AUTHOR'S NOTE-

HEY GUSY NEXT CHAPTER UP!!!!!!!!! HOPE YOU LIKE, VERY PHYSICAL CHAPTER! LOTS OF ACTION OR SO I TRIED! IT'S 12:06 AND I AM BEAT! iT TOOK ME FOREVER TO WRITE THIS THING AND I AM WAY TO TIRED TO REREAD IT. SO PLEASE EXCUES ANY TYOS OK, I DID SPELL CHECK AND EVERYTHING SEEMS TO BE IN ORDER BUT JUST INCASE PLEASE DON'T JUMP DONW MY THROA, I'M TOO TIRED;) HOPE YOU ENJOY IT AND DON'T FORGET TO REVIEW!!!! WARNING--------- LOOOONG CHAPTER!!!! AGAIN, ENJOY

LOVE ALL

******CARPE DIEM******

Nat

Once Max opened her eyes an unbelievable pain welcomed her from her head. She immediately noticed she was in a sitting position, her head hung over her chest, millions of loose strands from her ponytail hanging in her face. She moved her arms and realized that they were handcuffed behind her. She slowly rose her head, her headache knocking against her skull. She noticed that she was in some kind of abandoned barn or building.

"Your up, good, you took quite a fall." Ben answered from the shadows.

Max glared at him.

"Your not Alec." she admitted.

Ben then walked into the moonlight shining in through the abandoned window.

"No, how could you insult me like that?" Ben asked.

"You look exactly like him, hair and everything. Why are you doing this to me?" Max said sadly.

Ben looked at her.

"I have orders Maxie and that's to get you back there." Ben answered her.

Max looked at him.

"Your turning your back on me, betraying us all. Ben, I love you, why are trying to hurt me!?" she demanded tears forming.

"Shut up Max. I don't wanna hear it ok." Ben said.

"Why? Feeling guilty?" she asked.

Ben rolled his eyes and looked into her big brown eyes that were glossy.

"Ben, you don't have to do this to us, you can come with us and hide, it's only a matter of weeks before Blade dies and we can be a family." Max replied.

"Max, I don't want to run ok, why would I want to be with you and run all my life. Yes Blade might die, but what do you think is stopping Lydecker and Ames from making another one? Maybe one which is WORSE than Blade. So just give up and come silently, like a good solider." Ben said leaning his back against the wall in front of her.

"You know what they'll do us when we get back there Ben, especially me. I have caused Lydecker and Ames enough trouble for 5,000 lifetimes. I can't go back there and live a good life, I won't go." She snapped at him.

"Well that's your problem Max, you're the one that made that decision to get on their nerves." Ben pointed out.

Max looked at him hurt.

"Your not my brother. I don't know who you are. You're a monster." she said meanly.

Ben raised an eyebrow and then walked up in front f her and squatted down in front of her.

"A monster? How could you say that about me?" He asked.

"How could you do this to me and act like you don't even care about ANY of us anymore. Ben, I know that's a lie, even though they put a new brain in you, I know that SOME part of you still cares for us. What happened to my older brother?" she asked.

"SHUT-UP!" Ben shouted grabbing her chin.

Max then grabbed his wrist and kicked him off her. Ben stumbled back on his back as Max slowly stood up glaring at her brother who quickly jumped to his feet.

"How'd you….."

"Being stuck in the world with no one to help me, I learned to be an excellent cat burglar which also means being an excellent lock picker. Next time you plan on handcuffing me, make sure I'm not packin' smart ass." Max warned moving her jacket aside and placing the tool she used to pick the lock in.

"There's nothing you can do, he's on his way. It's been 20 minutes since I called him and I'm sure he's gonna show up real soon. It's OVER MAX!" he shouted as she slowly circled him like a hungry lion.

"Please." she said the spun around and sent her right leg out trying to kick him in the back of his head.

Expecting it, he moved his head to the left slightly and grabbed her leg over his shoulder. Ben easily flipped her over his head and she came crashing to the ground in front of him. Max kicked him in the side then rammed her heel into his face. Ben stumbled back in pain. Max did a backhand spring, landing on her feet with her fists raised to her chest. Ben moved his hand away from his face seeing the blood. He glared at the blood then slowly raised his mean eyes to her. Max saw the long deep cut the heel of her boot left on the left side of his cheek.

It made her smile, on the inside, even though she wasn't THAT scared of Ben, she knew if he saw her smile at what she had done, there would be hell to pay. Ben walked up sending his right fist flying. Max raised her left hand and blocked his punch from going into her face, but instead it landed in her arm. Max then sent her right fist towards his face. Ben's tight grip grasped her wrist. Frustrated she rammed her left knee into his stomach and then straighten her left leg out and kicked him in the side and finally punched him hard in the face with her free hand.

Ben stumbled back and just glared at her. Max glared back and then ripped the ponytail holder out, her straight chocolate hair falling to her shoulders, her layers framing her face.

"I bet you think your hot stuff huh Maxie. Since your 'kicking my butt?'" Ben asked whipping dripping blood from his face as he walked slowly up to her.

"Hey if you got it, show it, right?" Max asked kicking him in the stomach making him stumble back away from her.

"Don't get to close to me. I don't want your stupidity near me." she warned.

Ben chuckled a little then sent his right leg at her. Max caught it and flipped him over, like she had done to Jace when she fought her. Ben flipped but caught himself with his hands and grabbed her by the waist with his legs and threw her back first into a wall. Max made a noise of pain as she clenched her teeth together, glaring at him. She WASN'T expecting him to do that. Ben walked up to her, getting close to her.

"Stupidity? You're the one with stupidity." he said then tried to punch her in the left cheek with his right hand.

Max quickly ducked, his hand landing into the concrete, landing on her right side beneath him as plaster from the wall fell on her once his fist came in contact with the wall. Max kicked him in the stomach with her left leg making him wince and stumble back a little. Max jumped out and spun around, doing a roundhouse and kicking him in the face. The force of her kick sent Ben stumbling back chest first into the wall.

Max landed on her feet, shoulder length apart, fists raised and her hair in her face, some strands resting on her lips. One thing she learned once she got put back in Manticore, when she met Alec, was she should never take time out to push her hair away. No matter how far her enemy was, or hurt he was. She learned it the hard way that it only takes a second. So she just left it in her face. Ben tried to punch her but Max dogged it and tried to kick him in the left side with her right leg. Ben grabbed it and sent his fist into her face, the momentum sending her head flying over to her right shoulder.

"You're the one that is going up against us, against Zack, come on Ben you know he could totally kick your butt and hand it too you." she snapped trying to punch him with her right fist.

Ben grabbed it as well and let her leg go, so know he hand her by the wrist. Ben grinned.

"You guys don't scare me, your so predictable." he told her then kicked her in the side.

Max winced and hunched over a little in pain. He took the advantage and punched her again with his left fist sending her head flying to the right again. Ben twisted her arm behind her back and rammed his knee into her stomach. Max hunched over, her teeth clenched together as she groaned in pain.

Ben then grabbed her hair and yanked it up so her neck was up and her head back, next to Ben's face.

"Had enough?" he asked then put all his strength on it and pushed as hard and as fast as he could into her knee.

"Ah." she groaned behind her teeth.

Ben raised it up and did it again and finally spun her around and threw her into a wall. Max smashed into the wall and fell to the ground, he head aching even more now.

Max forced herself up, yet she was still a little wobbly.

"See, so predictable." Ben mumbled to her.

Max took off running at him then right in front of him she jumped up and grabbed a hook and kicked him hard in the face. She then took the advantage as he recovered from her blow and landed on his shoulders, like a 5 year old would sit on his father's shoulders. Max then threw herself backwards, causing Ben to loose his balance and fall backwards. Max landed on her back and with her leg power flipped Ben over her head, causing him to fly into a wall. Max jumped up as Ben fought to get up. She grabbed his jacket and yanked him up, immediately sending her knee into his stomach. Ben hunched over and then Max rolled over on his back, landing on the other side of him and kicked him in the face, causing him to fall to the ground.

"Tell me Mrs. Cleo, were you predicting me to do that!?" she shouted at him.

Ben smiled at her and jumped up and kicked her in the chest. Max flew back a little and landed on her back. Ben smiled and slowly walked up to her.

Suddenly something smashed through the wood. Ben saw someone on a motorcycle come through the building. He watched the machine land and swerve to a stop. Alec casually got off of his bike and noticed Max on the ground. He walked a few steps and looked form Max to his clone.

"Dude, I know you probably like girls in the position as much as I do, but that's just wrong." Alec said grinning, being his usual self.

Ben in anger tried to punch him. Alec quickly dogged him and smiled.

"Don't get mad Benny." Alec said.

"Screw you clone ok, Lydecker didn't say anything about bringing you back to Manticore so I'm gonna get rid of you once and for all!" Ben shouted then tried to punch Alec with him right fist.

Alec blocked it and Ben tried to punch him with his other hand, again Alec blocked it. Ben then kicked him in the side and then raised his foot up and shoved his foot into Alec's chest. Alec kicked him in the side and then sent his knee into his stomach. Ben hunched over clutching his stomach in pain. Alec flipped behind him and wrapped his arm around Ben's neck.

"Gotcha." Alec said behind clenched teeth.

Suddenly his 'mean face' faded.

"Hey you stole my look, I wear the leather jacket's from the leather store freak!" Alec whined.

Ben laughed a little then gathered all his strength and threw Alec over his shoulder and into the wall. Max got up and suddenly something caught her ear. She whipped her head towards the window and ran up to it and looked out.

"Lydecker." she said disgusted as she saw trucks coming.

She then saw a black car leading them as well.

"White." she said with even more disgust.

"Alec we gotta jet now! They're here!" Max screamed at him running towards a door.

"I don't think so girly." Ben said grabbing her by the waist as she ran by, not making it to the door.

Ben spun around and sent Max's head into the window, breaking it, the glass cutting her on the forehead. Ben yanked her out of it and she tripped over his foot behind her feet and she landed on the ground. Alec got up and ran over to Max, yanking her up.

"Get up, come on Max , we gotta go, now!" Alec said practically dragging her to the door.

Suddenly to doors busted open. Alec and Max stopped dead in their tracks as they instinctively backed away. Ames walked in followed by Lydecker. Max glared at him. Some of Ames's men entered through other windows.

Alec looked behind them and then turned around and pressed his back against Max's, so no one could sneak up on them. Alec shivered as he saw 11 men most with teasers, he too hated teasers. But none the less he raised his fists and took the defensive stand, ready to fight.

"End of the line 452." Ames warned.

"Don't think so." Max answered.

Ames smiled and stepped aside, Blade then stepped up beside Ames and Lydecker.

"Crap." Max said to herself.

Alec sighed.

"Still so confident?" Lydecker asked her.

Max looked from Ames to Lydecker to Blade then glared and rose her fists to her chest, telling them to bring it on. Blade then started running after her as did the 11 men and Ben.

Suddenly the large window above them smashed, Krit flew through it, landing on his feet on the right side of Max and punched Ben away.

Tinga landed behind 3 out of the 11 men and started taking them out. And finally Zack landed in front of both Alec and Max. Blade grinned.

"Zack." Lydecker said smiling.

Krit ducked and fought Ben fierily, as Tinga and Alec disabled most of the 11.

"Krit!" Tinga called getting his attention.

Krit looked over at his sister and she threw a teaser at him. Krit caught it and looked back at Ben who was charging at him.

"Haha, sorry big bro." Krit said the hit him with it.

Ben groaned and fell to the ground and immediately started shaking. Krit smiled in pride then looked over at Tinga and Alec and ran to their aid. Zack glared at Blade.

"Trying to take my sister away, ha, you have to deal with me first." Zack warned.

Blade lunged at Zack, Zack grabbed Blade's shoulders and flipped him over his head. Blade landed on his feet easily and sent his leg into Zack's back. Zack flew with extra force and landed a few feet in front of Ames and Lydecker.

Max saw Blade making his way towards Zack so she ran up the side of the wall and kick Blade in the side of the head with both her feet one after the other before landing. Blade turned around and looked evilly at her.

"You did just realize you made a HUGE mistake right?" he asked her.

"Bring it on tin can." she said.

Blade threw his punch towards her, Max blocked it but barely. Max punched him in the face and spun around and kicked him in the chest. Blade, furious, tried to kick at her bud Max did 2 backhand springs and a back tuck, getting away from him.

Suddenly Ames wrapped his arm around her throat. Max grasped Ames's bicep as she saw Blade laugh and smile at her.

"Not today big guy." Krit said tackling him away from Max.

Tinga helped Zack up as the 11 guys were all taken care of and out cold. Blade punched Krit off him and then made his way back to Max who was still being held by Ames.

"What the hell you think your doing?" Alec asked kicking Blade away from her.

Lydecker raised an eyebrow as he watched all the others fight Blade off. Lydecker then walked in front of Max and grabbed her chin, examining her. Max struggled but Ames violently tightened his grip which caused her to stop.

"Haven't came in contact with you for a long time Max." he said then opened her mouth.

"Good dentinal hygiene." he noted.

He then lifted her shirt up a little, looking at her stomach and abdomen.

"Good abs muscles." he added then looked at her bicep and arms.

"Good upper body strength." he said.

He then felt her thigh which kind of made Max feel uncomfortable and like kicking at him but considering the position she was in, she didn't

"And good leg muscles. Well solider I'll give you credit, you've been taking good care of yourself out here. Better than Jondy was." he said looking at her.

"Donald. Just so you know, and are warned. I'm coming after her." she said then kicked him in the stomach and threw her head back into Ames head who lead go in shock.

Max front flipped in front of both of them then turned around and jumped up high in the air and kicked both Ames and Lydecker in the face at the same time. Max landed on her feet and kicked Lydecker in the face and drived her elbow into Ames back, both landing on the ground.

Max picked Ames up by his collar in one hand and picked Lydecker by the collar in the other hand.

"Sorry, I can't remember, have you 2 met before!?" Max asked them then smashed their heads together.

Both Ames and Lydecker fell back, unconscious.

"Night boys." Max said looking at them.

Max then focused her attention to the other action. She winced as she saw them getting their butts kicked. Max then ran over to Ben, where a teaser was lying beside him. Max hovered over him and smiled.

"Wow, looks like your in a sucky position huh bro?" Max asked.

Ben glared at her and clenched his teeth.

"If only I could move." Ben hissed at her.

Max laughed at him.

"But the point is, you can't, so screw you Benny." she said then stood up.

Max watched Blade pick Alec up and throw him into Krit and Zack, knocking all 3 to the ground. Max ran up behind him and jabbed him with the thing. Blade howled and before he started shaking and got paralyzed for 3 hours, he grabbed Max and threw her though the wall.

"Max!" Zack said running through the hole in the wall.

The others followed.

"Are you ok!" Tinga shouted at her.

Krit helped Max sit up.

"Yea, it's just that I've been ran into a pole, punched in the face numerous times, had my head slammed into walls AND MY OWN KNEE, and I have the biggest headache anyone could ever imaging." Max said cradling her head.

Zack helped her up.

"Let's go, Logan is in the car hidden, let's jet before they wake up." Zack answered leading his pack away and to Logan's car.