Which book in the Divergent series is your favorite? - This is kind of weird, but I think Insurgent was my favorite. I always like the second book in series the best for some reason. Like, Catching Fire is my favorite for the Hunger Games trilogy.

How long is this book gonna be? - Right now, I'm on track for no more than 25 chapters. Shorter than the last but beautiful things come in small packages.

Are there any Maxeria chapters coming up? - You'll just have to wait and see. (Inserts evil laugh)

"Hurt me with the truth, but never comfort me with a lie." - Anonymous

America promptly put her car in park when she saw Sawyer walking down the sidewalk. She rolled down her window and called to him. "Hey, Sawyer, hop in. I need to talk to you."

"You're Queen America," he stated, stunned. Then he seemed to grow suspicious. He looked uncomfortable as he stopped walking. "I kinda have to be somewhere."

"Well I can drive you," she offered. "Really, though, I need to talk to you about something. It's important." He still didn't look convinced. "You'll get where ever it is you're going faster if you let me drive you. I'll give you some candy," she tacked on the end for comic relief.

He sighed and rolled his eyes. "Okay, okay," he mumbled, walking around the front. "No need to be a pedophile." He looked around nervously before sliding in the passenger seat.

As soon as he was buckled she shifted into drive. "Where're you going?"

"The library. I have a meeting for school," he explained. "You know, college."

She nodded. "Yeah, I do know. Anyway, since this is a short drive, I'll get right to it." She collected her thoughts for a few seconds and then said, "I was doing some digging last night and found out about this secret organization that was around back when Illéa was the United States. Would you know anything about that?"

"I may be a history major but American history during the twenty-first and twenty-second centuries is banned from our textbooks," he said, a small note of regret in his voice. "It's a shame though. Secret societies are always very interesting."

"Are you sure you know nothing about it?"

He shrugged. "You know the name?"

"The Freemasons, I believe."

He thought for a few seconds. "Nope, never heard of 'em." He shook his head.

She nodded and licked her lips. "I don't really believe you, because your family's last name is on the last known covenant sheet for them. Chollier isn't a very common name. In fact, yours is the only family to spell it that way in all of Illéa."

He was quiet for a moment. "You know, most Masons would have thrown themselves out of the car by now."

"You haven't," she stated.

"Not yet. Ask me certain questions and I might."

"Why?"

He laughed. "Shouldn't it be obvious? The Masons are a secret society. No one in the United States even knew what they planned."

"And somehow they've survived all this time. Funny how that happens."

He shrugged. "What do you want to know?"

"Honestly, I want to know your connection to the Schreave family."

"No way. I can't give up that sort of information," he refused. He didn't look nervous anymore; he looked defensive. He looked like he wanted to take the wheel and steer both of them into a tree at full speed.

She sighed patiently. "Sawyer, please. It's important."

"Why? Because you want to bring back the United States? Don't think I can't see through you. If you were looking through stuff that led you to the Masons, you obviously are devising some sort of plan to reinstate the democracy."

"Well I was hoping you could help me learn more." She was running out of time; they were only a couple blocks from the library.

"I can't help you America. If it were Maxon talking to me it'd be different but I can't help you."

She frowned. "What does Maxon have to do with it?"

He scoffed. "America, think about it. Where do you think Maxon's name came from?"

She shook her head. "No, his name comes from Maxwell and Maximus, not Mason."

He rolled his eyes. "Did Maxon tell you his complete family history?"

"He didn't have to," she said in a tight voice.

"King Maxon is not who you think he is," Sawyer said to her.

She rolled her eyes and snorted. "Yeah, I've heard that before."

He snapped his head around to look at her closer. "You know?" There was something about the way he asked her that simple question that made her heart seize. The way he said it, it sounded like something terrible that would change her entire view of Maxon if she knew.

She shook her head. "I don't think so. Not anymore at least." She pulled up to the front of the library but he made no move to get out.

Instead, Sawyer tugged on his jeans and sighed. "His name is Dax Carraway," he began.

America sat up straighter. "Who?"

"Maxon's real name is Dax Carraway. His father is not King Clarkson, his mother is not Queen Amberly. He wasn't born in the palace in Angeles, he was born in Honduragua," Sawyer said slowly, watching America closely, watching her reaction. He was testing the waters, seeing how much of the truth he could tell her without destroying her.

"Keep going," she urged, petrified.

He nodded and swallowed hard. "His father was what we Masons called the Grand Worshipful Master. He was essentially the president of all Masons."

She shook her head in disbelief. "And Maxon is a Mason?"

He laughed and shook his head. "Oh no. Maxon is the Mason. His father was killed a couple months ago. Maxon moved back to Honduragua to pick up where his father left off."

"But if Maxon isn't part of the Schreave bloodline, how did he get to be prince? For as long as I remember he's been prince; he didn't just come out of nowhere."

Sawyer shook his head and shrugged. "Yes and no. As you know, Queen Amberly just wasn't able to get pregnant. One of the women in the Selection married Lucius Carraway and she got pregnant right around the time of Amberly's third miscarriage – she really had four total, not three. The woman was asked to make an agreement with Amberly to hand over their first born son and make it look like it was really Amberly's child."

"Why change his name?"

Sawyer rolled his eyes. "Just to make it more theatrical I guess. Maxon, Mason; they're pretty similar. Besides, Prince Dax just does not sound regal enough. And Maxon is close to Dax, I don't know honestly. I guess it was just to maintain his secret, burn all bridges." He reached for the door handle. "Can I go now?"

"The door's been unlocked this whole time. Why are you still here?"

"Because now I've gotten your interest; you won't be able to stay away from me." He opened the door. "And now my door is open so you can't lock it and trap me in here until I spill the entire story because trust me, there's a lot that you're missing." He got out, leaving her speechless in the driver's seat. "Oh, and Dr. Feierman wouldn't have been able to help you with any of it. He was a smart man but never privy to our secrets." He walked away and into the library.

She sighed and felt anger building in her. He was right; she was under his thumb now. How stupid she'd been to let him outsmart her. She was supposed to stay the superior. Now all she had to do was use what she'd learned from him to gain that advantage back. Maxon's history was just a ball of clay in front of her and she was going to mold it into the ultimate plot to get what she wanted.

And getting Maxon back was just the start.

I'm so sorry it's been a while since I really updated this story. Life has been so crazy lately and I've been dealing with a lot of awful person stuff and for the first time in ever, writing did not help ease the pain. I know I crammed a lot into this chapter. if you're hopelessly confused, read it again. if you're still confused after that, review with your question and i'll let you know whether or not I'm answering it later. if I am, I won't answer it now. If I'm not, I will answer it now. Sound like a deal? Cool. Reviews would be awesome. :) (especially since tomorrow's my birthday...wink wink)