As soon as Allie, Tobin and Kelsey make their way into the secret location - that happens to be an abandoned garage - silence becomes king.

Jess Fishlock is the first one to say :

"Uhh... Christen ? What the hell ?"

Of course the atmosphere is tensed.

Given to the fact that this it their team's secret location, and that they don't really like UCLA people, there was a very few chances that they'd take it well. And Christen obviously knows that, because she kind of looks at the ground.

After a few seconds, Christen sets her jaw, as Sam shakes her head :

"Guys" the blonde starts. "Listen, we figured..."

"Why didn't you ask before bringing them here ?" Lauren Barnes, backing up her best friend. "We are a team, you can't act on your own."

"Yeah, well, it's not like they aren't here now, so maybe we could talk ?" Christen settles, raising her eyebrows.

When she tries to lock eyes with Mel, she realises the blonde is purposely looking away from her. As matter of fact, she is staring at Jessie, who looks confused.

Apart from the ones she's already seen, Allie quickly understands that all the girls here are Shelina's friends. And when Haley gets up, she immediately relaxes.

The goalie shakes her head.

"I know them, it's okay" she says in an automatic harsh voice, that gets everybody to listen in total silence. She then stares at Jess, who ja frowning. "They're not here to cause trouble, at least."

The short-haired nods.

"Fine, come in" she orders, staring at the three intrudes. Her eyes are staying longer on Tobin, probably because she's already heard about how sassy the girl can be. "But if you say anything mean, you're out, got it ?"

Tobin only answers with a defying look, before Allie is here to save the day :

"Like we said, we're not here to cause any trouble. Actually, we are just trying to find a way to stop this madness."

"So are we" Lauren says, sighing.

There is an uncomfortable silence at the moment.

During which, Allie just looks around her. Melissa Henderson is sitting in between Jessie Fleming and Kailen Sheridan, who looks very tired. Then, there are Jess, Lauren and Haley standing next to each other, right in front of the Bruins. Last but not least, sitting on a corner of the room, her eyes locked on the emptiness, is Sam Mewis, who looks beyond fed up with all this. Allie knows how hard it is for her : she lost her sister, her best friend Steph, and her two runner up besties in Megan and Abby. She basically lost everything socially speaking when she decided to follow her dreams and come to Stanford.

Kelsey, who still hasn't said a word, stares at Jess, raising her eyebrows.

"We don't have to be friends" the goalie settles in a calm and diplomatic voice. All eyes are on her, but she doesn't stop. "But since we have the same goal, which is to stop certain people from hurting our friends, we should try to find a way together. Of course nobody personally know each other here. But we are on the same side : protecting Shelina means protecting Becky. And same goes to everybody here. So unless you really want to end your season the way it ended last year, I highly recommend you to hear us out."

Of course everybody know the brunette is right. Even Lauren Barnes nods her head, before sighing and sitting down.

"We don't want all of our efforts being turned into ashes by some girls that only want revenge"Jess settles, and some girls are nodding their heads.

"I think we should listen to each other and come up with something great so that both our teams can reach the Final Four and play their best to win" Haley adds, raising her eyebrows at her teammates. "What do you guys say ?"

There is scepticism in Melissa's eyes, which means she is not totally convinced by that. Christen knows that, but she doesn't dare to say anything. So the blonde points out :

"Even if we kick them out of the team, we won't be enough players to finish the tournament. And this also would destroy all we've built, and only be advantageous for UCLA"

Allie sets her jaw : the blonde is not wrong.

"Besides, nobody wants to join us" Sam lets out.

The three Bruins suddenly don't know what to say anymore. Suddenly, and without thinking at all, Tobin says :

"I guess we can bring Rampone down because she's already graduated."

There is a new silence, this time of hesitation. Before anyone can talk, Christen smirks and says :

"Plus : she's screwing the coach, and I have pictures that prove it."

Everybody turns on her, but Mel is the most angry/confused/surprised one.

Christen knows the blonde doesn't like her to be involved, but she doesn't really care at this point.

"When the hell did you take pictures ?" Mel asks, raising her eyebrows.

The forward doesn't even wink.

"When we were hiding in the dressing" she calmly says.

"What were you guys doing in a dressing anyway ?" Lauren asks, smirking.

"Especially on the coach's office...." Jess adds, staring at the two girls, smiling. "You guys really couldn't hold yourselves back anymore ?"

"What? No, we-"

But Mel gets cut short by a smirking Jessie, who says :

"Of course not, they're too much of chickens to actually admit that they're made for each other "

That makes Christen blush, as Mel has now her claws out :

"Guys, we are right here" she harshly says, not happy with their teammates. "Besides, we were here to steal Shelina's file, and fortunately enough we did right before Christie got a hand on it." she adds, quite proud of herself.

But when she realises something, her face drops and her eyes darken. The smiles before on her teammate's lips are now gone.

"What is it, Mel ?" Jess asks, worried.

"They have Kop's file" Mel says, her facial expression just saying enough so that she doesn't have to express how sorry she is. "We didn't have the time to get it and Christie asked Coach Riley to have both Shelina's and Kop's and-"

"Hold on" Lauren interrupts her, raising her eyebrows. She then turns on the goalie, who is sitting next to Christen now. "Do they have something against you ?"

"Absolutely not, my medical file is so normal it's even boring" Kop sarcastically says. "But there's still a problem."

"Which is ?"

"Hope is coming back tomorrow, and we all know she'll drag everybody in the dirt as soon as she can."

*

Stanford

The room is buried in a cold silence.

Hope Solo, one black eye from her time in custody, and a rather bitchy smile on her lips, is looking at the girls in front of her. Christie is not here : it is said that she left campus after her affair with Paul Riley was revealed by an anonymous source, as well as the fact that the school's committees efforts to hide the fact that she already was a graduate. Those recent events, plus the investigation going on in the meantime, are quite problematic.

When the goalkeeper stares at some of her teammates, they only see a dark sparkle into her eyes. She doesn't seem mad, or angry, or even upset. She probably knows - thanks to Carli and Ashlyn, her loyal dogs - that half of the girls in front of her are not on her side anymore. But as a brilliant mind and manipulative person, she always finds a way to rally the troops, and today is no exception.

Her husky voice resonates on the room just like thunder in the dark night when she says :

"I think this conversation is needed, due to the fact that almost all of you are having second thoughts about being on that team. And I am going to be quite direct : nobody is leaving, nobody is switching sides, because I have enough on all of you to destroy you. Try anything and Jerramy and I will make sure to make a hell of your life."

Even though she shouldn't, Mel gets up, fed up with the threatening going on. As soon as she is on her feet, she fires :

"You don't get to threaten us like that."

"Watch me" Hope lets out.

As soon as those words come out of her mouth, four boys - including her boyfriend Jerramy - come in and two of them grab Christen by the arms, forcing her to get up. One of them then pulls a knife out of his pocket and puts it under her throat. Despite the shock on her face, Christen remains still and calm, her eyes meeting Mel's. She is trying to communicate her courage, so that the blonde doesn't bend, but it doesn't work.

Only because Mel cares about her more than she wants to admit, and that immediately makes Christen feel something.

"Leave her out of this !" Mel snaps, her eyes throwing daggers at Hope, as she is trying to get to her.

If it wasn't for Jess' arms around her, Mel would've punched the goalie in the face. Some girls are now on their feet, as the newbies - aka Andi and Jessie - are absolutely terrified by the scene : it is not usual to see a knife in a room full of 'teammates'.

Hope smirks.

"Stand down, you puppy" she says, laughing pretty hard. She then looks at Christen, before going back at Mel. "You will do as I say, otherwise something will happen to her."

It is useless to say everybody on that room know about the obvious attraction between the two girls. Kop tries to calm Mel down, as Lauren steps in front of Hope.

"Let her go, Hope."

The goalie smirks.

"Jerramy."

The boy lets go of Christen, who is immediately protected by some of her teammates, as the goalie is not done.

She then adresses the whole squad :

"Try anything and I will bring us all down together. You brought down Christie, but you won't ever be able to bring me down. Get ready to face me if you doubt that, because this whole team is a lie, and I can destroy Shelina's life, as well as a lot of yours. And you don't want that. All I want is to finish this season with a great performance and get selected in the Draft. Was I clear enough ?"

There is an huge silence, and only some nods. There is not way out of this, Mel thinks to herself, upset, looking in Christen's way. We are trapped.

Hope then adds:

"And if I find out anyone is associated with a Bruin girl in any way... Then I'm going to murder someone."

*

About fifteen unanswered textes and a few more tears later, Megan is lying down on her bed, shaking her head. How could this end like this ? is the question running through her mind all evening long. She turned out the offer from her friends to go out, and then shut her roomies out just for tonight. She needs to be alone, with that pain in the stomach. "I don't love you anymore", those words that hurt like hell. Those words sharp as fuck. "I don't love you anymore".

When Megan throws up, she wonders : how could someone make her love this unconditionally ? Me who thought I had an Iron heart... where did it go now ? The only thought of Kailen in danger, or really not loving her anymore makes her puke more.

She lies down on her bed, in total darkness, and sends another text, the last one she'll allow herself to send because she doesn't want to be that desperate, or at least seems to be that desperate :