← End of All Hope
End of All Hope
S5E16: Bodega Bay (Part 1/2)
01:09:26
Here it is! The first part of the Season 5 finale!!
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- [00:01]
Robert M. Lamb
This episode is brought to you by Shopify. Upgrade your business with Shopify, home of the number one checkout on the planet. Shop pay boosts conversions up to 50%, meaning fewer carts going abandoned and more sales going cha ching. So if you're into growing your business, get a commerce platform that's ready to sell wherever your customers are. Visit shopify.com to upgrade your selling today. Hey everyone. Before we get into the season finale for End of All Hope, we just want to mention a new sci fi series from our friends over at Voyage Media called I Am Echo. I Am Echo is kind of like a sci fi version of Succession. It's about a young woman who suspects her mother may have been involved in her father's death. But her mother controls a billion dollar fund. She's very powerful and dangerous. Basically a female Logan Roy. And as the young woman investigates this, she uncovers repressed memories she has, but they may not be her memories. It's a fun and thrilling and kind of out there series that we think you'll really enjoy. Just search for I Am Echo from Voyage Media wherever you listen to podcasts and stick around after the credits of this episode of End of All Hope to listen to a small clip from the first episode. Thanks everyone and enjoy part one of the season finale of End of All Hope. 7 Lamb Productions presents End of All Hope Season 5 Episode 16 Bodega Bay Part 1 Here she comes. Say thanks for me. Where are you going? To check on the vehicles. What the hell was that about? What do you think, Dana? Maria was walking up and Travis didn't want to talk to her. Apparently they had a fight yesterday about supplies. Maria thought Travis was taking too much. Too bad they couldn't sort this out a week ago. Hey. Hey, Maria. I knew the argument was coming because Travis didn't want to leave much for the people staying. It consistently irked Maria and even Barry, now that Barry had decided to stay too. Barry back there? He's reforming perimeter defenses today. There'll be a lot of changes, Maria, Barry Lane and several others came to say their goodbyes last night. But now we were at the edge of the forest where over a thousand people stood waiting to head north. There were still about 6 to 800 people staying back at White Ranch, though, although numbers weren't completely accurate. So let me guess. Travis isn't saying goodbye? No. Yeah. He's gotta check on the vehicles. Yeah. Okay. Hey, Maria. Don't let Travis bother you. I'm not. He's leaving. Maybe we're not on good terms, but you guys are the ones stuck with him. She has a point. Bye, Annie. They hugged. I actually felt a tightness in my chest. I'd known Maria for a while now. And Barry and Lane and several of the guards. We have a radio, so make sure to keep in contact. Of course. Thanks for seeing us off. She nodded, then awkwardly waved goodbye as she walked back into the woods. Man, why is this so sad? You know why Barry's staying, don't you? Why? He's got a thing for Maria. Fucking Barry, Dana, Gale, Sammy, and everyone else besides Chris. Me and Jess disappeared into the sea of people. Okay. You, too. Ready? I am. Me too. But what about you, Mia? How you feeling? Little depressed. We were supposed to be long gone by now. On the bikes? Yeah. Still regret giving them away? Mm. Mm. No. It's not like they didn't go to good use. You think Kylie, Ambridge and Jay made a far on those bad boys? I like to think they made it all the way to California. There you go. What? Use that positive energy and direct it to this group here and our travels. Hey, I'm here, aren't I? Yeah, but don't be so discouraged. We're still heading north. Yeah. Just wish we were doing it in style, like Kylie. I felt sick. And I wasn't getting better. As the boat rocked wildly, Jay told me I should stay up on deck near the bow. But I tried that. The salty air, the heat, and watching the horizon. Bob made everything so, so much worse. So now I was back below deck, trying my best not to vomit again. Hey, Kylie. You might want to see this. Were we there? I climbed out of the bed and made my way up the steps. What is it? Oh. Holy. Neither Jay nor Ambridge were at the wheel. Instead, they stood on the starboard side, staring at the large ship looming over the jungle that was once one of the largest cities in the United States. I can't believe it. That's the city. Yeah. That's San Francisco. Several buildings still stood with alien growth covering the walls and windows. There was one structure in the center of it all. A large black tower that was jutting out from the main downtown area as if reaching for the ship itself. That looks terrifying. What are we going to do? We're going to head into that storm if we don't think of something fast. Jay was right. We were almost under the dark clouds. Shit. Ambridge went to the wheel. Kylie, you don't look so good. Tell me something I don't know. So what's the plan now? Don't have much of a Choice can't dock here. What about turning back? Turning back to where? No, no, the storm is moving too fast. What about that island? Alcatraz? No, that one over there. There are several islands. Those are the Farallons. And we can't dock there. Why not? There's no place to dock. They're way too rocky. I thought you said you stayed there once. I did, but I arrived on a small raft that was lifted by a crane. That's how they have to do it. So unless there's someone there to operate the crane, we won't be able to dock. Trust me. Could we anchor and swim in this? Just a question. No, the water's too rough and there's no place to climb up. Plus, this area is known to have great whites. Are you joking? No, not at all. Oh, that's swell. So don't fall overboard. I'd advise against it. I saw some pretty crazy seal deaths here during my stay. Noted. Granted. That was years ago. So does that mean we're heading into the storm? Looks like we have to. Great. Will you be able to handle that because of your seasickness? Screw my seasickness. I'm scared of the boat sinking. I'm winding up like one of those seals you mentioned. Moments later, it started to rain. I got one last look of what used to be San Francisco. I still couldn't believe what I was looking at. Guys, I'm gonna need help here. I shook myself free of the despair and ran up to the front sail. Okay, I'm ready, Jay. Jay was up. Boom. Pulling ropes tight. Ready? Okay, here we go. The rain picked up as we zoomed forward, ready to take the storm head on. Should we make a list? We can do that. How are we supposed to get stuff stuff, though? We don't have anything to trade. Charles is going to help us out. He said he talked to a couple guys in his group. He did. We spun around to see the man named Ryan. He was drenched in toothpickless. Oh, hi. He held a large paper bag in his arms. Sorry it got wet. Charles didn't say what you needed exactly, but I figured since you still had a week's worth of walking, maybe some of this would help. A week? Is that it? I don't know. Not really good with distances. But Bodega Bay is not too far from San Francisco, so I'd say you're pretty close. You know, if everything goes according to plan. Okay. Well, I hope that's accurate. Me, too. What did you bring? We were under the sheltered area with cots. Connor was currently taking a nap. Claire offered for us to stay under their canopy pop up. But it was pretty flimsy, so we felt the wooden shelter would be better for now. And that's where we stayed all day. Oh, cool. That's like an all in one kit. Bowl, spoon, fork, knife, cup, plate, and so on. Where'd you get all this stuff? Before we got here, we found a bunch of military vehicles and equipment abandoned. A lot of stuff. Like this, this and this. He pulled out a large knife. Jesus. This bad boy can come in handy if you run out of bullets. Oh, good. I guess I shouldn't take that out here. Might make some people nervous. Yeah, like me, right? Sorry. It's okay. I meant to grab you clothes, but that's one of the first things to get snatched up. And we go out and I don't have any women's clothes just hanging around. Sadly, you know, we aren't picky. That's why I brought two regular shirts. Never been worn post apocalypse. They're both larges though. Thank you. Listen, if you want to make a list, I can see about grabbing some stuff tonight. Hey. That's what we were going to do. You're going out? Yeah. It's my team's turn. How does the whole militia thing work? How do you keep order? We don't. I've only been here for a little while. I joined a group that was already here. Along with Eli and several others I was traveling with. I felt it was not only right to help out, but I liked the idea of going out, gathering supplies whenever I needed. Plus, we all watch out for each other. Gotta watch for thieves. That's what we heard. It can get bad. Always stay alert. We sleep in shifts. He looked over to Connor and smirked. Good. It can get hectic out there, but I'll do my best to search for your stuff. Are we able to search ourselves? You are. But I would advise against it. Why? Thieves? No, there's some bad dudes who search for stragglers around here. We've had a couple run ins with them. Us too, once. Then you know, they attacked a woman. We wanted to help. Couldn't. Yeah, they killed a friend of mine. I'm sorry to hear that. Hey, it's a different world now. We're more careful. And we make sure to always travel in groups. So if I were you, I would just stay put for the time being. I'll gather what I can and. Hell, maybe you'll like this place so much you'll decide to stay. It's really not that bad, it seems. All right. But I got a destination. So you got your mind set. And I'm not changing it. That's understandable. Well, like I said, it can be dangerous on the outskirts. But when you're ready to leave, I'll show you the best way out. That way you can avoid those sick. We'd appreciate that. He nodded and turned to look at the rain. Okay, then. I better get ready for patrol. I'll be back before I head out to grab that list from you. Okay, but I think we need. There's a pen and pad in the bag. Oh, hopefully it's not wet. He smiled, then jogged out into the rain. It's not wet. Good. He seems nice. He does. But we should still be careful. He said he wants to show us a way out, but we don't know him that well. I didn't say anything. I just smiled at her. What? Nothing. Here. No, thanks. I'm not hungry. You need to eat, Mia. Later. It was our second day on the road. Travel was a lot slower than we thought. Me and Chris were part of the group that covered the rear. Hey, if she's not gonna eat that, I will. Chris looked at me for confirmation and I nodded. She then handed the cooked meat to Kenny. Kenny was a lookout who used to be a supply runner in Isaac's group. Before Isaac took off. I never talked to him much, but he was assigned to our group by Travis. Let me get a piece. So was Rhett, another former supply runner. And Ira. There were five of us. There were six groups overall protecting the herd. One in front, led by Travis. Two on both sides, led by Gale, Dana, Annie, and Harlow. And our group in the back, which I was in charge of. You want any more, Jess? No, thank you. Jess was with us, too, but she didn't have a gun. We were just keeping her close. She doesn't like deer. I do. I'm just full. Ira was the only one I didn't know out of our little group. He was new to the Zone, but offered to help, Especially when he heard of the move. Although it was a total pain in the ass. And he complained all the time. I don't like deer either. Should have taken more of the chickens. Don't know why we left so many in the Zone. Had to share. Says who? They'll all be dead in a month and then it's wasted. That is not true. Ira was also an. Sometimes he reminded me of a chubbier. Travis. Yeah, it is. And you saw that thing they're building in the city. And the plants, they're gonna take over. And what makes you think they won't take over where we're going? Because Travis said it was clear. Right. Ira looked to me and Chris for confirmation. Right? So far, yeah. See, you said so far. So yeah. So what, this is spreading? This is just like a temporary fix? Well, of course it's gonna get worse. We're all anyway but maybe we can buy us some time for the military to come back and help. Dream big, baby. Dream big. Hell no. Military's done they didn't do we're on our own. I thought that was obvious. Makes me wonder why I ever even paid taxes. I doubt anyone expected anything like this to happen. Whatever. Still don't want to stay back and get taken over faster. I'd rather move my fat ass up north. You keep talking about buying time, but what the hell are you waiting for? I don't know. Ira shoved more food into his mouth. He's hoping for a War of the Worlds type ending. No, I'm not. What's that? The aliens get wiped out by disease. Disease? Viruses, sickness. Can that happen? Possibly. Ain't happened yet. Hey. Hey. Is is War of Worlds that movie with Tom Cruise in it? Yeah, but it's based on an H.G. wells novel. Irish strikes me as the kind of guy don't read. I read. Books. Yeah, books. Like. Like actual books. Probably comic books. No books. Name one. What? Name a book. Any book. As they teased each other, Hudson walked up. Mia, you got a sec? Everyone got quiet. Me and Chris shared a look of concern. What's up, Hudson? Just need to chat. I looked at Chris. She shrugged. Just go. We're fine. Well, you're in charge. I looked to the guys. She's in charge. Fine. Damn. I followed Hudson. He led me onto the cracked pavement of the road and past some stalled cars. There were people camping all along this stretch, but for how many people there were, it was relatively quiet, which was good. The road was so narrow and surrounded by woods on either side, the last thing we needed was to attract a group of thrashers. Hudson, is there something wrong with the vehicles? No, not at all. So there's nothing wrong with my car? Your car is fine. Thank God. What do we need to chat about? But instead of answering, he pointed to the vehicles up ahead. The passenger door to the water truck was open, and the inside was illuminated by a lantern. What's going on? More communications with the base. By the time we reached the truck, both Annie and Harlow had arrived. Harlow was another supply runner who used to be Part of Maria's team before she gave up that life. She was a scrawny woman, but tough. She was also good with a bow, like Kylie. That's why she was in charge of one of the guard groups. What's happening? Shh. I peered into the truck to see Travis, Dana and Gale inside with the radio up on the dash. We're trying our best here. Hey, turn that down more here. Grant. We're two days in, but we're making good time. That was a lie. Any way you can keep them at bay? It's what we've been doing here. Hold on a sec. So what's going on? More attacks. Hey, guys. Keaton here. I was outside the base earlier today. Tell them what you saw. There's a lot of them. At least 40. Tell them about the vehicles. Grant, stop. Sorry. You're right. Sorry about that. We realize that these guys are staying close to the base now. We don't want to say too much. They could be listening in. Well, if they are, tell them we're coming with a fuckload of people. You really want to say that? Travis, you guys still there? Sorry. Yeah, we're here. Hey. Who's Keaton? Another ranger at the base. Keaton will be there soon. Is there no way you can send help? We're doing our best here. Right now we're sticking to the base and barely peeking our heads out. Except for my little reconnaissance mission. Good. Keep it that way. Is everyone else okay? We've lost some, but we won't say how many. Not over the radio. Good idea. Can they hold out, though? You already know they want people. I wouldn't ask that. Why? Because they'll say no, Travis. Fine. Tell them to stay within the walls and hunker down. Keaton. Grant, can you guys just continue to hunker down for the time being? Sure. Yeah. Can you really not spare anyone right now? We have a ton of people driving with us. We need everyone to keep them guarded. It's a hell of a trick, you know that? We think they're planning something. They fire shots throughout the day, but we think it's just a way to spook us. Any ideas what they could be planning? I saw their vehicles. We think it may be that they're waiting to stock up on supplies and gas. Then they attack. Like we said before, we'll have this line of communication open, but don't say any more. Well, if they are listening, I hope they realize we have tons of ammo and weapons. Tons. We'll pick up the pace tomorrow. That's Easier said than done. You see people lagging, Harlow? No, but we're not in the back. Mia, I don't know if we can push these people any more than we already are. Gale frowned, then turned back to the radio. We're gonna push as hard as we can. More. Promise you this, guys. Once we get there, you won't have any more problems with these bastards. Both Dana and Travis nodded in agreement. Okay. Thanks. Over and out. Travis. What? We don't want them to be taken over. We have 33 people guarding over a thousand. Even if we did send some up, it wouldn't be nearly enough right now. He's right. So what other option do we have to keep pushing and reassess when we get closer? That's it. We need to figure out something, too. People are lagging. We're using the other trucks to carry the handicapped. And yeah, there's not enough room for tired people, too. No, but there's room in here and on the trailers, on the supplies, and on the tops of the cars. We're driving slowly anyway. We can switch people on and off. Rotate the tired. Why not? Let's do it. Still might not be enough, but it's something. It will eliminate a lot of brakes. Travis hopped out of the truck and slammed the door. Dana and Gail climbed out of the driver's side. We leave early morning, too, right? When the sun comes up. Well, we knew this wouldn't be easy. Nothing ever is easy. Easy? We're fine. I don't know. I think this may have been a mistake. We had left the bay behind us, but now it was so dark we could just barely make out the coast. Ambridge, what are you doing? Turning us toward the shore. No, don't. We're drifting out. Don't do it, Jay. I turned my attention back to the front sail and yanked the ropes. Shit. Jay, I think Ambridge is right. Look at the waves, man. We can't turn that way. But we won't go anywhere. We'd be fighting the wind. We're already fighting the wind. That's because the sails are facing the wrong way. What? Trust me. Out of the corner of my eye, I saw Kylie and Amber share a look, but then Amber yanked hard on the wheel as we came crashing over a wave. I nearly lost my footing as I steadied the rope and tied it off. Jay, it's getting worse. I ran back to the back sail and angled the boom. Kylie ducked. Sorry. Kylie leaned on the boom as she stood. The sail was still flapping wildly, but they were angled wrong that was obvious. Ambridge, turn the boat. I am. No. That way. Are you sure? Yes. Trust me, Jennifer. Trust me. Ambridge huffed and yanked the wheel. The boat groaned as it slammed against wave after wave. More. We were now angled enough that the sails were at least catching the wind and carrying us forward, although a little too fast. We flew off every crest, landing with a thud. Just then, a loud creaking. The rope. Ah, shit. The rope snapped, sending the boom swinging, knocking Kylie back. She landed against the railing, almost falling overboard. Holy shit. Kylie. No. Ambridge. He let go of the wheel to help Kylie, but the boat turned. I let go of the rope in my hand and ducked as the boom came swinging back. Ah. I slipped, but quickly regained my balance and grabbed hold of the wheel. We need to head in. No, Jay. No. Ambridge and Kylie seemed shocked by my defiance, but I wouldn't let them down. I can do this. Ambridge's face softened and he nodded while leaning against the railing. Okay. But just then, a huge wave hit, sending us reeling. I pulled hard on the wheel, trying to keep her steady. As Kylie and Ambridge regained their footing, I saw the boom swinging back over Ambridge. Watch out. Shit. So how is it? Really good. First bacon, and now this. I honestly wondered if I would ever taste food like this again. I was sitting under the canopy, pop up, eating a bird's nest. At least that's what Charles called it. I knew it by a different name. Mom used to call them egg in a basket. Thank you again. No problem at all. We're just happy we could help. Right? But we don't want to force you to feed us, too. You already have quite the family to take care of. It's really not a problem. Don't think we'll end up like your baseball cap friend. Who, Stan the stalker? Yeah, don't worry about that, dear. Yeah, there's a huge difference between you two. And that is? You're leaving. Oh, Charles, stop. He's kidding. She knows. I smiled. It's been, like, three days now. How are you liking it here? It's nice. And I have to thank you again, Charles, for putting me in touch with your friends, Eli and Ryan. Ryan actually brought me and Bree some more stuff this morning, some of which he said I could use to barter. If you need something specific that you can't find yourself, that's the way to go. We do it often. Yeah, he found us an extra flashlight and batteries that we might try trading for some more socks and possibly some sunglasses. We don't have any spares. Do we, Charles? Definitely not. More than one. That reminds me, I wanted to ask about Brielle and Connor. Oh, Connor is saying. Is that right? His whole goal was to reach this place. So just you and Bree will be heading to Bodega Bay? That's right. You know, it's good that Brielle has someone like you in her life. Claire turned her attention to the small grouping of rocks in front of the camp. There. Connor, Bree, Piper and Jolie. Claire's kids played a board game. I think it was Chutes and Ladders. But it was hard to see from here. When you told us how you met, you mentioned her mother was gone. Yeah, it was sad. She wanted to come with me and Mark, so we let her join us. Well, that was really nice of you. Thanks. Honestly, watching her right now, it's exciting. I haven't seen her smile like that since we first met. The kids seem to be getting along well. It's nice. Too bad Craig doesn't want to participate. We all turned in our seats to see him reading a magazine outside his tent. Not paying us any mind. Well, he's older than them. Not the boy. How old is Connor again? He says 18. Wonder if he would want to join the militia. Charles, stop. Not now. Clara turned her attention back to the girls and the game they played. I finished my breakfast and placed my empty plate on the table. Oh man. Oh wow. What? Even her laugh reminds me of my daughter. Your daughter? She's a spitting image. I don't think she looks like. No, no, not Piper or Jolie. Nina. Nina? Nina didn't make it. Claire stared down at her now empty plate. Her lips quivered. She almost did though. If only we knew this place was so close, we would have pushed harder. She was bitten, like your friend. She turned quickly. There was nothing we could do. I'm sorry to hear that. Thank you. Claire wiped a single tear away and focused back on her daughters and Brielle. Just take care of her, Ava, as if she were your own it. Hey, Mia. Yeah, Ira? What's a chubby middle aged guy gotta do to hitch ride on one of those trailers? You tired? Hell yeah, I'm tired. I was sweating in places I didn't even know had pores. I'm fat, Mia. Or did you forget you signed up for this? Sure. I wanted the perks of being a guard. Hey, at least I'm honest. Kenny and Red aren't complaining. Kenny's a skinny redneck. He's used to the outdoors. And Rhett bigger than you. He's complaining too. Not to me. Come on, Mia. Even Chris is complaining. Maybe she hasn't said anything to you, but she sure has to us. Listen, none of us want to push this hard, but we have to. Why? I didn't know how much I should say. Come on, we know something's up. We all hear rumors. Guard groups are talking. There's trouble where we're going. We feel like if we can get there in time, we can disperse. Said trouble. Aliens? No. People, apparently. Oh, fuck. Is that it? Some fuckers want our base. It's not ours. It will be spoken just like Travis. Okay, okay, that makes sense. Sense? Well, it's what, like day three? Are we at least making good time? We are now. It was evening and I was exhausted. Trading was a lot easier said than done. After getting nowhere, I was back to laying on my cot. I heard some people shouting over by a couple campers. Two guys were fighting, probably over food. That happened this morning, too. There she is. I swung my legs over the side of the cot. As I sat up, Ryan once again had a toothpick in his mouth. He must have noticed me staring because he pulled it out and looked at it. I used to smoke. Does that help? Eh, somewhat. Mind if I sit? No, go ahead. He sat at the end of the cot, giving us two feet of space. He slid the toothpick back in his mouth and stared at the rest of the cots. Are they all taken right now? Yeah. That's why I'm here guarding. You weren't here earlier. You were looking for me. Had some more stuff, but it's in my tent now. I figure it's safer over there. Good idea. There was another fight just before you walked up. That's why you gotta be careful. I've been over at Clara and Charles camp for the most part. Only come back here to sleep. Where's the girl? Still over there. Bree? Yeah. She's been getting along with Clara's daughters. Good for her to be around kids her own age again, huh? It's just nice to see her smile. I'm gonna feel like a total ass when I tell her it's time to go. And when are you leaving? Need a few more things. Well, I'm going out again tonight. Volunteered. I'll see what I can find. Got a list. I pulled it out of my pocket. Just then, another fight started to break out. And whatever I find tonight, I'll keep in my tent until you're ready to leave. I like that. My head was throbbing. I lightly touched a large lump over my right eyebrow. Lump? Was about the size of a plum. Damn, it hurts. I stood up and wobbled. Oh, good, you're awake. And you're in different clothes. Yeah, I fell overboard. What? I mean, I'm back on board now, so don't worry. What the hell happened? Why don't you sit? You look like you're having trouble. My head hurts. But as Kylie came closer, I took a seat back on the bed. Kylie took a seat in a padded chair and leaned forward so we could see each other through the tiny doorway. After you lost consciousness, I brought you below deck by yourself. Jay had the wheel, so. Yeah. You are not light. I know. Then as I went back up top, I slipped on the last step and fell overboard. Jay dropped anchor and threw me the life preserver. And I may not be a good swimmer, but I made sure to get to that thing quick. I just kept thinking of the opening scene of Jaws. So he got you back up? Yeah. And then he got us out of the storm. It's a good thing, too. The coast looked nasty. Alien plants. Oh, yeah. Jay got used to sailing quick. It's surprising because he still gets confused with the terms, but, hell, so do I sometimes. So where are we now? Well, after the storm passed, we didn't see land. Then Jay had the bright idea to follow some gulls. That was hours ago. Jesus. How long was I out? A long time. And now what? Now we see land, and we're following it north. Wow. And the boat's fine. One of the sails is torn. That was my fault. And there's a few dings, but other than that. Yeah. I remember when Jay used to think he was useless. If it wasn't for him, I don't think we would have made it. Did you tell him that? Yeah. And? And I think he was proud. Good. Hey, Kylie. Kylie. You got your sea legs back? Yeah. Let's go. I noticed you don't look as pale as you did before. After falling off the boat and surviving the storm, I think the seasickness got scared out of me. I could see that we were topside. I saw Jay steering the boat, but looking toward the coast. As we got closer, he turned his attention to us in a large smile. Average. You're up. Okay. I'm fine. Kylie kept checking up on you. But when I went down there this time, he was awake of mobly. Still am. Dang. Look at that bump. Oh, man. I meant to look at a mirror down there. No, don't. You don't want to see it. My head. You're here. How is it? That Jay made it all this way unscathed? Not completely. I got rope burn. He held his left hand out on palm up to show a thick red line. Oh, poor baby. I went to the railing and peered at the coast. We were pretty far from it, but it was evident there was no alien plant life. Hey, no plants. Hasn't been any for a while now. I think we're close to Bodega Bay. We have to be. This is a good sign, right? I think so. You saw San Francisco. That was horrible. And that huge tower. That was scary. I can only imagine what it's for, but over here it's bare. Let's hope it stays that way. Look over there. Houses. He was right. Jay brought the boat closer to the shore, where we could see houses and cars atop the cliffs. I don't see anyone, though. Me either. Will you know Bodega Bay when you see it, Jay? Definitely. We all stayed above deck, letting the wind carry us for another half hour when more, bigger houses appeared. This untouched land was so pretty. The rocky cliffs, the green foliage, seabirds and rustic homes. We got to be close now. I didn't know if he actually knew that. I was just being hopeful. When we see tons of docks and houses on the water and an inlet bay. And what about people? I hope we see people. Guys, I do see people. What? Where? Straight ahead. Both Jay and Kylie ran to the side to see past the sails. There. Ahead of us, three motorboats approached. Are they good or bad? No way to tell from here. What do we do, Jay? Stand slower down, but don't stop the sails. I got it. I'll get weapons. Ambridge, Hurry. They're almost here. I didn't have time. I grabbed my rifle and handgun and rushed back upstairs. Kylie. I tossed her the gun, and she finished lowering the back sail. Jay, I didn't see your gun down there. I have it already. You do? Yeah. Oh, they're almost here. I went to the right side and saw three boats no more than 100 yards away. Two of the people in the first boat had rifles in hand. Oh, no. They have weapons. Kylie, stay by the sails. I'm not moving. Jay was right. It was a possibility. We'd have to get out of here in a hurry. Although I don't know how much of a chance we stood against three motorboats. Anchor your boat. Oh, shit. What do we do? The three boats parted, coming at us from different angles. The lead one helped four people, one steered, and one had a megaphone, and the other one held two rifles aimed at us. We can't outrun them. Okay. I raised my gun and went to the edge of the boat. What do you want? The lead boat neared ours and slowed. The other two sped up to come around, surrounding us. You hardly have a chance to survive. You're not boarding our boat. Put the gun down. You're not boarding. Anchor the boat. Let us pass. Where are you headed? The other boats slowed, keeping their distance as they circled around us. Ambridge, keep her steady. Jay, where are you heading? I look to. Jay just shrugged. Oh, fuck it. We're heading to Bodega Bay. Is that right? That's right. We traveled a long way. Don't plan on giving up just yet. The boat got closer. I got a good look at the female driver with a short slick, and the guys with guns were big and built. Looked like they could be brothers, if not twins. The megaphone man had a ponytail on a dark mustache. We lowered his shades. Ah, Bodega Bay, huh? I nodded. Well, you made it. What? We did. Jay left the wheel and ran down to me as we continued to drift forward. Jay, we're here. That's right. You made it. But before you get any closer, we'll have to board your boat. So we can do this the easy way or the hard way. Here, have the rest. Really, I'm stuffed. We can't let it go to waste. Bree, you want any more? No, I'm good. Two more days had passed and here I was, stuffing my face with more food and dreading leaving. You all right, dear? Yes. Yes, I'm fine. Connor and Craig had gone with Charles for some shooting practice while Brie, Claire's daughters and the Conrad's played board games in the biggest tent ever. Think you would eat like this again? Not at all. You're spoiling us. It's making it harder for us to leave. Good. Can I ask a question? I know it's dumb to ask, but I'm just an inquisitive person. Go ahead, dear. Why are you spoiling us? There's a lot of people here and I know you helped out others, like Baseball Hat Guy, but why us? She turned away to look at the sunset. Well, I guess that may be for my own selfish reasons. Now, I noticed her staring at the tent, the window flap open, showing both Piper and Bri. She just looks and acts so much like my Nina. Oh, I'm sorry. I know I shouldn't. I know it's not my place. I know she's your. Well, you know, she's not my daughter. But I do care for her. I Know that. I guess. I was just hoping maybe you'd change your mind. Brielle seems to really like it here. She gets along with my girls. And even the Conrad's so well. And even Connor and Craig seem to be getting along just fine. I don't know much about Connor, but. Yeah, I see that too. The problem is. I know, dear. I know we can't stay. Just then the tent burst with laughter and. And I could feel my stomach tighten. It's like I said. My own selfish reasons. All I'm saying is if this small group of people. People can hold them off, I don't think we have anything to worry about. Yeah, but they're in the base. Defending it is probably a lot easier. How do you know? Because it has walls, you jackass. Day four and travel had been quick and surprisingly smooth. We were sitting by the fire and I was ready to call it a night. All anyone could talk about now was the base. Word had traveled fast. Right, Mia? What? I had zoned out. The base is secure, right? Yeah, but they don't have a lot of people. Weren't they always under attack? The issue is it isn't as sporadic as it once was. Can't we help them now? What? Jess sat up from her sleeping bag. Can't we just go help them now? We thought about that. But that leaves us vulnerable here. Yeah, fuck that. Aren't we already short people in the guard groups? Yeah, but what if the place gets captured on our way up? Then they'll have the walls. Won't it make it harder for us? Yes, it will. Mia. Can we talk? Jesus. Now, Ava. I walked into the militia tent area to see Eli, Ryan and a couple others playing poker. They were betting with miniature chocolate bars. Hey, Ryan. I came to get my stuff. Oh, one second. I bet three Snickers. Three. I folded. I call Henry. One second, one second. I'm thinking. How do you determine the worth of each bar? They're all worth the same. Except Snickers. We all really like Snickers. That's why this is so hard. Hurry up. Call our fold. It's getting late. Yeah, and I want to make some bars back before we call it a night. Fine. I'll fold. Okay, Ryan, what do you got? Full house, baby. Bullshit. But Ryan dramatically flashed his cards before splaying them on the table. How? Seriously? How? Ryan scooped up the winnings and brought them to his already huge pile. Alright, I'll be right back, guys. Deal me out. Oh, and I know how many I have, so don't even try. So you sure you want all this now? I wasn't able to find everything on your. That's okay. I'm ready. He climbed into his tent and brought out two brown bags. This stuff should fit. And I found plenty more batteries. Thanks. You leaving tomorrow? I think so, yeah. You know which way you're heading out? You told me. North, through the park. Yeah, but there are different paths. I looked at a map. You know, we've heard shooting up that way in the woods. Not sure. Did you find me ammo? No. But I got another gun. A revolver. Yeah. You ever find one of these things? It reminded me of Mark. And I was forced to fight back tears. Uh, yeah, I. I can. I. I can handle it. It's a.357 snub nose. The thing is powerful and the recoil isn't too bad, but I figured it might be helpful to have something with a little more kick. It looks brand new. Pretty much. But I tested it last night. It's good to go. Are you sure you don't want it? I think you better take it. You're worried about me, aren't you? I've seen what those guys out there do. You've traveled a long way, but you ever have to shoot anyone? No. You bit his lips. Let me walk you guys out of the forest tomorrow. I told you, I know the best way. I think we'll be fine. Please. I plan to leave early. That's fine. I don't go out tonight. It'll just make me feel a little better. Okay. If that's what you want. Hey. Sorry I'm late. I didn't realize how many games they had. And Charles was able to get a DS and an external charger that still had power, so we ended up playing the Sims. I'm not a huge fan of that game, but it was also he had. And we just took turns playing. It was pretty cool. It's fine. Brie, do you have your pack? Yeah. Did that guy Ryan get us more stuff? Yeah. I think we should leave tomorrow. Tomorrow? We've been here too long. Oh, I don't want to get too comfortable. Yeah, I know. Have you talked to Clara? No. I'm gonna go talk to her now. Oh, okay. Because they were all getting ready for bed. But we have to say bye before we leave. They've given us food and supplies. I know. Come on. We can go say goodbye together. Okay, then. What's the plan? Dana's gonna head out alone. It's quicker that way. Now, be careful, and don't worry about the arm. It's feeling better. You'll be on a bike. They'll hear a bike. And if they get close enough, he knows what happens. Mia, me, Dana, Travis and Hudson were standing by the water truck. So should I get it down? Yes, I think you should take someone else with you. Gail had received a call from Maria back at the qz. A herd of thrashers had moved through and were heading up the road we were on. Maria said there were hundreds of footprints just outside the forest. She was worried they were tracking us and that they weren't that far behind. Mia, I'll be quick and make sure to keep my distance. You know, come morning, will be leaving. Leave. That's fine. It might take me longer anyway. You're not worried you'll lead them right to us? She does have a point. Hudson was in the back of the water truck loosening the straps to Dana's favorite bike. Listen, I know this road pretty well. Now a few miles back there's a ridge and I think I'll have a pretty good vantage point. You can see a lot of the forest from there, remember? Yeah, I do. So. Hey guys. A hand. We held Hudson by the bike to the road. Dana, walk this to the back though. Well, I wasn't planning on driving through. I'll walk with you, Dana. He weaved the bike through all the people sitting and laying on the ground. There were so many of us. I know you're nervous, but we need to find out if they're tracking us. I know. Jesus. Bandits north of us. Thrash yourself. I hope this move is worth it. Me too. We made it to the back where I saw the campfire. I had left Jess, Chris and Kenny sitting around it chatting. Rhett and I were sleeping. Chris made eye contact with me, but I held up a finger as if to say. One second. Alright. Looks like that's it. It is. Our group's the ass under the herd. He climbed onto the bike, started it. Be careful, Dana. Always it. Well, I'm really sorry to hear that, but I understand. Family is important. I traveled a long way. I can't stop right now. Do you need anything else? No, I think we're set. Ryan's helped us out a ton. Good. Good. I just feel bad for her. Claire was looking at the tent where her girls and Brielle were saying goodbye. Connor and Craig eventually made their way inside. Hugs were given out and I could see Brielle was crying. Clara. They'll be fine. Like Ava said, they made it a long way. I know. Doesn't mean I can't still be worried. I. Yeah. I'd hate to ask this, but with Piper and Jolie and Connor. She hesitated a moment, then sat in one of the lawn chairs. Clara, don't. I just want to ask. Ask what? If maybe you'd be comfortable with letting her stay here. I. I don't. You don't have to. It was just a question. A proposal. She gets along with our daughters. I see them smile and laugh. And you travel with Connor. But he's staying here. So I thought maybe. I felt really weird right now. I didn't know how to respond. Brielle wasn't my daughter, but I still cared for her. We had gotten close. I know you two have bonded. So if the answer is no, that's fine. And if you'd rather not even ask her, then that's fine, too. I don't want to create that divide. But just know that we would take great care of her. Like she was one of our own. It's true. And we know you have to leave. We know you have to get to Bodega Bay. But Brielle. Well, I still wasn't sure what to say. But luckily Connor came over to break up the awkwardness. Hey, Ava. I just want to say thank you. Thank you for letting me travel with you. Thank you for everything. Even the arm. Actually, I have Bree to thank for that. But seriously, thank you. Of course. He awkwardly reached out with his good arm and we embraced. Take good care of Bree. I know she cares about you a lot. I will. And know that we'll be here if you ever feel you need to come back. Or maybe just want to. Thank you. Another five minutes passed before Brielle came out of the tent. She was still teary eyed. Okay, I'm ready now. But was she really? She obviously liked it here. And she had really bonded with both Connor and Clara's family. I knew I'd feel bad if I didn't at least ask. Hey, Bree. Yeah? Clara wants to ask you a question. Are you sure? Yeah, I'm sure. There you are. It was early morning. The sun was just about to come up. There was a light mist over the ground, and the north part of the lake was eerily quiet. Where's the girl? No girl. Just me. Oh, really? Yeah. So you'll be alone? That's right. Are you sure you still want to do this? Absolutely. Okay. Well, I'll walk with you up this trail here. It's going to be a heck of a hike, but I'll bring you all the way to the north ridge. Okay. Sounds good. Lead the way. I was in a dour mood and I was nervous I would be alone soon. Completely alone, heading into an area that was supposed to be bad. Really bad. And while I was sad to let Brielle go, I was happy that she was happy and that she was able to find a nice family in a pretty nice area. I hope things worked out for her. She was reluctant at first, but I knew she wanted to stay. I couldn't believe how much I cried. But now I had to focus on my trek. Things would be different now, but I was close. I was really close. And knowing that was the hope I'd hang on to the rest of the way. End of All Hope Written by Robert M. Lamb Edited by Logan Ferdinand and Robert M. Lamb Starring Hope Ennis as Ava Adam Jetmore as Jay Jack Austin as Ambridge Gina Coyle as Kylie Evelyn as Brielle Ariel Hack as Mia Stacey golden as Chris Michael Moman as Roger Brett Wilkins as Travis Joji Bixby as Dana Corey Pettit as Jess Jerry Swindle Jr. As Gale Ann Feller as Hudson Christina Lewis as Annie and Gareth Thomas as Sammy Co Starring Daryl Lamontagne, Bruce Salia, Fran Paredes Adam Ibin, Mike Lenhart, Nick Cornelius, Zane Bowman, Douglas Solway, Wesley Morris, Sage A Kim S, Nick Keeney and Ryan Glover. Music provided by Kevin McLeod at incompetech.com Dylan Mixer at dmixmusic.com and Eldridge T'Challa of Nemesis Black at reverbnation.com Nemesis Black if you enjoy End of All Hope, visit 7Lamb.com for more podcasts such as this. And don't forget to rate and review. This has been a seven Lamb production. And now for a clip from I Am Echo. How did you know? I literally just dropped her off. When a child finally detaches themselves from a controlling mother, the the shift is felt all through the universe. Please stop calling her mother. It stopped being normal after the 1930s. How do you feel? Like a thousand pounds of pressure lifted off. And if you never live with her again, you get to feel that way forever. Thanks for the life hack. I'm proud of you taking this step. Thanks. I'm probably driving on the same roads dad used to. Hmm, you probably are. Listen, I know you're starting to have more questions about the family history, but trying to find answers is going to distract you from the life you want. A boring, normal life still comes with questions that need to be answered. Not when those questions are connected to mother. I told you. I know. Now I'M doing it to annoy you. But seriously, anything you're trying to figure out with regards to Barbara may make make your life very hard. Did you try answering these questions at some point? Got an appointment with a therapist yet? She's supposed to be the best for that area. If you don't connect with her, she can recommend a better fit. Next Monday. I'll see what the therapist thinks of the dream. You may be disappointed in her answer. Probably some kind of metaphor. Well, I'll bring my A game regardless. That's not how therapy works. Besides, you've been bringing your A game your whole life. Take it easy for once down there in the sleepy South. Hey, what are you doing your first night away from her? I'm going to try alcohol and play my favorite music very loud. Hmm. Good plan. Oh, you didn't answer my question. I know. I gotta go work. Shit. What city are you calling from? And how's the COVID mission going? I'm doing boring diplomatic work in D.C. i don't believe you, but I love you. Love you too, baby sis. If you enjoyed that, make sure to search for I Am Echo by Voyage Media. Wherever you listen to podcasts.