7. The Pickett Line

Complete story — includes the ending

Whilst en route to finding both Anne and Alexis, Tom and the boys are robbed of both supplies and horses by a local family. Enraged by this, the Masons track them down to a local farm where they regain control of their supplies. However, a struggle ensues between Hal and one of the brothers, and Matt shoots him and critically wounds him. After the brother dies, Tom, Hal, Ben and Matt leave and continue their journey in finding Anne and Alexis. But, they soon find that Skitters and Mechs are on their way to the farm. Tom decides to go back where he finds the house empty and is confronted by the Skitters and the Mechs. Meanwhile, Cochise brings an injured President Hathaway back to Charleston for medical attention. With Cochise back, Marina uses this opportunity to question him about the Volm weapon that is being built for the upcoming attack against the Espheni. Cochise explains that the weapon will be used against the soon to be activated Espheni planetary defense grid, that when activated will envelope the Earth and wipe out all human life on the Earth within 3 months by irradiating the planet's surface. He later explains that the weapon will inject a massive amount of energy into the grid in the hope it will overload and destroy it, and explains that there is a risk that if it is unsuccessful the irradiation process will be accelerated and that all human life on the surface could be lost. President Hathaway is murdered in his hospital bed by the real mole, who is revealed to be Lourdes acting under Espheni mind-control via eye worms under her skin. Peralta and Weaver come to the conclusion that Hal wasn't the mole, and suspect someone at Charleston was involved with the murder.