Hyde knocked on the door as Dee rolled her eyes and answered,

“Can we talk?” he asked.

“I guess.” She said as he closed the door behind her.

“Look, I’ve been a bit hotheaded lately. I think some of that is the side effects and some of that is just me. And I’m sorry. I’ve been controlling and disrespectful, but you have to understand why it upsets me when you flirt with other men. It makes me look weak.”

“Hyde we’re not even married, we’re not engaged, we’re just dating. You know what I do for a living, flirting is part of my job and my character, my online identity is the girl you MIGHT be able to get. You had me, and you ignored me when I didn’t put out. I’m a weird gal with a weird job, and I don’t think I can be with someone who acts like they own me.” she explained.

“How about this. I give you more trust, and you think about this till tonight. I have something special planned and I hope you appreciate it. If that doesn’t convince you, and you can’t give me another chance, then I’ll accept that we’re not gonna work out. I’ve put a lot of thought into this. I think we can work this through, but we have to both come to terms with some things and still want to. So, tonight, the arcade, 8PM, give me one chance to really evaluate this.”

“Okay…fine. Just us, just talking, total honesty and no expectations.”

“But don’t tell anyone. Please. Just tell everyone you’re going to the club, alone. I don’t wanna walk away looking defeated. Can you at least spare me my dignity if we know this may be the end of our path together?”

“Fine. You can keep your big manly dignity intact.” She shrugged.

Vicki sat at her laptop, looking at the faces of 3 suspected men, memorizing their expressions and details as she ran her fingers through her hair, turning it a dark purple, almost black, the dye staining her gloves. Jack smiled as he passed her, letting her know he was on her side. He headed to the kitchen, thinking about his food order, as Hyde strolled through and approached him.

“Jack, can I talk for a minute in private?” he asked, he nodded and followed to the tunnel. They stepped just inside the gate and slowed down.

“I’m worried about Dee. We had a fight the other day. I found out she’s been screwing around on me, and then I got confrontational, and assumed when I showed up to the arcade it was the guy from the club.”

“She cheated WITH you, and you’re shocked she would cheat ON you?” Jack scoffed.

“I know, I’m an idiot. I did Silverback wrong, and I regret it, but I’m trying to be different, and she will never change. I wanted to give it another chance, she didn’t accept my apology, and she said she was going to the club tonight, without me. I know she’s going to leave me whoever she’s seeing behind my back, if I chase her, I’m making it worse, if I stay I’m giving up. So I’m gonna stay the night in the gym, if she doesn’t come back in a few hours I’m going to just call her and say it's over. I need some time alone, but could you ask Vinn to check on me. I don’t want to ask him myself, it’s not how Delmarians handle things. It would just be good to have someone familiar around if I need to…get drunk, pump some iron, do some sparring. Get out some frustration." he lied.

“Sure. I understand. I don’t like that she’s going alone.”

“Yea well she won't be alone for long, she’s going to meet up with loverboy62 or whatever, one of her top donators no doubt, yes I peeked at her texts. One of us is getting the boot tonight. I just have a feeling it’s me. If you send Vicki with her, she’ll just make some excuse and know I’m checking up on her.”

“She’ll be fine. At least one way or another you’ll get closure. I know the unknown is the worst.

Dee finished doing her hair and headed out, almost running into Vicki.

“No.” she huffed, "Don't even follow me."

“I’m not stopping you.” Vicki said. “I have a life too. I’ll leave you to yours."

“I’m fine alone.” She insisted, as Vicki moved past her. “Well, I have plans I can’t be late for, so I’m going to the far end of the tunnels, and if you do need anything, call me.” She added, going on ahead.

“Shit, now I gotta wait, or we’re leaving together.” She said killing a few minutes in the kitchen with a yogurt just to give her space.

She arrived at the Arcade, climbing the stairs and looking for Hyde. It seemed oddly empty. Her phone rang and she picked it up.

“Hyde, where are you?” Dee asked with annoyance.

“In the gym, I pulled a muscle pretty bad trying to deadlift, I’m icing my knee.” He groaned.

“Are you kidding me? I have to walk all the way back?”

“No, I still left you something there, we can talk through this on the phone. Dee. You know how much I’ve changed since we first met, or since you first met Kraken.”

“Yea. You’ve changed a lot"

“Do you think people can truly change, if they really want to, if they have the support and someone there for them, can people really permanently change?”

“I think so. What is this about Hyde?”

“Dee, I care about you. It started as a fling, but it grew into something more, we both did stupid things and made mistakes, and ironically those mistakes are what got us together. We both lost someone special to us because of our stupid, impulsive ways, and they both found someone better. I’ve changed so much in the last however many months it’s hard to believe, and you can change too. Dee there is something for you in the skee-ball room, in a small box on the table. Before you open it, I want you to know I’m ready to be better if you’ll help me, and if I help you, you can be better as well.”

“Hyde, this is just who I am. I’m not a settle down girl. If it’s a damn marriage bead in the box, the answer is no. You may have changed, but I don’t know if I want to change, or need to. I’m just who I am, and I can’t change that if I wanted to, and I don’t know if I do. So you can either accept me as I really am, or you can not accept me. That’s our problem. You changed because you wanted to, and you needed to, but I’m not broken and in need of fixing. You were an absolute terror, a criminal, an actual villain who tried to kill my friends. You got a second chance to be someone different, and I’m proud that you aren’t that guy anymore, and chose something better. But I’m not evil, I’m not a murderer, I’m a slut, and a very successful one. It’s my body, and my lifestyle choice, and somewhere there’s a guy who understands that, but it’s not you. I know your options are limited with our old reputation and I tried to make it work, but we are just too damn different. You can’t even be here to say it to my face because you know I’m going to say no. You're faking a knee injury to avoid rejection."

“That’s not why I’m in the weight room, faking a knee injury. I’m giving you one last chance to not throw away something special, and you need to think very hard before you hang up, because I won’t beg, and I will not wait. I am willing to forgive your past just as you have forgiven me, but we have to be in this together. Tell me people can change, Dee.”

“Maybe you can, but I can’t, and I don’t want to. I shouldn’t have to change for you.”

“I was afraid you’d say that. So then answer me this…why should I have to change for you Any of you people?” he asked, “Why should I try so hard to be better when it gets me nothing in return but weakness and defeat? You’re right, Dee, you just can’t admit it. People can’t change. None of us can. We are what we are inside, and it surfaces eventually, and we return to ourselves. So I’m sorry Dee, I’m sorry you couldn’t change. Because neither can I. Goodbye.” He said hanging up the phone.

“The hell was all that about?” she pondered as she heard movement.

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“Hyde, I swear if you followed me to give another speech.” She said as she froze in fear, staring at a smaller figure in black, holding a pistol in her direction.

“Kraken says he’s sorry…I personally don’t believe it a bit, but that’s the message." he said, pulling the trigger with a silenced puff of smoke.

Vicki peered through the small opening of a metal door, as a familiar smile gleamed on the other end.

“You were supposed to call if you needed new supply?” Mike said, opening the door.

“I don’t need bottled blood. I need fresh blood.” Vicki said darkly.

“Honey the hospital chills that shit the moment it leaves the donator, it’s as fresh as you can ge-” he paused. “Where’s your dairy cow?”

“He’s not with me, he doesn’t know I’m here. He doesn’t need to know I’m here either.”

“You don’t want the blood, you want the human. Why buy the milk when you can buy the cow, right?” he smirked.

“You said you can get me anything. Can you get me anything or are you just full of shit?” she asked.

“I can get anything for a price. You’re just going down some dark tunnels, I’m not sure you wanna go down.”

“Well, how about you go with me for protection, Mike. Maybe we can sweeten the deal if you’re good at getting what I want.” she smiled seductively.

“Lady, you are playing with fire, but I have the supply.”

"And where do you get this supply?” she asked aggressively, stepping forward, cornering him with a sly smile.

“Oh, so you can cut me out and go over my head? Not a chance, sweetie. I can get you a human of your own, but you don’t get to walk into the field and pick her out yourself now. We have a system here. You pay me, I supply you.”

“What If I’m very picky and very willing to pay for that pickiness?”

“Then you’d have to talk to someone higher up than me.” Mike sighed.

“Oh that’s a shame. Then who do you think is going to get a special tip? I can’t just give that to anyone, or it’s not special anymore. Mike…you work hard.” She said leaning up against him. “Yes you do…do you ever get compensated for all that hard work or do you just get shit on like the man at the bottom of the pyramid scheme" she chellenged.

“I can give you a name, and you can look them up and be mysterious all you want, but you didn’t get it from me, did you?” he asked with a grin.

“Of course not, I heard it from another customer, some short guy with a beard, I didn’t get a very good look at him in the dark, loud club" she acted.

“Alvarez Jones.” He works the club security. Big guy with a mustache, always wears a black hat. You’re not supposed to know that name. That should get his attention.”

“Thanks, Mike.” She said, turning to leave, making sure he got to see her walk slowly in her heels.

“What about my special tip?” asked aggressively.

“I’m sorry, mike, we have a system. You see, you get me what I want, and THEN I pay you. I already bought a lot from you, so if this Alvarez can get me what I want, I’ll be back here for you, and you’ll get something for your troubles you’ll never forget. But if this is a dead end…well…someone else surely has a name.”

“Alvarez Jones, lady. Hat, mustache, he works every night, he’s probably there now. So you really gonna just leave me like this after all that foreplay?”

“Oh, trust me, I’ll be seeing you very soon. What you get depends on how good your information was. Bye Mikey.” She winked.

“Fuck.” He huffed, smacking the shelf and looking frustrated. “Lanky bastard better be working tonight.”

“HA!” said Nicole, slapping down her cards. “I get all your money, Jackass. Suck it, loser!” Jack marveled at his luck and slid the money to the center of the table.

“You seem lucky tonight.” He sighed.

“Not really. My boyfriend is babysitting Hyde for some reason, so instead of watching the Undead Marathon in nothing but a loose T-shirt on his lap, I’m fully dressed and playing poker in the game room with you, sober.” She sighed.

“Hyde may act indestructible, but he’s going through something weird. I don’t know if it’s medical side effects or just built up emotions over Dee, but I could tell he was fighting something inside. He’s not okay. He's dangerous when he's unstable.”

“He’s also a giant asshole, and even you don’t like him. Why are you being so sympathetic?”

“I’m not. I don’t give a shit about his feelings, but I do give a shit about safety and if a 900 pound wild animal on cocaine decided to have a rage fit because his girl left him for someone else, I want a 700 pound wild animal around to either calm him down or hold him down while I calm him down with a syringe. He’s unpredictable and volatile, and if things don’t go his way, Vinn can handle it, and I don’t want him going after her. I don’t know what he’s capable of, and I don’t like taking risks. So you’re safe in here with me, Vicki is doing her own thing, close enough to the clubs to check on her if necessary, and Vinn has orders to make sure Hyde doesn’t leave that house.”

“You just plan everything 50 steps ahead, or do you just know shit as it happens like some kind of genius?” Nicole asked.

“Little of both, little luck, paranoia. I learned from the best of all of them. She’s busy with her own shit right now.

Vicki held her phone up and marched to the next tunnel.

“Mission report.” Gizzy ordered.

“Mike is a nobody, I’m going to the entrance to talk to someone called Alvarez Jones. He’s supposed to know more. Over.” She said hanging up and hanging a right. She made her way to the thumping music and no sooner than she entered the open space, but there was Zeph, waving like an idiot.

“Hey, Vicki. Is Dee with you?” he asked.

“She’s not with you?” Vicki asked.

“No…was someone supposed to tell me something?” he glared.

“She’s meeting up with loverboy69 or something…you’re not loverboy?”

“Oh, I’m definitely loverboy, but as far as I know we weren’t meeting up tonight. Dude, is she doin a third guy?” he said, throwing his hands up in frustration.

“If you’re not here for her, then why are you here, and why is she here?”

“Okay, I’m here to get laid, but Dee didn’t plan anything, I'm just fishin for bitches.”

“Can you look for her?” Vicki huffed angrily.

“Yea absolutely, love the hair. Hot. Where are you looking? I’ll go the other direction.”

“I’m heading to the entrance, no idea where from there"

“Cool, I’ll see if she’s around. Probably nothing.” He shrugged.

She stepped out of the main entrance and locked eyes with the bouncer.

“You need something?” he asked bluntly.

“That’s between me and Alvarez Jones.” She said with a hefty pause. He slowly lifted his phone and stood up.

“Yea, we got a small fight to break up, have someone cover the door for me.” He said, “Follow me.” He added, leading her away from the club and up the stairs.

“Where does this lead?” she inquired.

“That depends on who told you about Alvarez Jones.”

“Some guy at the club, short, medium dark skin, I think he had a beard, but it’s hard to tell in the dark."

“Alvarez Jones died about 3 years ago working the mines. Lotta people go missing in the mines. Lotta ways to get lost in here, you know.”

“You trying to scare me, or waste my time?”

“I’m trying to strike a conversation on a long walk, where too much silence can be troubling. Now… They say that name is got a curse on it. People who say it too much end up missing or dead.”

“If I say it 3 more times, will he appear and get me what I want?” Vicki scoffed.

“We’re far enough now, nobody’d hear you if he did, so I’d avoid risking it. Now, Alvarez was a bit of a cowboy. Made a lot of money in livestock. So do you know much about livestock, little gal?”

“No, but I’m hoping to get into it. Not a lot of open grass down here, is this where you go to find livestock, or is this where you lead the livestock?” she asked.

“Both. That depends on who you are and who you know, and how much you got in your bank account. He said, opening his coat and flashing a pistol. “So little lady. Who the fuck are you and why do you think you know Alvarez."

“My boss wants to know Alvarez, but he prefers to remain anonymous. Now if I don’t call him in the next hour someone bigger may be looking for him too, someone armed. So…cut the shit, cut the intimidation. Before the Tide washes a message back to Mike.” She said.

“Oh well, that changes things. See, you were here using words that could get you killed when you should have used ones that get you into rooms. Right this way, Miss Jane Smith. I was not aware the Tide was in this early. What kind of livestock are you interested in?”

“My boss doesn’t know exactly yet. He wants to know his options first. What is available right now?”

“Right now, it would be a slim selection.”

“Right now, it would be a good time to sell whatever you have, Alvarez.”

“That kinda boss? Good. That kinda boss may not be patient, but he’s hungry, and we make good selling scraps on the regular as much as premium beef on the rare occasion. Right this way.” He said, using his thumbprint to open a door to a dark room where he flipped the lights on, revealing 3 young women in chairs, tied and gagged.

“Which one do you think your boss would prefer?”

“I’ll have all 4.”

“We only have 3 tonight, resupply may take a few days.”

“Who do I call when I need more?” Vicki asked.

“That would be Max. I text him on this phone, and he supplies me. You come back to the club in a few days, and we’ll get your boss more. In the meantime, we have these 3, and you pay upfront."

“How about I pay for 4 and come back in 2 hours. You tell Max it’s already paid.” She said, holding up a large roll of credits.

“I see…cash business is rare in these tunnels. Easy to get stolen. Well, I will see you in 2 hours then Miss Smith." He said, taking the money as she strutted slowly to the door.

She delayed as he sent the message.

“Paid in cash, we got a deal." he muttered as he sent it. "You forget something?” he asked Vicki.

“I paid for 4 humans.” She said closing the door.

“And all we have is 3. I can’t sell you what we don’t have.”

“But you have 4 humans right here.” She smirked, eyes turning red and fangs lowering. He reached for the gun and as he grabbed the grip, the gun and his wrist twisted fully around. She shoved him to the wall by the neck as he screamed and tugged on his broken wrist to free the gun.

“Look away, girls…you don’t want to see this.” She said calmly.

“I’m not Alvarez!” he sobbed. “It’s just a name we use. I’m just a doorman.”

“Good.” She chuckled, clamping her teeth on his neck and painting the wall red. The girls screamed and struggled to get free as she slowly drained the body and pried the gun loose, tucking it into her belt and yanking her head back with a strip of flesh in her teeth.

“Don’t be scared… You’re all going home soon. This isn’t a sale, this is a rescue mission…and a message.” She said, slapping her hand on the wall and drawing a strange upside down triangle in the blood. “Now everyone learn to be very quiet and walk very softly, very quickly.” She said, as they nodded. “Now I’m leaving the gags in and your hands tied in case we get spotted, or you do something stupid that could get everyone killed.” She said, getting out a can of spray and hosing down the wall, heaving the corpse onto her shoulder and checking her phone for the best way out.