The sun was setting down. Max sat on the roof of the school. Killeen murmured, "What a day, huh?"

Max followed his gaze as the kids say beside him and half smiled. "Yeah," said Max. "Could never imagine us doing this."

Rin smiled and chuckled. "You could say that. But we believed in each other about it that we can do it."

Max understood Rin's explanation, and he wondered so long on what the RK's are going through. He never seen himself trying to be as them, he just wants to learn from them and make them proud; they are growing up into the Ruins unlike any other children.

In towns there was always someone around to help with children. The whole town looked after everyone's kids. It was the way it had always been. No one would ever let a little kid go wandering off on their own.

However, those kids are hidden behind walls, learn the ways before the Black Night. And it never works for children born in the Ruins. It's on way of survival, life. The RK's taught them the right way and Max is scared to now be by himself, at least he hopes he is not the only one scared. Maybe that's part of growing up, first scared then accepting your responsibilities.

He felt his face flash as he thought how growing up is different in the Ruins. Growing up is become a person making their own choices. Maybe he's not different to people born before the Black Night. He smiled and is happy all his family is growing up.

He felt eyes on him and turned to see Johan giving him a considering appraisal.

"What?" He asked.

"What's on your mind? You look like you're trying to squeeze out a thought."

"Not a thought. Just thinking," said Max.

Johan sighed.

"And what are you thinking about?" Rin smiled.

"Actually, it's about us."

"And what about us?" Killeen said tentatively.

"We're growing up, guys."

"Oh, are you saying we're getting old? How rude." Joked Rin.

"Hilarious. More like we are beating the Ruins. Like Mal, Lalon, Vix, and Lugh said to us in the beginning. We're beating this world."

Max stared ahead, and for a few moments he stared at the sunset, smiling in an appreciated smile. "We are the RK's, but we are not any of them. We are different, and today we become what we want to become. I wanted to make weapons in the Tradepost and Sanctuary, however, what we did today. Saving and finding people, this is what I can to do. I want to save people and I want to find that jet we saw before. So that's what's going in my mind."

"Yeah," Killeen said very quietly, "crazy, huh?"

Johan snuggled Max's shoulder, Rin leaning against Killeen and Killeen snuggled as well to Max. "I want to save people too," smiled Johan.

Rin shook her head. "Me too. Scared people is funny but saving people is a good feeling."

"And kicking Infected butts." Killeen exclaimed. "Speaking of the jet, once this is over, we should find it."

"It hit west then turned back towards east, maybe the jet is finding something."

Max pondered on Rin's idea then suddenly yawned. "Well we better hit the bed. First the Frontiers then the jet."

"I don't want to go to bed," whined Johan. "I'm not even tired."

"Too late. I'm the oldest, so you do as I say."

"Not fair!"

And Max eventually made the kids fell asleep in their rooms. Max closed the door when they fell deep asleep. He wasn't tired and wanted to check on Kal about what they can do to convince Ivar. He knew Negan and the RK's will be coming and planning on an attack to the Frontiers.

Max saw Ivar whispering angrily at someone by the door. He hides behind an empty room, listening to Ivar. He can't hear what he's saying but his tone is angry. His eyes are irritated then he grabs an arm, Abby's arm, and pulled her away. Their shadow cast from the moonlight, and Max followed.

He brooded on what's happening, why Ivar is angry. Looking through the door he spots them going to a cellar, and one of the kid guard did not seen them go in. He glanced around before venturing towards the cellar. He doesn't want what's to come, if he is heading into something dangerous. Opening the door, it's dark. The only light was a lantern deep inside the cellar. Upon the cellar cased a stock of shelves of canned food, old school equipment left in there for many years.

Slowly walking up, he listens to them and they in hushed voices, biting each other heads off. Quick movements made him like a ghost to be unseen. They seemed totally unaware of his presence as he stopped in front of a shelf to hide and peek trough them as Ivar yelled at Abby to shut her up.

"I can't keep doing this," she barked at Ivar. "The Frontiers are gonna kill us."

"They won't. I made an promise."

"To sell the kids! Just so you can live!"

Suddenly he smacks her across the face and spatted at her.

"Shut up! Shut up, don't you say another word! No one will know." He shook his head, pulling his hand through his right hands. "It's the only way to live. I've done it once before, and it worked. And now... it's the only way to live."

"And what will you do with the RK's? Riot and Kal did this and if we do have the Saviors-"

He chuckled, not listening to one word of Abby. His brain is fried, unable to see a way out of the Frontiers grasp. Abby kept going and going and going on and suddenly he had enough.

His fear and rage exploded and he grabs her neck, squeezing hard against her muscle before slamming her against the shelf. Pound after pound, he screamed her to: "keep quiet, shut up! Shutupshutupshutup!"

"Ivar, stop!" Yelled Max as he came out of the shelf.

Abby's head jerked, a loud crack echoed the cellar, and she stared across to Max with a gaping mouth. For a moment it look like she was saved by Max but it was her last breath.

"No...," Max gasped, unable to bear the sight of another death.

Ivar's shaking, unable to comprehend on killing Abby. "I-I... sorry..."

"Sorry?" He growled and lunged at Ivar, grabbing his collar before pushing him against a shelf, knocking over cans and bottles of glasses. "You killed her. Not only that, you were about to sell us to the Frontiers. You told them where the school is. Why would you do that? They're your family; you've killed them if you take them back. They're dead."

And Ivar punches Max, knocking him out of his grasp.

"I had to do what's right. I've done it before and I can do it again. There's no stop against them." Tears shed and Max stared him gauntly, seeing the insanity inside Ivar eye's.

"I have to keep the school safe. No more..."

Ivar turned away from him, taking the lantern and run's. Max gets on his feet and tries to catch up on him.

However, Ivar got up the stairs and Max is up the stairs and he closed the doors, locking them. Max pounds, screaming at him. "Ivar! Ivar!"

And then something else happened, and it sent a thrill of fear through Max. A dark shadow stepped behind put of the shelves. Max could see a glimpse of moonlight through the cracks of the cellar to see bits and pieces of the shadow. It's clothes fluttered under the movement, the clothes had been ripped to rags by violence, by weather, and by the inexorable claws of time.

Runner.

A Runner? He's in a trap, with no weapons and Ivar is trying to kill him. He toast.

Fight!

The word exploded inside his mind, and for a crazy moment Max thought that it was Mal's voice shouting at him.

He staggered as if punched, and then he wheeled around and hides.

However the Runner's glowing eyes stared at Max's blurred motion and rose up directly in his path. The Runner pushes the shelf against Max, knocking him on the wall. He uses his strength to push the heavy object with the weight of the aggressive Runner. The grimy hands clawed at Max, only an inch away from his face. There was no way to avoid the thing, not with all this weight against him, so Max tucked his head and drove his shoulder and pushes the shelf with the Runner like he was trying to push through a line of offensive backs on the school football field. The Runner went flying backwards, and Max throws the shelf on top of thrashing creature.

Max looked around for any sharp weapon and he spots a piece of broken glass next to Abby's body.

His foot hit a can and sprawled forward.

Before Max could get up, the Runner grabbed his shoe, trying to slip through the shelf.

"Get away!" Max yelled as he thrashed and kicked and fought his way free. He scrambled to his feet, but his balance was bad, so he ran like a sloppy dog on hands and feet for a dozen paces until he could get fully upright again.

The Runner finally slipped out the shelf, railing behind Max. He grabs the glass and runs again, knowing he can't see anything under the dark and the Runner close behind him. Max suddenly charged himself against a wall, cornering him.

"Dammit," Max growled, and he looked back in the dark, and he tried to remember those lessons that could help him in the dark. The ways of the warrior.

He saw the glowing eyes ten paces away from Max, trying to sniff where Max is. Max grips the glass with his right hand, switching it into a two-handled grip, positioning where its eyes are. The Runner came at him, and the glass seemed to move with its own will.

Arms and legs and head flew into the darkness.

I am warrior smart, thought Max as he ran and fought. Lalon said that, and I believe that. I am Max.

I am a Savior. I am an RK.

Fight! Yelled his inner voice. Kill it!

The glass swept upward through one of the flesh, a reaching arm, and the hands flew high above, grasping nothing but air. With a deft twist of his shoulder, he clicked the blade sideways and it toppled to one side with a cut on his shins.

He screamed in anger, setting his teeth, and threw himself into the air as he hurtled towards the slumped Runner. He landed hard on its chest, bending his knees just as the RK's taught him, letting his leg muscles absorb the shock of impact, and thrusts the blade between the Runners eyes and deep into its brain cavity, and he didn't stop stabbing until the face is completely flat, bone broken.

He was safe!

Max wiped his bloodied hands on the dead Runners clothes. Max laughed out loud and spun toward the door. He finds a broom and pushes through the slit of the door, trying to slip off the handle. Then he heard the board fall off and he pushes the door wide open.

"That's right, Ivar," he yelled, waving the bloody glass to taunt him. "Nice try, but you're messing with the freaking Max, Infected killer. Booyah!"