(Sam's POV)
I finally managed to talk Ezekiel into letting my team go back out where we had been attacked. I made Zed stay behind, he insisted that he needed to come with us. He is useless; his wheelchair will slow us down.
We are approaching the spot. Andromeda's guts decaying on the ground. The tree is stained with blood.
"Alright guys, you know the drill." We are not supposed to split up but I feel that we can cover more ground that way. "Stay in eyesight of at least one person. Any movement you hide."
We begin searching. I can still faintly hear the ringing in my ear, I am closest to the sight. I can see where I got up when I was blasted, I slid several feet. I am looking for a sign that Jax could still be alive. He had to have been on the other side of the bomb. I start searching.
I see something shiny hidden in the dirt. I crouch down, it's a knife. A j is etched into the side of it.
"Guys!" I yell. "I found something." This must be where he landed when the blast hit him. His knife had a blood stain on it too.
The team gets over to me, I show them the knife.
"They should have sent us back, to begin with," Jasper says. "After all, we knew exactly where it happened. The girl I killed is gone, they may have taken him hostage."
"I believe you are correct," I agree. "He must have still been alive when they got to him, they did leave Andromeda, but she was dead anyway you look at it."
"So where is their base?" Zero asks looking at Jasper. "You used to be one of them."
"So did you."
"Guys, there is no time for arguing he may still be alive."
"It's that way." Jasper points.
"So," Jo says. "Do we go now? Or do we go back and say what we found."
"There are a lot of them," Jasper says. "It's the biggest village. We can go alone, but that ensures a high possibility that we will be killed on spot."
"But if we bring a large amount of people they we see is coming from a distance," Zero adds in.
They all have fair points. "Guys, they probably already know we are looking. No matter what size group we take we are bound to end up fighting them."
"So what do we do then?"
"Jax is a good guy," I say. "I think we should go now. If we have a lead, then we should go sooner than later."
"Okay," everyone says in unison. We head off towards this so called village. Jasper is the leader; he seems so naturally at home.
"We've been walking for hours," Zero complains. "I swear we have walked passed that tree ten million times." He stops and sits on a nearby log. "I need a break."
"We should. We need to preserve as much energy as possible." Jasper nods his head then the rest of us sit down to take a break. We eat our lunches in complete silence, listening for any sounds. We are on our toes, it feels like before, but this area is not in the map where we patrol.
"Zero if it makes you feel any better, we are almost there. These woods make you feel like your walking in circles, but don't worry, I'm a great navigator I know them like the back of my hand," Jasper insures. "In a couple yards we should be able to hear the village."
"It's too easy." Jo says. "If we really are that close and haven't been attacked… do you think we could be walking into a trap?"
"The scouts will definitely know we are here and they will know me. We've butted heads a couple times after I abandoned them."
"So we are waking into a trap," Jo whispers.
"More than likely," I say. I knew from the beginning they would be watching us. I also know they let us go when we ran, I didn't tell the others though. Jo looks like she is about to freak out.
"Jo," I say. "Come with me for a second." I give Jasper the look he nods. I walk earshot distance away from the group with Jo.
"We almost died last time we were here."
"I know Jo, but…" I hesitate. "They let us go. We survived last time because they let us go. We weren't followed back to base."
"What if we aren't that lucky this time."
"I have hope to believe…" I clench the handle of Jax's knife. "That they will come to us. I have no intention of fighting them. I want to talk." I look at her in the eyes. "If we die, well, we die. If we make it out of this then you can hate me all you want."
"I don't hate you. I'm just scared."
"And scared you should be," a voice comes from in the trees. "I've been watching you, smart to stay in groups. You want to talk, let's talk."
"Show yourself first."
"Naw, I think I'll stay here. Leave now and we won't kill you. Surrender and well… I'll think about it." Jasper and the others run up to us.
"You guys alright, I heard something."
"Your ears are still sharp brother."
"Erin?" Jasper says looking up into a tree.
"You brought them here, you really are a traitor."
"Where's Jax?"
"You mean the man we took? We have him; we are going to kill him. You killed our sister Luna."
"She attacked me, I had no choice."
"Why did you let us get away?" I ask.
"We got a survivor. I was amused that you all escaped the bomb. Well… most of you. That one girl slammed into the tree."
"Quit taunting us." Jasper yells.
Erin ignores Jasper. "You should have let the idiot die. Until him we couldn't pinpoint your location." The man jumps down from the tree. "I'll make you a deal, leave, tell your people to surrender to us or die."
"Fine. Guys go get your stuff." I say. "We are leaving."
"Smart choice." Erin says. He is standing tall and acting cocky. "I like you, you might get these people to survive."
We pack our stuff and leave. It is a long hike back to the fourwheelers. No one says anything.
"You are late!" Ezekiel says angrily. "Did you at least find any leads."
No one says anything. I take the knife out of my pocket and toss it at him. "You should have sent us out there a long time ago."
"So you did find a lead?" We ignore him and walk passed. Once we reach our room all hell breaks loose.
"What the actual fuck?! We were almost there."
"We didn't stand a chance. At least we know that Jax is alive. They gave us a second chance to live. I'm not going to let you die on my watch."
"Jax is still out there alone."
"He will be fine. If Erin was telling the truth then father wanted him there."
"He called you his brother. What the hell does that mean?"
"He also called him a traitor."
We argue the whole night. I lock the door so that no one can enter and see us like this. All the arguing makes my head hurt.
"Just shut up." I finally yell. I grab my pjs and head to the shower. "When I come back in here you all better be getting along or sleeping. If not I am going to make you ALL run laps around the pond bright and early." I slam the bathroom door shut. That is over the top but I am finally sick of it. I made my choice, they need to get over it.
I turn on the water, and get im. The hot water steams up the glass. I take my time, trying to relax. It is almost dinner time.