Twisted Saga Aftermath (Book 2 of 3)

Chapter 21 - The Aftermath from Rebuilding

It's been nearly seven and a half years since the sudden downfall from the Southern Sugar case. America is a nation that's seen drastic changes. The battles of Baltimore, Chicago, Detroit, and Washington D.C. remain fresh in people's memories. As a safety precaution from D.C.'s decimation, the federal agencies moved away to other cities to rebuild federal agencies.

Although pieces of the rebuild process were taken from the late President Klifton, his three prison cities' vision did come to fruition. Youngstown has been fenced off with guards and sniper towers as the minimal security prison city. The inmates here run their lives as if they're free, but supplies are brought in a couple of times a month with surveillance posts scattered throughout the city.

The second city has been set up in Detroit as planned. It's the mid-level security prison city. It's designed with two zones. Zone one harbors the guards and agents in charge of the city and the personnel to remain on hand for the more violent convicted criminals. Zone Two comprises government-built dwellings with females and males separated by electrified fencing.

Prison city for the high profile and convicted felons from the Southern Sugar fallout are shipped out to the code-named "Tundra." It's located in the most northern part of Idaho. The nearby town employs every member of the hardcore team put in charge of this extreme city. The inmates are forced to labor outside in the cold. Anyone convicted of capital crimes is shipped to his maximum-security facility for a life sentence of misery.

Those aren't the only significant changes in the aftermath. Life has slowed down for Josh's last team. Justin's made a full recovery and retired from the force. James' leg hurts when it gets cold, but he manages fine after moving from Chicago to Columbus to head up the newest federal sister agency to the FBI. He's the director of the Cyber Bureau of Investigations. Kyle's made good on his promise by completing his G.E.D. and becoming a federal agent working as a liaison between the FBI and CBI, also known as FBI-Cyber.

Even though time has healed their wounds, on a crisp day in fall, it's a sad one for the family. After the case was officially closed, they all felt the effects. Momma C took it the hardest becoming a more significant chain smoker. That lifestyle finally caught up to her after she succumbed to lung cancer.

Traveling from their homes, the family gathers to say goodbye.

"Hey, girl!" Audrey calls out when she sees Gwen and Delilah walk through the door.

"Hey! Girl, what have you been doing to yourself? You look like you haven't aged a single day." Gwen comments with Delilah stopping out in front of her playing the shy card.

"There's no way that's baby D. Oh my gosh, she looks so much like him it ain't even funny."

Delilah hunches her shoulders with her cheeks glowing a slight shade of red. She's the spitting image of Gwen with a button nose and blue eyes mixed with Josh's golden trait on the inner part of her iris. Her hair is as dark as her father's. Her laugh matches his exactly when he was growing up.

"Yes, it is, and she's been missing her daddy more than ever here lately," Gwen comments, picking up her daughter.

Gwen takes a seat on the couch when she hears the roar of a V8 that pulls into the driveway. Not long afterward, James and Scarlett stroll into the house.

"Well, how the hell did you beat us here?" James wonders out loud.

"I took I-64 the whole way. Plus, that Corvette can't outrun my Lincoln; you must be crazy to think that." She jokes with Delilah laughing along.

The sounds of her laughter bring everyone out as it reminds them of Josh. She fails to see everyone around her listening as a part of their lives feels lost.