Fear the Walking Dead - Season 5 Rewrite - Episode 05

Click here for Episode 04

Episode 5 – Bend Your Back

Plot: The group encounters a mysterious faction with more resources than they can imagine. But what do they want and what will they do with the group?

Synopsis:

We begin this episode with Madison, Alicia, Farah, Daniel, and Tobias in the back of the Humvee. All of them are handcuffed and with a soldier pointing their rifle at them. They remain quiet, only looking out around them at the barren land. Some greenery begins to show itself more often as they go east, but barely any compared to the dry land around them. A few infected will be seen wandering about, but all of them are ignored or run over as the convoy keeps moving east. There will be a sign that they pass that says, “Welcome to Bloomfield,” and soon after that Alicia spots something in the distance: A watchtower. Soon the walls of a large settlement can seen and Alicia gets the other’s attention. Tobias is most scared of the five, whispering that this is more than he thought it could be. We’ll get an aerial view of the convoy as the gates open up and they’re all let in.

Once all the vehicles park themselves, all five of our group and pushed out and lined up. All five look about and see many houses about, along with soldiers, vehicles, guns, and civilians. A true military base, far more sophisticated than the shabby ones at the start of the apocalypse. Their gazing is interrupted by a few shoves in the back, telling them to get moving. As they’re walked off to a large building in the center of the base we get a large shot of the area before cutting to our intro.

As the small group is marched to the main building they look about more and are in awe of what they’re seeing. This place has everything they could need to survive, but their inspections also reveal that all is not well as they see a soldier berating a bedraggled pair of survivors. Soon enough they’re all at the main building and are brought inside to discover it is a headquarters of sorts. There’s radio rooms, a cafeteria, meeting room, offices, all that stuff. But all five of our group are thrown into a small holding area with guards outside the door. Alicia quietly sneaks up on the door and eavesdrops, hearing that these newcomers need processing.

Just as that finishes there’s a knock on the door and a command for everyone to get near the back wall. Reluctantly everyone obeys and the door opens to reveal several soldiers. One of them points at Madison and she follows them out as the other looks worried. We’ll have a few shots of Madison walking down the hallways and looking at the rooms around her until they reach an office with two soldiers on either side. Let in, she is sat down at a desk with a woman in more formal wear and some clipboards and notepads near her.

“Name?”

Madison is confused at the woman, but after a pause give her name.

“Where were you born?”

Still a little perplex, Madison tells this woman.

“What were you before?”

And Madison continues to answer questions. Former job, relationships and family, how she survived, etc. Once all these questions are answered the mysterious woman says that’ll be all and the guards take a hold of Madison. We’ll then see her put back into the holding room with the others while the guards take Alicia. The same process will continue with her, then Farah, then Daniel, then finally Tobias (with each getting shorter and more of a montage sequence (similar to the Commonwealth interviews from season 10)). Daniel will have a few coughing fits during this interview, which will be noted down the interviewer. Eventually everyone is fully together in the holding cells all quiet. Eventually Alicia will ask everyone what is going on, that this feels… off. Farah will comment on how this feels so official, like they’re being inspected for citizenship. Alicia cannot fully believe it though since all their other dealings with people is nothing so sophisticated. Even Daniel will add that this visit to the base on Yuma was nothing like this. But he’ll warn them that they shouldn’t relax because of this but instead be more on guard.

Just after that there’s another knock on the door and the soldiers escort them out, saying that the major wants to speak to them. All of them are watchful as they soon brought to a more professional office with a man in a seat looking over documents. All of the group are given a seat before the man looks up form his paperwork and address them all as Captain Peter Wilcocks, the commander of the Bloomfield base. For actor, I’m thinking Dean Winters since I want this character to look friendly, but is capable of doing some horrible stuff without much care to others. He had just finished looking over their documents and wanted to meet them all personally before signing off that they would be allowed to live on base. He’ll first address Madison, asking if she is the “leader” of these five. She’ll look at the others, a little hesitant to say that with her daughter becoming a better leader and Daniel being the most experienced survivor among them. But she’ll confirm it and Peter will write a note down.

Captain Peter will then tell the group that Daniel unfortunately will have be let go, since he appears to be of “below average health.” Before anybody can take him though Madison interrupts, testifying that Daniel’s survival skills have kept them alive more than anybody else. She’ll negotiate with Peter about how they were to throw away Daniel they would lose somebody very important, adding that he just needs a little more recovery time. Everyone is looking at Madison and Daniel, with the former having a stare-off with Peter. We’ll switch back and forth between camera shots of them both until Peter agrees to keep Daniel.

With his own questions done, Captain Peter tells the five a little backstory: When the dead began to walk most places were overrun by the dead. The national guard and military, realizing that the situation was way too much for them, decided upon an operation called “Cobalt.” Everyone is silent, with all of them except Farah knowing of and almost experiencing this. He’ll go on by saying a few cities managed to hold off the dead, just barely though. Some of these were close to one another, so they started to band together. What was managed allowed these groups to start communicating with people across the nation and soon a network was established. Here, a community was set up to obtain oil and fuel for transportation.

Here Daniel comes in and asks the captain about how they gathered others (especially military) to them. How comes they haven’t heard of these communications? Rogers will nod and explain that they’re still building and inviting so many people so soon would jeopardize everything. Daniel tells Peter about Colonel Rogers, noting that he was (assumedly) military. “Rogers? Oh yeah, that guy near Yuma. That old man had a few loose screws. There was no way we were going to take them in.” He’ll look at Daniel closely and asked if he killed Rogers. Daniel will look Peter straight in the eyes and after a pause tell him no.

Captain Peter will then continue: “You see… we’re trying to build a future. Everything is against us and just the smallest slip can destroy all the progress we’ve made. We’ve had troublemakers, people who think of themselves over the well-being of others. We’ve had put down some dissenters. And a few we had to cripple so they couldn’t run. We can’t have them running away from the future.”

This line really tenses up the group as Peter tells them that there are great plans ahead, ones that’ll bring about a better life for everyone. But only if things go to plan. Ending his long speech there, Peter will begin to assign the group to positions/ jobs. Madison and Alicia will be assigned to field work, Farah taken to oil fields to make repairs and help keep the systems running, and Daniel, after a day of recovery, will be assigned a position as well. He writes Daniel a note on this and hands it to him, telling him to give to the infirmary before bed. Tobias, who has been silent the whole time, asks what his role is. Peters will look at him and say that he’ll be doing field work as well. He’ll sign all their forms and confirm they are now a part of the community. He dismisses them all and asks the guards to take them for a meal, adding that they all could use some food.

All five are escorted out the building and to the “cafeteria” outside a supermarket. It is getting close to sunset, with the lights becoming more orange in hue. Once they’re brought to the line for food, the guards depart and all five now are on their own. Alicia will repeat the line that Captain Peter made about “crippling a few so they couldn’t run” in a completely astounded whisper. Daniel will tell them that such tactics aren’t so different from what he used to see in El Salvador during the civil war. Alicia will then ask Daniel that the key to not having that happen is to just not cause trouble. Daniel will reply that it is the best, but isn’t always fool-proof. As the line progresses Tobias will harshly mutter at Madison that she better have a plan since she’s the one that’s put them in this mess. Madison will keep her eyes forward, but reply that he should know better than to say that because it was either they surrender or they get shot.

By this point they’re at the front of the line and all of them are each given a container of food. There’s fried chicken, some corn, mashed potatoes, and a hard plastic bottle of water. All of them are told to not dispose of any of the containers and instead place them in bins that the server points out. When they all sit down they at first calmly open their containers and look upon the food. Farah quickly begins to eat then and soon the others (except Tobias who has a little more control of himself) join in, unable to control themselves after starving on the road for so long. Alicia has a little choking moment and Madison hits her on the back to clear her blockage. After Alicia is fine again they’re resume eating a little more calmly. Once they’re done eating they all get up to return their contains, but Daniel catches Madison before she walk over and thank her for helping me out (saying it in a way that’s not direct). Madison will reply that he’s her friend and way more useful alive than dead to these people and to her. Daniel will smirk a little and add, “You’re still a schemer, Madison Clark.” A look of irritation forms on Madison’s face, but Daniel interrupts by saying he’ll keep his eyes out for anything.

They all then depart, each to their sleeping quarters. Madison, Alicia, and Farah are directed to the female bunks, Tobias to the males, and Daniel to the infirmary, coughing slightly as he walks off. We’ll stick with our women as they enter their building and are dealt out a bit of sleeping supplies from a few female soldiers. Unfortunately they all can’t bunk close with each other and have to split up. Before they do though Alicia gets her mother’s attention and asks what she’s planning. When Madison say she doesn’t have a plan Alicia will call her out, telling her that they don’t know anything yet. Yes, Tobias says these people are bad and that she’s not fully comfortable here yet, but they have to watch them first before doing anything big. “I know you’re trying to be better mom… But don’t mess this up again. We need a home.” Farah listens as well, remaining silent while having a face that says she’s in conflict between siding with Alicia or Madison. Madison will then look her daughter straight in the eye and tell her that she promises to not let it happen again. Alicia will nod and all of them will go to their bunks. We’ll see each of them get on them as a soldier calls out that it’s light out. We’ll linger on a side of Alicia (up front) and Farah (more in the back), both staring at the ceiling, before we cut to black.

Upon returning we are greeted with Alicia sleeping. But that is broken when a loud clanging sound jumps her to wakefulness and a female guard is shouting that it’s time to get up. Groaning, Alicia, Farah, Madison, and the other women get up and get dressed. As they’re dressing we’ll cut to them outside (fully clothed) walking to the cafeteria and getting food. All three women sit at the same table and soon Daniel joins them. As they’re eating Madison will ask him if he’s seen Tobias, to which he replies that he has not. Alicia will look at Madison and tell her to just wait. They continue to eat for a bit until Captain Peter passes by and Madison strides up to him. He’ll greet her before she asks him about Tobias, to which he responses that he has taken first shift, had breakfast with some of the other earlier risers. He then apologizes, saying he has his duties to perform, but before he head off he makes an announcement:

“Alright everyone, finish your meals and gather in the square. We have a special guest today!”

Everyone, especially our main group, look perplexed before Peters tells them they have two minutes to finish up. Our four will wrap up their meal before following the crowd and the soldiers on the base to the center of the base, where a platform has been set up. Captain Peter walks onto the stage and tells them this’ll be brief, then introduces somebody named Lieutenant Colonel Nathaniel Lyons (who I think will portrayed by Idris Elba or Lamman Rucker) and First Lieutenant Cameron Burns (no actor at the moment). Lieutenant Colonel Nathaniel will thank Captain Peter for properly introducing himself as high ranking member of the Civic Republic and he is here to show and put in the field the newest batch of CRM equipment. I was originally going to have it as Elizabeth Kublek from World Beyond, but I think at this time she’d be more east near the main Civic headquarters in Pennsylvania.

At this announcement, Farah will say the name “Civic Republic?” and Alicia then Madison will say they’ve never heard of them. Daniel is more watchful of this new commander than the “grunt”. Suddenly everyone is shocked as an infected with a noose around its neck is walked onto the stage. Before anybody can panic Cameron tells everyone to calm down and that there’s nothing to worry about. He’ll sweep his hand back to reveal two soldiers, all in black armor, walking forward with the one on the left holding a strange rifle. Next he’ll tell the audience to observe and the soldier, Isabelle, to show them the armor in action. She’ll raise her at a 90 degree angle for the crowd to see and stick it in the fact of the infected, which immediately begins to bite them. Everyone cries out, but Isabelle has no reaction to the bite. Cameron will explain that with technology from the past, the CRM have created armor capable of withstanding walker bites. “As you can see, they are completely unharmed!” he’ll declare as the arm is wrenched out of the infected’s decayed mouth and shown to the crowd, with no damage what so ever. “But this isn’t the only new weapon against these walking dead.”

The other soldier, Beckett, walks forward with this rifle and a couple of targets are placed a ways from the platform. Beckett easily shoots the targets with this new weapon, then Cameron declares that this isn’t the only feature the gun has. Beckett then walks up to the restrained, growling dead man and points the rifle at them. With a click a cover pulls back to reveal a fork at the end of the barrel, which immediately is trust into the infected’s face, killing it instantly. As the dead man falls to the ground, Cameron continues that now there is no reach down to finish the dead and be in range of their grab or bite, as Beckett stabs the gun down on the infected’s head to demonstrate this.

With the demonstration of both new inventions over with, First Lieutenant Cameron thanks the audience for their time and steps aside for Lieutenant Colonel Nathaniel Lyons, who has been silent throughout the demonstration. Walking up as his soldiers step aside, Nathaniel is silent for a moment, looking over the community’s soldiers and civilians before beginning his speech:

“As you can see, we will soon no longer be running away from these walking dead! These weapons are in production right now and we plan to soon have all our soldiers armed with these tools!” He’ll examine everyone once more, noticing everyone looking impressed by the display and the soldiers looking excited, their morale shooting straight up. He’ll then continue:

“You are the lucky ones! You are some of the first to see what will soon be the weapons that will take back our world! But only if you all are ready to fight for it!”

This causes all of the Bloomfield soldiers to cheer, performing actions like pumping their fists into the air and hollering for joy. Nathaniels will almost crack a smile as he raises a hand to silence everyone.

“Keep working hard. Your efforts have made progress to us all and have helped the Civic Republic and our allies in many ways. And be on guard for any trouble. We are all in this together.”

He’ll then nod to Captain Peter, both saluting each other before Nathaniel leaves the stage and Peter announces an end to the announcement. Upon dismissal, all the soldiers salute and either leave or guide their work forces to their job placements. All four members of our group are put into separate work forces, with Farah first taken off to the oil field nearby, Madison and Alicia sent to different corners of the base, and Daniel taken back to the infirmary for further checkups. Madison will ask if she can be with her daughter, but her request is denied. Alicia will assure her mom though that she’ll be fine and both wish Farah and Daniel good luck.

We’ll stick with Madison as she’s escorted to the north by northeast side of the base. She and her fellow workers are brought to some fields where we see some other works are tending crops. These workers are told their time is done as our replacements come in to take over. Madison at first feels that kicking and taking care of crops isn’t for her and tries to be on watch, but the guards tell her to join the others. She tries to argue at first, but her words fall on flat ears and she’s forced to pick crops. She joins an older man and a younger woman, a little older than Alicia, as they’re watering some potatoes.

Frustrated, she’ll join them and almost trip over a small trench. The older man, of native American heritage, smiles and shows her how to do it, remarking on when he was younger he would have done the same thing she did to the guards. Grunting, Madison remarks that he’s not that old, to which the man will chuckle and say that might be true, but he has children to take care of and can’t leave them hanging. He’ll then introduce himself as Tocho, then the woman as his daughter, Kay.

As all three work together, Madison will ask both native Americans questions on the base. How long they’ve been there, how they’ve been treated, who they allow in, and how safe has it been. Tocho will be rather chill over the whole thing, but Kay has a little more to say, like how some of the sick disappear and how harsh it has been. Tocho will reprimand her, saying that at least the guards don’t treat them badly because of their… ethnicity. Kay will acknowledge that, but also say that they just took them and poor Kwahu is still out there, maybe dead for all they know. This catches Madison’s attention and she asks for confirmation on the name. Tocho and Kay realize from her reaction that she knows about Kwahu, to which she’ll affirm that he’s safe since she saw him a few days ago. Kay will ask where he is, but Madison will shush her as guards pass by. Once they’re good she’ll say, “Later,” and resume work on the field. After some silence she’ll tell Tocho and Kay that he’s in good hands, that her friends that weren’t captured will take care of him. Tocho will thank Madison, but as both he and Kay look away Madison will have a look on her face that says, “Or at least… I hope they will.” Then we’ll cut to black.

Upon return we are with Farah as she’s marched across the river to the oil field. Unlike Madison and Alicia, her group is very small, with only three others aside from the soldiers. Once they cross the river using the makeshift bridge they’ll march up a hill and into the oil field. It’s very guard, almost as many soldiers guarding it as the main base. But since it’s smaller it seems more heavily defended. Farah and her companions are brought through the gate and are split off, with everyone except her helping to keep the machines active while she’s brought into the main building. She’ll be informed that there have been some pressure changes in the system for the past few days and they need to be looked at. This isn’t very helpful to Farah though and she explains that she’s never worked this kind of system, she needs at least some guide to help her. The guard watching her glares at her and mocks her that it’s her problem, not his. He’ll just leave her to her work before calling her a “locust eater,” slamming the door as he stands outside.

Surprising and disgusted by the man’s treatment, Farah searches about the room for anything, anything that can help her. She finds a small safety pamphlet, which she quickly reads and throws away, then finds a better booklet of operations at the plant. Sitting in a chair she’ll read some before laying it on the table and heading deeper into the building. Out loud she’ll ask herself what that guard’s problem is before, opening the front door and asking for a bit of assistance. Another soldier comes by and asks what’s up before Farah explains she could use some help with something. She and the man go into the mechanical belly of the place, passing by that one guard who just glowers at her. Once they pass him, she’ll ask what that’s about and this soldier (we’ll call him Ian) tells her that that man’s father fought and died in the Iraq War. Guy just can’t get over it. He’ll ask her then if she actually is Iraqi, to which she’ll say no, she’s Arabic and that her family fled from that violence before that war.

Ian will shake his head and say that it doesn’t really matter now what our colors are now. “You’re either alive or dead. If you think otherwise, you need a checkup.”

At first Farah smiles at this, until they hear a noise from above. Looking up, both notice an infected hanging with a noose around its neck. The soldier points his rifle at the infected, but Farah stops him, saying that’s delicate equipment. They got to take it down by hand. Ian, not as familiar with the structure, tries to offer going up himself and starts to walk up to the ladder. But Farah, after a small pause, takes over, saying she can do it easier. She’s kind of willing herself up to this, with an expression that says, “I’ve been not that helpful in killing the dead like the others, time to change things!” We’ll see her climb a few ladders and she gets higher on the tower and we’re going to have her really high up. Like she looks down and is like, “No, I shouldn’t have done this!”

When she finally reaches the infected squirming on their noose. She’ll pick up a wrench as she walks towards it and hit the infected in the head. It doesn’t full kill it though and it tries to get up. Farah finished it off, but another growl is heard and another infected, with a broken noose around its own neck, shambles towards her. It’ll pin her to the grating and the impact will loosen the bolts that hold the platform together. We’ll have a few seconds of her struggling until she manages to push the dead woman off of her and into the railing. Grasping for the wrench, she’ll slam it down on the infected’s head and the railing, which’ll kill it while breaking the platform away from the tower. Scrambling away, Farah sees both bodies slide some of the broken metal until they fall off the metal, hit a few other platforms and railings, before the splat into the ground below. Taking deep breaths, Farah finally gets to her feet as Ian calls up to her, asking if she’s okay. Taking some more breaths, she’ll reply that she’s fine, but now repairs are needed to reach over to the other side where the problem is. She’ll then call down and ask if he can get her some tools for her and he’ll run off to find them. Looking at where the bodies were, she’ll notice a bloody wallet that she’ll pick up and look at. Inside is some money, licenses, and a photo of a family. She’ll realize that the adults in the photo must have been the two she just killed and the child with them must have been theirs.

Knowing that her near fatal fight is over with, Farah steps back and sits down from the broken hole, stilling holding the photo. She looks north by northwest to see figures in the distant. We’ll use this scene to cut to Alicia, who we see is working with others in cleaning up bodies and looting them for any supplies. Most people are disgusted by the work, but Alicia has done stuff like this before when she was with Strand during season three and (my) season four. It sounds like a simple task, but there are a lot of dead bodies about. An older man will comment on this as he drags a dead man over to the burning pile. As he’s doing this Alicia will notice a woman nearby who’s just staring eastward, as if looking for somebody. A guard on the wall will order the woman to get back to work. This’ll snap the woman out of her trance and she’ll start looting another body.

As Alicia is working close to these people, we (the audience) will notice that the woman is still looking towards the west. The man though tells her to keep working, if she keeps looking that she’ll get into trouble. “Besides, Tobias is resourceful. Remember when he took care of his bully?”

This catches Alicia’s notice and she asks how they know Tobias. Both are stunned by her words, but instead ask how SHE knows him. Alicia will say that they went to same school, saying she’s Alicia, Madison’s daughter. The adults will then tell Alicia they’re Tobias’s aunt and uncle, Brenda (played by Megan Follows) and Robert. Nodding, Alicia will get back to work, telling them that Tobias was the one who saved her group. Or at least took them in. When the relatives ask where he is now, Alicia will say he was caught with them, he’s working in the fields at another part of the base. But both aunt and uncle say they never saw him around breakfast or at the event.

Before Alicia can fully process this though, there’s a cry from one of the other works as a group of infected come walking into view (I’m saying around 20 to 30). Everyone seems scared or on the defense, but Alicia calls out to the guards to take care of them. They completely ignore her though and just watch the display. When Alicia once again requests for help one of the guards tells her that they can handle it and that they got to save their ammo for important matters. Frustrated, Alicia steps forward with a few others who are strong enough to fight and start taking out the dead. Alicia will demonstrate the move that Daniel taught her to knock down infected before finishing them off. She’ll protect somebody who almost gets bit, but eventually will get pinned down by an infected. After some struggle she’ll kill it with a rock, but another infected gets right on top of her. But before this one can get at her we see Tobias’s uncle stab it in the brain.

Once this action sequence is finished Alicia will look about and notice a few people got overrun by the dead. Stabbing the victims in the head, she’ll hear cries of outrage as some of the other workers yell at the guards for doing nothing. They’re ignored though, just watching the distance for something. One of the workers will throw a stone at the guards, but it’ll only hit the top of the wall. This’ll get the guard’s attention and Alicia, seeing them made prepare to throw, runs over to them and tries to deescalate the situation. She’ll ask the man if he’s that desperate to throw his life away, saying that this place is safe, with walls, food, and guns. Through angry, this’ll cause the man to stop raging and to back away. Everyone then resumes their work looting bodies and burning corpses in a pile away from the walls. During one of her body drags she’ll pass by Robert, thanking him for saving her. He’ll pass it off like it’s nothing, saying that people need to stick together. She’ll then tell him she’ll find Tobias and bring them to him and Brenda.

We’ll then have a small montage of Madison, Farah, and Alicia doing their jobs on the base. Madison is learning more about crops and agriculture, Farah is helping to fix the machinery on the oil field, and Alicia is looting and burning bodies. We’ll end this when it’s midafternoon and the guards on the walls tell everyone that their shifts are over. Alicia and her team will pass by their replacements, but as Alicia looks at them she notices they seem less tough than their group and a look of worry is on her face as she enters the gates. She’ll be ordered to take their rest and a meal and everyone disperses. As Alicia heads for the cafeteria though she’ll notice two soldiers and Captain Peter marching past. Curious, Alicia trails them until they reach a house that’s mixed in with the others.

Getting under one of the boarded windows, Alicia will strain her ears to hear what’s inside. Captain Peter is the first to speak.

“Come on kid, you can tell me. Once they’re here they’ll be safe.”

Silence.

“Why stay out there? There’s nothing. They’re probably starving or dead. We have food, water, they can be safe.”

More silence. A crashing sound is heard as something cracks.

“Are you serious?! Have you not seen what we have here?! People are safe! We’re rebuilding the world! I’m not going to throw all of them out in the fields to be punished! They’re just kids after all! Why… Why won’t you tell us where they are?!”

Still silence. It’s dragged out and we’ll zoom in on Alicia, who is completely tensed up and uneasy about this interrogation. Then another voice is heard.

“Because you’re hiding something.”

Alicia immediately recognizes who it is: Tobias.

Silence resumes and then Peter gives an exasperated growl and tells some people in the room to take care of it. There will be footsteps, then a loud smack and a cry for help. Alicia looks through a small gap in the boarded up house and sees Tobias with a bloody face and a soldier pulling his arm back to punch him again. We’ll get a close up of Alicia as the soldier beats Tobias and demands answers from him. Then the sound of a door is heard and Alicia resumes hiding as Peter passed by her hiding spot, angrily muttering that they will not be happy about this. As Alicia watches the spot where the captain passed by her we’ll hear Tobias moaning in pain as the soldier continues to try and beat answers out of him. Then we cut to black.

When we return it’s getting close to sunset and Farah enters the community. She’ll spot Madison and walks over to her, asking about her day. Madison will comment that farming is she kind of wishes she grew up as the daughter of a farmer instead of a politician. Farah is surprised at this news, but before she can comment Daniel joins them, telling them that he had a few hours of testing before being released for the day and sent to do random work around the base. Farah will ask about these tests and he tells them it’s mostly checking his wound and doing bloodwork on him. Suddenly Alicia joins them and tells them what she saw Captain Peter do. Daniel will tell her to hush immediately, then say that they need a place more private to talk. All of them find a corner away from everyone and Alicia explains it all in detail.

Madison tell how she met Khawu’s family while farming, Farah will talk about the photo she found, and Alicia will explain her meeting with Tobias’s aunt and uncle. When they all say their stories, Madison will wonder why Peter wants the kids so badly, a little nonplused on what is so important about a bunch of kids. Daniel will give some advice here, saying that it’s best to just keep calm and stay watchful. He’ll then tell everyone not say where the kids are or hint at where they are, explaining that they’ll get excited and it’ll cause a commotion that’ll get all of them in serious trouble. Farah will protest, but Madison agrees fully with Daniel while Alicia is more hesitant. Once this is settled, they all break away and go for food.

We see them then have food and not talking much while watching others around them. We’ll see Tocho and Kay, along with Robert and Brenda give glances towards our four, but our group will try and act like they don’t notice. When their meals are done, everyone breaks away and both families try to go after their respective consort. Madison is able to delay her talk with Tocho and Kay, saying that now is not the time. This upsets Kay, but Tocho is a little more lax on this. Alicia though is unable to get away from Robert and Brenda and lies that she doesn’t know where he’s gone yet, but she’ll find them. We’ll see the unhappiness on her face as she turns and walks away from the aunt and uncle. We’ll then have small shower scenes to see everyone get the grime and dust they earned from working today before going to bed.

We’ll cut to early in the morning with Madison waking up from a restless sleep. She tries to get to bed, but can’t so decides to get out and stretch her legs. As she’s walking though she’ll notice Captain Peter and some soldiers transporting a large container. Following them, she finds them dropping it off at a CRM helicopter next to Lieutenant Colonel Nathaniel Lyons. We’ll then hear Nathaniel say that there was supposed to be two. Peter will apologize and say there were complications. Nathaniel will forgive Peter for this time, but next time there needs to be results, saying he won’t get his supplies without proper payment. Lyons will also add that the column out west has grown some, so he must be ready for when it arrives. Peter will say he has set countermeasures just in case, to which Nathaniel will nod and get on the chopper. As the chopper starts to hum to life and the blades begin to spin, Nathaniel will remind Peter that these dealings will save millions and to stay true to “our main goal.”

As the chopper takes off, Madison will watch in interest mixed with dread as she heads quietly to the west wall. When guards that are patrolling pass by, she climbs up and looks out into the barren lands beyond. As the sun starts to rise in the east, we’ll get a shot of Madison’s face, then look out into the desert, which seems to stretch on and on as this unknown and unseen danger draws near before cutting to black.

Click Here for Episode 06