The rest of the day was quiet. The kids went for a long walk with Lalon to bring in a few Bounty Hunters and their folks in the gates and Benny trailed along like a puppy. Max slouched around their old apartment- now Lugh and Alec's- and sat in the rooftop, looking beyond the walls of the Tradepost. He stared off to the sun, trying to wrap his brain around the idea that Kal was a Flyer Frontier, they still live, and how will he try to help.

He took a long, hot bath and listened to a voice speak to him from the shadows in his mind. For months now Max had heard that inner voice speaking as if it were a separate part of him. It wasn't the same as "hearing voices". No, this was different. To Max it felt like the inner voice he heard was his own future self whispering to him. The person he was going to become. A more evoked and mature Max, confident and wise, who had begun to emerge shortly after the events at the separation of Mal and her and the RK's guidance.

The current Max didn't always agree with the voice, and often wished it would shut up and let him just be fourteen.

After his soak, Max stood for a while peering into the mirror, wondering who he will be if he makes the decision that his inner voice tells her.

Save him, said the inner voice. Help and be his savior.

Max knew it was dangerous and it was uncertain on what the Ruins would do to them, and he hasn't gone past the north and come back.

He stared into his brown eyes and studied the doubt and fear that he there.

"I don't want trouble, but I have to do something," he said.

His mirror image and his inner voice repeated that truth, word for word. They were all in total agreement.

He got dressed and went downstairs and stood for a long time looking at the map of Wyoming and Nevada before finishing then goes to Lugh's shop and grabs a pair of rusted keys and goes outside.

Outside the gates are open; Alec and Lugh greet Queen Arnica, Little Tony with the big machine gun and the pegged arm that has a knife to it, Pastor Kellogg who is a priestly Bounty Hunter and has a rumor around him that the pages of the Bible he carries were stained with black blood because the pastor had been forced to use the Good Book to beat the head of Infected, and others he didn't get time to catch their faces.

He zoomed through the streets and kept his face hidden behind his Boston Bruins hat he always wears. He walked to the other side of the black market and came to a small wooden shed. Inside the shed it's bare, dust and mold filled the room and in the corner where metal bars block Max is Kal, sitting on a bench, shoulders slouched.

He stopped and perked his hat up for Kal to see his eyes. He takes the keys out of his pocket and unlocks the door. He stared at him.

"C'mon, let's go out for a walk."

They walk behind the black market in silence. Kal shunned his head down before Max tries to communicate with him.

"What's your story?" He asked.

"I don't have much of a story. Just that I love guns, hate bullies, and love to kick bad guys ass's."

"What about you as a Frontier? Or should I say Flyer Frontier? If they try to hidden from the world, they should really come up with a better name."

"I used to live in a community, Frontiers community is in Nevada. There is a system; the poor work and the Frontiers are the soldiers; new and some who were Flyer Frontiers. I was young and alone and they've taken me and others the same way. Once there, they've trained you to become a Frontier. To hunt, take, main, to kill, and to become cold, heartless for any weakness. To become a Frontier, we destroy other communities, force them to give their supplies every week, and if they don't, we destroy and take their community." He coughed in his throat, showing signs of trembling in his entire body. "They've hit us, threaten us. Sometimes even worse. Sometimes show us voices of people we loved being hurt or kill in front of us. You have to live by the rules. Love, sorrow, family, friends, are a sign of weakness." Kal's voice croaked and his eyes glitter in tears.

Max reaches out, unknown to touch him or give a hug. He settled on rubbing his shoulder. "Me and others left. Riot escaped before and helped us get out. We ran and ran and ran until we found a place where no one could find us. A school. It became home. And now, it's another community waiting to be picked off; they've find us and in this week, they'll come after us and this time, we won't make it out. It's why me, Riot, and Strider went off. Except Strider, he had another mission on finding his personal thing. Anyway, if we spilt up, we can find another home or help."

"And you did," said Max.

He shook his head, scratching his chin. "They think I'm a threat. Especially the Frontiers attacked you. Nobody tells the truth and believe it all."

It's why I have a place, said the inner voice in a cocky attitude. However, It's a risk of himself. The RK's gave them independence, taught them to survive, and what to do if they are alone in the wild. Yet, he never had a choice on his own voice, he followed the RK's as their guide, their parents. He is scared to the least of it, unfamiliar on how to do this. And Max can't let himself be stop. There's a time where himself, Johan, Rin, Killeen, and AJ will have to grow up, to make their own choices out in the Ruins. To able to become just like Lalon, Lugh, Vix, Mal, Tom, Alec, and Negan. To be the RK's.

"Come," he said. "Come with me."

They walk down the street; he started to scout around the sewers and remembering that the Bounty Hunters guard the Tradepost. Next to the list, the gates only open when people are out to hunt, take the trade wagons to the communities or clean off Infected on the traps and the walls. It troubled Max, having bad luck on his idea.

He searches more and spots the center of the south, the sun blocked by the tall mansion building that had it's own dark history, the history Max lived by. Charlie Marion's house. Abandoned, the house is dirty, covered in moss and vines on the grey bricked walls, windows fogged in dust, shingles all torn and recked. The front door is guarded by chains to keep out folks, mostly for people to avoid the chambers of the house. The house bewilderedly lingers in Charlie's presence; gloomy, frightening and the creaked stairs inside are filled with despair. Max doesn't- no, never wants to go inside. However, there's only one sewer route in the basement and nothing is going to stand in his way. What Negan said when Max asked about Mal being abused by Charlie and how it haunts everyone.

Fuck Charlie straight to Saskatoon, Negan said to Max sourly. And Negan's right. Charlie's dead, and fuck him. Good Mal can't hear my inner voice, Max smiled comedically.

"You see that building there? That's where we get out of here."

"But it's chained up."

"But not locked. A few of the carpenters are trying to renovate the place to give off to the Bounty Hunters and Alec and Lugh, though have been slow, and people still disgusted on the person who lived here. So, no one will come in and catch us. Inside, down on the basement, there's a sewer and it leads out to the north. You go inside and stay until I meet you at dark. Then we are going to find your friends and help them."

Kal looked back the place, his face a little ill weary about it. Max rolled his eyes and dragged his arm towards the door. He opens the door, glancing behind him to see no one watching them.

"See? No ones here. Stay there until we get to you."

He nodded and entered. "Wait," he asked before stopping Max to shut the door. "Why are you doing this? Riot might come to us or Fairview and your people can help. So, why the trouble?"

Max sighed. "Because I was taught to save people, to help others in need. I will this Riot guy come in, but what if the Frontiers find your people before they do. We'll help you. And I'll send a note to Lugh and Alec about it. Hopefully they won't kill me before sending recruits."

He smiled with a soft chuckle. "Look at us. We think we are unstoppable. Us kids."

"Kids that have to be smart, brave, and dependent by their friends and family, even family who isn't our blood."

And Kal closes the door, waiting in the shadows as Max walks back home, planning the trip very carefully, or as least as carefully as a journey through largely unknown territory can be planned, and he has to wait. And then they'll be on their own.

Max suddenly bumps into a massive person and his bulk blocked Max's view. In a half second, he examined the man, the face is brute, long shaggy beard and the long brown dust hair laid upon his shoulders like dead snakes. He was unrecognizable. He never seen this person; maybe one of the folks of the Bounty Hunters.

"Sorry," he said.

"It's okay, little fella," said the man in a dark heavy voice that tries to sound steady and nice. "Just gotta watch out for yourself. Never know what comes knocking at your door." He smiled as steady and false like a painted grin on a doll.

Max was primed to react, unwashed at the man's demeanor, so he went around and walked away. As Max walked, he turned and got a brief look at the man's face. Was he smiling? Did his eyes show emotion of predatory confidence? Max couldn't be sure and didn't want to mess with him.

He walked in silence all the way home.

-:-:-:-:-

As he walked Max didn't look more to the tall man. Alpha sees the fella walk away, Alpha likes the boy's structure. He sure be a good solider to have in their arms.

Alpha moved as silently as a shadow as he looks around the Tradepost. He searches around every building, hidden in place sight, checking on who the guards are and how those weak gates open for Alpa, for his master. He stopped behind the trade wagon, patting the Paint horse and those cold eyes watch to the suppose leader talking to those blasphemy hunters.

He stood for a long time with his lips pursed, considering at the disposal of lovers; the hunter and the boy with the ax, and then he chuckled softly to himself.

The man smiled and, as a ghost, vanished into the dark, waiting to conjure horror.