"You did really good!" Dark complimented Anti with a grin. He looked like he wanted to kiss Anti, but instead he settled for a congratulatory handshake to keep the facade that they were just competitors and not closer.

"Those damn people." Anti ignored the compliment with a frown, glaring over Dark's shoulder at the other competitors watching them with judgmental expressions.

"What's wrong?" Dark turned to look back at the others. Everyone abruptly looked away, pretending to be engrossed in quiet conversations with each other.

"Nothing." Anti lied, feeling slightly guilty for doing so. He looked down at his hand and realized that he was still holding Dark's hand, making his face blush red as he quickly pulled his hand back.

"What happened out there?" Murphy whispered sharply as he pushed through the crowd over to Anti.

"Just stage fright." Anti lied again, plastering a fake smile on his face.

"You sure? You seemed lost in thought." Murphy raised a questioning eyebrow at him skeptically.

"Yeah." Anti swallowed hard, he could think of an excuse so he could escape.

Even though there was plenty of space backstage where all the competitors and coaches were gathered, Anti felt like he was drowning under everyone's scrutiny and the too quiet conversations that made him certain that they were all talking about him.

"Hey, can I talk to you for a sec Anti?" Dark intervened.

"Yeah!" Anti said, probably sounding too enthusiastic as he hurried towards Dark's room and closed the door behind them.

Anti sank onto the only clear part of the bench, his heart thudding in his ears as he let his head rest in his hands and closed his eyes.

"What's wrong?" Dark asked softly as he shoved his stuff off of the bench and sat down by Anti, gently pulling him closer so he could hold Anti in his arms.

"I'm so scared of everyone and I hate it! I hate feeling weak and afraid, yet here I am wanting to run away from the world and never look back!" Anti snapped as he looked up at Dark.

"It's okay-"

"It isn't! I'm supposed to kill two people that mean so much to so many people including me and the competitors are always whispering about me when they think I'm not looking....Always whispering, always watching." Anti interrupted Dark as he curled his knees up to his chest and wrapped his arms around them.

"The competitors?" Dark repeated.

"They're judging me, scrutinizing my every move." Anti continued in a mumble, pressing his knees closer to his chest.

"Anti..." Dark trailed off with a sigh, running a hand through his hair.

He was stopped from talking further when they heard a knock on the door, causing them to both jump to their feet.

"I'll get it." Dark told Anti as he walked over to the door and cracked it open.

"Hey Murphy, he's in here." Dark opened the door further to reveal Smith and Murphy.

"Dark, you know you're not supposed to bring other competitors into your room." Smith reprimanded him.

"We were just talking." Dark assured her.

"What's wrong? You look like you're having a panic attack." Murphy remarked as he entered the room and walked over to Anti.

"I-I'm fine." Anti stuttered.

Lies.

"You don't seem fine." Murphy frowned in concern.

"I'm fine." Anti repeated more forcefully to make himself believe that he was.

More lies.

"Your score was just released....we aren't going to the finals this year." Murphy sighed in disappointment.

"Dark isn't either." Smith chimed in.

"So that's it? We just go back home and try again next year?" Anti blurted, feeling anger rise up.

Murphy had worked so hard to train Anti in a short amount of time, he'd been the best father figure Anti could ever hope for.

Anti couldn't let Murphy down like his father had let him down.

"I'm sorry, you tried so hard....I should've done more." Murphy apologized.

"Don't you dare blame yourself, you're the best coach I could ask for! I have a weird name, countless scars, and multicolored eyes, yet you didn't care. You took me in anyway. You never breathed a word about it and you cared about me for who I was." Anti interjected fiercely.

Murphy was speechless, his expression softening as his eyes turned glassy.

"This is security, hands in the air!" A person dressed in black burst in holding a gun, shoving Murphy sand Smith out of the way to reach Anti and Dark.

"What's going on?!" Murphy demanded as he was escorted out by the guard.

"Security business." The person growled before slamming the door in his face.

"Okay I don't have much time." The person removed their helmet.

"Infelix?" Dark whispered sharply.

"Listen,  the real security will be here anytime now since they heard Anti talking about our case and are wanting to put you both in custody. Since I'd prefer to keep you both out of jail to make out operation run smoother, I'm taking you guys to the car to drive to the airport where the jet's waiting for us with your guy's stuff from the hotel." Infelix explained in a rush before sticking the helmet back on and shoving them out the door, keeping the gun pointed at them.

"Anti what's going on?" Murphy frowned in confusion as Anti and Dark were escorted by Infelix towards the exit.

"John." Anti whispered to him as he was taken away.

"What does that mean? Anti?!" Murphy cried as he tried to follow them, but was stopped when Infelix pointed the gun in his face until they were out the door.

Anti's shiny black rental car was parked in front of them.

"How did you get the keys?" Anti asked Infelix as he climbed into the backseat, Dark taking the passenger seat.

"I broke into your room and took them when I grabbed your stuff." Infelix stated with a shrug as if it was normal.

The drive to the airport was silent, Anti wincing at the memory of Murphy's confusion as he left seared into his mind every time he closed his eyes.

"So what now?" Anti asked once the three had gotten into the jet.

"That was just a practice run of the case, next year you're going back to do the job." Infelix informed them as he sat down in his seat.

"Like hell we're going back." Dark growled.

"What happened to you two? You both used to be so badass! Now Anti's a sniveling baby and Dark you're a sentimental dick." Infelix pouted.

"We grew up, unlike you." Anti sneered.

"What are going to do then, leave?" Infelix scoffed disdainfully.

"Yes."

Dark and Anti answered in unison.

"You know what, fine! I don't care, you'll both come crawling back to me, begging to do the case." Infelix yelled with a scowl, storming to the back of the plane and throwing to large black backpacks at them.

"What are these for?" Dark frowned in confusion.

"You said you wanted to leave." Infelix grinned psychotically as the door flung open, sucking Dark and Anti out of the plane with only the bags Infelix had given them and each other.