"Ana," Damon growls warningly, "just what the hell do you think you're doing?"

"Testing a theory of mine, is all," Ana says with a smile.

Damon stares at her trying to get a read on what Ana has planned.

They sit in silence after that and Ana fights the pull of sleep as they wait for Calum to return with the prisoner.

Calum knocks once then comes in, "Here you go boss."

Ana smiles brightly at him and both he and Damon flinch. This just makes Ana smile even wider. She may be young, but she's not stupid.

Damon would disagree with her. He has a sinking feeling in the pit of his stomach that he knows what Ana has planned.

Ana gestures for the manacled man to step forward. "Manacles, really Calum?"

Calum shrugs. "Take them off." Now Damon stiffens. Calum doesn't make a move to do as she says. "Calum, take them off. He's not going to hurt me or try to escape. Now!" Ana is starting to get angry. Calum is supposed to be helping her, not undermining her authority. Finally Calum goes to the man and removes the manacles.

"What is your name?" Ana asks gently.

"Jonah," The second replies. He rubs his wrists where the manacles had been, they hadn't been there long but the red marks show skin rubbed raw.

Ana sees this and frowns. "When this interview is over, take him to the doctor to get those wrists looked at. While you're there you can find out how Trinity is doing." Calum nods, his lips press down in anger though.

"Tell me, Jonah, what is your relationship with the late Hawk's widow?" Ana inquires.

Jonah had been expecting something more along the lines of an interrogation or more information about the inner workings of Hawk's group. This question throws him off balance and he answers surprisingly honest.

"We were lovers," Jonah admits sheepishly.

Damon raises an eyebrow in shock. He understands now where Ana is going with this, but he's still not a hundred percent on board with it. 

"You weren't worried about Hawk's getting angry?" Ana pushes the nonplussed Jonah.

"Hawk, he likes, I mean liked, the young girls. He let me be with Trudy as a bonus." Jonah says, he doesn't know why but he starts pleading with the young girl that holds his life in his hands. "Please, she doesn't deserve to be mistreated. Hawk's done that for years to her. Let her have peace now that he's gone."

"So, she means more to you than just a bonus?" Ana pushes, she needs to know if she should even put the offer on the table.

"I love her," Jonah says in a broken voice. He doesn't expect anything good to come from his declaration. He doesn't expect to live long past sunrise truth to be told. After what he saw and heard about the new Hawk. That young girl terrifies him.

Ana smiles once more and looks triumphantly at Damon. "You will do what you want Ana. I'm not sure it's a good idea, in fact I think it's a terrible one, but it's your decision."

"I'm in a quandary, Jonah. Trudy is a loose end. I don't like slavery and think it's a filthy line that aught to be stopped. Hawk will be stopping its participation in it. But that means I'm rather limited in my options in regards to Trudy. Trina, I gave her the option to either marry, Calum here, who will be taking over the position of second, or being sold into slavery or a merciful death. I hope that she chooses the marriage option. 

"Trudy, however, I don't really have any one for her to marry, so that leaves just the two options available."

"Mistress, if you will permit, I would marry Trudy. I will swear loyalty and serve you in whichever way you wish, please allow me to marry her." Jonah looks at Ana pleadingly.

"You would take whatever position I give you without hesitation or complaint?" Ana pushes, she wants this clarified.

"Yes, bust me back to a beginner's level if you must."

"Swear your loyalty to me now," Ana demands. Jonah complies and swears his loyalty.

"I will need to keep you with your men tonight, I'm afraid," Ana explains. "I can't let any of you go until the oath of fealty is given to all. If Trudy is amenable you shall be married as soon as it is legally possible, otherwise I'll have to offer her the same options as Trina."

Ana smirks, "You'll be my third." Jonah is floored by her generosity. "You'll be working closely with Calum here. As you've noticed, I'm fairly young, that makes me a target. It will be your job to keep my identity a secret and help me gain the loyalty of the men. Calum will be working towards this end as well, but he is only on loan to me. I need to have the men solidly behind me as soon as possible."

"Yes, mistress. What shall we call you?" Jonah asks not wanting to anger this terrifying child. He has no doubts that if she has the solid backing of the men that she could handle Hawks group on her own without Phoenix's help.

"Just call me Ana, at least for now."

"Yes, Ana. If I might? What are you going to do with Trinity?" Jonah asks biting his lip.

Ana smiles brightly once more and this time even Jonah shudders at what that means, "I plan on making him a body guard if he is amenable." Jonah looks at her in shock. 

Damon and Calum aren't too happy about this decision either.

"Do you have any further questions?" Ana inquires.

Jonah still in shock can only shake his head. Ana turns from him to Calum. "Take him to get his wrists treated. There will be no more manacles or shackles or handcuffs on him. He's taken the oath and will be treated as a trusted member."

Calum nods his head and escorts Jonah from the room. Once the door is shut Ana turns to Damon and says, "Okay, let it out."

"What the hell are you doing, Ana? Treating an untried man to full trusted status just because he swore the oath?" Damon demands.

Ana looks at Damon calmly, "If I don't treat him that way then he won't act that way. I need to have their loyalty yesterday. I don't have the luxury of time here. Besides that isn't the only thing you're upset about."

"What are you thinking? Putting the son of the man you killed as your body guard?" Now Damon is yelling.

"Trinity should have been second preparing to take over Hawk. Instead he is third and if I'm correct, he knows less about Hawk's operations than you do. I'm going to gain his loyalty by giving him a position of trust. Hopefully my mercy to his mother and sister will help as well."

"If they choose to marry rather than the other options." Damon yells out as he starts pacing.

"No one wants to be a slave and survival instincts are too strong to choose that option. Besides, I think Trudy loves Jonah and will be more than happy to marry him, even if she was just made a widow. It might take some time to arrange the wedding since we'll somehow have to come up with a death certificate for Hawk so she can marry again, but other than that I really don't see an obstacle."

"Oh, well then, what about Trina?" Damon says sarcastically.

Ana shrugs, "I think the option to marry is better than slavery for her. She's too young to want to die and besides, she thinks Calum is hot. I'll talk to her tomorrow to clarify some things about the marriage, but over all I think she'll see it as her best bet and will take it.

"The only one I don't have figured out is Trinity. I don't really know him or have a read on him since I haven't even seen him conscious. He might be offended and prefer something other than being my body guard." Ana shrugs, she's not too worried about it.

"That's not what worries me about him being your body guard. He's the son of the man you just killed brutally, I might add. He might take some serious offense at that and bide his time to attack you in revenge."

Ana shrugs, "All of life is a gamble, Damon. I don't think that is what he'll do, but I'll have a better read on him after I talk with him.

"I'm tired now, just about falling asleep on my feet. Could you find out the report on Trinity and give it to me when you come up tonight?" Ana asks and Damon nods.

"Thank you Damon, I know I make you angry at times and right now you think I'm foolish. I'm making a gamble because my back is to the wall here. Perhaps you'll be telling me or my corpse, I told you so. If it ever comes down to that I'll tell you I'm sorry now."

"You're not even eleven years old Ana, you shouldn't have to be making these kinds of decisions." Damon is holding back his tears and keeping his face a mask so she doesn't get upset.

Ana shrugs, "In a perfect world no one would be making these kinds of decisions. We don't live in a perfect world and we deal with what we're given. Good night, Damon."

"Good night Ana." Damon says as she gives him one last hug before leaving the room.