia slipped past her. "What's... going on?"

Adaline stood from Nadia's bed, heading for the door, pulling Nadia with her.

The girls had found Alicia, leaning on a fence post watching a man from the ranch exercising one of their horses. "Are we going riding?" Adaline asked, skipping over to her sister, excitedly.

Alicia chuckled lightly, "No."

Adaline leaned beside her sister on the white fence, watching the chestnut brown, thoroughbred as it trotted in circles.

"Do you want to leave?" Nadia asked, looking up at Alicia, who couldn't get her eyes off the horse in the yards.

Alicia shrugged, looking down at her hands. "We do what we have to to survive."

Her sister sighed. "There has got to be more out there. than surviving." Alicia smiled at her sister pitifully.

Adaline shook her head lightly looking down at her hands. "Maybe life should be about more than just surviving." She muttered, looking up from her hands at the girls beside her.

Nick walked up behind the girls, "Going for a ride?"

Alicia leaned off the fence, crossing her arms over her chest. "No. I'm not riding. I'm waiting for Gretchen to go to my first bible study."

Adaline turned her head slightly, to see Nadia's facial expressions. Bible study? She mouthed, shocked.

The blonde half shrugged, leaning off the fence. "If we're gonna stay, we should get to know them. You're all invited." Nadia shook her head without hesitation. "I'm an atheist. I'm good."

Nick stepped in front of the girls leaning back on the fence. "So.." he mumbled, kicking his foot at the dirt. "Is that what you want?" Adaline pressed her eyes shut. "Nick..." she groaned.

"What? You-- you, want to stay here?" The girl shook her head. "I don't care." Nick scoffed, rolling his eyes.  "Lish? Do you want to stay?"

"No. But, I've seen what it's like out there. It's all just different circles of hell, why not this one?" Nick fell silent, all three girls watching him as he thought. "Sorry, about what mom said. It wasn't fair."

Deep down Adaline envied her brother, she knew it was wrong, but she did and a part of her hated him for it. She spent middle school looking after Alicia and practically raising Lee because Nick was on a bender or she had a lead on where he could be.

Adaline saw her hatred more clearly the night their mother risked everything including their lives on a hunch that Nick was alive. She was right, of course, but the words that were said that night, the tears that were shed, and the pleas for their mother to love them like she loved Nick would never be forgotten.

"She's not wrong." Nick shrugged. "Bad time to form a consciouses," Adaline muttered turning back to the thoroughbred in the yards.

Nick turned to his sister, "What happened to you?" The blonde clenched her jaw, pushing off the fence, ignoring her brother as she walked past.

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