And we're back with a chapter that DIDN'T take a month for me to get motivation for!

It would be interesting to return to Canada after spending so much time in other countries. Max had vowed to cover up his Canadian roots once he'd taken over the world. It was why he'd chosen an American city as his capitol instead. He wouldn't be taken seriously if he'd set up shop in Quebec or something. He'd be known as the lord of all hockey players if he'd done that. Granted, it was most amusing that pretty much everyone was aware of the fact. They just preferred not to say anything.

Scarlett had been on the run for a while, the Canadian government having been out for her blood. Turns out attempted murder landed her in jail. Strange then how Chris McLean had managed to stay out of jail for as long as he did, and that the tipping point had been toxic waste. Scarlett growled. She was glad the fool was dead. At least Max had managed to do that one thing right.

Scarlett clutched the handle of her kitchen knife calmly as she waited for the rest of her team. It was a small force due to the fact that Toronto wasn't exactly...fortified. Plus, quality over quantity, right? Well, it wasn't always true. Quantity was after all how Max had managed to overpower her and take her to jail.

"I have a few questions for you."

The voice came from behind Scarlett. The lunatic tightened her grip on the knife handle and turned around, ready to slit the intruder's throat at a moment's notice. It had been too long since she'd been allowed to spill blood. Granted, Morris had been an incredibly satisfying kill, but afterwards her talents had been squandered while Moreau, Heather, and Sky tried to figure out what to do with her.

Speak of the devil.

Heather folded her arms confidently as she looked over Scarlett. The two former female contestants kept their eyes trained on the other, each expecting some kind of attack. Both would have good reason to suspect one.

"Ah, Heather," Scarlett said, releasing her grip on the knife. "A pleasure. May I be of assistance to you? I am about to leave for Toronto."

"I just want to know some things," Heather said, ignoring Scarlett's words. "I don't trust you. Moreau doesn't trust you. I want specifics on what you plan to do, what you're taking with you to Toronto, what your ultimate goal is."

"My goal is what it's always been," Scarlett responded coolly. "To survive by any means necessary."

"Would any of those means involve betraying us? I have a feeling that if someone stronger came along you'd immediately start helping them."

"If they gave me a better deal," Scarlett said bluntly. "But I'm content with this one for now. After all, you are giving me the chance to kill the most vile person on the planet. And you get a chance to have your revenge as well."

Heather took a moment to respond. "Right. Anyways, you didn't answer my first two questions. What is your plan, and what devices are you taking with you?"

"I can't speak for Marcus or Sky," Scarlett yawned. "But I am taking a knife, a handgun, several devices designed to bypass security, and a shock collar."

"A shock collar?"

"Just in case."

"Okay..."

Scarlett folded her arms behind her back. "My plan is Moreau's plan. To get James Brass, or 'Evil One' to give us access to the files that we need for the invasion. Then I plan on killing him. Is that really what you wanted to know?"

"Pretty much," Heather said noncommittally. "Thank you, and I'm sure Sky and Marcus will confirm it."

"Very good," Scarlett said, walking away. "I should find my team. So long."

"Wait!"

Scarlett stopped in her tracks and turned around to face the Asian girl. "Yes?"

"I have one more question."

"Shoot."

"Why...are you..." Heather gestured to all of Scarlett. "The way you are? Is there a reason behind it?"

The psychopath sighed, closing her eyes. "Imagine, if you would. You have a moral code that seems natural to you. It works for you and you feel good about yourself. Now imagine that literally no one else's system is the same as yours. Having it hammered in over and over again that your view of life, of morality, is wrong." Bitterness stained her voice. "Be yourself," she spit. "Yet be positive. Two very different philosophies spouted as truth. I questioned both. I questioned everything because everything just seemed so...wrong. Nothing in the world lined up with my code."

"And that code involved murdering?"

"Coming from you, working with Moreau," Scarlett retorted. "Everyone has their own rules. I eventually decided to follow the latter option. I decided to be myself," she said, a grin forming across her face. "There is no tragic backstory for me. I have no excuse for my actions other than that it is the way I was made. I enjoy who I am. And I wouldn't have it any other way."

And with that, Scarlett walked away, leaving Heather in an uncomfortable silence. After a few seconds passed, she turned and walked away as well.

"How did I screw up so bad? Why did I...I should have removed that order! It would have been easy! How the hell did I forget to do so?"

Max paced around the throne room anxiously, pulling at his hair. Noah sat in a chair on the other side, unimpressed. Max pointed an accusatory finger at him. "And you're sure that you haven't heard from either of them?"

"Izzy and Evil One are off the grid," Noah said flatly. "I don't know where they are at this current point in time." Which was true, he didn't know how far they'd gotten to Toronto. Max appeared to have forgotten he had most of the known world's resources at his disposal.

He'd considered using the drone functions to track the both of them down but realized that sending drones after her wouldn't exactly be a bright idea after what had happened nearly twenty-four hours ago.

Max snarled, yanking at his hair. "Well, something's coming! An invasion, and I...I need them. I can't do this without them."

"I've noticed," Noah deadpanned. "You just keep pacing around, spouting out the same drivel about how you fucked up. Dave and I have been trying to run the world in your place and it's kind of not going well. We had to do this for a week you know. You should be able to do this on your own."

"But I don't want to do it on my own," Max whined.

"You were perfectly fine with this when you started ruling the world."

"Well, I don't want to!" Max said. "I was stupid! Everyone was dying! I ignored all the problems, but now that I know there are problems I have no idea what to do!"

"Keep doing Project Cleanup," Noah said sympathetically. "It's been working well so far. Dave and I can help you out."

"Dave's a weenie though."

"Yes. Yes he is. But that doesn't mean he can't help."

"But he's a weenie," Max repeated.

"Well, am I a weenie?" Noah asked, clearly irritated.

Max didn't respond.

"Well?"

"You really don't want me to answer that question."

"...screw you."

Max continued his pacing. "I just...I can't concentrate. I have this feeling in my gut like someone's trying to wrench it out with a crowbar. It's terrible!"

"I think you're feeling guilty," Noah commented.

"No duh!" Max yelled, surprising Noah.

"Wow," Noah said dully. "That was surprisingly self-aware. Remember when you were feeling lonely and you didn't want to admit to anyone that you were?"

"Yes," Max replied. "Wait, how did you know about that?"

"Dave tells me lots of stories about his times with you," Noah said. "Actually, they're more rants than anything. No, no, 'rants' makes it sound too mature. More like whining. Yeah, he basically whines about you all the time. It's really fucking annoying."

"Do I annoy you?" Max asked, looking like a lost puppy.

"Yes," Noah replied bluntly. "Look, everyone annoys me at some point or another. You're not special or anything."

"Oh, okay."

It was silent between the two for a while.

Noah finally broke the silence. "How's Freckles doing?"

"He's doing fine," Max said. "He was worried about me after I got shot." He smiled wistfully. "He's getting groomed right now. I think he deserves it."

"Dogs are better than people," Noah said sagely, a genuine smile on his face. "I miss my dog."

"Oh? When did he die?"

"She had to be put down before the invasion," Noah said sadly. "Lucky she did, I guess...kinda not proud of the position I'm in."

Max looked up at him. "So you work with Dave and...talk to my benefactor?"

"That's right," Noah said hesitantly.

"Why can't you say anything about your job to me?"

Noah scratched the back of his head. "I...don't actually care all that much about my job. It pays well, but the only way I've survived is by deadening myself emotionally. Owen was my friend too after all. So I guess the reason I'm here is because I have nowhere else to be. And if I try to talk about specifics, well..." Noah pointed a finger gun at his head and pulled the trigger.

"What about Dave?"

"I can't tell you much about him," Noah sighed. "But he's different than I am. He's freakishly loyal to the cause. Scarily so. If by some chance I was ordered to be executed he wouldn't have a problem complying. He hasn't felt a single drop of guilt about initiating the invasion and the deaths of billions of people."

Max gulped as the gut-wrenching feeling returned to his stomach. "It's a good thing he's a weenie, then..."

Noah laughed, patting Max on the shoulder. "Indeed. Guilt is a powerful motivator. So...what are you going to do about it? You obviously feel terrible about what happened with Izzy. How do you plan to fix it?"

Max sighed deeply, keeping his feet still. "I...guess I should..." He paused, as if being ready to retch. "I guess I should...apologize." He spit the word out like it physically hurt him to say it.

Noah smiled. "There we go...you're learning."

"But..." Max looked down at the ground. "Will she come back?"

"She will," Noah said reassuringly. "Just let her come back."

Max breathed a sigh of relief, seemingly at peace. He then looked at Noah. "Wait, why did Evil One leave again?"

Noah looked at him and shrugged.

"I dunno."

"Well, I'll...apologize to him too." Max sat down in his chair. "Anyways, thank you Noah. You're an alright guy, you know that?"

"I try," Noah said with a small smile.

"I feel much better now. Once they get back, I'll...apologize." Max shuddered. "Egads, that word still feels weird on my lips."

"I have other ways to say it if you want," Noah chimed in.

"Oh?"

"Well, you could say you're sorry," Noah began.

"Ew."

"Admit you fucked up?"

"What? When do I-"

"Atone for your many, many sins?"

"I don't even know what that word means."

"Get down on one knee?"

"What? Ew."

"Make up with?"

"Make out with?"

"No, make up with. Ew no, please...please get that picture out of my head."

Max snorted. "I was joking on that one."

"Sometimes it's hard to tell whether you're joking about things or not," Noah pointed out.

Max shrugged. "I guess I'm just that kind of guy."

With that, he stopped pacing and sat down in his chair. "Okay. No more distractions."

"Time to actually run my empire."

Toronto, like most cities, barely resembled how it was before the invasion. While the more garish displays of Max's occupation had been taken down recently, it still had an air of gloominess that did nothing to differentiate itself from the other gloomy cities across the globe. Gloom festival it was. Gloomy festival of gloominess. Project Cleanup had yet to reach this particular city, ergo the people were still undeniably fucked up by malnutrition and warfare.

The rich and lucky generally took to tall buildings that the general public (mainly beggars and street rats to my recollection) were barred entry from. Society continued on in its own bizarre way. Lots of protocols were in place to deal with beggars and pickpockets and the like, as well as mutated people. Shelters littered the city. While some of the poor continued to live in small houses and rank apartments, in general the middle class and below of Toronto were not well-off by any stretch of the imagination.

Evil One and Izzy struggled past the filth and decadence. Evil One held his arm over his nose and mouth, breathing into his clothing. Izzy on the other hand seemed fine with the stench but more disturbed by the various mutations the people exhibited. Skin similar to that of Moreau's. Nubs for arms or legs. Bizarre eyes. Nothing too sci-fi but still incredibly disconcerting.

"Why'd you choose this place again?" Izzy asked nervously.

"I lived here before the invasion started," Evil One explained. "Always kinda coveted this huge underground vault my neighbor and former boss had. Well, he died like right off the bat, so..." He shrugged. "Finders keepers."

"That's terrible. You're awesome."

"Thank you."

The two looked up at a surprisingly well-kept building, completely at odds with the desolate and grimy city around them. Evil One strode into the lobby, ignoring a hand reaching around his ankle. Izzy followed, busy trying to absorb everything about the city to really comprehend where she was going or what she was doing. She snuck

Evil One and Izzy entered the building lobby. Evil One resumed his dopey smile that Izzy knew to be exaggerated and carefully planned, as was his surprisingly effective custom. Whatever the building was, everyone seemed to be minding their own business. The quiet chattering was interrupted by a drunken shriek. A vagrant kicked and screamed as two guards dragged him outside, literally throwing him to the gutters. Izzy gulped.

How aware actually was Max of how his regime was seen by other people? Certainly not like this. Certainly not after he'd instituted Project Cleanup to get better.

Izzy's face darkened as she remembered that he'd placed an order to kill her if she found out the truth. Whether or not he was aware didn't matter. All that mattered was following up on Noah's lead.

She'd also stolen his order watch thing that activated all the drone orders. She didn't want to risk anything.

It was kinda funny though to see all the ridiculous orders he made for various situations, and what to do in response.

"What is this building and why are they literally throwing people out?" Izzy asked.

"Kind of an all-purpose thigamajig," Evil One said as they walked up to a young receptionist. "Hold on, let me take care of this."

"Gotcha."

Evil One smiled and waved, leaning his arm against the table. "Hi! James Brass and guest to my vault!"

"Gotcha," the receptionist responded blankly, barely even looking up. "Have fun."

Evil One and Izzy entered the elevator. Evil One, or James Brass, pressed the button labeled basement. "Vaults are kept down here," he explained. "Various ones for various people, all with stuff to hide. People who still have money want to hide their secrets from Max. Probably for good reason."

"Wouldn't want that munchkin knowing all my dirty secrets," Izzy snorted.

"But doesn't he already?"

"Shaddup."

The elevator door opened. The two conspirators entered the darkly lit corridor. Panels lined the walls, all with numeric codes on them.

"How'd they set this up?" Izzy asked in wonder.

"Max isn't in control of everything," Evil One explained. "There's still some businesses and self-government left. It's not all Orwellian mind control and stuff."

"You know, sometimes you say the stupidest things and then you go and say stuff like that," Izzy noted happily.

"I could say the exact same thing about you," Evil One countered. He stopped in front of a keypad. Quickly, he punched in the four-digit code.

The vault door slid open, a hissing noise escaping it. Evil One smiled.

"Welcome to my vault!"

Computer terminals lined the several hundred square feet vault. The sleek black walls and rectangular lighting gave the impression of a sci-fi film, just like everything else the two had ever been involved in ever.

"It's smaller than I expected," Izzy commented as she shook one of the mouses around violently. The screen came on.

"Each computer contains a shitload of data," Evil One explained. "It's pretty tedious uploading every file on here but it's easier now that I figured out how to scan items."

"Wait," Izzy paused. "You're telling me that for a while you would type up documents word for word? Long, tedious documents?"

Evil One laughed. "It took forever, believe me."

"I can imagine. Now let's find that file."

Evil One nodded. "Did Noah give us any parameters?"

"No...I think he just said it was here."

"OH WAIT, I remember. It was the list of Max's connections and in what order. I...forget which computer that's on."

"Why couldn't you use cloud storage?" Izzy asked.

"Huh?"

Izzy gestured around at the incredibly old-fashioned computer terminals. "You had access to MODERN-DAY LAPTOPS bro. You could just store your stuff on the internet!"

"You forgetting that Max controls the internet nowadays, right?" Evil One asked incredulously.

"Oh. Right. Okay, this is fine."

Evil One cracked his knuckles. "Let's get this party started then."

"I concur."

Evil One whirled around at the new voice, raising his pistol. The sound of a gunshot filled the room as Scarlett pulled the trigger. Evil One yelped and nearly dropped the gun. Fortunately, she'd missed."

The next shot hit the gun itself, sending the gun clattering to the floor. Evil One looked up in astonishment to see Sky next to the psychotic redhead, lowering her gun.

"You again!" Evil One snarled. "Why won't you just die already?"

"Why don't you?" a third voice said, coming out into the open. All three resistance members held their guns at Max's former two stooges.

Scarlett stepped in front of her two teammates, smirking at the two fools. "Set your guns down now and put your hands behind your head or I'll have Sky blow your brains out. Clear?"

The two complied bitterly. Evil One and Izzy fell to their knees, hands behind their head. Scarlett paced in front of them, nearly giggling with excitement.

"So," the psychopath began. "You're James Brass, huh? Never knew you even had a name." She snickered. "Now...tell me about this place. What are you here for? Is it the same reason we're here?"

"Well, you haven't exactly told us why you're here so I don't really think that I could know the answer to that question-" Evil One began.

With a grimace, Scarlett stabbed forward. Evil One cried out in pain as the knife pierced his abdomen. Sky's eyes widened while Marcus's expression didn't change. Quickly, Scarlett pulled the knife back out, now soaked crimson. Evil One held his hand to his stomach as he tried to keep the blood in.

"That was unnecessary, Scarlett!" Sky yelled. "What was the point of that? Why would you do that?"

"To show that I won't accept backtalk," Scarlett said, meeting Izzy's eyes unflinchingly.

"You don't just go stabbing everyone you meet!" Sky protested.

"Why not?" Scarlett tilted her head.

Sky stuttered. "Well...it's...well now you're putting me on the spot. It's...it's just wrong!"

"Unless you do it, of course," Marcus muttered under his breath.

Scarlett snarled, spinning on her heel to face Izzy. "I require tactical information on New York. Do as I say or you end up like him." Scarlett jerked her head towards Evil One's sobbing form as he tried to hold the blood in.

"We should get him a bandage," Sky interjected. "He could be a useful prisoner, don't let him bleed out."

"Tell you what," Scarlett stated quietly, clearly irritated. "If it'll get you to SHUT UP FOR ONE GODDAMN SECOND," she screeched, face crazed and contorted for a moment before quickly recomposing itself. "...go ahead."

Sky backed up, shuddering. "V-Very well...I'll get him a bandage..."

Scarlett turned to Izzy and knelt in front of her, placing the knife under her chin. "You will look for information on Max's New York. Or Gotham. Whatever. Do as I say," she said, and Izzy's stomach turned as she saw that Scarlett had popped a blood vessel in one of her eyes, "or I will make what I did to Morris seem like a nice, quick, painless death."

Whimpering, Izzy stood to her feet, Scarlett's knife still held under her chin. Yawning, Marcus lit a cigarette, seemingly oblivious to his former partner bleeding out on the floor in front of him. Sky rushed back in with bandages and other medical materials.

Izzy searched through the computers. She could clearly hear Evil One's screams of pain as Sky attempted to dress the wound and bandage it. If they could contact Max, then he would most certainly survive, and they could arrest Scarlett, Marcus, and Sky, hopefully setting back Moreau's plans significantly.

The only problem was that these computers weren't connected to the internet and ergo couldn't be used to send a transmission to Max. As far as he knew she was in no danger and was still just pissed at him.

She glanced at the watch to see how much time they had left.

The solution hit her like a brick.

The watch!

Assuming there were drones located in the city (which was an almost definite), if they fulfilled the parameters of one of the orders, the drones would be sent to help them and hopefully kill Scarlett and her stooges.

Izzy racked her brain through the orders she'd listened to while sitting bored en route to Toronto. What was it again?

Her eyes widened as she found not one, but both files she'd been looking for. Quickly, she transferred the data on Max and his associates to her flash drive.

The second file lay out in front of her, a map of Max's entire Capitol.

Scarlett pressed the flat of the blade into her neck, and Izzy lifted her hands from the keyboard. Scarlett leaned over and nodded in approval.

"Schematics of Gotham and its defenses," Scarlett smirked, placing her own flash drive inside and uploading it. "Thank you for your cooperation."

What was the specific parameter for when Scarlett's holding someone hostage? Wait...I've got it!

"Max is going to kick your ass," Izzy stated surprisingly calmly.

"Max is an imbecile, and can't help you now," Scarlett smiled, holding the knife up. "Now pray you die quickly."

Beep. Beep. Beep.

Scarlett looked down at the watch on Izzy's hand. "What...is that?"

"Order 13 authorized."

Izzy smirked. Guess those seemingly good-for-nothing orders that had almost gotten her killed could be useful after all.

"WHAT?" Scarlett shrieked.

A recording of Max's voice began to play. "Order 13. If Scarlett ever takes me or a subordinate prisoner and then proceeds to insult me, send in drones to kill her. Not because she took me prisoner, but because I can't stand her insults."

"WHAT?"

"Thank you for choosing the M-180 Command Watch, or MIC. The 'W' is silent. We hope we didn't derail any diabolical plans in the making. That would be horrible! Ciao!"

"RUN!" Izzy yelled as screams came from upstairs. Moving quickly, she chopped Scarlett in the hand, sending the bloody knife clattering to the floor. Sky raised her gun, prepared to subdue Izzy by any means necessary.

Even the most trained marksman can be thrown off guard by someone grabbing their ankle though, and Evil One proceeded to do just that.

Sky tripped and fell to the ground. It was really pretty embarrassing for someone as skilled as her. The drone crashed through the door. Machine gun fire filled the room.

"MY ARCHIVE!" Evil One cried out as several of the many computers in the room exploded. Scarlett ducked for cover as the drone pursued her, fulfilling its order.

Quickly, Marcus picked up one of the desktops and slammed the drone over the head with it, short-circuiting it. Izzy punched him in the face and quickly wrapped her arm around Evil One's shoulder, helping him to his feet and staggering out the door as the three resistance members regrouped.

"AFTER THEM!" Sky yelled, back on her feet and moving. Evil One and Izzy staggered down the hallway as security guards arrived at the commotion with their guns in the air.

"He needs medical attention!" Izzy yelled.

"On it!" one of the men replied immediately. "Get this man to a helicopter!"

"Why not a hospital?" Izzy asked.

"All the hospitals here are already filled," the guard explained.

The sound of gunfire filled the corridor as Sky and Marcus engaged the guards. Izzy followed the two guards supporting Evil One and entered the elevator.

The last thing they heard before the elevator door closed was a bloodcurdling shriek.

Izzy slumped in relief on the wall as the elevator began moving up. The roof button had been pressed, and hopefully they'd be able to get out of town and to one of the advanced healing units before Scarlett and company could get past the security guards. Izzy hoped that the guards would be able to subdue them but somehow doubted it.

After what seemed to be minutes of waiting, the elevator dinged and the door opened to the roof. True enough, the helicopter was waiting for them, a medic inside. Slowly, Evil One limped to the transport, holding his hand to his bandage. Izzy followed, holding up a gun at the elevator and staircase, just in case they managed to get up on the roof.

"Did they...get the info they needed?" Evil One gasped, looking to Izzy.

Izzy nodded solemnly. "Yeah...we both got the info we needed. I should have taken it from her! It would have been easy! Guess I just got caught up in the heat of the moment..."

Evil One grimaced as the two guards helped him onto the helicopter. "That's fine, those were outdated anyway. We can still prepare. I...I'm scared," he said, looking at Izzy pitifully. "Will we be alright?"

"Probably not," Izzy said, hopping up into the helicopter.

"But hey! We've got Max's list of contacts. That seems good enough!"

Evil One took a while to respond. "Okay...I guess you're right. If we go down, we go down fighting."

Izzy nodded and grinned. "Alright! Now let's get you fixed up.

"We have a lot of work to do."

Well, that was a pretty quick update! Hoping to get these out relatively quickly...in comparison to once a month. So yeah, I'll see you all next time! Things are heating up...I dunno what'll happen next. You have the theories. XD

Anyways, ciao!