Chapter 3

Max walks lightly into Kate's room, careful not to make a noise. The dawn October light softly filters through the tattered curtains and bathes the bedroom in beautiful hues of orange and yellow. It is almost picturesque, if not for the half-broken wardrobe, rusty metal study desk with matching chair, and partially rotting carpet. If not for Kate in a sorry state, but lying on a relatively clean bed. She was shot clean through her shoulder, but the cut was left untreated and became infected. Just a few hours ago, she was feverish and shivering with blood continuously dripping out of her wound. Stealing the necessary supplies to save Kate was the easiest thing that Max decided to do.

Well, that plus knocking Nathan out to save Chloe.

Max tentatively moves closer to Kate and dims the lighted torch by her bed. Kate's complexion already looks healthier and she is no longer sweating. Her right side has also been neatly bandaged into a sling by Victoria and it looks like the bleeding has stopped. Max gently touches her forehead. It is thankfully almost cool to the touch. Pleased with Kate's condition, Max places some rations by the bed and turns around to leave.

"Max? Where are you going?" says a sleepy voice.

Max stops and turns to see Kate smiling sweetly with half-lidded eyes. Max has never felt more relieved. Kate Marsh has been a staple part of her life ever since the Caulfields left Arcadia Bay, and if something were to happen to Kate, well, let's just say Max would never forgive herself. When the Caulfields reached the rebels camp in Seattle eight years ago, it was Father Richard Marsh, a pastor in the community, who sent his daughters, Kate and Lynn, to check up on Max and befriend her while Major Ryan Caulfield and Officer Vanessa Caulfield were called to the field. Of course their ranks meant diddly squat after defecting from the army, but everyone in camp still calls them by their titles as a mark of respect for helping them in their cause.

Not that Max cared then. She was thirteen and in her mind, she has just left her best friend and her mother to die in Arcadia Bay while she escaped like a coward. Her best friend who stood up to Max's bullies in kindergarten; her best friend who gave her a piggyback all the way home when she jumped off their tree house because of a dare and broke her ankle. They promised to be BFF and yet Max left her as soon as she could before the first shelling even hit Arcadia Bay. Max was shattered. For weeks, she was either crying or spacing out. Her parents were at their wits' end, and with the rebels' cause on their shoulders, they were at a loss to handle Max's behaviour.

But Kate and Lynn were there and they helped. They lent her their shoulders to cry on, and played games with her to distract her thoughts. They say time heals all wounds. They don't, but the wounds now only periodically throb instead of searing her with pain. Over time, she learnt to lock Chloe and Arcadia Bay in a forbidden box deep in her heart. Life goes on.

Until of course now that I am back in Arcadia Bay and Chloe fell right into my lap. Figuratively.

"Hi Kate, you look like a million bucks," Max says while sitting on the edge of the bed and holding Kate's free hand.

"I feel like one," Kate comments and squeezes her hand. "I heard you saved my life."

"Well, you saved mine first. It's the least I could do."

"This is the second time though. I owe you one now."

"No, shut up, you owe me nothing," Max insists. "Just rest now, we have to move to our rendezvous point tomorrow for the peace treaty."

"Is there still no sign of Warren?"

Max shakes her head. Warren was supposed to arrive two days ago at their hideout. He was assigned as the group's scout to check on the situation ahead and report on the status of the other rebels.

"He is probably just held up. There have been increased reports of clashes on the streets and shelling in several areas. Don't worry, we'll bump into him soon. You just worry about yourself," Max says before giving her a quick peck on her forehead.

"And do I have to worry about who you brought home today?" Kate asks with a half-cheeky grin.

"What? How do you know about that?"

"Max, whenever you and Victoria get into it, half the camp could hear you two. What more in a house? Seriously though, what's going on?"

Max sighs. She releases her hand, grabs a cigarette from her pocket, lights it and starts smoking. Kate wrinkles her nose in mild disgust. She does not get the appeal of smoking, but she accepts that it helps calm some people's nerves. Considering Max only smokes when she's anxious, something serious must be going on.

Kate examines Max while she steels her nerves. She looks unharmed at least. Wearing her trademark grey hoodie, nondescript shirt and blue jeans, she could easily pass off as an innocent civilian in the background. But like every rebel recruit, she is well-trained in self-defence, martial arts and basic weaponry. In fact, despite her baby face and doe eyes, Max is a marksman. But after shooting a drunk Hayden Jones in the head after he tried to force himself on Kate, Max couldn't bear to take another person's life again. This is why her current choice of weapon is a baseball bat. Just sneak around and knock the victim off their feet from behind with a single blow. At least if she did kill someone, she couldn't be sure about it.

"Max, tell me what's going on."

Max sighs again. "It's Chloe Price."

Something about the name strikes a chord in Kate's mind, but she's not able to match the name to a face. If it's not someone she has met before…

"Oh my god, are you referring to your best friend, Chloe Price? Oh right, I'm so sorry, Max, I forgot you were from Arcadia Bay! I feel so foolish. Is she okay? Are you okay?" Kate asks frantically and is even attempting to sit up. It really bothers her that she forgot. She should have been more concerned about Max's well-being. Instead, she was so caught up in the rebels' cause that she totally forgot about Max's past.

"Kate, calm down," Max says, while gently holding Kate down to the bed. "I'm fine, everything is fine. I left Arcadia Bay years ago. There is no need to re-hash things. I'm okay, I just found Chloe passed out by the side of the road. She probably has a slight concussion, but she's otherwise fine."

"So, she's downstairs right now? Gosh, you two are fated to be together . Can I meet her?"

"She's still passed out. And don't get your hopes up. She's military. I wouldn't be surprised if she shoots me between the eyes as soon as she sees I'm not in uniform."

"Oh, I see," Kate says in a disappointed tone. "Well, that makes things more complicated. But I'm so happy for you though. You blamed yourself for so long that you left her for dead but Max, she's alive. She's alive and she's here. You must be really happy to see her."

Max takes another puff and reflects on Kate's comment. "You know, I was surprised when I first recognised her. Then I was concerned because she's injured. Then, after I snooped around, and found out she's military, I was worried and immediately disarmed her. And now, now, when I finally have a chance to take it all in, you're right. I am...happy," she says, almost hesitantly, as if she's not sure what to make of it.

Except she knows what to make of it. "But I ask myself, what right do I have to feel happy to see her? The fact was, I left her for dead. I don't deserve to see her again, and I don't deserve to feel relieved that I didn't kill her."

Kate reaches out to hold Max's hand again. "Unbelievable. Eight years later, and you are still blaming yourself for everything. I'm surprised you haven't figured out a way to blame yourself for causing this civil war."

"Well, the day is still young, Kate Marsh. Anyway, enough about me. I don't know what to do now about Chloe. Victoria had the balls to suggest we shoot her so she wouldn't be able to run away or harm us."

"Well..."

"Kate, we are not shooting her," Max says with narrowed eyes.

"I know, I know, I'm just joking. You are so serious sometimes, you know?" says Kate. "But we both know we cannot let her go until after the peace treaty is signed. If the army gets wind that Victoria Chase is in Arcadia Bay and only guarded by two girls, they will try to take her. Talk to Chloe, find a way to make her want to stay with us."

"Are you kidding? I'm not sure what propaganda the military brainwashes their people with, but I'm pretty sure Shoot anyone who is NOT one of us is pretty much a given."

"She's your best friend though. You'll figure it out."

"That was years ago, Kate. I'm not her best friend anymore. In fact, I'm sure the phrase best friend here can be rearranged into the letters M-O-R-T-A-L-E-N-E-M-Y."

"Max, dear, you can be so dramatic. You know, some people can spend their whole life trying to find this relationship that you had with Chloe, and they'll never be able to replicate it. That kind of relationship doesn't just fade away. People don't just change 180 degrees, Max. Have faith that she's still the same Chloe Price."