Her plan may have been dumb.

It may have been incredibly stupid and risky.

But hey, I got into this situation being an idiot, so might as well get out of it with the same mindset.

She hadn't told Maddox her idea yet. Mostly because he would try to talk her out of it, and she wasn't entirely sure if her plan would work.

After being dropped off and sneaking back into the house, Karmin sat in her bedroom, hunched over her desk, fumbling with the card Cesar Perez had given her weeks ago. She had to dig it out of her purse, but she found it. However, there was no phone number or address written on the simple white card, except for a black symbol of a fist.

Her eyes began to droop when she saw the clock. It was almost midnight. The lights were turned off, bathing her entire room with darkness, except for the lamp she used to examine the card.

"This is the most useless business card I have ever seen," she muttered to herself as she took a sip of water.

She twisted it to the light, bending it in different directions, but nothing. Karmin didn't have time to wait to see him at the fight club, so she needed to find something she could use to contact him.

Was there a secret message encoded in the ink? Was it only visible under ultraviolet light?

You know, if he wanted to recruit more people for his secret organization, he shouldn't make it that difficult.

She recalled all her knowledge from spy movies, and yet nothing. Karmin groaned, frustratedly laying her head on the desk. Her hand hit the glass of water, and she gasped, standing up quickly.

"Damn it," she swore, quickly grabbing random pieces of paper to clean up the mess. The water dripped down the wooden desk as some of it spilled to her textbooks, but most importantly, the card.

She swiftly grabbed it, patting it down dry, but it was too late. The entire card was drenched as some of the ink trickled down. Karmin sighed annoyedly, wanting nothing to crush it in her fists, but she had to stop herself when something appeared on the card.

With squinted eyes, she peered down at it. Numbers began to appear, and although they were faint, she could still make them out. Karmin placed the card under the beaming light of her lamp, the secret message now clear.

It was a phone number.

She jumped up and down only to realize her parents were fast asleep down the hall. Karmin immediately stopped, opting for a shake of her fists as a celebration.

James Bond has nothing on me.

Karmin pulled out her phone in excitement, typing in the numbers. She noticed that as the card dried, the message began to fade, so she quickened her pace. As the call went through, her heart sped up.

What was I going to say? Would he agree? He didn't exactly seem like the helping kind.

"Chinatown BBQ, how can I help you?" a woman asked.

She jolted in shock. She was not expecting that. Karmin glanced down at the card and back at her phone to see that she did indeed have the right number. As a matter of fact, this was the number of the Chinese place she would order from. She always knew there was something sketchy about that it.

"Um, hi there," Karmin whispered meekly.

"Would you like to order some takeout? Our weekly specials include Sichuan pork, chow mein, and steamed vermicelli rolls," she said happily.

Chow mein sounds good right about now.

She shook her hungry thoughts away, focusing on the task at hand. "Does someone by the name of Cesar Perez work there?" Karmin asked hesitantly.

The line went quiet for several seconds, and she thought that the woman may have cut the call. What would Cesar be doing at a Chinese restaurant anyway? Maybe this card had a typo, or maybe she was beginning to see things.

"Who is this?" she demanded, the tone of her voice no longer cheerful.

"Karmin Desai."

"One moment please," she said, now placing Karmin on hold.

Music rang through the phone as she waited for someone to pick up. She sat down on her bed with unease, and the song, If I Die Young by The Band Perry wasn't helping her nerves. Maddox and Zara had warned her about Cesar and his lucrative business. This had a high chance of ending badly, but she would take that risk if it meant no longer having to deal with Ares.

Cesar was an interesting man to say the least. She had only met him a handful of times, and he gave off peculiar vibes. Like a sinful aura with a clouded moral compass. He was intimidating like Ares, but not as terrifying. He made you feel comfortable like a devil disguised under a halo.

After a few moments of the ironic song, someone spoke. "Karmin, I can't say I'm surprised to hear from you. Although, it's a little later than I expected," drawled Cesar smugly.

"If you made it easier to contact you, it would have happened a lot earlier," she retorted as she quietly paced in her room.

He chuckled deeply. "I can't make it that easy. It's not a secret business if I have the number in plain sight."

"You had given me the card saying that I could make a lot of money," Karmin started slowly.

"I did. Are you interested?" he asked, and she could tell he was smirking on the other end.

"Not quite, but I am interested in your help."

"My help? For what?" wondered Cesar, but he sounded as if he already knew.

"I'm in some trouble with Ares," she explained as she stopped in her steps when she heard some creaking down the hall. Her breath halted, quickly tiptoeing to her bed and hiding underneath the covers.

"I've heard that he wants you to join him," Cesar commented thoughtfully.

"How do you know that already?" she questioned. It just happened. There was no way word got out that fast. Right?

"Nothing happens in New York without me knowing," he said defensively.

"So, will you help me?" she asked meekly.

"That's not how this works," Cesar refuted. "I don't run this business by handing out favors."

"Name your price. I'll do anything," she begged desperately. "Just not murder. I'm not made out to be a killer. I wouldn't even know where to start or where to dispose of the body. The woods? Middle of the lake? No clue, dude. I'm also not a big fan of robbery either, but I can make it work."

Cesar let out another laugh. "I think it's better if we meet. Say tomorrow at 1?"

"That works for me."

"Perfect. Look for Kai and ask for the Ferrum special. I'll see you here tomorrow."

Then he cut the call, leaving Karmin alone in the dark of her room. She just had one more favor to ask. So, she scrolled through the contacts, looking for the one person who knew more about Cesar and his business than she did. She clicked on the name, sending a quick text.

'Remember the warning you gave me? Well, I messed up, and I need your help.'

She put her phone away, not expecting a reply. However, she was surprised when her phone lit up.

'You don't want to do this.'

'I'm sorry, but it's too late. I didn't have any other choice. I'm meeting with them tomorrow. Come with me?'

'I'll be there.'

***

Author's Note:

Okay, so who do you think Karmin texted?? And anyone know what Ferrum is?? Here's a hint: it's a Latin name and the atomic symbol is Fe.

Until next time – m.k.t