I. Final Verdict

That night, Viper's fate was on the news. The Blue Dragons members were staring impatiently at the T.V. screen. Ivory felt nervous; she hadn't eaten properly for the last month because everything that had happened stressed her. She wished for her one and only best friend to be not-guilty and safe, but her heart was telling her otherwise. Viper was too stubborn, only the worst could take place, and it had.

From the outburst during the trial to her changing her verdict, Viper's court trial was explained. It was crazy to hear. What hurt Ivory the most was that no evidence was given from Viper's side, and because of this, she was found guilty, and Viper wanted that. Ivory lost her mind after hearing, "Viper will spend two years' in solitary confinement before being sent to a mental facility." Ivory couldn't believe that Viper gave up; she caused havoc and wouldn't take accountability.

Ivory turned to see everyone in the room, smiling and laughing. The T.V. was turned off, and she slowly stood up, closely facing the blank television. All of a sudden, she ran. Ivory sped down the hallway, faster than she'd ever run, only to meet a locked door. She tried breaking down the door, but heard footsteps; Hawks suddenly grabbed onto her torso. She tried hurting Hawks, but he restrained her wrists with one hand.

"She got what she deserved," Hawks smirked.

"I can't believe that you find this funny!" Ivory shouted, trying not to cry. She wouldn't let them see her break down.

"Harley told you what the court would do, don't act like you didn't expect this to happen," Hawks said.

"Hawks, please, let me go!"

"No."

"Where are you going to go?" Harley's voice was heard as the older girl made her way over. "You don't have money, you don't have a car, you didn't graduate school, and you don't know where we are. No one will look for you, there is no proof of you, and no one will find you."

Ivory sneered and pulled herself away from Hawks, whose grip on her wrists tightened.

"Hopefully, Viper will learn in jail. Perhaps she'll use her brain more," Swindle H said.

"Don't you dare insult my friend!"

"What does it matter? You can't protect her, and she certainly won't be able to protect you."

"I want to see her."

"You can't," Spike said. "Harley and Swindle H are right. Just get over it and move on."

"Get over it? Get over it!" she shouted at him. "You're out of your damn mind if you think for a second that I'm going to forget my one and only best friend!"

"I've never heard you yell, that's interesting," Spike sneered.

"That's what life is about. You meet new people, they leave you, and then you move on," Harley said. "It's best if you took his advice, dear. You never know, when Viper leaves jail, she might give up trying to find you and replace you with someone else."

"What?" Ivory gasped as Harley snickered. "That isn't true! She'd never forget me!"

"And how do you know that? It happens to everyone. Either that, or something will happen to her, and no one will ever know about it, not even you," Harley's dark eyes glistened.

Hawks and Swindle H sent each other odd looks.

Ivory went to kick Harley, but the older girl grabbed her ankle. "Ivory, you need to calm down."

"Don't tell me what to do."

"You'll hurt yourself," Harley leered at the younger girl.

Ivory sensed that Harley wanted her to be angry.

Hawks held onto Ivory and dragged her through the hallway. Blue and Red were amused at the scene in front of them. With crossed arms and a wicked grin, Blue told Hawks to lock Ivory in her room, but not before smirking down at her.

"Hawks," she began, sitting on her bed, "why did this happen? Why would she plead guilty?"

"Where is she going to go? She doesn't have money to bail herself out. And she had no evidence to defend her claims. Everything given out was against her," Hawks said, standing in front of her.

"Do you think anything bad will happen to her?"

Hawks thought for a moment. "The worst that could happen is that she acts up in solitary confinement, and they raise her sentencing. Don't worry about it, you'll never see her again," he stood in front of her, "and I'll make sure of it."

"Why, Hawks?" she asked. "Why do you hate me?"

Hawks looked hurt. "I don't hate you. I'm doing my job."

"If Lucky were Viper, wouldn't you try your best to go and see her?"

"That's a terrible comparison, Ivory. Lucky isn't Viper, and Viper isn't Lucky."

"I know that I'm asking —"

"I know what you're asking. Lucky would never, ever be in Viper's situation. He isn't as dumb and naive as Viper. Viper thought that she could play us like that. If she were smart and decided not to trick Roxie into driving her to the police station, she'd still be here."

"She didn't trick Roxie. Roxie chose to help her."

"Just like how you chose to kill that woman?"

Ivory's heart pounded, wondering how he knew about that. Hawks really had eyes everywhere.

"Blue said that —"

"— Why would it matter what Blue told you to do? You could have chosen not to kill that lady, but you did. And why? Because you care about yourself more." He leaned in front of her, looking up. "Just admit it, Ivory, you're just as self-preserved as the rest of us."

"You're trying to manipulate me!" Ivory accused.

"I'm not trying to do anything, Ivory. I'm speaking the truth."

Ivory thought about what he just said and turned away, feeling guilty. Hawks was right; she didn't want Blue to kill her and chose to kill the woman.

"It isn't a bad thing, Ivory," Hawks said. "If you were on that table, that woman wouldn't have saved you; she would have killed you. Viper would have done the same. Everyone cares unless they're in danger, and they only care if they benefit. You need to stop being so loyal to people that don't mean anything. The only people that you should be loyal to are the important people."

Ivory held her head in her hands.

"Blue is an important person. If you stand by his side and give him the loyalty and respect, he will return the feelings. Blue will take you places and make sure that you have everything you've ever wanted," Hawks leant down in front of Ivory. He removed her hands from her face and held them in his.

Ivory stared into Hawks' eyes.

"Tell me, Ivory, what is one thing that you've always wanted?"

Ivory thought for a moment. "I don't know."

"Yes, you do. Why did you and Viper run away?"

"The two of us wanted to live on our own, get jobs, and be successful."

"Good. You have one of those things. You have a job, a difficult one. Hacking at the level you do isn't easy. You can reach higher success if you obey Blue — he'll grant you the success that you wish to have. Now tell me what ambitions do you have?"

"I want to make enough money to take care of myself and go all around the world. I had been stuck in that foster home my whole life. I want to explore," Ivory said.

"The longer you stay in the gang, the more money you'll make. After, you can take vacations and travel. If Blue trusts you enough, he'll even have you travel to meet his connections and work for him. You'll make tons of money that way."

Ivory's eyes glistened. The success she would have. "Really?" Hawks nodded. "That sounds like a dream life."

Hawks smirked. "Who knows, Little Lady, you might have your own family."

Ivory's heart skipped a beat. "I can't see that happening."

Hawks' eyes softened. "Why not? You're likable."

Ivory shrugged. "I've lived without one my whole life. I never thought of having a family. I've been alone for so long that I don't know how it feels to count on anyone else."

Hawks got closer. "The Blue Dragons will be your family if you stop worrying about useless people and look for success."

Ivory glared at him. "The Blue Dragons isn't my family," she removed her hands from Hawks' grip.

Hawks retook her hands, "It's okay to feel that way. I know you're used to being alone, but remember that you're never alone."

Ivory looked away and began thinking. "I like being alone."

Hawks chuckled, "I mean that there are always people that care."

"I don't care whether or not there are people that care. I only need myself."

Ivory turned away from him and sat in the middle of her bed, sinking in everything that Hawks told her. Everything overwhelmed Ivory.