Once we finished lunch we got changed into more durable clothes. Once done, we headed back outside. As soon as we got to the center of the town, we found it crowded with people and a hodgepodge of noise, contrary to our morning trip.

"What the hell?" I asked.

"I don't know but lets just get in and get out as fast as possible." Sara replied.

I grabbed a random person, it was Mr. Brown, the blacksmith. "What's going on?" I asked him.

"He's here!" He exclaimed. "Right here!" As soon as he shouted that the entire crowd of people turned a ran in our direction. Some one came running up to me and grabbed my had, it was Mrs. Smith.

"Please don't take them, please don't." She pleaded.

"Don't take who?" I asked her. "What's going on?"

"You don't know?" Asked another man the I recognized as Mr. Johnson.

"No, not at all." I told them. "I've been home."

The whole crowd started whispering and pointing. Until Mr. Johnson spoke up again, as a typically quiet man, everyone listened to him. "Mr. Firestar, I--"

I cut him off. "It's Alex, just Alex."

He looked a little thrown off guard, as no one interrupts him. "Very well, Alex. I would like to have the privilege of filling you in. The elders have chosen 5 people to 'help' you." He used air quotes around 'help.' "Though they informed us that those five people could be gone for a while. Those 5 people are our families, they're our friends, they can't be gone for a while." His eyes were pleading me to help him.

"Those people shouldn't be gone more than two or three days." I reassured him. "I am training them, and they can help train the rest of you. They shall not be gone from home for long."

The crowd relaxed some, as if I'd just taken a huge weight off their shoulders. "What will you do if the elders say otherwise?" Someone asked, though I couldn't see who.

"I will speak to the elders, they shall see reason, as they have before." I told them.

"The elders never see reason." Another shouted. Several people shouted in agreement.

I was about to speak, when Sara spoke up. "Silence!" Man, she's really effective at getting people to shut up. The crowd silenced immediately. "We have recently reasoned with the elders. Alex was the one who persuaded them that train people to survive in the wild would be useful. Alex was the one who persuaded them to pick 5 and not everyone. Alex was the one who persuaded them that to make a difference, you don't need to make it all at once. Alex was the one who persuaded them that fighting isn't the answer. Alex has reasoned with them again and again, and you know what? He'll do it again." She looked at me with pride, a look I had never been on the receiving side of.

I figured it was my cue to step up and speak again. "I am the one who did those things, yes, though I cannot do it without support for those around me, such as my family" I looked at Sara. "and friends." I took her hand and raised it up as I did in the arena. "Together we can do anything, together as one unit, one team, one family. Together we can defy the government." The group cheered, I felt a rush of adrenaline. The crowd parted as we made our way to the unforgiving building once more. Once we were in front of those glass doors I asked Sara. "You ready?"

"Are you nuts? Hell no!" She said with a smile. With that we walked in together, up the three flights of stairs, and in front of the giant mahogany doors. She asked me the question I've been asking her. "Ya ready?"

I gave a little laugh. "Hey that's my line! Also, hell to the freaking no!" Then she knocked on the doors.

A muffled voice said. "Come in."

We walked in, and all my adrenaline and confidence plummeted.