[He'd gone off to be Mr. Survival man. Had it not been for a box of matches and Jack with a wrench, Charles possibly would have starved and frozen.]

At high costs on both sides and in the end the rebels really do not impact the Nationalist hold over Spain for forty years.

[ Should have stayed at the mill and found out about the situation before darting off into the wilds. ]

That sums it up. Sounds like you know your history.

[ Why ask then? ]

[Sudden oppressive silence in his head had about driven Charles right around the bend. Running off into the wilds was the least reactive response he'd managed.]

Not exactly history for me. I was seven in nineteen thirty-nine.

Still I cannot help wondering if this is a subtle, not that COMPASS is known for subtle, message to us who resist. That despite our efforts, as good as they may be, COMPASS is still going to hold power over us indefinitely.

[ Eliot tried not to think on that. His momma wasn't even born back then. ]

You're thinkin' too much on this.

Like you said, COMPASS ain't subtle. They got a message, they'd come outright and say it.