II. The Double-Dealing Alliance

A few days passed since Leech and his dark incentives, a few days since Ivory and her second abduction. Ivory noted that she was an easy target for kidnappers. Ivory was happy that everyone wasn't injured and that Leech didn't endanger Hawks.

Ivory was in the basement lounge all alone, reading a romance book. When thirty minutes passed, Ivory heard Blue and Harley enter the lounge, and the two older members stared as she closed the book and placed it on the table.

Ivory wondered why Harley and Blue needed her.

"Ivory, Harley, and I should show you something," Blue sent her a devious look. "She and I believe that you're ready to see what we must reveal to you."

Ivory got up and walked toward them, guessing that it was business-related, and thought nothing of it. Blue, Harley, and Ivory walked down a hallway that Ivory had never seen before, passing different rooms.

Eventually, Blue opened a door that, seeing the black door inside his office near her right. The three walked down cobblestone stairs and through another hallway. Ivory wondered why she had never seen this part of the base.

The three then ended up standing in a large corridor. Ivory felt that Blue needed her to find information on something top-secret; however, she was wrong. Blue opened a random door, revealing a counter, a bed, and an unconscious Viper. Ivory gasped at the sight of Viper and her beaten body chained to the wall. Viper had her wrists tied together, and she was wearing bloody, baggy clothing.

"What did you do? What did you do to my friend?"

Ivory then realized that Viper had never run away.

"Harley did most of it," Blue said while Harley stayed behind, "Harley teaches her weaker counterparts how things work around here. Besides, men that beat girls spend more time in jail than the women that beat them."

Ivory quickly stepped forward but was placed in a headlock by Harley. Ivory tried attacking Harley, but the older woman was too tall and too strong.

"You abducted her," Ivory stated.

"I had some men do that part. They brought her to this base before we settled," Blue explained.

Ivory remained quiet; then, she freaked out.

"Viper's blood was the blood that was in my room!" Ivory shrieked. "I knew you two were involved with the blood."

Blue and Harley laughed. "Of course," Blue said after laughing, "Harley poured the blood into your vent."

Ivory was aghast as she turned to look at Viper, who remained unconscious. Ivory had a difficult time figuring out why Blue would do such a thing.

"It was a genius way to test you; I wanted to see if you would betray me like Roxie, Viper, and Swindle H. I drugged you for four days, and while you slept, Harley and I did the most damage," Blue touched Ivory's waist. "You're a good girl, Ivory."

Blue walked away and stood near Viper, who whimpered. Meanwhile, Ivory tried grabbing Viper, but Harley held her back. Ivory struggled against Harley's intense grip, but she didn't stop fighting. Ivory was tired of being an easy target and wouldn't let herself be one anymore. Since Ivory couldn't remove Harley's grasp, she figured that she could use her words.

"I ha — " Ivory began.

"— Hate him?" Harley laughed. "Baby girl, I don't suggest you say such a thing. Blue will hurt you."

Ivory stayed silent as Harley kept her hold on the younger woman.

"Viper is alive, but soon, your friend will be gone. If you care about your well-being more, you will behave," Blue then closed the door and motioned for Harley to come closer.

Harley took a step closer as she held onto the svelte girl. Harley leaned down toward Ivory, "Look at all of Viper's bruises, her cuts, her swollen shut eyes, and better yet, her ribs," Harley dragged Ivory to Viper, who looked thinner.

"You've been starving her!" Ivory gasped as Harley's hands roughly held her shoulders. Ivory could see open wounds and bruises all over Viper's ribs and torso.

"Well, Viper was always starving others and their needs for hers, so Blue and I returned the favor."

Ivory noted that Viper had swollen eyes and a bruised face — her arms and legs held cuts and dark abrasions, and her lower lip was swollen and red. Viper had some opened stab and random puncture wounds.

"I don't understand your purpose in showing Viper in such a poor state," Ivory said.

Viper moaned and began making gurgling noises. Ivory wasn't sure if Viper was trying to talk or tortured to the point of no return.

Blue slapped Viper's face, and she moaned: "Someone is here to see you."

"Please, Blue, don't slap her," Ivory said.

"Ivory, stop it," Blue warned, "You've been obedient, don't ruin it."

Ivory sent a nervous look toward Blue; she was happy he had no spouse.

"Say something," Harley said gently to Ivory, who shook her head.

Ivory wasn't sure of what she should or could say. Ivory was sure she never wanted to share another word with Viper. Ivory desired to leave the room, but her thirst for her former best friend's fate ate her alive. She couldn't live with herself unless she knew what these two would do to Viper.

"I see, Ivory, you're so ashamed that Viper's selfishness got you downgraded, that you have finally realized who you should and shouldn't be loyal to."

Ivory also knew that fighting Harley and Blue would get her killed. Viper faced extreme torture, and Ivory felt powerless because she couldn't do anything. Harley had told the truth, so Ivory nodded and looked down at Viper; the beaten face looked at her.

Ivory then realized that Viper was the reason she got demoted to being a maid, and when she proved her loyalty to Blue, he promoted her. Ivory was angry but knew rage would only hold regret.

Once again, Viper's swollen shut eyes met Ivory's opened ones.

"I wonder if she can see."

"Not really," Harley said, "Blue and I have this perfect plan: seeing herself end up the way she will is too casual, I think. Besides, I love a good surprise, don't you, Ivory?"

"Not really."

Harley laughed.

"Has she said anything that I should know?" Ivory inquired.

Ivory needed to know why Viper caused all the trouble that she did. The reason was the only way that she'd heal and continue her life.

Harley's hands quickly moved up and down Ivory's arms. "Viper told Blue that she thought you'd leave with her. Viper figured you would have joined her so that she could find a job and a home."

"What? I'm nowhere in the equation."

Blue shook his head. "Viper was only your friend because she thought that she could take advantage of you. She admitted to me that people always favored you, and you had many opportunities. Viper felt that it didn't matter whether or not you had a place because someone would take you in and help you."

"That's untrue!"

"Viper's reason certainly isn't fair," Harley replied. "She wanted you to betray the gang so that you could help her while being kicked to the curb; she figured you'd find your way. If her dreams had happened, you'd be dead," Harley leaned in, "but be grateful that you made the right decision."

"Blue," Ivory began as her chest closed. It was hard to talk. "Blue, if I had joined her and faced abduction, would I be in her situation?"

Blue leered at Ivory, "Your situation would have been worse."

Ivory then remembered what Hawks had told her about that girl named Vanessa and realized what Hawks had meant. Ivory nodded, not saying anything.

"Hawks told you about Vanessa?" Blue asked.

Ivory always felt that Blue was reading her mind.

"He did."

Blue shrugged. "Well, now you know how things work, but some are more unfortunate than others."

"Some have different outcomes for obvious reasons," Harley smacked her lips.

Viper tried to speak, but Ivory looked closer, seeing that something was wrong. Ivory looked at the counter and saw a bloody and freshly cut tongue covered in a yellowish liquid and enclosed in a jar; Ivory gagged seeing such a thing. Ivory turned to her friend again, seeing that there was dry blood in her mouth. Viper was unable to articulate her words, and she seemed like she was in tremendous pain.

Ivory felt Harley release her and slowly moved closer to her former childhood friend.