The courtyard remained still for days with its final living occupant disappearing from view leaving only the dead and forsaken bodies of the buildings former residents. Yet the bodies began to shift, twitching as they were dragged to the red room. Some showing the slightest semblances of life, clinging for what seemed to be days on end before finally going limp. It was grueling work with crusted blood and stained trousers coating the bodies as they left the scene. Max watched as the MVPs dragged the bodies away many clustering around the body of Jason as they hoisted him up as if it were some sort of ceremony.

 

Max could understand why they were distraught but she had no place to speak out, she killed a fair number of their ranks along with the Crylics, the rats, and even the Umbris. Leaving her alone, with no clan to back her up. Max remembered how dangerous it was for the rats before they formed a clan many were beaten or raped since there was no one to defend them, and now Max found herself lower than even a rat.

 

Wandering the halls Max wondered what her options truly were ‘maybe I could sell myself as a mercenary? No people would just send someone from their clan to do that and I sure as hell not going to join the pops’. As max weighed her choices wondering how she would survive in the aftermath of the war Max hear something from outside “Fight me you sack of shit!". Moving towards the window Max could see a small group of MVPs circling Daniel and his party of rats. Eying the group Max couldn't help but shake her head at their plan ‘I know jocks are usually stupid but this. This is ridiculous’.

 

“You're gonna pay for what you did to Jason you weasely little nerd” for a moment no sound came from the rats until Daniel strode through with Jessica and another girl beside him. “Oh hey Arron I'm sorry but I don't have what you're looking for but I can find some chili cheese chips for you instead”

 

Arron's teeth scraped against each other as he growled in annoyance “can it, you fuckin smartass I'm gonna make you suffer ten times worse than Jason did, and then we’re gonna have fun with your two little whores over there”

 

Immediately Max could see someone shift among Daniel ranks. It was the girl from the war, her typical clothes were traded for a pair of tattered overalls and a tank top leaving each step to be accented by a pair of oversized basketball shoes. Snaking her arms over Daniels she leaned on him while her face sat happily on his shoulder. Max could've sworn she’d known the girl long before but as her mask was lifted the memory was immediately lost. Her eyes were smeared in black paint while the festering scars of a Glasgow smile highlighted her face, her teeth were clearly filed down as each one came to a hasty haphazard point.

 

Arron was taken aback for a moment as the girl snuggled close to Daniel, pulling back in disgust as she began to rub her head against his shoulder like a cat. Though Daniel held a similar grimace with a note of annoyance clears painted on his face as if this happens more times than he’d like. “Hey Danny wanny would you be happy if I killed this dum dum for you”

 

“Sadie why are you talking like that”

 

“Cause it’s cool”

 

“Riiiight, well Sadie yes it would make me very happy if you hurt Arron for me but just hurt him, I still want him alive”

 

“Okay, Danny wanny” planting a firm kiss on Daniels cheek Sadie slowly pulled herself away from him before giving a tight-lipped grin. As Arron processed the exchange he promptly nudged the other MVPs prompting their advance. Tilting her head like a curious bird Sadie drew a hammer from the pocket of her overalls snapping a loose thread that was caught on its end. “Now just so you know Danny said I only have to keep the dum dum alive which means the rest of you shit bags are fucked”.

 

Intrigued Max watched as Sadie’s hammer was immediately planted in one of the jock's eyes, its hook tugging against the bent wire of the helmet. Stunned Max didn't even see the girl move, all she did was blink and came to see Sadie wrenching her hammer out of the jocks eye socket. Whipping around Sadie went for the next closest jock his body collapsed as his knees laid bent and broken by her hammer. Discarding her blood-soaked tool Sadie's smile widened stretching the scars running along her cheeks. Daniel simply turned to his phone letting his most devoted follower slaughter the MVPs.

 

Max watched in a mix of awe and horror as Sadie flew between her targets like a human pinball machine. Each body laid bashed, bloodied, or broken with Arron being the last of the few who were capable of speech. Crouching to Arron's level Daniel gave a coy smile in response to his victim's expression “now Arron I feel like we can put our past behind us and work together, I wanna see my family again and you certainly must want to see your family too so just tell me where to find the committee”. Staring up at Daniel Arron's voice rose through his crushed throat “Fuck… fuck you”.

 

Sighing Daniel stood up, turning to Jessica shrugging before holding his hand over Arron's body and casting crimson cocoon. Shooting from his hands the dark webs engulfed Arron's body wrapping closely around his form until there was no more web to spin. “Sadie, take him back to hole you can do whatever you want with him”. Walking around Arron's body Daniel didn't give a second glance as Sadie dragged Arron's writhing body away, the webs pulsating as he cried in pain.

 

Leaving the hall Max sat quietly in a classroom her small cutlet of meat resting on the filth covered floor with the rest of her new belongings. A bunch of scrapped MVP armor, a few broken blades, and a bottle of bootleg wine made by the Melior. Max wondered if she made the right choice yet as she turned to look at the former MVPs head she couldn't help but nod to herself. “Yeah, this is good” ripping the cutlet of meat Max was ready to shove the dirt-covered meat down her gullet until a notification popped up on her screen.

 

 <Notification>

~Do you want to join the <VERMIN> Clan~

Yes or No

 

Confused Max looked from her phone to ensure that no one was spying on her, seeing only her an empty hallway and an empty room. Gazing back to her phone Max didn't bother to weigh her options as the answer was obvious. ‘Always root for the winning side’. Tapping yes a pair of figures immediately appeared in the doorway, each of them brandishing a metal chair leg that glinted off of the resting sun. Max stared at the duo as she could tell what was going on and with a deft huff held out her hands and said: “let's go”.

 

Walking through the darker halls of the school Max found the numbers of people to lessen until each corridor was accented by sparking wires and darkened silence. Maneuvering through a cracked hole in the drywall Max found herself almost transported into a new part of the school. Christmas lights strung the rafters illuminating the room in a warm glow the rats happily talked and ate amongst their own while others sharpened and built new weapons. It was everything the clans should have been. Walking through the room many rats began to buzz in a low whisper as she passed them, she recognized a few since they defected from Umbris but as for the rest, and they remained widely unknown. Passing the few cooking stations they had set up, she was stopped by a large metal door with Jessica leaning by its side. Eying Max with a grin Jessica shoed the escorts away allowing Max’s mood to sour and curdle.

 

“So Max, finally decided to join us ay? Those villainous rats that you were so desperate to stop”

 

“I just wanted to protect my friends but since they're dead, I’ll have to go with whoever's gonna protect me in the long run”

 

Scoffing Jessica dismounted from her wall and leaned close to Max “now who’s being manipulative I wonder?”. Pulling away Jessica swung the heavy door aside and gestured for Max to walk in “don't worry, he’s been expecting you”. Glancing at Jessica Max entered the room finding it to have none of the warm atmosphere that the other room had, it was dark with the only light being granted by melted candles while vials and beakers lined the floor each filled with a dark red liquid. A strange apparatus sat sprawled in the corner while in the center sat Daniel and his hell hound. The two seemed to be fairly content with Max's intrusion with the hell hound awakening from its nap and Daniel greeting her with a warm smile.

 

“Hello, Max. Funny isn't it, all I know is your name yet you seem to know everything about me? Don’t you”

 

Folding her arms Max gave a light shrug as she stared at the guy that killed her friends “More or less”

 

“Well I would think you have a few questions for me so let's get them outta the way now”

 

“Is this a cult?”

 

“What why would you think this is a cult”

 

“Cause top bitch out there said something like ‘he will set us free’ or some shit”

 

“Goddammit Sadie”

 

“It was Jessica”

 

Daniel let out an exasperated sigh as if this was a more than regular occurrence before continuing with his answer “No this isn't a cult, I have a plan to kill the committee and get everyone out of this hell hole for good and you’re the last piece I need”

 

“Huh?”