A/N: Oh wow, another update! This deserves a vote ;)

Myra Abston still has the gun pointed at Owen. Her grip only tightening even more. A bead of sweat is trickling down her forehead. She looks tired. Tired and conflicted and I have no idea if she'll actually shoot my friend.

"Myra, shoot Owen Rhodes," Jane yawns.

Just when I think it's over and my stubborn silence will cost Owen's life, Myra does the unthinkable. Within a split second, she spins around, has her gun aimed at Jane and squeezes the trigger.

In that split second I think to myself that there can't possibly be a bullet in that gun. Jane couldn't possible be stupid enough to hand Myra a loaded gun.

But Jane jerks to the side and clings to the desk at the top op the elevated steps. A wave of relief is on stand by. Just fall. Just fall down and die, I think to myself. 

Everyone is silent. Nobody moves as Jane tries getting her breathing steady. We could all be witnessing the end of Jane D'logiram. Taminn might take over. Who knows how he'll take his daughter's death. He'll probably kill a lot more people than Jane intended on killing. A father's rage can be unstoppable. 

But while I analyze the situation in my head, Jane straightens up and rips open her blouse. Underneath is a modified, slim-fitted bulletproof vest. Everyone watches Jane remove the bullet from her vest and then look back at Myra.

"Should've aimed somewhere a little more fatal," Jane groans.

Alarmed, Myra raises her gun and tries shooting Jane again. Jane is faster than she looks and ducks just in time, all the while walking down the steps towards Myra. Now panicked, Myra spins around and shoots the two men that dragged her down here. Everyone takes a step back and chaos slowly starts forming. The men are also wearing vests and only take a step back with the impact.

I look back up at Jane walking towards Myra. She pulls out a gun from her back pocket and takes aim at Myra. 

I start thinking about myself. Selfish, but in a matter of two seconds, I analyze my whole life.

I think back to my brother, Kyle, who was born and raised to be the leader of the Western gang. I remember playing the piano and thinking I could do this the rest of my life because I certainly can't be a gang member. I'm not cut out for it. But then through the workings of the South, Owen's family killed my father and brother and the life I feared was thrown towards me. I was young and arrogant and angry. Angry at being forced to be someone I don't want to be. And rot started to grow. It spread to my heart and I started becoming like my mother, because feeling nothing was easy.

Then Amber showed up. Beautiful, golden Amber with a heart so big she started making me feel. Until of course she died and came back not quite herself. That same rot from when I was young started to grow again. And I did a few things I'm unbelievably ashamed of. Things I can't believe I was capable of.

And so many people I loved have died. My dad, my brother, a part of my mother, Calvin, Amber for a moment, and Lynch... Lynch.... I have nobody left and it's just so damn easy to feel nothing.

But what was that thing Amber taught me? Don't judge others. Don't assume.

And who am I to assume Myra here hasn't had it just as hard as me? Who am I to take the easy way out just because life's too hard?

I don't want to be that guy anymore.

With the two-second analysis, I realize that if not careful, I have the ingredients to become evil. The no coming back kind of evil. The loss, the pain and the ability to make horrible choices. Destructive choices. But if I try, really give it my all, I might be able to redeem myself. I might be able to stay away from that undeniable evil rotting inside of me. 

Determined, I make a decision and step in front of Myra. Jane has her gun now pointed at my head. "You can't kill me," I tell Jane.

"Can everyone just calm the fuck down? All I want is loyalty," Jane says while rolling her eyes. "Everyone else out," she orders.

The crowd around us starts leaving. Disintegrating from my view, Leaving me, Owen and Myra alone with Jane and her mad mood.

"I can't give you that. I can't give you the loyalty you're so desperate for," I sigh. That stubborn pianist inside is still dreaming of freedom.

"Then Owen here can't live," Jane sighs. She turns towards  my friend and shoots him in the arm. He goes down hard and blood starts pooling while he bites down and tries standing up again. My friend's expensive coat is already staining.

"You leave Owen Rhodes alone," I growl.

Jane looks back at me. Her brown eyes seem excited and once-neat mousy bun seems wild - like this is all one exciting game to her. It's scary how this really is in fact a game to her. Nothing but chess and the queen can sacrifice a pawn anytime she wants.

"I can kill him right now. And I'll have a good night's rest as well," Jane smiles.

"Your father won't approve," I try to reason.

Jane scoffs and starts buttoning her blouse again. "My father isn't sterling's leader right now," Jane mumbles.

Realizing this can all end only two ways, I once again make a sacrifice. After all I've done with the rot inside me, perhaps I deserve everything. The loss, the sacrifice. Perhaps hell isn't a burning pit but rather the rest of my life.

Goodbye piano. Goodbye freedom.

"I pledge myself to you," I sigh - my shoulder's sagging.

Interested, Jane gets her attention back towards me. 

"Don't do it," Owen whimpers from the floor.

"Oh shut up," Jane snarls and sends a warning shot next to Owen's head. 

"I'll be loyal. Stay loyal if you let Owen live and let Myra go. Just please, don't kill Owen," I beg. Some loose black strands of hair fall into my eyes and I push them aside - noticing how they're clammy with sweat. I haven't cut my hair in a while. It's getting a bit out of hand by the looks of it.

"You'll do anything I order? Without question? And for what? The life of Owen William Rhodes. How things have changed," Jane laughs in a mock.

I look back down at Owen. Through everything, we've become friends. He didn't expect to become leader so soon either. He has also experienced pain and loss. But somehow we've learned to work together and in those months where Amber was in a coma, he was there for me. We were there for each other. Went out and about to distract ourselves. Against all odds, a friendship grew.

And more simply, he's a good guy. He didn't let the rot get to him as much as it got to me. 

"Yes," I answer Jane.

"Deal," Sterling's leader says without hesitation. "Now let's get out of here. I've got a mission for us. Myra, please leave before I kill you. Owen, find a damn medic. Blake, get me some guys to join the mission. I'll see you in the van." 

Jane struts away, leaving me with Owen, Myra and undeniable burden. 

"You just sold your soul to the devil," Owen whines.

"I know," I answer and help my friend up. His one side is numb with pain. How many times have my friend had to be the one in physical pain? I guess it's appropriate since he was always more physical where I was emotional. When I have my friend up - who by the way is heavier than he looks, we turn to Myra. Her gun is empty and on the floor.

"You didn't kill me. Thanks," Owen says to break the silence. I almost feel like stepping out from under his weight so he can fall down for that ridiculous comment.

"It's no problem," Myra whispers back - her blue-green-grey eyes scanning the floor.

"I would hope so. I quite like being alive. Sure, I haven't tried out being dead, but I'll get to that when I'm a little older. When I've lived my life a little," Owen says with a nervous smile. 

"I'm going to go now," Myra says.

"Where will you go?" I ask. I'm not sure why. 

The three of us stand there. Everyone else already gone. I have no idea who I plan to take with on Jane's mission, but I don't think I have long to figure it out either. Myra pushes back her brown hair and I wonder where her wig is. The purple thing must be long gone by now. I kind of like her brown hair though.

"I have a place," Myra sighs. Sadness leaks from the words like silent tears.

I want to tell her I'm sorry. That I know she has a crush on me, but I'm still in love with Amber. 

Amber... I haven't seen her since the annual ball and I still need to tell her about what I discovered at that ball. It could change everything...

I look back at Myra and her hollowed eyes. I wish I could've been kinder, but the reality is that I just have too much rot inside of me. And Myra over here is probably better off somewhere else in anyway.

"Well... Can you help Owen get to a doctor? There should be one at my place. I have to find people for Jane's mission," I say.

Myra nods and moves to take Owen from me. I feel relieved when Owen's weight is off of me and watch Myra lead Owen away - wondering how such a tiny girl can help carry a boxer like Owen. I guess some people don't yet know their own strength. 

When Myra and Owen have left, I take out my phone and search through my contacts. When I find the right number, I press dial and hold the phone to my ear. Two, three times the phone rings before someone answers.

"Yes?" Gareth asks.

"Can you and Falco report at Jane's house? We have a mission," I reply.

"We're almost there. Give us a minute," Gareth answers before the line goes dead.

I pocket my phone and take a second to get my breath. Slowly, I walk towards the front door and pass myself in the mirror. I look horrible. My black hair hangs limply down my forehead and my eyes look tired. I'm paler than usual.

Deciding it's no time to feel sorry for myself and that I quite frankly don't deserve to feel sorry for myself, I straighten up and head outside towards Jane's armored car. Sterling's leader is waiting in the car for me and not looking happy with waiting. I climb in the passenger seat and Jane sends a glare. 

"Where are our reinforcements?" Jane asks.

"Gareth and Falco are on their way. You've already sent out everyone else," I answer.

"Nixon should be done by now. We can pick him up on our way," Jane sighs.

I don't ask what he's done with, because I already know what his order was. The boy was barely in the gang business before Nixon got the order to...

At the sound of a car, I look up to find Gareth and Falco parking next to us. Father and son gets out and straightens their formal clothes. They look like different versions of each other. Same dark eyes and dark skin. Only difference is the bit of grey in Gareth's hair and the scars he has that Falco is yet to earn.

When they get in the back, Jane floors the pedal and has us speeding past the gates and into the street. We fly past the upper-class houses and zoom right to the main road. It doesn't take much time to use the Eastern road to get to The Will Hotel. It stands proud next to the rocky beach and upper-class shops. Nixon is already waiting for us and gets in next to Falco. His expression is blank.

"Now let's get to the fun part," Jane smiles and speeds past the coast. She takes a turn into a main road and drives up.

When the neighborhood-friendly oaks are replaced with pine and spruce, I turn back to Jane and ask, "Where are we going?" The knot in my stomach doesn't leave.

"Somewhere to test your loyalty," Jane smiles.

When I don't reply, Jane turns to me with a cunning smile. "You'll follow any order I give you. Now my order is for you to get into Isabella's and shoot my wretched cousin in the head. She's stealing my fiance."

 Jane's words are serious. The order undeniable. 

What on Earth am I going to do?

Hey goldies!

What do you think is going to happen? Will Blake actually try/kill Amber?

Also, I understand it's back to school for most of y'all. HA, I'm officially done with school! Wohooo!!!!

What did y'all do for the holidays? 

I went camping and hiking and swimming and oh, I just loveeeee nature. 

~ Holly Shmit