Training Day

"You sure you should be walking?" Shaundi asked.

"It's only a few scratches," Gat said. After taking Syndicate Tower and killing Phillipe Loren, the Saints found Gat badly injured in a torture chamber next to Loren's office. The twins shed tears of joy and hugged their father, the others were cheering, and the Boss even cried a little. "Nothing can keep me down."

"It seems that way," Angel replied. One of four new lieutenants, Angel was Killbane's former partner, but was demasked by his former friend. "Out of all the Saints I've seen, it looks like the only people who can take on the Syndicate are Gat, me, his daughters, and Oleg here."

"Are you trying to say something?" the Boss asked.

Angel gestured to the group of lieutenants around them. "Look at you all. You may think you're badasses, but against Killbane and the Syndicate, you're just out of shape, arrogant celebreties who sit around saying how tough they are."

"Hey man, why you gotta be like that?" Zimos complained in his sing-song voice. "I ain't not fighter, just a lover."

"So what would you have us do?" Pierce asked. "If you think you're so tough and smart, why don't you educate us? Better yet, train us."

"Don't worry, I will. I'll chisel you out of diamond and make you into living weapons when I'm through with you."

The scene turned to the boardroom of Syndicate Tower, with Kinzie, Gat, and Donnie planning on how to take down the Deckers. So far, they've got nothing.

"So why'd you join the Saints?" Gat asked. "I'm sure you remember all the shit that happened some years ago? Aren't you at least a little angry at us"

"I should be," Donnie replied. "But for some reason, I'm not. Things like this happen to me all the time, since high school."

"Why don't you ever stand up for yourself?"

Donnie lowered his head down in shame. "I'm just to weak. I couldn't save Price, and I couldn't save Lin from the prick Sharp."

Gat normally didn't feel pity for anyone, but he felt a brief connection. He knew what it was like to be helpless when you couldn't save the people most dear to you. And the mention of his dead sister brought back painful memories.

"From now on, just stick by me, kid," Gat began. He turned to Kinzie. "We got anything on those emo punks?" When she didn't answer, he shouted, "I SAID-"

"You don't have to yell," Kinzie shot back. "I heard you the first time."

"So why didn't you answer me?"

Kinzie turned the monitor to show him why. It was an apartment complex, and the people hanging around the complex were Deckers. "That's why."

It was early in the morning when Angel woke them up. He broke into their rooms at 4 in the morning and blew a loud trumpet in their faces. They mumbled as he led them into the Penthouse living room.

"Good," Angel said. "You're all awake."

"Blowing a loud horn in our ears does that," Mikaela said.

"So what's the first lesson?" Mike asked.

Angel pointed toward the heliport. "To toughen you up, you all have to experience the worse pain imaginable. The Spartans would torture their young to teach them that pain is only a state of mind that, with training, could be conquered with ease."

"Can't we do this metephorically?" Shaundi asked.

"No. For the first test, you all have to jump from the heliport, parachute down, and land in traffic. Then you'll have to run over to the marker in Sunset Park. It's a five mile jog, so it'll be good cardio excerise. Shaundi, why don't you go first?"

Shaundi scowled at him as she strapped the parachute backpack, walked over to the heliport, and jumped off. When she felt she was low enough, she pulled the cord, and gently landed on the ground. As soon as the lieutenant touched down, a car began speeding toward her. Shaundi quickly jumped out of the way, then looked up.

"What's your fucking problem?" she yelled.

"All part of the test," Angel yelled back. "I hired some people to try to run you over. But don't worry, the bumpers are covered in a material so that if they run you over, you won't die or be scarred for life. And besides, it'll test your reflexes."

Several Hours Later

The Boss panted heavily, leaning on a nearby tree for support. Shaundi, exhausted, let herself fall to the ground and lie on the grass. Pierce, also exhausted, lay right next to her, holding her close to him. Lin and Mike collapsed as soon as they reached the park, covered in bruises. Mikaela, miracously, was already here by the time the Boss came. When it was her turn to go through Angel's test, she dodged the cars with ease, and ran five miles much faster than a normal person would. If she didn't inherit his charisma, he thought, Mikaela proably got his endurance.

"Already you have all faced the fires of hell through Trail Blazing," Angel said from behind the soundproof glass. The entire room was sealed off, the doors were locked and the glass windows were reinforced. The music system was overhauled as well, with dozens of speakers all over the living room. For this exercise, the Saints were to be tied to chairs. "But that isn't enough. Now you must hear hell."

"Hear hell?" Lin asked. "What's that supposed to mean?"

Angel didn't respond. They watched him hook up an iPod into the sound system, and after a few moments, they suddenly understood what he mean by "hearing hell." The song the Saints were now forced to hear was the worst ever made.

"Is that-?" Pierce asked.

"Oh god, no!" Mikaela screamed. "Angel, I will set myself on fire and cut my eyes out before I listen to that shitty song! Please, anything but this!"

"It has to be done," Angel said. "Did you know the U.S. and several other countries have begun using "Friday" as a means of torture?"

"No, and frankly, I don't give a fuck!" He brought his hand to his ears, then felt wet. Blood covered his hands, and the Boss started feeling it pouring out of his ears. He got down on his knees, and screamed.

As soon as the elevator reached the top floor, Kinzie stumbled inside, landing on a couch. Behind her, Gat, Donnie, and the twins followed shortly, finishing their milkshakes.

"Is she ok?" Donnie asked, concerned.

"She'll be fine," Gat replied. "I'm suprised that isn't you laying on that couch there." He smelled a strange, metallic smell in the air. That's when he saw the motionless bodies of the Saints. "Oh shit..."

Nikki walked over to Shaundi, sprawled on the floor and blood comming from her ears. She then dumped what was left of her milkshake on her, waking her up instantly.

"What the fuck?" Shaundi exclaimed.

"She's alive," Nikki said flatly.

The others stirred, waking up moaning and painfully. Then the Boss phone began ringing.

"What now?" he asked.

"Are you ready for the final test?" Angel asked.

"You have a very funny meaning for ready."

"Come on over to the gym, alone. What I'm about to put you through is only for the leaders."

The Boss grumbled, and stormed out of the penthouse. Gat looked around the room, and noticed barriers of some kind.

"What gives?" he asked.

Mikaela gave him a long stare, and said, "That mad man is the worse trainer of all time." She walked over to the elevator, and looked back. "If anyone needs me, I'll be at Image as Designed, getting my ears fixed."