Even in the diminishing firelight and through all the filth and the wildness in that face, she knew them. And not even the shock of almost dying could rival the shock of actually seeing them again.

The man said in a raspy voice, “Theresa! My love!”

Theresa released Ben and lunged forward.

As the light extinguished, she reached the bars and thrust her hands between them. She grabbed him, pulled him into the bars.

Adam Hassler reeked like a man who had been in the wilderness for years, and as her hands slid inside his duster and wrapped around his waist, she could feel that he was skin and bones.

“Adam?”

“It’s me, Theresa.”

“Oh my God!”

“I can’t believe I’m actually touching you.”

He kissed her through the bars.

As Ben climbed off the bed and approached, he said, “I thought you were dead.”

“I should be dead, little man. I should’ve died a thousand times over.”

ETHAN

ETHAN

He stood on the hood of Maggie’s Jeep, staring out at the hundred fifty faces that had gathered around him in the ark. It felt strange to look at this entire group, which for fourteen years had worked together to keep its fellow human beings, the residents of Wayward Pines, living in the dark.

Ethan said, “Last night, I made a difficult choice. I told the residents of Wayward Pines the truth. I told them what year it was. I showed them an abby.”

A voice in the midst of the crowd shouted, “You had no right!”

Ethan ignored this.

“I’m guessing none of you agree with that decision, and that’s not really much of a surprise to me. But let’s see if you agree with the decision David Pilcher made in response. He killed the power to the fence and opened the gate. At least five hundred abbies entered the valley in the middle of the night. More than half the town has been slaughtered. Those who managed to escape are stranded without food or water, and with no heat since Pilcher also cut off the power to the town.”

Disbelief spread quickly across the faces.

Someone yelled, “Liar!”

“I understand that at some point in your lives before, each of you bought in hard to what David Pilcher was selling. And to be honest, he’s a brilliant man. No one can deny that. No one can say he isn’t a man of vision, and possibly the most ambitious person who ever lived. I understand what attracted you to him. It’s a rush to keep company with someone who wields such power. Makes you feel better about yourself.