They drove up on what looked like an old hunting lodge just south of the Tennessee/Kentucky border. AJ surveyed the area for opportunities to escape. He could see a few armed guards around the building and hiding in the shrubbery on the edge of the grounds. From what he could see, this group was not as organized as some others he and Brian had encountered but they were still heavily armed and what was this? As they pulled to a stop AJ saw a couple children run by being chased by an elderly woman. This was not just some militia, this was a compound of families. This was a first for them. AJ locked eyes with Brian and saw that his companion had made the same observations.

 

The back of the truck bed was lowered and guns were once again pointed at the two men, urging them out of the vehicle and into the lodge.

 

“Welcome to our home boys. There are plenty of rooms in this place. It’s pretty big and there aren’t too many of us. Y’all can have your own room but I warn ya. Don’t think about sneakin’ off at night. I’m willing to be fair if y’all co-operate with us,” Grizzly Number 1 warned with a wave of his gun.

 

Brian met the man with a stare, showing his understanding and also that he was not intimidated. “Sir, we don’t want any trouble, as I said before. I am wondering though if I might have a word with you about what you’re wanting us to do for you Mr. uh…”

 

“You can call me Daryl.  And that would be fine. How about you step in here while my son takes your friend to find a room for you two.

 

AJ and Brian exchanged a brief look that communicated many things. The two had gotten good at silent conversations over the years and especially in the last few months. Right now AJ was pleading with Brian not to leave him alone while Brian was once again asking AJ to trust him. Finally they sighed in agreement and went their separate ways.

 

AJ really hoped that Brian knew what he was doing because he was getting a very bad feeling about the whole thing. He stood a bit longer, watching as Brian went into what used to be the lodge manager’s office, followed by Daryl and two other men. No one ever took any chances, even with someone who looked as non-threatening as Brian.

 

“C’mon stranger let’s get you a room,” said the boy next him, clapping him on the shoulder and turning him towards the living quarters. He looked no older than eighteen. He had a bit of stubble on his face but it was on a smooth face and AJ guessed the kid probably had not shaved since this all started and grew as much hair as AJ would grow in two days. AJ smiled a little thinking about when Nick and Brian had been like that; going weeks without shaving.

 

“So what’s your story?”

 

AJ thought for a second, recalling old improv skills as well as the subtle nuances of Brian’s accent. He loved that accent so much, was one of his most attractive qualities but surprisingly hard to imitate properly.

 

AJ gave a smirk. “It’s a long one kid,” he drawled flawlessly. God bless that little southern man.

 

*                                                          *                                                          *

 

 

Flashback “Escape From Chicago”

 

“Ya know, I am really starting to hate Chicago,” Nick whined, again, for the fourth time just that day.

 

“We know Nick. We all do, but what the hell are we supposed to do about it?” AJ snapped back in irritation. They had been living in this hotel suite together for two months now and while they were used to spending months together at a time they usually did not have to be in each other’s company the whole time and it was starting to grate on them.

 

“I don’t know!” Nick waved his arms emphatically, “Something! Anything! Jesus it has been months. This seems like one of those things we should be able to buy our way out of at least. Bribe the military into letting us out of the country.”

 

“You know we can’t do that,” Howie reasoned, “If we give them an indication that we are trying to flee the country they’ll turn us in for treason. They already took our passports and all our bank information.”

 

“Then why don’t we join one of these uprisings! At least try to fight.” Nick shouted.

 

AJ stood up quickly and punched the younger man in the arm. “Will you keep it down! People are listening. This is not a movie Nick, this is real fucking life and if you don’t shut the fuck up you’re going to get us all killed!”

 

Nick silently huffed for a second, trying to calm down his temper. “I’m sorry AJ,” he said after a second. “I’m just tired of sitting around and waiting to see what happens next. Hell I am terrified of just being in this building with all the bombing. I just have a really bad feeling that something big is going to happen.”

 

“I feel it too,” Brian spoke up from his spot by the window, clutching the cross around his neck and rubbing his thumb over it nervously, as he had been known to do all the time lately. “I’ve been praying about what to do and God has laid it on my heart that we need to leave soon. I don’t care what you guys think!” He added passionately as he saw the guys roll their eyes with a groan, “I know what I feel and obviously Nick feels it too. But not just that, people have been talking and it sounds like there are some groups getting ready to revolt soon.”

 

That had Howie and AJ’s attention. Out of all of them Brian was the best at striking up conversations with strangers. He was known to talk to interviewers like they were his best friend. He had an easy going, sincere nature about him that had anyone trusting him with their deepest secrets. It was one of the things AJ had fallen in love with from the beginning. If this was what Brian was hearing then they needed to take it seriously.

 

AJ walked over and laced his fingers with Brian’s. He brought their hands to his lips and gently kissed the one with the gnawed finger tips. “I’m sorry, babe. You’re right,” AJ said. A smile lit Brian’s face for a moment and he turned to look into those chocolate eyes he just could not stay mad at.

 

“Okay I get,” Nick interrupted with a playful smirk. “So all I have to do is fuck you and then you’ll listen to me.” 

 

“Excuse me Love but I believe this band needs only one blonde,” AJ said before running after Nick who screeched and jumped around furniture to escape. Brian laughed and looked at Howie, who shook his head in amusement. It was moments like these that gave Brian courage and renewed his faith. Things could not be too bad if they could still laugh.

 

Brian was so wrapped up in watching his companions wrestle around that he thought he was seeing things when the first flash happened. But then he heard the rumble that followed. His smile fell as he looked out the window and saw the smoke and fire coming from a few blocks away. Then suddenly from the opposite direction he saw a whole side of a building burst open spraying concrete like water from a dam.

 

“Jesus,” Nick said as all the guys came to look at the commotion below.

 

“We need to get out of here now,” Howie added. “There could already be explosives in the hotel.”

 

No one needed to be told twice. Each guy had packed an emergency “quick get-a-way” pack and were now throwing them over their shoulders and running out the door.

 

They were not the only ones who saw what was happening outside. Several other guests from their floor were running towards the elevators and stairwells. They watched as the Pearson family, a husband and wife and two boys, who they had gotten to know over the months, run towards the exits with everyone else. They went to run past the elevators when everyone felt a jolt and rumble, stopping everyone in their tracks, quiet in anticipation. Maybe it had been one of the lower floors?

 

Everything after that was like a flash, a strange disconnected dream to Brian and AJ. They remembered looking down the hall and seeing a ball of fire throw all four Pearsons through the opposite wall. They heard screaming and the shattering of glass with it. As they were knocked to the floor half of the hotel in front of them burst open and flames engulfed the hallway.

 

The boys hesitated only a moment before scrambling to follow the rest of the remaining survivors the opposite stairwell. None of the boys could remember ever running so fast and they had been chased by crowds of thousands where their lives had also been in danger. Their race down the stairwell was a blur as was their scramble down the street, avoiding military and revolutionary gunfire. They ran and climbed and bolted and dodged and thanked God for the stamina performing gave them.

 

AJ remembered briefly thinking about all the movies he had seen that took place in war zones and could not quite believe he was in one now. But all other thoughts were given over to survival instincts and keeping a firm grasp on Brian’s hand.

 

It was not until they reached the city’s edge that any of them noticed Nick was no longer with them. “What happened?” AJ asked the others.

 

“I thought he was with us. Oh God he was right there!” Howie cried.

 

“We have to find him,” Brian added, “We can’t just leave him.”

 

“We can’t do that Brian. I hate to say it but he could be dead and I can’t risk us not getting out of the city on that chance,” AJ tried to reason through his own breaking heart.

 

Tears of anguish streamed down Brian’s cheeks. “Oh God, Nicky! No, God!”

 

All three boys embraced and said a prayer for their younger brother, that if he was alive he was safe, and if he was dead that it was quick and painless.

 

“So what’s the plan gentlemen?” Howie broke the silence, trying to push through the grief and stay focused.

 

Brian wiped a tear from his eye before responding, “We’re heading for the city edge. I’ve seen a lot more military as we’ve been running through the city so that means there are holes on the outer defenses. We just have to find them and slip through before someone notices.”

 

“Oh is that all? Should be easy enough,” AJ responded sarcastically with a roll of his eyes.

 

“I didn’t say it’d be easy AJ!” Brian’s eyes flashed with anger. “If you have another plan then please speak up.”

 

“I don’t but you act like this is going to be the easiest thing in the world.  ‘Oh no big deal, we’ll just mosey on over the edge of Chicago and-”

 

“Shut up! I didn’t say it like that. I know it’s going to be hard-”

 

“Guys! Would you two cut the lover’s spat so we can think of how we’re going to do this,” Howie interrupted. He took a deep breath before speaking to the angry eyes flashing at him, “look, you guys are just on edge and you’re saying hurtful things to one another. We just…we just lost Nicky…” He paused to suck down a sob, “And if we all want to get out of here we have to work together.”

 

AJ and Brian said nothing but instead embraced one another and kissed gently before huddling up with Howie to get their mind’s focused on what they were about to do.

 

When they reached the city’s edge they were disappointed to see more military troops in place than they would have liked and barricades as well.

 

“Well now what?” AJ asked, slumping to the ground in the ally way.

 

Brian peeked out and surveyed the area as best he could. “We’ll just have to keep looking for a weak spot. Maybe somewhere not as close to a major highway.”

 

“Wait, do you guys hear that?” Howie asked. And they did. It sounded like gun fire, coming closer. AJ got up from the ground and peaked around the corner like Brian.

 

“Look,” AJ said. “A lot of the troops are moving. We may have a battle on our hands.”

 

“And a way out,” Brian added, pointing to a gap. He looked around again trying to see how they could get there and over the barricade without being noticed. Soldiers continued to make their way down the street towards the growing noise but Brian did not underestimate the chance of their being snipers to take out people trying to escape.

 

“Military Men!” A loud voice through a bullhorn spoke. “Your president is dead as is your senators. The United States is no more! Lay down your arms and let this be done!”

 

Brian looked for the source of the voice but could see nothing. It did not seem to deter the soldiers from their duty though. It was likely that the military would not dissolve as quickly as the government, if what the voice said was indeed true. The military was going to try and gain control and rebuild.

 

“What’s going on?” Howie asked quietly, staying back behind his band mate.

 

“I don’t know but it doesn’t sound good. Someone is challenging the military and it sounds I have a feeling it is going to be ugly.

 

No sooner had Brian said this than the shooting and yelling got louder until it was right in front of them on the street. Brian quickly pulled back into the ally way crouching behind a trash compactor.

 

“Shit! Now what are we going to do!” AJ yelled over the battle noises.

 

“There should be enough distraction that we can sneak out,” Howie responded.

 

“What are you crazy? We’ll get killed out there!”

 

“Well we can’t stay here!”

 

“We don’t even have guns to protect us if someone does come after us.”

 

“They’re too busy fighting one another to notice us. We’ll just run through and pray that we don’t get hit in the crossfire,” Brian cut in.

 

AJ looked at both his companions as if they had lost their minds. “I don’t like this. Not one bit.”

 

“If we stay here our chances of getting killed are even greater. We have no way out except forward and if we wait until later one of these groups is going to have control of the borders and we’ll be stuck again,” Howie reasoned.

 

“Please Alex. We have to do this. We’ll stick close, never leave each other’s sides,” Brian pleaded before placing a kiss on AJ’s lips, which he accepted eagerly. Might as well get a good one in just in case it was their last.

 

They all looked at each other and took a deep breath in preparation and before they knew it they were out in the fray. Avoiding gun shots, pushing away falling bodies and scuffle that came their way. It felt like it miles to the barricade. A few times one or all of them got knocked to the ground. At one point Brian found an abandoned tire iron and had to bat a guy off of AJ.

 

When they finally reached the barricade they were thankful that no one was paying attention to them. Brian was the first to climb up, having the stronger upper body, easily pulling himself up and balancing himself on top so he could help pull AJ up.

 

When AJ was over the other side Brian reached for Howie. He hesitated a moment when he saw some revolutionaries heading their way, military close behind. As Brian pulled everything seemed to go into a vortex. Suddenly shots rang out from seemingly everywhere and then Howie became much heavier, as if he stopped trying to pull up. Brian did not understand why until he looked back down at his friend, head slumped forward, blood oozing out the back. Brian let go with a scream and fell back off the barricade in the process.

 

“Brian are you ok? Brian? Where is Howie?” AJ asked frantically, shaking the older man from his daze. AJ went to go hop back over the barricade when he felt a hand on his arm.

 

“No AJ! We have to keep going!” Brian said breaking his daze, finding strength in hi survival instincts. He could hear the battle getting closer and knew they needed to leave then or they’d be in trouble.

 

“What?! What about Howie?” AJ could feel panic coming on but did not yet want to acknowledge what he knew had happened. No not another one, not so soon.

 

“Howie’s gone, AJ. There’s nothing we can do. We have to go now!” Brian replied as he pulled AJ along with him. He did not mean to sound so cold about it but a part of him was still in shock and running on an autopilot focused solely on escape.

 

“No!” AJ screamed as he tried to pull away from Brian and go back. Not Howie and Nick, no, this could not be happening. “No! We can’t leave him. No, you’re wrong.”

 

Brian just continued to pull AJ along as though nothing had happened. Later they would grieve for their two fallen friends. Later he would find a way to erase the image of his brother, dead in his hands, but now Brian’s first priority was to get he and his love to safety. Brian would make sure the same fate would not befall the man he loved more than anyone in the world.