As Max approached the bus stop a familiar face came into view – it was Ava. Max could hardly make her face out in the fog, but it was definitely her, and she was standing alone, her face neutral and expressionless. Her hair was still up in a ponytail, and she was still wearing the exercise apparel that threw Max off earlier.


    Max''s approach didn''t surprise her in the slightest, it was as if she was expecting him.


    "So, we''ll be riding the bus together twice in one day." Max said. "What are the odds?"


    Ava sneered at Max, and sighed in disbelief. "This bus is scheduled to visit this exact stop only one more time after we got off earlier. Statistically speaking the odds were quite high,"


    "I-It was an idiom; you weren''t supposed to actually calculate the possibility of us running into each other." Max said.


    Ava rolled her eyes, amused by Max''s awkward attempt to clarify. "It was a poor choice of words Red. Additionally, this district is very dense, running into people twice in one day isn''t that extraordinary."


    Max almost audibly groaned, he wasn''t even a minute in, and he was loathing this conversation. Eager to change the subject he decided to delve into something he considered more pertinent.


    "Ava, in your introduction during class yesterday you said you were from Riverview Academy. Does that mean you used to live in either district four or five?"


    Ava cast a suspicious look at Max all of a sudden, eying him curiously. The misty air around them seemed to grow tense, the usual ease between them disrupted by Ava''s scrutiny.


    "I lived in district 4, the same district as the school. Why?" She asked sharply.


    "I was just curious, that''s all. I haven''t been to that district in over a year, so I thought I''d ask you about it."


    If Ava lived in Riverview there was a chance she knew about The Sanctified, and if that was the case Raguel would''ve found out about it, but still, Max didn''t like being kept in the dark; there were too many things he didn''t have the answer to for him to tacitly accept the status quo.


    Their conversation was interrupted by the sound of the bus roaring through the fog, its headlights illuminating the gray and empty. The two paid the fare, and sat in the same seats they did earlier, but this time they were the only two on the bus.


    "Friday''s assignment. Have you ever done anything like that before?" She asked.


    A reasonable question Max surmised, but it did suggest doubt in Raguel''s leadership; he can''t exactly blame her though considering his recent thoughts about him.


    "I know how to do the job if that''s what you''re getting at."This story originates from Royal Road. Ensure the author gets the support they deserve by reading it there.


    "If you''re not sure about leading please do not hesitate to fall back on me. "Ava said.


    "Oh, how sweet of y- "


    "From what I can tell you have zero leadership experience, and therefore I would be better fit to serve in that role; I wouldn''t mind handling the mission, and then allowing you to take credit for the job itself."


    Max was taken aback by Ava''s boldness. She not only doubted Raguel''s leadership, but Max''s as well.


    "Hold on, what leadership experience do you have?"


    Ava had nothing to say to that, she simply turned her head away from Max, veering off to the window across the aisle.


    "You don''t have anything to worry about." Max said reassuring her. "Besides, looking at as a matter of fact, Draco wouldn''t listen to anything you had to say."


    "I considered that, which is why if it was my choice he would not be a part of the operation."


    "Not only would Draco refuse to agree to that, but I have explicit instructions to bring both of you along."


    Max let that hang for a moment before continuing. "Listen, I plan on sharing the strategy with both of you on Thursday. Feel free to come up with a plan yourself, and then we can work through both of them, and decide which one is the best. How does that sound?"


    Max watched Ava slowly nod, her head still facing away from him. He really couldn''t blame Ava for doubting him, after all the goal was risky. The store sat right at the border between Wavecrest and The Slums, it wouldn''t take very long for the police to arrive if they were called; additionally, if they were caught they''d certainly be tried as adults, and their lives would be over. It was a high risk move with very little reward for Ava, and Draco – at least that''s how Max saw it.


    The rest of the ride Max kept his eyes fixed outside the window, carefully reflecting on all the pieces he had to juggle. There was figuring out who Azrael was, keeping Dante and his group at bay, learning to manage Draco, and Ava while simultaneously keeping Kacey happy, and now he had to deal with the daughter of the police commissioner Scarlet Rose. And he had to do all of this while keeping his residency a secret. This would undoubtedly be the riskiest year of Max''s entire life, and he intended to meet it head on.


    It was getting late, and if Max didn''t hurry he''d find himself locked out of the orphanage. Ms. Finch had a nasty habit of locking the door at 9:00 PM sharp, and since Max was usually back home by then it wasn''t a problem, but one night Raguel had sent him on a particularly lengthy assignment that kept him out late, Max slept in the shed that night.


    After that Max had stolen the key to the front door from Madam Vine, and had a copy of it made at a local shop. In addition to that he started to leave the attic window unlocked so he could sneak into his room from climbing onto the roof.


    Luckily, there was still plenty of time before curfew. After the bus stopped just across the street from the school Ava, Max got off, and made their way across the railroad tracks back into district one, eventually splitting up.


    The front door to the orphanage was unlocked as expected, and Max made his way through the dormitory, and toward the ladder that led into the attic where he slept. Most of the children of St. Hope were sound asleep, but Max could see Caleb sitting on his bed with his knees tucked under his arms, and as Max walked passed his bed he offered him a small cursory glance.


    Now that Max thought about it this wasn''t the first time he''d seen Caleb like this, the boy usually had trouble sleeping, and was always the last one still awake after dark. There were probably dozens of nights like this, but Max was only taking note of it now. Considering recent events Caleb was probably stressed more now than ever, but Max pushed that to the back of his mind and made his way up the latter, and into his bed.


    ''That was only the second day of school.'' Max thought. ''Things should get easier from here.'' He let his mind wander until he eventually drifted into a deep, comfortable sleep.