Loving all the reviews. Will try and reply to them when things get less crazy. For now, your next installment.

Joe sighed as he groaned, awakening on the dusty road. "Frank?" he asked.

"Hey, feeling better?" Frank asked.

"Yeah. Hey, it's dark. Dark is a good time to avoid being noticed…. right?" Joe asked.

"Yes, but they'll be thinking just purely to kill." Frank frowned, then said, "We have to change our mindset if we want to survive. I don't want to kill anyone, but we have to fight for our lives and be willing to do so. We need to adapt a survival mindset. We're going to go home and do whatever it takes to get there. Agreed?"

"Agreed," Joe nodded, swallowing. "I don't feel so good."

Frank frowned, pressing his hand against his brother's face. "Damn, Joe. You're hot - what do we have in our first aid kits? Actually, let's get moving if you're up for it and find a more secure place. We don't want anyone to try and figure out where those guys were killed to try and steal their packs."

"You think they would?" Joe questioned.

"Yeah. Resources are scarce, and I'm glad Dad took us on that one hunting trip that one time, so we at least know how to hunt game and whatnot. I'm sure he's put some in here if he wants us to survive. Watching us all starve to death would be a painful process."

"Unless he wants us to watch us eat each other," Joe shuddered.

Frank shook his head. "Nah. I think there would be more indication of that." He shuddered, "I sincerely hope so."

"Me too. Hey, can I have some water?"

"Yeah, go for it. We have a lot of water purification tablets so, that should help - can I have some water please?" Joe questioned.

"Go for it," Frank said, frowning, "We can make water purified, Joe, so please - drink what you want."

Joe nodded, and opened up his bottle and took a drink. He knew that staying hydrated was important, especially if he was coming down with the flu. He turned to his left after seeing a shadow of movement. "Frank - to your left," he said.

"Shit-oh it's John - but-"

"Hey," John said. "How goes?"

Frank and Joe shared a look. "Could be better," Joe settled for saying flatly.

James came around then and Frank breathed an inward sigh of relief. He hated to admit it but when he had seen James he had worried, for a brief moment, that he had been dead. "I'm guessing that my friends will know I'm missing now," John said finally. The brothers had started walking again and the two had opted to follow them.

"That a good thing or a bad thing?" Joe asked evenly, glancing at Frank. Frank shrugged simply, he had no idea.

"Good-ish, I guess, as long as they don't kill you two. Don't worry, I'm higher ranked so I'll just order them not to kill you two."

Frank and Joe exchanged looks. Great. So that means a potential bloodbath with everyone? Could be really good, could be really bad, he thought. Not that he wanted to see anyone else killed, but he wanted out of there. He sighed. "What do you think the chances of them finding us are?"

"Pretty good. When I say I'm high up in the Bloods I'm not talking about being high up in a sect or something. I'm like the fourth or fifth in command over ALL the groups."

Wonderful, Joe thought. "So what was that guy saying about the killing-"

"I don't kill people I don't have too," the man said with a shrug. "I prefer they live so that I can remind them over my choices of their life or death."

Wonderful, Joe thought. "And I'm guessing he's against that?"

"Pretty much."

Frank and Joe shared another look. "Or he was, anyway," the man said. "Don't worry. I'll do my best to protect ya'll, since ya daddy helped me. Course, I thought he hurt me at first, was real pissed, but he ended up doing me a solid so…"

"I wonder…." Joe frowned, he'd talk to Frank about that later. He wondered if all the men and women in here had come across his father in some way, but what were the chances of that? He had no idea. "Spotted on left," he responded.

"Stay here," John said simply.

Joe winced, knowing if John left there would be another deadly confrontation. He didn't stop him though, not wanting the man's ire on him. He turned to James, "Do you know if any of what he says is true?"

"I know he's been around the block and knows his way around virtually any weapon. I don't think he's bragging about his place in the Bloods - I've seen his tattoos, and they look authentic. Additionally, I think if he was bragging he'd be like second, third in command," James responded. "Even if he's only high-ranked they're still going to come after him. To be honest, I think that was the man's biggest mistake. From what little I have seen about the Bloods, they look after their own."

"I'd prefer not to be in an all out blood bath if we can avoid it," Joe muttered as he turned to look over by John, who appeared to be in a heated debate with someone else. "They've not killed each other yet at le-" with that, John knocked the person to the ground and started grappling with him.

"Should we help?" Frank asked.

"Only if he starts screaming," James said. He exhaled and turned away, "This needless, senseless violence makes me sick to my stomach-John?" he asked, interrupting himself as he saw the blood on the man's hands.

"He through the first punch," John said. "I don't know where his partner is, but he's dead. We should hurry off."

Joe and Frank didn't even need to exchange glances this time. They just followed the man. Joe felt sick. Another man was dead because of this senseless violence. That meant…. what, 19 people remained? There had been 20 last night, right? They were down to nineteen? Unless someone died while they were sleeping.

"I'm beginning to think he's a psycho," James remarked.

"All serial killers supposedly meet the psycho terms," John said. "The biggest thing is not feeling any remorse or compassion - there's no negotiating with them. I'd wager most of us here fit this description… 'cept for you kids," he said, looking at Frank. Frank flinched.

"You remind me of my son," John continued on as they moved towards… wherever. He stopped, "Surprised there's been no announcement yet."

"He has to sleep sometime," Frank muttered with a shake of his head. "Let's just hope that's what he's doing now, please."

John sighed, "Yeah. No kidding." He exhaled, "I really hope my guys are able to find us soon - or whoever does, because this is getting really shitty."

A voice cracked over the loudspeaker. "One more man deceased. Eighteen remain."

"Eighteen?" Joe asked as soon as it cracked off. "I thought nineteen were left."

"Guess not," James said with a sigh. "Hey, look - game," he said, pointing ahead. He was right; there were a few rabbits. "Should we try?"

"May as well," Frank said. He turned to Joe, "You're the better hunter. I'll keep guard."

"Same," John nodded, as the trio walked more closely to the game. James and Joe quickly worked together to catch the rabbits, managing to catch three before they decided to preserve the rest of the game. John, no slacker in the hunter department, helped to skin the rabbits and get them ready to cook.

Joe groaned, "I still don't feel good, Frank."

"Just puke over there, please," Frank quipped, but his voice was that of concern. Joe groaned before he leaned back and fell over in the dirt.

"Good thing we didn't get the fire going yet," James remarked.

"We'd better get one going, to cook this. He'll need to eat," John said. Frank felt his brother's face; it was flushed and he was feverish. Please, God, don't take my brother from me - please. Please. Let us survive this sick, bastardized game and get back to our loved ones. He swallowed, watching James and John prepare the fire and the game. They'd made a small fire in effort not to attract anyone's attention.

Frank tried to force a sip of water down his brother's throat, praying, please, little brother. Please, hang in there.

A/N: Thoughts on next chapter - what'll happen?

Enjoy your cliffhanger.

-Liz