"Who does that gringo think he is?" Ice said when he surged through the door of the secret room under the dock house.

"We have to do something Javier?" Matt said once the gang was settled in various parts of the tiny compartment.

"Matt's right. If we let him get away with disrespecting us, he's gonna keep doing it. He's gonna think he can take over our turf too." Ice said.

"Just shut up." Javier finally said when each member of the gang began to offer suggestions simultaneously of how to make Dylan Moody pay.

"I got a plan." Javier said and waited a few seconds for absolute silence to build the suspense as all eyes stared at him in anticipation for the revelation of his plan. "But I don't know if all of you are man enough to handle it." Javier again waited for his words to settle in and make an impact.

"Come on Javier just tell us." Juan finally said.

"Dylan Moody's a tough one. If the cops hadn't come when they did I think he would have taken a bullet. He's not afraid of anything happening to himself. We can't go after him."

"What do you mean we can't go after him?"

"Are we just going to give up?"

"Yeah, are we just going to let that gringo win?

"Shut up and let me finish." Javier shouted. "We're going to get Mr. Moody. We're going to make sure he never sets foot in Angel square again. And we're going to do it not by going after him but by going after someone he cares about."

"Who?" Ice said.

"His girl." Javier said and smiled.

"Oh yeah. Whoa she is hot." Matt said and hi fived Ice. The rest of the gang also spoke similar phrases of agreement.

"What are we going to do to her?" Ice finally said once the gang had settled down again.

"I don't know yet. But one things for sure, the message will be loud and clear, and Dylan Moody will never want to come back to Angel Square again.

"Hello. Yes, this is she." Marty said.

Two minutes later, Marty hung up the phone and grabbed her jacket from behind the desk.

"Sheila, I'll try to be back as soon as I can."

"What's the matter?"

"I'm not sure. One of the kids from the community center called. I couldn't really understand what he was saying-his accent was very heavy. All I could make out was that Dylan was hurt and he needed me to come down there quickly."

Marty was in full scale panic the whole ride over to the community center. She had begged Dylan to get a security guard for extra protection at the center. She had witnessed a gun fight and had been held at gun point herself in the short time that Dylan had started working there. But he wouldn't listen. Marty prayed Dylan hadn't been caught in another skirmish with the Arrows.

Marty jumped out of her car and ran towards the community center. She cautiously opened the door but was surprised that the place was deserted. The lights were off and there was no sign of Dylan or anyone anywhere.

"Dylan?" Marty called loudly thinking he might be in the back office.

She let out a sigh when the light came on in the office. He must have been sleeping she said to herself as she walked to the back towards the office.

"Dylan it's me." She called again before she reached the door.

The light in the office went out. Something moved behind her.

Marty whirled around towards the sound. It was still dark, but she began to make out shapes.

"Dylan." Marty said her voice quivering.

"No not Dylan." a voice in the darkness spoke just before the lights came on.

Marty looked past the seven or eight arrows that had formed a line in front of her to the source of the voice she had heard a moment ago.

Javier was still standing by the light switch. "Your long-haired boyfriend is not here." Javier then walked through the line of arrows until he was standing in front of her.

Marty swallowed and tried to mask her fear by straightening up and staring Javier down. She could tell she was failing from the look on Javier's face. He was grinning and staring her up and down. He began to walk around her, and the arrows followed suit until the whole gang had encircled her.

"I came to see Dylan." Marty said slowly. She had to concentrate on every syllable to keep her voice steady. "But if he's not here. I guess I'll be going." Marty made a move towards the door, but Ice and Juan stepped together to block her path.

"Not so fast Bonita." Javier said.

Marty quickly turned to face him. "Can you please tell your…friends to move out of my way?" Marty said sternly.

"What's the rush?" Javier said and walked toward her until he was only inches away. "You see your friend Dylan Moody thinks he can come in Angel Square and just start running things. But the Arrows run things. Dylan Moody doesn't seem to hear me when I tell him this so now I have to make sure that he knows the rules of Angel Square if he wants to keep coming here and leaving in one piece."

The rules, Arrows, running things. From the moment the Arrows blocked her path and Javier began coming toward her, Marty's heart began to race. The rhythm it made against her ear drums was becoming deafening. She could only catch certain words or phrases Javier threw out of his mouth. As Javier continued talking she became painfully aware that the Arrows were drawing closer to her. She began to feel like she was suffocating as if the circle of arrows was creating a tomb around her. She was having trouble breathing and her mind began to toss around a multitude of thoughts and ideas she couldn't quite comprehend. But one she was able to grasp. A voice that said Get out of here now. Then she heard her own voice speak.

"Javier, Dylan is only trying to help. He's not trying to disrespect you. But any problems you have with him you are going to have to talk to him about. I'm not going to be a messenger for you." Marty said in a surprisingly steady voice.

"That's where you're wrong, Bonita. You are going to help teach Dylan the most important rule of Angel Square. And that is the Arrows own everything in Angel square. Which means this Community Center." Javier opened his arms to emphasize his point. "And everything that comes in Angel square which means…" Javier walked back toward Marty and stared at her with a smirk plastered on his face. "La novia bonita del jibaro. Muchachos, ¿creen?

The Arrows laughed and nodded in agreement.

Marty's lack of comprehension of Javier's statement did not prevent her from deducing that whatever he said would not mean good news for her.

Marty turned and quickly headed for the door. But the Arrows blocked her path again. Instead of turning to face Javier again, Marty tried again to get pass another set of Arrows but was again deterred. Every attempt Marty made toward the door was blocked. The Arrows were enjoying the game while Marty was doing everything in her power not to burst into tears. Even when they began to shout obscenities in both Spanish and English and mock her threats and pleas for them to move out of her way, Marty's eyes remained dry. It wasn't until Javier grabbed her arm and whirled her around toward him that the tears sprung up.

Sticks and Stones may break my bones, but words will never hurt me…as long as they don't touch me.

But he did. He put his grimy hands on her and instantly she was back in Kevin's fraternity room trying to get Todd off her

"Let me go! Don't touch me!" Marty shouted.

"Come on bebe, How 'bout a little kiss." Javier laughed as he roughly maneuvered her towards the back wall of the community center.

Marty managed to push Javier away but was greeted by the back wall. Javier stood in front of her and the Arrows stood in a line behind him. They were all laughing.

"Get away from me." Marty shouted.

The Arrows apparently thought that was hysterical for they began to laugh harder than before. Javier was the only one not laughing. His smile soon vanished as well. Based on the new look that emerged on Javier's face, Marty was officially terrified. His eyes seem to penetrate her entire skull and the twisted grin on his face was a dead ringer for the one Todd displayed that night at the frat house.

"Cállate." Javier shouted, and the Arrows immediately ended their laughter.

Javier waited a few more seconds after the silence before he spoke.

"Dylan Moody sure is a lucky man, Bonita." Javier said in an almost soothing voice. "But like I said before The Arrows own everything that comes in Angel Square. Now I'm going to go first. And that's too bad for Dylan Moody because then you'll see what your missing wasting your time with that gringo." The arrows laughed. "And don't worry. After the rest of mis amigos have their turn, I'll still take you back if you decide to dump that hick and come back to me." The arrows laughed again.

Before Javier came toward her, Marty was already shaking uncontrollably. She could feel her sanity evaporating. She knew that once they completed what they had in store for her nothing of her old self would be left. She would be completely destroyed and beyond recovery. They would have to lock her up in a mental institution and feed her with an IV needle. Marty saw an image of herself in the small padded room. She was huddled in the corner. Her eyes were blank, her hair disheveled. The image was quite frightening. Almost more frightening than what was about to happen.

Marty didn't know how long she had been caught in this train of thought. She vaguely heard one of the Arrows say, "run their coming." But she didn't really notice the scattered footsteps as the Arrows exited from around her in all different directions. She did remember the feel of Javier's breath on her throat and his hands beginning to explore her body before they quickly withdrew. She was slowly becoming aware of the cold floor beneath her skirt. Everything in the building looked taller and she realized she was sitting on the floor. Soon she began to concentrate on the voice speaking to her. It was Carlotta.

"Marty, please say something." Carlotta said.

Marty turned her head toward the woman and saw the concerned face staring down at her and stroking her hair. Marty still couldn't find her voice, the only thing she could do was fall into Carlotta's open arms. Marty heard Carlotta softly saying something in Spanish and felt her gently rocking her back and forth.

"Are you okay?" Carlotta said after she finally pulled away.

"Where did they go?" Marty whispered as her eyes frantically searched the community center.

"They're gone, mija. It's okay."

"Marty." Dylan shouted as he burst through the doors of the community center.

Marty sprang up from the floor and ran to him. She desperately needed to feel his strong, protective arms around her to feel she was truly safe.

"Dylan, are you okay?" Carlotta said cautiously.

Most of the police were gone. Andy and Rich were the only ones left, and they were in Dylan's office taking Marty's statement.

"I'm fine." Dylan said. He then shook his head. "I just can't believe the Arrows would go that far." It took every ounce of reserve Dylan had to keep him from tearing the room apart and then going after Javier.

"How is Marty doing?" Carlotta asked.

"She's calmed down. She's still a bit shaken up though." Dylan said.

"A dios mio, the way she looked before." Carlotta said.

Dylan looked at her, his eyes telling her to continue.

"Christian, Mikey and Eddie had come here to talk to you. They saw the Arrows bothering Marty. Christian went and called the police and Mickey and Eddie went in the room to help Marty. Luckily there were a couple of police cars a few blocks away. They came within minutes. They could have all been hurt. Christian said there were about ten Arrows against only the three of them. I was coming home from work when I saw the police cars outside of the center. The Arrows were gone by the time I got in and most of the police were out chasing them. And that's when I saw Christian, Mickey and Eddie over by Marty. I didn't know what was going on until I saw her face. She was sitting against the wall. She looked so scared. I sent Christian and his friends away. They looked so confused. They didn't understand what was wrong with her. But I knew. I knew by looking in her eyes. She was terrified and shaking so much. I went to her and held her until you came." Carlotta shook her head as she remembered how frightened Marty looked huddled against the wall. "If Christian and his friends hadn't come when they did Mr. Moody…" Carlotta continued after a few more moments of silence.

"I know." Dylan said barely audibly.

"When I saw her I right away thought the worse. She looked so scared. I just knew those boys had violated her." Carlotta said in disbelief. "Did Marty say if that was their intention?" She asked a moment later.

Dylan nodded. He could feel his rage beginning to return.

"A dios mio. Marty was very lucky."

"No, she wasn't." Dylan said harshly. Carlotta winced.

"I'm sorry, Mrs. Vega. I am grateful that Christian got here before they were able to…hurt Marty. But it was way too close. I mean you saw her, she was scared to death. She knows what they would have done to her and for her that's almost just as bad." Dylan said through clenched teeth. "Those bastards." Dylan finally roared and kicked the chair he had been leaning on.

"Dylan it's okay"

"No, it's not. You don't understand. Something like this would destroy Marty. "Dylan realized he was only a few decibel levels from shouting and lowered his voice. "I'm sorry. But when I think about what they did to her, I just want to explode."

"I know you are angry Mr. Moody. But try and take comfort in the fact that nothing happened. She wasn't seriously hurt."

"It doesn't matter." Dylan said softly. "What those boys did do was enough." Dylan saw the confusion emerge on Carlotta's face. Of course, she was confused. He was rambling on and on like a madman. He was not making any sense to himself let alone the person he was talking to you. Dylan took a deep breath to gather his thoughts. "Even though the cops came before the Arrows had a chance to rape her the very fact that she was alone in a room with a group of boys who wouldn't let her leave and who implied that they would violate her was enough to completely terrify her. "Dylan slowly spit out every syllable again trying to keep hold of his anger. "Two years ago, Marty was in a similar situation. She was alone with a group of boys who had every intention of gang raping her. But she wasn't as lucky back then as she was now because no one came to her aid that time and those guys did rape her. So, you see, Javier and his friends didn't have to carry through with their entire plan, what they did was enough."

"Oh Dylan. I had no idea. Javier and the Arrows must have scared her-."

Just then the door of Dylan's office opened, and Marty walked out. The fear was still evident from her countenance but in a much less degree than when Carlotta first saw her.

"Marty- "Dylan started.

"Please take me home." Marty whispered.