Sahara's thoughts raced. What do I do? She was stuck in the small bathroom with no way out. Her eyes flew up to look for a window. There was none. Her heart sank even further. There were eight guys back there, and she had no clue what they wanted. She didn't even want to start to imagine.

Terrell! the thought raced through her mind. She fumbled with her bracelet. Terrell had showed her how to work the IHM system a while back. If she could reach him, he could maybe find a way to help. A hologram popped up. Sahara put in Terrell's IHM number just as he had taught her.

"Pick up...please pick up," she begged.

"Hey!" The knock on the door made her jump. "You okay in there?"

"I'll be right out!" Sahara yelled in reply. "Come on," she muttered.

"Hello?" Terrell's face swam into focus. He was still wearing the hood, however, he unzipped the jacket a bit to reveal his mouth as he spoke.

Sahara's hand flew to the three small holes in the bracelet from which the sound came to muffle it.

"Sahara?" Terrell peered at her. Judging from the noise, he was still at the moonlight gathering.

"Thank God," Sahara almost sobbed in relief.

"So, found anyone to join yet?" Terrell asked. His voice showed he wasn't expecting an answer.

"Terrell..." Sahara began as she tried not to panic.

"Are you talking to someone in there?" it was Duke's voice.

When Sahara didn't reply, he knocked on the door again. "Hello?"

Terrell's eyes narrowed. "Who's that?"

"Hey," Duke yelled. His knock turned to a bang.

Thinking fast, Sahara got up. She swiped her thumb across the top of the toilet. It flushed and instantly the banging stopped.

"Are you on the toilet?" Terrell's face wrinkled. "Seriously? You decided to IHM me from..."

"I need help," Sahara told him as quietly as she could as not to be heard. She switched the water on so that those outside thought she was washing her hands.

Suspicion returned to Terrell's face. "Where are you?"

The water stopped flowing.

"I...I don't know," Sahara whispered. "I followed these two guys..."

"You what?" Terrell exclaimed, disbelief on his face.

"They said they were interested in joining..."

"And you believed them?"

"I thought..."

There was banging on the door again.

"You planning to come out today?" a voice asked.

Sahara stepped away from the door in panic.

"Where are you," Terrell repeated.

"I told you. I don't know!"

"What does it look like?" The background was changing, showing that Terrell was on the move.

"Um...it's upstairs..." Sahara began. "And there's pool tables."

"Pool tables? What in the name is that?"

Why doesn't he know what pool is! Sahara thought in despair. "Uh...tables with holes in them."

"Holes in them...you sure they're not just broken then?"

"No!" Sahara felt frustration fill her. "The holes are on all the sides and ends. It also has different sized balls on it. I...I think the aim is for each player to hit them into a hole," she explained as best as she could.

Terrell's forehead was wrinkled before his eyes widened. "Got it."

"Hey," the banging increased.

Sahara shot the door a terrified look. "I've been in here a while. They might start to suspect something," she stuttered. "Maybe I should go back ou–"

"No!" Terrell told her firmly. "Whatever you do, don't go out of that room."

"But..." there was more knocking.

"Sahara," it was Duke's voice. "Are you okay?"

"Stay right where you are until I get there," Terrell warned. With that, the connection was cut. His face disappeared from Sahara's sight.

"Terrell?" Sahara felt panic fill her.

"Hey!" Duke called from outside.

They'll break the door down if I stay, Sahara thought in panic. Maybe if I go out I can buy some time. She walked towards the door. Her hand reached for it. Please get her fast, she thought before she unlocked it.

She swung the door open only to fine Duke waiting there.

"Well, you sure took long," he commented.

"Yeah..." Sahara tried to keep the panic from her voice.

"So...Sahara," one of the other guys asked. "You belong to a crew or something."

Sahara shook her head. From the looks the guys shot at each other she immediately wished she hadn't.

"Why not join ours?" another guy asked.

Sahara shrunk back as she noticed they were all drawing closer.

"We've got a lot to offer." The guy grinned.

"That's okay," Sahara murmured.

"Why?" Another guy was right beside her. His mouth was close to her ear, too close. "Don't like what you see?"

"I-it's not that," Sahara quickly spoke. "I just though I wanted to s-start my own."

One of the guys snorted.

"Just join ours. It would be so much easier," another told her.

Sahara flinched as the guy beside her reached out and touched her cheek. "Sure. We could always use a girl for...the entertainment," he grinned as he said it.

Sahara shivered. "I appreciate the offer, really. But I'm afraid I'm going to have to decli–"

"Awe. But you came all the way here," Duke told her. He grabbed her arm and whirled her around. There was a new look in his eyes which scared Sahara. "Surely you aren't going to back out now."

"Let go!" Sahara jerked her hand from his grip and slapped Duke with the other.

The other guys laughed.

"Looks like she's got some fire," one of the guys commented.

Duke's hand went to his cheek. He turned his full attention on Sahara, fury written on his face. "You're going to regret that," he told her.

Sahara could do little as he roughly grabbed her. He was too strong for her to shake off as he shoved her against one of the tables. He pushed her on it, lust in his eyes.

"No!" Sahara shrieked as she realized his intent. "Let me go!" She struggled, and yet it was no use.

The other guys were laughing.

"The more you struggle, the more fun it'll be," Duke told her. He pinned her arms down.

Sahara's eyes were wide with horror. As Duke's face came towards her, she closed them and screamed the only name she could think of at that moment at the top of her lungs. "Terrell!"

The door burst open.

"Someone call?" a familiar voice asked.

Sahara's eyes flew open. The guys had all paused to turn and look at the newcomer. Sahara's gaze turned to the door too. She couldn't believe it. There, looking completely out of breath stood Terrell. His hair, no longer covered by the hood, was in a mess. His board was nowhere in sight, hinting that he must have left it downstairs.

As his eyes landed on Duke, who was half on top of Sahara, his eyes hardened. He set his mouth in a thin line.

"Who are you?" one of the guys asked.

"Get off her," Terrell spoke, his voice radiating danger.

"We asked you a question," Duke spoke. His grip on Sahara loosened as he got off and turned his gaze on Terrell.

Sahara immediately got off the table, yet Duke painfully grabbed her wrist before she could go anywhere. Terrell's eyes went to where he was holding Sahara.

"I said let her go," he repeated.

"Why?" Duke asked. The other guys had begun to move slowly towards Terrell. Two were cracking their knuckles. Duke pulled Sahara into his arms. He took a sniff of her hair. "If you wait I'll let you have your turn when we're done," he grinned.

Terrell's eyebrows rose. "Wow," he shook his head. He looked right at Sahara. "Seriously? Where did you pick these guys up? The gutter?"

The boys in the room tensed. Two of them picked up the pool sticks they had earlier abandoned. Terrell ignored their warning. Instead, he unzipped his jacket.

"Really, making me do all sorts of work," he muttered as he tossed the jacket aside. "So," he looked right at Duke. "I'm assuming you aren't going to let go of her willingly?"

Duke snorted. "What are you going to do about it?"

"Sahara," Terrell told her seriously. "I need you to cover your eyes."

Sahara looked at him in disbelief.

"Just do it," Terrell told her.

The guys were looking at each other in confusion.

With shaking hands, Sahara did as Terrell told her too. She covered her eyes with her hands, not knowing why, but doing so anyway.

"Alright," she heard Terrell say. "Who wants to die first?"

Sahara heard a yell. It was followed by a crash. She winced, yet didn't dare to uncover her eyes.

Duke's let go of her and she felt his presence disappear. He had no doubt rushed forward to join the fight. In the next few moments Sahara found herself surrounded by the sounds of fist, yells, and crashing. All this time she stood, wincing at every sound.

When it finally calmly down, Sahara peaked through her fingers. She was just in time to witness Terrell whirl around and hit a guy, who had been approaching from behind, with a high kick from the side. The guy stumbled backwards, hit a table, and then crumbled to the ground. Then, it was quiet.

As Sahara removed her hands from her eyes completely, she felt shock fill her at the scene. The room wasn't the same. Two of the tables had been moved and were standing crookedly. One of the pool sticks lay snapped in two on the floor, right next to a broken chair. Even one of the lights above hung on only one wire, threatening to fall at any given moment as it flickered. Guys were scattered around the room. A few lay on the floor. One lay on one of the tables, groaning. The table had a long crack in it.

And then there came Terrell. He had barely broke a sweat, and while he looked as though he had a split lip, he seemed to otherwise be fine.

Did he beat all of them? Sahara thought in disbelief.

A guy by the wall stumbled to his feet. Sahara watched as Terrell walked to a guy, wiping the blood from his lip on the way. He took only a moment to glance at the blood on his hand from the action. "It had to be the face," he muttered.

The guy by the wall watched him, seeming unable to move. Terrell grabbed him by his shirt. The guy's eyes suddenly widened. "Wait a minute...I know you!" His jaw dropped. "You're..."

He never got to finish as Terrell punched him, knocking him out cold. He let go, letting him slump to the floor. Pushing a hand through his hair to get it out of his face, Terrell turned to Sahara.

"You okay?"

Mutely, Sahara nodded.

Terrell walked towards her. Grabbing her he pushed her back against the wall. His hand thumped against the wall beside her head and he leaned in closer.

Sahara swallowed. His face was getting close.

"How many times must I say it?"

His lips were close, too close.

"Don't. Trust. Anyone."

And then his face was gone. Sahara let out a big sigh of relief. In the next second, Terrell had grabbed her hand and began to pull her from the room. As they reached Duke, who way lying on the floor with his eyes closed, Terrell let her hand go and crouched down.

"Hey," Terrell told Duke.

There was no response.

Terrell sighed. "Douche bag!" he said harshly as he slapped the dude across his face.

Duke's eyes flew open. He let out a groan before coughing.

"Hey," Terrell snapped his fingers in front of Duke's face. "Focus," he told him.

Duke's eyes looked bleary. He blinked, as though trying to see better.

"You see her?" Terrell jerked a thumb at the still terrified Sahara who stood behind him.

Duke didn't reply. It seemed to make Terrell mad. He grabbed him by his shirt and pulled him upwards. "I asked you a question," he growled, "I expect an answer."

Duke painfully nodded his head.

"Good," Terrell glared down at him, his eyes cold. "Mess with her again and I'll kill you." With that he let Duke's head thump back on the ground. "I'm glad we got that sorted," he added as he patted Duke's cheek. The boy winced.

Getting up, Terrell grabbed Sahara's hand once more and resumed their journey. On the way, he stepped on Duke's hand, not showing her heard the boy's groan.

Pausing at the door, Terrell picked up his jacket before leaving the room.  He stopped at the top of the stairs. Letting Sahara's hand go he turned to face her.

"I'm raising you're rent."

Sahara's eyes widened.  "What?"

Terrell began to descend down the stairs.

"Why?" Sahara asked as she hurried after him.

"Because I feel like it," Terrell called back.

Sahara reached the bottom. She watched Terrell calmly get on his board. While she was still in shock from what had happened, Terrell didn't even look phased.

There were eight guys in there, Sahara looked back at the building. And yet he's got nothing but a split lip? She remembered the high kick. Does he do martial arts or something?

"You coming?" Terrell asked.

Sahara saw that he had brought her board along. Without a word she got on. Her eyes were on Terrell's back as he led the way.  She shivered. She had witnessed a side of Terrell she had never thought she would see. While it did scare her some, it also made her feel that having him on her side was one good thing that had happened since she had come to Regona. What are you? she couldn't help but think.