Beauty From Ashes

Chapter 27: Conflict Part 3, Physical

It's been 6 months since I last posted?! Unthinkable!!
Sorry guys, I was going through a hard time with eye infections that I had to take a break from writing to recover. THEN I waited so long that I had forgotten some of the stuff I was doing. So this had taken me so much longer to finish than any other chapter but hopefully this one makes up for it because it's about to go down.
Now let's see. When last we left our heroes, where were we?

PHYSICAL

Albert's POV:
There I am outside Vinnie's house. Surrounded by my brother Colton and my friends Vinnie, Wes, Johnathan, Mark, Phoebe, Miranda, Duncan, Patrick, Madison, Theresa, CJ, Isaac, Mason, Samuel, Felicia, Mitch, Josh, Drake, Andre, Gage, Harris, Carly, Piper, Jake, Max, Penny, Jane and six of our friends from church who are Watching us.
Against Angela and her Conquerors' Brock, Snake, Tabitha, Ryan, Tobias, Lexi, Donnie, Edd, Nate, Antoine, Griffin, Veronica, Chelsi, Raymond, Shania, Giovanni, Morgan, Bella, Romeo, Joshua, Gia and Geoff, as well as Sean, two people who have droven away, my old friends Zackary and Bryce who we locked inside the house, and Kevin Mitchell, Cheyenne's brother who is working with the people who tormented her.

A few moments ago, I actually heard a whisper from the Spirit. Telling me to get ready.....

And...Angela intentionally whispered her responses to us to avoid letting her other Conquerors hear them. And her words about Cheyenne and everything else had enraged me.

Vinnie, Wes and Johnathan were all enraged.
Mark and Phoebe were enraged.
Miranda was enraged. Colton was enraged.
Even Madison, who hurried over to our side once the guys started getting hostile, she heard some of the other things that she whispered, and she was especially enraged. Enraged by the knowledge that she was really just bullying and harassing an assault victim all along, another victim of the group she despised so much.

I was mad at hearing this too. But I've been trying my best to calm down.
And then...she dragged me and the struggles I hinted at before, and weaponized my own trauma and my own faith, in her disgusting beliefs and claims about assault. At first, all I wanted to do was call her out as a hypocrite, since she would've qualified under the same category, but it's just the way she says these words...so cruelly and full of arrogance, with a smile on her face...that just makes my blood boil inside.

Then suddenly, I turn over and sucker punch her straight in the center of her smug face and as she stumbles back, I lunge up and grab onto her arm, before swinging her to where I end up slamming her face-first into Curtis's car before she falls to the ground. This is done directly in front of everyone!

The eyes of everybody I know here have all bugged out wide and there's a loud collection of gasps from Many of my friends behind me!

"WHOA!!" Wes shouted.
"Dude?!" Mason yelled.
"Holy-" Mark uttered.
"DAMN!!" Theresa hollered.

Angela grabs onto her face and screams loudly. "RRRR!!! AGGHHHH!!!!"

Several of the Conquerors either jump back in shock or shout out in anger. Phoebe and the girls cover their mouths. The guys all holler out in surprise.

"ANGELA!!!!"
"THE FUCK?!!!"

Angela's nose has been broken, and she presses her hands against it and screams muffledly as blood pours out from it.

"Albert, why did you do that?!!" Phoebe shouted out.

I look around. "I...I don't know.."

She then looks back at me, and is FURIOUS.
Lexi carries Angela over to the garage, and she screams muffledly, as blood drips through her fingers.
"You Miserable-! Look at WHAT YOU'VE DONE!!!"

"She's Bleeding!"

"Get off!" Angela shouted, pushing her back. Brock and Snake scowl at me aggressively, until they turn back to her. Angela quickly looks around at all of her Conquerors. "What are you looking at me for?!! GET HIM!!"

Tabitha then claps her hands. "Alright everyone! Time to shut him up!"

Johnathan and Mark then quickly shove away Brock and Snake before they can turn back to me.

Vinnie and Wes rush up to me and look around at the other conquerors clenching their fists. "Okay?!" Vinnie said. "Everybody can help us NOW!!"

And at that the rest of our surrounding friends begin to strike various Conquerors before they can attempt to rush us. Patrick punches Kevin in the back of the head, Duncan kicks griffin in the stomach, Madison punches Sean, Theresa shoves Edd to the ground, Josh shoves back Romeo, and Mitch takes his paintball gun and shoots Antoine, Lexi and Tabitha.and CJ shoves down Donnie.

"What the hell?!"

"It's just like you said, Angela. If you attack one part of the Kingdom, you attack us all!" I said.

"Well guess what? Our kingdom is the same way!" Johnathan boasted.

"And if you wanna get to HIM?!" Mark loudly said. "You gotta go through us..."

Phoebe, Miranda and their sisters rise to their feet seeing things about to reach a boiling point. Phoebe calls out. "Guys? I still don't know if this is a good idea-"

"I don't care! We gave them their shot, but I've had enough of these guys and all of their Conquering and raping crap? All of it is going to STOP!!" I shouted out. I then turn around. "Ain't that right guys?"

"YEAH!!!"

"No it's not. Because no one has ever cared about any of those losers and shits," Brock grunted. "If what we did was wrong, someone would."

"Oh no?" Wes asked.

Vinnie then smirks and waves toward him. "Then maybe it's time you've found out...just how much we do care."

"And show you guys that the Kingdom of Divinity will always overcome Anarchanalll.....? Anarchy!"

Mark, Johnathan, Vinnie and Wes groan and shake their heads. "Dude you were doing so well with the smack talk earlier."

"Well, you know what I mean!"
I step out besides my Amigos at the front. "I told you Angela, if you wanted a war, I'd give you one. My kingdom...against yours."

Angela and the lead Conquerors growl.

"If you guys wanna bail out, then this is your last chance!"

Angela uncovers her bloody face and angrily shakes her head. "Not happening..." then she looks around at all of her Conquerors. "Goddamn it, go and get them! And when they're all down, go inside and bring his lady friend out of the shower. If she claims to be as hurt as they see...then we'll show her what REAL PAIN is...!"

And THAT is the last straw. Not just for me, but for the others as well!

Brock and Snake snicker and crack their knuckles. "With pleasure!"

Wes and Vinnie stand tall. "Like Hell if you're gonna get inside."

"If you value having your hands...you better not touch those knobs," Johnathan said.

"Oh YEAH, TOUGH GUY?!!" Brock taunted. "You got lucky om us yesterday but that ain't happening again?!"

"Nope, because we're all here," Duncan said.

"ALRIGHT ENOUGH TALK!!!! So are we gonna throw down or what?! LETS GO!!" Tabitha demanded.

"So are we really doing this?" Vinnie asked.

I take in a deep breath.
"Amigos? Vaminos!!"

And that's when Theresa comes running towards us, with Madison's siblings, and the worship team charging behind them.

Kevin, Brock and Snake then come rushing at the five of us with most of the other Conquerors behind them, so me, Vinnie, Wes, Johnathan, Mark, Miranda, Duncan, Patrick, Mitch, Drake, Josh, and Colton all come running at them.

And right then, EVERYONE STARTS FIGHTING.

Drake and Andre sprint over here the fastest, and immediately they start oushing over various Conquerors, even attacking Raymond and Shania who were silently filming everything.

The first one to attack is Edd, and he rushes toward Madison and snares her into an arm lock, but CJ pried him off only for Theresa to knock him down with one shoce of her shoulder.

CJ kneels down and drags Eds to pin him Against the car, and the two girls start attacking the four women on their sides.
Madison's siblings and The worship team members (Isaac. Mason, Smauel and Felicia) all of them scatter and ambush the others who are still trying to process where everyine is.
I make a beeline for Angela but tobias intercepts me and I tackle him against the car.
Vinnie kicks back Tabitha and Tobias, but then Kevin tackles him.
Wes tackles Ryan to the ground.
Johnathan kicks Brock in the face.
Phoebe and Miranda grab onto Tabitha as she lunges at them..
Mark grapples onto Snake.
Josh crashes into Sean as he rushes toward Donnie and grabs onto his legs to flip him over his shoulder.
Mitch shoots back Veronica and Lexi and hops over to smack his gun into Antoine's face.
Patrick kicks Griffin in the groin and sprints over to tackle Lexi.
Duncan punches Griffin and Romeo, and makes a beeline for Joshua, drop kicking him.
Colton, Carly and Piper flinch as they watch all of this, while our other friends in the back are all hollering out.

Kevin yells out as he slams Vinnie's head against the wall.

On the INSIDE, Cheyenne is almost done rinsing her hair, nearly finished with her shower. When suddenly, she starts to hear shouting and banging against the outdoor walls..

She grows confused and shuts off the water to get a better listen. "Guys? Is everything alright out there?!"

No answer. It sounds like it might be outside.

She squints and turns the water back on. "What the hell is going on out there?" She raises her arm to a bottle of shampoo back on the shower rack. "OH SHIT!!" But she knocks it over.

It falls to the ground and Kevin and Vinnie tackles each other into Vinnie's soccer net by the side of the house. He stomps on Kevin's chest before Ryan drags him away.

Mark and I shove Snake back behind us. Snake stumbles back, but Josh trips him to the ground, where Duncan pulls him back.up, pinning him against the wall. And Kevin kicks Josh down to the ground and tries to rush me again, until Patrick grapples onto and throws him to the side, ready to fight him on his own.

Johnathan shoves down Brock, and then is restrained as Antoine wraps his arms around his neck. However shortly after, Mitch rushes in and tackles Antoine to the ground.

Mitch psuhed Antoine back. "So much for no mlre fighting," Mitch said before getting punched back right before getting punched back.

Edd tackles Isaac and Mason into the wall. They fall with a heavy thud, and CJ and Samuel run over to help them back up. Felicia comes toward them ttake, until Edd ensures her in a choke hold. "Anyone wanna step up?"

Mason pars Isaac on the shoulders. "Okay Fogle, you take the ugly one."

"No YOU take the ugly one!" Isaac shouted as he shoves Mason forward.

"I'll take the ugly one!" CJ declared as he steps out in front of Mason.

"Which one ugly one?" Samuel mumbled in confusion.

"It's this one!" Felicia answered.

CJ kicks Edd in the stomach, and he stumbles back, dropping Felicia in the process and CJ tackles him away where they wrestle each other.

Brock shoves Johnathan against the garage and kicks me back by the chest to where Tobias grabs me, punches me in the gut and Ryan wraps his massive strong arm around my neck.

Madison jumps over the car and she shoves Ryan away from me before throwing a punch at his face. Then flipping over Tobias.

I gasp. "I didn't ask for that save you know..."

"Sorry, but you can't stop me from protecting you now," she said smirking.

I smile. "I know. That's why I asked you to join us."

Madison then glances over to see Lexi picking up Angela. "So I'm guessing you're gonna talk me out of trashing that Fox? To forgive her rather than fix her up?"

I shrug and pat her on the back. "Not this time." And I step away.

Angela nudges her elbow into Lexi's chest. "Get me over to the bus, and help me stop my bleeding already!!!"

"Uh, okay, okay!"

But Madison kicks Tobias toward them. "Oh I don't think you've bleed enough!!"

Miranda punches back Veronica, who then tries to rush out and shield Angela and Lexi, but is immediately kicked back away. Angela ducks her incoming punch, and grabs onto her arm, only to be kicked in the groin.

Lexi raises her arms. "Whoa whoa WHOA-!" she pleaded before getting SMACKED across the face. Angela gets punched in the arm and she tried to punch her in the face but Madison catches her fist. Then pushing Lexi back, Madison throws a BRUTAL kick at her stomach and flips her over.

She tries to run out around the back of the house, but before she can slip through, she gets grabbed onto by Gage and Harris.
"Uh-Uh! Get back in there!"

The two brothers throw Angela backwards, to where Madison throws a kick that strikes her chest, right before she punches her stomach twice. Then she grips onto her arm, flips her over her shoulder, and slams Angela onto the ground. Madison smirks then punches her in the nose.

"Swallow that, bitch."

The Conqueror Jamie gets thrown towards the front door steps, and she turns around to grab onto Phoebe and drags her before throwing her into the arms of Griffin.

Carly turns around to her sister. "Phoebe!!"

Jamie snickers. "What's the matter? Afraid to get your hands dirty, bitch?" She clenched her fist while Griffin grins and Phoebe stammers anxiously.

However Madison leaps onto Griffin's back, allowing Phoebe to slip fre, right before Theresa tackles Jaime away. Madison pulls Griffin back as she hops off and kicks him back by the balls where Duncan clutches onto him.

Phoebe is gasping to catch her breath, and Madison helps her back up. "You alright?"

"I think so. Thanks, Mads."

Madison smiles, but then Tabitha clutches onto her arm, pulls her over and kicks her into Curtis's car. Tabitha then kicks Miranda down, and chuckles. "You really think you can just tango with us you filthy bitch?" Tabitha starts stomping Madison on the ground.

Phoebe then gets angry, and rushes over. "Hey, get off her!"

Phoebe shoves Tabitha off of Madison, but not long before getting smacked in the face and kicked in the stomach. Phoebe clutches into her waist and suddenly, looks.up to Tabitha angrily. Tabitha lunges to grab her, but Phoebe grabs onto her arm, and throws her slamming into the garage, hitting her head.

Miranda and Carly rise back up in time to see this. "Oh my-! When did she learn to do that?"

Phoebe pulls Madison back to her feet. "Shoot... Are you okay?"

Madison scoffs. "Tanner, you really oughta worry about yourself."

"Oh c'mon, now's not the time to start brooding like a-"

"No! I'm serious-!" Madison pressured with a worried face but she gets tackled by Veronica before she can finish.

"Huh?"

Phoebe arches an eyebrow and turns around, where she sees Tabitha standing back up, and she is PISSED! Phoebe gulps. "Oh no...."

And right then Tabitha rushes in swinging. But just as Phoebe ducks under it, Tabitha grabs onto Phoebe and tackles her away!

Mark is caught in an arm lock by Brock before he hears Phoebe yelling out.
"Phi!! Rrr, GET OFF!!!"

Mark growls and flips Brock over his shoulder and punches his chest. But not before Snake punches him to the side.

"You REALLY need to mind your own business," Snake whispered.

"Move, asshole. I won't ask a second time," Mark growled. Snake just grins, and Mark stands tall, furious knowing his wife is in potential trouble. "Fine."

Vinnie gets spammed against his car by Ryan who then proceeds to trap him in a choke hold. He struggles to break free. "W-Wes, I'm in trouble here! Wanna trade?!"

Wes, who is wrestling with Tobias, hears this, and decides to bring him down.

Lexi, getting back up after Madison's assault, groans and rubs her head. "Uhhh, what did we drop ourselves into...? WHOA-!!"

Wes swings Tobias by the arm and throws him to where he crashes into Lexi, falling to the ground. Wes then jumps off of Tobias' back and boosts himself to where he dropkicks Ryan in the back of the head, freeing Vinnie.

"No take backs Vinny-boy." Vinnie moves over to confront Tobias. And Ryan growls as he turns to Wes. "Alright c'mon. C'MON!!" and they grapple onto each other.

I get kicked back against the car another guy. And to my side, I see Sean with Donniez and Donnie is smashing his knee against Josh's head. Then he turns and tries to pin me against the car. But I manage to push him back, and kick him down to the ground by his chest

Sean then runs out, and he wraps his arm around my neck and pulls onto me. Although this time, Sean is nowhere near as strong as he was before, and I'm quickly able to throw him off balance and move to where I can slam him against the wall of the garage. I break free and pin him to where I can stare into his eyes. "Dude? Trust me, you don't wanna be on her side."

"Like you care if anything happens to me."

"Maybe, but I know you well enough. Do you really wanna submit yourself to follow someone this crazy, who orders you around like a dog?" Sean just stares at me. "Your friends already made their choice to who they wanted to be. Now you have to make yours, before someone else starts making those choices for you."

"Hey, why are you just standing there?!! Take him down!!" Snake growled.

Sean turns over to Angela who stares at him impatiently. And then his eyes glance back over at me. Then he looks back at Angela and scoffs. "You think you're the boss of me, Paper Nose? Yeah, right. You guys have fun!"

I smile and pull him away from the wall. "Hurry up and get out of here." He starts running behind the house where he crashes into Tabitha knocking her down where she has Phoebe pinned to the ground.

Angela growls in anger as she sees him running. "You Traitor!"

Sean then pops his head out from behind the garage. "What do you mean? You said I wasn't one of you in the first place."

"Why you little-!" Brock lunges at him, but Sean runs away while Johnathan slams him into the garage.

Johanthan chuckles and turns to me. "Well what do you know? He has a Brain after all."

"Everyone stay focused. We can do this!"

Sean then sneaks into the house through a window While Kim and our other friends are getting ready to take everything outside. He feels parched and steps into the kitchen to Gulp down a glass of water.

Sean then pulls out his phone, opens up his Messenger app, and starts typing to an old contact.
Chase Flynn.
He types the following: "Hey guys. Angela and the others are getting their asses handed to them. I tried taking them on, but there's just too many assholes. You better get over here and-"

"Ahh!!"
Suddenly Zackary smashes a glass jar against Sean's head, and Sean collapses to the floor unconscious, while also clicking send by accident. Zackary kicks him to flip onto his back.
"Asshole...."

"C'mon Zack. Let's go;" Bryce said before they sneak over to the living room. Bryce sees Kim and grins maliciously. "Now listen closely..."

Meanwhile, Venus has been sitting in the corner of a nearby Starbucks, talking to Declan. She's been hearing some complaints about him and is struggling to get him to listen.

"I'm serious Declan. Do. You. Understand?"

"Ugh. YES, I understand!" he groaned. "Now if we're done with interrogation, could we hurry up and get back to the others?"

"Why The rush? You should take the time to let this sink in. That's the first and most crucial part to a much needed change in your behavior."

"Venus, maybe I might be more willing to change my behavior a little bit once we actually get the fuck out of here?"

"You mean you don't feel homesick?"

Declan squints. "Homesick?"

"Yeah you used to live here, so what?!" Venus asked with an amused smile. "There's nothing to be ashamed of about growing up in a place like this."

"I'm afraid you don't understand," Declan said. "Have you been to this city before?"

"I spent a good amount of time here yesterday."

"Have you seen the churches?"

"I...met one of the pastors yesterday. And for some reason Angela is so focused on getting this one's attention."

Declan sighs. "If you're talking about Curtis, then...you should know that the ministry is a very...intense place."

"And what do you mean by that?"

Declan rolls his eyes. "Well let's just say, the type of people who Curtis attracts into his church, they could easily cause more problems for us. Even more problems than Elijah and his youth."

Venus then squints. "Why do you think that?"

Declan leans forward. "I used to be friends with some of the people in the congregation. And some of these people are very intense...because they know how to handle themselves...and some of them actually have legitimate motives to become hostile against any one of us..."

Venus grows suspicious. "Would any of them happen to be related to you?"

"No, I'm an only child." Declan scoffed.

"But...if you're talking about me being a motive for the hostility, then...I dumped a girl because I was bored, and wanted to see if I could be lucky with you guys. Which guess what? I did!"

Venus snickers. "And what, you're afraid that your ex is gonna want revenge for leaving you."

"Revenge against you guys."

Venus gives him a questionable squint.

"Venus...we Conquerors are enemies for some of these kids. And they are NOT pushovers. If we came here today, because Angela wants Curtis...the word might spread around and we could actually have a problem. A lot of problems."

"So this is a bigger group, yes?"

"It's not just that their group is big. Curtis has always been charismatic, but he also knows how to draw his students and group members together. He knows how to make people care for each other."

"And how is any of this a problem?"

"Venus. It means if something happens to one of them, it'll spread around and they could all get mad at us. And his staff KNOWS how to handle themselves."

"It sounds to me like this js being spoken out of experience." Declan looks away, and Venus shakes her head. "No offense Declan, but how can you be a Conqueror if you can't even conquer your own fears and mistakes."

"You think I'm scared?"

"You walked off before Albert and his friends came out to approach us, sounding awfully nervous. And you lucked out with me since they told me I could leave."

Declan's eyes widen and he begins to snicker. "Johnson? You mean that doofus is the guy that we came all this way for?"

"Oh so you know him?"

"We were acquaintances."

"And you didn't mention that to Angela?"

"You're doing a fine job at stating the obvious. As am I! I only do every detail as whatever my boss requests out of me-"

Suddenly, Declan's phone rings with a message notification. "What the hell?" He pulls out his phone and reads something. "Venus, throw the cups away and let's grab our shit. We're done here."

"Uh uh uh! Our discussion isn't done, and I'm NOT done with your-"

"There's a situation right now, so now's not the time for this bullshit discussion. Let's go."

"And what situation would I be inclined to drop this discussion with you for?"

"A fight has broken out back at the house. Apparently the other PC's aren't doing so hot!"

Venus rolls her eyes. "I tried telling her we should've just packed up and go on our way...!"

I nod my head. "Alright, let's move it, and lend them a hand. But THEN you and I will continue this conversation AFTER we settle things. Got it?"

"Pfft yeah yeah. We'll do just that, depending on how seriously beat up the others are getting without MY HELP!"

"Always the overconfident one. The worship complex," I taunted. "The last time we got into a fight, you used me as a shield, so they're probably better off without you there to do the same thing with them."

Declan scoffs. "Venus-"

"Venus nothing," she interrupted. "Tune your ego down to 50% right now. Besides, how bad could it be over there right now? In fact, here." She pulls out her phone and dials Giovanni, staring at Declan with a dubious smile. The call is Accepted. "Gio? Hello honey, could you please share how everything-?"

"Where are you?! We need- AHH!!! No, no no! Stay back!" Gio shouted over the line.

Over the line, Miranda's step brother Gage finds Giovanni hiding behind some trash cans, slaps his phone away and drags him out before throwing him into the fan outside.

Albert's POV:
Everything is beginning to escalate!
Donnie slams me against the garage door and pins me hard. "You can't bat your way out of this, now can you!"

"Sorry, Barbie doll, but you outta Man up!" I shouted before pushing Donnie off of me and kicking him down.

Angela has tucked herself into a corner near the garage, and her nose has finished pouring out blood while she looks around. "Why is he still standing?! Someone fuck him down!!" she cried out.

Snake growls out. "We'd be happy to, IF WE WEREN'T OCCUPIED!!!"

Snake and Mark wrestle each other, before Mark swings him into the wall by grabbing his arm, and throws him down.

Brock starts to get EXTREMELY FURIOUS and he joins his hands together before smacking them both as a giant fist against Johnathans face. Brock punches him back and tries to kick him down. But Johnathan blocks his leg, kicks his knee and punches him down.

"You call THAT a punch? C'mon!"
As Brock becomes more enraged he starts telegraphing his moves and Johnathan smacks him up.

Madison's siblings, Jake, Max and Penny, haven't done very well in the fight, and are actually on the ground at the moment after struggling with Geoff and Gia.

However, Albert and his friends are actually holding their own. They've taken the time to examine everyone who's shown up and they're choosing their fighters very carefully.
And in theory, the only thing that Cheyenne actually told us about the fighting style of these guys is the fact that they use their numbers to their advantage. And they'll try to surround and force people into corners where they are overwhelmed.

And so with that knowledge, and because we actually outnumber these guys, our primary objective is to fight in a way that keeps the group as spread out as possible, separating them from one another so that they can't gang up on us.

Patrick is almost out of sight, facing off against Kevin back in the spot where I was hiding behind the house. While Theresa is the farthest away, next to the trash cans at the corner end of the house and the corner of the driveway.
She breaks free of an arm lock by the Conqueror Romeo, and she stomps on his foot before shoving him back to where he smacks into the car.

Then as Theresa turns around, she is kicked back by Jamie, who is the REALLY tall female Conqueror with the giant rack of a chest. And Jamie actually picks up one of Vinnie's trash can and SMACKS it across Theresa's face.

Jamie chuckles as Theresa stumbles back. "Had enough, trash face?"

But Theresa quickly turns back around, and stands tall with an amused smile, laughing as if nothing hit her at all. Then she stomps toward her, taunting her.
"C'mon bitch, let's do this!"

Jamie lunges forward throwing a punch, but Theresa grabs hold of her arm, headbutts her back, then SLAMS her knee into her chest. Theresa then smashes her elbow into the back of her neck, and swings her falling to the ground.

Duncan pulls Romeo out of the car before he throws him into the arms of Samuel, who fights him with the help of his roommate Andre.

Duncan turns over as Max gets his head bashed into the car by Griffin, then rushes over to tackle him down before he can smash him again. Griffin grips onto his flannel and rips one of his sleeves before flipping him over his head. Duncan's shoulders get jabbed by rocks when he hits the ground but he quickly rises back up and taunts hm before wailing out on Griffin with Martial arts.

Raymond abandons the tripods that he and his sister, Shania were filming everything with, in order to ambush Duncan. However Josh, Mark's brother, rushes in to hold him off. And, with them having the same height and body shape, they find themselves pretty evenly matched as they brawl against the wall, wrestling into the ground.

Mason grapples Joshua by the waist and piledrives him into the wall of the house next door. He overwhelms the slightly chunky black Conqueror with his wrestling and MMA skills.

CJ wrestles with Edd, and the two of them grapple onto each other. Edd is the bigger of the two and is able to do more damage on hin, but because CJ is taller, he allows Edd to overwhelm him, tiring him out due to his size before using his long legs and speed to strike hin froma distance.

Isaac works alongside Felicia and Jane and helps them in fighting off Nat and Chelsi.

The three of them also fight in the corner of the far side of the parking lot, and by doing so they're actually shielding my parents and Jillian from being attacked.

As for Colton, he joined the fight shortly after it started, and he and I are fighting together against Donnie. Honestly, he didn't look like he was that tough, but it's very rare that it's actually pans out to be the case. Compared to Brock, this gang leader Donnie throws punches that only hit as hard as mine. So hey, lucky me.

He and I confuse him by switching in and out, and then we hit him hard together.
Colton hollers out. "It's like the Naruto Boukai VR all over again!"

"The tournament game?"
I turn to him and scoff. "You and I remember that Let's Play very differently."

Wes wrestles against Ryan Rhino. ADMITTEDLY Wes is quite out of his league in terms of strength when it comes to this guy, and Ryan overwhelms and overpowers him to a great extent. But Wes is a fast, flexible, agile guy so he's able to slip away pretty easily and catch him by surprised.

Vinnie wrestles with Tobias and they seem to be evenly matched. Although Vinnie is able to get more hits and kicks on him.

Shortly after attacking Angela and Lexi, Madison got smacked down to the ground by Veronica. But Madison quickly gets back up, and she viciously throws her legs all around against Veronica, just kicking her all over. She kneels down to the ground after getting kicked in the face, groaning loudly.

"What's the matter you Pussy?!"

Veronica growls. "Shut it!!"

She lunges at Madison but she slams her into the cameras that were being run by Raymond and Shania.

Shania shouts out, but she gets slapped down by Madison, who then rips her camera off from the tripod and SMASHES it against Veronica's face, sending her sprawling to the ground.

"Yeah you eat that shit! GET UP!!"

Tabitha was beginning to beat down on Phoebe until she turns around to notice Madison's angry strikes.

"Bitch, what the hell?"

Phoebe actually is able to grab onto her leg and pull Tabitha down and grabs onto her hair before kicking her in the head.

Meanwhile, Miranda begins to fight Lexi. Lexi Deer actually wasn't involving herself in the fight at all, but after getting knocked around by Madison and even Wes, she's pretty pissed off. And so she lunges out at Miranda and the two grab at each other's hair and drag themselves around in a vicious catfight. However, Miranda is easily overpowering her, particularly because she's taller than Lexi.

Mitch against Antoine, Mitch is smaller in size but he's pretty athletic and fast, and seems to also know Martial arts and mma as he's striking Antoine pretty hard despite him being so much bigger and buffed out.

And then, Phoebe's sister Carly, and Miranda's sister Piper- both of them are brawling against Morgan and Bella, the latter of whom have similar body height and size as the two girls, so they're also rather evenly matched.

Kevin pins Patrick's head against the walls of the garage and then flips him. Kevin kneels down and punches him in the neck and then the face, right before Patrick smashes his knee against Kevin's crotch. Kevin's used to fighting guys who are bigger than him, but he and Patrick are actually the same size.

Patrick leaps up and shoves Kevin against the wall. "Come at me you pussy!!" He taunted.

And they continue to fight it out in the corner. Patrick shouting out in pain shortly after.

Angela angrily watches in the corner, hiding. "Aww come on! Can't you useless pansies do anything right today?!"

At this point, Colton and I have actually exhausted Donnie and we both kick him down against the car where he collapses from exhaustion.

I chuckle for a moment and smile. "I've gotta admit, it feels good to actually be the winner of a fight."

"Yeah, I can imagine!" Colton said, stepping behind me.

Vinnie kicks down Tobias, but then is alarmed when he hears screaming to the side. And that's when he sees that Bryce has his arms wrapped around his sister's throat.

"Kim!"

"Oh Johnson?! Where the hell are you?!" Bryce called out..

"Bryce?" Colton asked.

I turn over and see this. "Bryce, put her down. Now!"

Bryce sneers at me. "You see me? You see all this? This is your fault!"

"Yes, it is," I said. "But you don't need to make this worse than it already is-"

Vinnie then kicks Bryce in the back of the leg after sneaking up behind him and is able to pull him off of his sister. "What are you guys-?!"

"No time for that, just get back inside now!" Vinnie said before Kim runs around back.

"How did they get out of the room?"

"I don't know," I said.

"Okay guys, we better start calming everything down before-" Colton said.

"GRAHHHH!!!"

Suddenly Bryce rushes out from the garage and tackles Colton into one of the cars. Colton gets hit hard and collapses.

"HEY!!!" I shouted in anger.

But before I can do anything, Zackary rushes out from the front door and tackles me to the ground.

Zackary then wraps his arms around me and punches me in the side before shoving his fist down to my pants pocket.

"Well what are we waiting for? Let's hurry up and get out of here!"

Angela snickers. "Oh we're not leaving. Until we're done with him."

"DAMN RIGHT!!" Bryce hollered, which causes Angela to smile.

I force myself to stand up, causing Zackary to strain. "Hey, what are you doing? Whose side are you on?!"

"It's, uh...it's actually a little complicated right now," Zackary nervously panted.

I then grab onto his wrists. "Well let me know when you have it figured out! HURAH!!" I manage to undo his grip on me and sweep his leg, knocking him over. Bryce then grabs onto my arm, but I shove him backwards, pinning him against the garage wall. "We're on the same side, I'm trying to help you guys!"

Bryce shrugs his arms. "Sorry, Johnson. I'm afraid you've done enough help!" Bryce said before sucker punching me right in my bruised ribcage. I fall to my knees

"At this rate, say Sayonara to this backstabbing motherfucker!"

Angela huffs. "Leave these guys to us. Prove yourselves by dealing with any other assholes inside!"

"Wait, what?"
"Gladly. C'mon!"
Bryce drags Zackary with him as he runs for the door.

But before they can make it up one step, Miranda's brothers grab onto both of them while our other six friends form a shield wall around the front steps to the door.

"Rrr, where you going?!"

"Guys wait!" I tried to call out. But to no avail.

Bryce and Zackary get thrown onto the ground by Gage and Harris. Bryce gets pulled up to his feet by Colton, who punches him back, and is caught again by Gage, who proceeds to tackle Bryce out into the yard.

Zackary tries to rush after Bryce, but is shoved back and gets caught in a choke hold by Jake, Madison's oldest brother. He squeezed so hard that Zackary is squeaking out in a desperate attempt to gasp for air. "You dumb pricks. This is what you GET for trying to rape our sister!"

"Wha- What?! I- I didn't do any-! Ahh!"

Then the younger brother Max interrupts Zackary by running up and kicking him in the chest. Jake releases him, and as he staggers forward, Max punches him onto his knees and Jake kicks him to the ground.

"Guys...?" I'm simply horrified as my two childhood friends are suddenly being attacked all over again. This time by my other friends.

Madison flips Veronica onto the ground, and looks over to see me.

Angela sees this and calls me out on it. "Hmm, I guess your friendship with them means jack shit. How much longer will you have to watch your back before all of your other friends turn on you too?"

I turn to her in offense. "What did you say?!"

Then the Conqueror Raymond drags me back onto my feet, and in anger I just smash my elbow into his groin and punch him away before I turn around, scolding the hiding fox. "Angela!!!"

She snickers in response, right before wincing from the pain on her face.

Jake and Max continue beating on the helpless Zackary, until Madison rushes and grabs onto them. "Whoa wait! Wait!"

They stop and turn to her. "He's not one of the guys."

"Are you sure?"

"Do you think I'd forget their faces?" She replied.

Zackary then weakly rises up, and tries to swing a hit on the two brothers but Madison grabs his wrist, and pins him against the tool shack. "You're really just okay working for a bunch of rapists. They did this to my nose all because I refused to hook up with them, and tried to force themselves on me."

Zackary stutters, looking at Madison nervously. "I- I- I did- No, I d-"

"Didn't know about it?"

"I-?"

"Yeah. A word of advice for you? Get over to those cars, and then later, get out of the Pussy Conquerors while you still can. Cause soon they're all going down, and it's not gonna be pretty...."

Zackary is left unsettled, so Madison silently walks away from him. Max bumps into him before walking out. "You heard her. Move."

Zackary sees Bryce being shoved down by Gage and rushes over to pull him up. "What are you doing? We have a job-"

"Move, you idiot!" Zackary groaned.

Zackary then runs off with him to the tour bus, quickly dodging everybody. Madison then stands beside me and i turn to her. "Mads....?"

Madison nods at me and turns to Angela.

"See that? Friends come a long way for each other. Until you find a friend who you feel a damn for, then I'll hear your apology for that."

"Apology?! You two attacked ME!!"

"HA, serves you right, bitch," Jake said. "You better watch your back for as long as you're in this town."

Angela then whistles, and smirks at Madison's foster brothers. "You first."

"Oh yeah? With who?" Jake asked with his arms held out. Max and Jake then laugh at Angela, until....,.

Kevin throws Patrixk over the hood of a nearby car, right before he launches himself over the other side of the car! He jumps up, drop kicks Jake to where he hits the neighboring house and gets knocked out. Then he latches onto Max, twisting on his Hoodie before landing on the ground and he throws Max crashing into the tool shake.

Max slides to the floor and is knocked out.

Madison gasps and I step back. "Kevin...'

Kevin turns to me and grins before cracking muscles in his neck. "You have guts, I'll give you that. Too bad I gotta rip them out of you."

"Like hell you will!" Madison threatened before lunging forward.

"No Mads, wait-!!

But she's already swinging at Kevin. He ducks under it, steps over to stomp on the back of her heel, and punches her in the back.

Madison is shocked at how vicious Cheyenne's brother is.

"Dumb bitch." Kevin then chuckles before pinning her onto the ground, where he picks up a hammer knocked.off of the tool shelves, and is about to smash it into the back of her head.

"No!!" I shouted before I grab onto his arm, pry the hammer out of his hand and pull him away from Madison, yanking onto his arm, and clutching onto both of his shoulders as I face him directly. "Kevin, stop!! We're NOT your enemies-!"

"GAHH!!"

Kevin bashes his head into mine and I stumble back as he grins. He grabs onto my neck before I can stand up straight, and after a brief struggle, I manage to throw him off balance, tossing him to the side.

I stand tall and start talking before he starts to stand back up. "Please listen to me! You don't wanna do this-!"

"Don't bother. Like your scrawny ass can do anything to save yourself.

"Kevin, whatever your deal is, I don't care. I dont care because you are NOT one of them! I know this...because I know who you are. And I know your sister."

Kevin snarls enraged. "No you DON'T!!"

"Ughh!! YES I do!! And I DON'T want this with you! Kevin...we're brothers in Christ. I know this to be true."

Kevin laughs hysterically. "You stole from my family, man! You and your fraud of a pastor! You really think I'm gonna show brotherly love to two thieves!"

"Whatever Angela's trying to bribe you with, it's NOT worth it."

"You think I care about that shit? I'm doing this because I do know him, and I know the lies and bullshit he's fed to you..." KT smirks at me. "You might think that you know me, but I know why that is: I used to be just like you. So gullible enough to believe in the same God and pastoral fairytales of BULLSHIT as you do...!"

I squint at him. "You think I'd fall into the same holes of darkness that you did, where my eyes will be as blind as yours?"

"On the contrary. My eyes...have never seen things more BRIGHTLY!!"

He yanks his hand up, chucking dust into my eyes. He forced me into the garage where he pressed me against the walls and throws me to the ground. "Yeah... They turned her against me, but they also showed me the real truth about the world, and how it works." He steps closer to me. "I'm the one who honors her memory, while you're the one who ABUSES ALL OF IT!"

Kevin snickers crazily, before he grunts in resistance as someone grabs him from behind. "Get off of him!!"

I turn around in fear when I hear that voice.

"Colton!!"

Colton forces Kevin to the ground. "What's wrong with you?! If you truly loved your sister, you would've NEVER laid one finger on my brother!"

Kevin snickers. "Do you even hear yourselves?!"

Suddenly, he buries his hand into the pocket of Colton's hoodie and throws him into the wall where I'm laying.

However, when he yanks his hand out of the pocket, he knocks out something that was stuffed inside of it, Kevin's eyes are caught by it when he sees it on the ground...

I jump to my feet and wrap my arms around Colton before he falls to the ground. "Colt, you okay...?!"

Colton groans. "Yeah yeah, I'm good bro.. Huh?"

Kevin kneels down to pick up what fell out of Colton's pocket.
It's a fur scarf.
One of Cheyenne's!
It was one that we found in Cheyenne's pockets when we got her out of the wreckage. But Kevin is left in shock when he peeks at a specific spot on the scarf, where it has a tag wrapped around it that says the following.

To: My Birthday Sista!
From: Kevin
Kevin recognizes the handwriting...as his own!

Kevin then begins to seethe with even greater anger, as he leers at us and holds the scarf before us. He exhales viciously.

"Where did you get this?"

Colton attempts to speak out but I grab onto him. "Don't. We can't risk them hearing it too."

"Hearing what?" Kevin asked. We stay silent and he grows to look furious. "ANSWER ME!!!"

Then I lunge at him. "Bro, dont!" Colton yelled.

I snatch the scarf out of his hand and throw it back to Colton, but as soon as I toss it, he wraps his arm around my neck, and forces me to the ground where he also wraps his leg around me. He starts choking me VERY tightly, attempting to crush my windpipe.

"DUDE!!"

"STAY BACK!! IM DONE!! IF ANYBODY TRIES TO STOP ME, AND ILL TWIST THE LIFE OUT OF HIM!!"

"Do it, Kevin, DO IT!!" Angela shouted, hearing this from outside.

I try to break free, but he keeps constricting tighter around me. "It was bad enough that you stole her finances.... But stealing this too, you deserve this!!"

I can't let Angela hear this, but I need to get him off of me. I grab his wrist and try to speak out. "We didn't take them. They were...given to us...!"
Nothing happens.
"Rrrr! She...She's in the house....! Your sister...is...ALIVE...!!"

"Huh?" Kevin's eyes widen, just as quickly as his grip on me loosens. He pushes back and stands on his knee while I frantically catch my breath. "What...? What did you just say?"

I turn my head around to face him, and I know that this is my chance while he's distracted. "HRAHHH!!!"

I lunge onto my feet, and in this rush I'm able to wrap my arms around Kevin and lift him up before I run out of the garage holding onto him like a battering ram. Before I run into it, I throw Kevin's body smashing to the ground.

"NOW!!"

Colton steps over and he and I kick Kevin back by the chest to where he stumbles out of the garage.
Vinnie clutches onto his arm while Johnathan stomps down on the back of his knee.

Kevin grows in anger, and is about to elbow Vinnies in the groin. But then Johnathan leaps back right before Kevin cries out with a painful scream. He collapses, and then I see that it's because Wes shot a police taser into his right arm.

"MOTHERFU-Uhhhhh...!"

Before he can come any closer, Madison immediately gripping onto his shoulder, as well as squeezing two of her fingers onto a spot on his neck. "Ehh. Uhhhhhhh..."

Suddenly, Kevin's eyes widen and he slowly begins to kneel down while Madison blows out gently next to his ears. "Settttt lowwww." Kevin moans groggily and Madison drops him. He lays on the ground and starts snoring.

Angela spasms upon seeing and hearing this. "What? What?! WHAAAT?!!! HOW?!!"

Madison homes up her thumb. "Family secret."

Colton raises his arms. "You couldn't have done that earlier?"

'Nevermind that. Wes, I can't believe you-"

"He said he was gonna kill you. My boss did say only to use this in an emergency," Wes said.

Angela then squints. "Wait, what did he tell you? What did you guys hear him say?!" She yelled looking around.

Brock roars as he and Johnathan wrestle. "OH GEE, I DON'T KNOW!!! WHY DON'T YOU HELP US SO WE CAN FIND OUT?!!!" Johnathan elbows hom in the groin and flips him over onto the ground.

Angela then growls in anger. "Alright, just STOP HOLDING BACK!! WE'LL DEAL WITH CURTIS LATER, JUST SHOW THEM WHAT YOU GOT!!!"

Edd snickers. "With PLEASURE!!"

He then shoves CJ into the car by tackling him. Then he steps back cracking his knuckles.

Isaac restrains Nate as he turns to see this. "Chris, remember what we printed!"

CJ glances over and nods. "Let's see if it works."

Edd then lunges at him and begins swinging his fists all over. But CJ blocks his swings left and right, stepping back causing Edd to lean over still punching.

Then CJ throws out a heavy kick to the groin and punches him hard in the chest.

Edd groans and collapses. CJ stomps and claps. "That's RIGHT!!!"

Nate and Donnie see this and remember something.

Edd wails a dozen punches on a guy, and knocks hin out with a punch, slamming a guy to the ground. "OH YEAH!! No one can withstand the BULL cyclone!"

Donnie and Nate snicker. "Yeah but you should always be careful. You always lean forward too much, enough to leave you wide open."

Nate gets kicked in the face by Isaac and slammed against the wall by Mason.

Tabitha gets kicked back and she looks forward to see Veronica angrily throwing punches aimed for Madison's face.

But Miranda stands in the way, slaps her fists to the side, and steps forward, kneeing her to the stomach, and throwing her against the car by the arm.

Tabitha also grows alarmed.

Veronica and Tabitha used to work out together. And she made a stingy comment about her workout.

"Yeah? My punches look strong?"

"Mmm, fuck yeah. Only problem is, you packing up a big impact, is only telegraphing your punches. You miss, and you're wasting yourself. You and your brother lover are strong, but you need to stop using all your strength in singer attacks."

And sure enough, when Tabitha turns around, Griffin is shoving Duncan back, and he stomps forward before throwing his signature front kick that he aims for someone's head with all of his might.

But Duncan leans over, dropping to the ground in order to duck his kick, until he bursts back up, clutching onto his leg, and flipping Griffin over his shoulder.

Griffin hits the gravel driveway hard, and Duncan incapacitates him with a punch to the stomach, and another to his ribs.

Brock gets punched back and he notices her. "Hey what are you doing?!"

"I think these punks know some of our moves!"

"What?"

"Nah that's just bullshit! WATCH!!" Snake gloated. He throws a left punch at Mark, but Mark snatches onto his arm and twists on his wrist. "GAHHH!!!"

Brock sees this and remembers how Snake had some of his wrist bones severely fractured after Kevin broke his arm after learning about Cheyenne's car crash.

Mark scoffs. "I wouldn't call it that. But you seem to telegraph your moves too much."

Ryan then gets kicked back by Vinnie. "Yup! And it's clear which of you are strong, but far too slow!" Wes shouted before pulling Ryan back up.

But then a car screeches as it swerves into our view. Out of it comes Venus and someone else. "What the HELL?!!"

Venus looks around and looks outraged. She marches forward toward Wes, who's fighting Ryan. "Hey! Break it up!"

She separates Wes from him, but Venus gets punched by Ryan and flipped over against the wall. Ryan flinches. "Oh shit..!"

"Ryan?!!"

"What?! It's not my fault these tensions are exploding!" Wes then sucker punches him and drags him over.

"Aaah!!!" The new guy runs in, and shoves Theresa into the wall. Madison sess this and jumps onto his back.

As Snake is finally down, Mark rushes over to Tabitha who is twisting onto Phoebe's hand and swings her by the arm crashing into the metal bars of the door steps.
"You okay honey?"

"Yeah."

Tobias then jumps up and grabs onto my collar and grapples me, and Vinnie is helping to pull him off.
And as they look around, Angela keeps demanding the conquerors to take us down while Venus is yelling for everyone to stop. But several of us just refuse to listen. Until...

KA-BOOM!!!!!!!

Everyone gasps and shouts out. And as we all turn our heads, we are blinded by a large cloud or confetti and smoke. Nobody moves for at least ten seconds while coughing and yelling out.

When it clears, I can see our friend Spencer holding onto a confetti cannon on top of a car.

"Woo! It works!!"

But also, the cannon is on top of my mother's car, and it has just pulled in. The doors open, and my mom, dad, and Jillian come running out.

"Albert, Colton! What the-?!"

"What in the name of Inglorious Bastards IS GOING ON HERE?!!" my father yelled out. He then looks around the driveway. "Who are all of these people?"

"Some uninvited, unwelcomed punks!" Johnathan said, who has Brock trapped in a choke hold.

I look around as well. Indeed, some of my friends look a little banged up, but not nearly as much as the Conquerors. Most of them are groaning in pain and on the ground.

Colton speaks out. "Mom, dad, what are you doing here?"

"Your friend Spencer said he wanted to drop off this do-hickey, and your mom got worried when neither of you were answering our calls," dad said.

Dang it. Our cellphones are in the house.

My mom then cried out. "Now, can someone please start explaining what you've all been doing-?"

Then suddenly, somebody throws a rock straight at my mother's head.

"Leanne!!" My dad shouted.

"Mom!" Colton screamed.

Angela then steps out growling. "Seems like you don't know how to discipline your kids, you leech blonde cunt!"
Jillian rushes out and pulls my mom over to the car to look at her.

"Are you SERIOUS?!!!" Colton shouted as he shoves Angela from behind. She turns back and violently kicks him in the groin.

"HEY!!!" Immediately our dad slams Angela against one of the cars and grips onto her arm. "Who the hell do you think you are?!!"

"You get your hands off of her!" Brock shouted, lunging out and grabbing his arm.

"You might not wanna do that," Antoine said, who is on the ground with Mitch standing on his chest. "He's the one who nearly beat my brother to death,"

Brock turns to him and my dad glares at him. "Yeah and I may be on COPD, but that won't protect the next person who touches my family.. "

"Dad, it's fine! Just...let her go."

"Albert-"

"Let go. Believe me, I'll handle this..."

"Ugh. So sure of yourself.." Angela mocked.

My dad pulls her to her feet and steps back. "Now who are you guys?"

Angela stares at him. Then Jillian speaks out. "Shoot. You're Angela Fox.."

Angela scoffs. "Goddamn right I am..."

My dad sighs. "Well ain't this a bitch."

"Isaiah," my mom complained. She looks at me. "Albert, please tell me that....whatever this is....is done?"

I take a few moments to catch my breath and look around. We're victorious.

Then I sigh. "Yeah...Yeah, we're done."

Colton turns to me and we both drag Kevin towards the car. "I'll take a guess and say he's not gonna be happy when he wakes up."

Everyone else starts pushing the Conquerors they were fighting and force them to the opposite side of Curtis's car, while the rest of us stand on the other side, in front of the garage.

I speak out. "This....was just a warning. It's time for you to go."

"Yeah and now you guys are gonna have to help me CLEAN this up."

"And speaking of messes'," Venus said, raising her arms. "What in the world did you guys do to cause all of this chaos?!"

"ARE YOU BLIND!!!!" Tabitha screamed. "LOOK, what they did to Angela! These LUNATICS JUST ATTACKED US!!"

"Oh we're the lunatics?!" Wes chuckled. "You must not be able to hear your own words!"

"You already threatened us with words! AND you threatened to do so much else," Wes said.

"That's not our faults. You had a choice. And for now on, your voices bring consequences with us," Angela said.

"Oh really? How are WE lunatics compared to you heathens?!" I asked. "You literally just threw rocks at my face, and at my parents!"

"You tried to molest my wife, AND you tried to molest Ms. Bishop!" Mark said.

"And you beat the SHIT out of me, just for saying NO!!" Madison shouted.

"Oh boo-hoo! What I did to you was merely-" Brock mocked..

"GUYS, ENOUGH!!!" Venus shouted, shoving Brock back. "Look, WHATEVER the issue was, let's just bury the hatchets! RIGHT NOW!!"

"YOU!!!" Angela then hisses and storms up to Venus, pointing to her nose. "You...are in NO place to be ordering us around!"

"Excuse me?"

"This is all your fault, Venus. You say that you're here to take care of us, so Where the Hell WERE YOU?!!!" Angela shoves her back against the car. "You, were the one who encouraged us to come here, and as such, I've had all these GODDAMN MUTTS UP MY ASS!!! And then THIS DUMB SHIT just waltzed up and ATTACKED ME!!" she shouted angrily, pointing at me.

"Well knowing you, you could've fully well pushed him to his lim-!"

"Shut UP!!!" Angela said shoving Venus against the car where she hits her head again then she throws her forward in rage

"This is ALL YOUR FAULT!!!"

"No it's not." I spoke out. Angela and Venus turn to me. "It's only your own for not watching that fat mouth of yours. And I told you what was gonna happen if I saw your face around here. I gave you a chance to avoid a conflict, but you didn't listen."

"How many times do I have to tell you?! I didn't come here for YOU!!"

"And how many times have I gotta tell you, Curtis's CAR is here, but HE Isn't!"

"If you think hes lying, he most likely isn't," said the other guy who arrived with Venus.

I turn my head. "And what makes you so-?"

I watch as this man stands to his feet and looks at us, where I see the face of yet another old acquaintance.

"Oh boy..."

Madison and Theresa. And their eyes completely widen with shock...and disgust. The man then sighs, looks at everyone, and chuckles with a smile. "Well what do you know? The gang's all together, just like old times." Then he widens his eyes and holds his hand up. "Or, almost everyone. I'm surprised that she's not here."

Venus groans. "Declan, don't you dare start this cra-"

"You're lucky that she's not here," Madison scolded.

Theresa scoffs. "You guys remember Declan over here?"

Johnathan then chuckles. "Chase Flynn, back from the unknown." He grins. "Your boxers still fit ya there, buddy?"

I snicker as I remember.

I was hanging out with Johnathan and his past girlfriend, Dana. When Chase stopped by snd wss being creepy with Dana trying to grope her. I noticed and called him out so he tried to knock me out. That is, until Johnathan snuck up on him and gave him a TIGHT front wedgie.

Declan/Chase looks angry, but also steps back glancing at the ground feeling his pants..

Although Snake and Brock start to snicker. "Wait is THAT what made your penis so skinny down there?"

"Shut up asshole," Declan mumbled.

"It's a miracle that he can still walk after what I saw," Vinnie joked.

"Hold up. You actually DO know these guys?!" Tabitha exclaimed.

"Sure do. And I would've told you all had you not rushed me out here without any real warning. Or had Venus not dragged me aside," Declan ranted.

Brock shouts out. "Wha-?! I told you last night, you had Plenty of time to say something!"

"Yeah and you were the one who ran to a car like a little bitch before they even came out here!"

"Yeah but maybe I would've stepped out to say something had Venus not drove me away to talk about how you've all been whining about me like bitches!"

"Stop!" Venus shouted, slapping Chase.

"VENUS!!!!" Lexi screamed in shock.

Me and all my friends and family look at her in shock.

Hmm? Well...this one really is different.

Venus then looks around and speaks out at me. "WHATEVER this is! THIS ISN'T WHAT WE WANT!!" She then looks to me. "Can we just be done? If you really are as good as your pastor said...Then just let this be over....please."

I look into her eyes. "You can see it too, can't you?" Venus squints at me, and I sigh. "Well, I say we've done enough to get the point across...but we both know who decides whether or not this is over..." I said while directing my eyes toward Angela behind her.

She looks at Angela and sighs. "Unfortunately..."

Vinnie turns over to Angela who is standing back up with an...ambitious look on her face. "Don't get any ideas foxy. We won this whole show, now it's time for you to get OUT of my driveway! Leave now or I'm calling the cops!"

My mom squints after hearing this, looking nervous.

Angela grins. "Is that meant to scare us?" Then she begins to look seductive and reaches out to him. "We could always negoti-"

Venus pulls her back. "Angela! Stop it." She grabs onto her shoulders and scolds her. "You said we would be back on the road when I come back. If we leave now we can still have enough time to grab our bags and reach the airport when the plane opens up,"

"You think I'm just supposed to give up?"

"I believe that you don't have a choice. And judging by that nose, this ISN'T something that you want to continue."

"Wow. Finally some common sense coming from you guys," Mark said.

Angela shakes her head and glances at us. "They said that One of them is a nurse. We can handle this, and if not, they'll treat us."

"I'm afraid not. Jillian and her staff don't work on Sundays," Johnathan said.

Angela squints. "How do YOU know that?"

"Because I'm on the staff..." Johnathan replied with a smirk. "And I'm sorry but I ain't taking in no Conquerors and neither is my boss over there," he said pointing to Jillian in the corner.

"Oh don't be so whiny. You over there? Maybe you should fire him for being so rude to us!"

"Oh my gosh, you're right. I should totally fire him and put him out of a job for getting into a fist fight that YOU guys initiated!" Jillian said with sass.

"Hey, he attacked us yesterday-!"

"Yeah and one of you guys attacked my cousin yesterday. And I saw what you were doing just now...."

Jillian scoffs. "You think I'm gonna let you into my hospital and treat you guys after hurting my family and loved ones? I'm sure a few conquering heroes can handle your cuts and bruises just fine on your own."

"Talk cute again, blonde, and you'll be staying in the bed as your patients, in a coma!" Tabitha said.

"Yeah?"

But my mom steps in front of Jillian. "You lay one hand on her and I will leave all of your sorry friends reading legal text for a decade!"

Sometimes I forget that my mother is a lawyer.

Brock snickers at us. "You're seriously gonna let your mommy and daddy finish your fight for you?"

"This wasn't a fight," I said. "This was a lesson. And again, a warning. I know for a fact that some of my friends were going easy on you, and apparently that was more than enough for you guys."

"Oh that's complete and utter bullshit!" Ryan groaned.

"Oh yeah?" I asked. "Stand up straight and raise your hand if you agree with that?"

They do so, and almost all of them immediately start to groan in pain.

I wince. "Put your hands down."

They do so, and I look back to Angela. "They've had enough.

I then step forward.

"So...it's time to go. It was...an experience to meet you all, but we have stuff to prepare for.."

"You and I are NOT!! DONE!!!"

I continue to stand tall, stare straight at Angela and speak sternly. "I've done what I set out to do, so that means I'm done. Now all of you...are going to turn around, and get out here...."

"Why should we do that?"

"Because you're deranged leader got you all injured, you should all be in a rush to get out of here!" I said.

"First you can't decide whether or not we wanna go anywhere. And second...Angela never lets us down, when it comes to delivering justice!" Tabitha said.

"That doesn't matter, we still need to go," Venus said.

"You're really gonna make us leave before I can get payback on this little shit?"

"Who are you calling little, PeeWee?"

Brock laughs. "You're REALLY asking for it!"

"Now hold on, maybe we have done enough," Donnie said.

"Like hell we have!" Ryan added.

"Will everyone just shut up for one moment-!"

Then Lexi yanks on Angela's arm. She especially looks the most hurt. "Angela, Venus is right, we should just go-"

"I SAID SHUT UP!" Angela shouted as she shoves Lexi off of her. But, she shoves her to where she falls to the ground, and nearly everyone flinches when we hear a crack.

"Lex?!" Shouted the girl Veronica, trying to approach her, but Tabitha shoves her back. "It's her own fault!"

"What?!"
"She shouldn't have talked back!"
"Aww hell no@"
"Are you kidding me?!
"Guys stop this!"
"Are you guys stupid right now, what are you-?"

As they argue, Lexi is clearly in distress on the ground. And, Wes steps away from me to kneel down to her.
"Hey, are you okay?"
Lexi flinches when she sees him.
"No I'm not gonna hurt you."

Johnathan steps down too. "Here. Can you stand up?"

"I- I don't know..." She groaned.

"Well here. One two, three."

"You guys all know, don't ever interrupt or talk back whenever I'm-" Angela yelled out..

Then when she turns ber head, her eyes freeze when she notices that Wes and Johnathan are tending to Lexi, looking at her arm.

"Hey! What are you doing?!"

Johnathan squints. "She looked hurt, so we're making sure she's okay."

"She's a Conqueror. She can handle her own shit," Angela said.

"Not if you are as scrawny as her," Madison commented.

"Hey, you don't get to tell my girl what she can do with her body," Snake said.

"Wait a minute, she's your girlfriend and you didn't even check if she was alright? Why is that?"

"Why should I answer that to the girl who was beating on her earlier?!" Snake yelled.

"Don't change the topic," Vinnie said. "Is this something you do? Ignore your friends and coworker just to kiss up to the boss?"

"That's what we always do. Focus on the goals and do whatever it takes to win," Brock said.

Then i scowl at Angela. "So...you're telling me that you teach your own group to ignore when the others are clearly in pain. Even if it's their own sibling or spouse?"

"If that's what we gotta do to win-"

"And WHAT IF YOU DONT?!!" I shouted. "Then what, you just let someone get hurt and fractured and leave them on their own!"

"Yeah man! I mean Snake, what does it say about you as a boyfriend if you're willing to just completely ignore your girl when her arm is broken?!" Wes asked.

Snake scoffs. "Yeah like you'd take better care of her?"

"I already have bro. You saw it yourself man."

"Wes?" I said. "Some of you are friends right? Why would you just ignore one another just for one person?"

"Can it! Like we should listen to the guy who broke a girl's nose. She's right about all of this, as always..." Snake said.

"Oh sure. Go ahead. Say all of the things that you WANT Angela to hear," I said. "That's what all of you do." Angela subtly grins at me as I'm scolding them all like this. And I notice this. "But why don't you start telling Angela how you really feel? Why don't you all just admit that you're starting to lose faith in her."

"Bullshit. Bullshit!" Tabitha hollered. "We know who she is and what she does. We never question her and we never will."

"Wrong Tabitha." I then turn to Angela. "Let me tell you something, I know two Conquerors right here who are losing faith and are doubtful of you, Angela."

Angela snickers arrogantly with a big fat ugly smirk. "Oh yeah?! Your two little friends?! That doesn't count dipshit."

"No." I take a step back and point my finger forward. "It's these two. Brock and Snake."

Angela and all of the others slowly look over at Brock and Snake who are stunned and confused. So they laugh it off.

"Oh sure. That's really funny."

"Yeah, just because he talked back with her yesterday and I just talked back at her, that DOESN'T mean anything in regards to how we believe in her...." Brock said.

I approach them with a sneaky smile. "You think you can lie, under the eyes of God?"

Brock then reaches out and lifts me off the ground. "You want another rib bruise, dick?" Brock said, grabbing onto me.

Madison flinches. "Albert, what are you doing?"

"Albert? Dont!" my mom pleaded before my dad holds her back.

I smirk. "Acting irrational doesn't prove that you're not lying. I've seen her looking at you today. She's doubtful of you as well.."

Brock sneers at me. And forcefully forced my feet to the ground and shoves me back.

Angela sighs. "You may have gotten into his head yesterday. But he's not gonna fall for it twice. And your stupid words aren't enough to make him lose faith in me..."

I stand back up and smile. "With all due respect, I'm not talking about yesterday. If I were then why would I expose Snake's doubt as well."

"I haven't doubted a Goddamn thing," Snake immediately replied. "And you have no proof that says otherwise...."

"Oh yeah?" I then show off a grin as I turn my head around. "Hey Mark? Why don't you come over here and help me explain their doubt to Ms. Fox...."

Mark squints at me, and so does Snake. "Explain what?"

"Explain the truth about these two. Because You both know how they really feel about your Fox over there. And so does he...."

Brock looks at Mark suspiciously and laughs out before turning back to me. "What are you talking about?"

"Don't you remember? Him and his wife? They were there. They met you there on the beach...and they heard what you said about some kind of a...partnership or something. Isn't that right, Pastor Mark."

Mark glances at me, and I wink. And he instantly understands what I'm doing:

Twisting the narrative to where instead of it being Cheyenne who overheard the conversation that she told us about...that they were the ones who heard about it.

Mark smirks and steps up next to me. "That's right, Albert. I overheard something about Forty Lashes, and how much you two hated it. That you were on the fence about it."

Snake and Brock's smiles fade away and now they begin to look nervous.

"Wait, you heard that?!!" Snaked asked.

"The bush!" Brock said with his eyes widened. "You're telling me that YOU WERE THE ONES HIDING-"

"Wait, what?!" Lexi asked out.

"You mean what they're talking about is true?!" Angela yelled out. "You were really talking about all of it behind my back?"

"They were." I said with a chuckle. "And uh, Mark...why don't you tell her what they said about Angela. I can't remember exactly how you phrased it, what-what was it?"

Mark then tucks his hands into his pockets, and stands up straight with a smile. "I believe one of them said...that you were insane." Snake hears this, and his eyes widen as he is caught. "And the other one said that he knows he's supposed to trust her- you," he said pointing to Angela. "But...that he didn't believe he could trust you with this."

Brock flinched back, looking nervous. "No. No I- I didn't mean it like-"

"Hold it!" Ryan and Tobias then step up. "Dude, there's no way he said that. We would've heard it!"

"Yeah!" Tobias added.

"Exactly," Mark said. "Except I clearly saw you two running up a hill to meet them after they said this. So you left them alone for a moment, leaving them to say whatever they wanted...."

I then take another step closer to Snake and Brock. "And this isn't about either of you two. What we're saying right now has to do with you two. And you Conquerors only share the truth...right?" Brock and Snake look at me, and are extremely irritated. But they know they can't back out after that one. "You wouldn't wanna start lying to Angela if you really trust her so much. So why don't you tell her. Are we telling the truth about you both?"

Madison, Theresa and several of our friends seem surprised and impressed.

Vinnie, Wes and Johnathan are smirking due to my smart thinking.

Brock folds his arms and lowers his head, closing his eyes and letting out a heavy exhale. "Yes, we said it..."

"Dude?!" Snake blurted, shocked that he is confessing.

Some of the Conquerors gasp..

Then Angela turns to face them both. "Guys....? You would seriously talk about me behind my back?"

"What exactly were you talking about?" Donnie asked and that's when we notice that several of the other Conquerors behind them are even more suspicious as they look to Angela and the other leads.

Snake then sweats and turns to Angela. "Something that a certain someone is delaying to tell you all about!"

"Shut up, you idiot!"

"Why? They're gonna find out about it eventually, so why are you of all people keeping a secret from them?!" Brock asked. "I mean REALLY-!"

"You fool!!" Tabitha shouted, pushing him to the side.

"T- Tabs..."

"Don't Tabs ME, you filthy weasel!" Tabitha shouted. "I can't believe you! After all we did for her and what she did for me and you...you're this unloyal and this unfaithful?!!"

I nod my head. "That's right. They are...."

Brock then turns and sneers at me. "You filthy little- RRRR!!" Tabitha groans out in anger.

"And so are you, Tabitha."

Right then, Tabitha's eyes widened with offense.

"What?!!"

Lexi starts shaking her hands anxiously and approaches Angela and Tabitha. "Okay that's enough, we shouldn't all be turning on one ano-"

"And so are you Lexi."

Lexi also widens her eyes. I then look to the rest of the group.

"And Ryan. And Tobias. And Declan. Donnie, Griffin, Ronica. Antoine, Raymond." Suddenly all of the other Conquerors are glancing at each other confused and Angela is looking at all of them with suspension.

"Isn't that what you said, Angela. That whatever you think...is exactly the way they all think and feel about it. What they do, what they commit, what they think, is exactly what everyone else thinks or wants. Which means that if one of you were to suddenly start questioning, you all start to question the same thing, because you are all part of the same Kingdom that Angela talks so highly about. I mentioned earlier that your so-called kingdom is really more of a Cult and now, you see what I mean. Because you were forced to make a confession...and you're being questioned, on faith...and loyalty."

Angela scoffs. "That's ridiculous."

"Maybe. But what you fail to realize, Angela...is that this uncertainty has been going on for a while.Now, I'm not gonna name anybody, but there are those among your group, who have privately confessed to one another that your lust for violence and harassment, is obsessive."
Antoine hears this, and looks down.
"Those who believe you are dangerous to work due to how you handled Dustin's death."
Raymond hears this and does the same.
"Who believe you are irrational, who doesn't know when enough is enough, and yet you decide to say they lack understanding."
Donnie hears this and does the same.
"That you are too obsessed with exposing otherwise, that you are obsessed with being too hard-core and explicit, that you are hopelessly ignorant to how stupid your names are,

"These are all things, that members of your own group have either thought, or confessed to one another, ABOUT YOU!!" I shouted pointing to Angela. "Why? Because you have made them too afraid to express these thoughts and worries to you. Someone who only listens to her own logic and her own mind.... And Angela may have convinced many of you that you are real Conquerors who own everything in the world. Well there IS a kingdom that you are all connected to, but you need to know the reality of where your place is within it, because to THIS woman right here, you are NOT the rulers of that kingdom, you are the Slaves! ALL of You are slaves to her, the one who makes everything about herself. The one who tells you what you can and cannot do or film. The one who demands you to go after certain people and groups and churches, heck, she had to order and demand that every single one of you would come out here. And do I have to remind you, that she gathered all of you here, to confront a guy who wasn't even here. In other words, she just wasted your time today."

"You think this is so clever?" Angela remarked. "Trying to- to manipulate and guilt my own followers into doing whatever you tell them?!"

"Me? Haha, you're the one who's accusing people of being unloyal traitors just for gossiping about you. Who's blaming an innocent woman for the injuries and spilled blood of her friends just for not being here. The only thing I'm doing right now, is saying what everyone is already thinking, and reminding them of what's really going on, and who you really are. Now I don't know if this can be said for you," I said before I stepped back and looked around at the other conquerors. "But the rest of you? None of you are past the point of being too far gone. You might be hated by others, but that doesn't mean that you're all stuck, that you have to keep being whatever they say you are, or whatever Angela wants you to be. And I promise....there's still another way for all of you..."

"Why are you saying this now?" Snake asked, squinting hard at me. "After everything that just happened."

"Because the harshest and roughest lessons are oftentimes the ones that teach us the most. Everything that happened today, everything I've been saying...I just want all of you to think about it. To think about whether or not, All of this...is truly what each of you want? Is this is what you want to be remembered for, someone you've ever wanted to be....? And if it's not, then you can still decide on your own. Because the freedom of free will, making your own choices, Being your own person...I believe that's why Jesus came. And that freedom is a right that we all deserve..."

Then all over the driveway, several of the Conquerors actually look like they're taking the time to process what I'm saying.

Then behind me, all of my friends and family are amazed by the impact my words seem to be having on these people.

"Well I'll be damned..." Jillian whispered.

"Man, I knew my brother would be a good preacher or something but, this is crazy."

"Your brother's practically brought us all to church today...."

Then, even Brock, Snake and the others start looking down, thinking about this too, causing Angela and Tabitha to look around in disbelief.

Phoebe and Miranda are smiling to each other when they notice this. And Vinnie, Wes, Johnathan are all smirking at one another, snickering.

Mark then ends the silence by speaking out loud:

"Well how about that Angela? Johnson here isn't even an official stationed pastor yet, and yet he's convinced your own group to listen to him over you without question. Curtis would be bursting with pride if he were seeing this right now."

"And what he just said....I know that most of us feel the same way. And even if we don't....then it's okay. Because we're still family, and friends," Vinnie spoke up.

"Exactly. So if that's what all of you believe each other to be, then it should be the same way with you."

"Oh-?! WAKE UP, ALL OF YOU!!" Angela shouted. "Don't make the rest of us look like idiots! These are the same mongrels who attacked us, the same idiots who serve a church that is ran by a guy who scams people and steals-"

"It really doesn't matter what you hear or see, does it? You'll always reject it or try to manipulate the narrative."

"I'm not twisting it, I just refuse to ignore what offends me. What offends the REST OF US!!'

"What the hell Angela, I've been hearing the same words as you, you know this isn't offensive!"

"Well you weren't here, and while you were gone they practically slipped it right out of their mouths- HE, is hiding something! Someone! He is keeping something hidden, just like his fraudulent Pastor, and I refuse to stand by and let it go without bringing it into the open for all of us to see!"

"Even if you're the only one dedicated to do so?" Venus asked.

"Always...."

"And yet as we've explained today, you're hiding far more secrets than all of us combined. And according to Snake, there are some things, that you've been keeping secret from the rest of the group, things that they don't even know! ND yet you're accu-?!"

"STOP IGNORING THE TOPIC!!! And how dare you try to speak high and mighty before me, when you worship a bloodthirsty tyrant like your God!"

"The only one changing the topic, is the one who doesn't want to listen to reason."

"I don't hear reason. Just noise."

Then, I sigh loudly and roll my eyes with annoyance, and I prepare to speak out again. But before I do, I can hear the sound of another car door closing nearby. When I look to the front of the driveway, there are two police officers beginning to walk this way.

"Aww shoot...."
When I say that, several of the Conquerors begin to turn around and notice this. And while they do, Colton and I actually look over to our mother who looks to the ground awkwardly.

"What the-?"

"Gaw, what do they want?"

"I'll go find out..." Brock responded with a grin.

"No-No! I'll talk to them!" Wes grunted as he pries onto Brock and Snake and pushes through them as he hurries over to the officers. He stretches his arms out and approaches them on his...Wesley manner.

"EYY!! Commissioner Stewart, Deputy Ortell, how are you doing today?!"

"Doing well, rookie Campbell, now what's going on here."

"Oh this? We're all having fun and there's just a misunderstanding," Wes said.

"That is what we suggested to Mrs. Johnson."

"The people on this block have reported some disturbances here, and these people? They're blocking the street."

"Campbell are you bleeding?"

"I'm fine sir, but we've got this under control. We're just having some difficulty getting them to leave and all that..."

Ryan groans. "Shit. Looks like that little bastard wasn't lying about being an officer, after all."

"Yeah, and who's the bastard that tried to assault him just moments ago?" I replied. They look to each other, conflicted.
"Look, Wes ain't no tattletale, but still, I wouldn't test my luck if I were you."

"That's right, which is why you four need to quickly take care of them before we go any further," Angela whispered.

"Wait what?!"

"Angela-!"

"ANNDDD, we're done!" I yelled out. "Look, Angela?! As much as there is nothing else I'd rather do than stand here talking down to you, refuting your claims, and allow my friends to be the heroes in the situations you're forcing to unfold until the end of time...I literally have a dozen better things that I could, should, and NEED to get to work on. And before we go Any further, I want all of you to think hard about what Angela just asked you to do."

Brock and Snake snicker. "Just what are you Trying to-?"

"Now hold on, I think you might've misheard me. I don't want you to bark back at me, not stsre at me mindlessly. I want you...to think...about what Angela just, asked, you to do," I spoke out.

"Why? What about it?" Snake asked.

"You guys and your whole company got put on blast after Angela revealed some shade and dirt about yourselves that led to storm titling you "demonic" and "psychotic." Your applications have gone down the toilet and people in the street are giving you a hard time. If you walk over there, attack two police officers who could easily report you after we tell them that you're pornographic actors, and if that word gets out to Storm or anyone else who is familiar with your work...you're literally giving everybody a million other reasons to be angry at you. To never want to work with you again."

Snake, Brock and some of the other guys are frozen after this, but Angela, of course, speaks out before they can.

"Oh piss off you shithead. The law doesn't mean jackshit, not to us! Not to anyone! The only always that matters is our own!"

"Yeah!!" Declan added.

"Maybe so, but that doesn't change the fact that if you assault wither of those two officers, you're going to get in trouble amd possibly arrested. And if you get arrested, then that means all of the other Conquerors at the airport, they're going to be stranded, because they're waiting for you. You can't take them home if you send a mssage to them."

"Oh is that so-?"

Wait," Snake said. "He.... He has a point."

"He does?"

"He Does?!"

"You said this was about protecting our reputation. How would attacking these people or the cops in fromt of each other for no reason help us in any way?"

"It doesn't!" Vinnie said. "Because they don't have anything to do with this. And neither do any of you! Like we said before, none of you were involved in what happened years ago."

Venus hears this and smiles. "Finally, someone else knows the same truth that I do."

"Oh put a sock in it, Venus!"

"That's enough. Now I already said that we're done. So are you?" I asked.

Venus then turns to Angela with a scowl. "We. Need. To Leave!"

"We can't and we WON'T!"

"Why not?!"

"Because we still need to FIND CURTIS YOU IDIOT!!!"

"Even if we told you where he was, you won't be able to find him without missing your flight in LA," CJ said.

"He's that far away," Miranda commented.

Venus looks around at the other, and finds hald of them conflicted and the other half enraged. So she speaks out. "If you all wanna screw around, fine. But I say we need to go, and I'll be waiting on the bus til this is all done."

"Venus?!"

"You're leaving us again?!"

"If we stay any long, we're gonna leave everyone else alone and waiting over there. They're not gonna fly home without us."

"So what, we can always schedule another flight. You really think taking you all home is more important than this?!" Angela said.

And at that point, some of the Conquerors start to look at Angela...differently.

"No, I told you. We need to focus on what's next, and getting some time to rest. That's what I decided snd I'm sticking by it. If you all don't wanna agree, fine. But I'm going." She walks off. Angela grins as she watches her walk off, and turns to me looking maliciously.

But then Donnie speaks out. "I'm going too."

Everyone turns to him. "What?"

Edd and Nate lean into his face. "Did that dude get into your head, trick you to not see him as a dick?"

"No. He- He's a dick, they all are! At first I thought they were making up shit, but...it makes sense, what they've been saying," Donnie said. "C'mon guys enough is enough."

Angela turns around in surprise when she hears this, just as I mentioned earlier.

Nate just slaps him on the shoulders and just gazes at him. But Donnie just shoves him back and walks away.

"Oh sure, be a quitter and waddle to mom, you loser," Angela mocked.

"Oh, real mature of you," said another guy, Joshua, walking away.

"Well then suck off, and have fun, cuz I'm out," Raymond said.

"Dude?" Romeo yelled.

"No dudes, we've already wasted enough time."

"Yeah we shouldn't have come down here," Antoine said turning around.

"We're not splitting up," Griffin said.

"That isn't up to you, dickhead." Griffin then tries to approach Antoine.

"Griffin," Veronica said, giving him a stink eye. Then she looks at Angela. "Just let them go. You brought us here to get justice, but all you're doing is slowing us down."

"They've been saying he's not here, and I don't think they're gonna crack and give any directions," Chelsi added. "So let's just-"

"SHUT UP!! ALL OF YOU!!"

"Let's just cut to the chase," I said. "All of you have heard what Angela just asked of you, and you can hear that she still insists on keeping your friends at the LAX airport waiting, and keeping the rest of you here and antagonizing me and my friends once more. If ANY OF YOU are NOT on board with this, if you don't feel like this is what you want to do right now, then don't even waste your time by speaking. Your bus and cars are right behind you. Just turn around, go load up, and wait for the others until they're done. Nobody other than the Fox is keeping you here, so.."

And then, to Angela's horror, everyone turns around and walks toward the bus and cars, except for Brock, Snake, Declan, Ryan, Tobias and Tabitha.

Even Lexi turned around and went running for the bus, much to Snake's surprise.

"Hey! Lexi?!"

"Her own choice. And I'm glad. Seeing how easily she breaks and bruises," I said.

"Why does that matter?" Tabitha asked.

"Maybe because we don't wanna watch someone so frail get beat up. And neither should any of you!" Phoebe said.

"Don't act like you care," Tabitha growled, stepping forward. "We All know that you-!"

"ENOUGH!!" Snake shouted as he yanks Tabitha back by fhe arm and throws her to the ground. The others gasp.

"What the hell?!" Angela shouted.

"Snake, what'd you do that for?!" Brock added.

Snake then looks around at all of you. "He's right...!" He said, much to Angela's displeasure. He notices this, and takes a deep breath. "Angela, you Know that I trust you, and I'll always be around for you and the others. But this is pointless. And he's right, we do have out own friends and families ro worry about. WE ALL DO! So why are we forcing their hands like this....?"

"You said He was full of shit, and that I was right about him? And I already proved it to you! HE....is hiding something. Or someone from us!" She said pointing at me.

"Yeah? Well...we both know what it's like to hide something for a good reason," Snake said. "He could be doing the same."

I smile and nod my head. "I'm sure you do. And just remember, she's put you in charge of the group. Put all of you in charge. So...ACT like it. If not, you're condemning your friends to not go home just as much as her..."

Snake, Brock, Ryan and Tobias all hear this, look down, and nod their heads. Then Snake finally says, "Yeah, I'm not doing this."

"Me neither," Brock said.

"Come on, let's go." Ryan said as they all started walking way.

"What?" Tabitha jumps back up. "You're really just gonna leave us all on our own against-"

"Shut up, and come on!" Brock said yanking her to her feet and dragging her along.

Declan snickers at this, until Snake shoves him back. "You too."

"Uh, guys? GUYS!!" She cried out.

I fold my arms and smile. "And then there was one."

My friends all see this and smirk looking at each other. Theresa and Madison look to each other, surprised by my newfound boldness and impact. My parents are especially impressed, finally seeing me stand up to people like these.

One of the officers then notices Tabitha and Declan being pushed and dragged along, and he steps over to them. "Excuse me, is there a problem here?"

"No. Not at all."

"And don't worry, we'll leave in a few minutes."

Wes hears this, and smiles. "See, what did I tell you? My friends and I have everything under control!"

The officers hear this and nod to him. "Well, good job Mr. Campbell. Sorry for interrupting your day!" he shouted to us. They then start walking away.

Wes then waves to them. Wes then awkwardly glances at the Conquerors. "Well boys, It was...fun, meeting you guys!"

"Hey?" Wes turns around, and he sees Lexi showing him a smile. "Thanks..."
Snake notices this and looks to Wes in suspicion.

Wes just smiles, nods and jogs back to the others. "Okay so, I take it we're done with this whole charade?"

"Even if we're not, she won't be able to do anything," Mark said.

"Yeah, not If Albert can break her nose so easily," Madison commented.

"So what's it gonna be, Annie?" Vinnie asked.

Angela looks around at a lot of us and sneers, shaking her head with a growl. "You all must think you're so high and mighty, so full of it." Then she looks up at me. "I want one answer, and I want it now. How did you and your friends know some of our weak points?"

"Oh? That was a result of some research I did," Vinnie called out.

"And us," Isaac said as he and CJ raise their hands.

"And how did you find these things...?" she lowly asked.

"Yeah, well..." Vinnie folds his hands. "It turns out that you've pissed off so many people, that some of them decided to take notes and write a few blogs that reveal some of that information. We only read it briefly, but it turns out, we read enough to know how to handle ourselves against you."

"Yeah, so they better run, unless they wanna get it even worse," Duncan said.

She then shakes her head. "They're not leaving. Not without me."

"Which is why we're done right now. When I turn around and walk away, all of us are gonna go baxk inside, and if you follow us, we'll just knock you out and...well, Johnathan already knows where to take you," I said.

She shakes her head and stammers. "I won't- We won't stop. We won't forget about this..."

"Oh I know. And I don't want you to. I want everyone in your group to know what just happened today and I want all of you to dwell on these words, whether they heard them from me, or one of you. It might divide some of you....but that's how important this message is going to be for all of you."

Angela then widens her eyes. "Kingdom fall... A house divided against itself-"

"Now you're getting it.... One way or another, you can't stop what's happening. I'm just helping it move along." Angela looks up at me and leers so aggressively. I then smile. "But for what it's worth...I'm glad that I got to meet you today."

She scoffs. "Why is that?"

"Because by the end of this week, I'm gonna be moving away, and I won't be back here for a long while. And I would've hated to have you come here and attack my friends and Curtis knowing I wasn't there to help. So...now I'll feel better, knowing that you're not as big of a threat after all."

"At all?"

"Of course. We have documented information on all of you, including weak spots. And thirty of us succeeded in fighting thirty of you, and we have far many more people in our congregation. Some of which, can do even greater damage than what we did. So there's no point in being scared about any of them. And above all...now that I've seen you for myself, I realize...that we don't need to worry about you. Without these guys, on your own...? You're nothing. Nothing compared to God, and nothing to us. You're not a threat...and you're not even worth anyone's time. And when they realize that...they'll refuse to listen and know how much you've just been using them, for your own needs." Then I lean down and whisper. "The same way...that she realized how much you hurt her..."

Angelas eyes widen when she hears this, and now, she's suspicious AND enraged.

'Well, seeya!"

But unfortunately for her, when I lean back, I just turn ny back to her and start walking away. Vinnie, Wes and Johnathan walk alongside me, and then everyone else turns their backs to Angela and start walking away, leaving her alone.

Miranda runs up to open the front door, and that's where me, Vinnie, Wes, Johnathan, Mark, Phoebe, Mitch, Madison, Theresa, Colton, Duncan, Patrick, and CJ enter.

While Gage and Harry lead everyone else behind the house. "Come here. We'll need to carry everything out here. It's gonna be finished by now."

Angela relents as nearly everyone is out if sight, and she shamefully turns around with a loud groan and starts walking back to the bus.

Donnie scoffs. "About time."

"Let's go," Joshua added.

Bryce scoffs inside the bus. "Yeah run like a bitch, as usual."

Zackary hears this, and he seems conflicted about what he had seen and heard from the windows.

Brock sighs. "Looks like the big catch is gonna be the one that got away."

Everyone loads up except for Declan and Tabitha.

Declan snickers. "So it's true? Johnson actually did that to you? No wonder you hire guys like me to protect you."

He prepares to board the bus. "Wait."

He slowly Turns back and seems....curious about Angela's expression. "Declan...you used to live here. So you're familiar with this youth group?"

"Well....I wasn't involved in Divinity for too long but, yeah I know a fair bit. Enough to know the layout."

Angela grins, beginning to think. "Then by all means, enlighten me," she said before tossing him keys to the car behind the bus. "You're riding with me. Just me."

Declan slowly begins to smile. "Whatever you say...boss."

He walks off and Angela leans against the bus beside Tabitha. "This was a disaster. I can't believe that guy had such nerve."

"He's a moron if he thinks he can question you," Tabitha said. "So what'll we do now?"

Angela scowls. "Wait. Soon....we're gonna get to work. So we can wipe the smile off that arrogant little shit."

FINALLY, after such a long, intense, dramatic confrontation and mid-scale freaking fight against Angela and the other Conquerors, my friends and I unlock the front door and return back inside.

All of us walk down the hallways to return to breakfast. Mitch sets his gun against the wall. "Wow. That was fun!"

"Hmph. Easy for you to say, you didn't get thrown around like rag dolls the way we were!" Miranda teased.

"Then you must not have seen me getting slammed around by Mr. Dark muscles," Mitch joked.

"Those guys are strong, but they're obviously on steroids. And steroid muscles are never stronger than authentic muscles," Johnathan said.

"You've got that right!"

"Well as long as you're confident about that,"' Mark said. "But don't jinx it for us."

"Well, Angela seemed very upset," Wes said.

"With all the debate slams and truth bombs."

"Yeah! That was ALMOST just as enjoyable to watch as the brawl," Patrick said.

"This week oughta be fun, right?!" Vinnie said.

"Heck yeah. He's not the only one of us who's more confident about this whole, Defeat the Conquerors plan of Albert's!" Wes said. "Those guys won't stand a chance!"

"Glad you feel that way..after experiencing that, this is gonna work out even better than I thought!" I hooted. Then I grimace when I look at Vinnie. "Oh and uh, sorry about the driveway buddy."

"Hey, just be thankful that most of our cars weren't where we were brawling," Vinnie replied.

"Hey? We could stay if you want, that way the three of us can work to clean up all of this confetti," Patrick offered. Duncsn nods on response.

Vinnie looks to his older sister. Kim sighs. "I mean it's probably your idea so, sure. Aid my baby brother."

"SPEAKING of baby brothers," I spoke out. "Colton and I will be eith you in a moment."

"Okay."

They walk away and Colton turns to face ne. "Go on ahead. I know that youre in a mood right now."

Colton closes his eyes, and holds his hands out in front of his face. "Mom, dad, me and Jillian. We all say goodbye to you, in less than a week. You'll be on your own. For a LONG time."

"Yesss, this is true," I slowly replied, nodding my head.

"Just one...day... You were on your own for one. Day. And you started all this trouble...?"

"Pretty much-"

"All of thay chaos? All of that....IN ONE DAY??!!!!!" Then Colton just starts muttering out gibberish and flaling his arms around. "GAHHH!!!!" He then starts panting.

"You done?" I asked blankly.

Colton sighs. "Yeah, I think so. Thanks for letting me get it off my chest."

"It was a lot of stress."

"I just, I just can't believe you were plotting on all of this."

"I wouldn't call it plotting. But, I'm not ready to get into specifics just yet."

"Albert, you never appear ready to get into the specifics of a LOT of stuff, need I remind you-"

"BAD timing right now!"

"It's always about the timing, I swear."

I smile in response to his quip. Then I step over and move some of his hair to look at his forehead bruise. "You feeling okay?"

"Eh. Just a bump. I'll be fine," Colton sighed.

"I didn't know they were gonna show up, but I also didn't think you would be one to run into the fray against those guys."

"You kidding me? Those guys were annoying before, both the Pussies and the Shiners. But after what just happened? Nobody talks or comes after my family like that." Colton then steps back after I rub my thumb on his bump. "Hey c'mon, cut it out."

"Sorry bud, it's just- I got so worried. I was losing my mind when I saw you get hit by those rocks."

"And you think that I wasn't?" he asked. "You had like what? Thirty people surrounded you, and nearly all of them were tensed up. You had that whole group ready to murder you, EVERYONE!"

I then grimace. "Well just you wait. I'm about to make things tense with a WHOLE LOT MORE people just like them. But I believe, with all my heart, that we are going to witness something wonderful...."

Colton sighs. "Listen, if youre serjous about this, then I only want two things. First thing, I want in. And second...I just wanna be there to say goodbye when you leave. And I don't wanna do...any other type of goodbye, if you know what I'm saying...." His eyes become watery.

"Okay....?"

I smile warmly at my little brother. "Of course man..." Colton then smiles and we embrace each other. "But, before we do anything else right now, I...I want you to promise me something?"

"Oh no. What...?"

"Cheyenne. Her brother is with them now because of how they made her act towards him."

His eyes widened. "Is that why you were pulling your punches on him."

"Dude, I literally threw out all my strength and anger into Angela's face..."

"Okay. But why are you bringing him up?'

"Because you're my little brother. And I- I just want you to promise me this, that whatever happens in the future, I wanna make sure that neither of us ever let each other forget this one thing:" I then lean down and hug him tightly. "We're homies by blood. And...I love you, little bro..."

Colton hears this, and sheds a tear before he holds onto me as well. "I love you too big bro... Even if you are a Goomba Peasant..."

"I'm glad. Because I'm always gonna want SirNoobsALot on my team."

"Booyah."

Then Madison approaches us. "Hey?"

"Hmm?"

"Looks like assface just woke up." She said as Theresa and Jake dragged Sean over to us.

"Ughh..." Sean groaned. "Damn, what train ran me over....?"

"The train of business rejection," Theresa jokes.

Then I turn to Madison. "Hey? It'd be best if Jake and Max bring him back to Liana. And...that we keep this under wraps."

Jake hears this and turns to Madison. "You gonna be alright?"

"Yeah big bro. Just get him out of here."

"Alright. Come on?" Jake called out. Max and the girls walk out the door.

I then turn back to Sean. "Hey?" He turns back before he steps outside. "Why?"

"Why what, asshole?" He asked.

"Why didn't you talk? Why didn't you say anything about her?"

Sean just looks to the floor and shrugs.

"When it comes to secrets....I ain't no snitch."

I gaze at him. "Me neither."

Sean stares at me with slight confusion, but also, contemplation. "Hmm...."
He nods gently with a blank face.
"Antagonizing those guys is not a smart move. Even you should know that," Sean said.

"This is our home. I'm not the one who needs to step back. But you should, before my parents see you and call those cops back here," I said.

Sean gazes at me and then smirks. "I actually really like this new attitude on you. It's just a shame I won't be able to see it, one way or another."
I just turn my head and don't respond.

Jake then pats him on the back. "Let's go, Davis."

Jane and Penny give Madison a hug before. "Give us a call when you're ready to come home, okay?"

"I will." And her siblings leave.

Theresa then cracks her knuckles with a chuckle. "Bruh. I can't believe you just pulled a Hank Vogt on that Angela bitch."

"Yeah," I said before smiling. "That was fun!"

Madison then grimaces and asks out loud. "You DO realize that she's just gonna ignore everything that happened and come back again, right?"

I nod my head, which makes her squint harder.

"And...you're not even worried?"

"Why would I be? God's with me."

Madison steps back. "So, nothing about her concerns you at all? You're really not even worried a little bit?"

"Well if I WAS...I wouldn't have let her go. But I believe we've gotten the memo across the way I wanted us to. At least now, we get a nice diversion, some actual time to breathe for a while."

Colton squints. "Eh, I'm with her on this one. I seriously don't get how you could be so confident and calm. That freak looked like she had a million things up her sleeve. She seems so unpredictable!"

"Yes, but take away her insanity and overt sexuality, and maybe she and I are not so different," I said with a shrug.

"HA!! You're nothing like her!" Colton laughed. "I outta know that!"

I shrug. "That's what I tried to tell her myself. But that woman...she's basically a machine. And she's keenly intelligent. She's thinking ahead for every single step, taking mental notes of every little thing we say or do, just like I'm doing now."

"So why sre you so proud to compare yourself to a witch like her?"

"Because that's how we're gonna get her. By using her own game and tricks against her."

"Uh..."

We both turn around to see Cheyenne standing sat the end of the hallway with a towel on her head, and we step back. She looks at us and sees the confetti need outside, and the paintballs.

"Don't tell me I just missed something. How long was I showering?"

"Uhhh...?"

Madison folds her arms. "Good question. And you're not the only punk who's gonna need one today," she said before walking off with Theresa.

Colton purses his lip. "Hmm. She only called you a punk?" Then he grins before stepping back. "She's in a good mood today."

"If that's what you call it?" Cheyenne asked. Then she starts to squint, and notices some scratches and bruises on us.

"What....happened while I was gone?"

"Uhh?" Colton trailed.

"I told you, didn't I? We were doing some games in the driveway," I said.

"What kind of games did you play to get so banged up?"

"Hey. If I wanted you to know what that was, I would've told you. Really, I would've started telling you. For now on...we aren't doing any fun or games without you by our side. Because these are family activities."

Cheyenne then smiles warmly and chuckles softly. Colton then gives off a big grin. "Wow. That is awesome."

I nod my head and then I stand beside her, throwing an arm over her shoulder. "Shall we? Most of the other guests have already arrived. And...that game of ours sure made us hungry.

"Please, I'm starving....!!" I then walk her down the hallway, holding her close.

And little do I know that Colton stops following us halfway through....when he noticed Cheyenne peeking up at me for a second.

His eyes widen and he just chuckles to himself. "Oh, no way... "

Meanwhile as everyone gathers in the living room, Vinnie and Johnathan are snickering in response to Wes.

"Dude? No offense, but I think one of those guys hit you in the head a little too hard," Johnathan sarcastically said.

"I'm being legit," Wes whispered. "Im telling you guys, we HAD a spark."

Vinnie grins. "BULL-CRAP! Okay the only spark you got out of that was whatever reaction you bad down-""

"Hey now, the edgy ones have left the building, let's dial ourselves back down to PG, boys...!" Johnathan whispered.

"Wait, what are you two talking about?" Phoebe said behind them.

"Oh nothing here. It's just our old love-sick bachelor Wesley Campbell over here has the bizarre idea that that Lexi chick has the hots for him. That a Conqueror is into him-"

"Hey Cheyenne was one of them too."

"Yeah, except Cheyenne didn't try to swing back at you after you hit her...that didn't come out right."

Mark shakes his head. "Okay, I don't know what you meant by that last one but, are you sure you'd really wanna risk moving in on her?"

"Why wouldn't I risk it?" Wes asked.

"Uh, I'll tell you why: She's Taken." Phoebe said as she steps beside Wes. "That big Snake guy is her significant other."

"Yeah exactly. Like, are you really gonna sweep up his girl and irk him off?"

Mark said before he starts to chuckle. "I mean, did you even look at the guy she's going on with? This guy had me in an arm-bar like he was Dick Grayson despite being half a foot shorter than me. He's strong, rpufh and protective and you're just...you," Mark said, smiling.

Vinnie claps his hands it. Response. "Well spoken, Pastor Mark!"

"Ohh c'mon! Johnny?"

"I'm with the Tanner's on this one, buddy."

"Wow. So much for you guys having faith in me."

"It's not having doubts. It's called respecting the bro code. There's a stop sign at the couple's border lines," Vinnie said.

Isaiah and Duncan step back inside after carrying out a table. "Alright, that's the last of them," Duncan said.

"I'm sure you've all worked up an appetite after all of that," Isaiah spoke out.

"You've got that right," Josh said.

"Yeah," Mark said.

"So you all say," Cheyenne said as she and i enter the living room. She looks around at everyone.

"Hey, there she is."

"Alright!"

The people who were at our house party and heard her words, come up and shake her hand or pat her kindly on the shoulder.

Vinnie snickers. "Dang you shower long!"

"Hey I went without one for almost a week, give me a break."

My mom then comes up to us and embraces her. "You doing okay sweetie?"

Cheyenne smiles. "I am now but, what are you guys doing here?"

"Well we just wanted to see if you two were doing okay with him being silent. But then we saw that Albert and his friends had gotten themselves-"

"Into an intense game of tag outside the driveway!" I interrupted. "Right guys!"

"Oh yeah!" Vinnie said.

"That's us!" Johnathan said.

"Always being wild," Wes said.

I look at my dad and mom and wink with a grimace, to let them know I don't want Cheyenne to know about what happened.

My dad nods his head. "Right. Well, it seems like you're all doing okay. Can we expect you three back home after you're finished?" He said looking at us and colton.

"Yes Mr. Johnson."

"Yes dad."

"Yes father."

"Alright good." He walks past us and pats Cheyenne on the back.

"Don't overstuff yourselves," Mom said run out.

"Mom, come on!" Colton complained as Cheyenne snickers.

"So are you ready to join us Cheyenne?" Miranda asked.

"Yeah. But, are you sure you've got enough snacks for all these mouths?"

"Trust me. Miranda is always preparing for those scenarios," Vinnie said.

Then...Cheyenne notices a few cuts and bruises on their faces. "Hey? I know you said uou were doing tag but....why do some of you guys look beat up?

The guys and I grimace.

"Oh? Uh, that's just-"

"We were just, uh-"

"Aww come on guys, we don't need to sugarcoat it. What these are?" Mason said, pointing to his forehead. "THIS is all your fault."

Albert and the guys look over to him all wide eyed and they're mouthing questionable at him.

Mason shrugs. "Well I ain't gonna lie. You all know that she's the very reason that we got all these! What with that little party trick that your demons performed on the second floor was quite eruptive. The shocks and gases actually banged a few of us up a fair bit. Ain't that right guys?"

Then we all widen our eyes.

"OH! Oh, yeah!"

"Uh yeah,"

"That's right!"

"Yea I got smoked to the back!"

"Absolute mayhem!"

Cheyenne then recoils to herself. "Well...SORRY...!!"

"Ahh. It's alright!" Isaac commented.

"Well come on. Let's head out." We all step out to the yard where our tables are set up and start conversing, preparing plates.

Cheyenne is the last one to step out and Madison was behind the door listening. "Hmph. So a Conqueror just apologized for a mess she created?" Madison asked behind me. She turns to her and sees her rolling her eyes with a cocky smirk. "I really have seen it all now."

Cheyenne then bites her lip and nervously looks down. She remembers what i said about how we should start making peace, and she speaks out. "Well...hopefully that won't be the last time," Madison glances over and Cheyenne sits down and looks up at her. "Listen... I know it probably won't mean much but, I understand that I've made a lot of mistakes, a lot of messes, even before I became...you know...?"

"Hmm."

Cheyenne closes her eyes. "And, one of my biggest mistakes has been...not owning up to any of it. I've taken advantage of so many people, and I've hurt so many of the people I loved, and so many more people that I didn't know...like you and Lacey. And I've been running from my problems for so long...when I should've come out front." She rolls up her sleeve and sniffles. "If I had known I could've done that from the start, it would've saved me so much pain..."

Madison's eyes soften, and she looks down at her own sleeve. "Well, I know what that's like."

Cheyenne opens her eyes. "What do you mean?" Then she stammers. "And- what's with this sudden shift? You looked like you wanted to beat me to death just the other day. So what, one of the spirits left a heavy burden on your heart and you've learned how to forget and forgive?"

Madison shakes her head. "All I did was look myself in the mirror."

And right there Cheyenne just squints her eyes in deep confusion...until Madison rolls up her sleeves, and her eyes begin to widen.

Madison has scars all over her arms. Both of them. And these scars were very clearly carved by a blade.

"I grew up with so much doubt. Believing I wasn't beautiful enough, smart enough...tough enough...and none of those things really help if you're born into a family that has perfection expectations on you... My first mom made me feel like a screw up until I tried to end myself. CPS put me into a foster family out here, and I've always had a difficult time with...opening up, emotionally. But it was even tougher after that..." She looks over. "I didn't wanna let myself feel vulnerable like that, so I just lashed out a lot. I hurt a lot of people, several of these guys especially. I'd act like a bitxh around everyone, and then I'd feel so shitry about it that I would force myself to feel pain because of it. Then Albert and Curtis found me, and dug me out of those holes I threw myself into....and, things changed when I got closer with other people."

"And....Dustin?"

.

"I hadn't been with anyone else except Albert until I met him online. And knowing what happened between you and Dustin, i just wanted to let it out but... I really didn't have any way to," she said.

"Then, finally seeing you up close the other day. it finally gave me a chance to let out all of that anger I had built up.... And, it felt great...until I realized you never tried fighting back or defending yourself...."

"Well, I'm not really a fighter. That's more or my brothers thing."

Cheyenne sighs. "I felt like I deserved it. After everything I did back then..."

Madison blows out a puff of air and rolls her eyes. Then shakes her head sadly. "Well....if what they told me is true...you really didn't...and..."

She clears her throat.

"I'm...not very good at, apologies. I just-"

"It's okay. I- I get it."

Cheyenne then smiles softly. "So...does that mean we really are cool? You two and I...?" she asked, meekly raising her hand out.

Madison, with her arms folded, squints as she looks down at her hand. She glances at Albert, who gives her a sneaky side eye.

She also reflects on some of the interactions she saw with the other Conquerors, just moments ago. Seeing a new side to several of them, and how Angela really IS just being a control freak with all of them. Realizing how different they really ate, and now Cheyenne really has moved past that.

As she comes back to reality, she looks back to Cheyenne, who is still hanging, but also slightly nervous by the ongoing silence.

Til finally Madison smiles. "Yeah. We're cool."

She calmly said, holding onto her hand.

As Cheyenne smiles, Theresa scoffs. "I don't know if I'd say that. She still has her Phoenix flames all over her. She might still be too hot to handle."

Cheyenne actually chuckles pretty hard at that. "You're not wrong about that! But...I promise, I'm working to get it under control. I wanna do better. For real this time.."

Madison shrugs. "Good. And I'm sure our pastor friend would appreciate that too."

Cheyenne then glances at my back and bites her lip with a smirk. "Are you just saying that because you two were a thing?"

Madison snorts. "For the record, I never attacked you out of jealousy."

"Liana nearly fooled me once. You could fool me twice but-"

Madison then chuckles. "Well that's because Liana is a filthy insecure bitch." Cheyenne snorts out a quiet laugh. Madison grins. "Of course she'd lie about not being jealous. As soon as they became official the first time, she was stalking me like a Hawk. She even acted hostile towards Lacey."

Cheyenne squints. "Wait, why her?"

"Albert was Lacey's first kiss at her junior prom." Cheyenne's eyes widen, causing Madison to smirk before she sits down next to her. "Bet he didn't tell you that huh?"

Cheyenne chuckles. "Uh...uh-uh." Then she grins. "I bet she liked it though. Same with you."

Madison squints. "And how would you know?"

Cheyenne bites her lip and glances down, then Madison sighs. "You seduced him, didn't you....?"

"More like the other way around..."

Madison squints. "You shitting me?"

"No I shit you not. He's not so innocent as some of you think." Cheyenne smiles and starts chuckling softly. Madison does the same.

Over at the tables, I'm helping Vinnie setup the punch, where I turn over and see Cheyenne and Madison laughing.

I shake my head and sigh. "Aww man. Should I be worried?"

Vinnie looks at me and chuckles. "Dude, you just debated the Fox, survived a battle with the Kingdom, and now you're worried about those two girls becoming all buddy-buddy?"

"Oh c'mon. Like you've never felt worried when your best friend becomes friends with one of your exes."

"I haven't had any exes."

"Oh COME ON, that's a lie! What about Abby in sophomore year, or...Or Lindsey from the prom?!"

"I've been on dates before, but that doesn't count as dating someone."

I squint intently. "Sometimes you don't make any sense."

"Yeah but that's life. Come on."

A few moments later we're all sitting around the tables as Vinnie makes a speech about our friendship, our faith and our bonds.

And he ends it by saying, "If it wasn't made clear today, let me remind you, that love, conquers, all. Whether it'd be my love for our friends, our brothers and sisters....or our partners."

"Aha!" I raise my glass. "To Vinnie and Miranda."

"To Vinnie and Miranda!"

We all bring our glasses together for a toast.

"Alright let's dig in!"

And everyone begins to dine.

And that's the end of this chapter, but here's one more thing.

Epilogue:

Later the next day, Albert and the Amigos are sitting around in his room, talking about plans for their upcoming reunion and party.

"...okay and from then on, I think Joseph,, Patrick and I can take care of the other refreshments," Johnathan said.

"Then let's mark that off the list."

"Knock knock," Cheyenne said tapping on the wall as she enters the room.

"Hey, you and Colton back from the airport?" Vinnie asked.

"Yeah, and its blatantly clear thay I didn't brush my teeth before going, so I'm gonna fix that," Cheyenne said as she passed Albert's door.

"Sure. So...what are we gonna do about entertainment?" Albert asked.

Wes sighs. "Man, are they really making you look out for another band to play for the classes?"

"Yeah, Noah has vocal nodules, which means he and the Hair Raisers can't throw a throwback show for the reunion."

"And Maddie Bix dumped this whole task on you this morning? How are we supposed to book a new group in less than three days?" Johnarhan asked.

"You could ask the worship team to cover that," Wes suggested.

"No, that'll just seem like a cop out," Albert sighed. "And we all decided to keep our reunion and the youth worship farewell party separate."

Wes sighs. "Yeah, I guess it would be predictable, seeing how the reunion is taking place at the church."

"Hey man, something will come to us," Vinnie encouraged. "Now the sooner we can get the rest of this done, the sooner we all get to be men tonight."

"Still can't believe you're getting married tomorrow."

"Yeah I'm getting married. You're going to live in New York, Wes is becoming a cop and Johnny's got a wife and a kid."

"And you say getting to be men tonight as if we weren't already there yet," Wes joked.

"Well you know what I mean. As free men."

"Oh so you guys had bounties on your heads?" Colton said at the doorway. They all chuckle in response.

"Five hundred two five two five-five- SIX- and a-" Wes rambled, imitating an auctioneer.

"That's pretty good man, wow," Johnathan said.

"What are you guys doing anyway?" Colton Said.

"Going over some things. Making sure we have everything ready for Friday night."

"But, shouldn't you be busy packing?" Colton asked.

"Yes. Which is why I'm getting this out of the way now, so I'll have more time to focus on everything else throughout the week."

Johnathan then pulls out a list. "Alright so, what about this?"

He hands it over to Albert, and he skims through before giving him a squint eye. "You wrote down a list for what prank we should pull at the party?"

"It ain't saying goodbye to you without one more team effort for the road," Johnathan shrugged.

Colton shakes his head. "Man, only you."

"You're all dorks!" Cheyenne said behind the door.

"Yeah yeah yeah," Wes said, waving his hand down.

Albert starts looking through the list. "Eh. No. Too cliche. Ugh, we can't risk this one again. Nah. Oh, well, how would we pull this one off?"

"Which one?" Johnathan asked. He hands back the paper and points to one of his listings. "Oh that's easy. First we need to get-"

Then they get interrupted by a doorbell. The five of them all look into the hallway, squinting.

"Hmm? Are you expecting anybody big bro?" Colton asked

Albert turns to Colton with a tight squint. "Uhhh, not really."

"Hmm. A mystery," Wes said.

"Well, better take a look," Johnathan said.

Vinnie looks out the window after hearing a noise and he peeks outside. "Wait, guys. Hold up."

"What is it?"

"Uhh...There's a giant bus that's parked in front of the house."

After that, all of their eyes widen and they quickly stand to their feet. "Wait, what?"

"Another one?" Johnathan asked.

Wes then looks at Albert. "You don't think that those guys-"

"I- I don't know."

"Whoa whoa wait," Vinnie said, waving his hand down. "Okay, Now the bus is...leaving. it's going down the street."

The doorbell rings again and they all start to grow tense. "Man, what is going on now?"

Johnathan takes a deep breath. "Okay this isn't funny anymore. I'm getting the door."

Albert flinches. "No John, wait!"

"Guys?" Cheyenne asked. "Who's out there?"

They look at her.

Albert holds his hand out. "Just...stay here, til we know for sure." He then jogs downstairs door.

Cheyenne then grows suspicious. "What does he mean by that?"

Colton, Wes and Vinnie then grow nervous.

"What's going on?"

Albert rushes down the stairs when Johnathan is about to open the door with a clenched fist. "Johnny, hold up. John, we don't even know who's out there."

"I know. That's why I'm checking. Now stand over there."

Johnathan touches the door knob, peeks back at Albert and they both mod at each other.

Johnathan then dashes behind the corner when he swings the door open.

Albert looks outside and...there are four people standing outside the door. Johnathan watches his facial expressions, and he's confused.

'Excuse me. Are you Albert Johnson?" spoke a youjg voice from outside.

Johnathan doesn't recognize the voice so he comes out of hiding and peeks outside. Immediately he is confused.

"Who are you guys?"

And we're ending the chapter here! (Evil laughter!!)