Because let's face it, this is Carter and she can do whatever the flip she wants.

***********************************

"I feel like there could have been a better plan than this," Mason said in a low voice.

Carter didn't agree with him. This method was the most direct and frankly the most entertaining. If not slightly dangerous. But her job without danger meant she wasn't doing the right job.

"I think it's going well so far," Carter said, matching his volume.

True, they were sitting in a stinky alley, on damp cement that reeked of things she'd didn't want to think about, zip-ties were cutting into her skin, and they watched as the group of thugs debated their fate.

But overall, they hadn't been shot.

Carter took this as a positive sign.

"We said no talking!" a guy with tattoos along his neck said.

He angrily shoved his gun towards Carter's face. She merely looked pasted it and straight into the guy's eyes, unbothered.

"That would be more intimidating if your safety wasn't on," she said.

As the guy checked the side of the gun, Carter snapped it from his grasp. In a single breath, she released the clip, popped the bullet from the chamber, and dismantled the weapon.

"What type of criminal are you if you don't even realize this model of gun doesn't even come with a safety."

She left the pieces of the gun on the cement beside her.

"Those are there for you if you want them. I'm curious if you can put it back together."

The guy lunged at her to attack but a harsh commend stopped him in his tracks. Carter smirked at the guy and quickly dodged the fist he swung at her.

"Get him out of here," the clear leader of the group said.

Two of the members hauled the pissed off guy away. The leader eyed Carter and she held his gaze.

"You want to meet our boss," he said. "But I don't see any reason why we should let you."

"Simple. I have information on the Viper gang that he'll want to hear."

"And I'm supposed to trust that information is real?"

"Here."

Carter contorted her bound hands until she could reach into her hoodie pocket. When she managed to pull out the small ziplock bag inside, she tossed it at the feet of the leader. He jerked back and beside her, Mason winced. The leader's reaction was understandable, the bag had a severed finger covered in blood inside.

Mason's reaction didn't, he knew the finger was fabricated and the blood was pig's blood.

"What is that?" the leader said.

"What does it look like?" Carter said. "It's a finger."

Despite the fact that he was part of a violent gang, the leader looked put off by Carter's bland tone.

"Why do you have it?" he asked.

"Pick it up. On the top of the finger you'll see a familiar tattoo."

The leader retrieved the bag and inspected the finger, finding the tattoo."

"You got this from a Viper's member's hand."

"Got, took, cut off. Take your pick."

"Why?"

"I needed information about a guy named Ryder. This was the fastest way. I also got some information that I think your boss would like to hear."

The leader lowered the bag, again eyeing Carter but this time with a new light of curiosity and a bit of respect in his eyes. Violence, the main way to win over a hardened criminal.

"Bring them," the leader said.

Four guys yanked Carter and Mason to their feet, pulling them out of the alley. Street lamps lit the grimy and trash-littered sidewalks. The air wasn't much clearer outside of the alley. Carter walked next to Mason in the circle of gang members.

She was surprised Mason was handling their current situation better than she thought he would. He hadn't panicked on her or said something to get him punched, so far so good.

"You get any closer and you might break something," Carter said to the gang member that kept bumping into her.

He smiled a dark, wicked smile. "I can do whatever I want to you but you can't do a thing to me."

Carter grabbed the front of his shirt and slammed her forehead against his nose, breaking it. He cried out and stumbled back.

"You were saying?" she said.

The leader rushed to block Carter from the retaliation of the other members.

"Are you stupid?" he asked her.

"It was a warning," she said.

The leader glared at her but nothing else, yelling at the other members to calm down. They eventually made it to a set of stairs leading to an apartment building's basement without more incidents. Though Carter got a fair share of hostile looks along the way.

Despite the underground location, the interior of the basement smelled better than Carter imagined it would. It was roughly furnished with worn couches, tables, a row of computers, and storage cupboards. As a whole, the presentation was lacking in anything impressive or intimidating. But Carter knew that left to their own this gang could grow into a monster that consumed. They needed to be ended before they really began.

Sitting behind a table at the center was a man in his mid-thirties whose gaze pierced even from a distance. Slater.

A name Carter doubted was his given name. But then again who would feel threatened by someone named Frank or Albert?

"What's this, Ax?" Slater asked the leader.

Slater leaned back in his chair, scrutinizing Carter and Mason. They wouldn't look like much. Black clothes that were a bit ratty. Carter wore her hair in a ponytail as usual. Mason's usual features were obscured under dark contact lens and his blonde hair was disguised under greasy, black locks.

"They said they have some information for you about the Viper gang," Ax said.

Another name Carter highly doubted was his real name.

"And you believed them?" Slater asked, still pinning Carter with his dissecting look.

She didn't quell under his gaze but returned it with a steady one of her own.

Ax tossed the severed finger onto the desk in front of his boss and explained what Carter had told him. Slater carefully inspected the finger then looked to Carter. He didn't seem at all unsettled by the evidence of brutality. Another reason this man needed to be stopped.

"What do you want in exchange for the information you have?" Slater asked.

"We want protection in your gang," Carter said. "And I want you to give me Ryder."

This got a raised eyebrow from Slater.

"What do you want with Ryder?"

"He killed someone I cared about. I plan to beat him close to death, let him get better, and do it again."

The savageness of her response seemed to please Slater. He smiled and Carter repressed a shudder at the pleasure he showed. This man was the reason she threw herself into danger without hesitation.

Slater took his time, watching Carter.

"What's your name?" he asked.

"Trix," she said. "And this is Mase, the fastest hacker you'll find."

"Is that so?" Slater asked.

"Test him," Carter challenged.

"All right." Slater motioned for one of the members to take hold of Mason. "I want ten thousand dollars in my account. I don't care who you steal it from."

"Not much of a test," Mason said, easily. "But fine."

A member led him away to the bank of computers and Carter remained before Slater.

"As for you," he said. "If you can beat Ryder in a fight then I'll let you in. That's if he doesn't kill you first. Get Ryder."

A member hurried into another room and Carter waited in silence.

"What happened to Dee?" Slater asked Ax.

Carter took Dee to be the member she'd broken his nose.

"He ran into a door," Carter said. "Or it might have been my forehead, I can't quite remember."

Again, Slater showed off his pleased smile. Again Carter held in her disgust at this man's cruelty.

Footsteps approached and two members entered the main room. The new member looked like all the rest, shaved head, hard eyes, tattoos, muscles, and a look that made Carter doubt he had two working brain cells to rub together.

"Ryder," Slater said. "Do you know this girl?"

Ryder gave Carter a cursory glance but showed no recognition. "Should I?"

"You're not likely to," Carter said. "But I know you. I've tracked you since Chicago."

Ryder shrugged like this meant nothing to him.

"Trix here says she plans to beat you to within an inch of your life. What do you say?"

Ryder gave her a patronizing smile. "Cute."

Slater laughed. "You know, I'm going to enjoy this. Get everyone. We're going to see who gets to remain in this gang."

Runners disappeared into side rooms and returned with more members. A space was set aside in one corner of the room for Carter and Ryder to fight. The zip-ties were cut from Carter's wrists and she massaged blood back into her hands. She flexed her fingers and rolled her shoulders.

"Stretch all you want, it won't save you," Ryder said.

"We'll see about that."

Without warning, Carter attacked, throwing a fierce punch at Ryder's face and then jabbed a knee into his side. He took the hits but remained upright. The crowd roared in approval. She charged again, her speed forcing them further into the corner. Ryder ducked under her swing and managed to wrap his arm around her neck, pinning her to him.

"Hey, Beautiful," Donovan said. "What are you doing here?"

"We haven't heard from you in two weeks. Did you get everything you needed?"

Carter kicked up at the wall and flipped over Donovan's shoulder, breaking his hold and landing on her feet. The showy move produced a loud outcry from the watching members. Donovan spun around and Carter kicked at his head.

Though she didn't put much force behind the attack, Donovan moved with it and fell to the floor. Carter took the advantage, pinning him down and also getting close to him.

"I do," Donovan said. "But I've been too closely watched, I couldn't get word out."

Donovan reversed their positions, making a show of it.

"No problem. We're here now."

Carter head-butted Donovan and he fumbled back as if dizzy. She clambered to her feet.

"I'm going to make you regret killing my mother!" Carter said, knowing that even with the chaos of the members, Mason would hear the signal.

Donovan met Carter's eyes and understood. Put on a show and wait for the FBI to show up.

Carter flew at Donovan with a wildness that looked terrifying. He battled her, their hours of sparring making every attack and counterattack look damaging as well as convincing.

"FBI PUT YOUR HANDS UP!"

A flood of agents poured into the room, weapons raised and trained on the startled members. Carter leapt to her feet, shoved her way out of the circle, and raced after the one figure who didn't hesitate. She jumped and tackled Slater to the ground, pinning his arms behind him.

"I should have known," he said with his face from to the floor. "You seemed too good to be true."

"I am but only not for you."

Donovan joined Carter, handing her a pair of zip-ties. Slater growled.

"Of course."

Carter stood up and allowed Donovan to hoist Slater to his feet.

"I'm hungry," Carter said.

"Me too. You know there's a good Korean restaurant a few blocks over," Donovan said, leading Slater into the waiting hands of the FBI.

The agent took hold of Slater and began to lead him away but he jerked back, locking eyes with Carter.

"I thought you were like me," he said.

This time, Carter couldn't repress her shiver. "I'm nothing like you."

He smirked. "Are you sure about that?"

Donovan shoved Slater into movement. "Yeah, she's sure."

Even as the agent led Slater away, Carter found she couldn't take her eyes off him. Just like him. The man who derived pleasure from the pain of others. The man to whom violence was merely a daily part of everyday life.

"Hey," Donovan said, blocking Carter's view of Slater. "Are you all right?"

"Are we going to eat now? Owens being violent and causing danger always makes me want to grab a last meal in case I die."

Though Mason stood between them, demanding to be the focal point, Donovan ignored him, eyeing Carter with concern.

"Let's eat," Carter said.

Donovan looked like he wanted to say something but only nodded. After telling the agent in charge of their plans to eat and then filling out their reports, they headed out of the gang's den and towards a far better-smelling place.

"Only Owens can be violent enough that an entire gang would be convinced she's terrifying enough to be one of them," Mason said. "I honestly believed it myself. Here's why."

Through dinner, Mason used the time to exaggerate Carter's actions with the gang and make it known he nearly died multiple times because of her.

Though not completely truthful, Carter couldn't help but see the whole situation from Mason's point of view. Her violent actions in his perspective, seemed unwarranted and even reckless.

"Mason, this uber is for you," Donovan said as they stood outside the restaurant.

"We're going to the same place," Mason said.

"Yes, but I haven't been alone with Carter in a long time and I plan to kiss her the entire way to the Bureau. Do you plan to watch?"

Mason looked like he might vomit his previously consumed dinner.

"This is my uber," he said. "Get your own."

He hurriedly climbed in and shut the door. As the car took off, Donovan turned to Carter and cupped her face. For a moment, she thought he would follow through on his declaration. She didn't mind, it would be better to think of only him than her own thoughts.

But he didn't kiss her.

"Talk to me," he said. "What's causing the adorable frown on your forehead?"

"You sure you don't want to kiss me?"

"I'm sure I want to know what is troubling my wife."

Carter found she couldn't meet his eyes. "Donovan. Am I... Am I a violent person like Slater?"

Donovan scowled and tilted her head up so she looked at him. "What would ever make you think you are like Slater?"

"I broke a man's nose tonight because he got close to me."

The scowl disappeared from Donovan's face and a soft, caring look replaced it. That was not the response Carter expected from him. Had he not understood what she had told him?

"Was that the actual reason?" Donovan asked, his question prodding.

It hadn't been but hearing Mason talk about it made it seem to be the only reason.

"No," she admitted. "It was warning to not only him but the others that I was someone to be taken seriously and not messed with."

"Exactly. It was purposeful. Now I have another question. Did you enjoy breaking his nose?"

"No. It was simply what needed to be done."

"And do you derive pleasure from causing other's pain? Or do you act out against others with violence?"

Carter couldn't answer that last question quickly, too aware of who she'd been in high school.

"You're not that girl," Donovan said, seeming to read her thoughts. "You were someone who was hurt and lashed out. But that's not who you are anymore."

Carter heard his words but also heard Slater's words.

"I don't want to be someone who only knows how to cause violence," she said.

"Carter, do you trust me as your husband and partner?"

At this, Carter paused, thrown by the shift in topic.

"Of course," she said.

"Then you trust me to stop you if I ever believed you crossed a line if you ever started to become too violent."

"I do."

Donovan smiled and caressed her cheek. "Then you should also trust me when I say this. Where people use violence to harm, you used calculated actions in order to protect. You're someone with a fire to help others. The route you take sometimes calls for tough decisions. Don't forget who you are, Carter. You're someone who loves, not someone who hates. That is the difference."

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You spicy jalapeño, you!

(You better not burn me because I don't have a cup of milk nearby)

Be honest, you have thoughts and you want to share them. I, being a kind (don't laugh!) and loving author, will happily accept them.

Okay, yeah yeah Carter and Donovan are so cute and it's so great to see them pretending to fight each other and blah blah blah Donovan is perfect and always helps Carter realize that she's great blah blah blah.

Phew got that out of way. Now!

MASON WITH BLACK HAIR!!!

I mean I know Mason has said he can pull off everything including  dumb, ignorant, and Armani but black hair! I don't know why but I just don't feel like it would look good on him.

Let's put it up to a vote!

Mason looks terrible with black hair

Mason rocks everything and don't you dare say anything bad about him or I'll come for you!

Mason can do black hair I just feel less passionate about it than the people above.

Well I'm glad we're really taking the time to deal with the serious issues of life.

As always, vote (for the chapter this time) comment, follow but only if you think black is classic.