Philadelphia. Monroe is examining a map of the former United States, which now seems to be divided into about six territories: the Monroe Republic, running from Maine to Michigan and Indiana, with a southern border approximately where the Mason-Dixon Line was; below that, the Georgia Federation, encompassing basically the entire Confederacy; Texas, which seems to have gobbled up Oklahoma and most of Louisiana; the Plains Nation, which is Arkansas north to Wisconsin and west to Montana and the southwestern edge of Kansas; Wasteland, which looks like Idaho through New Mexico and most of Arizona and down into Mexico; and the California Commonwealth, which looks much as it is now, but with Oregon and Washington pasted on top. I'm most amused by Texas.

Anyway, Monroe's companion says the Georgia Federation has allied with the Plains Nation and they've engaged with Monroe's forces on the southern and western borders, near St. Louis. The subordinate, John, says the other two nations seem to have heard about the rebel problems in the Monroe Republic and are taking advantage of the chaos. Monroe Richard-the-Thirds about how he'd like just one Blackhawk chopper and he could subdue the people, "like the Mayans before the Spanish." He muses, "and I'll still cut their guts out," and John looks genuinely disturbed. Monroe continues that he plans to conquer all of North America. Well, if history is any guide, sir, you will need more than one train.

Nora is scraping out a log, musing to Hutch about how the trouble with bombs is the ignition. Without electricity, the best way to start an explosion is black powder. (Does she walk around with a backpack full of explosive?) She says the train's engineer will throw her log on the fire and do the work for them. Hutch says something about how it must have been difficult for Nora to set up "that first one, knowing what it was going to do." Meaning she accidentally killed someone? She says it doesn't get easier, but that you get better as a fighter. Hutch says his wife was the fighter, while he liked books. But he says he thinks she'd be proud of what they're doing.