Max's POV
Max sat in one of the conference rooms beginning Dauntless' preparation for the next batch of initiates. Yes, initiation was still eight months away but Max had taken a leaf out of Eric's book and had started things early. That way they could get the basics down within the next few months and then they'd only have the little bits to collect as time draws near.
Around the table were the other Leaders, the instructors and their new trainees: Lilah and Flare. Lilah was sat next to her mentor, Adrian, who was stepping down soon and Lilah would take over that department. His wife, Lottie, has yet to choose a cadet to take over her own department when she leaves also. Max knew there'd be a cadet soon as the old couple refused to go without the other. Flare was sat between Lynn and Lauren, taking notes as they discussed the training plan for next year in the stead of Lauren, who had just announced she was pregnant. To his best knowledge, he knew that Lauren would be giving birth around initiation.
Max watched the two now as Four added his thoughts. 'Those girls have came such a long way.' Max thought to himself as he remembers their close bond since they were little. One could almost always be found near the other. The duo could soon turned into a trio would Hector joined them and soon it evolved into a stampede of small toddlers dressed in black as Lilah and Flare made friends with everyone. His little girl with poufy hair that got caught in everything now sat, lean and strong, with her tamer hair thrown up in a messy bun with a pencil shoved through to keep it all together. One of his best friend's daughter sat a few chairs away with her pale blonde hair dyed dark maroon at the top of her head which fades into a reddish-pink and then finally fades into a fiery orange. As he sits back, Max finds this suits her attitude and name better than her pale hair ever did. When asked about her new shade, Flare had told them it was to celebrate passing initiation.
Max reels back into reality when the plans for initiation start to finalise and Harrison laughs quietly to himself.
"Well you guys must be doing something right." Harrison pointed towards the instructors. "Just yesterday I heard Hector and Issy actually say they missed the normality of initiation. They missed it." He turns to Max with an amazed grin. "Have you ever heard anyone say they miss it?"
"In all fairness, it was pretty fun." Lilah says and Flare nods. "I mean I don't miss the training or the sims but I miss fun we had afterwards."
Flare laughs loudly. "When Hec professed his love for Max!" She wipes away a tear in her eye as Max groans, hiding his face in his hands. It was always him! The others, however, crack up too. "That was hilarious! I have never laughed so much in my life! And then Uri turned up and, oh my god –" Flare breaks off laughing.
"Yeah." Lilah laughs along. "I had to give up my chocolate cake for a month just so Zeke could give me a copy of it. Sorry dad." She grins as Max groans again.
"So," Max says loudly, looking back to Harrison. "Changing the subject; how are our new squaddies?"
Harrison nodded as he took a sip of water. "Good so far. Its only really been a day but good. Captain says they're getting along with the squad well but Issy has yet to start on her bike."
"As you said," Max's light tone slowly becomes serious. "Its only been a day, she has time. Never underestimate a Vince. I've learnt that the hard way growing up and again throughout Dec's, Hugo's and the twins' initiations. Never, and I mean never, underestimate a Vince but don't make them snap either." Max looked at each Leader, instructor and trainee in turn before his gaze settled on Eric and softened. Eric nodded subtly as he packed his notes into his folder. Max stood up and nodded back. "If that's it, I have some paperwork I need to be doing. Keep me updated if anything changes." With that Max walked out of the room.
xXx
A few weeks later and Max was hunched over his desk. Their conversation about Issy and Hector's training and his own thoughts of Lilah and Flare had got him thinking about the rest of their friends from initiation and how they're doing. Normally he'd wait until they've finished training to check on them but he was curious. He was looking over their reports and was glad to see that everyone seemed to be settling into their jobs nicely. Nearly everyday Max got emails from Winnie and Bella regarding their new recruits. Winnie often said that Bree was flourishing with the younger dependants, especially the toddlers. Bella was overjoyed to have two new faces at the barracks by the fence. Higher-ups, like Bella, had six months on the fence before having six months off. Granted, she was guaranteed new recruits every year but she knew Sam personally from Flare's childhood, having grown up together. Kayden had appeared to excel more when it came to Amity's schedule, having grown up there but what impressed Bella most was that Kayden helped Sam if he was stuck and vice versa. Just the other day at lunch Max was talking to Ryan, the Head of Weapons Lab and Manufacturing, about Alec's project so far. Things with Alec were coming on great, apparently there'll be a meeting when Alec's time is up and he'll present his project in front of the Leaders and Ryan. During that lunch, and many meals before it, the Head Leader had noticed a change in the taste of most of the meals the kitchen provided. It wasn't until now when he sat with Noah's report in front him that he realised that Noah had been the cause of it. Maggie, the head chief, stated that she was surprised at his talent and had immediately put him on the frontlines, so to speak. Max put Noah's file on the pile with the others he had read before he picked up Cody's report and frowned at the wording of the overview of Cody's training but then he remembered it was Four had only recently been promoted to Head of the Control Room so he couldn't train Cody whereas Blake could. Due to Cody's Erudite upbringing, he was breezing through training and was close to finishing his training. He would be the first in his initiation class if he did. After placing Cody's file on top of Noah's, Max looked down at the final file, Luke's. Luke was training under Jason to be another ambassador to Candor which was good because Max wanted at least two ambassadors per faction so the ones he had could take a break once in a while. Luke learned the very basics of each faction before delving deeper into Candor. Luke's training, along with Lilah's, would be the longest ones unlike Cody's.
It was weird, Max thought as he sat back in his chair after placing the final file on top of the others, how close this year's initiation class was. Normally after initiation, they'd split into separate group or make new friends. He had said once to Captain how tightly knit this class was although he meant it sarcastically then. But it was true how tightly knit they all were and Max didn't know what to make of it.