After Max was hip to the new plan, Ire led her to field course one. When Max saw it, her jaw dropped.
"This is field course one?" Max asked, looking at the huge obstacle course.
"Yep, it's the easiest one too." Ire told her.
"You're kidding right? This thing is huge. Who trains on this?" Max asked.
"Well, the X6s and X7s trained on it for a while, but they were too advanced so they moved right on to field course four and they're still there. Mostly newly reprogrammed soldiers take this course." Ire said.
Max just stared at the course. She stretched then stood at the starting point.
"It's really not that hard." Ire told her.
Max didn't say anything. She just got ready to go. Ire looked over and saw Renfro coming toward them.
"What are you waiting for soldier?" Ire screamed at Max. "Go! Go! Go! Move!"
Max was bewildered by the change in Ire's attitude but ran anyway. She ran the first few feet then dove down and crawled under barbed wire. Max shot up from the ground and ran to a wall. She grabbed the rope and climbed up. She jumped down the other side of the wall, then Ire lost her.
"How far along is she?" Renfro asked, coming up behind Ire.
"She just went over the wall, ma'am." Ire said. "I don't know her current location."
"Do you think that X5-452 is loyal to Manticore?" Renfro asked. Ire immediately knew her question was meant to find Max a traitor.
"She is dedicated and willing to rejoin Manticore." Ire lied. Had Renfro really expected her to tell the truth? That Max was completely against Manticore and taking her with her?
"Excellent." Renfro muttered as Max appeared at the finish. "Move her on to field course two."
"But, she has just finished course one! Would it be wise to subject her to-"
"I," Renfro said, cutting Ire off. "Will be the judge of all that. If she is loyal to Manticore, she will stick it out. I want to see her through course two."
Ire gulped and walked over to Max with Renfro. Max was on her knees, catching her breath. Ire knew that Max had been pumped full of drugs and was weakened by them and was seriously considering just snapping Renfro's neck and sprinting off.
"Field course two, soldier." Ire said, jerking her head to a much more difficult looking course.
Max stood and looked at Renfro. She realized where Ire's earlier attitude had come from, Renfro was always watching.
"Go on, get going." Ire said. Max just looked at her as she walked toward the course.
Renfro smiled and put a hand on Ire's shoulder as Max stood at the starting point.
"She'll be back with us in no time." Renfro said.
Ire wanted to scream out loud and break Renfro's wrist; she hated the horrible woman and did not need her touching her shoulder.
"Yes, I believe so." Ire said, holding in every urge to cringe and kill.
"Get her started." Renfro said. "I don't want to be standing here all day."
"Soldier!" Ire yelled to Max. "Go! Move!"
Max ran around the track, jumped through the tires, jumped over strategically placed bear traps, then disappeared over another wall, making Renfro and Ire lose sight of her.
"Has she told you of any contacts outside?" Renfro asked, as they walked along to the finish.
"No." Ire said. It was true, Max didn't tell her much of her life outside.
"That's too bad." Renfro said as she watched Max wind through barbed poles. "Try to get close to her, let her tell you things."
'Too late.' Ire thought.
"Get all the information out of her that you can. I'm putting you in charge of her regiments. We want her back on the side of Manticore as fast as possible and you can do it I'm sure." Renfro said.
Ire didn't think that was what Renfro had really been planning, but she didn't bother to think about it now. Max had finished course two and was looking horrible.
"I'm going to go and take care of some things." Renfro said and walked off.
Ire walked over to Max and helped her up.
Renfro walked to the door to reenter the building and was greeted by a soldier.
"Madam, you don't really trust XS-618, do you?" The soldier asked.
"Of course not." Renfro said. "I just need a good reason to terminate the both of them."
"This is field course one?" Max asked, looking at the huge obstacle course.
"Yep, it's the easiest one too." Ire told her.
"You're kidding right? This thing is huge. Who trains on this?" Max asked.
"Well, the X6s and X7s trained on it for a while, but they were too advanced so they moved right on to field course four and they're still there. Mostly newly reprogrammed soldiers take this course." Ire said.
Max just stared at the course. She stretched then stood at the starting point.
"It's really not that hard." Ire told her.
Max didn't say anything. She just got ready to go. Ire looked over and saw Renfro coming toward them.
"What are you waiting for soldier?" Ire screamed at Max. "Go! Go! Go! Move!"
Max was bewildered by the change in Ire's attitude but ran anyway. She ran the first few feet then dove down and crawled under barbed wire. Max shot up from the ground and ran to a wall. She grabbed the rope and climbed up. She jumped down the other side of the wall, then Ire lost her.
"How far along is she?" Renfro asked, coming up behind Ire.
"She just went over the wall, ma'am." Ire said. "I don't know her current location."
"Do you think that X5-452 is loyal to Manticore?" Renfro asked. Ire immediately knew her question was meant to find Max a traitor.
"She is dedicated and willing to rejoin Manticore." Ire lied. Had Renfro really expected her to tell the truth? That Max was completely against Manticore and taking her with her?
"Excellent." Renfro muttered as Max appeared at the finish. "Move her on to field course two."
"But, she has just finished course one! Would it be wise to subject her to-"
"I," Renfro said, cutting Ire off. "Will be the judge of all that. If she is loyal to Manticore, she will stick it out. I want to see her through course two."
Ire gulped and walked over to Max with Renfro. Max was on her knees, catching her breath. Ire knew that Max had been pumped full of drugs and was weakened by them and was seriously considering just snapping Renfro's neck and sprinting off.
"Field course two, soldier." Ire said, jerking her head to a much more difficult looking course.
Max stood and looked at Renfro. She realized where Ire's earlier attitude had come from, Renfro was always watching.
"Go on, get going." Ire said. Max just looked at her as she walked toward the course.
Renfro smiled and put a hand on Ire's shoulder as Max stood at the starting point.
"She'll be back with us in no time." Renfro said.
Ire wanted to scream out loud and break Renfro's wrist; she hated the horrible woman and did not need her touching her shoulder.
"Yes, I believe so." Ire said, holding in every urge to cringe and kill.
"Get her started." Renfro said. "I don't want to be standing here all day."
"Soldier!" Ire yelled to Max. "Go! Move!"
Max ran around the track, jumped through the tires, jumped over strategically placed bear traps, then disappeared over another wall, making Renfro and Ire lose sight of her.
"Has she told you of any contacts outside?" Renfro asked, as they walked along to the finish.
"No." Ire said. It was true, Max didn't tell her much of her life outside.
"That's too bad." Renfro said as she watched Max wind through barbed poles. "Try to get close to her, let her tell you things."
'Too late.' Ire thought.
"Get all the information out of her that you can. I'm putting you in charge of her regiments. We want her back on the side of Manticore as fast as possible and you can do it I'm sure." Renfro said.
Ire didn't think that was what Renfro had really been planning, but she didn't bother to think about it now. Max had finished course two and was looking horrible.
"I'm going to go and take care of some things." Renfro said and walked off.
Ire walked over to Max and helped her up.
Renfro walked to the door to reenter the building and was greeted by a soldier.
"Madam, you don't really trust XS-618, do you?" The soldier asked.
"Of course not." Renfro said. "I just need a good reason to terminate the both of them."