Weeks later, Kyle is looking down in guilt as Sarah walks into the room.
Sarah: Kyle.....Kyle....
Kyle raises his head.
Kyle: What?
Sarah: Are you okay?
Kyle: So much has happened....on the road....we've lost Joseph.....Jenny...and Marcus....and now....now we're about to lose Cassandra.....she's going to die because I dragged you all out here.
Sarah: Kyle....
Sarah sits down, taking Kyles' hand.
Kyle: She's one of my closest friends....and....I just....goddammit...I just wish there was more I could do to stop this pain for James....for myself....James....he doesn't deserve this pain....
Sarah: Kyle, stop.....we're going to save her.
Kyle scoffs.
Kyle: Do you believe that? Do you really believe that?
Sarah looks down, unable to think of answer. She instead rests her head on Kyle's shoulder. In their quarters, Cassandra is looking at a picture of a community house with James sitting by her side. Cassandra then coughs and looks at James. Cassandra's condition has worsened.
Cassandra: James...you know, when I found this photo of a community house, I just knew for some reason that we were going to there in the end....
Cassandra then looks at another photo, then gives a contemplating look.
Cassandra: All these stupid rivers, mountains, deserts....they just won't do. It's community, house or nothing!
Cassandra then grabs the edges of the table.
Cassandra: I thought we were going to make it.
Cassandra coughs, then James puts his hands around her shoulders, comforting her.
James: Hey....hey....it's going to be okay.
Cassandra laughs.
Cassandra: James....I will get there....and if I need some help, you're going to be there, aren't you?...You'll save me again?
James: I....
Tears form in James' eyes.
James: I don't know....
Cassandra: James, please....don't do this to yourself....it hurts so much to look in your eyes....you and everyone else, too....if this is my time...then it is.....I always wondered how it would be with this dangerous world we live in.....how I could be with my family again....my mom....my dad....Blake....Maya...
James: Cassandra....just....please....please....hold on....without you, I have nothing....I'm nothing....I know you're going to pull through this. You're going to be okay.....It's not just me, but all of us....you can't do this to us.....Please.....I can't live this world without you....Please...
Cassandra laughs.
Cassandra: Did you write that on a note?
Cassandra coughs, rapidly. Rachel, next door listening and in tears, stands up, grabbing Kayla.
Rachel: Kayla! Please! Get in there! I can't listen to this anymore! Please!
Kayla rushes into James' and Cassandra's quarters.
Kayla: James, you should go...I'll give her another shot.
Kayla tends to Cassandra as James steps out of the room, running into Rachel, who immediately hugs James.
Rachel: I don't want to lose her, either. Ever since you all came into my life, you guys have given me a real family....You are all I have.
Rachel cries in James' chest, as he comforts her.
James: Thanks, kid....
Moses clears his throat, getting James' attention as the two raise their heads and break the hug.
Moses: Sorry to ruin the moment, but....Margaret and Abigail just got done studying Boston....
James: And?
Moses: There's some shit we need to talk about....
James turns to Rachel.
James: Stay with her by her side, okay?
Rachel shakes her head, confidently.
Rachel: I'll stay with her. Whatever she needs. She's not going to die.
Moses: I will, too. You have my word.
James sighs, before walking with Chris.
Chris: Yo! Everyone! Leave your work for a moment! Come to the bridge!
Rocky: Alright!
Chris knocks on Shawn's quarters as he is speaking with Savannah.
Chris: Yo, Shawn! Come to the bridge!
Shawn: All right, in a second!
Caleb is attempting to contact Elizabeth on the radio.
Caleb: Elizabeth! If you can hear this, it's Caleb! I hope you guys have made it! We're still on the road.....
James and Chris finally reach the bridge just as Kyle, Abigail, Margaret and James are discussing Boston. Sarah is also present. Abigail raises her head to James.
Abigail: Hey, James....
James: Hey....
Kyle: How is she?
James: She's.....holding. Kayla, Rachel, and Moses are with her now.
Chris: Alright...
Chris turns to James.
Chris: Take a seat, brother. This conversation isn't going to be so well....
James sits in the chair just as Shawn, Rocky and Caleb walks into the conversation.
Margaret: We have news...and it's bad....
Shawn: We haven't had any other good news in a long time, so no shit...
James: Just tell us.
Margaret sighs, pointing at the map of Boston.
Margaret: Okay...this shot of Boston, it's not a simple error....
Shawn: What's up with it?
Margaret: Rumor has it; your former boss, Ryder, bombed the shit out of Boston. Irradiated zones are highlighted as shades of red while purple highlight indicate errors. Today, though, I found some small print....Thing is, radiation levels way outside of normal operational range of the scanner are also marked as errors....Long story short; the radiation there may as well be completely off the scale....like completely high.
Caleb: Jesus Christ....
Sarah: What the fuck did they drop there?
Kyle: The God's Fist.....that's the only weapon that was capable of causing such radiation.
Margaret: These shots are thirty-three years old...the radiation can't be quite as high now, but still....the locals call Boston; Rad-city. The most radioactive city on Earth. Lethally radioactive.
The survivors look at each other, with horrified looks.
Shawn: So, what are we going to do?
Kyle sighs.
James: I'll tell you what we do....I'll go.
The survivors protest upon hearing this.
Rocky: Absolutely not!
Cassandra: No fucking way are we letting you do this by yourself!
Caleb: Not cool, dude!
Shawn: Kyle, please!
Chris: That's bullshit!
James: Shut up...shut up...shut the fuck up and listen to me! All of you!
The group falls silent.
James: She is my wife. I got us into that goddamned bunker. My dream. I dragged us out of Washington D.C.....
Kyle: James, you should not be doing this one your own. Someone needs to go with you. I'm the leader here.
James: But it's not your wife that's with the affliction.
Kyle: But Cassandra is family....and we don't let anyone do things by themselves. So I'm going with you.
Sarah: Kyle....
Kyle: I have to, Sarah. He can't go into that city not knowing what to expect.
Shawn: We're all family! We look out for each other, and we should all act accordingly! We should all go...
Kyle: This is not a discussion! This isn't a survivor mission, it is a personal errand, my responsibility as group leader and his alone! We don't need any help.
Abigail: Maybe....but...Kyle, James, you don't know what you're heading into. I do....When I was with the Reapers, I did a recon mission in Boston....I stayed there for over eight months. I know the area like the back of my hand.....Let me go with you.
Kyle sighs, before turns to James, nodding.
Abigail: It's best if you know where you're going.
Margaret touches Abigail's shoulder.
Margaret: Abigail.....
Abigail: It's best for him for someone who's been to the area.
Kyle: Fine, Abigail. You...and just you.
Margaret: But you two don't exactly know the location of the medicine; it might be in the city center, or in one of the Kronos labs posted there.
Kyle: So, Cassandra's life might end up in your hands, too! Plus, winter is coming and we can't risk getting the Myrmidon stuck in snow.
James: Well, there's a huge railway technology museum at the city outskirts. We should almost certainly find a snow plow for the Myrmidon there.
Kyle: So; here's the plan. While James, Abigail and I go look for the drug in the city center, your mission is to search the Kronos labs and prepare the Myrmidon for the winter! So, get ready!
The survivors disperse.
James: It's best if we do constant radiation level monitoring outside.
Kyle: Let's put that into effect, immediately, then.
Abigail: I'll go first.....since I'm going with you.
Abigail steps outside to the front of the train, while Kyle and Margaret look over the map.
Kyle: Lethal radiation levels there are actually good news for us....
Margaret: You mean, there's nobody left to raid the drugstores and hospitals?
Kyle: Exactly....unlike the towns and hospitals....
Margaret sighs.
Kyle: I know....
Margaret: Marcus would've wanted to go with you, you know? It shouldn't be James and Abigail. It should be me.
Kyle pats Margaret's shoulder.
Kyle: Go on. I'll look over this.
Margaret nods in understanding, before walking out to the front of the train as Abigail monitors the radiation.
Abigail: Come to join me or wish me luck? Or hug me?
Margaret: Abigail....
Abigail: I know what you're going to say....but Cassandra is my people. You're my people. I have to do this.
Margaret: You're speaking as if you're ready to die.
Abigail: I'm not....but we don't know how this trip is gonna go.
Margaret sighs.
Abigail: This could be a step to something, Margaret....a step to a better life.....something for us.
At the bridge, Rocky approaches Kyle.
Rocky: Hey, Kyle.....so, I wanted to give you an update; I've assembled two suits to protect you from the radiation.
Kyle: Will they help?
Rocky: The masks and the suits will protect you from the dust, but even the direct radiation there is so high, it could....
Kyle: Can you add anymore protection?
Rocky: Sure, James does have some lead sheets, but the suits are very bulky and heavy as it is....you and Abigail....you won't have much time...a couple of hours.
Kyle: Better than nothing. We'll make do.
Rocky: Alright. I'll put some armor on the car, too.....try to stay inside it for as long as possible.
In her quarters, Cassandra's attack ceases as Kayla steps out. Rachel taking Cassandra's hand as she rests.
Moses: She must mean a lot to you.
Rachel looks up at Moses.
Rachel: You have no idea.
Rachel sighs.
Rachel: Cassandra....please be okay. Please. I look up to you so much.....Please. I can't lose anyone else that I care about....I really got attached to you over this past year. You and James.....just please live.....please....there's so much that I want to say to you.
Out in the hangout area, Kayla sits down with Caleb.
Caleb: Hey, Kayla....
Kayla: Hey, Caleb...
Caleb: How's Cassandra?
Kayla: Resting...Rachel and Moses are with her now.
Caleb: Good. We're lucky to have you. Your parents would be proud.
Kayla: Thank you, Caleb....I hoped I could help....but Cassandra's case seems to be....extremely unfortunate....That gas, on the bayou, lost of its punch already....but it was the start of a destructive process...of course, the hopes I had for that valley and its air was a longshot...but even the valley in the end....
Caleb: Yes....Air, water and the forest....it's all there...but with that dam breaking, not for long....A damn shame, the people are actually quite good, we'd find some common ground....
Kayla: How bad is the dam?
Caleb: Very bad....but even if it could hold out for years more, a third of the valley is already polluted with radiation...the goddamn fallout was accumulating at the bottom of that reservoir for years and years, and now it's seeping through. Yet, if the dam breaks....those people are going to die. I really hope she...they! Listened!
Kayla looks down at the floor, then back at Caleb.
Kayla: Do you love her, Caleb?
Caleb sighs.
Caleb: Yes....
Kayla: If it's fate, you'll see her again. Definitely....Well, I'll go check up on Cassandra.
Shawn is smoking a cigarette as Rocky joins him.
Rocky: Company?
Shawn: By all means.....
Rocky looks out into the distance, before he speaks.
Rocky: I never told this story, before....but I'd like you to listen, Shawn...
Shawn: Is this another perverted story that's supposed to help me?
Rocky: Believe it or not; it's a authentic story. You see, I had revolver....a fail-proof fucker, that had failed me once...it was still a great gun, powerful, punched through any wasteland armor you could still move in...but it only carried five bullets....and it still proved not enough....I came upon some bandits that trying to kill a family. Usual sick fucks that wanted to rob, rape and kill this family....and I couldn't stand by and let that slide....So, I lost my shit....and got all of them, save for one cockface who got me hard. By the time A.O.W arrived, I was half dead, though they were angels....
Shawn: Dude, is there a point to this?
Rocky: Anyhow, here's why I'm saying this....there's more of us now, than I had bullets then....but I'm sure we can take whatever the world throws at us; and we'll win!
Shawn nods, motivated. Meanwhile, James and Chris are having a conversation.
James: Still, I can't help worrying...it's such a huge risk-a lot of people have died from radiation exposure....but none of the other cities had radiation levels we're going to face....
Chris: Ah, if it's anything I've noticed about you people; you know them well enough...Tell me about that museum, when did you learn about it?
James: I had a uncle, who was a hunter and a railroad fan, even in the working subways...He talked about some experimental facility in California, where they tested all kinds of railroad shit....Lots of engines and cars ended up there, so the people decided to make a museum, but found a great spot in Boston.
Chris: Wow! It's not that close, I'd say!
James: Yeah, not all that close...but the people got everything there, including the most curious engines from all over the country, and a few years before the world ended.
Chris: And you're sure there's a snowplow?
James: I know it, because they transported it from Antarctica....it's a great specimen, you'll like it for sure!