The training arena smelled awful. The scent of salty sweat and metallic blood wafted through the air, replenished often enough to keep the pungent odor strong.

       Ivy swung through the air and aimed another kick towards the punching bag, her foot connected with a ferocity and strength that could crack bones. She let out a wild yell as her leg extended that may have startled someone if she were not alone. As it so happened, 5am wasn't a particularly popular time to be training. She didn't mind though, years and years of conditioning had made early morning workouts as normal as breathing to her.

       After the first kick she swung around again, fluid motion after fluid motion drenching her with sweat. Fighting was the only thing that felt natural to her, fighting was the only thing she loved. She smiled into the next round of kicks, twisting her body through the air, feeling a rush of adrenaline telling her to run, to do anything apart from controlled movement, and, yet, her trained mind kept her in place, repeating the same motion over and over and over.

       The slam of a door on the other end of the training room snapped her out of her trance. She turned, breathing heavily and wiping sweat off of her forehead. The rest of her 'team' stood just a few steps ahead of the doorway. Addy and Sebastian looking scared, Zander looking unimpressed.

       "Richard is busy today, he left me in charge of showing you guys to the training rooms," Zander said, looking around the training room and ending the sentence with a pointed look to Ivy.

       Ivy ignored the comment about Zander being left in charge, what were they five-year-olds? Instead she grabbed a small towel and wiped the sweat from her face, then tilted her head in confusion.

       "What do you mean training  room? This IS the training room."

       "Not according to my uncle," Zander trailed off as if that made perfect sense. Then upon noticing the blank stare from Ivy, sighed and continued, "Because each of our skill sets are so specific, he wants us to train with each other. Therefore we are being given a multifaceted training area and a regimented training schedule. We are going to trade out roles weekly to train each other in our own respects, so that, in the end we will all be ready to train our own teams, and completely rework the game."

       Zander looked expectantly at Ivy, waiting for a response. All Ivy gave him was a slightly disgusted, slightly angered face. She didn't like her actions planned out before her. Zander just ran a hand through his shaggy black hair. He gestured with his chin for the others to follow him. Ivy grabbed her jacket off the back of a chair and jogged to catch up.

       Once she was close enough to the group she slowed, and took notice to the fact that Sebastian and Addy were talking quietly to each other about their families. Ivy noted that the two seemed to bond over their shared situation in the Shack, it was clear that they were becoming fast friends.

"Yeah, I have younger twin brothers and they are a freaking pain," Addy chuckled," They are always getting into my room and messing stuff up."

       A small smile danced on Sebastian's lips, his face tilted downwards, but still looking joyful.

"You're lucky, I had to grow up with five older brothers, they completely ignore me most of the time. I would give an arm and a leg to have them mess with me," Sebastian looked down sadly, his face scrunching up at the thought.

"Actually perhaps that wouldn't be so great," he trailed off looking back over at Addy who looked amused.

As Ivy looked over at the two conversing she couldn't help but feel a tinge of jealousy. She wouldn't let it show on her face as the group continued to walk on, but, the longer the two spoke about their families, the tighter Ivy's chest grew. She left behind the notion of family what felt like a lifetime ago. Simply entertaining the thought pissed her off. The shock of the past few days was making her a pansy. She huffed and squared her shoulders, however, consumed by her inner dialogue, she missed the longing sadness in both Addy and Sebastian's eyes. Tense silence settled amongst the group just in time for their steps to halt in front of a set of metallic double doors.

     "This should be it if I'm correct," Zander mumbled, more to himself than anyone else, and, as Zander turned, Ivy noticed something off. Slight bags under his eyes and a tense snag in his shoulders that she had only seen near Richard. It was clear she wasn't the only one who hadn't gotten sleep the previous night.

The group of teens funneled through the door into the new training area. After a few steps each stopped dead in their tracks, completely amazed at what lay before them.

     The area was arranged much like a set for a television show. Which shouldn't have been shocking considering Richard planned the layout. There were four distinctly sectioned off portions, each with their own equipment and feel. You could tell which pod was meant for which person simply by looking at them. It was almost as if each of their personalities were ingrained into the materials. The thought did not sit well with Ivy.

      "Wow," Sebastian whispered to himself. The rest of the group, no matter how begrudgingly, couldn't help but agree.

"So, who are we starting with? Who is gonna lead us first?" Addy pipped up. Her huge mass of curls had somehow been compressed into a bun on top of her head, and, although her outfit was less stylish than the previous day, her makeup was still on point. Even Ivy had to admit that.

"I think it only fair that the great and mighty Zander, heir to the Sick Dick throne, take the reins for our very first play date," Ivy sneered. She was impressed with the layout, sure, but she would never lose her sarcastic edge. Once an asshole, always an asshole.

Instead of reacting with the exasperated dismissiveness that Ivy was accustomed to, the other three teens looked at her with confusion.

"Sick Dick?" Addy asked, cocking an eyebrow.

The reaction threw Ivy off guard a bit. She wasn't used to people actually acknowledging her comments, "Yeah, you know, like Crazy Richard, but shortened."

Addy looked into the distance for a second before realization dawned on her face. She burst out laughing, and was soon followed by Sebastian. Even Zander, although slightly annoyed, had a slight gleam of mirth in his eyes.

The situation had Ivy feeling emotions she couldn't quite place. Shock and confusion were the most prominent, and as she starred, wide eyed, at her three companions it dawned on her that she had never really spent time with anyone her age... ever.

The other emotion that felt most evident to her was rage. Have feelings pushed onto her pissed Ivy off. It ran in her blood, white and hot, trailing a path through her body, but she stifled it's affects. If it were true that Zander really was training them today, she wanted to save her anger and spite. Get it out in a more physical way than screaming and brooding. Those things never got anyone very far, especially in this world. She was an asshole, but she wasn't stupid.

To Ivy's relief Zander broke up the laughter, "Alright... alright..." he trailed off as the others stopped chuckling, punctuating the end of his remarks with silence, "To answer your question Addy, yes I am leading us first, and rightfully so as it seems the rest of you are bent on acting like complete idiots all the time. We are here to break the law, not to giggle and play like children." The sudden change in his mood had Sebastian cocking his eyebrow. For a highly trained super criminal, this guy sure was a basket case of emotions.

Ivy straightened up at Zander's remark,"Break the law... now that's what I like to hear." Her hair brushed over her shoulder as she spoke. The side of her mouth curved upward as she tilted her head, yet again causing her to look crazed. The look in her eyes made Sebastian subconsciously gulp in fear as he tucked a stray piece of hair behind his ever present baseball cap, and the room fell silent once more.

     "Ok so first things first. We need to get you two comfortable with guns," Zander stated, nodding towards Addy and Sebastian while walking over to his sectioned off training area. He grabbed a small handgun from the wall and swung the handle around, offering it to Addy, who looked reluctant to take it.

"... Wait a second... Why do we need to know how to shoot things? I'm gonna be staying here just sitting at a computer and Sebastian is going to be either sitting in a car or holding a wrench somewhere. We aren't going to be anywhere near guns," Addy questioned, looking down skeptically at the weapon.

     Zander's eyes darkened and he adopted the deranged look that Ivy usually sported. The spark behind his eye made him look like an animal. Ivy realized in that moment how much they had in common, neither of them had anything to lose. They were unpredictable, lethal, dangerous.

     As Sebastian cowered where he stood, Zander straightened and twisted the handgun in his palm to where Addy was staring into the barrel. Ivy had to admire how Addy didn't back down, instead she even straightened a bit as if to make herself taller and more threatening.

     "This is a dangerous world Addy. One where even tucked behind a cozy little computer, there's always a threat of someone hurting you, betraying you. You need to learn how to protect yourself for anyone, at anytime, in any setting. People are known to go rogue. Sometimes it's even the people closest to you," Zander elaborated by pushing the end of the gun into her forehead," Then again, you'd know all about betraying people? Wouldn't you?" he grinned slightly, challenging her. Meanwhile, Ivy glanced at Sebastian, wondering what the hell was going on and how the atmosphere had shifted so quickly. Sebastian merely shrugged with wide, scared eyes.

     Addy flinched and then scowled, not daring to break eye contact with Zander. Sebastian and Ivy shared a quick confused glance, until Ivy narrowed her eyes and turned back.

     "What did you mean by that?" Ivy asked slowly, starring down Zander, who never broke eye contact with Addy. Addy, upon remembering that Ivy and Sebastian were in the room cleared her throat and lowered her head, finally submitting to whatever odd competition was ensuing between her and Zander. Addy glanced at Ivy sheepishly from the corner of her eye, yet, still, neither answered the question.

"I said what did you mean by that," Ivy growled, her gaze shifting between Addy, who was looking more and more uncomfortable by the second, and Zander, who was still looking ferociously at Addy.

"Okay... That's it I've had enough of this bullshit," Ivy snarled. She then grabbed Zander's wrist with her left hand, forcing his aim towards the ground, and elbowed him in the face with her right arm. The force of the hit caused Zander to loosen his grip on the gun which Ivy then yanked from his grasp. Zander gripped his jaw with one hand, looking down with uncharacteristic shame, his eyes burning holes through the ground with their intensity of thought. Ivy straightened, pushing on the side of the gun with her finger and letting the loaded clip fall to the ground. The sound of plastic and metal hitting the ground echoed through the room almost as if the gun had been fired. Addy and Sebastian started wide eyed at the bullets, realizing that Zander was completely willing and able to shoot Addy. Zander turned his gaze from the clip on the floor to Ivy, who hadn't flinched from her unwavering death glare. As the started each other down he had the nerve to look sheepish.

Ivy took a few steps forward and slammed the remains of the gun into Zander's chest. She slightly turned her head toward him and looked at him from the corner of her eye, "Some team leader... Get ahold of yourself asshole." She didn't wait to see anyone's reaction and continued walking into the weapons and strategy pod.

If she was going to end up being the voice of reason for this band of misfits, Lord help them all.