"So," Luke's mom starts, "you're saying that a man who is with the rest of the Immunis has the map of the underground city and if we ally with your group you will escort our people to the organization who started this mess in the first place?" Her eyebrows raise conspicuously, "and once we're down there you will let us do as we please with this organization called 'The Centre'?"

"Yes." I state. I hate to lie, but the map isn't exactly made yet. John just has the map is in his head, not on paper. Of course she doesn't need to know that right now.

"What makes you think I want to avenge my ancestors?" She shifts in her throne.

"Who doesn't?" I ask back.

Her head nods, "and what do you get out of this relationship?" She asks.

"A safe place to stay." I say looking around, "as you know our group is unexposed to this environment, I still have to discuss the details but we just need a home and than we will be out of your way."

Luke's mom crosses her arms and stares at me with a straight face analyzing my proposition. "Okay, I agree with your terms." She stands up and walks towards me, her long, straight black hair sliding over her shoulder.

I take a step forward, my shoulders back. We stop a foot away from each other and look into the others eyes. She reaches her hand out and I take it firmly, with one hard shake the deal has been sealed.

Slowly her tall figure leans over me, "if you even think of stabbing me in the back your precious little friends will parish. Down there," she points to the ground, "if that's a trap, consider the ones you love dead."

My heart quickens at the ruthless aggression in her voice, "I want the people who started this dead as much as you do." I say calmly.

She pulls away and smiles at me warmly, making my stomach twist, "It was a pleasure doing business with you, Jean."

"Like wise..." I say searching for a name to call her.

"Refer to me as Lady. I am the Lady of this clan." Her hands spread out gesturing to the entire green city.

I nod my head and back away to Luke's side.

"Son," Lady smiles, "enjoy your time in the Pit. You deserve it, especially after you ruthlessly slaughtered this beautiful young girl's people."

Luke's sharp jaw clenched and he spins away quickly stomping out of the room. I quickly follow.

Once we reach outside I speed up to meet his side, "what's wrong?" I ask noticing the anger swirling in his eyes.

"Nothing." Luke snaps.

My eyebrows knit together as I stare at him, "really?" I ask sarcastically, "you expect me to believe that?"

I may not like Luke, but what ever he's mad about now might have an effect on me later.

Luke doesn't answer and speeds away again. I match his pace while looking around, my eyes catching the ones of a seller on the side of the street.

"Hey beautiful!" He says grabbing my wrapped wrist and yanking me back, "this necklace would look great on you."

I turn my head to see Luke still storming off, great. Looks like I'm on my own again. I turn back to the man wincing at his hard grip on my arm. Trying to yank my hand away from his only makes him hold me harder. "I'm not interested, now please let go." I say still pulling.

"Or maybe you want to sell me that pretty little locket of yours?" He reaches for my necklace, pulling me closer to him so he can get a better look. My free hand snatches his greedy fingers coming for my locket.

"Stop." I command, yanking hard against him. My bandage of my one wrist pulls off and starts to bleed again, my other hand moves form his wrist to his chest before trying to push him away from me.

He stumbles forward, still gripping my arm before a tanned hand snatches the mans wrist and squeezes it tightly forcing his hand off of mine. I back up quickly and watch Luke twist his wrist until a snap breaks the silence as the mans voice cracks. He screams and drops to the ground cradling is hand.

Luke stares at him as if he has been inconvenienced, "Marty, I told you not to touch women when they don't want it. You'll be going into the Pit next time you slip up." Luke turns to me his eyes hard with coldness, "and you. Stop falling behind."

I can't stand him! Who does he think he is? I want to give him a piece of my mind but I quickly catch my tongue considering that he just helped me.

"Next time the Pit won't be so merciful towards you." Luke sets a hard glare onto the trembling man on the ground.

What is this Pit that everyone talks about?

Luke takes my wrapped wrist lightly and drags me behind him. I look behind to see the man cowering to the ground before I look down at my reopened wound, the crimson blood trickling down my hand.

"Thanks." I reluctantly mumble.

Luke doesn't respond, still dragging me down the streets turning around multiple corners before reaching a little vine-covered shop with a young, attractive redhead sitting inside. A counter sits in front of her, to her back is a wall covered in shelves holding wraps, ointments and herbs. Luke drags me inside before forcing me to sit down in a chair across from her.

She looks up surprised to see me before glancing seductively at Luke. "Who's this Luke?" She asks smirking.

Luke sighs and takes my bloody wrist and slams it onto the table, "fix her."

"Ouch," I mumble glaring at him over my shoulder.

The girls smile dissipates into the air as she grabs warm water, ointments and a bandage, "what happened?" She coldly investigates my wound.

"I was cuffed by this idiot." I say tilting my head to Luke.

"It was shackles, dimwit." Luke rolls his eyes and moves away.

Her eyes pop open and face turns red before turning to Luke, "So you guys are an item or something?" She asks disappointedly.

"What makes you think that?" I scoff scrunching my face.

"Um, shackles? Binding? Sexual interco—" She starts before I cut her off.

"No!" I yell squeezing my eyes shut hard trying to erase the shirtless image of Luke in my head... which wasn't a terrible image but... no!

"Oh?" She smiles biting her lip as she stares up at Luke.

"Want me to leave?" I ask sarcastically sitting in the middle of their tension, "I mean I'd get lost and probably disappear off of the face of the earth but at least I won't have to be stuck between you two."

Crap. There goes my inner Issy sass talking everyone again.

"Yeah, actually that would be great." Luke says smirking at the girl who's strategically leaning over the counter and pressing her arms together.

"I wasn't serious!" I shout.

"Fine." Luke sighs and backs away from the counter, "I'll show you around after my round in the Pit."

"What's the Pit?" I ask.

Luke and the girl share a glance while she finishes wrapping my wound.

"It's our form of punishment and entertainment," Luke says uncomfortably.

I look back to see Luke sitting on a table his legs dangling down, "what are you going in for?" I ask.

"Punishment." His eyes drift to his lifeless feet.

"What did you do?" I ask noisily. I feel a little guilty at my happiness that he is, but it would do him good, his ego is way too large. 

"I am at fault for the massacre of your people." Luke's voice drops, disgust lacing it, "I should've kept the boy with me, he wasn't ready to go on his own yet. I couldn't control my squad and they killed your people."

The girl sets my arm down and gets up to hug Luke. He turns his head away and shifts his body slightly so she can't hug him completely.

My heart reaches out to him despite my previous anger and pain which he caused. Still I find a part of myself who doesn't care.

"Oh Luke," the girl sighs, "it's not your fault." She strokes his hair and kisses his head.

"It is his fault." I spout out before I can stop myself, gaining the deadly glare form the redheaded girl, "he's at fault for the death of the innocent." I pause willing Luke to look up into my eyes but he never does. He doesn't say anything, he doesn't look at me and he doesn't say he's sorry. He just looks out the window as if that will give him the answer he's searching for.

Somewhere inside of me I know he's ashamed of himself, but I don't want to forgive him. I know he couldn't control everyone's instinctive actions and I know Richy would say to forgive him. Forgive him because somewhere underneath all of that is a someone who's hurt, who just needs comfort and a friend. I need to make an effort to forgive him. But I'm not ready yet.

"Luke, it's time for you to go to the Pit and fight." The girl says rubbing his back. She's so touchy.

"And fight?" I ask, "I thought he was being punished."

"I am," Luke says, "I have to fight the little boy who shot at your muscle headed friend."

I'm about to get mad at him for insulting Adam but Luke stands up and brushes the girl off of him before walking out the door. I quickly follow my mind spinning.

"So you fight as punishment and as entertainment." I quicken my pace to a near jog so I'm able to keep at his pace.

"Yes, some people sign up for fighting in the arena because you can make money from it. People place bets while others fight for the fortune and fam." Luke says his stride long and powerful.

"And the punishment?" I ask hesitantly.

"If my mom convicts one person at fault for a crime they committed they will have to serve their punishment in the Pit. Usually that person is chained to the ground and beaten, executed or until my mother says that they've served their time." Luke's jaw clenches.

"But you're not getting that punishment, right?" I look into his pristine light eyes as it catches my dark ones.

"I'm not," Luke rips his gaze off of mine and walks towards a large group of people waiting at a door which leads into a building with no roof, "I have the second type of punishment, when two people are convicted guilty of a crime and are forced to fight each other. If they refuse they are executed. My mother convicted the young boy who fired the first shot, and myself. We have to fight until we serve our time."

How could a mother convict her own child to a punishment where he's forced to hurt a little boy?

As we enter the crowd of busy people I loose sight of Luke and am pushed into the large, stone roofless building.

As I begin to enter a man stops me, "you have to pay miss."

Of course I do, this is a way to make profit. As I go to answer that I don't have any money a hand rests on my shoulder.

Patrick's overweight figure stands behind me smiling at the man, "don't worry, she's with me."

As simple as that the man lets us through the gate to reveal a circular fighting area stained with black dried blood and fresh red. The area is made of sand and a tall wall encloses it except for the two gates on either side of it. One labeled South and the other North. The seats circle all the way around the arena and are made of stone which vaguely look like steps. My stomach aches thinking about how people do this for fun or entertainment. Families walk in and sit with one another while couples hold hands ready for the show.

Patrick taps my shoulder and points over to an empty spot. I follow and sit down beside him as I analyze the arena some more I can easily pick out the first, second and third class citizens. The richer you are or more power you have you sit higher up and closer to Lady, Luke's mom.

Once everyone is filed in and sitting the area is packed and loud. The excitement and joy that fills the air seems to strangle me, I feel sick to my stomach.

Three dings echo through the cool air, all conversations come to a halt as a voice booms across the arena, "Welcome ladies and gentlemen, today we have quite the show. If you please take your seats it will begin."

Here goes nothing.

A/N
Sorry this is a long chapter but I'd like to thank all my readers and voters! If you like what your reading please let me know, I appreciate your support and have a great day!
Love,
Denim Hawk