By noon the following day, every member of the Ravens, with the exception of one presumably dead girl, had returned to the camp. The storm had passed, but the entire forest floor was still wet with mud, and the air was damp and heavy. The teens were delighted to be outside again, however, since they'd been confined to their cabins for almost twelve hours as the storm persisted.

Hayden was sitting outside with Corey and Nathan, the three of them sharing notes on what parts of the camp might need to be rebuilt after the storm, as well as areas in the forest that should be examined for damage. The three boys were roommates, and they all served as scouts as well. This meant that over countless sleepless nights and innumerable inside jokes, they'd developed a particularly close bond. Hayden may have been the official leader of the camp now, but Corey and Nathan had been standing right beside him.

"Oh God," Nathan muttered, "Incoming." The other two boys turned around to see a livid Mai marching towards them. Behind her walked a reluctant Sebastian, who sent them a small smile as if to apologize for what was about to come.

"So there's a murderer running rampant in this forest? And I had to hear about this from Ellie of all people?" Mai snapped, "What the hell do you think you're doing?"

"Sorry, you miss out if you're not at camp," Corey muttered, smirking as he looked between Mai and Sebastian. Since he didn't know the details of their venture the previous night, he figured that their absence was only for sexual purposes. He was completely unaware, of course, of who they had gone to visit, since he still thought that Emma was out of the picture.

Mai shook her head and glared at him, looking like she was about to pounce. Hayden then interjected towards his friends, "You two should go. Help Dylan make a plan for patrolling." Corey and Nathan nodded, grateful for the opportunity to walk away from the impending hurricane.

"Of course, go tell Dylan to do something. Because you, Hayden, don't do anything. There is a killer on the loose and we are just sitting here. How's that supposed to save us?" Mai added before his friends had the chance to fully walk away.

"We don't even know who the killer is," Hayden pointed out, somehow managing to remain calm, "And they don't have any reason to be against us, unless you have some unfinished grief with the some psychopathic Rogue that you want to tell us about." He and Dylan had discussed their options thoroughly the night before. In fact, he'd even ended up sleeping on the floor of her and Nova's room, since the storm had locked him in there. They'd agreed that until they learned anything else about the culprit, there was no use trying to prepare for a threat that may not even be real. The best they could do was be ready to fight if the time came, and never send someone out on a mission alone.

"The Condors didn't have any reason to hate us either, you dumbass," Mai flashed, "That didn't stop them."

"You did kill ten of their people," Hayden added, "We'd have retaliated too."

His opponent glared, "I'm sorry, but I can't just sit here and let some maniac kill us off. This isn't happening." She reached down for her biker mask, the symbol of her plans to leave.

"Mai, they killed two bounty hunters with perfectly clean stabs, or cuts, or whatever it was. They're strong, and we have no idea who it could be," Hayden groaned, emphasizing the last clause.

At this point, Sebastian stepped in. He had previously been silent, but after the last comment, he'd come to realize something, "They were bounty hunters? In Condor territory?" This was new information, since Ellie had forgotten those seemingly small details.

"Yeah," Hayden nodded.

"Who would have needed to kill a couple of bounty hunters in Condor territory a couple days ago?" Sebastian asked, lowering his voice so that the rest of the camp couldn't hear him. Both Hayden and Mai's eyes widened as they understood exactly what he was suggesting.

"She's good with a knife too," Mai added.

"See, Mai?" Hayden smirked, "Nothing to worry about."

Despite the comforting fact that Emma was the secret killer, Mai's temper had not been cooled. Once she got going, it was hard for her to let go of her anger. Instead, it just kept on pouring out of her. So she continued, "Alright, so what are you going to do about this camp? This place is a mess. Why has nobody ever fixed those holes in the fence? Do you not realize how exposed we are?"

Hayden stood up, so that he was looking down at Mai. As skinny and small as he seemed, the boy was actually quite tall. He said sarcastically, "There are holes in the fence? Shocking! It's not like the storm last night just destroyed all the progress we've made. Oh, and it's not like these holes have only been around for three days when I, you know, actually became the leader. In fact, I actually think our camp has had its issues since the very beginning. What was the leader's name back then? Oh yeah! MaiLinh Walker."

At Hayden's outburst, Sebastian was taken aback. He had never seen this side of his friend. Apparently he wasn't as passive as everyone thought he was. He had a hostility that nobody had ever seen before. However, this was not the time to come forward with this different personality. Both Mai and Hayden needed to calm themselves.

But for Mai, this remark only fired her up more, "You have no idea what I've done for this damn camp. It's more than you'll ever do in your sorry little life."

Hayden shook his head; he was far passed the point of no return. There was no backing down now. "You think that I've done nothing? Do you have any idea how many times I've been the one to talk someone out of suicide? After we thought you died, do you have any idea how many hours I spent counseling half of this camp because our friends died beside you in battle? Do you have any idea how much shit has happened here over the past year? No. You don't, Mai. You left, and you don't get to come back for two weeks and think that you're still in charge when you are the one that left."

"You're right, I don't what happened here, but I know that you're all still alive because I sat in the Condor's cell for three months," Mai growled, "They tortured me every day. Every time, I either had to give up information, or suffer the consequences, and you can sure as hell bet I suffered every single time." She rolled up her left sleeve, revealing the scars on her wrist, "They carved a number into my skin, like I was their property. But guess what? I let them do it so that the rest of you could live." Sure enough, the number 23 was written permanently on her body. It would be a constant reminder of those three dreadful months, a reminder of the time she wasn't in control.

Sebastian shuddered and his face dropped the moment he realized what that number meant. He'd seen it before, but thought it was an old tattoo from before the Plague, something he'd merely forgotten about over their year apart. But no, it was a sign of what she'd been through, and he realized that someone else he cared about had taken the same steps she had. "Emma was wearing her jacket," he muttered, his breathing heavy and body going cold.

This was enough to quiet the feuding foes beside him. Despite their problems, they had one thing in common: they cared about Sebastian. Seeing the look of terror return to his eyes was heartbreaking. Obviously, he was aware that Emma had been tortured; he'd seen brutally grotesque images for weeks. Even now that he knew she was alive, he was still haunted by the idea of her old condition. But scars would fade, and she would move on, he thought. This permanent number on his friend's wrist had to be present on his sister's as well—an unwanted memento that would never leave her. He had seen none of the damage during their visit, but now all he wanted was revenge on the person who did this. It would be payback. Not just for Emma, but for Mai. And if Mai was number 23, then for all the numbers before her. Emma had paid for a crime she didn't commit, and Sebastian was done with it. The next time he and Megan Martins came face to face, he would not back down. Never again.

Hayden sighed and stood up from the log where he'd been sitting. He sent Sebastian a small, encouraging smile, and did not acknowledge Mai in the slightest. He had work to do. Mai was right that the camp was a mess, but that wasn't his fault. If anything, they'd made a lot of progress over the past few days. The storm, however, blew it all apart.

"How are you?" a soft voice asked from behind him. Serena. The two of them had become closer over the past few weeks. Ever since Hayden injured his leg, he'd had to spend more and more time in camp, which was where Serena's work was situated. There was never much to do within the four walls, especially if most of the scouts were out, so it was often that they were each other's only companions. 

"Great," Hayden muttered. Still, he shot an icy glare towards Mai, which was enough to tip off the medic that he was everything but great.

"What did she say to you?" Serena asked, "Come sit. Dylan's covering the construction on the wall right now, they don't need an extra set of hands just yet."

"The usual," Hayden shrugged, taking his friend's invitation, "That I'm incompetent and ruining this camp."

"That's ridiculous," Serena sighed, "You've done a great job so far."

"I haven't killed anyone so far," Hayden muttered, "That seems to be the definition of a 'great job'."

"Maybe," the girl shrugged, "Everything is relative."

"Mai was right, though. I don't have any place wearing this jacket."

"Sebastian chose you," Serena pointed out, "That's all the qualification you need. You've deserved it."

"He couldn't even think clearly."

"That doesn't matter. When the most skilled leader I've ever met in my life couldn't handle the weight of the world any longer, the one person he trusted most was you. His instincts told him that you were the best person to succeed him. He saw that in you, and I see it too," Serena wrapped her arm around his shoulder.

Hayden looked up at her, his brown eyes showing nothing but exhaustion. He was tired, not just of being in charge, but of managing a world where teenagers held the power. He just couldn't keep on like this any longer; he needed security. He needed structure. He needed a future where he would someday end up happy. He shook his head slightly, eyes pleading towards the girl across from him, "I have no idea what I'm doing."

"Neither do the rest of us."

Near the western fence, Dylan was leading the construction process to fix up the holes made by the previous night's storm. She had bitterly watched the exchange between Mai, Hayden, and Sebastian, although she couldn't hear a word they said. She had considered entering the conversation, but quickly realized that whatever the problem was, none of them thought that she deserved to be apart of it.

"What's your problem?" Nova asked her. As her roommate and best friend, the mechanic had heard all of of the leader's complaints over the past year. She knew better than to act sympathetic. What Dylan needed was someone who wouldn't sugarcoat the truth. Nova was just the person.

"Why does Mai go to Hayden first?" Dylan asked, "Does she actually think he has a better idea of what's going on than me?" This was what had begun to bother her over the past few days. When she was partners with Sebastian, everyone understood that she was his second. She was the backup. Dylan didn't mind that; he had more experience, and she was still learning. With Hayden taking over his position, she figured that she was going to be the one with the responsibility. Hayden would have no idea what he was doing, just like she had no idea how to fill Mai's shoes when she took over her spot. But no, it seemed that everyone regarded Hayden just as they had regarded Seb. The man in charge. Once again, she was the second, and she was sick of it.

"Mai looks pissed," Nova pointed out, "Let Hayden take her wrath. You don't need to deal with her."

"But she still should have come to me instead of him," Dylan shrugged, "I should be the person she considers at fault."

"I don't know what to tell you, girl," the mechanic shrugged, "You wanna join them?"

Dylan rolled her eyes and went back to working on the fence. Then she added, "Hayden's not even fun to fight. You just feel bad. It's like kicking a puppy. You feel terrible."

"You would know," Nova smirked, "You're always fighting him."

"We don't fight that much," the leader frowned, a little bit annoyed that her friend saw right through her and Hayden's dynamic as co-leaders. To the rest of the camp, they had to act like their cooperation was seamless. She was determined now that they would be equals; neither of them would be more powerful than the other. Unless she was the one the one who was higher up. That, she could handle.

"He spent the night in our room, Dylan," Nova smirked, "You don't get along."

The other girl sighed, looking down, "He's the most agreeable person in this forest. How am I the only person who can't get along with him?"

"The same way Garrett can't stand Emma," Nova shrugged. Then she corrected herself, "Couldn't stand her. God, I can't get used to this. I keep thinking she's still here." Dylan bit her tongue. She couldn't tell her friend that she was right, that Emma was still alive, and was living only a thirty minute walk away.

The final scene across the camp was in the exact spot where the argument had gone down. Sebastian had walked away, frustrated and worried about his sister, as always. Mai was left at the small log, frowning.

Yasmin approached her on her way back into camp. She had been on the first guard shift since the rain had cleared, so she missed the entire fight. But just seeing an extra hostile Mai tipped her off that she'd missed out on something. "What happened?"

"I can't handle him anymore," Mai muttered, "He's so freaking annoying."

"Who?" Yasmin laughed, "Sebastian?"

"Oh, God no," Mai said, "Hayden, of all people. He thinks that I'm the reason this camp is messed up. Have you heard anything more ridiculous?"

"Something tells me that you started this," Yasmin observed, to which Mai stood up.

"I can't," she said, "I can't handle this. I'm going."

"Mai—"

"No! You're all insane. I can't put up with this right now." With that, Mai walked right out of the camp. She didn't even put on her iconic bandana; she just had to get out as quickly as possible. She was fuming. She couldn't remember the last time she'd felt this insulted by her friends—it had to have been before the plague. It was time to leave.

------

"Oh!" Lily exclaimed, "I forgot to tell you. My boyfriend Adrian is coming over soon. I trust him, but if you want to hide, I understand."

Emma's eyes widened at the name of Lily's boyfriend, "Adrian?" Emma knew an Adrian, she knew him all too well. She prayed that this was not the same boy.

"Yep! He's great!" Lily smiled.

"I'll hide," Emma nodded. Within the next five minutes, a knock on the door signaled his arrival. The dead girl was in her position underneath the floorboards, and she intently listened in on their conversation.

"Hey!" she heard Lily greet him.

"I've missed you, Lils," said a different voice. Emma's lungs dropped. Yes, it was the same Adrian she knew. The last time she'd heard him speak, she was kissing him. He had begun to unzip his pants when she stopped him. His face was the last thing she saw before she was knocked unconscious and woke up in the Condor's cell. Adrian was a bad man, that much she knew for certain. And she could never tell Lily that she had slept with him.

Within the next thirty minutes, there was another knock on the door. The next voice that came in sounded agitated and angry; it was Mai. She sounded beyond furious with the other Ravens, and Emma couldn't help but wonder what could have possibly gone down so dramatically over the past night.

"If I leave the Ravens, can I just join you guys permanently?" Mai asked.

"Of course!" Lily smiled, "You're always welcome. But what did they do?"

"They're just the worst. I can't put up with them any longer," the first girl responded. This was bad news for Emma, as the problems arose before her eyes. Adrian was dangerous. There was an old feud between him and one of her friends, and if Mai was unaware of their history, and she deemed him trustworthy, their entire camp would be in danger. That was the reason Emma had begun to contact him. She had to keep her friends close but her enemies closer—tabs on him were a necessity.

As the rest of their conversation hinted that Mai was truly walking away from the camp who had loved her dearly, Emma's heart sank. She couldn't change Mai's decision, of course. Not without revealing her friend's secret, which she had sworn to keep. No, she had a different idea in mind. It was quite likely the worst idea she'd ever formed, but this message had to go to the boy directly.

Later in the evening, the Lily, Adrian, and Mai had left the cabin, as they were going to meet another Rogue who was camped out a couple of miles east. This was Emma's opportunity. She scribbled out a quick note, thanking Lily for her hospitality, and she was out. The red bandana tied around her face, she walked towards the Ravens' camp.