#ahfwh

Once she’d scrubbed away as much as she could, V wrapped herself in a fluffy blue towel and stepped onto the raw stone floor. If John had anything, it was good taste. Though she dreaded looking into the mirror, she forced herself to turn and face her reflection. No matter how long she’d been in the shower, Veronica could still see so much blood on her hands and soul. It reminded her of the red hellscape Jacob had sent her to, and she shuddered. Her blue eyes were dark and she could bear to look at herself no longer.

Entering the bedroom, she still felt numb and shocky. The only thing she had the energy to do was sit at the end of the bed and wait.

It was only a half hour later that her patience was rewarded. The bedroom door creaked open and John Seed stood there.

“I knew you couldn’t res-” The words fell out of his mouth and stopped as he saw the state of her.

The blonde’s brow furrowed, tears filling her eyes once more as she laid eyes on him. She said nothing and only let the haunted look in her eyes tell the story.

“You met Jacob.” His voice was barely above a whisper. Veronica nodded bitterly.

John stayed at the door, giving her a level look. The only thing that betrayed him was the glint of regret in his eyes. “I don’t control my brother.” He replied, each word measured.

She broke eye contact, unable to meet his gaze anymore. “Why is he here, I thought this was your show?” Veronica couldn’t help but ask, even at her worst she wanted to gather intel.

The Baptist evaluated her for a moment, never moving closer, “Surely you didn’t call me here to talk business.” With that she knew he’d say nothing more on the matter.

“Maybe I just shouldn’t have called.” Ronnie sounded far away and lost.

Choosing not to reply to that, John swept some of her blonde hair into his palm and said quietly, “There’s still blood in your hair.”

Veronica’s voice cracked as she whispered, “It won’t ever come out.”

“...Come on.” John said after a moment of hesitation and he led her into the bathroom. Feeling incredibly numb, the deputy followed him wordlessly.

The pair stopped at the large sink inlaid into a marble counter and John reached into the shower to grab his shampoo and conditioner which had been in the shower since V had taken the ranch for the Resistance. Veronica stood awkwardly to the side of the sink, unsure what to do with herself. John gestured at the sink and turned on the water, “Put your head under the water.” His voice was demanding, but notes of concern were apparent.

The blonde did as she was told, and brought her hair under the stream of water, getting as comfortable as possible in the position. “...Is the temperature of the water okay?” He asked cautiously, as though speaking too much may break the spell they seemed to be under. Picking up on this- Ronnie nodded silently. This was certainly never a situation she imagined she would be in with the youngest Seed.

His strong hands were gentle as he wrung the water through her hair and then moved to massaging shampoo through her scalp. Veronica was surprised to see how much more red was coming from her thick locks, and she realized she must have been more out of it than she thought for her shower.

As he continued, V hummed approvingly as he worked the product into her hair. The hands of an enemy should never feel so good. The conditioner he was now using had the scent of sea salt with aromatic undertones. It reminded her of a childhood trip she’d once taken with her whole family to see the beach for the first time.

After a few minutes of this, John wrung her hair a final time and turned off the water. Taking the que, Veronica stood to her full height once more and watched him with wary eyes. “It’s all gone.” He said simply, unreadable emotion in his eyes. The tenderness of what they’d just experienced almost made Ronnie want to break down and cry. She’d never felt so intimate with another person before, why did it have to be him?

Instead though, she gave him the barest of nods and looked down at the towel still wrapped around her now dry form. “I should probably change.” Her voice sounded small, fragile. She stepped out of the bathroom and was only vaguely aware that John followed.

Veronica opened the top drawer of the sturdy dresser, parsing through the garments within. “You’ve taken over my dresser as well?” John asked, sounding almost amused.

Flashing him a look over her shoulder, the deputy responded, “Your things are in the closet, if you want them.” As she spoke, she gripped the towel closer to her and lifted the edges of the bottom as she slid on a pair of panties one-handed. She didn’t feel like being completely exposed in front of John right now. Underwear in place, she turned and discarded the towel in a crumpled pile on the floor.

His reply came as she shrugged on a black tank top, “It’s not important right now.” The brunet watched her as though he meant to memorize her every movement. V sat on the edge of the bed now, near the mass of fluffy pillows at the head of the frame. John had moved back to the bedroom door, lingering there. “I.. should probably go. My men are waiting.” He sounded flimsy, as though he were saying the first thing that came to mind.

Just as he was about to walk through the door, Ronnie’s hollow voice reached him, “Wait. Could you… hold me?” A brief moment of vulnerability, only brought on by the deep wounds today had begotten her.

**********************

Hand on the doorknob, John froze. There was a brief hesitation, unsure he heard her correctly. Turning to the bundle of covers on the bed, he met her expectant look. He wondered why he’d even answered her call. His thoughts went back to their night of passion, but that wasn’t it, not completely. There was something about this woman that gave him pause; made him second guess every decision he made. Part of him knew this was dangerous, that he couldn’t only consider his wants, but he couldn’t resist.

He took shaky steps to the bed, logic willing him to turn around and leave. A one night stand is one thing- but this was more than that. Veronica had been the subject of his dreams day and night these past two weeks, and additionally: the reason his progress had come almost to a halt. After watching Ronnie commit selfless acts one upon another, he started to feel unsure. More so than he had in the beginning, despite attempts to completely devote himself to Joseph’s whims. He loved his brothers, but observing Veronica made him waver; and he couldn’t end this until he understood these feelings.

At the edge of the bed, he stopped. She scooted over and he took off his boots before joining her, minding the bedding. Their embrace was almost awkward, both of them hesitating at the other’s touch. In the end, John sat propped against the headboard and Veronica settled into his arms. He looked down at her halo of blonde hair and his breath caught, why was he doing this to himself?

Of course this was a bad idea, of course she shouldn’t have called him, of course she fit perfectly against him. These were all the thoughts that raced through V’s head as she made herself at home in his arms. At first he was stiff, but soon he melted against her. The first thing she noticed was his cologne, notes of brandy and leather with a woody base. Next, she felt his heart. Like a frightened bird trapped in his chest, it fluttered against her right ear and matched her own. The thought that she made him as nervous as she made her was comforting.

“What do these mean?” Veronica attempted conversation, reaching for his hand that rested in front of her and tracing the latin words scrawled on it.

He nearly flinched at her touch, turning his hand over in her own. “Ah, the seven deadly sins.” His words were clipped.

**********************

At his hesitation to interact, the deputy grew quiet. She almost wished she hadn’t reached out to him in the first place. There was a minute or more of silence before John broke it. He lifted her hand now, a thumb stroking over her middle finger where a pair of devil horns was inked. “What inspired this?”

‘Fitting he should ask about that one…’ Veronica couldn’t help the thought before she answered, “I was a little shit as a teenager.. one of my friends has a tattoo gun and that’s the end of the story.” Her voice was flat, trying to emote as little as possible. Even though she’d requested it, this felt a long way from comfortable.

**********************

John felt he’d offended her with his previous hesitation, and tried to offer more. He rolled up his sleeve and pointed to another tattoo, one of a pin-up girl with wavy black hair. “I got this one right after I turned eighteen, it felt like the first taste of freedom I ever had.” He reminisced, thinking back to the excitement he felt as he’d sat in the tattoo shop for the first time; and his respect for the craft as he’d learned it himself.

He saw a small smile form on her features and Ronnie inquired, “What, your parents were crazy religious too and didn’t appreciate the ink?”

The first thought in his mind was of Mr. and Mrs. Duncan’s heavy hands, and the endless screaming. His voice grew quiet as he replied, “Something like that.” The couple had showed him pain upon pain for his assumed ‘sins’. Veronica was quiet, waiting for him to decide if he would elaborate. In time, he did:

“I first knew something was wrong when I arrived there with my case manager, only a young boy of eight. I’d been so used to the lashes from my father’s belt, I’d never imagined anything worse.” He sighed. “My new foster parents had wanted an impressionable mind to shape, and a punching bag to hit on. It wasn’t like when my real father got drunk and hurt us, each beating from them was a holy experience.” He gritted his teeth at the memories, all the times he’d pleaded with them to stop. In the end- he would do anything to repent.

**********************

The deputy looked up at him with sad eyes, and it felt like a few pieces of the puzzle had fallen in place for her. Dark as it may be, it almost made her feel better that he wasn’t a sadistic bastard for no reason. He looked far away, and she couldn’t help but reach for him; the coarse hairs of his beard were surprisingly soft against the palm of her hand. Her words were sincere as she murmured, “I’m so sorry that happened to you, John.”

**********************

When he looked back down into her aquamarine eyes, it felt like she drew him back to reality. He couldn’t help but wonder how she could care about him when he’d done so many awful things to her. “I thought I was supposed to be making you feel better..” He put on a joking facade to change the subject. When he received a small smile from her, his heart fluttered.

They were still for a while, finally beginning to relax with one another. As odd as the situation was, they both felt a sense of peace laying together. It was after a long silence that Veronica spoke once more, “Who were you before this?” She asked, a desperate undercurrent to her words, like she needed the justification that he had once been good. That he had not always been a monster. It saddened him that that was an assurance he could not give.

John scoffed quietly as he recalled his old, more lavish life. It felt like it had been eons ago. “John Duncan. Not Seed.” He started, taken back to the plaque on his office door that stated his given name. “I was a partner in a prestigious law firm. Duncan, Duncan, and Kane. I worked there with my adopted father and his friend for a time, until dear old dad retired and left the firm to me.” He recalled the tall building they’d worked in, his spacious office with a leather couch and a wet bar.

“Ah, lawyer! That explains the scales on the fences.” Veronica murmured triumphantly, sounding as though she’d uncovered a crucial fact. The idea that she’d been wondering about him made John smile down at her in surprise.

“The scales.” He affirmed with a nod before continuing, “I was a scoundrel. And I mean that in every sense of the word. The people I defended, the things I did…” He recalled all the drug-fueled parties he’d been a part of. Some of them even hosted by his clients. It was not a proud time for him to look back on.

“And then Joseph found me. One day, he just came off the streets… he’d found the firm through my construction efforts in our hometown. I never thought I would see him again- but there he was. Skinny as ever.” John mused, remembering always ribbing on Joseph when they were children for his slight frame. “At first… I thought he’d gone crazy. I was just glad to finally have part of my family back. He talked about finding Jacob, and it didn’t feel real, but I poured all my resources into it. One day, I got a hit; he was at an old veteran’s shelter. Joseph and I drove up there, not knowing what to expect.” John took a shaky breath, “He wasn’t the same, of course. War had changed him. Life had changed him. But…” His voice grew more steady and he nodded, caught up in the moment, “We were together again. The Seed boys, alone no longer.”

He thought of them back then; Joseph preaching about hearing the voice of God, Jacob an empty shell of a man, and then himself… he was reticent to label himself. There were too many fitting titles.

When Veronica said nothing, he looked down at her to see the deputy had passed out during his story. Her eyes were shut tight and she leaned heavily against him. John was just glad she’d been able to fall asleep. He was now torn; he knew Joseph couldn’t abide by this, that this was a mistake and he needed to leave. Yet he was rooted to the spot. He’d always been a glutton for punishment.

The thought she even trusted him enough to fall asleep by his side made his heart swell, and it was all he could do to quell these thoughts. For now, the only thing to do was enjoy this sense of peace. It certainly wouldn’t last forever.

**********************

It was sunny. Unbelievably bright. The kind of brightness you could lose yourself in. Veronica found herself walking through a well-manicured park, green grass under her tennis shoes. The main playground was a ways off, and she walked in what appeared to be a soccer field.

In the distance was a group of children, the tallest one standing out the most to her. She wore a bright orange backpack and laughed with her friends, an air of ease about her. Veronica’s breath caught in her throat as she realized who stood before her- Charlotte Rook, her older sister. ‘No, this isn’t right…’ She thought as she walked through the dream closer to her departed sibling.

The blonde had no control of her movements as she lurched forward step by step- her apprehension and dread growing with each inch made closer to Charlotte. Ronnie did everything in her power to stop herself from getting closer, but could not. When she was about a hundred feet from her sister, the facade of the sunny park began to fall away into ashes. The grass and trees withered into nothingness, leaving only void in their place. The friends who had been chatting with Charlotte now faded- their forms no longer perceivable as they were unmade from existence. Veronica’s sister now slumped forward, looking almost lifeless. Her uncontrollable movements now stopped, only a few feet from the form of her sister.

V stared up in fear as Charlotte began to turn, making an awful groaning noise. When she turned, her face was slack with death but her eyes were alive and alert, and boring into her little sister. “You…” She whispered harshly, her voice sounding malignant and demonic. “You.. killed me! You little brat!” Her whispers turned into harried screams, and she began to curse like Ronnie had never heard, screaming as fast as she could draw breath directly into the deputy’s face. “I should end you! You did this to me! You’re the reason I’m rotting in the ground!”

Tears now streamed down Veronica’s face, and it felt like hours of this, hours of torture from this thing posing as her sister.

Suddenly, Charlotte pushed her down to the ground and obscured Ronnie’s vantage. “You killed me… and you’ll kill yourself too!” She croaked, voice almost gone from screaming. A head came into Veronica’s field of view once more, and when she saw her own face now looking down at her instead of her sister’s- a violent scream ripped out of her and brought her back into the waking world, finally.

V’s heart was hammering out of her chest and she struggled to catch her breath for a moment, looking around wildly.

Relief filled her as she found herself in John’s bedroom once more, but she felt a tinge of sadness at finding him gone, and a note on the pillow in his place.

‘Veronica,

I had an urgent matter to attend to. You’ll be hearing from me soon.

PS - You may ask one of your Resistance lackeys to give the place a good cleaning, there is dog hair absolutely everywhere.

Yours,

John’

The blonde chuckled at the mention of the dog hair, getting a small sense of satisfaction that Boomer could do his part to annoy John. She couldn’t stop her heart from doing a little leap at reading that she would be hearing from him again. No matter how bad an idea that was, she didn’t care anymore.

After her encounter with the oldest Seed brother, Veronica felt that she could care for much less now. Whatever his music box had done to her, it hadn’t been a change for the better.

Her legs swung over the side of the bed and she sprung up from where she’d laid all night. The first thing on her mind after last night was going to see Nick and Mary May. What she remembered of their last encounter didn’t make her think they’d want to see her- but she had to set the record straight. And then it was back to work with the Resistance… if they would have her.

As the deputy dressed herself and got all her weapons in their respective holsters and sheaths, she couldn’t avoid the numb feeling settling over her. Without anyone there with her as a distraction, it seemed she couldn’t avoid the effects of Jacob’s music box. The world now looked a little duller, less appealing; unless her veins were coursing with the adrenaline of battle- she felt entirely restless. Like a sleeper agent going through the motions until someone says the magic word and she’s free to unleash a wanting carnage deep within.

All Veronica could do was try to shake this feeling off as she walked out the door on the way to Rye & Sons.

Tumbling up the familiar dirt road, the tidy white house came into view. Wind chimes sounded off cheerfully as she stepped out of the sedan, the heel of her boot crushing gravel underfoot. A few steps in- Ronnie saw one of the curtains in the front window flutter as someone spotted her. Her heart hammered loudly in her ears, nerves trying to get the better of her.

When Veronica was only a few feet from the front steps, Kim Rye wrenched open the door with a look of pure fury. “Absolutely not!” She shouted, storming down the stairs as quickly as her swollen belly would let her. “We don’t keep company with traitors!” Her words were coated with venom that practically stopped V’s pounding heart as she halted in her tracks.

“Kim.. I-” Finding nothing to say, the words turned to ash in her mouth.

“Get off my property.” The woman’s tone was icy, matching the stone cold look in her amber eyes.

“Now, Kim, c’mon-!” Nick appeared in the doorway- casting a nervous look in Veronica’s direction.

Kim barely took her eyes off of the deputy to chide the pilot, “Nick, she tried to kill Mary May! And she did kill poor Clara!”

The reminder forced Veronica to look to the ground in guilt, but she found revisiting the memory did not haunt her as she thought it would.

“There’s no way we could trust her, let alone let her back into our home!” Kim finished firmly. Nick had come out of the house and stood just behind Kim, but he was now silent. Tension weighed heavily in the air- choking each of them. “I can’t bear to look at you another second.” Kim shook her head in disapproval, spitting on the ground before turning and walking back into the neat little home.

Nick lingered, looking reluctant to follow his wife. When he said nothing, Ronnie scoffed quietly, murmuring “Why the hell did I even try.” Before getting back into her car, and turning over the engine.

The blonde had made it to the end of the winding driveway when she stopped suddenly. Nick stood in the road, his face set with grim determination. He approached the side of the car and Veronica hesitantly rolled down her window, not particularly wanting to face another verbal lashing.

Stopping short of the car and peering into the window, the man frowned as though trying to think of what to say. Finally, he spoke, “I know what Kim said… and part of me thinks she’s right. But it’s just nagging at me… why did you come here?”

Aquamarine eyes meeting his own chocolate ones- Veronica earnestly replied, “I don’t know. I guess to explain.” Her lame words made her sigh, wishing she had a better response.

Clearly feeling the same way, Nick’s voice was raised now and his words incredulous, “Explain?? You killed three of our people and woulda kept going if I hadn’t stopped you! What the fuck was that!” A thin thread of fear was apparent in his tone- last night had been something no one expected.

“I met the brother.” Ronnie’s response came quickly and quietly as she recalled that chance encounter. The brunet fell silent, allowing her to continue. “He used something on me, a- a fucking music box.” Nick’s eyebrow quirked at this but he remained quiet, “I don’t know what the fuck or how, but it changed me. I wasn’t myself.. clearly. I don’t know how to describe it, but it’s like… he hollowed me out and filled me with pure rage and just… bloodlust. I thought I was killing our enemies, but really I was killing us.”

After a pause she sighed heavily, bracing herself to look into Nick’s eyes once more. “I don’t expect you to forgive me, hell, I wouldn’t forgive me. But… I just needed you to know, that wasn’t me.”

Face creased in disbelief and a dash of hope- Nick absorbed all of the information he’d just learned. “I know this is gonna sound crazy… but I believe you, V.”

A wave of relief washed over Veronica and she let out a breath she didn’t know she’d been holding. She nodded, a smile reaching her for the first time that day, “Hell, I barely believed me.” Her sincerity showed as a tear trailed down her cheek and she murmured, “Thank you, Nick.”

He took a deep breath and nodded back, setting a hand on her shoulder for a moment. “Just don’t tell Kim I talked to ya, alright? She’s scary with all those pregnancy hormones!” Veronica nodded, and as she was about to reply, Nick continued and said, “Also- Mary May’s back at the Spread Eagle again. The place is closed for a few days while she recoups, but she’s alright. Grace just let me know an hour ago.”

The thought of seeing Mary May sent a thrill of anxiety through V, chilling her. How could she face her friend who she’d almost killed? At least Nick hadn’t come away with a gut shot. “Y-Yeah. I’ll head there.” Her words were clipped and she bit her lip nervously.

“I really think you should. Look how much it helped explainin’ things to me!” Nick attempted a joke. When Ronnie didn’t laugh, he cleared his throat, “She ain’t so cold, V. All you can do is try.”

Though she knew he was right, she was uneager still.

Thirty minutes later, Veronica had finally gotten up the courage to get out of her car and walk to the door of the bar. Psyching herself up, she knocked firmly at the door. From deep in the bar, a woman shouted, “Get your drink somewhere else, we’re closed!”

The deputy took a deep breath, and stepped into the dimly lit bar. All the chairs were put up on their respective tables and the neon signs were off- leaving only the small ceiling lights to cast a glow over a table in the back near the kitchen. This one was the only one with two chairs on the floor; Mary May and Casey Fixman sat at either end.

When their eyes laid upon the blonde- they froze. Casey immediately stood, going on the defensive. May winced as she shifted in her seat- but she made no move to get to her feet. Ronnie instantly put up her hands in the classic ‘I surrender’ position, words tumbling out of her mouth clumsily, “I just came to talk… please.”

Mary May grabbed her 1911 handgun from its holster and set it on the wood table, the implication clear. “Then talk.” She replied icily.

With a deep breath, Casey looked to the barkeep and murmured, “You gonna be okay?” To which she gave the slightest nod. He laid a hand on her shoulder for a moment before turning and holding V’s gaze steadily. After briefly staring her down, he said “I’ll be right in the kitchen.” Before walking into the adjacent room.

The woman stepped closer, but not by much. It was apparent that she wasn’t welcome here. “Well? What the fuck could you have to say to me?” Mary May interrogated aggressively, confirming her thought. She winced at the harsh tone of one who’d once been so friendly to her.

“Listen, May, I just needed to tell you… what happened last night…” Veronica paused as she tried to think of the words, “I wasn’t myself. Something happened to me, something I don’t really know how to explain.”

“Sounds like a piss poor excuse for shooting someone.”

An exasperated sigh escaped Ronnie’s lips, this was not something she was well equipped to deal with. “I know how it sounds alright? I met Jacob Seed, and he did something. I don’t know how to make it make sense but he fucked with my head!” Her voice raised slightly, sounding harried as she tried to justify last night.

Lips set in a hard line, Mary May waited a few moments to make sure V was done before responding. “Hm.” The derisive noise was all she made in response. Veronica felt like she was talking to a brick wall, and she just wanted to yell. Finally, the other blonde spoke, “Veronica, you remember that night you got taken, and Jerome mounted that rescue?” The deputy nodded. “That night, Jerome couldn’t find you till you suddenly showed up, makin’ excuses about how you escaped.”

Recalling her flimsy excuse to Jerome, Ronnie inwardly cringed as she remembered it. It had been minutes after she escaped from John’s baptism, and immediately she’d been thrown into the heat of battle. The pastor had launched an attack on John’s bunker to save Veronica and his people. At that same moment- the woman had been with John and had spared his life. Though it had been almost a month ago, the whirlwind of events was easy to remember.

Mary May sounded like she was leading up to her point now as she scoffed quietly, “We got pretty blasted that night, but us Fairgraves know how to hold our drink. I certainly wasn’t blackout drunk.” Now, she met Veronica’s eyes and asked what had been on her mind, “That night you told me that you had done something bad. Something fucked up bad. I think it’s time you finally tell me what the hell it is you did.”

Despite all the numbness Ronnie had been feeling all day, she felt intensely alive now. Her mouth had run dry and her heart was in her throat as she thought of how she’d almost confessed her transgression to Mary May. Of course, not long after she’d easily fallen into John’s arms and now- such a confession would be much worse.

It was clear the bartender was waiting for a response as she stared, the air too thick to breathe. “I-...” Veronica started and shook her head. She wasn’t much of a liar.

A humorless laugh came from Mary May now and she shook her head, “So it’s pretty much what I thought.”

“No, it’s not, it’s really not.” V growled in frustration, anger welling up inside her. After all she’d done for the Resistance, how could anyone think she would betray them? She may have slept with John- but they never talked shop. At least that was how she justified it to herself.

“Then prove me wrong!” Mary May yelled at her now, making the effort to stand. She was breathing heavily by the time she’d fully gotten to her feet, and red was seeping through her blue flannel. The blonde moved forward to steady her friend, but May drew a ragged breath and screamed, “Don’t you fucking touch me!”

Casey appeared in the doorway and upon viewing the scene, rushed to his companion’s side. Once he made sure she was stable, he glared at Veronica. “I think it’s time you leave!” He affirmed, setting his free hand on the gun on the table.

“And Veronica?” Mary May caught her attention once more. When the woman looked to her, she sneered, “Don’t come ‘round the bar no more.”

Wordlessly- Ronnie nodded and backed out of the door. You don’t turn your back on someone who’s technically pointing a gun at you. Out in the open now she let the bar’s front door swing shut as she turned on her heels. How could she have thought Mary May would forgive her? After being shot? It was foolish of her to try.

The main street of Fall’s End was silent, not a soul in sight. From the auto shop, the sound of a drill could be distantly heard. Looking up to the sky, V took a moment to savor the beginnings of a blazing orange sunset. With winter well on it’s way, it was getting darker sooner and sooner. Veronica sighed- glad at least that Nick had given her some grace after her actions last night.

Across the street the glow of the general store’s ‘open’ sign caught the deputy’s eye. ‘Well I do need a new backpack. Who knows, maybe some retail therapy will make me feel better.’ She thought with a shrug, deciding on her next move.

She opened the door and was met with a cheery bell announcing her presence. The man at the counter gave her a half-nod as he peeked at her over his magazine. Ronnie noted it was the latest issue of Invent and Survive. Returning his nod, the blonde set to finding what she was looking for.

It was a relatively small store, so V quickly found the shelf with backpacks. A blue one with white polka dots stood out, she grabbed that one. Next to the backpacks were a few fishing rods and on the shelves across were water bottles and snacks. Veronica threw a few waters and some beef jerky into the pack; hesitating as she looked at the fishing rods.

Memories of fishing with her family at a young age popped into her head, and impulsively she grabbed a green one. On the way up to the counter with her finds- Ronnie passed a refrigerated case of beer and frozen meals. How American. She set the backpack on the counter before reaching into the fridge for a six pack. After the day she’d had, she deserved it.

With a sigh the man set aside his magazine and started scanning her items. “Big prepping fan?” V asked, nodding to the magazine on the counter.

“Ain’t we all around here?” He confirmed. Once everything was scanned and she handed the man a wad of cash, he deadpanned, “Thanks for shopping at the Fall’s End General Store, for all your general needs.”

“No problem.” Veronica replied awkwardly before rushing out of the store. It was almost refreshing to have a resident of Hope County treating her like any normal person instead of their savior.

Making her way back to her car, the deputy considered where she would go. Part of her thought of going back to the Ranch, since that was easiest; but she desired no company right now. And the thought of fresh air sounded quite appealing, to just have a moment to breathe. Case of beer and new backpack in the passenger seat, Veronica started the car and headed down the road.

In the end, she’d headed South out of Fall’s End and drove along backroads until she hit Orville Creek. Finding nor thinking of anywhere better to stop, Veronica pulled off the dirt road and stepped into the quiet of the wilderness. A bullfrog croaked in the distance and cicadas sang along the creekbed.

Beer, backpack, and fishing rod in hand Ronnie made her way down a small beaten path. The sound of rushing water was just up ahead, and as she broke through the treeline the crick appeared. V pushed away reeds to make herself a spot at the water’s edge and set the beers down next to her; grabbing one and popping off the top. The cool beverage was like an oasis in the desert and made her feel a little more grounded. ‘I deserve a relaxing evening dammit.’ She huffed silently, trying to decompress. Once she’d drunk the first beer and started on the second, she finally began to wind down.

It had been a long time since Ronnie had strung up a fishing rod, but she managed without any incident and threw a worm on the hook. Sitting there with the bobber floating in the waves, she could feel the tension draining out of her. It was funny how performing such a mundane action as fishing could make one feel human again. At night, the fish were always more active and it wasn’t long before she got a bite. V cranked the reel and pulled her line closer, meeting some resistance from the fish on the other end. After a minute of this, she brought a trout flapping out of the water wildly.

Several splashes from the water met her as the fish continued fighting against the hook in its mouth. Veronica held the line up and inspected her catch, holding it away from her as it twitched. The sight of the animal struggling for its life unexpectedly caught Ronnie’s breath in her throat. Watching it battle against her, fighting to continue living despite being completely out of its element. Silly as it may be, the sight touched her.

Now bringing the line closer, V took a deep breath and grasped the fish by its body. It rebelled against being held still, flopping and using its every muscle to get back in the water and away from Veronica. She grabbed the hook and with flexible fingers slid it out of the fish’s lip. Wasting no time, she now threw the trout back into the creek and sighed in relief as it swam away swiftly. Who would have thought fishing could be so philosophical.

‘Well… at least I know I can still feel. For fish, apparently.’ She thought with a small laugh. After the day she’d had, she would count this one as a win. It felt nice to know after her encounter with Jacob, she wasn’t completely devoid of emotion.

Once the fish had been released Veronica settled on the ground next to her six pack that was, at this point, a three pack. She reached for another one and uncapped it as she watched the current of the creek. Several small fish could be seen in the shallows under the yellow sunset zipping around. Creatures rustled in the woods behind Ronnie, and she tilted her head back while closing her eyes to take it all in. After the month she’d had, this was a welcome relief. All she focused on now was her breathing and the ambient noise of the forest. A twig snapped, likely under the hoof of a deer or elk, and V willed herself to not jump at the noise.

Looking forward again, the blonde opened her eyes and tried to clear her head of all the negative thoughts that had been harassing her today.

Veronica truly wished that she could just hop in a plane and fly back home, back to her mom, her cat, her old life.

The moment of weakness her and John had shared had only deepened her resolve to find her friends, and take care of Joseph. ‘Besides,’ V thought, ‘I’d be crazy to think anything real could happen between us…’ The fact that this thought was tinged with sadness worried her. Now wasn’t the time to be vulnerable, though her heart wanted to disagree. She found herself shaking her head, irritation battling her melancholy thoughts.

With a sigh, the blonde turned and placed the knives on a table behind her. More and more often she found she wasn’t sure what to do with herself. As she grabbed her gun for more target practice- the rumble of a plane engine could be heard above. Veronica tensed, instinctively crouching low next to the table as she watched the sky.

A familiar yellow seaplane cruised through the airspace above and V rose from her crouch, chuckling at herself for instantly going on the defensive. Leaving the training gallery, the deputy followed the path to the front of the ranch.

What had once been an Eden’s Gate outpost was now a Resistance stronghold, much to the chagrin of the Inquisitor of Holland Valley. Guards waved and grinned at Ronnie as she passed them, making her way to the airstrip. She returned their greetings with squirrelish nods and a small smile; being the poster child for the Resistance was something she thought she would never get used to.

Once passed the hangar- she found Nick’s plane already waiting for her. When the pilot caught sight of her, he hopped out of the cockpit and rushed over. “Where’s the fire?” Veronica asked, her brow furrowing in worry.

Sweat was beading across his forehead and he shook his head before explaining. “V, I’m glad I found you; Kim told me you’d be holed up here!”

Ignoring Kim’s scary intuition, the woman asked “Nick, what happened?”

“The peggies, they disabled our comms system. All of it. I can’t reach anyone through the radio!”

Realization as to why he flew all the way out here dawned on her, and she shook her head in disbelief, “Wait but, everything’s been quiet lately…” Frowning, Veronica registered that a small part of her had hoped maybe John had changed his ways.

The man laughed humorlessly- “Well not anymore! We need you Ronnie, you in?”

Shaking her doubts off, V nodded with a determined smile. “You know it, wingman!” If her friends needed her, she needed to be there.

As Nick hopped into the plane- the blonde followed suit. The side doors shut with a slam and the pair was off. “Kim and Mary May did some digging, looks like a peggie outpost is the only place broadcasting any kinda signal; I figured we’d start there!” He explained, tilting the central lever forward and bringing the craft into the air.

“Will this little excursion just be you and me?” Ronnie yelled over the rumbling engine.

“Nah- Mary May’s gonna meet us there with some backup, then we’re going in!”

A pensive mood overtook Veronica; she stared out the back window with a deepening frown. ‘I suppose it’s about time they started up again. It was too quiet for too long… what the hell could they be planning?’ She wondered- watching the farmland beneath them. The whole situation didn’t sit right with her, something was wrong. If they had the power to shut down communication, why didn’t they do it before?

The plane flew like a dream, coasting quickly towards their destination. Once they were on course, the deputy noticed Nick looking back at her from the pilot’s seat.

Only a moment later, he commented “You look like you’re miles away, what’s up?”

Ronnie shook her head- not wanting to worry her friend “I’m just wondering about what’s on the horizon.” Her words sounded more defensive than she’d wanted.

Tipping his dark sunglasses until the frames rested on the tip of his nose, he gave her an uncharacteristically serious look. “Whatever’s coming up, we got this. Now let’s give ‘em hell, alright?” Nick nodded to her, prompting her response.

A small smile cracked her darkening demeanor and she let out a short exhale, “Well when you’re that confident, it’s hard to say you’re wrong!”

“Exactly, and that’s how you know I’m right!”

Laughter escaped her at that, and the mood immediately felt lighter. It really was the best medicine. Despite her initial reservations due to her respite, determination seeped into her; she had a mission. Getting back to business, V asked “So what are we getting ourselves into?”

Nick alternated between glancing at her and the endless horizon they flew through as he filled her in. “We’re headed to Green-Busch. Old fertilizer company near Fall’s End. Kim told me there was a faint signal there, so they’re thinkin’ the peggies have a local channel for that one outpost. They’ve gotta be up to something big there!”

“Definitely sounds like it…” The younger woman couldn’t help but frown. “Big and explosive. They can’t have chosen the fertilizer plant for no reason.”

In front of her Nick sighed, “That’s the general consensus. Kim’s with Pastor Jerome, they’re trying to hack the signal and see what’s up.”

At this point Fall’s End could be seen in the distance through the windshield. Main street came into full view as the yellow seaplane passed over the small town. Veronica’s gaze was drawn to the homes that had been burnt down when the cult sacked Fall’s End, and she thought back to that night. It struck her then how little she’d understood what she was getting herself into, how hard it would be, and just how much it would change her.

“Almost there!” Nick called back to her.

“You staying in the sky or coming down with me?” She questioned.

“I’ll keep an eye out from up here, you and Mary May are gonna run through the place!” As the brunet responded, he reached around to hang her a brown pack.

She took it from him with a skeptical frown, countering playfully, “First you won’t come kill peggies with me, and now you won’t even land the plane for me to get out!”

Veronica shouldered the straps of the parachute pack on while Nick chuckled up front. “Says the lady who jumped out of plane all on her own a few weeks ago to crash it into some folks!”

She scoffed in mock offense, “Hey that was a special circumstance!” Parachute now fully on, V looked back out the window. What had to be their destination was now only a few hundred feet away.

The main building looked to be about three stories constructed from steel and concrete. There were several metal pipes going from the building to a multitude of short grey silos, trafficking what could easily be assumed to be fertilizer. To the left of the structure, a tall red and white radio tower stood tall with a blinking green light at the top; the source of the signal.

It was easy now for Ronnie to see why Nick would be staying in the air; the outpost was surrounded on all sides except the front by dense forest. The front of the area was dominated by a large helipad, and several peggies could be seen at the edge of the property on guard. “Definitely looks like they consolidated their resources!” V commented, losing count of how many cultists were below.

“Damn straight, this place is a fortress!” Nick shook his head. The plane flew to the right of the building, slowing down once they were over the forest. “I’m gonna drop you at the top of this cliff, Mary May should already be here scouting the place out!” He informed his passenger.

Directly below them, the trees became sparse and then gave way to a clearing above the outpost. “Thanks Nick, wish me luck!” Veronica yelled over the plane engine once more, opening her door and throwing herself from the aircraft before hearing his response.

The plane sailed away above her and she wasted no time pulling the pack’s cord, releasing the chute in a burst of color. The parachute caught wind, pulling V back up from the quickly approaching ground. Nick had timed it just right, and the woman sailed into a sea of grass below.

Her feet hit the ground and she pulled off the deployed chute, going over her inventory before heading down to meet Mary May. Ronnie adjusted the strap on her M60, making sure a full chain of ammo was loaded first. It heartened her how easily she carried the beast of a weapon now. Hoisting a twenty pound gun every day did a lot for a girl’s confidence and upper arm strength.

Next she pulled her red backpack from her back- unzipping it swiftly. Inside were a couple grenades, a field first aid kit, her throwing knives from practice, ammo, and a few choice remote explosives she’d rigged. “Alright I think I’m ready for just about anything!” She mused, closing the pack and slinging it over her shoulder once more. The grass on the cliffside was mustard yellow, and just barely brushed her knees as she strode towards her destination. Leaving the clearing- she passed the first line of trees and immediately saw the outpost ahead.

The Green-Busch Fertilizer Company had been overrun with cultists. More peggies than Veronica could count were swarming below, running every which way. Each of the men and women below reminded her of worker bees, all of them with their own task to complete for a single operation. ‘This should be fun with two people…’ Ronnie sighed as she pressed on.

In a few strides, she reached the edge of the cliff leading down to the facility. Crouched in the bushes on the cliff face was her companion. “Mary May!” V called in greeting, her voice masked by the cult music and preaching from up ahead.

The blonde turned to face her and grinned brightly, “Hey dep! Just scoutin’ the place out, waiting for you to get your happy ass down here!” She chided teasingly.

“Well my ass is happily here now, what do we got?” Was Veronica’s repartee.

May motioned her over, and they crouched together. “At least 3 snipers up top, and a whole gaggle of them below. Eighteen minimum.”

The deputy nodded as she digested this- considering her options. To their left was a billboard with a long zipline leading down to a metal awning. Under the portico were three men, but they busied themselves carrying crates to one of several white vans near the road. From the awning V could climb up, and take out any alarms. “I think I can zipline over there, and make my way up. If you have a scope, you could stay here and cover me.” V suggested, pointing to the roof. It’d be easier to be stealthy with just one of them on the ground.

“I can do that, you ain’t gonna get yourself killed are you?” The bartender ribbed.

“Well I haven’t yet, somehow.”

It didn’t take long for Ronnie to trek over to the billboard and scale the ladder that was there. Now that she was closer to the building, the speakers that projected John’s preaching filled her head. His honeyed voice echoed through the forest straight to her, like he was calling her. It made her feel better not to pay attention to his exact words.

Just in front of her was the zipline, leading straight down. It looked as though one of the three snipers Mary May had clocked was on the lowest platform, right above the awning she’d be landing on. He leaned against a few weapons crates and was cleaning his own gun. To his right was a large alarm with a solid green light, and Ronnie had her target.

Once she was sure no one else was on the first landing with him, Veronica swung into action. She gripped the zipline and flew down to the metal awning, her feet landing with a light tink. She immediately crouched and stopped below where the gunman was stationed. She could hear him whistling along to the music playing as she hoisted herself over the ledge.

In one motion, V grabbed the man and cranked his neck until she heard a thick snap. He crumpled to the ground in her arms and she propped him up behind the weapon crates before facing her next target.

The alarm station had a radio and a broadcaster, allowing any of them to call out for reinforcements. As quietly as possible, Ronnie flipped over the radio and popped open the battery chamber. She took the two large volt batteries powering the alarm and ripped out some wires for good measure before setting it back. ‘This is probably the stealthiest I’ve ever been in my life.’ The blonde couldn’t help but laugh at herself. Her mom had always said she was a bull in a china shop.

Directly passed the alarm was a ladder leading to the top of the main metal tank. The side of the tank had a large Eden’s Gate symbol plastered on the side, and two long metal tubes went directly into the top. The tank itself was more of a square, and V could only assume there would be another peggie topside. She gripped the first rung and ascended as quietly as one could on a metal ladder.

At the top another sniper surveyed the skyline. This man seemed more alert, but was facing the opposite direction. He stood in front of a small end table with playing cards scattered on top, looking through his scope for any trespassers. Veronica crept closer and grabbed him when she was in range. The woman pulled him backwards across the table, sending playing cards flying. He landed on the air and was instantly stunned, giving her the moment’s advantage she needed to punch him square in the nose. V delivered two more haymakers, and stopped once she was sure he was out.

She made her way to the middle of the tank, where the metal piping attached to it. Pulling her backpack around, Ronnie grabbed a single remote explosive and nestled it in the tubing. This operation was going to go out with a bang. Turning around, she was faced with a long catwalk leading to the main roof level. At the end of the catwalk was a green door with a rectangular window, presumably to the main office. “That’s where our answers will be!” V thought aloud and made her way down the catwalk.

The handle of the green door jiggled, but to no avail. Veronica peered through the dirty window and saw no one inside. She frowned, resolving that she needed a key. ‘One of the worker bees maybe?’ Looking over the railing at the crowd below she pondered. Down below the main tank, a woman was directing people as they worked frantically, preparing for whatever was ahead. ‘Ah, queen bee.’ V nodded, deciding she needed to get down there.

The woman took to the stairs, hoping to avoid a majority of the peggies below on her way to her target. Next to the stairs was another sizable tank- and she took a moment to plant another explosive. At the foot of the stairs was a dark doorway, leading to wide concrete steps.

Edging down the steps, Veronica came into a large storehouse. Thick burlap sacks of fertilizer were stacked ten high on tall metal shelves, next to the sacks were large baskets filled to the brim with processed nitrate. V wasted no time stashing her final remote explosive among the tan bags before turning to the exit. Through another door, she entered into a large and mostly empty loading dock.

A metal roll-up garage door opened into the blinding sunlight- and beyond that was the boss of the operation. The woman stood on the porch of what used to be Green-Busch’s store. Ronnie peeked around the corner and made sure no one was watching before she dashed over to an open door around the side of the building.

The interior of the store was just as lackluster as the outside, it was clear this place wasn’t built for aesthetics. It looked like any normal general store, shelves of packaged goods and a couple stocked refrigerators against the back wall. Ronnie made her way through one row of shelves, and stopped at the front door.

The woman directing everyone stood just ahead, she was holding a clipboard and looked to be checking items off a list. Crouching in the doorway behind her, Veronica realized she didn’t really have a plan to get the key; and she wasn’t confident in her pickpocketing skills. ‘And I don’t even see a pocket to pick.’ V frowned, noting the floor-length gown the woman was wearing. Definitely not the normal garb around here.

As the peggie before her barked out orders, her long red hair swung behind her in a thick curtain. She looked angry. “If you don’t get this finished in time, I will personally have your guts for garters!” She called to one man, who hurried by with his head low.

Before Ronnie could make her move, a gunshot sounded off across the outpost. The woman in front of her jumped, making a run for the nearest cover instantly. “So much for stealth!” She grumbled, taking cover under a large window.

The blonde peeked over the windowsill and saw the cause of the commotion, Mary May had been spotted and was now running for cover. “Fuck!” She exclaimed, lifting her gun and taking out two peggies who were running towards her friend.

All the peggies who’d been working had taken cover, and not one was to be seen. V held her breath in the eerie silence as they all waited for someone to make the next shot. Moments that felt like hours passed- and when she could bear it no longer Veronica stepped apprehensively through the front door.

It felt as though every person on the property was holding their breath, and Ronnie saw no one in the space below the building. Tense as can be, she stepped off the porch and gripped her gun closer. She could feel the hairs on the back of her neck standing up as her senses set off the alarm, but she didn’t turn in time.

Someone crashed into Veronica from behind, sending her flying and her gun skidding across the ground. “This is all your fault!” A man roared above her, his fist rearing back to strike. The peggie hit her hard and fast, and she had no time to defend. The impact was immediately jarring, her vision swam for a moment as she regained her senses. Behind them, gunfire erupted once more like deafening thunder. The man prepared to hit her again, when suddenly she was sure her eyes betrayed her.

The man’s head was there one moment and gone the next. His cranium exploded into a mess of meat and brain as a wicked crack from a gun came from above. His limp body collapsed on top of her and Veronica was immediately baptised in her attacker’s blood.

Shoving the corpse away, Veronica frantically dusted the brain matter from her chest to the ground and scrambled to her feet. She looked around like a deer in the headlights, still dazed from the hit she’d taken. As she turned she expected to see that Mary May had come to her rescue, but she was nowhere to be seen.

The gunshots ringing in her ear seemed to be coming from inside the building, and as she looked to the structure there was motion in the corner of her eye. Her gaze turned to the catwalk she’d been on minutes ago, where a woman was waving an arm high to catch her attention.

The woman was dressed in camo and had an American flag bandana hanging loosely around her neck. Her shoulder-length hair was swept to the side in a ponytail on her shoulder, and she held an AR-CL sniper rifle in one hand as she waved with the other.

“The rest of them are inside, along with Mary May!” She called over the shoot-out.

Wordlessly, Veronica nodded and scooped up her weapon from the ground as she ran towards the building. She shook her head as she ran, trying to get her wits about her. The world started to look clearer, sharper as the adrenaline coursed through her system.

Once inside, she was confronted with more peggies. It seemed that the multitude of cultists running around outside had all moved into the building, and the artillery fire was deafening. Ronnie quickly spotted Mary May crouching by a nearby crate, her knuckles were white with how she clutched her weapon. The deputy ran to her, sliding in beside her with little effort.

Bullets whizzed overhead as V shouted, “Why the hell did you move?!”

“You looked like you had it covered I thought I’d come down!” Mary countered, glowering.

A bullet broke through the wood of the crate, flying between the two of them narrowly. “You thought wrong!” The blonde returned her glare before looking over the box to take out two men in a spray of shells. The two of them battled back against the wave of enemies; for each one they shot it seemed as though two more appeared. A few minutes into the gunfight- there wasn’t much of the crate still protecting them. “We’ve gotta get out of here!” Veronica pressed her back against what was left of their cover.

The bartender shook her head fervently, “We can’t until we fix this mess!”

Gritting her teeth, V knew she was right. No matter how outnumbered they were, they had to see this through. “All this gunpower, we better hope this place doesn’t blow!” She commented, shooting down another peggie.

They felt the tide begin to turn against them, their enemies were advancing no matter how many they took down and the air was filled with the smell of ozone and manure from the torn fertilizer bags. It was only luck that neither of them had been hit yet. Ronnie’s clothes were dyed with blood and the cloth stuck to her skin as she moved. ‘I knew two people wasn’t enough for this!’ She thought, cursing herself for not insisting on more backup.

Sharing a resolute look, the pair prepared to accept whatever fate dealt them.

The same roll-up garage door that Veronica had gone through earlier suddenly was thrown open, the thin metal clanging loudly as the gears squealed and rattled from the force. All heads turned, and two figures stood in the doorway. The woman who’d saved Veronica before darted into the storeroom, followed closely by none other than Nick.

A massive wave of relief flowed over Ronnie, her confidence restored as the cavalry appeared. Nick and the newcomer both took cover across from Mary May and Veronica, brandishing their weapons immediately.

In front of the group, the peggies yelled in anger. Over the din, the loudest cultist could be heard shouting “Cull the herd!”

All four Resistance members took up arms, shooting expertly to take down those ahead. V’s gun rocked in her hand from the kickback, and with the multitude of shots she could feel the vibrations in her bones. She took down a man here, another there, thinning their numbers. Besides her, May shot with uninhibited confidence and bagged her fair share; letting out a ‘whoop’ for every other headshot. To their left- Nick pulled his weight as well; he dispatched three men before pausing to reload. No matter what he said, he was just as effective on the ground as in the air. Next to him- the mystery woman huddled against her cover, peeking up every few seconds and never missing a shot.

In minutes, Eden’s Gate’s numbers had dwindled significantly. Corpses littered the floor of Green-Busch and the concrete floor was now stained red. Ronnie took out the last straggler, and he fell to the floor with a thump.

“Just another day at the office!” V exclaimed as she stood to her full height and stretched. Crouching that long did wonders for the knees. The blonde turned to the woman who had now twice saved her life, and gratitude was plain on her features. “I’d say after today I owe you a drink or two. That’s quite an aim you’ve got!”

“Appreciate it; name’s Grace.”

“I’m Veronica!” Out of habit, Ronnie extended a hand. Grace shook it firmly, offering a small smile. V looked between the newcomer and Nick, “Thanks for busting in here like a couple of badasses!” She applauded them, sure that the duo arrived just in time.

With a grin, Nick flexed his muscles jokingly. “No problem V! You know me, typical badass.”

Though Veronica couldn’t help laughing, besides her Mary May groaned, “Oh lord, we’d better get a move on before his head gets any bigger!” She punched the pilot in the arm, humor twinkling in her eyes.

And with that, the group was off.

Returning to the catwalk- the four of them gathered in front of the green door. “There was someone who looked like she might’ve had a key, she ran off when the shooting started though.” V explained, thinking back to the lady giving orders.

“The redhead?” Grace asked. When Veronica nodded, she shook her head, “Be glad you missed her. That’s Antoinette, and she’s one of the worst of them.” The sharpshooter’s words were coated with venom and resentment.

“Why’s that?” The blonde had to ask, officially curious.

“I don’t want to talk about it.” Was the final word on it. Whatever had happened there, it was bad.

It was then that Nick piped up, asking “So how are we opening this door?”

They all paused, considering the question. Without a word, Mary May stepped forward and planted her feet shoulder-length apart. After a deep breath, she kicked the door with the flat of her foot. It landed perfectly, striking the space next to the door handle. The wood splintered under the force, sending the door flying open.

Hinges creaked and the broken door hung ajar. “Well that works!” V nodded, making her way inside.

The room they entered was a perfect square, and the ceiling was high above them. The walls were the same grey walls as the rest of the building and there was a large concrete column in the center of the room. The column sported an enlarged map of Holland Valley, with several locations circled; Fall’s End, Rye & Sons, and a few others. The only furnishings were three large desks placed on separate walls of the room, and each one was covered in papers. The group immediately split up to search each one.

Nick and Mary May went to the left, Grace to the right, and Veronica felt drawn to the desk against the back wall. She stopped short of the workstation, noting how tidy the surface was.

Papers were stacked in neat piles, according to what each was. One stack for the locations of silos and delivery instructions to bring the contents to the fertilizer company, another for letters between members of the cult, and finally a slew of legal contracts. “Just cult correspondence and contracts over here!” She called to the others, holding the stack of letters loosely.

“We’ve got construction orders for the bunker, and some more letters!” Mary May responded, sifting through the left desk.

Grace was silent as she intently read something, a frown forming on her features.

Examining the letters, there was little of note. Ronnie read through the first paper, which was a notice calling for volunteers from the Project for a new ‘opportunity’. At the bottom of the page was a neat signature reading John Seed. The realization that she’d been drawn to the Baptist’s desk made Veronica’s heart flutter, and she immediately dropped the letters. The stack lost its neat form, papers drifted to the desk and settled; overlapping one another. ‘It had to be him.’ She thought with a hint of annoyance.

In the middle of the disheveled pile, there was a splash of color that caught her eye. A photo had been hidden in the center of the stack, now revealed. The blonde held the corner of the picture between two fingers, pulling it free and staring at it in surprise. Though the image was clearly taken from a security camera, it was crystal clear and in vivid color. Ronnie stared at a photo of herself. It looked like she was exiting the Spread Eagle- her face was slightly flushed and she had a half-drunk smile.

As she was trying to process finding this photo hidden on John’s desk, Grace spoke. “Everyone come here, I think I found what we’re looking for.” Her tone was serious and solemn.

Reluctantly, V set the photo down and went to the desk on the right followed by Mary May and Nick. Once they’d congregated around the sniper, she read from the paper in her hands. “We need to step things up, we’re losing control too quickly and too easily. We’ve blocked the radio signals in the Valley with a jammer on the radio tower outside of Green-Busch, and that will serve as our base. Once we gather all the necessary material, we begin phase two.” Grace paused, flipping the page. “When we’ve assembled enough firepower using the fertilizer plant, the pastor’s church is our first target. The non-believers have prospered far too long under that sinner’s roof and the lesser of us have defected to him. We will cull the herd, we will banish the weak from Holland Valley. - J. Seed.”

Silence filled the room, thick and potent. “So John’s going after the church because we’ve taken too many of his men? Jealous bastard.” Nick cursed, anger apparent in his voice.

Leaning closer, Veronica peered at the signature. “Not John… his handwriting’s different…” She murmured. When the other three looked at her for clarification, she hurriedly said “I-I saw it on the papers over there.” Her timbre a little too high and harried, as though she secretly knew his handwriting because she’d received a secret love letter from him.

“Either way,” Mary May moved on, “We need to get comms back up and warn Jerome!”

Everyone nodded in agreement, deciding solution focused was the best way to go. Veronica was the first to ask, “How do we do that?”

Grace pointed to the first sheet of paper, commenting “Someone’ll need to climb that radio tower.”

Mind flashing back to Dutch’s island, Ronnie cringed at the thought. “That sounds like a job for someone who’s not me!” She shook her head with an uneasy smile.

“I ain’t in no shape to be climbing towers after all that running!” Mary May declined.

“I might fly but scaling a tower’s a different story..” Nick chuckled.

Hope in her eyes, V turned to Grace. The woman met her gaze with a stern look, “I may have a grapple, but I also just saved your life.” The deputy opened her mouth to say something, but closed it; she knew she’d been beat.

Outside of the building, the four of them followed the dirt path leading to the tall red and white structure. The tower had a thick concrete base cementing it to the earth, and it rose more than a thousand feet into the air. Two large satellites were bolted to the top, as well as a receiver and a signal receptor.

Looking up at the top, V wondered why it always had to be her. Grace pulled a long thick rope with a claw on the end of it from her black backpack, handing it to the reluctant woman. Veronica looked from the grapple to Grace and smacked her lips as she half-joked, “The least you can do is throw it for me, sharpshooter.”

A short laugh left the other. “I suppose you’re right on that.” She acquiesced, most likely thankful that she wouldn’t be the one climbing. Grace gripped the rope a few feet down from the claw and started swinging it in a circular motion. Though it was loose at first, the rope quickly grew taut from the speed of her swinging. Timing it perfectly, she released the rope and it sailed upwards through the air, hooking on a thin bar connected to the topmost platform.

“Well shit, you make it look easy!” Ronnie took the rope that was handed to her, and looked up one last time before beginning her ascent.

The blonde put one hand over top of the other, finding a rhythm as she climbed. Twenty feet up, sweat was beading on her brow and her core felt tight. ‘This is what I get for skipping abs training the last few workout sessions…’ She tried to control her breathing as she continued. Fifty feet in the air her palms began to chafe against the rope. Five hundred feet up, Veronica’s thighs burned from the effort of pulling herself up.

At a thousand feet high, the platform was finally within reach. The woman felt like her lungs were on fire and it was all she could do to stay on the rope. Finally, with all the energy she could muster, Ronnie pulled herself to the summit of the tower.

Her back fell against the main support of the tower, metal clanging from the force of her collapse. Each breath she took was ragged, and she could already feel fevered blisters forming on her hands. Looking down at the ground, her friends looked like dots in the dirt. “You okay, V?” Nick called up.

“All… good!” She yelled down, starting to catch her breath. Once the feeling started coming back into her arms, she gripped the metal of the structure to pull herself up. Attached to the tip of the radio tower was a black box with three thick blue wires running directly into it. There was nothing else on the structure that looked similar, and V assumed she must be looking at the jammer. From the holster wrapped around her thigh, she pulled her 1911 handgun and took aim. It took two bullets for the box to break open and start sparking, the black casing was blown open to offer a look at the motherboards inside. Knowing nothing of the technology, Ronnie hoped she’d destroyed the right contraption. With nothing left to do atop the tower, Veronica was thankful to see a long zipline leading back to the building.

A few minutes later, Veronica rejoined with her group. “Any luck?” She asked.

“Not yet.” Nick answered with a frown. “While we wait, I’m gonna go grab the plane.” He continued, excusing himself.

It had been twenty minutes since destroying the box, and still no word. Nick had the plane prepped where he’d made an emergency landing earlier to come save them, and the other three had coalesced around the craft. They were in the middle of trying to convince Ronnie to make the trip back up when Mary May’s radio crackled to life.

A desperate voice called over the line, “Hello? Please pick up… Mary May, are you there?”

Wasting no time, the bartender hit the button on the side and affirmed, “I’m here! We just got communication back up, what’s going on?”

“Oh thank god…” The woman on the other end of the line took a shaky breath, but she sounded more sure of herself after establishing contact. “We’ve been trying to reach you for an hour, fucking peggies just rolled out some giant truck they’re calling ‘The Revelator’, it’s a goddamn tank! Our bullets aren’t doing shit, and we need some backup!”

Mary May nodded, responding “I’ve got a few others with me, we’ll be there as soon as possible! Where are you holed up?”

“Red’s Farm Supply, please hurry, we can’t hold out much longer!”

The group coordinated to meet at Red’s and they split up, Grace and Mary May went to their own vehicles while Veronica hopped in the plane with Nick once more. He started the engine, and the propellers on the plane began spinning.

“At least Red’s is right down the road!” Nick commented, flipping a couple switches before lifting off. It was a bumpy takeoff, but only because Nick had been forced to park in a field near the fertilizer company. The building grew further away in the rearview, and Nick said “I hope they don’t try to regroup there..”

A smile formed on V’s features, and she pulled a small switch from her backpack. “There won’t be anything for them to go back to!” She mentally gave herself a pat on the back for thinking ahead, her thumb running over the red button on the detonator. “I placed a few remote explosives… are we at a safe distance you think?” She asked. Once he returned her smile and nodded, she pressed the button.

The earth rocked in the distance, the few bombs combining with the fertilizer made quite a combo. Behind them, the horizon was painted yellow as fire erupted into the sky from the force of the explosion. “Hopefully that puts a dent in things!” Ronnie exclaimed, unable to draw her gaze away from the plume of smoke now rising from the wreckage.

“Good thinking!” Nick commended her.

Watching the aftermath of her detonation, Veronica felt a quiet sense of power. She knew she could take anything that might be thrown at her as they went into their next mission.

Arriving at Red’s Farm Supply- the scene was grisly. The Resistance had used the roadside building to set up a defense against the Revelator, but to no avail. Veronica counted three corpses outside of the main building, which was a nondescript white warehouse. Sacks of sand had been stacked seven high to create some kind of cover while Eden’s Gate’s trucks rolled through. There were three parked cars and an ATV, telling them they were in the right place.

The four that were together before reconvened, walking through the wreckage. The side of the building was torn up with bullet holes, and the air was heavy and silent. Mary May, Nick, Grace, and Veronica collectively clutched their weapons closer- preparing for whatever was about to happen.

From behind cover- a woman of slight build popped up, waving a willowy arm to get the group’s attention. “She’s one of ours!” Mary May affirmed, and the foursome kept their heads on the swivel as they made their way towards her.

The Resistance member hid behind one of the stacks of sand and kept looking over it like she was sure the peggies would arrive any minute. She had chestnut brown hair that flowed in wavy tresses to her mid-back- atop her head was a baseball cap with the logo for Whistling Beaver brand beer. Her eyes were a bright cornflower blue, but they were dark with fear.

“That truck is fucking indestructible!” She cursed, shaking her head.

“Clara, nothing is indestructible.” May insisted confidently.

As the two talked, Ronnie felt like she was a thousand miles away. She couldn’t take her eyes off the woman in front of her, a deep sense of dread and unease seated itself in her gut as she stared into that blue gaze. Looking at the brunette, she went as white as if she’d just seed a ghost from her past.

Police lights flashing, mom and dad fighting, a ten year old Veronica crying alone in her room. Though she was physically at Red’s Farm Supply- mentally she was fifteen years in her past.

“We have to accept it, Sarah, our baby girl is gone!” Benjamin Rook had yelled at Ronnie’s mom shortly after the cops left.

“I won’t believe that, I can’t believe that… they have to be wrong!” She’d screamed back, voice thick with tears. She’d been crying for the past month and a half, since the moment they’d contacted the police.

Veronica hadn’t understood at the time, she’d only been confused and wondered where her older sister had gone.

Back in the present, V felt herself stiffen as she was taken on an unpleasant trip down memory lane. She’d almost done enough to force herself to forget. For her first eight years of life, the deputy had not been an only child. There had been someone in her life who she trusted beyond trust, someone who was there for her at every turn.

Charlotte Rook was fifteen years old when she’d disappeared. After getting off the bus stop at the top of the street, she’d told the bus driver to have a nice night, and those were the last reported words she shared with anyone. There were no witnesses and no evidence, save for her bright orange backpack that she had dropped fifty feet from where the school bus dropped her off.

Veronica had been waiting at the window for her sister for more than an hour when the anxiety set in. Charlotte had never taken so long getting home, even when she got held up talking to her friends. On the landline- little Ronnie called her mother at work and reported the odd occurance. In twenty minutes, Sarah Rook pulled into the driveway and the search commenced.

Her mother found the discarded backpack, and immediately called the police. There was no other evidence on the scene, but the implication was clear. Butte police had searched endlessly for the missing girl, the city even held a vigil where a hundred people prayed for her safe return. The night of the vigil, Veronica had clung to her father’s sleeve, burying her head in the soft fabric to hide her tears. This was the longest her and her sister had even been apart.

It took more than a month to find the body. She was miles into the forest, half buried and ravaged by the elements by the time she was discovered. V’s memory of the police coming to the house was clear as day. It was six in the evening, and there was a steady knock at the door. There’d been an awful feeling emanating from Veronica’s core when she heard it, and without thinking she answered the door. Her hopes were immediately dashed, and she realized she’d half-expected to see her sister standing there.

“Your parents home, kid?” One of a pair of cops asked her. She’d nodded wordlessly, going to grab her father from his study; where he would lock himself away every night.

First her father stood alone at the door, but Veronica’s mother joined him quickly. They listened to the words of the officers, and young Ronnie did her best to eavesdrop from behind the armchair in the living room.

“-Torn apart. We need one of you to come down to the morgue for an official ID. I suggest whoever has the stronger stomach.” The man at the door explained matter-of-factly.

Her mother, Sarah, let out a wail like that of a wounded animal. The sound of it chilled Veronica to the bone, and she prayed to never hear it again. Benjamin Rook had gone with the police that night, and he’d be gone from their lives only two years later. Charlotte Rook’s killer was never found.

A hand on her shoulder dragged her out of her memories, “V? You okay?” Nick asked her quietly.

The blonde shook the past from her head, nodding and pasting on a smile. “Of course! I was just thinking, sorry, what were you saying?”

The woman who reminded her so much of her lost sister spoke up, “We need to take down the Revelator. What’s the plan?”

Veronica felt almost queasy as she met her eyes, it was alarming how much she looked like Charlotte. As she responded, she tried to shake off the feeling. “Uh, well what are we dealing with?”

Before anyone could respond, the ground beneath them rumbled. Clara’s eyes grew wide with fear, and she whispered “I think you’re about to find out.”

Seeing the terror blooming in her eyes, V couldn’t help but wonder if that was the last look on Charlotte’s face. A wave of nausea almost overtook her, and she crouched and leaned against the sand sacks. These memories had been securely locked away, but seeing the young Resistance member had broken the dam and brought them flooding into the forefront of her mind. She felt fuzzy with the amount of emotion coursing through her. It was an interesting rollercoaster of guilt, shame, and primordial fear. She hated how much of her mind she’d locked away to let herself live a normal life, and this felt like karma for not confronting her trauma. Taking deep breaths, she tried to get her head right.

Careening down the road was an enormous truck. As far as size, the only basis for comparison she had was the Widowmaker; but that didn’t begin to cover it. This vehicle was two times the size of the Widowmaker, with a large iron battering ram affixed to the front. Vile black smoke pumped from the chrome pipes coming out of the front, and it let out a baritone honk as it barrelled down the country road.

The blonde peeked over the sacks with her weapon aimed, noting the two mounted guns in the trailer of the truck. On the side in shaky white lettering, a message read ‘Rescue me from all my sins, let me not be derided by fools.’ V shook her head as she read it and released a spray of bullets upon them. Her rounds bounced uselessly off the side, and she cursed, “Fuck! It’s got armored metal on the side!”

From besides her, Clara yelled, “That’s what I’ve been saying! I threw a stick of dynamite at that thing and it didn’t even make a dent!”

After dispelling a barrage of ammo upon the Resistance members, the truck rumbled along down the road; sure to do a circle and make another pass at them.

Avoiding eye contact with the woman, Veronica tried to keep her mind focused on their possible options. She bit her lip anxiously and turned to Mary May, “It may be a little smaller, but I think the Widowmaker may be the only way outta this. What do you think?”

The bartender mulled the idea over, eventually nodding. “I think you may be right. You go get her, we’ll stay here and cover the others when that thing comes back ‘round!” She directed.

She nodded in relief, desperate to leave and escape her past once more. Ronnie started to stand when Clara took her hand. Veronica froze at her touch as the brunette slipped a ring of keys into her grip, saying “Take my ATV! It’ll be faster if you go left down the dirt road over Redler Creek.” She looked confident in this, and it was infectious. For the briefest of moments, Veronica felt like she was holding her sister’s hand as they walked through the park together. Sureness flowed into the deputy as she met Clara’s cornflower gaze, and deep down she affirmed, ‘This time, I’ll save you Charlotte.’ It was all she could do to bury this thought. V accepted the keys, and wasted no time hopping on the ATV.

It took her ten minutes to drive back down into Fall’s End, and she found that Clara was right about the Redler Creek path being more efficient. A golden evening sunset basked over the town, and on this evening there was no one to be seen. It was eerie to see the town so quiet. Veronica stopped in front of the Spread Eagle, and was relieved to see the Widowmaker right where she’d left it. The purple and chrome glistened in the sunlight beckoning her closer. V left the ATV, sure that Clara would be by to collect it later.

The cab was unlocked, but this wasn’t surprising; it wasn’t the townspeople of Fall’s End that Mary May had to worry about. Veronica flipped down the visor and a keyring fell into her lap with a soft tinkling noise. She picked them up, bringing the Widowmaker to life as she turned over the engine. V pulled out of the Spread Eagle’s driveway, hoping to make decent time on her way back to Red’s.

The blonde had just crossed the bridge leading over the creek, marking the halfway point in her journey, when she saw something in the road up ahead. One of Eden’s Gate’s large reaping trucks blocked off the entire road, the trailer of the truck going sideways across the dirt path. No peggies stood guard outside, and all the lights on the vehicle were dark.

Immediately suspicious, Ronnie rolled to a stop. In the air, only the sound of crickets and the gurgling of rushing water could be heard. ‘What the hell…?’ She wondered, staring at the truck. There was no sign of movement up ahead, and no way for her to go around the blockade. With a sigh, Veronica picked up her M60 from the passenger seat without slinging it around her shoulders, comforted by the familiar weight.

She jumped out of the cab, combat boots kicking up dust from the dirt as she landed. V took a final pause before advancing, straining to hear anything up ahead. She heard nothing, and proceeded. The cab of the reaping truck was pitch black with the setting sun well behind it, offering no view of possible occupants. Despite this, she was sure she felt eyes on her.

Veronica crept up to the driver side door, all senses on high alert. A hand raised, reaching for the handle to wrench open the door and shoot into the cab. She could feel her heart pounding in her ears now, and she tried to convince herself it was just nothing.

The deputy’s fingers were three inches from grasping the handle when the door flew open forcefully. Her hand was knocked away and the metal of the door hit her directly in the face. Veronica fell to the ground, all her breath rushing from her lungs as she hit the dirt. Trying to catch her breath, darkness began to swarm her vision and she fought to stay conscious.

A tall man with short red hair and heavy scarring on his face and arms hopped from the cab of the truck, smiling down at her. “Hey princess. It’s time we took care of you.” He greeted her in a gruff voice, bending down and lifting her into the truck with a grunt. Ronnie protested groggily and tried to fight him, but all strength had left her limbs. He set her into the seat, and her head swam as she fell into deep blackness.

What time she woke up, she couldn’t be sure; she only knew the sun had now fully set. A million stars twinkled above V, some in the sky and some only in her mind from the impact she’d taken. Someone grabbed her by the sleeves of her shirt, pulling her into a sitting position. Groggily, she murmured her protests. “Shh… don’t worry. You’re in good hands.” The same voice from before quelled her.

The man standing in front of her wore worn jeans paired with muddy boots, and a simple grey tee topped with an unbuttoned camo top. As her vision cleared, Veronica could read the lettering on the breast of his camo jacket, ‘J. Seed’. Realization and the memory of a photo from Dutch’s bunker came rushing back to her, and she finally recognized the eldest Seed brother. ‘The soldier’, the note in the bunker had called him. This was the man heading the plan to destroy Jerome’s church.

In the distance, Ronnie could see the white warehouse of Red’s Farm Supply and confusion clouded her brain. Why had he brought her back to the other Resistance members?

“You know, you’ve been quite a pain. It’s admirable really, how hard you’re trying for the people down here… not that it’ll help anyone in the long run.” He smiled smugly, and she could immediately see the resemblance to John. The ginger leaned in closer, gripping her chin with one hand. “I get what my brother sees in you.” He murmured. Veronica jerked her head violently, freeing herself from his hold. This caused him to laugh, a deep sound straight from his belly. He shook his head as though she were a misbehaving child, and reached into the front pocket of his jacket.

From the pocket, Jacob revealed a small wooden box. “This is a little something I’ve been working on in the Whitetails, and I think you’re the perfect test dummy.” He explained, giving her a prideful look. After a moment, he chuckled to himself and looked at her with bright blue eyes, “All rabid dogs get put down eventually, Veronica.”

A sliver of fear struck the woman, followed quickly by confusion as the soldier opened the box, revealing a small music box. If she didn’t know better, she’d have laughed at him. Just as she was about to ask what kind of game he was playing, Jacob started to turn the small silver handle coming from the side of the box, and crystal clear notes emitted from the metal gears. From the first note, Ronnie knew something was wrong. “Catchy song, isn’t it?” He teased.

Hands flying to her ears, V desperately tried to block out the notes. Listening to the pitched music made her brain feel like it was pressing against the sides of her skull, threatening to burst. Her breath grew heavy and red overtook her vision. It felt like she was being transformed, torn apart and recrafted to the tune of the box. She jolted hard and fell to the ground, catching herself with her hands and leaning over on all fours. It sounded as though all the notes melded into one note, into a wordless command that could not be ignored. Deep down in her core, Veronica felt a well of untapped wrath and bloodlust. A dark place she only visited in the heat of battle. The notes breached her mental defenses, coaxing all of her darkest feelings forth. She visualized the well in her core filling and boiling over, flowing until she drowned in her wrath.

When the deputy opened her eyes once more, she was in a red abyss. Unconsciously- she could feel her feet running towards an unknown destination; but she could make out no features of the landscape. In her hands was that comforting weight of her gun, and she held it close. There was a scream, and a man ran at her from out of the red mist. His face was obscured, and she wasted no time putting a storm of bullets in him. Another form ran towards her, and she took them down quickly with no effort. Watching their bodies crumple to the ground both set her teeth on edge and satisfied a deep part of her.

There was no way to describe the emotions going through her as she took down another man, and then another. All her thoughts felt disjointed, like she’d been broken apart and put back together wrong. There were no words in her head, only passing emotions and the feeling of victory. As she battled her way forward, the blood on her clothes and sticking to her skin felt less vulgar and more like essential warpaint.

A woman ran at her now, mouth wide open in what she interpreted as a battle-cry. Veronica lifted the muzzle of her gun and shot her thrice in the stomach, sending her flying back into the red mist. A scream of rage and satisfaction came from deep within Ronnie, this is what she was made for. Battle was in her blood now. She took down two more men, and turned to face the last enemy that had appeared. A woman brandishing a simple rifle threw her hands up in a defensive gesture, confusing V and making her hesitate for just a moment. Without another thought, she lifted her gun to shoot.

An arm came into view, wrenching the gun up into the air and throwing off her shot as it left her gun. Her vision pulsed with each breath, and she turned her aim towards the obstructor. The red mist began to withdraw as she made this movement, and it sounded like someone was calling her name in the distance. “-ronica! Veronica stop please!” Screams and the sound of carnage grew louder around her, and the red had bled back enough for her to see her surroundings.

The blonde had somehow found her way back to Red’s Farm Supply, and it looked to be in a worse state than she left it in. A deep red rimmed her vision as it came back into focus, and someone could be heard screaming in pain behind her. Her head was pounding, a migraine making itself at home in her cranium.

Vision finally clear, Ronnie dropped her weapon in surprise. Nick was holding her shoulders now, a frantic look in his eye. Behind him, Mary May clutched her stomach as scarlet blood welled from a gunshot wound and stained her white shirt. Grace had her rifle pointed at the deputy, face devoid of emotion. Veronica shook her head, realizing what had just occurred. “I-I… no.. this is all a mistake..” She murmured, looking down at her bloodsoaked hands and clothes. She looked as though she’d revelled in the bloodlust she just experienced.

Nick addressed her first yelling, “What the fuck just happened!”

Panic replaced any previous emotion in Veronica, and she couldn’t stop shaking her head. “No, no no no… why would I-?” She murmured incoherently.

“Hey, we need to get Mary May somewhere now, she’s bleeding bad!” Another member of the Resistance was crouched over the bartender who’d fallen to the ground, holding pressure on the wound in her stomach.

Grace looked from Veronica to Mary, and finally to Nick. “I have a makeshift hospital in my bunker, and I might know just enough field triage to save her… but we have to go now.”

There was a deathly certainty in her words, and Nick nodded before casting his worried gaze back to Ronnie. “Okay, yeah, let’s go..” He sounded much less assured, and he stopped when V made no movement.

He watched her for a moment, her eyes were wide and it was clear shock was starting to set in. Grace was already helping Mary May over to her car, laying the bartender gently in the backseat before looking back at the man.

Still murmuring to herself, V stared at her hands and looked a thousand miles away. “Nick, we have to go!” Grace called forcefully. The pilot spared another glance at the deputy, biting his lip before finally joining Grace with a resigned look. The three of them pulled away, leaving Veronica alone among her casualties.

She had no idea how long she stood there among the corpses of her Resistance. Sensation slowly crept its way back into her limbs and Veronica became aware of the world around her one piece at a time. First, the sensation of a warm breeze tickling her clothes, then the scent of copper wafting through the air, next a quiet gasping sound from behind her.

When V felt she could move, she turned around to bear witness to her sins. The people she’d murdered lay on the ground, no light in their eyes any longer. She saw the face of a man she’d waved to not a week ago and bile rose in her throat. His chest was riddled with bullets, making his flesh look warped as his wounds flooded with blood. The gasping noise from before came once more, and on unsteady legs Veronica advanced. There was a trail of blood leading from the middle of the property to behind one of the stacks of sandbags, and she followed it slowly. Coming around the corner, a ragged gasp escaped her.

The brunette who reminded her so much of Charlotte sat there, propped up against the sacks. One bloody hand weakly held her stomach, and she was drawing in gasping breaths. “No!” Veronica screamed in anguish, closing the distance between them quickly. She ineffectually held both hands over Clara’s gunshot, trying to stifle the bleeding as much as possible. Her hands were soaked in seconds and beneath her the woman gasped once more, a deep rattle in her throat. “C’mon, stay with me, please don’t leave me, not again!” Veronica begged, tears flowing steadily from her eyes as her voice cracked under her emotion.

Clara looked to her with glassy eyes, almost looking through her. Wordlessly, she lifted a hand and gingerly touched V’s cheek. There was a spark of recognition there, a spark of life, and it was snuffed out. The woman’s arm fell limply to her side, now just dead weight. “No! No no no, fuck!!” Ronnie wailed, watching the life drain from her eyes. She had failed.

The blonde sat there, staring at Clara’s corpse. She took in every detail of the scene, forcing herself to digest the violence she’d committed. The body slouched over, completely limp but sure to be facing rigor mortis soon. Veronica didn’t know if she sat there for minutes or for hours, but she stayed until her tears had dried and she felt devoid of emotion.

It was then that an undeniable urge hit her. A selfish craving so deep, it must be answered. There was only one person who V felt she could bear to see right now, only one person who would understand. Standing from the grisly scene, she abandoned the body. She trudged through the battlefield, eyes meeting with every cadaver that stared up at her in accusation. Within minutes, she found her target. The body of a cultist that lay in the grass away from the warehouse. Veronica bent down, her bloodsoaked hands rifling through his pockets.

In the man’s left pocket was his radio, which she grasped and clicked the button on the side. When she briefly heard static, she knew it was working. She waited a few moments, thinking over her decision. Part of her knew she wasn’t in her right mind, but most of her couldn’t bother to care.

Shakily, she nodded. It felt that there was no other recourse.

Deep laughter bubbled out of him as he propped his head on one hand, lounging languidly. “You didn’t mind me touching you last night.” John smirked at her.

“Well it’s this morning.” Ronnie glared at him. “Listen, I think you should go.” She said with a sigh. 

Clearly peeved- the man sat up, the sheet bunching around his waist. “You do know this is my ranch, right?” Came his indignant reply. 

A laugh of disbelief came from Ronnie and she remarked mockingly, “You do know there’s plenty of Resistance guards right outside who want to gut you, right?” He was silent for a moment, and the woman couldn’t help her gaze from drifting to his now exposed chest. The defined curves of his sculpted body told her he worked out often. She admired his many tattoos, and thought of how she’d traced a select few with her tongue last night. A deep blush settled on her cheeks and she shook her head, clearing her throat before curtly saying, “Now please leave.” 

Having noticed her checking him out, John looked rather smug. He threw the sheets off and stood from the bed, giving her a view of his full body. His back was also covered with tattoos, the order of them seemingly random- but each sure to have meaning. As he stood, he asked wryly, “How do you propose I leave if there are so many members of your ‘Resistance’ on standby?” He found his briefs and pulled them on, then his jeans. 

Watching him, she replied “You’re the one who snuck in here, I’m sure you can figure it out.” He turned to face her while buckling his belt, clearly satisfied with the effect he had on her and wanting to show off. 

The brunet tugged his shirt on, buttoning it slowly as he said with a chuckle, “So feisty, deputy.” Once dressed, he sauntered over to where she sat on the other side of the bed. Veronica’s glare softened as he came closer and doubt crossed her features. John tilted up her chin with two fingers, their eyes meeting. V was still, and looked at him expectantly, almost in a trance. No matter how much anger she feigned, he had a hold on her and he knew it. 

John kissed her then, soft and sweet compared to the night before. He pulled back only a fraction, their lips inches apart as he whispered, “I’m just glad you finally said ‘Yes’, Veronica.” 

The deputy frowned angrily and shoved him away, sending him stumbling back. “Get the fuck out of here!” Ronnie almost yelled, quieting herself before she attracted unwanted attention. The Baptist looked surprised for a moment but recovered quickly, that smug look overtaking his features once more. 

He grabbed his long duster from the back of a chair in the corner and went for the balcony door that led back to the main house. Stopping with one hand on the handle, he spoke without turning, “You will say yes. Sooner or later.” His words were low and dangerous, and sent a shiver down her spine. With that, John was gone, leaving Veronica alone. 

Silently, the woman stood and walked into the en suite off of the bedroom. She avoided looking in the mirror as she passed, afraid of what she might see there. V turned the knobs in the standing shower in the corner that was adjacent to a large claw-footed tub. Steam rose from the showerhead as practically boiling water spilled out, and she stepped in, wincing at the temperature. 

After standing for a few moments and adjusting to the scorching deluge, the tears began to fall. First a few, then many, and then waves. In moments, Veronica was weeping into the stream of water. Violent sobs wracked her body and she leaned against the shower wall, sliding down slowly until she sat on the floor with her knees pulled up to her chin. Her face was buried as she cried, mourning so many things. The girl she once was no longer someone she recognized, and she felt utterly broken. How was she to champion a cause but sleep with the enemy? How could she, in good conscience, let the man who tortured hundreds touch her body and leave his mark on her soul? It all felt too much. She cried for minutes that felt like hours, the weight of the world crushing her in those moments. 

As she sat there, Veronica finally started to breathe again. The water fell in droplets off her bare back and a numbness set over her. With this feeling came the realisation that this was not the first time she’d fallen apart, and it would not be the last. It was her duty to piece herself together once more; to seal the cracks in her soul with righteous anger over her many losses and come back stronger than before. She owed herself at least that.

An hour later, the deputy was dressed and stepping out the door of the bedroom. She walked across the balcony and into the main house, taking the steps down to the main floor almost two at a time in her hurry to leave. She’d decided to grab Boomer and head back to Fall’s End to see Pastor Jerome; V had told Mary May the day before that she’d come back with an apology and she intended to do just that. ‘I hope he has something for me to do, I’ve gotta take my mind off this shit… one night with a crazy person doesn’t change why I’m here. I just need to put it behind me.’ Veronica almost convinced herself. 

In the living room, Boomer laid on the bear skin next to the ornate fireplace and hopped up when he caught sight of her. “Hey bud.” She said with a small smile and scratched him behind the ears. “Ready to go?” She asked, walking towards the front door. Boomer barked once, and followed close behind. 

Outside the ranch, there were now a few more Resistance members than last night. Four guards sat in front of the hangar, and two were on the outskirts of the property. One of the two from the night before saw Ronnie, and walked over. “Sleep okay, deputy?” He asked with a smile. 

Veronica met his eyes and then quickly looked away, wracked with guilt. While this man had been outside on guard, she’d been in bed with the enemy. She couldn’t stand the thought. “Uh.. yeah, not too bad.” She responded curtly, speed-walking to a van parked on the dirt road ahead.

As she walked away, the man followed. “Good! I’m sure glad you’re around to help us, you’re doin’ a good thing here.” He said as they reached the side of the vehicle.

Stopping, V nodded to him- almost sounding exasperated as she replied, “All in a day’s work!” 

The man quirked an eyebrow at her tone, stepping to the side as she opened the driver side door. Boomer hopped in quickly, taking his spot in the passenger seat and waiting for his companion. When Ronnie said nothing else, the Resistance member tapped the side of the green van where the Fall’s End sigil was prominently displayed. “Well, drive safe!” He smiled once more at her, and she returned it half-heartedly with a small wave before sitting behind the wheel.

Turning the key in the ignition, she couldn’t help feeling that she’d betrayed everything she stood for. 

The van rumbled down the cracked asphalt, lurching to a stop in front of the church with the mint green roof. Veronica pulled the key from the ignition and sighed deeply, not quite wanting to face the pastor. She stepped out of the van and Boomer bounced out with her, both of them trodding up the steps through the open doors. 

Inside- more mattresses had been placed on the floor at the front of the church and a couple people laid on them. One man worried over a woman laying on one such pallet, and one of his hands lifted to stop a tear in its tracks as he watched over her where she slept. The pain he felt hurt Ronnie’s heart. 

Pastor Jerome caught sight of her lingering in the doorway and gave her a nod. Taking this as a good sign, V walked into the church and up to the podium where he stood. “Look, I wanted to apologize-” She started, only to be cut off.

Holding up a hand, the man said “There’s no need, Veronica. I know you care about your friends, and I know how hard this is for you. I shouldn’t have ambushed you, and it’s me who’s sorry.” 

Unsure what to say, she frowned. “I appreciate that, but you had a point too. So, I’m sorry for snapping at you.” 

With a gentle smile, he rested a hand on her shoulder. “Thank you.” They shared a moment of mutual respect before he continued, “I know how you can make it up to me, if you’re willing. I’ve got quite the problem on my hands.” 

The deputy nodded, urging him to go on, “That’s what I was hoping you’d say!” She was especially eager to pull her weight now, feeling she had to repent for her sins. 

Jerome paused before continuing, “The folks you saved at Woodson’s Farm told me that the cult has a defector. They said he’d sought refuge with the Resistance at the Silver Lake Trailer Park, but I’ve been in the dark ever since. Our friend Merle lives there, maybe you could pay them a visit?” As he spoke, he took a seat in the single chair in front of the church podium. “There’s no telling when the Lord will lift the burden of helping the wounded from my shoulders.” He murmured, gesturing to those on the floor. 

Taking all of this in, Veronica nodded, replying “Are we sure this guy is the real deal? I don’t want to get caught walking into a trap.”

Nodding, the man answered, “His story checks out, as far as I know.” He bent down, picking up his Bible which leaned against the leg of the chair. He flipped it open and leafed through the pages to where a slim ribbon bookmarked the passage he searched for. “Those who oppose you will be as nothing and perish. Though you search for your enemies, you will not find them. Those who wage war against you will be as nothing at all, Isaiah 41:12.” With the last word he looked back up at her. 

Ronnie smiled, appreciating the sentiment despite not following the faith. “Thanks, Jerome. I’ll go check it out.” His confidence gave her momentary peace from the turmoil of her thoughts. 

“Make sure that young man is safe and sound. We need to be open to forgiveness. If not, we’re no better than the cult.” The pastor asserted as she turned to leave. The sentiment made her stop short of the door and turn back.

“Do you really believe that?” She asked quietly.

“I do, Veronica. I certainly do.” He maintained, hope in his eyes. 

She nodded silently, turning back to the exit and heading through the doors. Boomer followed after, and hopped back into the van with her. 

Once she was seatbelted in, she sat there a moment before putting the key in the ignition. The moment she was out of the holy man’s presence, she felt all the guilt rushing back. At the least the idea of forgiveness was a distant light in the darkness.  

She knocked her head back against the headrest with an exaggerated sigh, her eyes closing. ‘I don’t think I can be alone with just my thoughts right now.’ V considered, one hand going to her forehead to massage her left brow. Looking to Boomer, she opened the car door again and said  “You hang back for this one buddy, I’m gonna call in Nick for a little human interaction.” 

The pup whined once, hesitating before he hopped out. “Don’t worry, Booms! I’ll be back soon, okay?” Ronnie assured him, leaning out of the car to give him a few good pets. He licked her hand before turning towards the church, going to sit next to the concrete steps. 

The van door closed and V reached down to her backpack which sat in the passenger leg space- pulling out her radio and switching the frequency. “Hey Nick, you there? Over.” She called. 

It was only a moment before her friend’s voice came over the line, “Hey, V! What’s up?”

“I could use some eyes in the sky at the Silver Lake Trailer Park, you free?” 

Another pause. “No problem, I can meet you there!” The pilot responded, his voice half garbled as static corrupted the transmission. 

Veronica turned the car on, her foot on the brake as she pressed the button on the side of the radio. “Great! See you soon, I’m headin’ that way! Over and out.”

Hurtling down the road, the deputy passed the water reservoir, and then a little further down the pavement she passed the sign for Rae-Rae’s Pumpkin Farm. She thought of burying Rae-Rae after she’d found Boomer and a tinge of sadness hit her. Veronica shook herself of the thought and tried to put on a brave face; being the welcome wagon for the Resistance would certainly be interesting. 

Opposite to the orchard on the left side of the road- a dirt road split off from the asphalt and curved down into the trailer park. The van slowly came to a stop in front of the neon blue sign for Silver Lake as Ronnie looked out the window. 

Suspended from the sign was a black scale with the Eden’s Gate symbol in the middle. On one end of the scale was a heavy weight, the counterbalance was a man wrapped in rope and suspended by his ankles. The corpse was blindfolded, and his chest had been carved open and adorned with flowers. V’s stomach turned at the sight of it, and she parked the van at the head of the road near a cluster of mailboxes. 

As she stepped out, she slung her backpack and gun over her shoulders and pulled out the radio. “Nick, looks like the cult’s beaten us here. You’re my eyes up there while I walk into this clearly labeled trap.” She said with a sigh, having expected nothing less. 

“You got it, partner!” He affirmed.

Making her way down the hill, gunfire could be heard from the group of trailers beyond the trees. It sounded as though it were coming from the back of the trailer park, so she pressed on. 

Veronica came out of the trees and through a tall fence into the south entrance of the park. About eight trailers surrounded a sizable communal space with a small playground and  basketball goal, as well as a shaded area for birthday parties and the like. Each trailer looked to be in disarray; people’s belongings were thrown out front in piles and lit on fire, Eden’s Gate graffiti was painted on the sides of most trailers, and bundles of dried Bliss flowers hung on all porches. 

‘How the hell do they have time to hang all these flowers?’ The blonde wondered as she came to rest against a flimsy wooden fence with someone’s clothes draped over it. She pressed herself against a pair of scratchy jeans and peeked over, seeing two peggies on the back porch of the trailer nearest to her.

“I know our brother is here somewhere, these sinners have taken him against his will!” Said the first one, throwing his hands up in exasperation. 

The second nodded thoughtfully, throwing an armful of books onto a burning pile of someone’s treasures. “It must be so. He surely wouldn’t go on his own.” He agreed. 

Turning the volume down on her radio, Veronica whispered into it, “Nick, what’s it looking like up there? How many am I dealing with?” 

She looked up at the bright yellow plane in the sky as he responded, “Looks like Merle and the others are taking care of the last few, so once you take care of those two we should be clear!” 

The deputy looked a little surprised as she took aim, “Wow, it’s never that easy!” She said to herself and shot down the two men with no problem. They fell, and she walked up to the back of the trailer. The back door led straight into the living room, where she could hear a familiar voice. 

Just a few steps into the living room, Veronica stopped. The room was in a state of disarray; the window had been broken, leaving glass and bullet shells littered across the carpet. The coffee table had been shoved out of the way and a large metal chest was on the plaid couch, open only slightly to reveal a small armory. 

Ronnie stared at the TV, where John Seed stood with Joey Hudson on the screen. He held her shoulders, and was preaching about the ‘Power of Yes’. The woman recognised this as the video she saw the first day she came to Holland Valley. It was hard to believe it was only a week ago that she’d seen this. She looked into John’s icy blue eyes and imagined them last night, above her as he gazed at her lustfully. Immediately following that thought, a wave of guilt rushed through her and she sighed thinking, ‘I need to stop thinking about that asshole for fuck’s sake!’. 

She looked into Joey’s eyes, the mascara running down her cheeks and the panic in her eyes. A wave of nausea almost overtook her as she witnessed her friend’s fear, and Veronica could only imagine what she was going through at the hands of the Baptist. 

In the video, the camera zoomed in on John as he said cheerfully, “Don’t worry! You don’t have to do anything… we’ll come for you. Welcome to Eden’s Gate.” Veronica’s blood ran cold as she recalled his words this morning- ‘I’m glad you finally said yes…’ He’d praised her, only making her feel more corrupted. 

The deputy’s face flushed as she considered this, red hot anger pumping her blood once more. ‘I would never say yes to him. I just had a lapse in judgement, it happens… I mean he’s the one who surprised me!’ She glared at the man on the screen as conflicting thoughts raced through her mind. Almost without thinking, Ronnie raised her weapon and let loose a quick spray of bullets; shattering the TV screen and sending more glass flying to the floor. 

Her mind returned to their confrontation on the lake shore, where she had spared the youngest Seed. As she let her gun hang around her once more, her fists balled up and she thought ‘It should have been as easy as that.’ 

A hand suddenly grasped her shoulder, and without thinking she whipped around with her arm cocked, ready to deliver a punch until she saw that it was Merle. “Woah, tiger!” He exclaimed, hands up in the ‘I mean you no harm’ position as he backed up a bit.

Collecting herself, V lowered her fist and shook her head. “Sorry,  I’m just... all fucked up lately, I didn’t hear you come in. How’re you doing, Merle?” She asked, offering an apologetic smile. 

He shrugged, saying “Not bad, dealing with cult shit as usual… c’mon to the kitchen and I’ll fill you in.” 

She followed him through an archway into the wood-panelled kitchen. Several boxes of ammo were on the counter as well as two first aid kits. On the floor, a man sat on a small green rug- his hands tied behind his back. “This fella came to us just yesterday, but of course his buddies think we fuckin’ kidnapped him.” Merle sighed. 

“But of course, who’d want to leave Eden’s Gate.” Veronica said sarcastically. “You got a name?” She asked the man on the floor, a thread of suspicion winding through her words. 

He regarded her with the same level of caution, his green eyes darting from her to Merle. “Josiah. My name’s Josiah.” As he spoke, his nerves only became more apparent. The man sitting in front of her was practically trembling as his fear undid him.  

Before Veronica could say anything more, Nick came over the radio. “Hey V! More cultists are on their way to ya, they’re coming through the trees now!” He spoke hurriedly. 

Recalling her words earlier, the blonde sighed, “It’s never that easy…” She held her weapon close and looked through the window over the kitchen sink as gunfire erupted outside. Four trucks pulled up in the communal space of the trailer park, two of them hosting a mounted gun. The machine guns started firing on the trailers, a haze of bullets flying over the battlefield as peggies and Resistance members alike ran for cover. 

Behind her, Josiah cried out, “Please, no!” And started praying for his life, the words spilling out of him as he pleaded with God. 

Running through the front door, Veronica took cover on the porch and aimed over the railing, firing sporadically. She took out three peggies, and four more rushed through the courtyard in front of the trailer. Merle took out two with his rifle, and the other members fired off as well, taking more cultists out before they got far. 

 Nick’s plane flew down low, strafing one of the mounted gunmen and executing him quickly. The gas tank began to leak from the assault and a small fire bloomed; soon erupting into a fierce explosion that threw everyone nearby off balance. 

With a grunt, one of the peggies threw a smoke bomb and ran through the commotion. He got to the stairs of the front porch and was yelling a battlecry while running at V, machete raised. Startling, she raised her M60 and shot round after round into him- sending the man flying backwards and collapsing into the dissipating smoke. 

Turning back to the courtyard, Ronnie looked back and forth wildly and found her adversaries all but gone. From behind her- someone yelled, “The road! They’re coming from the road!” And she turned to run once more to the back of the trailer. 

She burst through the door, the man on the rug had stopped praying and was muttering “Please don’t let them get me…” Over and over. Veronica looked at him for only a moment before dashing out of the back door to be immediately confronted by three cultists rushing through the gates. 

She took them out one by one, Merle at her side and shooting those who came from the treeline. With the extra help of the other Resistance members, they took out the last peggies swiftly, and Veronica felt the first turn of the tides. ‘Maybe we can really win this thing.’ She thought as she watched her allies whoop and high five over their victory. 

Suddenly, her radio crackled to life and Pastor Jerome’s voice came through clearly, “Veronica, I dug up as many other Resistance members I could find. They’re gonna meet you at the nearby docks!” The woman nodded at the instructions, rushing back into the trailer where the former cultist sat. 

With a grunt, she got him to stand and took his arm, leading him out the back door. “We gotta head to the docks, we’ve got a team ready to extract you there!” Ronnie explained as the man stumbled along. 

“Lord, my refuge and my fortress: my God; in him will I trust...” Josiah murmured a prayer of protection under his breath, not bothering to respond. When the pair were almost to the gate leading out- more shooting began behind them and Veronica tried to hurry down the dirt path. Two Resistance members followed close behind, their guns out and at the ready to defend. At this point, she was practically dragging the man as he seemed paralyzed with fear. 

Clearing the treeline, the dock was in sight and V saw a boat pull up, manned by her companions. An end finally in sight, a surge of adrenaline coursed through her as they ran across the dock; their two allies taking cover while Veronica helped the man into the boat. Before she could turn back towards the action, Josiah grabbed the deputy’s hand and forced her to look at him once more. “You saved my life today and I won’t ever forget it… don’t let them win.” He pleaded, in his emerald gaze there was a shadow of fear. Fear of what the cult could do if she didn’t stop them. 

Ronnie didn’t know what to say, and in a second the boat took off; taking the moment with it. “Here they come!” One of her comrades yelled, causing the blonde to remember herself and quickly take cover at the front of the dock, behind a small fisherman’s shack.

The M60 around her neck popped open quickly as she reloaded with nimble fingers, thinking ‘I’m actually getting pretty good at this!’ As she fed a new chain of ammo into the machine gun. Ronnie aimed out of cover- taking out two peggies at once with a single spray of bullets. Her companions picked off three more running down the hill, and soon they had defeated the last of them. 

Veronica realised she was panting from the exertion of running around the trailer park and then down to the docks, and she rested against the wooden shack as Jerome’s voice came through the radio. “Turning the other cheek… that is the righteous path. Great job deputy, we’ve shown we can open our arms and embrace those who have been led astray- and there will be others!” 

She smiled at his confidence, and raised the radio to her lips to say, “I hope you’re right, now that we’ve been putting a dent in their stupid Reaping.” 

There was a pause before he replied, “Thank you for your help, Veronica. I don’t have anything more to ask of you- but that you be safe. Come see me soon though, there’s always time for a prayer.” As the radio went dead, the deputy considered all his talk of forgiveness and thought of her most recent transgression. She hoped his words would ring true.

Before she could consider it further, Kim Rye’s voice came over the radio in place of the pastor’s. “Nick, Veronica… listen up- I just got word that the cult’s been going around with gas tankers, filling them with any fuel they find. I think they’re planning an attack- both of you hop in a plane and tag team them since you’re out raising hell already!” She demanded. 

V smiled at the forward attitude Kim had, looking up at Nick’s plane as she inquired, “Well, wingman, sounds like the ol’ ball and chain just added something to your honey-do list! See any planes around for grabs?”

The pilot responded with a laugh, “Check further down the shoreline, I saw a blue seaplane that’d be hard to miss!” 

“Yeah- and your plane is just such a subtle color!” Veronica joked, hurrying through the reeds. She came through another line of trees to see an abandoned sapphire seaplane floating in the shallows. Looking around, she hopped inside and turned on the engine. As she flipped switch after switch, everything appeared to be working fine. “Kim!” She called out, “Where are we heading?” 

The plane glided through the water, and lifted into the air with ease as the other Rye replied, “Just northeast of the Armstrong residence, there’s a fuel station! Nick, you take care of that while Veronica looks along the road for their tankers.” 

When she was high enough, Veronica made a steep turn and headed back for the black line of pavement running through the Valley like a corrupted asphalt vein. “I’m on it!” Nick called to his bride, his plane whizzing by the deputy’s. 

From the Silver Lake Trailer Park, they traversed miles through the air in minutes and Nick was soon over the cult’s fuel depot. “Here we go!” He yelled, dropping down some deadly cargo. Men ran in every direction as the explosive fell to earth, engulfing the four fuel tanks gathered in the center of the depot in a ball of flames and taking some peggies with it. “Mission accomplished!” Nick called, victorious. 

Coming through their mutual line, Kim replied, “Not quite! Sounds like the cult’s got a recon helicopter in the air identifying Resistance strongholds! Bring that bird down before they can coordinate attacks!” 

Nick flew over the open field of farmland and past Veronica, now searching for the helicopter as V laid eyes on her first fuel tanker. She flew steadily above it, flipping two switches before hitting a button to release an explosive of her own. A bomb came whistling from the bottom of her plane, taking out the fuel tanker easily. “One down!” She said to herself and dipped the right wing of the plane, following the curve of the road. 

“V, watch out! The other tankers are heading for cover, find them before they stash them!” Kim warned. “This is turning out to be an eventful day!” She murmured to herself and continued to scan the road. 

In the distance, Nick’s Carmina flew down like a hawk swooping in on an unsuspecting mouse. He fired off multiple shots, taking down the pilot of the cult’s helicopter just as they started to turn toward him. The off-white bird spiralled out of control as it plummeted to the ground, making another dent in Eden’s Gate’s forces. “That helicopter’s toast!” Nick called over the open line. He flew parallel to the blue seaplane for a moment before saying, “I’ll grab one of these tankers and you take care of the other, then we can call it a day!” 

Flying over a bank of trees, Ronnie replied, “Sounds like a plan!” It wasn’t long until she caught sight of the first tanker making its way down the asphalt. This large fuel truck was followed by a procession of armed trucks. One of the gunmen below spotted her plane and yelled to the others. Three mounted guns turned her way, riddling the bottom of her plane with bullets. She swooped out of the way and the engine sputtered, causing her to murmur “Not a good sign…” 

The engine thudded and thunked, loudly protesting every moment further spent in the air. Veronica looked around hurriedly, in desperate need of a solution. In the back of the plane next to the passenger seat, there was a brown backpack labeled, “In Case Of Emergency!”. The blonde reached back, unzipping it to find a parachute. A plan formulated in her mind and she unhanded the controls of the aircraft for a moment to pull the brown pack on. Gripping the stick on the center console once more- she turned back towards the armored trucks and fuel tanker. 

Quickly losing altitude, the blue plane hurtled towards the heavily armed parade. The engine sputtered once more, but V was waiting for the perfect moment. 

When she could nearly see the whites of her enemies’ eyes, Ronnie opened the door and jumped from the plane, whooping as she fell through the air. She sped closer and closer to the ground, the sheer force of the air tugging at her clothes. 

Guesstimating when she was around five thousand feet from the ground, she pulled the cord hanging from the parachute pack. A grey parachute ballooned from the bag, catching the wind and expanding before her eyes. She was caught and lifted once more- her feet dangling as she floated to the ground. The blue seaplane she’d been in seconds before stayed on its path, flying directly into the oil tanker and crashing with an ear shattering explosion. The fire that erupted from the tanker overtook the following truck as well, setting off a series of eruptions following the crash. 

Feet touching the ground, Veronica grinned and felt a deep sense of satisfaction. Nothing was better than explosions. “Nick!” She called to her friend, “How’s it going on your end?” She asked. 

“All done! The cult can just say goodbye to all that fuel.” He responded quickly, the engine of the plane roaring through the speakers with his voice. 

V grinned, hurrying off of the road before asking him, “Can you touch down near me? I need a favor!” 

Using the winding Hope County road as a runway, the expert pilot landed and hopped out of his craft to meet Veronica on the side of the pavement. “That was great! Those fuckers won’t know what hit ‘em, good job, V!” Nick praised her as he walked over.

She nodded with a smile, feeling good about helping the Resistance. “Hell yeah!” She shared a fist bump with him before her expression turned serious. “Listen, as for this favor, I need to borrow your plane. It’s a long story, but there’s sort of a… statement I need to make.” Veronica confessed, her resolve clear in her tone. 

At the unusual request, Nick was a bit taken aback. “I don’t really lend Carmina out but… I guess I could make an exception. I do wanna ride along though… for safety purposes. You did do quite a number on your plane just then…” He said reluctantly, his eyes shifting to the burning wreckage that was Ronnie’s discarded craft. 

“Great! Let’s get going!” V said, punching him in the shoulder before turning to Carmina, her demeanor changing completely. The brunet followed closely behind, hopping into the passenger seat behind her and closing the door. 

As the blonde started up the plane once more and took off, Nick looked out of the small  windows. It was clear he felt odd being the passenger in his own plane. “What exactly are we doing?” He asked, watching the ground grow further and further away. 

A devious look came over Veronica’s features and she said cryptically, “You’ll see in just a second!” And thrusted the throttle forward, sending the plane sweeping through the air and over the many patches of farmland below. The two flew over US Auto, past the reservoir, and soon saw Doverspike Compound beneath them as they flew towards the mountains. Worry creased Nick’s features as he watched the forest beneath them, and he wondered what she could be doing.

“And we’re here!” Ronnie told her passenger, her tone and expression conveying deep mania and doing nothing to ease his worries. 

Outside of the plane, the late afternoon sun framed John Seed’s ‘YES’ sign in an almost angelic light, masking the darker meaning behind the single word. Nick looked from Veronica to the sign, understanding quickly dawning on him. 

When the giant letters were well within sight, the deputy let loose; firing the machine guns at the obstruction with no mercy, sending the Y toppling over in a pile of timber. “Oh shit!” The man behind her cried as Ronnie turned sharply, bringing the craft back around to face the sign. In the backseat, Nick toppled over while V shouted, “Put on your seatbelt!” 

Facing the last two letters, another hail of bullets marred the E in the middle; riddling the white letter with stark black holes. The middle branch of the E crumbled off of the structure- and Veronica’s rage at not tearing down the whole letter was palpable. “Obstinate motherfucker…” She grumbled angrily to herself as she jerked the plane upwards.

“Be careful!” Nick shouted as the craft completed a full loop and faced the sign again. Ronnie shot through the center of the E without a word, the top half of it toppling down the mountain in ruin. 

As the woman was turning the plane around once more, much to Nick’s protests, her radio came alive. “What exactly do you think you’re doing, deputy?” John’s voice filled the cabin of the plane, his words teeming with caged anger. When he got no response, he continued- “You are going to pay for this. Don’t think I’ll be letting you off so easily next time we meet.” 

Veronica stifled a scoff, unable to stop herself before thinking, ‘It’s hardly a threat if it’s something we both know I’ll enjoy.’ The mere thought caused a deep blush to spread across her cheeks; and at the same time stoked the fire of wrath in her core. The plane swept forward once more, taking out the last of the E in a single spray. 

The yellow seaplane made a final turn, and Ronnie aimed for the bottom of the S as she pulled the trigger. The white tiles that made up the letter went flying in every direction as the brunt of the bullets hit their target. Behind the tiles- skinny structural support beams propped up the final letter. Veronica flew closer than before, expending as much ammo as possible before she had to turn around. 

The pair were close enough to hear the wood creaking and splintering as the beams gave out, and they watched behind them as the S lost its supports and came down with the rest of the sign.

The YES sign lay scattered in splintered pieces on the ground, and though Veronica cheered she felt no better about her indiscrecion. “Damn V! That was pretty ballsy!” Nick clapped her on the shoulder from the passenger seat- letting out a cheer of his own as they flew over the wreckage. 

Finally ready to reply to John- the blonde grabbed her radio and held down the button as she poked the bear, “I hope that tells you where I stand on saying ‘Yes’ to you, John. You can suck it.” Adding the last part Ronnie felt a little petty- but he needed to know no one owned her. And certainly that no one could control her.

It took no time before her radio came alive with the youngest Seed’s voice. “Veronica…” Her name rolled off his tongue as if he savored it. “I know why you’re playing these games, and trust me… I will tame you.” He assured her. John said no more, but his words echoed in her mind. She couldn’t help a shiver running across her body- her thoughts going rampant thinking of how he might fulfill his promise. 

“That sonuvabitch.” Nick cursed from the back, causing V to jump and snapping her out of her thoughts. “You alright, Ronnie?” Her friend questioned, peeking around the pilot’s chair to see her face as she replied. 

Shaking her head, the woman shrugged “Yeah, I’m fine. No problem here. Just thinking.” She sighed as the plane flew back over the swathes of farmland below. To quickly change the subject, V turned to him and said, “I’d better get you home to Kim, she’ll wanna see you all safe and sound after all the shit today.” 

Ten minutes later, Veronica was parking on the landing strip that led to Nick’s property and both of them jumped out of the craft. As soon as his feet hit the ground- Nick ran around to the front of the plane, inspecting it for damage. “I think it’s okay.” V said with a small frown. 

“It’s not that I don’t trust ya, dep, but…” Nick’s thought trailed off as he rubbed his thumb against a smudge on the chrome nose of the seaplane. When it was completely scrubbed out, he looked up at her with a thumbs up and affirmed, “All better! That was some mighty fine flying today, Veronica!” 

Considering all the events of today, a wave of exhaustion swept over her. She took a deep breath, trying to enjoy the momentary peace before it all went to hell again. Her thumb slid down the cordura strap of her M60, loosening it and letting the gun hang heavy against her waist. “That’s quite the compliment coming from you!” Ronnie beamed as she watched him worry over Carmina.

The aviator nodded- standing up to meet her gaze once more, “I mean every word!” 

As her back started to ache from the weight of both her gun and backpack, V slung the red pack around and sat it on the ground. “Got a second before you’ve gotta head back?” She asked, unzipping the bag and rooting through it. 

“What do you have in mind?” Nick inquired, peeking into the backpack. His eyes widened as he watched her push aside a small pile of grenades and he commented, “Hell of an arsenal you’ve got there!” 

“That’s not all..” Veronica murmured, finally securing her target and triumphantly pulling out a worn ziplock bag. 

Peering inside, a bright smile spread across Nick’s features as he saw the bag was filled with bright green buds. “Y’know, I’m thinking we need to hang out more, V!” He joked. “There’s a couch in the hangar.” The brunet nodded to the large white building ahead of the airstrip. The hangar stood open as always, offering a view of an almost stereotypical man cave. 

In the back corner of the hangar stood a sturdy oak bar, and to the right of it was a decent living room. A brown leather couch faced a coffee table of the same oak as the bar; the table was strewn with empty beer bottles. Directly in front of the couch was a mounted flat screen, the inky black display reflected Veronica as she plopped down. 

The blonde set down both her backpack and gun before placing the ziplock on the table, along with a plain blue grinder she’d nicked from John’s ranch. Nestled among the beer bottles on the coffee table was a metal pipe, the kind that could be unscrewed and cleaned. V held it up as a question to Nick, who was striding over to the couch with two beers in his hand. He nodded, saying “You can use that, just clean it out first.” As he set down a cold one in front of her. 

“Thanks!” Veronica was always thankful for a beer after a hard day. She tapped the pipe against her leg, knocking out loose ash onto her jeans and clearing the bowl before loading a new one. 

The pilot popped the top off his drink, taking a sip and gesturing to the tv, “I’d put something on but… all that plays nowadays is that Eden’s Gate nonsense.” 

Quick to shake her head, Ronnie replied “I’ll take some peace and quiet after all the bullshit these couple days!” She lifted the silver pipe and lit the bowl, inhaling deeply. Smoke curled from her lips as she asked, “How do you deal living right in the thick of things? I was lucky to live closer to the city, the sheriff never made it seem like it was this bad out here until recently.” 

Nick accepted the pipe when it was passed his way, and followed suit. He coughed as he replied, “It didn’t use to be this bad! Shit was normal for a long time, believe it or not. You never came out this way for a call or nothin’?” 

The deputy popped the top off her own bottle, drinking it down almost halfway before responding, “Nope. I used to come out here with my mom if she needed something down this way, but Whitehorse always sent me and Pratt outta the way; I never really questioned it. Hell, I’d only even been to Fall’s End a handful of times before all of this!” It was her turn to hit the pipe now, and she wondered why she’d never seen more of Hope County. ‘I guess living closer to the city there was just more shit to do out there.’ Veronica rationalized to herself.  

Putting a lighter to the pipe once more, the pilot asked “Man, where did you get this stuff? It sure is potent!” 

Ronnie giggled as she took the pipe back from him. “You probably won't believe me but… it’s John’s.” She confessed, her head starting to feel a little fuzzy from the powerful strain they were smoking. 

The man sat up and looked at her with an incredulous smile, saying “No shit?” When Veronica nodded, he let out a loud guffaw, “No wonder this is some primo shit!” 

After hitting the pipe one more time, Nick held it in his hand and examined it a moment before handing it back. The pair sat there in silence for a few seconds before Nick spoke once more, “Now tell me dep, and be honest, how are you holdin’ up?” As he asked, he looked to her to gauge her response. 

They shared a long look as Veronica considered saying the usual, ‘Oh I’m fine!’. His brown eyes were sincere, and in a brief moment of vulnerability she said, “To be honest, I’m terrified.” When the words left her- V had to look away from him. It wasn’t often she let her walls down, and for good reason. 

When Nick didn’t reply, she went on- “I’m no stranger to murder and evil, obviously… I’ve seen my fair share of fucked up shit before this. For some reason though, and this is the part that grips me with fear, this is changing me. I’m terrified of who I’m becoming, of what I’m doing… the choices I’m making…” Trailing off- her mind turned to last night, the thoughts plagued her. 

After all had been said, the aviator sat up, his elbows on his knees as he responded. “You know how long that dumbass ‘YES’ sign has been up?” He asked. Ronnie looked at him silently, her look almost bewildered by the change in subject. 

“That sign has been up there for damn near a whole year now. You know how many people around here hated seeing it every day, and didn’t do shit about it? And it ain’t like there’s not enough ammo to go around!” Nick assured her,  looking over with a confident smile. “Bottom line- whoever you are, whoever you’re becoming… it’s someone who’s gonna get shit done. Someone who’s gonna save people, just when they need it most. That is something I’m sure of.” He patted her on the back, his words reassuring her more than he knew.

A smile finally formed on the blonde’s features as she lifted the pipe to her lips once more. “Goddamn, do you know how to give a pep talk!” V chuckled, taking a long hit of the potent flower. 

Nick accepted the pipe from her, responding “Finally someone recognizes my talent!” 

The two of them sat there for half an hour until Kim came calling for Nick, needing his help with something in the nursery. When he’d gone, leaving Veronica alone in the hangar, she took a deep breath. After everything today, Ronnie was left feeling hopeful. A single light in the darkness of this all that maybe, they could win. The Resistance was growing in power, and her with it. V realized she felt a slight sense of pride in her growing skills, but it was yet overshadowed by the guilt she felt still; for all the death and for all her own sins. 

Veronica’s vision cleared incrementally, and she finally saw John Seed on the shore of the lake. As the other hostages passed him, he anointed their heads with something. When it was Ronnie’s turn, he stopped and met her eyes. “Take the others and go. I need to cleanse this one personally.” John muttered darkly. The man guiding Veronica released her shoulders, and she stood in front of her enemy. Though her vision was now clear, the world still swam with stars around the edges. Her thoughts felt muddled from the Bliss both in the bullet she’d taken, and in the water.

John handed the book he’d been reading from to the peggie as he went to the trucks behind them, and the deputy caught a glimpse of the tome. It was white with gold trim, and the Eden’s Gate symbol was embossed on the front. 

A moment later, the truck started up behind them and rumbled away into the night. John rolled up his sleeves slowly, anticipation coating his gaze. His blue shirt was only half buttoned, offering a view of his defined chest. V saw the sin of ‘Sloth’ had been carved there, and then crossed out. The scar didn’t yet look too old. 

John’s steely gaze never left hers, and he tilted his head to the side as he observed her. Suddenly, he grabbed her arms and forced her down into the water. Veronica fell backwards as he caught her off guard, and futilely slapped at his arms and chest as she breathed in swathes of lake water, filling her lungs with the fluid.

Just when she thought she was going to pass out again, he brought her up for air. “Sinner…” He sneered at her, as though her very presence offended her. 

“Fuck.. you!” She sputtered out, learning how to breathe once more while spitting up water. 

Rage contorted John’s features at her defiance and he stiffened, about to thrust her down once more. Just before V hit the water again, a voice behind them called out, “Do you mock the cleansing John?” And the man froze. 

Behind them, another truck had pulled up and Joseph Seed stood in front of it. He stared at them, his presence cautioning John. “No, Joseph, I-”

He was cut off by Joseph hushing him before he could finish the thought. “Shh. You have to love them, John. Do not let your sin prevent that. Bring her unto me.” 

Hesitation and a hint of resentment passed over the Baptist’s features, and he paused only a moment before obeying his brother. John jerked Veronica out of the water, practically dragging her to where the Father stood. 

V resisted as much as she could, but could still feel Bliss coursing through her system as stars flew in and out of her vision. Joseph got face to face with her, reaching upward to cup her face in his large hands. The deputy tried to shy away from the intimate act, but found that she couldn’t. 

“Despite all that you have done, you are not beyond salvation. You’re not here by accident or by chance, you’re here by the grace of God.” Joseph’s words held weight, and she felt the first flickering of temptation for a simpler life. “You’ve been given a gift… now all that remains is to see if you’ll embrace it or cast it aside.” The Father stared into her eyes, pleading with her. 

Tears welled up in Veronica’s eyes, and she felt them running down her cheeks despite the water that still clung to her. She thought of her friends, and the thought of saving them felt more distant than ever. ‘I could just let all this go. No more favors, no more killing. I could be free. I need to do this.’ V’s Bliss addled mind tried pushing her further, and she frowned. ‘No.. I can’t abandon them.’ She thought, becoming more confused as the drug clouded her brain. 

In front of her, Joseph turned to his brother. “This one shall reach the Atonement… or the Gates of Eden shall be shut to you John.” As he said this, the man reached for the other and pressed their foreheads together. Though the action was kind, the warning was still clear. The two looked at each other for a moment more, and Joseph turned to take his leave. 

Veronica observed John watching him go, a kind of sadness in his eyes as his brother got in the truck and left them. His gaze slowly turned back to Veronica, and he regarded her with barely contained anger. “You will confess. Every sin you’ve ever committed, no matter how petty, no matter how small… I will pull them all from you. Then we’ll see if you’re worthy of atonement.” He chuckled derisively, as though she was beneath her.

The deputy boiled with wrath at his dismissive attitude, the familiar feeling wrapping around her like a cozy blanket and giving her strength. John once again grabbed her arm, intending on taking her to his own truck, but didn’t get far. V resisted his pull, and he tried to jerk her up the slope of the shore. Using his own momentum, Veronica pulled the both of them to the ground. 

John released his grip on her, and planted both hands on the ground to try to help himself up. Before he could stand, Ronnie rolled over and pushed him back down. He landed on his back, the air rushing out of him on impact and stunning him. 

Seeing her opportunity, the woman scrambled over and climbed on top of him, pinning him to the ground. Her hands searched frantically along his sides for a knife she desperately hoped he’d be carrying. John thrusted his palms upwards, trying to push her off of him; but Veronica held fast, bearing down with her hips.  

Finally- she felt smooth leather and followed it until she felt cold, solid metal. With a sharp breath, she pulled the blade from its sheath and up in an arc. Underneath her, John’s eyes widened and he grabbed one of her wrists to throw her off balance. 

Veronica could feel his heart hammering as she met his eyes and brought down the blade in a smooth motion. The knife drove hilt deep into the wet silt directly next to the pair, inches away from them. The world seemed to stop and the only sound was their heavy breaths. They held each other’s gaze and neither of them could move. 

The unspoken question hung in the air and John released her wrist. He silently held up his hands in the classic ‘I mean no harm’ position, and Veronica’s brow furrowed. They stayed like that for a moment in shared confusion, considering what this meant; and then the deputy swung a leg over and swiftly got off of him. The moment she stood completely- she started running, leaving John on the lakeshore.

Weighed down by her wet clothes, V struggled through the woods and resisted the urge to look back. ‘What the fuck was that!!’ The woman yelled at herself, not understanding her own actions. She ran until she physically couldn’t, and stopped to catch her breath. Each time she inhaled, her lungs screamed with the exertion. 

Around her, the woods felt as though they were closing in. She thought of the feeling of John’s knife in her hand, she pictured plunging the knife square into his chest and feeling his blood running through her fingers. This train of thought made her sway, almost nauseated. She stood there hunched over for a few moments- willing herself back to reality. 

Once her breathing returned to normal, Ronnie looked around her. She was surrounded by trees, small animals rustled through the fallen leaves on the forest floor and an owl could be heard somewhere among the pines. No other noises reached her, and she took a deep breath. What had happened back there? Why had she spared John? Why had he spared her? None of it made sense, and the woman wanted to crawl into a warm bed rather than think on it any further. Instead; she continued on through the woods, hoping to come across a road. 

It was only five minutes later that Veronica could hear the sound of gunshots coming from the top of the slope she was climbing up. She froze, wondering if the others had discovered her absence. Men and women yelled up ahead, and she knew she had to advance. 

As the deputy finally came out of the woods, she was confronted with a full on battle. The citizens of Hope County that formed the Resistance had taken up arms- and were engaged in an epic clash against John’s men. 

She was faced with a long dirt road leading up a hill, a concrete building serving as a security post stood a little ways ahead. Black Eden’s Gate flags adorned the structure, marking it as their territory; atop the gate, peggies shot down as many members of the Resistance as they could. 

“Out of the frying pan and into the fucking fire it is!” Veronica huffed, exasperated. She took cover behind a rock as bullets flew past, trying to figure out the best course of action. Only a moment later, a green Jeep careened up the hill, screeching to a halt next to the rocks V crouched behind. 

Pastor Jerome hopped out of the vehicle along with a couple Resistance members, and the man grinned upon seeing her. “Deputy! I’m glad we aren’t too late… though I expected to find you almost up the hill to John’s bunker.” 

Relief washed over Ronnie- almost overwhelming her. “Is that where we are?” She yelled over the gunfire, her voice sounding distant and disoriented even to herself. 

“No, this is just the security gate; the bunker is at the top of this hill! There are more folks still trapped though that need saving. Are you in?” Jerome asked while digging through the back of the Jeep.

V took a few deep breaths to steady herself, knowing she didn’t have much of a choice. “Nowhere I’d rather be!” She replied dryly as she dashed over to meet him behind the vehicle. “Tell me you have some extra guns?” The woman inquired, peering into the back.

The pastor pulled out an M60 and loosened the strap for her before handing it over. “Your favorite!” He joked before loading his shotgun. “You ready?” 

Loading her weapon, Veronica felt the effects of the Bliss finally starting to wear off completely when confronted with the adrenaline of battle. “It’s now or never!” She affirmed, loading her own weapon and looking down the sight. 

They nodded at one another before rushing out from behind the Jeep. Jerome instantly took out one cultist with a shotgun blast to the chest. Veronica was close behind, firing a hailstorm of bullets towards the concrete gate, taking out one and wounding another. 

From behind them, a blue truck with a mounted gun pulled up; firing rapidly at the peggies. A couple of them were sent flying- and a cultist threw a grenade into the truck bed with an audible clang. “Grenade!” Ronnie yelled, diving for cover behind another boulder. With an earthshaking crack, the truck exploded into a fiery blaze, consuming two members of the Resistance. “Fuck!” The deputy shouted, letting forth a ferocious yell as she shot down three more peggies. 

Jerome took care of two at the top of the gate and ran forward, followed by another woman Veronica didn’t know. ‘Just how many people have joined this Resistance already?’ She thought, surprised by the response from the people of Hope County. 

The battle raged on, but Veronica pressed forward. Finally coming to a stop behind a concrete barrier in front of the security gate. She pulled her M60 and shot down two more cultists almost mechanically. 

Across from her, behind another barrier, Jerome had stopped and lifted his shotgun. Before he could get off a shot- a bullet whizzed past and caught him in the shoulder. He cried out and dropped back down behind cover. His hand went to his shoulder, coming back scarlet. 

“Jerome!” V yelled, looking for a safe way to run over to him. 

He caught her eye and shook his head, shouting back “I’m okay!” 

She hesitated before giving him a nod, and aiming forward again to shoot down another peggie. The woman who’d followed Jerome peeked up from her cover, taking out the last two cultists with her AR-C. 

An eerie silence settled over the battlefield, this checkpoint officially secured. Veronica scanned the area once more but saw no one, and took the chance to catch her breath. The deputy reloaded quickly, and made her way over to Jerome who now stood in front of the structure. He was surrounded by the five remaining Resistance members; one was next to him dressing his wound. 

“We need to hurry, or we have no chance-” One of them started.

Jerome cut him off quickly, affirming “They will not make it to that bunker!” He turned to Ronnie, saying “I knew it meant trouble when we couldn’t reach you after your last transmission. I’m glad the Lord pointed me in the right direction… how did you escape, Veronica?” 

Her mind flashed back to the lakeshore with John, and how she had squandered an opportunity to put an end to the Valley’s suffering. She recalled his eyes, how surprised he looked. He had looked at her as though he was seeing her in a new light, almost. The thought sent a shiver down Veronica’s spine, and her wet clothes suddenly felt as though they were clinging too tight to her skin, almost suffocating her. The deputy didn’t even know where to begin to explain this to Jerome, she certainly couldn’t tell him the truth of it. “Oh, I- they left me alone with just a couple guards… I took them out and got away.” She stuttered, covering poorly. 

The pastor quirked an eyebrow- he knew she was hiding something. Rather than dwell on it though, he got to the task at hand. “Listen, the cult’s moving the rest of the prisoners up the road. They’ve got one of our guys, Merle, too. Time’s wasting- grab what you can and go save them. I’ll call in some more of our people… we’re gonna need them to pull this off.” 

“We have more people?” V questioned.

“Like I told you Veronica, you’ve caused quite a stir… you’re inspiring people.” Jerome replied, as though it were obvious.

The woman frowned, not thinking of herself as particularly inspiring. “I’d better get going.” She said suddenly, turning to hike up the road. 

Further up the trail, corpses were strewn along the hill; both Resistance and peggies alike. Veronica stepped over one, hearing more gunfire and even explosions ahead. Rounding a corner, she was met with two women who appeared to be Resistance members. They were crouched behind a truck. “Hold up!” One of them yelled as V approached. 

She crouched beside them, holding her weapon close. “What’s up?” Veronica shouted over the sound of several consecutive detonations. 

“Those fuckers have a mortar! You’re gonna have to be real careful crossing that bridge!” She responded, cupping her hand around her mouth to make her words louder. 

Ronnie’s head rolled back to look at the sky in vexation as she said to herself “Oh you have got to be fucking shitting me.”

Four men from the Resistance ran up behind them, one of them shouting “We gotta get him, we can’t leave Merle behind!” 

The deputy sighed deeply, the sound of mortar shells going off in the background only adding to her growing migraine. She stood up, saying “Well let’s go!” and following the trail to the bridge that was facing the mortar assault. 

The crew stood behind a small shack at the end of the trail, watching the unrelenting blasts. “How do we get past this, deputy?” One of them asked her. 

Veronica shook her head, not seeing any good options. She turned around to see the group, all looking to her for an answer. The woman took a deep breath and looked back at the bridge, yelling to them “I think the only option… is to run like hell!” On the last word, V took off in a sprint and ran as fast as she could underneath the bridge. 

Her back slammed against the concrete under the overpass, and she could hear whistling as they fired off the mortar once more. ‘Guess we’ll see how this works!’ Ronnie thought to herself and braced for impact. 

The mortar shells battered the bridge with echoing explosions, making it impossible to hear anything but the roar and ringing in your ears. Fiery blasts welling up and flaming out in seconds, sending shrapnel flying. 

The woman clamped her hands over her ears, screaming her stress into the explosion. The last round of detonation came and went, and all seemed well. V peered out from underneath the bridge and saw a metal storm drain ahead. Seizing her opportunity, she ran through the runoff under the bridge to the metal pipe, ducking inside just as another mortar was shot off. 

The next blow came far too close, knocking her back against the wall of the drain pipe. Veronica cried out suddenly, her attention immediately coming to her left arm. From her shoulder protruded an ashen piece of shrapnel, blood welling out of the wound from the sides. “Oh fuck..” Ronnie’s words came out strained, and she touched the wound tenderly. Pain flamed through her whole arm, making her wonder how deep it was embedded. ‘I have to keep going, there’s no other options.’ She gritted her teeth, realising she didn’t have her backpack or first aid kit. She’d almost forgotten about her ordeal earlier and losing half her equipment. A trip to the general store was most definitely on the list after she got through this. 

Another blast came and went, and through the smoke she could see another bridge offering her some much needed cover. In a few seconds, she ran from the storm drain to her next shelter.

From beneath the second bridge, she braved another two blasts from the mortar. Her arm protested every movement, but V knew she was almost to her target. About a hundred feet ahead of her, a long wooden bridge loomed over a small waterfall. To the side of it was a metal pole fitted with a zipline. 

The sight of the latter brought Veronica a much needed smile as she thought ‘Good thing it isn’t my dominant arm that’s fucked up!’. The deputy ran full tilt, her right hand grasping the handle of the zipline and sending her careening to the other side of the river. The adrenaline was almost enough to take her mind off the pain ripping through her other limb.

Landing safely with an undignified roll meant to preserve her left arm, the deputy laughed joyously. “That right there makes it all worth it!” She said to herself, turning around to run up the hill to where Merle lay ahead. 

Veronica came out of the bushes at the top of the hill to see a man tied up next to two corpses. Beyond him- a peggie was manning the mortar that had given her so much trouble. She shot him with no hesitation before springing forward to free Merle. 

“Goddamn, thanks deputy! I thought I was a goner!” He shouted, getting up off the ground and running a hand through his hair. His brunet strands were styled in an unironic mullet, and matched his grease-stained hot rod flames shirt. 

“No problem, you must be Merle?” Veronica assumed, eyeing him up and down.

“That I am ma’am! Oh shit, someone just sent up a flare! More peggies are comin’!” The man asserted, bending down to grab a discarded gun from one of the corpses. 

A red light flew through the sky, announcing their location to every cultist in the area. Before either of them could say anything else, Merle’s radio beeped and Jerome’s voice came over it, “We’re sending a bird now, it’ll be there in two minutes... stay strong!” 

Veronica took a deep breath, readying her weapon as peggies started running across the wooden bridge towards them. She shot them down once they were close enough, sweeping her aim over the gorge beneath them where more raced up the hillside. Their numbers seemed truly endless as Ronnie took out soul after soul, dropping them like flies. The seconds dragged on like minutes as they were overwhelmed with the force of John’s men. 

“Merle, go man the mortar!” Veronica shouted to her companion as she took down three more cultists. 

Following her instruction, the man ran to it and lifted the device, throwing in round after round and savaging the men on the other side of the bridge. 

More peggies rushed across the bridge and up the hill, cornering them. Veronica shot them down one by one, yelling into the night as she fired. Suddenly, dust sprang up in a tornado and took everyone’s sight away. 

The blades of a helicopter could be heard above, and Veronica continued shooting aimlessly into the cloud of dust as it lowered to them. 

Merle abandoned the mortar and ran to the chopper, climbing in the back. Veronica put down one last peggie before following suit and jumping in the other side as bullets flew by. 

“Man, my heart’s beating a million times a minute! Goddamn, deputy, you swung in there and saved our asses.” Merle praised, panting with exertion. 

As the helicopter flew into the night, Veronica watched the pile of corpses she’d left in her wake grow further away. More peggies ran across the bridge to where they once were, shouting after them. Soon they were passing over the lake where Veronica had been held captive not even an hour earlier. “Hell of a night…” She said distantly. 

At the top of the hills the deputy could clearly see John’s ‘YES’ sign lording over the valley. Her face grew flushed with anger at this reminder of her enemy, of the man who made her feel so many things. Veronica looked down and watched the forest give way to farmland, and soon she saw the steeple of Jerome’s church in the distance. 

She cradled her left arm close, the pain ebbing in more and more as the adrenaline left her. As the deputy looked down, drying blood coated her arm in a red glove; she was relieved to see the wound didn’t appear to actively be bleeding anymore though.

Minutes later, the helicopter let the deputy off at the Spread Eagle, she thanked the pilot and Merle before heading under the awning. The chopper took off once more and left her alone in the moonlight. V let out a long breath, trying to digest all that had happened to her just today. “I hope every day isn’t like this, otherwise shit’s gonna be hard to top when this is all done.” She joked to herself dryly, sighing. 

“At least you still have your humor.” An unexpected voice said behind her.

Veronica startled and turned to see Mary May standing in the doorway of her bar with a smile. “Man, you scared me half to death!” Ronnie chuckled. 

The barkeep moved out onto the porch to join her, resting a hand on her right shoulder. “I’m glad you’re alive, deputy. Jerome got real worried after you radioed him, and convinced folks to head to John’s bunker to help you and the others. It was pretty moving.” She nodded, recalling Jerome’s words.

“He seems to have a way of doing that.” Veronica agreed, looking out into the night sky. “The stars never stop taking my breath away out here.” She murmured, wonder in her eyes.

“You doing okay? After everything, I mean.” Mary May questioned, concern clear on her features. 

Veronica considered everything she’d been through in mere days. After a relatively simple life, it all seemed like too much; yet the state of shock V was proving to be in after tonight’s battle had left her feeling rather numb. “I’d probably feel better with a drink.” She murmured, hoping to keep herself from thinking of her interaction with John earlier. “Also, can you get me some gauze? I think I’ll need some help with this…” Ronnie turned, showing her friend the wound she’d sustained earlier.

Mary May nodded- her eyes widening “Oh shit, let me grab my first aid kit, cmon in!” She insisted, beckoning the deputy inside. 

Hesitating a moment, her gaze lingering on the stars. As she turned to go inside, she caught another glimpse of the YES sign and couldn’t help but feel frazzled. “I can’t wait to destroy that dumbass sign.” Veronica grumbled angrily. She took her spot at the bar and sighed, her arm throbbing.

The barkeep returned with a first aid kit and pulled out a cotton ball to dab in alcohol. She set it on the bar and sighed, warning, “This is gonna hurt like a bitch. You want something to bite on?” 

Ronnie thought it over, but decided against it. “Go ahead, I’ll be okay.” She asserted, taking deep breaths. 

Mary May took a deep breath of her own and grabbed a pair of metal hemostats. Gently as possible, she gripped the blackened piece of shrapnel. Just upon touching it, Veronica whimpered quietly. The blonde took another breath, and with one sharp tug wrenched the jagged obstruction from Veronica’s arm. 

V couldn’t help but cry out and pound her fist on the bar, causing bottles to shake in her wake. The piece of shrapnel was tossed in a bowl on the bar, and Mary May padded the wound with alcohol. Veronica winced, exclaiming “Motherfucker!!”

Her friend grabbed a pressure wrap from the first aid kit, applying it quickly to stifle the bleeding. “There, all better.” Mary May patted Veronica’s back reassuringly.

“Holy fuck where’s my drink!” The woman slumped against the counter, her arm sore. 

The barkeep set a glass of whiskey next to Ronnie before grabbing her own, saying “There’s more where that came from!” 

Veronica sat up to take a sip, professing “Thank god for bartenders!” 

Two hours later, Veronica was too drunk to speak let alone feel. “Mary May, I dunno if I’m cut out for alla this.” She slurred, gesturing widely with her hands. The woman laid on the floor of the Spread Eagle, the world spinning above her. 

Her friend popped her head over the bar and looked confused. “Whatdya mean?” Mary May asked- her words just as slurred as Ronnie’s. 

“This. All this. John, Joseph… Jingleheimer-Schmidt.” V snorted as she thought of the silly rhyme, and she sang the rest loudly, “His name is my name too!” The woman sat up from the floor, swaying as though she may go right back down. After a moment Veronica continued, her tone changing drastically, “I did something… not good today.” 

“Did something?” Mary May looked at her suspiciously. 

“I beefed it man. I like. Made the worst choice in the history of choices. What the fuck is wrong with me!” Her head fell in her hands and V groaned loudly.

“Well are you gonna tell me whatcha did?” The barkeep asked as she stood up and walked to the end of the bar. 

“...No.”

“Tell me!” 

“I literally don’t think I can.” 

Mary May stood above Veronica now, her hands on her hips. “If you don’t tell me, I’m gonna havta cut you off!” She threatened with a small smile. 

Ronnie’s head fell to one side as she regarded her friend, and after a moment she gave her a lazy smile. “I’ll tell you… if you help me up.” She said in a sing-songy voice, reaching her arms up and making grabby hands. 

“You’re the one who got on the floor dummy.” The blonde sighed as she planted her feet and helped Veronica stand. 

With a groan, the deputy swayed a moment before steadying herself. She hiccupped as she mumbled, “Seemed like a good idea at the time.” 

The barkeep looked at her expectantly with a quirked eyebrow- though her serious demeanor was diluted by a barely contained drunken smile. 

After a moment- V held up a finger and chuckled, “You almost had me there Mary May! I, for one, think it’s time for bed.” No matter how much she imbibed, she knew telling another soul of her encounter at the lake was not an option. 

Her companion regarded her skeptically before breaking out in a grin and clapping her on the shoulder. “Hey, I’ll let you slide this time… but only because of your help with the Widowmaker today!” Mary May shook a finger at her as she settled back onto a barstool. 

“You’re damn right!” Ronnie joked, turning to make her way upstairs. She exchanged her goodnights and took to the steps, not quite trusting her footwork. A sense of relief washed over her as she weaseled out of telling her newest secret. ‘Gonna have to be more careful than that..’ She thought, annoyed with herself. 

Much stumbling later- Ronnie was able to change and collapse into bed in what had become her home away from home. The comfy sheets enveloped her and coaxed her into sleep; quiet snores sounded from under the covers in seconds. 

As soon as V’s eyes closed, she was dropped into a restless slumber. She opened her eyes in a dream, and was piqued at the sight before her. 

Once more, the deputy was on the lakeshore with none other than John Seed. It was all as before- the pair of them wrestling in the silt under a half moon. Ronnie straddled the Baptist, hoping to gain the upper hand in her Bliss addled state. Her hands found the knife again and it was raised above her. As it drove down, the scene changed significantly. 

Veronica no longer gripped the blade, and instead her hand cupped John’s cheek as she met his lips. The Baptist stiffened for only a moment before returning her kiss. One arm wrapped around her and his hand travelled up to tangle in her tresses. 

John broke their embrace and pulled her hair, tilting her head up and exposing her neck. As he pulled her blonde locks, V let out an approving whimper. The man kissed along her exposed collarbone, stopping at the base of her neck. He traced his tongue along her jugular and could practically feel the life running through her artery. Almost unable to help himself, John bit her once; eliciting a squeak from Veronica. He quickly kissed over the spot as if in apology. Pulling back, their lips clashed once more and he savored her taste. 

The blonde ground her hips against him as the heat rose between them. A quiet moan escaped John, and she could feel him growing hard against her. Taking her revenge, Ronnie bit his lower lip swiftly. When his lips parted she brushed her tongue over his bottom one and felt his meet her. 

John sat up, cupping a hand under her buttocks and lifting her with him. With him sitting up, Ronnie adjusted accordingly; wrapping her legs around him. The two of them pulled back, both of them panting. There was heat in his words when the Baptist leaned forward and murmured, “I want you to blow me.” 

At his words, Veronica felt things low in her body tighten and she nodded wordlessly. John wore a wolf’s grin as he settled back once more, giving her full access to him. V scooted back a bit and trailed a finger down his semi-exposed chest; her finger coming to hook on his belt. She grabbed the tail of it and pulled, unclasping the buckle and tugging the accessory from the belt loops it had been secured in. 

In the front of his jeans, John was hard and ready. Ronnie rubbed a hand along his length over the fabric with a small smile. When she touched him, the man tilted his head back and let out an appreciative sigh. She liked the effect she had on him. 

Her hand went for the button on his jeans, and then the zipper. He helped her tug them down, leaving his plain black briefs as the last layer. Seizing the opportunity to tease- V lowered her head and kissed him through his briefs; making a show of it. “Fuck..” John moaned and made eye contact with her. Veronica smiled mischievously at him and bit the elastic of his undergarments, pulling it up and releasing with a snap. 

The woman grasped the band of the briefs, about to free his member when a crash sounded from outside the dream; snapping Ronnie out of her fantasy.

Waking up in the black room, Veronica sat up and looked around wildly for the source of the noise. When her eyes landed on Boomer standing next to her bed, and her toppled over M60 laying on the floor with a box of now scattered bullets; her heart rate started to slow and relief washed over her.  

The cattle dog looked up at her guiltily, as if apologising for knocking her gun over. The woman sighed and shook her head with a smile, “Boomer- you just saved me from something… potentially disturbing.” She commented while patting the bed for him. The heat of the dream still clung to her skin and she knew her face was a hearty red.

The alarm clock read 3:36am, only a couple hours since she’d gone to bed though it felt like minutes. Boomer hopped up with her and settled against her legs. V settled back down and her thoughts strayed to John’s face as she’d teased him. She bit her lip and took a deep breath, wondering ‘Why does my brain hate me? I cannot be dreaming about him, like some middle-schooler with a crush.’

Ronnie tucked her unbandaged arm under the pillow and rolled over, hoping not to fall back into the same dream when her eyes closed once more. What vexed her most was knowing a deep, dark part of her hoped for the exact opposite. 

Hours later, the deputy woke from a blessedly dreamless slumber. Boomer cuddled up against her side, still asleep. Sunlight filtered in through the curtained windows, dappling the mahogany flooring with specks of gold. Veronica laid there, taking in the silence; after the last few days she knew it was something to treasure.

She had only a brief reprieve before thoughts of her dream surfaced once more. John’s quiet moans, the feeling of their lips meeting, how he had held her as though she was his only salvation. A thrill ran through her and she shook her head, trying to clear the thoughts away. Ronnie buried her head in the covers with a quiet groan and attempted to focus on something else. 

Her mind wandered to Joseph’s sudden appearance, and his exchange with John. Veronica recalled how John had sounded almost fearful when his brother questioned him, asking if he ‘mocked the cleansing’. ‘Then him saying ‘You have to love them’... what the hell..’ She wondered, brow furrowing. V shuddered as she thought of Joseph’s words to her, ‘You’re not here by accident… you’ve been given a gift…’. The feeling of his hands cupping her face was as real as it had been last night and she felt dirty. ‘What fucking gift. All I see are fucking burdens.’ The woman brooded bitterly. 

The burden of rescuing her friends and building the Resistance grew every day, but there was no way she could abandon the allies she’d made and join Eden’s Gate. At the end of the day, she was secure in her decision to be an icon for the Resistance; though they demanded much of her- Veronica could never give up her free will and become one of Joseph’s pawns.

Almost randomly, Ronnie thought of Nancy, someone who had been a family friend for years. The woman her mom had worked with at the Sheriff’s Department, who she herself had worked with. They’d even had her over for dinner and a couple barbeques, it wasn’t much but there had been trust there. When Joseph had taken the helicopter’s headset after it crashed and he’d spoken to the seemingly worried sheriff’s dispatcher, the woman had called him ‘Father’. Veronica bit the inside of her cheek as she worried, ‘That can’t have been all he meant when he said this wasn’t by accident.’ 

A knock on the door startled both Veronica and Boomer, and the pair sat up quickly. “It’s open!” The deputy called, pulling up the sheets around her despite the black tank she wore. The door opened and Pastor Jerome came through, closing it behind him. He smiled gently, murmuring “Sorry if I woke you.”

The blonde shook her head- pulling her legs up to her to sit criss-cross on the bed. “You’re fine, I was already awake. Just thinking.” 

Nodding, Jerome replied “After the week you’ve had, I’m sure.” He stood there silently a moment before continuing, “Listen, Veronica, I have something I need to ask of you.” 

V pursed her lips before saying, “Okay. Shoot.”

“John has put out more air support the last few days, and I think we need some of our own. Nick Rye owns Rye & Sons Aviation, and I know he would be a good addition to our cause; I heard over the radio he could use some help against the cult. What do you think?” The pastor regarded her expectantly. 

Veronica ran a hand over her arm as though she was cold, and displeasure was clear on her face. She sighed before responding, “Honestly, I was hoping to take a day. Or even half a day. I haven’t even gotten out of bed yet.” It was all she could do to not groan in exasperation. Inwardly she cringed at how whiny she felt she was being- but wasn’t she owed some time after yesterday?

The man looked almost disappointed in her as he commented, “There isn’t really time to take a day off, Veronica.” Before she could get too annoyed, he went on. “You’ve seen what we’re up against. They’re taking us against our will. I know you’re tired and I know you want to look for your friend, but Fall’s End was just a piece of the whole community that needs our help. Once we’re strong enough- we’ll free every last one of the cult’s prisoners, then we can all rest. You have my word.” 

The familiar beginnings of anger ran hot under her skin as he brought up her lost friends, and Ronnie asked, “So I’m supposed to just forget my friends are out there and overextend myself?” Her brow furrowed as she looked at Jerome, annoyance creasing her features. It wasn’t as if she was the only member of this fledgling Resistance who could pull their weight.

He crossed his arms, answering “Of course not, but we have to focus on what’s reasonable right now-”

The deputy scoffed and cut him off, remarking “Now rescuing my friends isn’t ‘reasonable’? You know, I don’t think much would even be getting done if I wasn’t busting my ass for you guys.” 

The pastor frowned and looked irked at her observation. “Don’t forget who saved your life yesterday, deputy.” His words were measured and carefully contained. 

Veronica stood up from the bed, her hands on her hips. “Don’t forget who saved your life the day before yesterday, pastor.” Her tone was irate, and she tried to take a couple deep breaths to calm down. With everything that had happened in the last day, she was fried and at the end of her rope. Irritation came naturally with that perfect cocktail.

Jerome stared at her for a moment, his annoyance seemingly melting away as he suddenly said, “I hope you’ll think about what I said, Veronica. We couldn’t do this without you. Get some rest, if you truly need it.” Before she could respond, he opened the door and was gone. 

The deputy found it was hard to bristle and stay mad at someone who had started acting rather reasonably, and her vexation faded into a mild annoyance as she turned to look at Boomer. “What a good way to start the day!” She said to him sarcastically. 

The pup laid his head on his paws, letting out a short doggy sigh. Ronnie attempted a smile as she ruffled his floppy ears- but she felt she was falling deeper and deeper down the rabbit hole. “I guess I know what we’re doing today then. At the very least, I’m getting a goddamn shower.” She asserted and walked over to the dresser to lay out an outfit. 

As she pulled open the drawer, V thanked her drunk self for having enough sense to change into pajamas and throw the clothes from yesterday’s battle into the corner. The woman quickly found jeans and rummaged through the loosely folded tee shirts. Lifting out a plain white crop top, Ronnie smirked at the text on it, ‘Trouble Maker’. “This feels appropriate.” She chuckled and tossed it next to the jeans. 

With her outfit set- Veronica made her way to the shower. While she got it to the correct temperature, she unwrapped her bandage on her arm. The deep wound looked somewhat better, a scab had closed over the pink tissue inside the gash and no new blood welled from it as she tenderly touched the area. 

Finally, she stepped into the steamy sauna. The warm water ran down her skin and she envisioned the last few days falling away with the droplets. “I can handle whatever life throws my way, I’m making the right decisions… everything is going to be okay.” She murmured into the stream, hoping it would prove true. 

Twenty minutes later, V felt she’d sufficiently scrubbed herself of last night’s ‘Cleansing’ and turned off the water. She found a towel and stepped out, catching a glimpse of herself in the mirror; she winced at the dark circles under her eyes. Before exiting, Veronica leaned over the tub and grabbed her hair, twisting it to wring the water out. She knew it was going to be unbelievably frizzy by the time it dried hours later. Veronica toweled off as much as possible and pulled her clothes on, her wet hair hanging limp and soaking through her shirt. 

As she came out of the bathroom, she saw Boomer waiting for her on the bed; his tail wagging when he glimpsed her. “Hi buddy!” Ronnie said in a baby voice and pinched his cheeks. He got off the bed and followed her as she grabbed socks from the dresser and sat down next to her boots. Once V sat on the floor, Boomer swooped in and licked her face before she could raise an arm and fend him off. “Back, beast!” She laughed, pushing him away. 

Veronica pulled on her black combat boots as her dog circled expectantly. When she stood, he barked at her once before waiting by the door. “Okay okay here we go!” She placated him while grabbing her backpack and gun. The M60 hung heavy and deadly around her shoulders, and V thought as she hoisted it with a grunt, ‘I am never gonna have to do arm day again!’. 

The pair walked downstairs and found the bar wasn’t incredibly busy, just enough patrons to keep Mary and Casey busy. Ronnie was almost to the door when Mary May called out to her, “Hey V!”

Veronica cursed silently, she’d been hoping to avoid the barkeep because of her slip up last night. She put on a happy smile and turned to face her ally. “Hey May! What’s up?” 

The other woman filled a glass from the tap as she replied, “Just checking in… Jerome left in quite a hurry after talking to you.” As she set down the glass and picked up another- she met Ronnie’s eyes. 

The deputy looked away and nodded with a sigh. “Yeah. Everything’s fine, I just snapped at him. I’ll stop by with an apology later, don’t worry.” She relented easily. 

Mary May placed the second glass next to the first and nodded to her. “I know things are tough right now Veronica, but we care about you and this cause. We just want the best for both.” The bartender replied almost cryptically before gripping the two steins to take to her patrons. 

Watching her go, Ronnie felt a twinge of guilt. ‘Well now I really can’t fuck up saving this Nick guy.’ She thought before sighing and turning to leave. She only hoped she was up to the mission at hand.

V pulled out her map she’d acquired from Dutch, looking for Rye & Sons. She was relieved to see that Nick Rye was one of the names highlighted on the map, and that his home was just down the road from Fall’s End. “I’m in the mood for a nice walk, how ‘bout you?” Veronica looked down at Boomer whose tail wagged rapidly, slapping against her leg repeatedly. “Sounds like a yes if I’ve ever heard one.” Ronnie chuckled and bent down to pet him a moment before they departed. 

Standing a moment later, she nodded, “Let’s get shit done.” 

The pair walked through the forest, going to their destination in a straight shot while avoiding detection from the road. While taking in the sprawling plains and farmland that lay just outside the woodland- V thought about the task ahead. 

She knew she’d heard of Rye & Sons before, in fact she was almost sure her mother had taken her flight test there. Veronica envied her mother’s drive to do any and everything, the woman had decided on a whim that she wanted her pilot's license and purchased a seaplane. Ronnie’s mom had tried to teach her how to fly a few times when she was younger, but to no avail. The deputy remembered the basics but not much else. She’d have to remember to ask Nick if he’d ever trained her mother. 

Thinking of her mom, the woman sighed and hoped she wasn’t worrying. ‘At least I know Olive is safe!’ Veronica thought of her feline friend, trying to find the silver lining. She hoped without hope to see her mother, and her pet just once more.

 After trekking for no more than thirty minutes, Veronica spotted a hangar preceding a long dirt runway through the trees. As she approached, she noted how many Eden’s Gate helicopters she’d seen circling overhead on her walk; just as Jerome said. 

In front of the hangar- three peggies sat behind their individual covers. One of them shouted something, then opened fire on the building. The blonde sprinted from the treeline, moving to crouch behind a sign that read ‘ACTIVE AIRPORT, NO TRESPASSING’. 

Veronica lifted her gun that had hung loosely in front of her, and took out the cultist nearest to her before dashing closer. The deputy came to rest near a sign that pronounced this as the area for flight training.

The other two peggies shouted and ran closer to their fallen companion, but V took them both out swiftly. As she put a bullet into the second one, two Eden’s Gate trucks rumbled up the flight strip with eight more adversaries. 

Springing over the fence around the hangar, Veronica ran into the structure and almost bumped straight into who she assumed must be her charge. The man wore well-worn jeans and a sleeveless flannel over a Rye & Sons tee. His medium length brown hair was shaggy around his ears, but mainly covered by a worn baseball cap. Though sunglasses covered his eyes, V could tell she’d spooked him. 

Before the man could raise his AR-C to her, Ronnie raised her hands up and said “Hey hey, the name’s Veronica. I’m with save-your-ass inc., hold up with the bullets!” 

Nick paused before giving her a nod, “I’m Nick Rye, good to make your acquaintance! Let’s finish these bastards off!” He reloaded his weapon and charged from behind his cover. The peggies in front of him were faced with a quick spray of bullets, knocking down one and startling the others as they ran for cover. 

The deputy was quick to follow him, shooting down two more with her LMG. Boomer ran from behind her into the fray, latching onto one man’s arm and wrenching him to the ground before executing him with a swift bite to the neck. The cattle dog ran to the next nearest peggie, attempting to do the same; the man grabbed his scruff and threw him to the ground with a grunt. Boomer let out a high pitched yelp and was stunned for a moment. The cultist turned his gun on the pup, and was about to fire before a hail of bullets whizzed by, more than one penetrating his skull and spraying bits of his brain and gore upon the runway. Veronica stood a few feet behind him, and when he fell she ran to her companion and put a hand on his side. 

Boomer got up and steadied himself, barking at her and letting her know he was okay. “Don’t scare me like that!” She yelled at him, worry clear on her face before she turned back to the battle. 

Ronnie took cover with Nick, both of them demolishing their enemy. They took out two at a time until there were none, and the dust finally began to settle. The two of them peeked up over the sturdy wooden crates they were behind, making sure no cultists lingered. Nothing moved on the runway and they both stood, taking in one another. “You’re not too shabby with that rifle.” Veronica nodded to him with a smile. 

The man returned her victory grin, commending her as well, “Right back ‘atcha, big guns! You sure are some cavalry.” 

“Comes with the job I guess.” The deputy chuckled. 

Nick wandered back into the hangar, remarking “I appreciate the backup and all, but I’ve got a huge problem.” In the back of the hangar there was a small corner bar, the aviator made his way to it and quickly poured himself a glass of something strong. 

As he did, Veronica followed him; she raised her hand with two fingers and quirked an eyebrow at him. Nick nodded and rummaged in the askew cabinet for a second glass and poured her a drink next to his. “Well you’re in luck, because I am a problem fixer. What’s up?” Ronnie inquired as she lifted the glass to her lips. Her eyebrows raised at the strength of her drink and she savored it a moment, deciding it was some sort of bourbon. 

In front of her, Nick took several swigs as he muttered, “Fuckin’ cult… now we’re trapped. Trapped! I swear I’m gonna kill that son of a bitch John Seed!” He finished off his drink in one final chug and started to pour himself another as he continued, “Did you see them take off with my plane?” 

The woman shook her head, drinking a bit more.

“Well that was our ticket out of here, and I need it back! I’d go myself, but my wife’s due any second…” Nick looked at Ronnie, pleading “Without that plane, we’re fucked. My family needs your help.” 

Veronica finished off her own drink and nodded, replying “I can get your plane back, but the problem may be… getting it back. I don’t really know how to fly one.” At the last part, she looked away. It was somewhat embarrassing admitting to the owner of an aviation business that she didn’t know much of aviation. 

The pilot clapped her on the shoulder with a smile, saying “Oh don’t worry about that, I’ve been doin’ this my whole life. I can teach you on the fly… get it?” 

While Nick chuckled at his joke, worry crossed Veronica’s features as she considered the ramifications of not being able to learn ‘on the fly’. She also worried about Nick’s remark about leaving, since she hoped to recruit him for Jerome. At the end of the day, she knew it wasn’t her right to sway him one way or another; he had to do what he felt was right for his family. Especially if it was on the verge of expanding.

Acting as bartender, the pilot poured her another generous dose of bourbon and commented “If I know the cult, they’ve taken my Carmina to John’s Ranch. It’s got the only other landingstrip big enough to land the thing!” Setting the bottle on the bar, Nick met her eyes once more and sighed as though expecting her to decline, “I know it’s a lot to ask but… I’m desperate, partner.” 

At hearing the location of the plane a devious smirk replaced any worry on Ronnie’s face. Taking her whole drink in one shot, she conceded, “If I’m gonna be breaking into John’s ranch, I’m gonna need at least one more drink”  And pushed the glass to him. 

Nick broke out in a grin, pouring her one last drink before she set off. The deputy lifted her glass in a mock toast and took the drink as a shot once more before asking, “What’s the fastest way there?” While pulling out her map. 

The man traced a finger down the blue line of the Henbane river, answering “Some of those peggies we just took care of came from here. If you go down to the dock behind the hangar, I’m sure you can commandeer a jet ski no problem, courtesy of Eden’s Gate.” 

V nodded and adjusted her M60 against her chest, saying “Sounds like a plan! I’ll get your plane back. Let’s just hope it’s in one piece.” She murmured the last part, still doubting her piloting skills. 

As the deputy was exiting the hangar, Nick called out “I really appreciate this, Veronica! I’ll talk to you soon!” 

Turning around, Ronnie gave him a smile and a small nod, hoping to hold up her end of the bargain. 

Outside, the morning sun was still shining brightly. Not a single white cloud marred the baby blue of the horizon. Veronica wandered down a small dirt path, kicking up dust with her black boots. Birds sang overhead in the trees, and the quiet rush of the river could be heard in moments. 

Coming out of the treeline- Ronnie was met with a plain dock with a small shack at the end of it. In the water beside the dock floated two off-white jet skis. “How much did these guys pay in paint jobs alone?” Chuckled the blonde as she clambered aboard the nearest one. 

She revved the engine once before treading water- the front of the craft coming out of the river with the speed. Waves flew high behind her as she followed the curve of the river, and the deputy smiled at seeing Boomer running along after her on the shore. 

Only a few minutes later, the pair had reached the boathouse behind the ranch. It was a long red building that was desperately in need of a paint job. The boathouse was open, and no one patrolled the long dock coming off the structure. V pulled up alongside the dock and turned off the engine, stepping onto the dock and miraculously not falling into the water as she exited the jet ski.

Her footsteps sounded hollow as she crossed the dock to the dirt path. With a sharp inhale, Veronica started up the slope with Boomer at her tail. 

At the head of the trail minutes later- Ronnie stumbled into what appeared to be John’s backyard. The green grass was manicured, but looked as though it could use more water. Two short sets of steps let up a stone wall to a lifted seating area with two lounge chairs. Passing them, Veronica saw the ranch ahead. 

A flagstone path led up to the side of the house, surrounded on all sides by patches of delicate yellow flowers. The ranch itself was bright cherry wood with a natural finish. The structure was two stories, and a hangar and guard tower were attached to the property. V ducked into one of the flower beds as a guard strolled past the side entrance. 

The man was whistling to himself and held his gun loosely. It seemed they didn’t get  much trouble up here. As the woman peeked above the blossoms, she pulled out her binoculars and took count of how many guards there were. “At least two snipers… six guards that I can see... probably more. This place is huge.” Ronnie grumbled as she put the binoculars in her backpack once more. 

The guard from before made his round in front of her once more, and this time Veronica followed behind him. Surging forward, the deputy placed a hand on the top of his head and another on the side of his face and wrenched his neck upwards with a sickening crack. He instantly became limp in her arms, head lolling from his broken neck. Veronica dragged him back into the sea of flowers she’d emerged from. 

V dispatched three more guards this way as they patrolled around the campus of the ranch. On the third, she needed to find a different flower bed. With a huff; she dragged him out of the way and squated there for a moment- brushing away the beads of sweat dripping down her forehead. 

As she took a rest among the petals- the music that she’d been tuning out reached her ears. “... Come meet the man who reaps the land of which we walk upon! The time has come for judgement, but we ain’t done nothin’ wrong! Join us all we all can sing along… oh John! Bold and brave!” A cheery choir sounded their praises of the youngest Seed brother. 

Massaging her temples, Ronnie couldn’t help a dry laugh, “Wow, someone needs an ego check.” 

She attempted to block out the song once more, and got back to work. Her plan was to take out the rest of the guards on the outside of the ranch and then tackle the inside. No more peggies had wandered to the side of the structure in some time, and she knew it was time to expand her hunting grounds. 

Coming around the front of the ranch while still hunkered in the garden, Veronica saw a man directly in front of the porch with a long iron pole embedded in his chest. His blood had dried crimson around the base and it looked almost melded to his body. Beyond him, a cluster of guards gossiped in hushed tones. V struggled to hear them, catching only passing phrases. “The Father isn’t happy with…  Something to do with that girl… Say’s he’s compromised…” Was all she could hear. 

As she craned her neck listening, another louder voice rose above them all. “Get back to work! John expects you to guard, not cluck like hens.” He said disdainfully. The new voice came from a rather imposing cultist with the Eden’s Gate symbol tattooed on his forehead. 

Taking her eyes off the group she saw the first of the snipers on the balcony of the hangar. The second perched at the top of the guard tower- both of them scanning the grounds. As the group of three disbanded, V moved away and went around the side of the ranch that she’d already cleared. 

She walked up a short staircase embedded into the natural rock and past a simple fire pit next to a utility shed behind the house. Coming to the end of the fence surrounding the home, the airfield lay in front of her. Veronica stared down the vast runway, taking in the sight of the mountains in the distance. It was a scene that never failed to amaze her. 

Dead grass crunched underfoot as Veronica strode to the long ladder on the side of the hangar. “All this money and you can’t afford a gardener?” She mocked John pettily with a childish expression. 

Finally, her boots met the rungs of the blue ladder and she pulled herself up to the shortest roof. Comprising of multiple levels, Ronnie had to pull herself up the side of the main roof of the hangar and then scramble up the railing of the guard tower. She did this as quietly as possible, avoiding making the many unladylike noises she was tempted to as she hurtled the rooftops. 

Her hands grasped the hot metal of the railing, and she noticed the ironwork. Every other section had a scale wrought into the metal. She couldn’t help but be curious as to why. 

Hauling herself over the rails at the back of the tower, Veronica leaned against the building a moment as she caught her breath. In a moment, she was ready and pulled her black hunting knife from its sheath. The second sniper stood ahead, watching the road beyond the ranch. V lunged forward and executed him quickly, plunging her blade hilt deep through his soft tissue as he spasmed to the ground. 

Veronica pulled his body around the structure out of sight, and looked down at the guards. On the level below her lay the last sniper, and below that the final peggies patrolled. The intimidating man with the Eden’s Gate tattoo seemed to have gone inside. 

Having taken out the highest lookout, Ronnie was free to pursue the second sniper. She dropped down to the roof, sneaking over to just above where the sniper was and staying as low as possible. She lurked above the man, waiting for the perfect moment. When all the other guards were turned away she leapt on the sniper, grabbing his long greasy locks and slamming his head into the concrete balcony hard and fast. The man barely made a sound before going limp, allowing her to pull him into the loft of the hangar and stash the corpse in a dark corner. 

As Veronica rounded the corner to the stairs, she caught sight of Nick’s plane. The yellow seaplane looked a little worn, but had much character. The deputy smiled as she thought of the pilot teaching her mother to fly in this chartreuse beast. 

Caught up with the image in her mind, V didn’t notice one of the remaining peggies wandering into the hangar. The man spotted her and startled with a shout. “Hey! The sinner is here!” He yelled to his crew outside, causing Ronnie to scramble. 

She grasped her LMG and shot off quickly, missing the man at first. He shot off a few rounds in response- narrowing missing her. The blonde ducked behind the railing of the loft, looking over it and taking aim; she riddled her opponent with bullets as his companions arrived. They all took up arms and ammo flew through the air wildly. It was only luck that Veronica was not struck. 

After letting loose a few sprays and only killing one of her enemies, V found herself needing to reload; the rapid fire from across the room didn’t afford her the time. Swiftly, she pulled her .44 Magnum from its holster, hammering off a few shots and catching the second to last peggie in the chest. He staggered backwards and fell to the ground with a thud as his ally came to avenge him. The final lackey sprung out and took aim. Before he could let off a shot Veronica put a single round through his skull and that was that. 

Reluctantly creeping down the stairs- she brushed past the bleeding corpses and out of the hangar. There was one last guard on the premises, and she intended to take the ranch for the Resistance. The woman wandered to the front of the house, stepping around the body of the man in front.

The wide double doors stood open, and Veronica peered inside. The room was bathed in a warm glow from two candled chandeliers and dim overhead fixtures. Two of the shuttered skylights were open, letting the sunlight leak in to lazily cast its glow in two fixed squares. Shadows cast in every corner made her nervous as she crept along, looking for the final cultist. As V cleared the front doors and stepped up the ledge into the living room, she heard a creak. Just as she’d heard it, someone came crashing into her and she was knocked to the ground. The back of her head sprung off the hardwood with a thump and she collapsed on her back. 

Standing tall and formidable above the deputy was the man from before, he looked down at her with an evil smile and said, “I’ve heard a lot about you, girly.” 

Ronnie was too stunned to reply, and her vision swam for a moment as her head throbbed. 

The peggie bent down and grabbed a fistful of her shirt, lifting her up as he bent down to meet her. Veronica was half lying down as the man hovered over her, his rancid breath reaching her as he spoke, “You know, you don’t look like much. Don’t know why everyone’s so interested in you. Maybe I should have a taste and find out?” As his last words, the man licked his lips and his gaze travelled down her body. 

Skin crawling, Veronica finally gathered some strength to struggle but was held fast in his grasp. She  pushed at him and found her opponent to be an unmoving mass. 

With a laugh, the cultist stood up a bit straighter, backhanding the blonde and releasing his grip at the same time. “Seems like you don’t like that idea!” He mocked, standing up and stepping away from her. 

Ronnie spun back to the floor, falling on her side with blood trailing from her mouth as stars swarmed her vision. She took deep breaths and tried to regain her senses as she heard the man say “I s’pose I’ll let them know you’re here then. You’re all John’s been talkin’ about.” Her sight came back slowly and she saw him reaching for his phone. He stood next to her feet, his left side facing her. Veronica took one last deep breath and mustered all her strength, kicking out high and at an angle with all she had. 

She struck home, dislocating his knee at the joint with a meaty pop. The peggie screamed high and loud, like music to Ronnie’s ears. He fell to the ground and clutched his leg, gasping from the pain as he looked at her with pure rage. “You bitch!” He howled, his voice still thin with agony. 

Starting to get her footing once more, V reached for her Magnum with a grunt of exertion from her head still spinning. Not quite off the floor- she aimed it at him and sneered, “Life’s a bitch, I just work here!” She squeezed the trigger as he tried lunging for her, and his face took the brunt of the round. 

The man fell to the floor, now unrecognizable. Veronica stared at his body- her breaths going from long and ragged to measured and even. As she took in his lifeless form, she felt no remorse. The adrenaline pumped its way through her system, leaving her an aching shell. Her jaw was sore where he’d beat her, and her head pounded from the collision with the hardwood flooring.

With a groan, Veronica holstered her weapon and looked around the room, finally having time to take it in. To her right was a long glass case with some Eden’s Gate memorabilia, as well as fine china and copies of the Word of Joseph. In front of her stood an extraordinary stonework fireplace that rose to the ceiling; it was preceded by a tasteful bear’s skin over a muted rug. A leather couch with red throw pillows sat on the rug before a cherry wood coffee table, and this is where the woman wandered to. 

Ronnie plopped down on the sofa, sinking into the soft cushions. On the cushion next to her, a large leather book sat open. Trying to distract herself from the pain, she flipped it over- holding a finger in place of where the reader had been. The cover read “Fahrenheit 451”, causing the woman to quirk an eyebrow in surprise. She didn’t expect this to be John’s light reading. Veronica recalled reading the dystopian novel in high school, she’d always thought of herself as someone who would fight the good cause. 

Setting down the novel, another article caught her eye. V reached for a note written on plain paper on the other side of the couch. She marvelled at the handwriting which she knew had to be John’s; perfect script comprised of neat loops and impressive cursive decorated the page. 

“Dearest Brother Joseph, 

As promised, the town of Fall’s End is now occupied. I went after the three biggest pillars of this community in Mary May, Pastor Jerome, and Nick Rye. And After marking them with their sins, a seed of doubt was planted among the residents. 

I forced every one of them to question what they really believed in. Question what side they should be fighting on.

There was bloodshed, but if not for those I converted, it would have been much worse. 

The ones we saved have been brought into your flock.

The ones who fought are dead. And then sinners who fled- I’ll catch them.

That’s another promise.

Your brother, 

John”

Veronica set the letter where it’d been, unsure how she felt. Though she wasn’t surprised at her disgust for his forceful converting, she was almost startled at the feelings of sadness for John. It was clear how desperately he wanted his brother’s approval; and if the display at the lake was any connotation, he certainly didn’t have it. Especially after losing Fall’s End. The blonde scoffed at the thought, ‘Why the hell am I feeling bad for that nutjob? He made his bed, now he has to lay in it.’ She scolded herself silently. 

Before she could go further down that train of thought, she caught sight of something she desperately needed on the coffee table. “No way.” V chuckled, leaning forward and ignoring the ache in her body. 

At the end of the coffee table sat a sizable plastic bag filled more than halfway with what she was willing to bet was kush straight from Oregon. Delighted laugher bubbled out of Ronnie as she cracked open the bag and sniffed the fresh, green scent. Removing one bud from the ziplock, she twisted it in half and admired all the little crystals hanging on the leaves like dewdrops. Orange hairs grew and curled like ivy over the nug and Veronica couldn’t be happier. “Literally everything was worth it!” She exclaimed, dropping the nug back into the bag and standing suddenly despite the pain. 

“Where there’s weed, there’s papers.” V asserted, setting down the bag and peeking in the end table next to the couch. No luck there, she checked the one on the other side with baited breath. Upon opening the drawer she saw an orange packet of waxy papers and snatched them up. 

Tossing the papers on the table, Veronica resolved to look for a rolling tray. “Surely Nick won’t mind me taking a smoke break.” She murmured as she walked around the fireplace into the dining room. At the end of the table was a silver tray with several instruments on it. Ronnie grimaced and moved the hooks, pliers, and scissors to the table while saying, “I don’t wanna know..” 

Tray in hand- the deputy made her way to the living room. Halfway there, she was stopped by a sharp ringing cutting through the air. The phone on the dining room table sounded off, ringing a few times. She set the tray down and went to stand by the simple landline. Though there was no caller ID, V could only assume this wasn’t for her. It rang only twice more before cutting off with a beep, and the caller’s voice could be heard leaving a message. 

Joseph spoke from the beige phone, his voice eerily calm, “After all the atonements, all the confessions. And all that you have done for me and Eden’s Gate, it’s not enough. Is it John?” His accusation came loud and clear. In only a moment he continued, “Cast away your past. You need to open up your heart, you need to see that there is more love all around you. All the pain and suffering you spread will not help us in the long run.” The man pleaded. 

Veronica thought about this, wondering what in John’s past he must do away with. Who are we without our pasts? Though she agreed with Joseph that the pain and suffering was not necessary, she found it rather paradoxical that he could be the one to ask this of his sibling. 

The Father’s voice cut through her thoughts, speaking once more. “These actions will only feed the sin inside you. It will grow stronger, it will convince you to do wicked things. Things I cannot forgive you for. Those you want to scar with your intentions, they will heal. They will become carriers of your sin. They will spread that sin to others… is that what you want, brother?” Joseph almost sounded angry, as though he already knew the answer. Ronnie felt like she was missing an important piece of the puzzle.

After another intent pause, he murmured callously, “I’ve seen your death in a vision. You’re destined to be slayed by one who shares your sin, if you don’t succumb to your own sins first. It’s only a matter of when. I’ve seen you die young. I’ve seen you die old. The difference between those two outcomes is how much love you let into your heart, and whose love.” Taking a shaky sigh, he said his goodbyes, “I hope for your sake that you heed this warning. I love you, brother. I love you.” 

When the phone clicked and the line went silent, Veronica released a breath she didn’t know she’d been holding. Practically none of that made sense to her, but the weight of his words seemed to ring true. All she knew is that Joseph couldn’t be trusted, not even by his own brother. She could only assume John’s position in the cult was clearly in jeopardy if Joseph could tell his brother he foresaw his death in such a cold manner. 

Finally making her way back to the couch, Veronica broke down some buds by hand and quickly rolled a joint. The woman was relieved to find a lighter in the bottom of her backpack, and made use of it right away. 

Inhaling the sweet smoke took away all Ronnie’s worries, if only for a moment. She relaxed more with each exhale and revelled in such a lucky find. “Looks like John only smokes the good shit.” She said to herself as she neared the end of her toke, the aches and pains she’d felt no longer bothering her to such a degree. 

The blonde stubbed the joint out on the rolling tray and shoved the ziplock bag into her backpack with a relaxed grin. As she packed up and stepped out of the house, the now afternoon light blinded her for a moment. Through the blinding light she saw a form advancing on her, and quickly distinguished Boomer who now ran to meet her. The pup jumped up on her, licking her hands as she greeted him with a high-pitched “Hi baby boy!” and ruffled the fur on his head. When Boomer was done getting pet, V bent down and said, “Hey, I don’t think there’s room for you in the plane. You stay here, and I’ll be back, okay?” Hoping she conveyed her point. The cattle dog cocked his head to the side before strutting into the ranch, already walking like he owned the place. 

With that settled, Veronica followed the flagstone path down to the hangar, stepping into the air conditioned hush of the building. The bright yellow plane stood there the same as before, and thankfully she didn’t feel so nervous about flying it. Whether this was misplaced confidence, she couldn’t tell. Ronnie hit a glowing button on the wall, opening the garage and spilling in daylight. 

Climbing into the cockpit, the deputy pulled out her radio and called to Nick, “Hey wingman, I’m ready. I think I can get her started up okay…” As she spoke she  flipped a few switches then pulled a handle in the middle and shifted gears on the left. The engine sputtered to life and V eased her foot onto the accelerator. “Let’s see if I remember my Microsoft flight simulator…” She chuckled to herself and the plane rolled out of the garage.

Her heart started beating faster as she turned down the runway and started picking up speed. Veronica could feel the bird lifting off the dirt and into the air as she tilted upwards. Suddenly, she was quite grateful at all the times her mother had forced her to practice in her own plane. “Oorah, deputy! Now you need some distance, just go north for a bit. How ya doin’?” Nick called over the open line. 

“Going great, not on the ground!” Ronnie called and tried to keep her voice from trembling. All her nerves returned as she thought about how she did not want to go down in a fiery wreck. 

Veronica kept her breath even as she gained some elevation, flying over trees and plains alike. “You’re doin’ great! Now, I need to make sure they didn’t mess with it. Let’s run some tests! Hang a sharp left at the crop circle and fly low along the river!” Nick called out. 

Obeying him and taking a glance out the windows to see where the crop circle was, V answered, “I tell you I don’t know how to fly and you tell me to fly into the water?” She was only half joking.

Brushing her concerns aside, he said “You’ll be fine! It sounds like you’re a natural! Go ahead and dip that left wing. That’s the one that worries me, it’s always acting up a bit.” 

As the plane dipped to the left, turning smoothly, Ronnie breathed a sigh of relief when she evened out. 

“Yep, you’d have gone into a full on barrel roll if something was wrong. I guess the cult’s got some competent pilots.” Nick commented begrudgingly. It sounded as though he were eating chips on the other end of the line. 

Heart almost stopping, the blonde said “Nick, can you please not say things like that.” 

He chuckled, “My bad! Stay low at the river.” 

V lowered the level and dipped the nose of the plane slowly, the river coming closer with every second. She started to pull up and even out, gliding smoothly a few feet above the current. She followed the curve of the river and found it easier by the second.

“And goddamn! Breaking into John’s ranch of all places and making it out in one piece! Way to show those fuckers!” Nick suddenly cheered over the line, making Ronnie smile. 

“It’s my pleasure, trust me!” She assured him. 

Not done with his tangent, he continued “That’s all they do around here anyways! Show  up at your door and take everything you own, just like they did to me! Good thing we didn’t lose that plane, we’d have been fucked.” He muttered, going from bitter to thankful in no time flat. 

Concentrating on staying level with the water, V said absentmindedly “Glad I could help.” She felt a certain sense of pride as she maneuvered the aircraft, her luck serving her well on this venture. 

“You should be coming to a big fork in the river, hang right!” Were the next instructions called out. 

The wing of the plane dipped right as Ronnie listened, following the river back. The trees flew past as she flew along the waves, elk could be seen running through the marshes to her left. 

Nick came across the line again, sounding hesitant, “You know, I don’t know if you have any little monsters at home but... the thought of leaving mine fatherless terrifies me! And mine ain’t even born yet!” He confided in her.

“I don’t have any yet, but I understand. You want to be there, and can’t risk not being there.” The deputy called back, unsure where he was going with this.

After a moment he replied, “ If running means saving my family at the cost of losing my home, so be it! ...That’s the right move ain’t it?” 

Mulling it over, V said “At the end of the day, you gotta do whatever is gonna get you to sleep at night, Rye!” 

He was silent for almost a minute before saying, “Makes my goddamn blood boil that I gotta uproot from the place that my family worked so hard to put together! They worked every inch of this land with blood and sweat, and now I gotta lose it all to some man-bunned little twerp and his posse of inbreds?” 

Veronica stifled a laugh at that comment as he continued, “No, fuck it, you’re right deputy! You don’t mess with the Ryes without getting a scar! You should be flying over a field right now, if you see any peggies or Bliss tankers blow them sky high!” 

As she looked down at the field she spotted several of both and figured it must be a Bliss depot. Moving her hand to pull the trigger mechanism next to the middle handle, the machine gun whirred as it powered up and shot a hail of bullets at the red silo below, causing it to go up in a fiery blaze. The deputy circled the field, taking out two more silos, three Bliss tankers, and a dozen peggies with ease. 

“That’s the stuff!” He hollered excitedly. When no more were in sight, he called, “If you take a smooth left that should put you on course for my airfield. See you soon, Veronica!” 

After a relatively rough landing, Veronica was safely parked in front of the hangar she’d been at a couple hours ago. Nick came out of the hangar with a grin, saying “You son of a bitch… you did it, thank you!” He immediately went to the side of the craft, inspecting it. “Kim! The plane’s back!” He called to his wife.

“Yeah, I heard!” Came her reply. She didn’t sound too interested. 

Nick went to the other side and held the bottom, pushing against it and getting the wheels turning. “Help me turn it will ya?” He asked, gesturing to the side closest to her. 

V obliged, gripping the steel and maneuvering with him. As they steered the vehicle, Nick said “Ya know, for the first time in a long time, I finally feel like things are going my way! Those damn peggies… Kim c’mon!” He called her again. 

“I hope to god they didn’t fuck with her…” He commented, sounding frazzled as he stopped turning and walked around it once more. “You know, this plane has been in my family for three generations. Can you believe that? My grandpa first got it when he got back from World War II, it was his pride and joy.”

As Veronica listened, she heard Kim behind them yell, “Nick!” 

The pilot was digging in the cockpit as he rambled on, “I made some modifications over the years but-” 

“Nick!!” His wife called once more, sounding urgent. Exasperated, Nick yelled back “Kim, will you just hurry up?”

Annoyed, Kim shouted “Nick the peggies are on their way!” 

Pulling his head out of the plane, the man looked almost surprised. “What? Damn, those fuckers won’t give up!” 

With a humorless laugh, Ronnie said, “I guess not!” 

A sleek white plane flew from overhead and dropped a bomb further away from them as gunfire erupted from Nick’s house. 

“Fuck!” Veronica exclaimed and held her gun at the ready, scanning the horizon for more of them. 

Nick climbed into the plane and said to her, “Look, I’m better in the air but you’re a beast on the ground! I’ll hit ‘em high and you hit ‘em low, what do you say partner?” 

Ronnie nodded, holding out her fist for a fistbump. “Let’s do this!” 

Returning the fistbump, Nick said “Oorah! Kim’s in the house, I’m trusting you to keep her safe!” and started up the plane. “Kim, you stay inside till I get back!” He called over his shoulder and took off. 

More gunfire rang through the airfield and V ran towards the house where several white trucks had pulled up. Several peggies were already running towards the home as she made her way there, and she raised her gun to shoot one. He took a few bullets and stumbled, falling to the ground. She jumped over the railing of the porch, landing securely on the deck and immediately taking up arms once more. 

Veronica quickly executed two more cultists who ran towards the house, watching for the reinforcements that would surely be coming. One of them jumped the opposite railing and ran towards her. V used the butt of her gun to slam into his face and send him falling to the ground before taking care of him. 

Nick flew overhead expertly, firing the machine gun rapidly and sending a few peggies flying as he strafed them. The shining yellow of the aircraft looked almost cheerful as it evened the playing field. “Veronica, they’re attacking my airfield, I need you on the ground over here!” Nick called over the radio.

“I sure am getting my steps in!” She called back jokingly as she did a quick glance to make sure no more peggies threatened the house. Ronnie ran down the porch steps and back up the road to the hangar, ducking in the side door. Through the open garage, at least four cultists hid behind cover. 

Reloading quickly, the deputy squatted behind a large crate and looked over it, sending ammo flying as she saw a man switching cover. She shot him down, and then his friend whose head was lifted too high. The final two converged on her, but she took care of them in no time.

Two more off-white trucks pulled up the strip, both with a mounted gun. “Don’t get too close, I’m gonna drop a bomb on these guys!” Nick shouted to her, the radio crackling. The seaplane flew overhead, releasing deadly cargo upon the vehicles as they both fired rapidly towards the hangar. The bomb whistled through the air and fell with a thundering crack, both trucks lost in a molten blaze. 

When no more cultists converged on them, Nick radioed once more, “Alright! I think we’re in the clear then! I’m comin’ down… do you think maybe  you could help us with our luggage?” 

“Only if you’re sure you’re leaving!” V begrudged, knowing the aviator didn’t truly want to leave. 

The plane rolled down the airstrip, coming to a stop in front of the hangar once more. Nick hopped out and gave the woman a winning smile. “We make a pretty good team!” He applauded. 

Ronnie returned his grin, walking by his side back to the house. “That’s for damn sure, peggies beware.” She chuckled, the heat of battle slowly ebbing away from her. 

Minutes later- Nick was grabbing suitcases and setting them outside as Veronica lingered in the doorway. “Let’s go!” He said to his wife while setting down another small bag. 

“No!” Kim exclaimed, her back against the wall of the living room as she watched him work. 

Walking back into the house- Nick reached for another round of luggage while sighing, “Kim, you don’t understand…” 

Kim threw her hands up, exasperated, “Don’t understand what? That they’re stealing our land, kidnapping our friends, and doing god knows what else?” She followed her husband as he handed Veronica a large yellow suitcase, and immediately took it from the deputy’s hands. 

The blonde regarded her with some worry, as the black-haired beauty looked as though she was about to pop out of the plain white v neck she wore. Her swollen belly indicted that baby Rye would be along very shortly. 

Nick only sighed as Kim set the briefcase down and she went to him. “Nick, your grandfather built this place. You really wanna turn your back on that?” Once again, he didn’t reply and went to grab another bag. The woman stepped in front of him, her hands held up to stop him. She looked pleadingly into his eyes, “And what about all the times you talked about handing off the business to our daughter?”  She asked. 

Looking away, he murmured “Well I’ve talked about handing the business off to our son..” 

“You’ve seen the ultrasound, you know it’s a girl.” Kim sounded like she was reiterating something she’d said many times.

With a shrug Nick nervously said, “That’s a fuzzy black and white TV screen, I mean those things aren’t reliable!” Looking for some support, he nodded to Veronica, who wished she was anywhere else as the couple bickered. 

“Nick.” The one word was cautionary, and Kim stared at the man as he shifted uncomfortably. A moment later, he put a hand on her arm and she chuckled quietly.

He sighed, saying “I love you.” and pulling her closer. 

A beaming smile plain on her features, Kim said, “Me too.” 

The couple held one another for a moment with an air of content, before Nick turned towards Veronica. “Well V, looks like the Rye family is digging in.” As he spoke he walked out the open front door to retrieve the luggage he’d already set outside. “And hey, if you ever need any air support, just give me a holler. You and me, we’ll be like Butch and Sundance.” He asserted while setting the luggage back in the house.

A grateful smile was returned as V replied, “I think that’s a little before my time, but I catch your drift.”

There was a pause and Kim said, “Nick.. they both died at the end.” Which he rebuked. Shaking her head, the woman turned to Ronnie with a spark of worry in her eyes as she asked, “Please take care of him.”

Veronica smiled and nodded, saying “I’ll keep him outta trouble.”

Setting down the last bag, Nick chimed in- “Or into it!” 

Striding back towards the door, V laughed, “That remains to be seen! Hey, could I trouble you for a ride back to the Seed Ranch? I think I’m gonna crash there tonight, I told Boomer I’d be back.” 

Nick glanced at Kim for approval, and she nodded with a smile. “I think I can do that deputy!” He gave her a thumbs up before kissing Kim on the forehead and walking to the door. 

The pair made their way back to the airfield and into the plane, Veronica squeezing into the back. “Man, these things are not made for comfort.” She complained and adjusted a few times, unable to relax into the stiff seat. 

Shuddering to life, the plan rolled down the strip and quickly gained speed. Nick expertly guided the craft into the air and they were away. Trees and fields blurred beneath them as they picked up speed. 

“Kim seems nice!” Veronica shouted to him over the sound of the engine. 

Turning back an increment, Nick nodded “Yeah she’s a sweetheart, I can’t wait to spend the rest of my life with her.” It brought a smile to V’s face to see the love these two shared, and she hoped to one day find something like it. Though, she never thought too deeply on it; part of her believed it wasn’t a possibility. 

The long stretch of grass that led to the ranch was soon in sight, and Nick lined the plane up with the cones along the stretch. He landed the plane smoothly, and Ronnie could barely feel them come to a stop. “You’re a real pro! My landing was not nearly as easy.” The woman chuckled recalling the extremely bumpy touchdown she’d made today. 

Nick jumped out of the plane, allowing V some room to struggle out of the back. “I’d better be decent, I’ve been doin’ it long enough!” He held out his hand to her and they shook hands firmly. “Thank you, Veronica. For everything.” The pilot gave her a small, sincere smile before climbing back into the craft. 

“No problem, I’ll be seeing you soon! I’m gonna need those aerial skills of yours!” The blonde waved him off as the plane turned around and ascended once more. 

Once Nick was out of sight Ronnie crossed the runway and passed the hangar, making her way to the ranch. In front, two Resistance members stood together with their guns hanging around them. They chatted casually, but hushed and straightened up as the deputy approached. “You boys got here quick!” She called to them, trying to set a casual tone. 

The men nodded to her and one responded, “Yes ma’am, Jerome got word from Nick and set us on down. You’re doing a great job, deputy.” As he spoke, his friend nodded in agreeance. 

At their straight stance and decorum, V felt the urge to tell them ‘At ease’, but resisted. “Well, I’m gonna crash here tonight. I’ll be upstairs, you guys can just hang.” She insisted. 

They nodded bashfully and stepped around her, walking down to the front of the property as Veronica stepped inside. 

For the second time that day, the blonde made her way through the ranch. She smiled at seeing Boomer curled up on the black couch, sleeping soundly. Deciding against petting and waking him, she wandered upstairs. 

‘Now where’s the bedroom…’ Veronica wondered and stepped through a door on the stair landing. The door led to a balcony which granted access to two more rooms. The first appeared to be a study as she peered through the windows, and she moved onto the second room. 

Stepping through the double doors, V closed and then leaned against them with a deep sigh, closing her eyes and feeling all the tension of the day leave her. “Finally alone…” She murmured, reveling in the silence. 

“Not quite.” A voice startled her and she jumped, turning to the other end of the room and the source of the voice. The large bedroom was home to a stately king-sized bed sitting in the corner, and sitting on the end of the bed was John Seed. 

Ronnie’s blood ran cold and her breath quicked at the sight of the last person she wanted to see. “Wh- what are you-?”

Before she could finish her question, he cut her off and met her eyes, deep emotion filling them, “Did you really think I couldn’t get back into my own ranch? That I would just take this lying down?”  As he spoke he stood from the bed and stepped closer to her. 

Though she wanted to run back out the door, Veronica couldn’t move and her mouth had run as dry as the Sonoran desert. Thoughts raced through her head, and she didn’t know what to do. 

When she said nothing, John came closer. “Well?” He probed, a thin line of anger in that one word. 

She moved away from the door, not taking her eyes off him. “I don’t know.” She replied lamely. 

The brunet stared at her a moment, the anger in his eyes replaced by another emotion V couldn’t identify. It felt like hours before he asked what he truly came here to learn, “Why didn’t you kill me, deputy?” 

Veronica looked at him, her brow furrowed and unease clear in her eyes as she recalled their struggle. Pursing her lips, she could think of no answer to satisfy him. She barely knew for herself why she couldn’t go through with it. 

When she said nothing, he continued. “I’ve taken your friends captive, I’ve stolen from those you swear to help, I’m the enemy. Why am I still standing here now?” 

The blonde could no longer meet his eyes and she looked away with a sigh, preferring to stay mute. 

Without warning, the Baptist charged forward and grasped her shoulders, shaking her once and holding her in place. Surprise was clear on her features as he shouted angrily, “I asked you why, dammit!” 

Answering before thinking- Veronica shouted back “I felt your fucking heart!” John looked almost stunned, all the rage draining from his face. “I felt your heart beating in your chest and I looked into your eyes and I couldn’t fucking do it. Is that what you wanted to hear you fucking creep? Are you happy now?” Her wrath boiled under her skin as she relived the moment of weakness.

Silence fell as the pair regarded one another, tension hanging heavily in the air. John’s large tattooed hands still held Ronnie’s shoulders, keeping her in place. She glared up at him with anger clear in her eyes, unsure what to do. 

Closing the gap in only a second, John pulled her close and their lips met as he stole a kiss. It lasted only a second, and Veronica pulled away from him abruptly. The rage in her eyes was diminishing and uncertainty flickered there. John released her shoulders and simply looked at her, his expression unreadable. 

Fully embracing her innermost desires, V threw her arms around the man’s neck and their lips clashed feverishly. John’s arms wrapped around her and the pair were a frenzy of lips and tongues. 

The pair walked backwards step by step, and John’s hands wandered to the hem of her shirt. He lifted it slowly and Veronica broke their embrace to raise her arms so he could strip her. They met again with the same passion and the deputy frantically started undoing the buttons on his shift before pulling it off and discarding it carelessly. 

As they kissed her hands ran over his now bare chest, wanting to feel every inch of him. John bit her lip, causing her to gasp. Veronica put her arms around his neck once more and pulled herself up, wrapping her legs around his waist. His hands assisted, lifting and gripping her roughly. 

Several moments later the pair had made their way to the bed, falling into the silken sheets. Their quiet moans melded as they embraced, and V put a hand on his chest before sitting up, her legs straddling him. Halfway breathless, she asked “Is this a good idea..?” And worry crept into her gaze. 

“Not at all.” John replied before capturing her lips once more. He wrapped an arm around her, holding her close as he rolled them over. Now on top of Veronica, he reached down and pulled off his belt as she fiddled with the button on her jeans.