When Max came to he realised he was being carried in a fireman's lift. His head throbbed and he could feel his eye blackening, the blood pumping in his ears. He looked around and saw that he was high off the ground- whoever was carrying him was toweringly tall. Max's immediate thought was David and he allowed himself a second of relaxation.

But then he remembered everything- their escape, Snake's betrayal, being stabbed in the back...

"Get the fuck off me!" He yelled, pounding on the back of the person carrying him and wondering how he could ever have thought they were David. Their grip was strong, not gentle, and their shoulders were broad and sharp. They ignored his attacks and walked into a dimly lit room. Under a single swinging lampshade was a straight backed wooden chair, which Max was deposited unceremoniously into. He could finally see his capture: it was a huge boy a few years older than him with a buzzed head and freckles. His face was unreadable.

"Where am I?" Max demanded. "Where are Neil and Nikki?"

The boy didn't respond, but pulled out a length of rope and went to bind Max. Max struggled and the huge boy sank his fast into Max's stomach, knocking all the wind out of him and sending him wheezing, allowing the other time enough to tie Max's arms tightly to his sides, pinning him to the chair.

Max scowled up at him, and noticed Snake standing in the shadows of the room. Max glared daggers at him.

"Where are Neil and Nikki, you fucking traitor?" He said loudly. He liked using volume because it hid his fear. Stopped his voice from shaking.

"Flower Scouts," Snake said allusively.

"Fucking what?" Max yelled.

"Enough questions!" Snake snapped, and nodded at the tall boy, who slapped Max around the face.

Max grunted, his cheek hot, his black eye pounding in his skull. The boy hit him again and Max had to bite his tongue to stop himself crying out.

"Why do you keep hitting me?!" Max roared. "And why is it only cloudy over your side of the lake?"

"Enough, Petrol," said a new voice. It was commanding and a little nasal. "We don't want to over tenderise the new meat too much."

"Who the hell are you?" Max angrily asked the boy who had just stepped into the room.

"Edward Pikeman," they said. "It looks like you're out newest recruit." The boy who stepped into the light had terrible ache and protuberant ears, buck teeth and braces, and his eyes were sharp and yellow like a hawk.

"God your face is gross," Max said, without thinking.

Pikeman stopped. "...What?"

"Oh god... I'm sorry..." Max said quickly. "That just slipped out."

"Dude!" Pikeman said, affronted and hurt.

"I'm sorry. I know. That was mean."

"It really was!"

"It's just... you were so close!" Max said defensively.

"Enough!" Pikeman said, businesslike once again. "Enrollment into our camp has reached an all time low..."

"I mean..." Max offered. "Have you considered that enrollment is low because you guys do things like kidnap other campers?"

"Oh, we don't kidnap other campers," Pikeman sneered. "That'd be immoral."

"That guy literally stabbed me in the back!" Max shouted angrily, inclining his head towards Snake.

"No, he rescued you, when you ran away from Camp Campbell, remember?" Pikeman leered down at Max. "And now, we're going to make a Wood Scout of out you, Max..."