Rose nodded.

"Lead the way." She said and smiled.

"I could use more ammo."

Max smiled. 'By the time this is over, those two are gonna be married.'

Max had always thought this, but of course both of them just played the 'close friends' card.

"Okay lovebirds, don't forget I need a new needle and some containers."

Travis whirrled around and started up the ramp. The bleak grey sky cast a meek light onto the dirty cityscape. The war had reduced a lot of the less secure areas of the city to a ruined heap of concrete. Many buildings were missing their corners, rubble and overturned cars covered the streets. Still, civilians found a way to cope with all of the madness. They still shopped, drove, and lived in the worst the city had to offer. Travis found it odd that an HQ could possibly be safe in such a wartorn and occupied area, but then again, sometimes the most obvious of locations are the least obvious of hiding places.

Shaking his thoughts out of his head, he went out onto the street and headed for the Thorn HQ.

Rose was staring at Travis, smiling. How could the person in front of her once been the scrawny kid that was always beat up?

She walked alittle faster so she was beside him. "Do you remember when we were in high school? How everyone picked on you and then got beat up by a girl?"

Max watched them. She sighed alittle, wondering how such good people got in such a mess.

How many times had she wished the war had never existed? Max looked down. If it had never started, that Lycan wouldn't have had to kill her mother. But if her mother had lived, she would never have met Rose or Travis.

Max sighed. The world was so confusing at times.

"I try not to. But then again, I think it's those memories that make me what I am now. I always told myself never to be afraid, but now I fear my own past. I try to put it off as much as I can, but it always comes back. I suppose I'll never live that down, but I owe my life to you, and so I'll follow you until the end. No matter what the cost, if at any turn in this crazy road called life do I have the chance to help you, you can be sure I'll do it."

He put his hand on her shoulder and looked down at her. There was a spark in her eyes, it seemed so childish. She was over 300 years old, and yet she acted just like a kid. Travis was always mezmerized by her youthful step, but then again, vampires were like that.

Rose smiled at him.

"I know you will. That's why I trust you the most: You're always there. Besides that, I can look like crap and I'm sure you'll tell me I'm model material." Rose elbowed him playfully.

"I'm glad I met you both. Life would be boring otherwise." She laughed alittle.

"Boring...maybe, but a hell of a lot safer!"


He laughed heartily and looked back at Max. She was brooding over something, he could tell. He stopped and waited for her to join them. For now, it was simply three best friends enjoying the quiet of the world, and Travis figured he might as well soak up as much of it as he could, because it wouldnt last long.

Max looked up and smiled alittle.

"Safer would suck. I might have even ended up, gasp, as prom queen without you two!" Max laughed alittle and wrapped an arm around Rose's shoulders.

Hq came into sight justa few minutes later. The sun was setting on this perfect day, and Travis was tired. Change of plans, Im gonna turn in, I need rest if were gonna have another mission. Night guys.

Rose nodded absently and walked off alittle ways. She stood in the shade and sighed.

Rose sat down and looked at the ruins everywhere.

Max walked into HQ and headed to her vault. She opened it and grabbed some supplies and one of her 'dispossable' bags.

Max headed off to the room she shared with Rose and crashed, falling asleep easily.

Seth was somewhat new to this group. They hired him on for his military combat experience and his connections to firearms and ammunition. In his office, guns lined the walls everywhere. Anything from AK-47 Kalishnakov's to the AR-15. He even had one M1 Garand.

in the back corner was his desk. Inside the drawers is where the ammunition was kept. He had a dresser with ammo seperated by size on the other side. He was loading up .45 caliber handgun magazines when the party returned. He stood up from his chair, shut the laptop that served as his filing system, and put his prized MK .23 into his leg holster, and strode out to meet everyone.

Rose got tired and walked inside.

She went to hers and Max's room and fell asleep on her bed.

A few hours later, Rose was brushing out her hair. She didn't sleep well, so she'd given up.

Max woke up about the same time Rose did and walked out of the room, rubbing her eyes.

"WAKE UP TRAVIS!" She yelled and opened her eyes. Seth was infront of her and Max snorted. "You don't like how I look, deal." Max said and walked off, grumbling about how she needed her own bathrrom instead of sharing one with all of them.

Max took a shower and came out in new clothes. She went to find Travis.