I. The Black Substance

Ivory found herself in Viper's room with a plain birthday cake on the last day of June. Hawks' maid allowed for bake a small cake so no one would catch Viper doing something that she wasn't supposed to be doing.

Viper and Ivory sat on the floor with the cake and milk.

"So, you didn't get in trouble?" Viper asked after hearing Ivory's strip club nightmare.

"I could tell that Blue was annoyed, but I sat on the guy's lap, and he shoved his tongue down my throat. I think that was more than enough for one night. Blue just told me to not pull it again."

"As long as you still have your current job, that's all that matters."

"The man I was with last night worked with Blue."

"Wow, what did this man tell you?"

"The man said that Blue has many secrets. The man also said that I don't look like the type that Blue would keep around. I mentioned that he kidnapped you as well; the man said that Blue's most likely keeping you because he needs something from me and that I must mean something."

Viper placed her plate on the floor and licked her lips, "Ivory, don't you find it strange that no one has looked for us yet? The foster home hasn't gone to the police yet, and we haven't been on the news. You have gone out with Hawks and Lucky many times already, and no one pays any attention to you."

Ivory realized that Viper was right, but wondered why Ms. Campbell wouldn't find them if she really was the foster care owner's favorite.

"No one knows who we are. We've disappeared off the face of the Earth; no one has noticed nor cares enough to report us missing."

Ivory came to her senses. "What if Blue has something to do with it?" She had been so busy with her new job — and scoping out new ones — that she hadn't thought about Viper's observation.

"I don't know, Ivory, but I agree with this man. Blue needs you. Blue definitely holds his attention toward you. I think you need to find a way back into the club, find this man, and obtain more information. We must know more."

"Viper, how am I going to do that? Blue won't allow that. I already messed up."

"Just go out without him knowing. Blue trusts you enough to let you out, I know he does—just as long as you have someone else that he trusts more to go with you. If that man at the club took an interest in you, he might go back to see you again, especially if he knows that you work privately with Blue."

Ivory began thinking about who could take her back. "What about Roxie?"

Viper shook her head. "No, Roxie is docile. She does whatever Blue asks her to do, but she does do things behind his back."

"So why can't I choose her? She doesn't sound that passive."

"Well, if Blue sees that she brought you back there, he'll know that you're visiting someone. You must pick someone that's never taken you there."

Ivory grinned. "Swindle H? She is cunning, I will say that."

"She is your best bet. Blue never seems to worry about Swindle H. You know, I heard that she's visiting tomorrow. Talk to her then."

"I will. Thanks, Viper."

They ate in silence, but the conversation never left their minds as they both began wondering why Blue really had them. The two pondered the reasons they think they were in the gang correlated with Blue's real intentions. The young adults knew that they needed to be vigilant.

***

Early July came quickly, and Ivory was working. Ivory was using a Trojan download to hack an essential business. She encrypted the database and took half of the funds and placed the money into Blue's account. Rover watched her quietly and smiled, impressed at how Ivory had only been a hacker for a short time and was catching on quickly. Rover believed that Ivory was as good as him, maybe better.

"You're getting the hang of this."

"You think so?"

Rover nodded. "I meant to ask you about what happened earlier this week; I heard that Blue was mad at you."

Ivory frowned, remembering the encounter. "He was more annoyed, to say the least. I went to the club and sat on some guy's lap. The man bought me a cake and wine for my birthday, touched my leg, and kissed me."

"Your first kiss on your birthday? Well, that is some birthday that you are bound to remember."

"I think Blue's mad at me," Ivory said. "I mean, I don't care if he is, it's awkward being around him."

Rover shook his head. "I don't think so," He moved closer, "Honestly, I think you're one of his favorites."

Ivory choked. "What?"

Rover nodded.

"How so?"

"Blue treats you differently than the other girls. If they pulled what you did, they'd get a beating from him. I think he has respect for you, but that's a good thing."

"Why would he have respect for me?" Ivory asked.

Ivory thought that Blue's respect for her was strange, but she felt that it somewhat correlated with that the mysterious man had told her.

"I don't know, maybe you should ask him. Maybe there's something about you that he respects." He leaned in, "Have you ever seen our load?"

"Load?"

"The drugs. Have you seen them?"

"No."

"Do you want to see them?"

"No, not really."

It was too late, Rover dragged her out of the room and led her through the dark, cold hallways. The two took an elevator to the basement, and then entered a big room with shipments and large packages. The room also held were desks and tables with unidentified objects. Ivory scrunched her nose as intense smoke hit her nose, realizing that the drugs were created in the room. Everything on the tables had to be used to make the drugs.

Ivory looked around and saw drugs and supplies labeled in bins, drugs that she had never seen before with mysterious ingredients, and everyday use ingredients. It made her realize that simple things used for daily needs can be turned into drugs, which scared her.

Rover showed her everything and taught her how to make basic drugs like cigarettes and roll marijuana. However, a palette of two unopened boxes. Unlike the others, the boxes were wooden and hard, like they were hiding something large and scary inside. Curious, Ivory walked over, removing the tape that made it hard to reveal what the boxes held.

Rover was too busy rolling a blunt to pay any attention. Ivory took a breath, expecting something scary to pop out and devour her alive, but it was small glass bottles of some mysterious liquid to her dismay. Ivory picked up the top one and held it tightly in her hand, observing the liquid, feeling curious yet fearful of the substance, and what it contained. What it could do made her not want to know what it was.

"What are these?" she pointed to the box of the mysterious bottles inside.

"Oh, those are Blue's," Rover took a puff from the blunt and made his way over, making Ivory cover her nose with her sleeve. "Sorry, Kid," He fanned the smoke away.

Ivory observed the small, glass bottle with the strange black substance held inside. The pure ebony liquid scared yet intrigued her all simultaneously, but she didn't wish to know what they were and why Blue needed them. Ivory knew that the liquid held a bad intention.

"What is it?"

"No one knows. Blue is secretive — everyone knows not to ask him."

Ivory stared at the dark liquid, her stomach began hurting, and she placed the bottle back in the wooden box.

"Blue has a lot of secrets."

Rover laughed. "Well, what about you, Little Lady? You're extremely hard to read. No one knows anything about you either—besides you being an orphan and all."

"I'm not particularly interesting."

"Aw—that's not true. I think you're extremely interesting."

"Really?"

He nodded. "And I bet Hawks does also," He smirked, seeing Ivory blush.

"Stop hitting on my new hacker, Rover."

The two jumped at the deep voice and turned around, seeing Blue at the door — arms crossed. He looked bored, but curious as he turned to glimpse at Ivory.

"Why is she in here?"

"I thought I'd show her our shipments. It's no big deal, Blue," Rover said, finishing his blunt and throwing it away.

Blue narrowed his eyes at Rover but said nothing as he roamed his gaze to Ivory, who was standing by the wooden boxes. "What do you have there, Ivory?"

Ivory looked down at the mysterious substance that took the form of the glass that surrounded it and looked back up at him, "I don't know, they're yours," she shrugged.

Blue narrowed his dark eyes but said nothing as Rover quickly left the room. Ivory also went to leave, feeling tense walking past Blue, who leaned down to her ear, "I'd watch your manner, Ivory. You still owe it to me for screwing up at the club."

She looked up at him as his eyes gave off predator energy. "What is it that I need to give you?"

"I'll figure out something," He looked away as if he was contemplating something.

Ivory saw this as her chance to leave, and she didn't want to know what Blue had in mind. Blue quietly watched her go, her toughness and innocence, but independent and mysterious aura latching behind.

Ivory had never felt so uncomfortable walking past the scary leader. She noticed that something was different about Blue, but she wasn't sure what.

Then, the black substance hit her mind; if she found out the substance's purpose, Blue's whole being would no longer be a secret. However, Ivory knew that if she knew Blue's use for the black liquid, she'd probably know too much and disappear. Ivory then decided that the black substance wasn't necessary, and she ran.

Blue stared as Ivory disappeared. He scoffed and grabbed a bottle, staring at the bottle. Blue smirked evilly as Spike entered the room. "Hey, Boss, it's here? Wow, it's early."

Blue turned to look at him, "You know what you must do."

Spike nodded. "Lace the drugs with the substance, I know. Who shall we recruit next?"

"Let's see how each customer reacts to the substance," Blue said, taking one for himself.

"Oh, you need one?" Spike asked.

"You have enough. I'm taking this just in case I need it for a special individual."

"Oh, I see. I mean, you're the boss," Spike shrugged and began setting up.

Blue left the room, but not before looking down the hallway and disappearing, chuckling.