Becoming Defiant •• OneRepublic {3}

Remember

Ryan's P.O.V.

It was within a few hours after the video being broadcast in D.C. that they left the base. It was around midnight when they'd stopped just minutes from the Colorado-Kansas border, taking a break from the long drive through the state and discussing their next actions.

Ryan had unintentionally been a part of that Rebel conference, especially since they were also to discuss the final plan to get the girls with him and the other guys. They found a fire pit just off the road and circled around it - Daryl, Cherry, Glenn, and the band.

Ryan also wished Ramona was present but she'd been increasingly distant as time passed, all since she'd seen her father the same morning. He didn't blame her but, as usual, was still upset about it. Especially since he was alone to handle it - the girls were gone and they still knew Ramona better than him in many areas.

Nonetheless, Ryan did his best. It was Ramona, so how couldn't he? He always gave her his all because that was all she deserved. He was making up for her past by giving what others took - happiness, care, and love.

Either way, he often had to remind himself that it wasn't solely his burden to bring her back, it was also hers. She'd once said herself, "...you can't do anything to help me and my state of mind, I don't think...I realized you can't do much of anything, really. No one can. I think it's all up to me."

Ryan could hold her hand but she would take the steps. It pained him now just as it did when she first reminded him of that fact - but he would do all he could to help her along that path she had to take. She could take the steps but he would be holding her hand the whole way through, not leaving her side. And he sincerely hoped she would be taking those steps soon, for even in the brightest sun, it still felt like a stormy night without his smiling butterfly.

"Any news on recent missions and events, Glenn?" Cherry asked the man. Glenn looked back a moment, then sighed as he turned to all of them.

"No news on the Foxtails, and no news on any emails or Carter's response. Our guess is that he's taking a break from email and the like to avoid our knowing anything like them having the girls and not telling the citizens."

"So how do we know the girls are still alive?" Zach gruffly asked.

"Because," Daryl immediately replied, "He now needs them alive if he wants his city's or even nation's electricity, hot water, et cetera.. He won't be willing to make that bargain, at least for another few days. That's enough time to get them out."

"And how are we getting them out then? You said you'd tell us your new plan." Eddie said back. Drew nodded vigorously just beside him. Ryan had seen little of Drew lately, but had a feeling he'd been planning things of his own or helping the Rebels on the action side of things. It was clear he was eager to do something.

"We are going to tell you our plan. Now." Daryl nodded with a small smile. Eddie crossed his arms with Zach intently, and all of them listened carefully.

"We're going to restore D.C.'s electricity, briefly. We're going to have someone in D.C. send Carter a message from us, saying we want a private audience with him through cameras. I'll do what Ryan did just hours ago, sit in front of a camera with a mask. Cherry might be with me. We'll 'negotiate.'"

"By?"

"Supposedly explaining our situation, and that we lead the group, which is true but he won't know it's us for safety reasons, obviously, but he will discover that we are willing to betray Ryan. We'll pretend to want to trade him in for the girls. If he asks why, we'll say that we have our own motives against you guys, and the girls are better leverage for us than him. Besides, Carter won't want to refuse Public Enemy No. 1 for a few girls they were likely using to get him in the first place."