" Here, gremlin." "Here, gremlin, gremlin." " Yeah." "We'll fly up in October." "That would be great." "Yeah." "Hey, Mom, you wanna talk to Charlie?" " Charlie." "Hello?" "Charlie, say hi to Grandma." " How are you, sweetheart?" "No?" "Okay." "Sorry, Mom, she's zoned out." "I know." "We've cut back." "Mom, the kids are great." "Hey." "You're home earl..." "Mom, I'll call you back." " You okay?" " We need more water." "Fill the sinks and tubs." " We don't have much time." " Ben." "Stop." "It's happening" "Isn't it?" " Bass, why don't you just call her." " Call her?" "Nobody calls anybody anymore." "Come on, man." " She's 22." "She doesn't even talk on the phone." " Wow." "Oh, you wanna give me some tech advice?" "Huh?" "You, with your big, fat Casio '80s brick phone." "Yeah." "It's my brother." " Benjamin, what's up?" " Where have you been?" " What's the matter?" " I've been calling." " Where are you?" " She's sending photos." "We went out, had a few." "We're on our way back to base." " What's going on?" "What's wrong?" " Listen to me very, very carefully." " Look at that." " It's all gonna turn off." " What?" " It's gonna turn off and it will never ever turn back on." " What's gonna turn off?" "Everything." "Everything is gonna turn off." " Ben?" "Did I lose you?" " What the hell?" "No, no, no." "Miles?" "What the hell is going on?" "What you gotta understand is things used to be different." "We used electricity for everything." "For our computers, our phones, even to grow food and pump water." "But after the Blackout, nothing worked not even car engines or jet turbines." "Hell, even batteries." "All of it, gone forever." "People starved." "Sickness without medicine." "Fires without fire trucks." "Governments fell." "Militias rose up." "If you were smart, you left the city." "If you weren't, you died there." "So, what the hell happened?" "What caused the Blackout?" "So, what does everybody think?" "I know that learning isn't as cool as bow-hunting or whatever." "But, still, this should bother you." "Physics went insane." "The world went insane overnight and nobody knows why." " Hey, Ben." " Hey." " Morning, Caleb." " Morning, Ben." " Morning, Aaron." " Hey, Ben." "You look terrible." "I was up all night." "I had a ménage a raccoon in my backyard." " Seen Charlie and Danny?" " They left early." " They said they were going hunting." " Better be." "Take a look." "Charlie, how about we actually go hunting for once?" "No one's stopping you." " Really?" " The freezer doesn't work." "It's all gonna melt anyway." "Whoa." "Slow down, kiddo." "I want you to really, really remember what it tastes like, okay?" "Danny." " I'm fine, okay?" "I'm..." " You're not fine." " You're having an asthma attack." " No." "I can't breathe." "All right." "Now, suck this back." "Doctor's orders." " Maggie, this is awful." " Yes." "It's for the asthma." " You were supposed to watch out for him." " I'm sorry." " You know that road is not safe." " I know." "I'm sorry." "Really." "It's just..." " Go on." " Nothing is safe." " Everything is off limits." " I am trying to look out for you." "I don't need you to." "Dad, if it was up to you, you wouldn't let us leave our street." "Fine, wander off into the wild blue." "Get your throat slit by bandits or get lynched by a militia." " Any of that sound good to you?" " It's not all like that." "I don't know, it can get pretty rough out there." "There's other towns like ours, right?" "Other people." "Trust me." "There is nothing worth seeing, not anymore." "Look, I was your age once, I get it." "But he's right." "Things are..." "Excuse me, is she a part of this family now?" "Is that what's going on?" "She hops into bed with you and that makes her Morn?" "No." "Your mom is gone." "She died out there." "You wanna end up just like her?" "I'm sorry." "Charlie, I didn't..." "Here we have some mint." "Look at this." "What we're gonna do is we're gonna rub it between our fingers like this." "Okay, honey, I need you to go with your mom now." "All right, now, come on." "Come on." " Take it." "Take it." " No." "Don't let anybody know that you have it." "If anything happens to me, do what I told you." "Stay off the road." "They're gonna be looking for it." "Keep it safe." " Ben, nothing is gonna happen to you." " Aaron, please." "My God." "What a beautiful village." "This must be a mistake, we already paid our spring taxes." "Oh, this is not about your crops." "We're not here with the local garrison." "Do you know a Ben Matheson?" "You're looking at him." "What's this about?" "Miles Matheson." "He's your brother?" " That's right." " Where is Miles?" "I haven't seen him in years." "What's this about?" "I'm here under the orders of General Sebastian Monroe himself." "He personally asked me to find two men." "You..." " ...and your brother." " Hold on just a second." "I'm gonna have to ask you to come with us under the authority of the Monroe Republic." " Why?" " Do I have to repeat myself?" "I just don't understand." "Here's what you need to understand." "I have been searching for you for a very long time, through mud and filth away from my home and my wife and my bed." "So I'm in a mood." "I'm sure you can understand that." "So do yourself a favor and climb in that wagon." "Or so help me, I will conscript all of your children and I will reeducate them until they no longer remember your names." "Are we clear?" "May I have a moment?" "Maggie, I'm gonna go with them." " You can't." " I need you to look after my kids." " No." " It's gonna be okay." " No, you won't come back." "Ben, no." " It's okay." " It's not going to be okay." "You won't You can't take him." " Danny, stop." " I suppose this is your boy?" " My dad, he didn't do anything." " Danny, put it down." " We don't want any trouble, just go." " Easy now." " Danny." " Tell him to put his gun down." " Put his gun..." "Tell him to put his gun down." " Put it down." "Kid has got a point, Ben." " How about they put theirs down?" " Sir, owning a firearm is a hanging offense." " So go hang yourself." " Caleb." " Think about it." " I swear to God, I'll shoot him." "Put it down." "Can you leave us alone?" "Just go." "Let's forget about it." " Danny, listen to me." " Put it down." " Tell him to stop." " Do what they say." " Put it down!" " Back up!" " Stop." "Stop," " Back up!" "Ben!" "Enough." "Dad!" "Dad!" "Dad!" " Dad!" "Dad!" " Please." "No." "No." "Danny!" "Dad." "Dad." "What happened?" "What happened?" "Danny is gone." "Danny is gone?" "Militia." "Militia took him." "Okay." "Okay." "What do we do?" "What do you want me to do?" "Listen, my brother, Miles, is in Chicago." "The Grand on Walton Place." "Miles is there." "He can get Danny." "You need to find Miles." "Dad, no." "No, we'll catch the soldiers." "We can go right now." "We'll take him back." "No." "No." "They'll kill you." "But you're gonna come with me." "Okay?" "You're gonna come with me." " I can't." " Yes, you can." "Please." "Please." "Listen to me, Charlie." "You're strong." "You're so strong." "You're like your mom." "You can do this." "You have to do this." "At least wait till tomorrow." "You need to sleep." "I'm wasting time." "This doesn't make any sense." "Why would they take Danny?" "I don't know." "I guess we'll know when we find him." "Maggie, that's..." "That's really nice of you." "But they need you here." "James can take over as town doctor." " I'll be fine." " Maybe so." "But I'm still coming with you." "You don't seem to understand, I don't want you to come." "And I don't think you understand, I'm not doing this for you." "You have gotta be kidding me." "Your dad was my friend." "I am going too." "Aaron, I mean, come on, you're afraid of bees." "I'm not afraid of bees." "I am allergic to bees." "There is a big difference." " Well, it's your funeral." " Probably." "Yes." "Son, I'm sorry you're mixed up in all this." "But you gotta understand if I couldn't have your dad, I had to take you." "Couldn't go back empty-handed." "But make no mistake, it's a mess." "Bad news for everyone." "Go." "Tell you the truth, when General Monroe finds out he's gonna be irate." "Might even have my head." "Let's hope." "Let's not forget, you drew first." "Now, that puts your daddy's blood on your hands, son." "Hi, boy." "How's my good boy?" "Yeah." "Some food?" "That's a good boy." "You know, a walk like this, I counted on sore but not on the, you know, chafing issues." "So this brother, Miles uh, what do we know about him?" "How do we know that he can help us?" "All my dad ever said about him was that he's good at killing." "Oh." "That's comforting." "You know most people just say good morning." "I was, um..." " Good morning." " Morning." "I'm Nate." "Charlie." "Where you headed, Charlie?" "None of your business, Nate." "That's true." "I'm gonna get some water." "Where have you been?" "Just getting some water." "Aaron, maybe we should camp somewhere else." "No, come on." "They usually hide a doctor's kit up front." "Good meds." "How do you know?" "I, uh, owned one." "A plane." " Seriously?" " Yeah." "I used to work at this place called Google." "That was a computer thing, right?" "And now it's nothing." "Eighty million dollars in the bank, and I would trade it all right now for a roll of Charmin." "Wakey, wakey." "Don't." "You know, you folks should be more careful." "I hear there's all sorts of bad men out there on the road." "Look, man, just take whatever you want and go." " Are you giving me orders?" " Hey, take it easy." "Look, side pocket." "Oh, ho, ho." "You like to have a good time." "That's lucky." " Because we like to have a good time too." " No!" " Don't!" "Don't!" " Hey!" "Leave her alone!" "Wait your turn." "What's in the whiskey, bitch?" "Unh!" "So, Nate, was it?" "Where are you headed?" "Chicago." "Hoping to get on a fishing crew." "You?" " We're headed to Chicago too." " Charlie." "Look, we have food, and I do kind of owe you." "Can you give us a minute?" "Charlie, I'm telling you, you can't trust anyone." "Is that why you carry poisoned whiskey?" "They can't all be monsters." "Some people have to be all right, don%they?" "Don't worry." "Up, up, up." "Let's just keep moving, all right?" "Take him out!" "Yeah." "What's wrong?" "I know this place." "It used to be a hotel." "You stayed here?" "I got married here." "Hey, blondie." "Hey, blondie." "Come on over, talk to me." "Come here, come here." "Where you going?" "Excuse me." " Maybe you can help me." " Oh, God, I hope so." "We're looking for somebody." "And that accent." "Lady, you are classing up the joint." "That shouldn't be too difficult, should it?" "His name is Miles Matheson." " Never heard of him." " No, he has to be here." "What do you want me to say, kid?" "If you know him, or if you know anyone that does can you-J?" "Can you please let him know that his brother is dead?" "He was murdered by a militia." " Who are you?" " Charlie." "Charlotte." "I'm his niece." "Okay." " Just you." "Come with me." " No way, buddy." "You're not taking her anywhere." "She's my niece." "I don't know you." " Come on." " Wait." "You're Uncle Miles?" " Underwhelmed?" " No, I just..." "I mean, I didn't expect..." "Come on." "Not in here." " No funny business, now." " No, ma'am, I'm..." "I'm not..." " What happened?" " Well, if you gonna have an asthma attack at least you had the good sense to have it near me." "Here." " What is this?" " You breathe it in." " Stops the attack before it starts." " You're a doctor?" "It was my son's." "Now, you wanna explain this?" "I was running away from some soldiers." " Monroe's boys?" " Yes." " Did they follow you here?" " Look, look." "I don't mean to put you to any more trouble, and I owe you already, so I'll just..." "I'll go." "That's it." "He said to come find you and that you'd help us and, uh..." "And then he..." "Yeah." "I'm sorry." "I wish I could've..." "Why did Monroe want my Dad?" "And why does he want you?" "Monroe thinks your dad knew something." "Something important." "And he thinks your dad told me, so I must know it too." "What?" "Why the lights went out." "Maybe how to turn them back on." "If Monroe got the power going that would mean tanks and planes factories." "He'd steamroll the entire continent, and he'd butcher the other republics." "Okay." "So, what do we do now?" ""What do we do now"?" "About what?" "How are we gonna get Danny back?" "I didn't say I was going with you." "What?" "In case you haven't noticed, I'm trying to maintain a certain low profile here." " No, look." "Look, I'm begging you..." " Your brother is bait." "You understand that?" "I go after it, not good for him." "Or for me." "I, for one, would like to keep my insides on the inside." "No." "No, look, I have..." "I have lost everyone that I care about." "My mom is dead." "My dad is dead." "And God knows what they're doing to Danny right now." " So you are gonna help me get him back." " Why's that?" "Because we're family." "Family?" "Kid, I don't even know you." "Yeah, you're right." "And it was stupid of me to ask." "Sorry to bother you." " What's wrong?" " Let's get out." "Charlie, what's wrong?" " Nothing." "Let's go." " Tell me." " Just get your stuff." " Hey, what happened?" "Nothing." "Let's just go." " Let's just go." "Come on." " Hey." "Hold on." " Step back." " So, what did you say to her, huh?" "Militia, huh?" "When did you enlist?" "Uncle Miles, this is my fault." "I'm so sorry." "He's probably from the same unit that took your brother." "Been following you from the get-go, hoping you'd flush me out which is exactly what you did, isn't it?" "So, what are you gonna do?" "This, as far as I know is the last bottle of single malt in Chicago." "My plan is to sit here and drink it." " You can't just stay here." "It's not safe." " Whose fault is that?" "Your boyfriend." "He's gonna go and get the nearest squad." "Two, maybe three hours, tops, is what you got." "So if I were you guys, I'd hit the road." "This is crazy." "Just come with us." "Or don't, that's fine." "But go somewhere." "You can't just sit here and die." "Just go." "Uncle Miles, come on." "I said go." "Get out!" "Get out of here!" "Good morning, may I help you?" "Sorry to bother you." "We're looking for a dangerous young fugitive." "Nineteen, 6 feet, brown hair." "You're the first person I've seen in weeks." "What did you do before the Blackout?" "Sorry?" "Just curious." "Humor me, please." "I taught algebra." "Me, I was an insurance adjuster." "Most of my job was figuring out whether things people said lined up with the truth." "Lucky for me, it's a skill that never goes out of style." "So take, for example, those tracks that lead right to your back door." " Tracks?" " Fresh ones." "About a day old." "Two people." "A woman, who would have to be you, dragging in a man and yet you say that I'm the first person you've seen in weeks." "So tell me, does that sound like the truth to you?" "He's gotta be long gone." "If he's here, Monroe wants him alive." "Come on down." "We don't wanna hurt you." "I don't wanna hurt them." "But I'm not going back." "You could just let me go." "I'll drink myself to death." "You know we can't do that." "I know." "Take him." "Now!" "Shoot him." "Unh!" "Ugh!" "Charlie?" "You Okay?" "Argh!" "You know, I didn't ask you to come back." "Don't look at me, I wanted to let you rot." " Why didn't you?" " Because we're family." "And that's what Dad would've wanted." "Kid if I'm coming with you, you're gonna have to dial it back a notch." "You're coming?" "Loverboy will just send more troops." "And I can't stay here." "Thank you." "You're welcome." "We're all gonna end up with our heads on a stick, but you're welcome." "Bass, what the hell is going on?" "I don't know." "But we should get back to base." "This is not good." "Hold it right there, gentlemen." "IDs?" "Sergeant Miles Matheson." "You're good." "I only..." "Well, he knows me." "Sergeant Sebastian Monroe." "You're good." "Miles?" "General Monroe."