After hours of sit-ups, push-ups, and all sorts of physical training, Cindy announced that they would practice weaponry the next day.

            "You mean we have to kill people?" Aly gasped.

            "Yes, Thirteen," Cindy said.  "You cannot have an army without guns."  Cindy's words sent an icy chill down Amy's back.  So, obviously they knew that Aly was not Amy, Number Three now.  "You do need some coordination adjustment, though, Thirteen," Cindy added.  "Your performance was pitiful."

            Amy crossed her fingers, and hoped that Aly would be smart enough not to let them do this.  "No!" Aly shrieked.  "I won't let you!  I remember what you did to Four, Ten, and Twelve, and what you almost did to me!  I remember what that treatment did to my head!"

            "Thirteen, we've discontinued the emotional perfection treatment after its failure to achieve our goals.  Instead, either you kill for us, or we kill you.  It's just that simple," Cindy told her.  Amy wondered if she was the only one who noticed that Aimee was close to tears, and Annie was giving Cindy the coldest, sharpest stare Amy had ever seen.  "You all must get to know each other as a team, so that you can assess each other's weaknesses, and know who to…eliminate, but do not leave these campgrounds," Cindy said.

            Eight, Aly, Five, and One came to talk with Amy.  "Did you guys notice how Annie and Aimee were looking at Cindy?" Amy asked, completely ignoring the death threat.

            Eight, who had been standing right next to Annie, knew more than Amy did.  "Annie looked like she wanted to kill Cindy, and the actress looked like she was going to cry."

            "Maybe one of us should go talk to them," Amy One suggested kindly.

            "I'll deal with Annie," Five said.  "Seven, I know that you could do it just as well, and I'm not trying to be better than you, it's just that…well…since I pretended to be her friend on the island, she's bound to trust me more."

            "Fine," Amy sighed.  "But who's dealing with Aimee Evans?"
            "I could," Amy Eight said.  "I'm aggressive enough to get it out of her.  We need information more than we need her friendship."

            Amy, Five, and Aly nodded, and so did One.  "But, what if she won't tell you?" Aly asked.

            "She will," Eight said.

            "Heck, even if she doesn't, it's worth a try," Five reminded her.

            "Okay," Amy said.  "We'll eavesdrop."

            "Good idea," Five said.  "In case one of us doesn't catch everything."

            Five confidently walked up to Annie, who was sitting on the picnic bench, looking perfectly ready to kill, and sat down next to her.  "Hi, Nine.  Remember me, Five, from the island?"

            Annie snapped at her.  "The one who betrayed us?  Yes, I remember you perfectly!"

            "Well, Nine, I was a bit homesick, I guess.  But now, I realized that what I did was foolish.  I've regretted it ever since!" Five objected.  "But what's wrong?  I'm still your friend, you know."

            "My problems are none of your business, so back off before I blacken your eye!" Annie shrieked.

            "Okay then," Amy Five said.  She walked away in a twinge of shock.  Yes, Annie's goals had always been horrifying, but she had never just snapped at people like that.  She wondered how Eight was doing with Aimee, anyway.

            "Hi, Ten," Eight said, planning her tactics well.  "You know, I really liked that last commercial you were in.  Do you have any upcoming broadcasts?"

            "Not anymore," Aimee said.  "I've pretty much ruined my life."

            Eight sighed.  Obviously Aimee had grown up a little, maybe a lot.  "How?" Eight asked.  "What's wrong?"

            "Annie wasn't the only one who had any kids.  I had twin boys, Keith and Kevin, who will eventually be paired with Monique and Marie," Aimee started to cry.  "It's not easy seeing your two sons your own age in two days!  You know, when I was bottle-feeding them, and I got to hold them, I was attached to them, and now, they're just cold, emotionless drones who are only around to die in a war!  I hate this place, I wish this had never happened, and I could just not be a clone!  I mean, I don't want you guys to die; I just want to be normal!  I'd even sacrifice my acting ability just to get out of this awful place!"

            "Aimee," Eight said.  She really did feel bad.  Now, the actress was making her want to cry.  "I'll bet this isn't easy for Annie, either."

            "Annie?" Aimee asked.  "Number Nine?  I don't know.  I haven't talked to her.  But I saw how she looked at Cindy during exercises.  Cindy told us right after lunch about sending our kids to war right along with us, and never letting them even grow up.  Earlier, I saw Annie making a hit list.  Cindy's first on it."

            Amy Eight was horrified.  "Tell me that none of us were!"

            Aimee shivered.  "You might want to check it soon, because she plans to attack tomorrow."

            "I have to warn the others," Eight said in horror mixed with shock and gut wrenching agony.  Before Aimee could stop her, Eight ran to tell the alliance, and Amy was even more horrified than Eight had been.

            "I remember what happened in Paris," she said frantically.  "I'll be first to go!"

            Aly shook her head.  "Remember, that it was my fault that we lost the mountain biking challenge on the island.  I'll go first."

            Amy Five panted.  "You guys!  Listen!  Annie wants to kill Cindy, what did we do to her kids?  Look, the only way to keep ourselves safe is to pretend that we're trying to help her.  Annie loves allies."

            Aly shrieked.  "You mean, pretend to want to kill?"

            Amy Five nodded.  "We won't, though, Aly.  We'll say that we will do it for her, and then stash the weapon."

            "But Cindy gives us weapons tomorrow!" Aly shivered frantically, sweating with fear, her heart racing faster every second.  "She could attack us all right then and there.  Plus, if she gets Monique on her side, Monique will be our age by then!  And if she kills anyone, I'll be at least the second to go!  Amy, I mean, Seven, do something!"

            Amy was beside herself, feeling completely defeated.  "What can I do?"

            Five looked ready to cry, despite her usual leadership position.  "Who shares a tent with Annie?" she asked surely.

            "Amy, Number Ten," One said.  "Each set of clones is paired One and Two, Three…wait, and I'll ask Cindy."

            "No!" Five said.

            "Really, Five.  What harm could it do?" One asked.

            "You have a point," Five admitted.

            One returned, and answered.  "One and Two, Four and Five, Six and Seven, Eight and Nine, Ten and Eleven, Twelve and Thirteen."

            Eight screamed.  "So I'M stuck with Annie!  Oh don't let it be!  This can't be happening!"

            "Well, I guess that means you have to find her hit list then, Eight," Five replied sharply.

            "But Five!" Eight said.

            "We don't have any other choice," Five said.

            "I have a feeling that some of us might not live through this," One said.

            "Don't say that, One!" Amy said, reading Aly's horrified expression.  "We will get through this."  Although it was easy enough for Amy to say it with so much ease and confidence, it was much harder to truly believe it.