Sean scooted along the seat to sit across from Dark. Then after taking a quick deep breath to collect himself, he told him as calmly as he could. "I want you to tell me how you and Anti tried to defeat him before." Dark rolled his eyes, his voice deep and leveled out when he replied a bit sarcastically. "You think that will help you? Because I can save you the trouble and tell you that it won't." Trying to stay positive, Sean boldly retorted. "Well, I'm not ready to give up. I think that-" Dark cut him off by leaning over the table more, his voice turning stern and icy when he growled out through clenched teeth. "I didn't say that I've given up. All that I'm implying is that YOU are unable to comprehend what he is capable of. And thus... cannot help me. But there is something you have that can." Sean didn't process Dark's words fast enough, before Dark grabbed his wrist and slammed it down on the center of the table. Sean tensed, curling his fingers to protect the ring. Dark's lips curled into a wicked smirk as his free hand slowly slid up Sean's gloved arm to Sean's elbow. Swallowing nervously, Sean pleaded with him shakily. "The ring only works for an Oyster. Something you are not..."

Dark's blazing heterochromia eyes stared into his without fear or concern over his words. Unable to stare into those powerful eyes, Sean looked down to see Dark's hand flash from a masculine hand to a thinner feminine one and back. His masculine fingers curling around the hem of the glove to slowly start pulling it down with great ease. It was then that Sean remembered what the devil had said on the train and gasped. Grabbing Dark's other wrist gently, Sean watched Dark tense up for a fight, until Sean whispered out in shock. "Celine... Oh my god... He put an Oyster in you." Dark's hand shot up off Sean's glove to grab his throat, squeezing it tightly. Sean choked, unable to get his arm or throat from Dark's grips. Pulling Sean over the table by his throat, Dark sneered close to his face. "Who told you that?" Sean couldn't answer. He could only wheeze, but the longer Dark stared into his eyes, the more he suddenly pieced together in a low growl. "Wilford..." Sean grabbed Dark's wrist, trying to plead him to loosen his grip. Dark didn't, instead he brought his lips closer to tell him in an unfeeling deep voice. "Here's what you're going to do, kid. You are going to help me... but the only one benefiting from this is ME. I don't take orders and I don't give people chances to screw me over. If you think you can dethrone him and turn on ME. You've got a rude awakening coming."

Sean wheezed in a panic as Dark's grip tightened more. Dark was going to kill him! Dark stared him down with emotionless eyes that enjoyed his suffering, until a soft voice said from within the booth with them. "Damien." Dark's eyes darted away to the person sitting in the booth, before his grip loosened enough that Sean could wheeze in a little air. Risking a look, Sean saw Anti sitting in the booth with his foot pressing against the table edge lazily. Anti only looked at Dark, his arms crossed over his chest and a guarded look upon his face. Giving Dark a little shrug, Anti carelessly stated aloud. "Really? Is he such a threat to you?" Dark scolded him in a menacing voice. "Everyone is a threat. Until they are dead." Anti nodded, bowing his head to look at the floor when he shrugged out. "True. But if you kill him. You won't be able to use him. And I didn't send him here for you to throw away. You need a puppet... and I brought you one." The curtain opened a bit as Phantom leaned in and chuckled out in reply. "He's got a point, Dark. There are better ways to keep him in line." Removing a rolled up scroll, Phantom set it on the table and removed a red feather quill upon cooing out. "Let's do this without bloodshed. Shall we make a deal, guys and gals?"

Dark finally released Sean, allowing him to cough and rub his sore throat. While Sean gasped in air, he glanced at Anti who sat so calmly. Their eyes finally met but Anti showed very little emotion to indicate that he cared. Phantom licked the tip of the quill, cutting his tongue just enough to put blood on the tip. Then clearing his throat, he grinned out to them all. "So? The terms?" Phantom gestured for Dark to release Sean's wrist, but Dark glared at him with resistance. Phantom slid into the booth, forcing Sean to slide along the booth and closer to Anti. Dark was still reluctant to let go, until Anti draped an arm over Sean's shoulders and snapped his fingers as a gesture for Sean to give him his arm. With great reluctance, Dark let go and Anti took Sean's wrist to hold it against Sean's chest. As much as Sean didn't like feeling like a mouse in the claws of lions, he accepted it. Having him held onto seemed to calm Dark down enough that he was able to talk to Phantom. Phantom wrote out the contact, then when he finished, he pushed the contract across the table to Sean. Sean started to lean forward to read it, but Anti pulled him back against his side. Tensing a bit, Sean told Anti without looking at him. "I'm right-handed."

Anti removed the glove from Sean's hand, exposing the ring and causing the others to sit up straighter. Anti extended out his hand to him, whispering into his ear seriously. "Give me the ring." Every fiber of his being told him not to do it, but after a deep breath, he did. Sliding it off his finger, he set it down on Anti's palm. Anti's attention drifted to Dark, before he set the down on the table by the contract. Dark's moved closer to the ring, his fingers looking like they were itching to pick up the ring. Yet, Sean couldn't help noticing that Anti's hand was resting on the table pretty close to Dark's hand. So, was he going for the ring or Anti? Anti released Sean's hand, allowing Phantom to twirl the quill in his hand for Sean to take from him. Sean cautiously took the warm quill, leaning forward just a bit to read the contract over. Anti's fingers tapped his shoulder like he was bored, but he said nothing to him. Phantom stared at him with a bright grin, making Sean uneasy, but he told him politely. "I assure you. This is an offer that you can't refuse. If you want our help. This is the way to do it. This just assures us that you'll keep your word under pain of death. We want to come out of this in the end after all."

Sean tried to read some parts, but his vision blurred a bit, putting pressure on him to make up his mind. Exhaling, Sean put the quill to the paper and signed his name. When he stopped, Sean winced and reached up to touch his nose. Pulling his fingers away, he noticed the blood. Phantom pointed to the contract, watching the black blood turn a bright red. Rolling up the contract, Phantom chuckled out to the others. "Splendid, lads. A contract signed in blood. Ironclad and sealed. Shall we go see the King?" Dark nodded, telling Phantom calmly. "Find out where he is." Phantom saluted, casually walking off. Dark pushed the ring back to Sean, leaning over the table to tell him sternly. "You'll need this with Anti's blade... for now." Dark got up from the table and Anti glitched out of the booth to stand beside him. Anti didn't look at Dark, jamming his hands into his pockets. Dark's hands touched Anti's lower back, leaning closer to whisper something into his ear. Anti smirked, glancing over his shoulder at Sean, before touching Dark's chest very lightly as he walked away. Dark adjusted his white jacket, then beckoned Sean out of the booth.

Easing from the booth, Sean slipped the ring back on and pulled his glove back on. Dark pointed for him to follow Anti out to the stairs. Then moved in close behind him in an intimidating way. Phantom took direction from his shadow, who in turn gestured to Anti. Anti merely glanced back to make sure they were following him but regaled nothing to them. Sean looked around trying to see Illinois, but the place was so guarded that he couldn't. Was he in disguise? Was he lost? He really needed that blade right now. He wanted to tell them that he didn't have the blade on him but didn't want them to turn their attention on Illinois... wherever he was. They climbed into an elevator, where Phantom began to hum to himself and twirled his cane between his fingers. Dark pressed the button for the roof and waited. Sean shifted from foot to foot, trying to calm his racing heart as they made it to the top. As the door dinged, Dark stepped out first. The rooftop was beautiful. It was decorated like a private garden complete with a grass floor. Tea lights in the shapes of roses hung all around the ivy rails of the roof. All over the ground were little cards bent to look like a croquet pieces. Sean stepping over one or two, then gasped as he saw Mark.

Mark was lounging on a sofa in the shape of a large red heart and wearing a red suit with a white shirt and black tie that had a ruby heart tie pin. Sipping a tropical drink from a glossy crystal glass, he chuckled without looking at them and stated aloud. "Ah, back again so soon, boys? To what do I owe the pleasure now?" Dark slowly approached, answering dryly. "One of these days, something is going to give. You can't deny that Mark." Mark huffed with sarcastic flare, loosening his tie to reveal the colored bruises on his neck before icily telling Dark as he glared at him. "You can bruise this body all you want, Damien. But you'll never hurt me. You can't." Snapping his fingers, a wicker chair in the shape of a Spade appeared before Mark told him calmly. "Have a seat. Let's talk a bit. I wanna finish my drink before we start fighting." Sean started to move forward, but Anti and Phantom discreetly stepped into his way to block him off. Which made him question whose side they were on. Mark took a long sip from his drink, then asked Dark curiously. "How do you plan to try to kill me this time? More stabbings? Choking me to death? Trick me into signing something again?"

Mark laughed, teasing out to Phantom. "That was pretty clever though. If you have something for me to sign, I'll do it now. Hand it over." Phantom rolled his eyes with a sour look. Mark chuckled a bit more, but it faded when he saw Sean. Straightening up in his seat, Mark cooed out slowly. "Oooo, I see. Seducing me? I'm intrigued. How does this play out?" He waved the other two away, then beckoned Sean to move closer. Sean inched forward, feeling extremely unprepared for this. Mark moved a flamingo club off the seat, then patted it for Sean to join him. Dark looked to Sean with a blank look but told Mark calmly. "Thought you might be lonely after Cel-" Mark raised a hand in warning, sneering out. "DON'T mention her name." Taking Sean's wrists, Mark pulled him down on the couch beside him so gently. Taking a seat, he flinched when Mark's hand brushed over his cheek, asking him in a slightly controlling tone. "What is your name, sweetheart?" Sean turned away, trying to think of something, but Mark didn't seem to really care. Taking ahold of his hair, he brought it to his nose to smell it. Mark then pushed his hair off his shoulder and leaned in to kiss his neck in a way that made Sean shiver with slight disgust.

Sliding his lips up to his ear, Mark whispered teasingly. "So? How are you going to do it? What did they instruct you to do to me?" Putting a hand on Mark's chest, he tried to push him back a bit to get some air but stopped when he felt weird lines under his shirt. Seeing his reaction, Mark unbuttoned his shirt a little and pulled it open to reveal the scars all over his chest. The scars looked to be stab wounds. Lots of them. Leaning closer to Sean's face, he told him smugly. "It's so hard to find good help. No one wants to play the roles they've been given. But they just don't get it... The hero never dies. Only the villains do." Sean leaned back, his mind becoming overwhelmed by the idea that Mark was unkillable. With a warm chuckle, Mark patted his cheek and added so casually. "Oh, Sean. It's a cute disguise. I can see why you've slipped passed my men... but you'll have to try much harder than that. I know space when I smell it. It's a very distinct scent when you've smelled it for as long as I have." Scooting back from Mark, Sean shot back defensively. "I know you're not Mark. You're Dormin, the Eldritch Horror that possessed him." Mark's eyes turned a solid black, his voice going inhumanly deep when he answered coolly. "I am. I'm the piece that got away. You've got your memory back, I see. Time have anything to do with that?"

Sitting up straighter, Sean firmly told him. "Doesn't matter. I have the power to get rid of you once and for all." Dormin snorted, running a hand through his hair as he chuckled out over his shoulder to Dark. "That's cute. You four always surprise me. You've been helping to lead him here, haven't you? You think the Ring can deal with me?" Sean anxiously shifted on the seat, looking to Anti as he asked perplexed. "What is he talking about?" Anti glitched in place but bowed his head in shame. Dormin looked back at him, smirking out. "Oh, Sean. You look so lost. Let me explain it for you. I control... almost... everyone and everything. Wonderland is my playground. And you've been playing my game." Scooting back to the arm of the couch, Sean asked him confused. "Why would you lead me here. Knowing I'm going to kill you?" Dormin slowly got up, telling him openly. "Because the hero needs conflict. And it is more fun when you think you're the hero of this story. Only to be confronted with the real hero. Which is me... and the villains who brought you here." Dormin raised his hands a little, causing Phantom, Anti, and Dark to tense up.

Sean got to his feet, but Anti glitched out and grabbed his arms. Holding him tightly, Dormin moved closer to Sean and smirked as he told him. "I know just how I want to get rid of you. I'm going to give you and all your family and friends... a nice little trial. Before beheading you for all of Wonderland to see. The perfect end... for a dethroned King. Don't you agree?" To Be Continued...