The pair got out of the center alive, against all odds. A pistol and a rifle against an armored bird is not an equal fight, the large wound on the Boss' leg proving it.

She and Max managed to reach the Magma, who was still parked at the entrance. He tore out of as soon as they entered, low on ammo and unable to afford another Ronin counter attack.

Max pulled over at a desert alley at her request after losing more of Shogo's men sent after them.

'We'll wait here 'till there are less out there.' She explained.

He agreed, and turned his attention to her. He touched her leg with the intention of examining the wound.

'Fuck you!' She punched him on the face. 'My crew will take care of me when I get back.'

'God fucking damn it! I am trying to help!' He replied, grumpily, checking his lips with his fingers for blood. She didn't let him get shot, what was this about now?

'Look, just because we helped each other earlier doesn't make you less of a cock sucking piece of bacon for me.' She spat, releasing the muffled anger she had towards another cop, who once wore purple. The Boss was telling herself, 'don't be fooled, they were all the same'.

Maybe Max was genuinely interested in helping her now, taken by pity, maybe that pity someone who is conscious of his superiority can feel for a shitty, bleeding criminal. But it wouldn't stop him from sending her to the chair if needed, like Troy did to Johnny.

Max sighed, chin on his hand and looked at The Boss with the same tired condescendence you would look, not to a criminal, but to a wounded little brat, too proud to accept help.

'For you own sake, I hope your boys get here fast.'

'Shut up.' She mumbled while she lit a cig, tilting her head to hold the cell in place and make a call. She wanted to reach Pierce, as Gat's crew was probably still busy with The Ronin.

The Boss checked her phone impatiently:

'Shit. No reception. That is fucking great.'

Max decided it was enough and took a med kit off the glove box, grunting.

'This is a big wound, girl. Stop been a bitch to me, what can it do to you if I at least stop the bleeding?'

He extended her leg carefully over his and cleaned it in small soft strikes.

'Fine. Knock yourself out.' She agreed, disarmed and without the need of being aggressive this time, but still been cold to show she wasn't impressed.

Max took the disinfecting fluid and poured it over the wound.

It just stung, she had far worst, but Max seemed worried.

'Sorry.'

He then pressed some clean gauze over the wound, steadily to stop the bleeding but with so much calculated care so it wouldn't hurt more than it should, that The Boss couldn't help but notice it. To him, it seemed so natural.

She felt her eyes filling with tears, having one unpleasant memory that she was very quick to dismiss, comparing against her will the attitude of the person she had in front of her now and that of a man back then. She didn't recall been tended like this before.

When he rose his head to look at her, she tried to read irony or indifference in his eyes but there was none. Only simple concern and an almost affectionate vibe she couldn't understand.

He just kept taking care of the wound, with the same kindness, doing his best to cause the strict minimum pain.

Not used to kindness in general, she couldn't get Max's natural impulse to help.

It was like he guessed her confusion:

'Don't think I don't see you as a person just because you're in a gang.' He shrugged, her gaze making him a bit uncomfortable. 'Damn, I could be your father.'

'You couldn't be my father.' She scowled, he wasn't old enough, she thought, scanning his face, but then noticing against her will that he was actually attractive and totally her type.

'I dunno...' Max said, putting unexpectedly some humor to it. 'What does your mother looks like?'

Even the Boss' serious face had to relax into a slight smile for a while, and she chuckled.

With that the ice was broken.

The ride to the hideout was mostly silent, but there was not the slight hint of hostility from the Boss's part. If anything, it evolved to a polite mistrust.

They didn't trust each other at all, but you couldn't really say that the cop and the saint hated each other anymore.

XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX

A few weeks later Troy asked Max to his office. Pairing with the Saints produced good results and Dane was satisfied about it.

'Wow, doing this is no piece of cake. I feel guilty for teaming with people I might have to arest some day. How did you do it?' Max said, worried, as soon as he entered Troy's office.

Damn. Max and his annoying gift of reminding everyone of the better person they should be.

'It's her isn't? Are you two getting along too well now?'

'Excuse me? That has nothing to…'

Troy grunted and reached for the computer, while he stared at Max in tired annoyance. He opened an audio file:

'Hello?'

'Max?'A woman's voice with latino accent asked.

'Hi. Is everything ok?'

'Just fine. Listen, everything is settled. We're going after the Ronin tomorrow.'

' You gotta be more careful this time. Bring more people with you, The Ronin are not unprepared anymore. Don't want to have to get there and find you surrounded again.'

The feminine voice laughed.

'How sweet. Says the guy whose ass I had to save last time…'

The other voice replied in amusement:

'Trying to keep your own safe may I remind you…'

Troy paused the media and scowled.

'There you go. I don't think we need to listen to all of it. Public phone at Sunnyvale Gardens. To your personal phone. The conversation wasn't too hostile, huh? And you guys met a Freckle Bitch's another day, why? You gotta keep it real man, you're starting to put your guard down.'

'How did you get that?' Max frowned.

'You've been wired.'

'And you knew 'bout that?'

'Ultor's orders. Heh. I know. I wasn't even supposed to show it to you.'

'You're always a surprise Troy.' Max said, a hint of accusation in his tone that was enough to touch Troy's sensitive spot.

'It's work, like any other. You know what the law expects you to do and you do it. If you don't have what it takes, then just quit this shit.' He groaned, like he was justifying himself and closing the conversation.

'Right. Call for replacement. I'm out.' Max replied, just like that, much to Troy's surprise and displease. It was hard to find another decent cop to put at Max's place. Troy just sunk behind the pile of papers that accumulated over his desk, like he was drowning on all the problems that surfaced each day.

He rubbed his forehead with his thumbs and searched a drawer, retrieving a new pack of cigs and opening it.

'Here, take one too. Sorry I said that. No, it's not easy, I am well placed to say. Just remember, you are not friends, even if fighting together creates a bound and makes you believe that. Don't forget that maybe that day will come when you'll have to arrest her and everyone. I don't trust Ultor, and I am pretty sure they'll forget the help the Saints are giving us much faster than you, it's all a matter of time. But I need you for this Max. I can't count on everyone here and you know it. Look at that! He took one paper from the pile, another one, then one more, letting them fly across the room, fed up. 'Crime report, crime report, and another fucking crime report. Do you know why criminality raises so much? We don't pay our men enough. So they quit. Our guns are outdated, our cars needing maintenance. I ask for funds and do you know what City Hall tells me? To pick the pieces from the less fucked up cars and replace them into the totally fucked up ones. And don't even get me started on our equipment. Missing radios, one bullet proof jacket for every three guys. What am I supposed to do, encourage them to share them? All I do is work my ass out, only to hear its my own incompetence that can't keep this city safe!'

'Better than anyone I know what the problems of our district are. I am taking more risks since I arrived here than most. I already had enough dilemmas of right and wrong, guilt issues for a lifetime. I'm sorry Troy, but you're on you own for this one.'

Max finished his cig and closed the door of the office, leaving. Troy stood alone for a bit but then pounded the table in frustration.

Poor Troy. He had no idea of what this promotion would represent in his life. He was stressed all the time, put up weight really fast and aged about 10 years in 3 since he took the direction of the PD. Life with the Saint's wasn't so bad after all…

XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX

Poker Face:

Meanwhile, at the hideout, Pierce, Boss, Gat and Carlos were entertaining themselves to a round of poker, to kill time while they were not killing people.

The Brotherhood and Ronin Lieutenant seemed to have been winning each time, judging by the big pile of chips at their side of the table.

'One more round and I wipe all of your money. Ha! I hope you guys shoot better than you play…' Pierce gloated.

Carlos gave him a sideway look as if to remind him it was a good thing for his gang career not to piss off his boss and second in command.

Johnny, however, was amused and unexpectedly took sharp words to deal with the matter, rather than a sharp object like he was more used to:

'Right. But let me remind you Carlos is the one kicking our asses, not you. I suggest a partner switch for the next one.' He smiled, turning his face to The Boss, who grinned back.

'Yeah, good idea.'

Carlos chuckled, folding his cards at the table while he turned to Pierce.

'Told ya.'

Shaundi giggled from the couch she was sitting, still following a bit their conversation despite being on the phone (with some ex presumably). She filled the room with the smoke from the pipe she was smoking, and the quarter changed positions for the next game. Pierce sided with the Boss now to his despair, she paid more attention to her bottle of wine than her cards.

He grunted, readjusting the doo rag on his head.

For the intelligent man he was, he gambled more than he should, and had debts scattered almost every hood of Stilwater.

'So Boss I just talked to an ex at the Frat, I'm going to his place to check this new drug The Samedi are designing.'

'Great. Keep it up Shaundi.'

'What you've got Boss?' Pierce asked.

'Nothing. I'm out.' She replied, putting the cards she was holding back at the pile on the center of the table.

'Gat?'

'Full house. How do you like that?'

'And Carlos?'

'Hmm. Sorry man. You've got flushed.' He grinned, and reached for Pierce's chips.

The Boss gave Pierce a sympathetic tap on the back, and got up.

'Where are you going?' Johnny asked. 'the game was getting fun.'

' To the factories district, we have news on the Ronin deal.'

'Going alone then?' Gat asked.

'Well, it's me and that other cop.'

'Max?'

'Wait.' Carlos reacted. ''It's just you and one guy? Are you sure you don't need more people Boss, just in case?'

'I can handle myself alone.' She guaranteed. 'And he is pretty good.'

'I hate to admit it, but with a gun, he is all that.' Gat commented.

'Wow.' Pierce said. 'Gotta take that as a compliment coming from Johnny.'

'He is right. He rolled with us pretty well.' The Boss confirmed. 'He is funny too… The hardest cop to hate you'll ever meet.'

'And that is not all.' Gat continued, against his own will. 'He was the one who patched the Boss and brought her to the hideout. Not that I trust the fucker, but at least I can respect that, he is not a total piece of shit.'

'And you're going with that guy?' Carlos widened his eyes, angry, instinctively disliking Max already.

'Don't worry Carlos. We've got this. I'll see you in a couple of hours.'

'Do you mind dropping me at Eesh's on your way?' Gat asked, following her.

XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX

The Boss parked the aquamarine venom classic she used when she was in 'civil' mode inside an abandoned garage, and found Max inside his own car waiting for her.

'What happened?'

'The Ronin are all over the street.'

'Yeah I saw a bunch of yellow bikes while driving here. Any idea of what they're up to?'

'No. We're good here anyway, this is Brotherhood territory and no one messes with them. But that is not what I came to talk about.'

'Well, what is it?' She asked, he looked worried.

'I can't keep siding with The Saints.' He said.

'What is that supposed to mean?' She raised an eyebrow, suspiciously.

Is that why he wanted her come alone? She suddenly suspected this was about him having a chance to arrest her, and got ready to draw her gun at anytime.

'Just try it!' She warned, crossing her arms. 'You'll die, no one,in this town has what it takes to send me to jail. All this time Max, you played nice, for a second there I believed you were different from Troy. My mistake I guess.'

'What?' He stepped closer, smiling in amusement. 'I didn't come here to pull a trick on you.'

She stepped back, leaning against the door of the Venon.

'Why did you came here for then?' She asked hotly.

'To tell you I am quitting this mission.'

'Fuck you Payne, you might as well be bullshitting me.' She tried to push him out of the way, but he put both hands on her shoulders, the proximity making both stare at each other for a while, betraying their mutual attraction.

'I just came to say goodbye.' He said gently, his thumb brushing her cheek, not wanting to leave things on a sore note in case they wouldn't hear from him again.

XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX

Shaundi was landing down from her haze and decided to join the boys for the game.

'So who is in?' Carlos asked,.

'I am. But I have to take a leak first.' Pierce said while he stood, still determined to make up for his losses, heading for the Porto that served as an improvised toilet facility for the hideout at the moment.

'Hey, Shaundi!' Carlos said in meantime, lowering his voice. 'Who is this Max guy?'

'I dunno really. I just saw him once. But in my opinion, he and the Boss getting along is fine. Can be a useful contact at the PD if he is willing to remain in touch.'

'I don't like this. Look what she got the last time.'

'Don't worry. It's different, this one is not undercover. It's just business, she ain't trusting him, I am sure…'

XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX

Max was the first one to step in and kiss the Boss, seeing her hesitation. She reciprocated and he pressed his body tightly on hers, kissing her again more deeply now. She gave into it, quickly passing her arms around his body and caressing his arms tenderly, both losing themselves into expressing what wasn't allowed for so long.

He passed one arm around her waist, lifting her while with the other hand opened the door of the car.

XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX

Johnny was finally done moping blood off the floor of his girlfriend's living room.

He found a Ronin lurking outside Aisha's home.

After a very short interrogatory, the intruder dropped the info that the unusual activity on the streets was about an attempt to assault the hideout. The Boss was there to ask Aisha to lend her a pair of shoes (why was she barefoot?!) and had to leave to take care of things alone as Gat was given the shore to clean up after his own mess.

He ended up bursting the Ronin's brains over the center table much to Eesh's displease. It took her months to decorate the place, since Johnny was out of jail, the place was much more messy, even if he did his best to keep it tidy. Living with him came with some unusual shit though: Beer bottles at the shower, guns on the fridge. Like no one else, she had the power to impose some discipline on Gat. Maybe it came from the fact that, deep down, Johnny was totally crazy about her, despite their constant fights. It was those same heated fights and their consequential, even more heated make ups, however, that kept the relationship from being far from boring.

After the body was dumped the couple went to meet the Boss at Cocks for a drink and catch up, unaware that someone was hiding on a car and watching them leave together.

XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX

'So how was it?'

'Survived a road carnage, learned that the police is no longer siding with us and… Ended up banging Max on the seat of his car.' The Boss replied, sipping her rum and coke.

Johnny widened his eyes, chuckling.

'Busy day then.' He toasted. 'Ah, look at you smiling. I sensed you two were up to something ages ago. Did you pop all the Ronin trying to attack our crib?'

'Wait Johnny, I want to hear about it! Girl, you waste no time.' Aisha interrupted, rubbing her hands together curiously and smiling in complicity at The Boss.

'Soooo…Was the cop any good?'

'Oh.' Johnny rolled his eyes, sighing. Girl talk... 'I don't want to listen to all the details and have images of a naked, hairy policeman in my head.'

'I like him. I know this was probably a mistake.' The Boss admitted. 'But to answer your question: he's the right mix of sweet n'sour.'

'And experience.' Eesh completed.

The Boss winked back at her, as if to confirm it was totally the case.

'I feel like I am reading a Sabrina novel every time you two ladies catch up'. Gat complained with a smirk, glad the two people he cared for the most in his life got along so well, but feeling this was a bit too much information. 'I should have asked the guys to come with us. Now honestly, glad to know you are having fun, he seems alright. Specially if you're looking for a grandpa…' He teased, and both women laughed at this.

'Nonsense. Good for you.' Aisha poked The Boss friendly with her elbow and whispered loud enough so Johnny could hear it. 'He is sexy.'

'Hey!' Gat reacted, between amused and pissed off. 'How can you girls like him? He is old.'

Gat was the stud number one of the gang, all the attention going somewhere else apparently annoyed him.

'Hell, if that is an old man then I want to spend my next vacation at a retirement home.' The Boss replied.

XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX

Max drove from home to work the next morning, feeling strangely renewed. He saw what was going on between him and The Boss from the start, but he just didn't expect to give in to it at the last minute. He told himself that what happened didn't change much actually. He kind of felt attached and responsible from the beginning, the fact they had sex was a mere consequence.

He swore to himself not to see her again though, didn't matter if he wished to, she was trouble. For both of them.

He was immersed in this thinking while taking a forced stop near the Ultor building. The road was blocked by a broken limo.

A knock on the car window snapped his attention back to the present moment.

'Hey.'

A blond man in a fancy suit was waving with impatience, telling him to open the door as he checked his watch.

'Mr. Vogel, if I remember correctly?' He groaned as he recalled the unpleasant impression that a quick meeting at Troy's office left in his mind concerning this dude, a week ago. Vogel was the head behind the Saints/Stilwater PD operation.

'That's right. I am in a hurry, do you mind dropping me at the Ultor building?'

'I guess. Come in.'

As Dane entered the car, he accidentally kicked an object that was under the seat.

Max winced as soon as he saw what it was, hoping Vogel wouldn't pay attention to it, but it was too late:

A woman's shoe.

A purple shoe.

What a coincidence... The color of the Saints.

She must have lost it that yesterday when they... Oh well...

Vogel laughed lazily, holding the object in his hand.

'Ah, they told me I should expect this kind of stuff from you Mr. Payne.'

Max grunted and kept driving, it was too late for an explanation now.

They reached the building quickly as it wasn't far away at all, Max was only too glad the ride was short, he hated the idea of driving this upper class clown around like he was some cab driver.

'Thanks for the ride. My regards to your Cinderella of the Barrio.' Dane said sarcastically, closing the door.

XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX