"So, it all started when I first met Cesar months ago. I believe it was the first week of May. I was just a naïve kid, who had no idea what I was getting into," rambled Karmin as she tried to drag out the story to slow down their awaited deaths. "Our first interaction was a quick one, but we didn't talk. I remember I was too caught up in trying to get Ezra to schedule me my first fight. Oh, how long ago it seems," she sighed.

"I don't care about your nostalgia. Keep going," ordered Ares annoyedly.

"Right, right. For the next few weeks, I didn't see Cesar. Maybe he was busy with his secret organization, or maybe he had his personal problems. You never know what things are weighing down on people," she said intuitively.

"I think he was just busy planning assassinations or selling stuff on the black market," chimed in Maddox from his seat beside her.

"But how about his mental health, Mads?" urged Karmin. "Psychopaths can have bad days too."

"Okay, maybe he's a depressed megalomaniac. I don't fucking know," he grumbled.

Karmin glanced up at Ares and Lance, who looked as if they wanted to shove nails into their ears. "It's just so important to look at all the factors that influence our psychosocial health, you know?" she pointed out with a stiff smile.

"Get to the fucking point," Ares said through gritted teeth.

"Oh, where was I," she faltered purposefully. "Oh, yes! After having not seen him for a few weeks, he showed up to one of my fights. It was against Mateo Rodriguez, one of your men, who by the way, used an illegal weapon in the fight. I didn't appreciate that whatsoever. Where is he anyway? I have some shit to say to him."

"He's dead," said Lance shortly.

"W-what?" spluttered Karmin as she glanced over at Maddox to see him freeze in his spot.

"Why?" Maddox asked cautiously as his hand inched towards Karmin.

"Because he lost to you. I couldn't have the streets thinking my men are weak. They needed to die. I made an example out of them," Ares explained with a manic grin. He said those words so simply and with ease. It didn't faze him at all.

"So, all those people I defeated... they're all..." she hesitated shakily.

"All dead," shrugged Ares as Lance smiled wickedly at her.

Mateo Rodriguez. Andres Rodriguez. Sahra Omar.

She could never forget their names. They would be seared into her mind now knowing that she was the reason they were dead. Yes, she didn't have a choice at that time, and they were dangerous gang members. But all their blood was on her hands.

Would I have purposely lost if I knew the end outcome? I didn't know. I like to think I would have.

"Don't do that," muttered Maddox as he grabbed her hand.

"Do what?" she asked softly as she stared at her feet.

"Blame yourself. You didn't know," he said firmly as he squeezed her hand tightly. "This is all on him."

Karmin nodded, meeting his gaze. "I know."

But did I? Did I really see it as Ares's fault?

And after a few moments of thinking, she decided that it was his fault. She wasn't a psychic. She couldn't have known. All those fights and all that money were for her father. She couldn't lose if she wanted to. He was the one who decided to kill them. He did it.

"Now, can you answer the question without all the extra details?" drawled Ares.

Karmin attempted to speak, but no words came out. She couldn't help but picture the deaths of the three. It must have been brutal. Bloody even. She could imagine Mateo and Andres fighting recklessly and Sahra clasping her golden locket in her hand as the gang turned on them.

"We did a job for him," Maddox answered for her.

"What kind of job?" Ares pushed further.

Maddox shifted in his seat uncomfortably. "We hacked into the laptop of the Secretary of Defense," he remarked grimly, "and may have stolen government secrets."

A chorus of laughter broke through the tension as Ares and Lance chuckled deeply. They seemed highly amused by their story.

"That was you two?" wondered Lance with interest.

"I'm impressed," Ares whistled. "If I wasn't going to kill the both of you, we could've discussed your future with My Brother's Keeper. Even get you off fighting and into something more lucrative."

"Oh, how thoughtful of you," Maddox retorted sarcastically.

"It is," barked Ares angrily. "I could've given you so many opportunities to gain money and power. Why would you give that up?"

Karmin exhaled sharply as she snapped her head up. "There are a gazillion reasons as to why we would give that up! If I wrote a list, it would be so fucking long, it would circle the earth twice," she exclaimed as she jumped up from her seat.

"Sit back down!" ordered Lance.

She ignored him and took a menacing step towards Ares. "Let's start with the fact you kill your own people. You murdered them in cold blood because they lost some stupid fight," she shouted fiercely. "You're stingy with the money and only gave me 20 percent of my earnings."

"Kar..." called out Maddox softly as he stood up, reaching out for her.

She turned his head towards him, her eyes flaring in anger. "Shut it, bologna boy. I'm talking," she snapped.

Maddox looked at her lazily, motioning for her to continue. "Great, now I have social anxiety and Karmin anxiety. Just perfect," he mumbled to himself as he kept a firm grip on the back of her shirt.

Karmin twirled back around to face Ares, who had an expressionless look on his face as she spoke. "And let's not forget about this entire persona you got going here," she remarked, pointing up and down at him. "No one likes a demented, blood-thirsty killer with terrible taste in shoes."

"I'll be sure to bring up these issues with HR," commented Ares scornfully as his eyes flickered to his black loafers momentarily.

"Keep going," whispered Maddox behind her, and when she listened closely, she could hear him tapping on a screen.

She understood and continued with her much needed rant. "Good because I have more problems where that came from. Like the ugly tattoos. Edwardian Script font? Really? Newsflash, it looks tacky," she exclaimed with pettiness.

And that appeared to be the tipping point for Ares when suddenly, he pulled his gun out and pointed it at her. He was furious but most of all, sick of her. "I think that's enough talking for tonight," he said through gritted teeth.

Karmin took a small step back as she lifted her hands in surrender. "Woah dude, I was just joking. No need to get all murdery on me," she gulped nervously.

Ares pulled back the safety, glaring at her intensely. "I wasn't laughing. Were you laughing, Lance?"

"No, sir," smirked Lance. "I didn't think it was funny at all."

"Maybe because all your humor involves death and torture, Lance. Have you ever thought about that?" pushed Karmin with an accusatory tone.

Maddox tugged at her shirt as he spoke up. "How about we all just calm down and get back to our conversation? There's no need to ruin a perfectly good night with our deaths."

"What do you mean?" Ares grinned with a crazy look in his eye. "The night has just started."

Karmin's entire body tensed up when he took some steps forward. The barrel of the gun was getting closer and closer until finally, the cool metal touched her forehead. She froze and dared not to move a single muscle with the fear he might pull the trigger. Her breathing was shallow, and sweat rolled down her hairline as she tried to think of a way out.

"Come on, man," she pleaded with her voice breaking. "Are you sure you don't want that gift card? I'll even throw in those cute reusable cups. You look like a man that cares about the environment."

"As much as I would love saving the world from the horrors of plastic, I'll have to pass," he remarked coolly.

She exhaled shakily and knew that there was only one way she and Maddox were getting out of here. They had to fight. She just needed something to distract them. Anything.

Now's the time, universe. Give me a sign and make it obvious.

And then it arrived. The simple ring of Maddox's phone going off in the silent night, and that was all she needed when Ares snapped his attention to him as he swore under his breath to turn it off.

So, Karmin sprang into action and prayed that Maddox would follow her lead.

Thanks, universe. Just one more wish. Please let us make it through this night.

***

Author's Note:

Hi everyone!

So, we got a few more chapters to go. I think 3 more omg.

Let me know your thoughts on the chapter!

Also, I survived last week with no mental breakdowns, so I consider that a win hahaha.

Until next time - m.k.t