Sorry I haven't updated in forever! It's summer; almost school so I had to do some shopping and organizing. Plus I am aware you all know about something called "Writer's Block" ? Yes, we all hate it and so do I. I tried my best to write it and make it longer, although it may suck. Sorry. Well, here we go!

Chapter 4 - Truth

"Hey, Max. Get up, it's almost time to go", a soothing voice says to me. Thinking about the day ahead of us, my head shoots up only to make contact with a hard rock-thing. Ouch.

"My head", I mumble as Dylan pulls me up to sitting position. "Oh, sorry Dylan"

"It's okay", he says says, also rubbing his head.

"Let's go wake up everyone else", I say yawning.

"Oh, it's okay. I thought you looked peaceful. So I got them up before I got you up", he says softly. I smile at him for the help he's provided since Fang left. My body cringes thinking about him but I erase him from my head for now No need for distractions. Ripping the covers off my body, I stretch and head towards the washrooms that we now have access to.

"I'll be in there shower", I call out and close the door behind me. I hop into the stand up shower and wash away all my troubles. Yeah, if that was possible.

After a reasonably long shower, I'm about to go out but I hear the door open. Why did I forget to lock it!

"Who's there, I'm showering!", I yell.

"I just need to brush my teeth", Iggy yells back.

"Get out of here!", I cry.

"I'm freakin' blind!", he protests. Duh.

I get out while quickly wrapping a towel around me and push him out. What a wake up call.

(Fang's POV)

My eyes groggily open up revealing a blurry world with yelling in the background. How wonderful. Getting up I stretch by arms loosening all the strained muscles from the tons of stressed dumped on me yesterday. On all of us, actually.

"What the hell", Maya mumbles angrily. I look at her weirdly but then I realize I accidentally punched her.

"Oh, sorry, Maya", I reply. "Forgot you were there". Her eyes flash a hint of hurt quickly but it goes away as fast as it came. I just ignore it.

"Okay guys, wake up", I call out.

"We were up ages before you", Star snorts.

"Hop into the shower so we can get going", Kate advises. I nod and head for the shower.

Once I get in, I allow steamy hot water to rain down on me, quenching my muscles. My thoughts keep going to Max, and the flock of course. The past two days have been a nightmare. Having to kill my former flock, my family, my beloved? They have steeped to a new level of evil. Past my stone face, I'm broken and terrified. How can I kill them? Their faces bloody and full of terror from their own brother. Or even worse, lifeless eyes because of me. I can't imagine coming face to face with any of them, forced to kill them. Especially Max, I still love her to death. But in the matter of twenty-four hours, my nightmare will come true.

"Get out of the shower, it's almost time to go!", Star yells from outside the door. Gosh, she's so cranky in the morning. I snap back into reality and get dressed. Everyone is on a bed talking and waiting.

"Kay, guys. Today is training day. That means we cannot be distracted, we have to focus on the task ahead of us. We have to train as much as we can. Even if we have abilities, we still have to learn how to use weapons and survival skills", I instruct.

"So, what do you recommend us doing?", Kate asks, brushing her hair out of her face.

"Star, I recommend you use a short rage weapon since you are very quick and come at them quickly. Also you should maybe get some bows and arrows, a spear, darts, something like that so you can get them and take off asap", I say. She nods confidently.

"Ratchet, you should also get a long distance weapon like Star, since your senses are enhanced and you could take them out quickly from afar", I say facing Ratchet.

"Ahh, good thinking", he praises.

"Kate, I think you should learn how to use a larger weapons since you have the strength to carry it. And it gives you protection as it could be used as a shield", I say.

"Fine, but.. how can I kill someone?", she asks me with watery, pleading eyes. "I mean..I know it's hard for all of us but I'm a vegan. If I can't eat meat, if I can't take milk away from a cow, it's definite I can't kill a person", she finishes looking defeated. It must be terribly hard on her.

"This is survival, and we have to block out all emotions in order to achieve it. But if you freeze up and seriously can't, at least knock them out so we can finish the uh.. job", I finish, my voice cracking.

She opens her mouth to protests, but just sigh and nods.

"Holden, it doesn't really matter what you try. Just what's comfortable", I say, remember how he's a.. erhm, 'starfish'. He nods, proud of his starfish-ness.

"I'll get some close range weapon, cause I like to get up close and battle. Then some long distance weapon just in case", Maya says, with fire in her eyes. I smile at her, but then keep reminding myself she isn't Max.

"Same here", I say. "But remember to not only somewhat master your weapon, but to learn survival skills like making a fire, building shelter, and more". They all agree and do there best to seem enthusiastic but we all know this is hell. I put out my fist and everyone looks like I'm an idiot.

"Fang, what are you doing?", Ratchet asks in bewilderment. "Ohh, fist pound!", he says and fist pounds me. I almost forgot this isn't the old flock anymore. I need to get them out of my head. They aren't my flock anymore, this is my flock, these are the people I care about.

Is that a fact of are you trying to convince yourself?

I nearly jump from my seat. Do I have a voice, like Max? Nah, that's not likely. It was just my conscious. My stupid, annoying conscious. After my little self rant everyone is staring at me like I'm crazy, again. Awkward.

"Let's go now", I mumble. And with that, we were off.

Max's POV

"Okay, review. What is our plan?", I ask.

"Try out different weapons to see which one suits us the best", Gazzy informs. I mess up his hair with a smile.

"Good job, Gazzy. What else?"

"Learn as much survival skills as possible. Take note of what the .. other flock specializes in for an advantage. And don't rely on weapons", Iggy finishes.

"Great. We have everything planned out", I say confidently. Even if we seem to be planned out, I don't think any of us are prepared for what will accompany us tomorrow. We heard towards the dinner table that is now a breakfast table. Eggs, toast, tarts, bacon. Yum.

Everyone gets into their seats from last night, where we are soon joined by Fang's flock. Soon we are all eating silently, other than small whispers within each flock. I starts ripping at my toast taking bites out of it when I catch Fang's eye on me. When I look up he doesn't look away, in his eyes are.. sadness? Sadness my butt.

I glare at him, not allowing him have the satisfaction of seeing me crack under his gaze. But I can't deny the jumping of my heart, aching.

Dylan feels my discomfort radiating towards his. He nudges my knee with his, and gives me a reassuring smile. I give a small, fake smile as I try to figure out how his chair got so close to mine all of a sudden..

"Hello, children", Jeb greets us.

"Hey", I reply, nodding my head with a mouth full of yummy eggs.

"Max, don't eat with you mouth full", Jeb scolds.

"Well , I don't think you can waltz into my life and tell me what to do anymore", I scold right back, feeling pretty darn great. He decides to ignore it, but I can see the sadness and regret in his eyes. Which are strange emotions for evil white coats.

"In other cases, today is training day", he says almost excitedly.

"Duh", I hear Gazzy blurt out.

Jeb decides to ignore his outburst and continues. "Remember, we advise you to use your time wisely. The amount of effort you put right now, can greatly benefit you when the time comes", he says with a stern look on his face.

We all nod and mummer agreements. None of us are in that much of a mood to disagree, it would take us no where.

"Okay then, we are set", he says. Everyone gets up and lets Jeb guide us through the narrow hallways. The whole way, I could get help but notice the evil death glares I got from Maya. She bumps into me and gives a not-too-threatening death glare.

"If I were you, in this case you are actually me, I would stop before you get a bloody nose", I snarl at her. Her eyes are in fury with her fist clenched at her sides as steam practically pours from her ears.

"She's an actual person, Max", Fang says almost mechanically. His voice nearly makes me cringe, not hearing a trace of how he used to talk to me softly or while laughing. Now it seems as if he's almost talking to a whitecoat. And that's bad, whitecoat bad.

"And I'm deaf. Whitecoats are good. And you're a girl. Anything else you want to share with us?", Iggy says with a sickly sweet smile. Gazzy laughs hysterically and high fives Iggy. I nudge Iggy with my shoulder as a thanks. He returns it happily.

"Yeah, that you should shut up before we kick your butt from now to the next leap year", Maya hisses.

"Great come back, I bet you were up all night thinking about that one. Or were you gazing at Fang in his sleep?", I say acidly. Behind me I hear 'oo!'s and I smiled proudly at Maya's fuming body.

"Oh shnap!", exclaims Nudge.

"Shut up and leave her alone. You're actually the one who has been the fake poster", Star snaps at us.

"Me, a poser? Says the person who ripped of the identity of a five-year old's Barbie", I say, pretending to look up and down her school uniform in disgust.

"Stop, this isn't grade school. You're being immature", says Kate.

"Hun, did dissing us really boost up your embarrassingly low self esteem", Nudge says with fake concern and an over dramatic pout. Her high cheekbones flush and she narrows her eyes at us. I gotta pat her on the back for that one later.

"Yo mamma-"

"Really Gazzy?", Holden questions.

"At least my mom didn't only want me for money and fame", Maya says triumphantly with a smug smirk. After that everyone goes silent. Like, dead silent. We all dissed each other but never went that far. We all know the pain each of us have felt. Unwanted, worthless, isolated, useless, broken.

Suddenly, all I can think about it killing Maya. Strangling her with all my might until. She begs for forgiveness, and she's practically kissing our feet. My hands clench into fist, but before they can make contact with Maya's face a drop-dead-fahreaking-freezing voice makes the air suddenly like Antarctica.

"You're not my brother. I can't believe you told her. I can't believe you would stoop so low to that level. That's cold, even for you", Iggy says icily. He steps up to Fang and I know violent things will happen in the matter of seconds...

"Enough everyone!'", screams Jeb, turning a strange purple colour. His outburst was so loud everyone jumps half a foot in the air. "You guys must behave. If you injure another member from the opposite flock, there will be consequences!"

"Fine", I hiss, and everyone nods wanting to disagree. Especially Maya.

"Okay, here we are", he says, facing huge doors almost large enough for me to fly through.

"Would you just open it already and stop acting as if were excited", I murmur, rolling my eyes.

Next to me I hear Fang stifle a chuckle. I'm about to snap at Fang that he can't just laugh at my witty comments anymore, but I just realized how stupid it sounded so I decided not to. Great choice.

Jeb nods and the doors moan as they open revealing a wide open gym full off equipment. It varies from wooden cross bows and techy weapons.

"Woow", Gazzy breathes, eyeing all the things he could make bombs out of. For a normal kid, this would be scary. But for Igs and Gazzy, this is paradise.

"Okay, so you may now start learning and experimenting", he says, gesturing towards the room.

In an instant Gazzy has taken Iggy by the hand and practically drags him towards their station.

"Okay, so Nudge and Angel you should start out with survival skills", I murmur to them. They nod and head over towards their station.

"What should we do?", Dylan asks from behind me. I turn to face him and inspect the room quickly.

"Let's try it with the knives and swords. We already have experience", I say. He nods and leads us towards the weapons. I take one last glance at Fang and Maya instructing their group, feeling a wave of nauseating pain, instantly regretting it.

Fang's POV

After the incident with our two flocks, I can't look at Iggy the same way. We used to be like brothers, yet I betrayed him. I didn't know that it would come back to bite me later, and I didn't mean for it to hurt him. But this is my flock, and I should tell them everything and trust them.

"Let's go", Ratchet says, disrupting my train of thoughts. I shake away the thoughts and lead my group towards the weapons section of the gym.

"Okay, everyone remember what to do?", I ask them. They all nod and I look at Maya, as she nods too. Even if she has been in my group for a while now, I still can't help but feel my heart skip a beat when I look at her. But if it's because she reminds me of Max, or it's just her.. I'm not entirely sure.

Walking over towards the spears, I examine it thoroughly. Alright for mid range fighting. It can be used like a sword. Great for long distance.

I move it slightly in my hands, allowing them to get used to the feeling and weight of it. I do some practise lunges and soon become comfortable with it.

Aiming precisely at the dummy, I whip the spear as it whizzes directly at the mouth. Not a bad shot.

Suddenly I feel dizzy, thinking about how tomorrow that face could be one of the flock's face. Max's face. Right in the mouth that I have kissed so many times.

"Alright shot", Maya complements, studying the blow. "You're going to need it tomorrow".

As I walk towards the dummy and yank the spear out of it, I can't help but thinking.. in my hands could be the weapon that will finish the life of my family.

Ta-da! Okay, I honestly will try to clean up my messy writing and update earlier. You understand how agonizing writer's block can be, right? Please review, it will help me write and make me feel jolly. Yes, jolly. Jollyness means creativeness! Love you all (: