"Have a good day Beta." Eric said, his cold eyes never leaving his target.

"You too sir."

Eric's eyes flashed to Issy and she rose an unimpressed eyebrow in response.

"LATER BETA!" Axel shouted as he sped the truck up, probably eager to unload the truck.

Issy grimaced at the thought of the absolute shit fit that Eric was about to have once he located Max and Harrison. Then she realised Eric will probably come looking for Emmett at some point to threaten him and she sighed. Issy shook her head as she started jogging again until they got to the same pace as before. She just hoped she didn't have to hold Eric back from committing murder when he found his target again…

Throughout breakfast, Issy sat tense between her family and squaddies, her eyes flickering to the doors every now and then. When they got into the cafeteria, the trainees literally collapsed at the tables, placing their foreheads to the tops. Issy almost felt sorry for them though her mind was captured by something else. She had asked Declan where Eric was as soon as she saw her brother but apparently no one has seen him yet. Issy was picking at her food when Four sat down with Zeke.

"– Do ya reckon that was about?" Zeke stared at Four.

"No idea but whatever was happening, I ain't getting involved." Four shook his head.

Declan frowned. "What happened?"

"Max shut off all the cameras in his office while he was having a meeting with Harrison." Four said, not looking away from his breakfast.

"Why?"

"Dunno but Eric didn't look so happy when he interrupted it."

Issy bit her lip as Declan's inquisitive eyes switched to her. She glanced at her watched and huffed a breath of relief when she realised it was nearly quarter to nine. Quickly, she stood up, ignoring the question on her brother's face and began to set the patrol alarms' location to training room C. Geek and Bulldozer left the cafeteria moments before and the rest of her squadron followed her out as eleven alarms started to go off throughout the cafeteria.

When they got to the training room, the squaddies split themselves up to get the room ready for the day. Rainbow went over to the targets with Billy and Hector in tow to set up eleven of the stations. Out of all the training rooms that were for official Dauntless members only, room C was built purely for gun training only. The stationary targets were sectioned into actual stalls to keep people focused. Towards the other end was a large area filled with moving targets, some of which would get closer to the shooter and an alarm will go off if it gets too close. Geek and Bulldozer walked into the room with a duffel bag each loaded with guns and started to set up each stall. Red had joined Issy where a chalk board was and read off the schedule for the next two weeks as Issy wrote it all down. Above them was a balcony bordering the walls of the room. It came in handy when the Leaders were training great units of soldiers.

The trainees jogged inside in a tightly ordered unit. Issy stepped away from the board when they lined up in front of her, glancing at what the other members of her squadron were up to.

"So, this," Issy points behind her. "Is the schedule for the next two weeks. I'd advise you take a picture of it. Be late to any session and you will immediately be cut."

Red snorts as he steps forward, rocking on his heels. "I'll give a quick run through and then we can get the day started with. Morning runs will start at six a.m. until half eight, where you'll have half an hour for breakfast, and will be on Monday through to Friday. Mondays, Tuesdays, Thursdays and Fridays we will have several types of gun training. Lunch is from eleven to twelve and afterwards it will alternate whether we have drills or we're out on the fighting mats. Wednesdays we'll spend the whole day in the O.R or out in the city where we've planned an exercise for you guys to do. Saturdays, you guys have a bit of a lay in and we'll probably meet in one of the conference rooms... Is that right?" Red looks back to Issy and she nods her head from side to side.

"Harrison says it's okay, but Max has yet to give me the all go."

"Okay. In the conference rooms we'll start going over the sectors, the timetables and generally what we do on a patrol. Lunch will be as normal and after that we'll be taking the train to the fence for a few laps. Days end at five and you have Sundays off."

Billy snickers. "Don't forget about the patrol alarms! Dear darling Beta here will be setting them off randomly so be ready and be quick. The longer you take to get to the location will take points off your scores."

Issy rolls her shoulders, refusing to make eye contact with the person that watches on like a hawk guarding its nest from an enemy. Instead, she nods to Rainbow. "Let's start this day off."

"Beta." Her colourful colleague nodded and shifted her stance into parade rest. "Today we'll just be putting you on stationary targets. Those that show that they have actual skill with a gun will move up to where my colleagues will run you through different modules of guns. The rate you move through the stations will be scored on." She gestured to the stalls. "Hopefully all of you know how to fire a gun so let's get started."

xXx

Just over an hour later, Issy walked around the room checking the progress of each person. There were only two people remaining on the first station – Hannah and Emmett. BD stands behind them, watching their skill. Though most importantly, keeping an eye on Emmett. Hannah was rather tall with soft brown hair falling on her shoulders. It was clear that she was skilled with a standard gun, but something was holding the trainee back. Issy watched with narrowed eyes as Hannah shifted away from Emmett. Now, looking up closely, Issy could see the small changes he'd made after leaving Erudite. His ink hair was no longer cropped short but growing out nearly pasted his shoulders. His skin seemed paler and his blue eyes sunken. His lanky frame filled out, like most do when joining Dauntless and has no tattoos that she can see.

Issy's jaw tightened when Emmett smirked slyly in her direction and he stretched out.

"You know Beta," He purred, turning around to face her. "I don't think my forms quite right… Can you help me?"

A door slammed from the balcony above and she withheld a sigh, her cold blue eyes still on Emmett.

"Hannah move up to the second station." Issy says coolly and there's some shuffling as Hannah puts down the gun and moves to the next station. "Watch him –" She begins to say but when there's the pounding sound of incoming footsteps, Issy almost groans out loud. "– Watch both of them."

Issy turns to walk towards the second station just as the doors are smashed open by a livid looking Eric. Everyone turned to stare but with one freezing glare from Issy, they turned away.

Well, fuck.

Issy had hoped he'd left his little bird's nest to walk around the compound, not walk down here where there's live weapons and someone he'd happily use them on. She shot Emmett an annoyed look. It was the first day of training, for fucks sake. If the both of them could keep their dicks in their pants and stop trying to get one up on the other, that would be great.

She stepped into Eric's path before he got to Emmett and gripped his shoulder, forcing him to stop.

"Get out."

Eric's stormy eyes darted to her in shock but Issy wasn't joking. His breathing was heavy, and the anger burnt behind his eyes. "You can't order me to do shit!" He hissed.

Issy flinched as he started to pull rank. "No, I can't, but Max can."

Eric scoffed, taking a step back and shaking his head. "He doesn't get to talk to you like that. He shouldn't even be here, the fuckers just trying to wedge himself between people." Eric shakes his head again and stares at Issy with a passive glint in his eyes. "You're going to stay away from him."

Its Issy's turn to scoff. "Oh, yeah, because that's going to work!" She bites out sarcastically. "I'm not allowed to go near one of my trainees despite the fact that I'm trying to train them up for a squadron. Do you have a specific amount of distance I can't be around him in or are you just gonna lock me in your office to make sure I'm safe?"

There's a snort behind them and Issy nearly shoots him herself. "Trouble in paradise?" Emmett laughs. "Have any problems Issy, you can always come back to me."

"Now listen here you little shit –" Eric points a finger to Emmet, a ferocious snarl on his face as he pushes past Issy.

"Fuck sake!" Issy manages to wrap her hand around his shoulder and digs in her nails hard. Red and BD move behind her just in case Eric breaks free but Eric growls lowly in his throat, eyes sharpening at the pain as his knees buckle the slightest bit. "Take an early break for lunch!" She shouts to the rest of the room, her golden eyes never leaving his silver ones. "LEAVE NOW!" Red and BD grab Emmett by the shoulders and haul him out of the room with everyone else following after. When the doors close and they can no longer hear any footsteps, Issy lets go of Eric. His hand instantly went to his shoulder, rubbing circles as he stared at her in disbelief. Issy sighs deeply, her shoulders slumping as she stares back. "If you want a fight Eric, we can have a go right now in the ring." Her words have lost all bite and Eric's eyes soften a bit. "I am all for talking with you about this subject but not when you're in a mood when you won't listen." She watches as he lifts his shirt to see if she did any damage, and by the small smirk on his lips, Issy's betting that she did.

"Talk after dinner?" His voice is void of emotion and Issy swallows the lump that's forming in her throat.

"After dinner, if you promise me to stay away for the rest of the day." Issy watches his jaw clench in defiance. "He knew you were up there Eric. One glance up and he'd have known. He was egging you on and you know that if you stay, it's going to get worse." He doesn't say anything, doesn't look in her direction and she takes a hesitant step forward. "Eric?"

He sighs, slowly reaching out and drawing her closer. "Okay. But if he does anything, I want to know immediately." Eric leans down and presses his forehead against hers, staring into her eyes with a grim expression on his face. "I wouldn't cage you and lock you away." He whispers as Issy's hand cups the back of his neck, her fingers weaving into the short strands of his hair. "Your spirit is too wild to be kept in one place…"

"My spirit matches yours and that's all that matters."

Eric smiles softly. "What a miracle that is."