Heya sorry for backing out for a while, I kinda needed a break from this story so I could actually get it together and make it fairly decent for people to read, and I finally regained my motivation for writing this story without getting massive burn out. So I hope you enjoy these 2 new chapters and expect more to come soon - Systema_BLK

Guiding Jessica into an empty sports closet Max saw the metal racks, and items all removed or repurposed leaving an empty room with a lone light brightening the room. The other members of Marley's guards were talking to Tasha and victor each of them posing their own line of questioning, leaving Max and Jessica alone. The room felt small the longer Max examined it, yet Jessica seemed to pay it no mind her eyes staring at Max with the aspiration of a child told to do yard work. “So are you going to question me or did you just bring me in here so we can fuck?”

Frozen for a moment Max could feel her cheeks heat up before shaking the idea away and collecting herself. Eying Jessica Max forced her most intimidating scowl and began approaching her lead each step ending in a firm foot planted on the cool grey concrete floor. “You, are going to tell me everything you know about the rats and the rat king”. Max didn't know why she was huffing so furiously or how she got so close to Jessica’s face but one thing was certain Jessica wasn't fazed. For a moment Max thought she heard something, and then it came again. It wasn't long before Jessica’s stifled snorts exploded into riffs of pure laughter, her eyes beginning to ear as she leaned on the empty rack hooks for support. “You should see your face” Jessica squeaked “you look like an upset five-year-old at Chuck E. Cheese” deflated Max couldn't help but shrink away as even when she pretended to be strong she was weak. “Listen Max was it, I have no idea who Daniel is and even if I did I wouldn't tell you”

Pausing for a moment Max had to think of something some reason for Jessica to stay “Then I’ll just tell Marley she’ll-”

“She’ll what,” Jessica said cutting her off with a sneer “what is sweet ol’ Marley gonna do to me”

“Shell punish you, shell kick you out of her clan”

“Oh really, you think Marley’s gonna do that, did you not see her. She didn't get all beat up by herself. She’s lost all will to live thanks to Jason and gang of fuckwits and I'm all the better for it”

Realizing what she said Max simply hung her head as a sense of anguish washed throughout her body. If she was wrong then this would all be for nothing, she left her clan to prepare without her in search of some boogeyman that may just be another rat. Staring at Max with wistful disdain Jessica pushed Max's head to the side causing her feeble form to follow as well “oh don't worry Max everyone has their secrets Marley’s just Jason’s cocksleve punching bag, your friend is lesbros with the Melior leader, and everyone knows your secret.”

“How did you... W-wait what?”

“Yeah it’s not much of a secret you tranny fuckwit. Just because Maxwell drops out of school and a few months later Maxine joins doesn't take a genius to figure it out. And guess what, nobody gives a shit now if you excuse me-” with those final words Jessica found her head slam against the concrete wall as a small blade sat just along her neck. Max's hand laid steady as she stared up at Jessica a confident smile stretching across her face “you should've kept your mouth shut” sliding the blade along the length of her neck Max gleamed with a reassured conviction “nobody but us knew about Tasha's past with the Melior and while we were there someone came to spy on us and I bet that was one of your rats”. Stunned into silence Jessica's mouth simply held a firm line of grimace as she stared at Max, confirming the suspicions she held.

“Now what is Daniel planning and no more bullshit” Max could feel her palms dampening as she held the knife, as long as she kept her seemingly dominant composure she should be okay. At least that what she thought.

Her determination waving Jessica finally caved, her voice still holding its sense of superiority yet striking with an edge of teasing resentment “Fine, but you should know that there's nothing you can do”

“What do you mean?”

Waving her hands around the room Jessica carried on “You see while everyone else has been prattling about like a pack of animals Daniel’s been planning”

“Planning?” Max wondered “planning for what?”

“Something big. Something you can't stop, and as a lone indie game once said he will set us free”

“What, what do you-?”

“It’s gonna be great just you wait”

Growling in frustration Max edged the knife closer along Jessica's throat her palms heavy and shaking she barely let her words fly as her teeth clenched like a vice “Why do you even follow that creep his only great accomplishment was some fight several months ago why not follow one of the other clans”

“The reason?” Jessica scoffed at Max as if her very question undermined everything she said, “I noticed Daniel a long time ago everyone did he was the popular kids' errand boy but that fight held more significance than you give it credit for”

“How?”

“Daniel was a significantly lower level than the Melior at the time and he still won. How?” Max stood in silence her mind desperately whizzing through her memory of his file to find some sliver of doubt to her words.

“Many people didn't realize but it showed that you can't just rely on your level to get by”

Bucking back up Max could feel something wrong with Jessica’s words “Yeah but still, he's just a nobody, some random rat that got a small following”

Taken aback Jessica looked at Max with venomous smile curling across her lips “you retarded little shit stain, Daniel’s got nearly every rat in the school rallied behind him”

Staring at Jessica, Max could feel her jaw fall slack, while the anxiety she desperately forced back simply spilled over. Her hands shook wildly with the knife nearly slipping from her sweat slicken hands, her eyes welled with despair and her arm began to feel weak and limp. Pushing back against Max's knife Jessica gazed into Max's eyes with an empty analytical gaze that spoke only of self-preservation “he may seem insignificant to you but the reason I follow Daniel is because he's strong in the real way, now get outta my way!” Pushing past Max Jessica strolled towards the door leaving Max alone sitting amongst the cold walls of a dimly lit closet devoid of any color or life. Max never thought Daniel was significant she merely thought he was making his on clan with that group of rats he was with, but the thought of every rat in the school merely made her headache.

The moment Tasha and victor found Max her eyes were damp and she was huddled in a corner shaking, she realized that it didn't matter even if she was right. With her clan's meager resources they barely stood a chance against every rat in the school and as she thought back to what Daniel did to the rat that tried to rape her only forced her stomach to lurch in anxiety.

“Max! Max, what happened are you okay” Tasha asked yet as she looked at Max she could see that something had truly shaken her

“We need to stop them” Max murmured “we need to stop the Umbris before they attack the rats or else everyone's gonna die”

“We need to go, victor grab her other arm were leaving now.” Blinking for a moment in realization victor grabbed Max's arm as the trio began hobbling for the door giving Max a final look at the broken Marley, with Jessica standing right by her side.