The Wrong Choice

Chapter 13

"There, that's the last one." Nathan pointed to a small town in Paloma, a few miles outside the capital.

"And you're sure that's all of them?" Maxon asked, wanting to cover all of their bases, literally and figuratively.

"That I can think of, granted they didn't show us all of the forts, but they did bring us to most of the big ones, and those are definite possibilities." Caleb, who had finally sat down after everyone had left, said, double checking his brain for any places he might have missed.

"Alright then," Maxon folded his hands behind his back, looking down at his feet, "Where do we start," He brought his eyes to meet everyone else's in the room.

Aspen strode over to the giant map they had strung across the wall, blue, red, and green stickers placed in every province. Blue for the Royal forts, Red for Southern Rebel Forts, Green for Northern Rebel Forts.

Georgia and August, as well as a few more Northern Rebels had joined them in the large conference room, putting in their own input as needed.

"We should start here," he pointed to a red sticker in Carolina, not far from where he grew up. Everyone gave his confused looks, asking his why.

"Aspen, as much as I want to start the search, I think we need to have some logic behind where we start," Maxon pointed out.

"No, but their is logic. Okay so you are supposed to leave the cash at 'the place where your beloved grew up' so that must mean her old house. In Carolina. If they really wanted to make the switch they would keep her close by. And we have a fort not so far away, as do our friends," He pointed to August and Georgia, "So if we need reinforcements, we have them."

Everyone in the room seemed to ponder his words.

"Yeah, yeah, that makes sense. The southern Rebels don't have as many resources as we do, they wouldn't have the means to transport many people very far," August pointed out.

"I'd love to agree with you, but they could have no intention to return America, they could be keeping her and all of the other hostages in Baffin for all we know." Caleb rebuttaled.

"True, but we don't have the time nor the numbers to search all of their bases, not to mention all the ones we don't know about. We are running on educated guesses and half informations." He sat down in his chair, leaning his head against the back of it, and closed his eyes.

He suddenly felt small hands on his shoulders.

"No, daddy, we are running on Hope, and that's more than those A-holes can hope for." Charlotte squeezed her fathers shoulders softly as she spoke.

"You, my darling, are correct. So I guess we start there, we leave tonight, in two hours. Boys, if it's alright, I'd like to take you. If everything goes as I hope it will, you will be back in your beds in 2 days. Leger, make sure your men are prepared down south, as well as bring several of your best with us. August, Georgia, 5 more of you guys should be good." He turned to his daughter, "And of course I will have to bring my partner in crime." He smiled at the girl, who stood shocked for a moment.

"Wait, wait, your serious, you are going to bring me along this time?" Hope spread across her eyes.

"Yes, but there will be so precautions. I'm planning on bringing Marlee along and you will have to stay back with her where ever we set up base camp, but yes you can come along." His daughter wrapped her arms around him, almost cutting off his sentence.

"Thank you, thank you, thank you."

"Your welcome," He leaned down to whisper to her, "And you know I couldn't have your boyfriend coming and then have you sitting here worried the whole time." He winked at her.