Carlos POV:

'The fuck…?!' Johnny mumbled at my side. 'How did they manage to come in?'

If there's a skill Gat should learn is thinking a bit more before opening his mouth, seriously.

'Hmm, I dunno…!' The Boss spat sarcastically, throwing a furious look at him and the rest of us. 'Perhaps because the whole gang was down here watching your fight and no one cared to keep a watch?'

Yeah, obviously we sucked at keeping the crew on track when she wasn't around, not that we (and specially me) needed a reminder.

'Get out with Gat!' I ignored the fact that she was mad at us about what happened and pressed her arm urgently.

She gave me a surprised look and I knew what was coming next: She was going to argue that she was staying and fighting with us anyway.

I lost my patience and stared at her dead serious. God knows I've never forgot who she was in the gang, but right then I spoke to her simply as the boyfriend who was worrying his ass out:

'You count for shit on this battle in your state, can't you see it? Boss, I am not letting you take a risk like that.'

'Carlos is right, Boss.' Shaundi cut in. 'Just tell us what to do and we'll do it, but you can't fight.'

Even Gat, by a nod, backed us up. It was only then that she agreed with our decision.

I picked her up in my arms and started to head towards the back of the hotel as the crew went looking for their heaviest gear and went upstairs.

'Johnny, what the fuck are you doing?' The Boss said, noticing that he was following us instead of sticking with the crew.

'Carlos can't shoot and carry you at the same time, Boss, and I don't think anyone else here is capable to get you guys out.' He explained.

'You're in charge, remember?' She replied. 'Go back to your position.'

It was then that someone else stepped in and said:

'I'll do it.'

I turned as if touched by cattle prod when I heard Max's voice. I glanced at him, pissed. Why was that cop always crossing our path, always sticking his fucking nose in our business?

He had a protective hand over The Boss', his face had strong will written over it, ready to defeat whatever may.

More than anything, I confess I was relieved. I heard of his skills and, most of all, saw it in his eyes: That man was going to protect her at any cost.

In the situation we found ourselves in, and specially with all the panic I had at the idea of losing her after last night, I couldn't ask for more.

But then, how to explain this acidic sensation in my chest, this anxious feeling that hurt and burned, as if it was going to eat my heart raw?

My will was to take her away from his side, on the other hand, we needed his help.

And you want to know what, I would rather be shot dead before admitting it to anyone… But I would be willing to ask him before anyone else to watch our back.

I knew, by experience, how love goes beyond oneself to protect.

'Come on, man! They're at the doors!' Pierce pulled Gat by the arm.

Meanwhile The Boss stared at my eyes questioningly, and as much as it costed me, I nodded in agreement.

With this the three of us headed on the opposite direction to where the crew was already preparing a siege under Johnny's command.

For us, there was another safe way to hit the streets: The sewer.

With Max always following us, I headed to the subterranean square next to the hotel and stopped at the abandoned fountain that was in the middle of it, carefully sitting her over the concrete edge.

I showed Max a manhole close by and with his help removed the metal lid.

Max's POV:

I jumped behind them, my clothes soaking with the splash of landing. I looked around in the partial dark to find a realm of intersections and narrow corridors.

The turns and crossroads were so close to one another, that I could get no sense of direction. We probably had to follow through one of the rows, but how to guess which one?

My ears picked up the sound of shooting not far away, it looked like our upstairs neighbors had already started the party without us.

I couldn't see much and wondered how we could expect to find our way out, but heard his fast steps splashing on the water in front of me. Their assurance showed that this kid knew the underground like the palm of his hand. I followed from close behind, my gun very ready on my hands.

At least I could help and make a difference at a time like that, or that's what I told myself. But in reality I was also in too deep to turn on my heels and leave.

I came there to leave either back with the woman or with answers.

The bitch that is the human heart, always grasping for happiness... I guess until that moment I still didn't give up on hope that things between us could work out.

Always guided by the clear sounds, I kept going after their silhouettes. Even if the underground could be the lair of a minotaur, I had no problem on following through it.

At some point the ceiling lowered to almost our heads and got narrower and round like a pipe. The sound of falling water got in my ears and kept getting closer, I jogged towards it and saw light peaking at the end of the tunnel.

We stopped in front of some stairs coming out of the dark bricks. There was a little waterfall that led us to another manhole. God only knows in which part of the city we were now, but I trusted they knew what they were doing.

Carlos climbed first and pushed the lid out of the way, a circle of blinding light appearing on the surface of the water.

That kid must've been really insecure, for he immediately called out for his Boss to come up as if he was terrified at the idea of leaving us alone for two seconds.

And while I stood under her on the stairs and helped her to climb out after him, he was very quick to kiss her as he picked her up, obviously so I could see it.

Asshole was marking his territory.

'We'll see about that, won't we.' I swore with a hard frown, stunned at the unpleasant scene. If I wasn't so distracted by it I would've maybe realized that, in the meantime, someone approached me from behind.

I received a brutal blow on the back of my head, as an unknown hand twisted my arm. Bit blinded, I stomped over the foot I sensed behind me and broke free. Without wasting a second I turned and found myself face to face with my attacker. His hand was still on my wrist with a grip of steel I couldn't shake. He had the eyes of a demon, made of green fire or at least so it seemed to me in the grim atmosphere of the sewer.

With lightning reflexes, I flashed my gun and shot him.

He merely flinched.

Surprised, I backed off a little but another gang member jumped at my back and strangled me from behind.

I bent to fight him, perceiving helpless a horrid reflection on the water at my feet: Distorted by the moving mirror, the man with green eyes stuck a syringe in my neck.

I twisted like crazy, my legs immediately folded and I sank.

My bleeding face found the water, what was left of my consciousness making me understand I was quickly retrieved and carried by under my arms and feet.

I tried to scream a warning to the others, but it was useless.

I went offline for a while, couldn't precise how much time went by. When I woke up again was still been carried by them, but now sun light told me I was brought out of the sewer.

I was confused and felt like crap, but not totally wasted by the drug, so my senses and my strength were slowly coming back. I partially closed my eyes to gain time, while still peaking on the environment.

This pressure on my ankles and wrists called my attention to the fact that maybe I was tied. I discreetly looked down at my own body and confirmed that, unfortunately, that was the case.

And now we had halted in front of a green limousine. I was tossed inside like a piece of shit over the back seat to another bitter surprise: I wasn't the only one these creepy assholes had put their hands on.

She was there, peaceful, sleeping next to the man she'd chosen after me.

There was also this Jamaican bald man in a suit sitting across us, enjoying his cigar.

'I am glad you brought them to me, because I wanted to see the face of the individuals that caused us so much trouble.' He said while he stared at Valentina with curiosity.

'They are weaker than I thought.' He concluded, puffing smoke. 'That's enough.'

I squinted my eyes unpleasantly as the same tall weirdo from the sewer opened the door of the car for his boss to get out.

Finally, they were gone, and I was rather glad to finally have a moment to free myself and turn the game. But it seems I didn't understand what was going on.

They were doing a ritual. Something sick that we were a part of.

Through my window I saw members of the gang drawing a circle around our car with this strange substance that quickly lit itself without consuming.

Sunshine stood majestically in the middle of the blazing geometric shape. He sang some bullshit I couldn't figure out and after, to my amazement, passed to the other side intact through the fire.

I've seen weird shit on my day, but nothing on this level.

Carlos' POV:

Around us, a line of bright, dancing light.

We were in the interior of a car, my limbs couldn't move.

It didn't make any sense, but I knew we were in danger.

'What was that…? What was going on?'

I felt someone picking on my arm, after this small stinging pain on the inside part of it. Then a tingling, spreading sensation, like something was being pushed in.

I jumped with a shock, my head jerked backwards to the front.

First thing I was aware was The Boss' breathing on my skin, her head was lying limp on my chest. On my other side, was Max, his eyes closed. The fucker's shoulder was pressed painfully on mine.

The three of us were sitting on the back seat of a fancy car and tied up together. I struggled, but with that shit running directly in the blood you can guess how my body was lagged, it was already reacting to the drug.

I had thick cold sweat running on my forehead and clothes, my veins felt like burning. I could do nothing to stop them from carrying around very quickly whatever fucking venom that was injected on me. I knew we were at mercy of The Samedi and a sinister feeling closed my heart. I wondered if I just got myself a one way ticket to a very a bad trip.

With no other choice, I leant my head protectively over The Boss', short of breath. I craved for us to be as close as possible.

Over the haze, I gazed at her bitterly: Were things coming to an end just like that, before we had time to leave, and build our future together?

I fought, I fought as best as I could. I was happy and didn't want to die. But a wave took part of my consciousness away. My senses got messed up and increased. I could feel in extreme detail all the strands of my girl's hair on the hypersensitive skin of my chest. The pressure from Max's shoulder grew to unbearable, it hurt like it was stuck inside my forearm.

Very fast, I started to sink.

The place we were in disappeared and was replaced by a new, cloudy environment.

I was inside a dream. I dream I could touch and feel with my hands. My brother Hector was there next to me.

Right then this fact didn't seem weird at all. I touched his face happily as I passed next to him, going down a long dark corridor made of polished stone.

Something in that place was calling out for me. At the end of it there was a semi-opened door with strong light coming through. My bro touched my arm and warned me not to go that way, he kept repeating that I might not come back but at that moment I was so drawn to whatever laid behind that door, I would've given no matter what to see what it was.

I ignored him and kept walking towards it.

Max's POV:

'Bastards!' I thought as the last Samedi slammed the door and left with a syringe freshly used on his hands.

Instead of their voodoo rituals, these guys should've been praying for their gods for having calculated my overdose right. Because all that happened that day had already put me in a shitty mood and being beaten, tied up and left to die certainly didn't help with my anger issues. If I survived, they'd better run.

I say this because they probably didn't have a clue of the things I've already been through:

I had years of voluntary intoxication from my alcoholism under my belt.

Once I was given an ultra dose of a design drug, and survived without any complications.

Compared to this, their Loa was a child's play.

'You can do this, Max!' I concentrated against the effects, encouraging myself as I worked the ropes out with my wrists and teeth. 'Come on!'

It burned through my skin, but I was almost done. All I needed was a bit more time… Just a bit more.

Head tilted over The Boss, Carlos seemed to be asleep, his eyes turned up. His consciousness was a world away from his body.

In that other realm, he stepped closer and opened the forbidden door of his dreams. A blinding light came out of it.

Incomplete scenarios that didn't seem to belong to our time started to dance in his mind's eye then: The Lieutenant stared at large room, with vivid colors on the walls and jade ornaments representing jaguars. It was filled with smoke.

A tall man with a large crown of feathers was encouraging an young man dressed in robes to drink more of a strange liquid filling a cup made of solid bones. Carlos found that the last one looked disturbingly like himself.

Both walked to the center of the room, where a young and stark naked woman looked stoned from the suffocating smoke coming from an incandescent plate placed by her side.

She and his second self were kissing now, he had a trembling hand on her waist.

In the short time of a second, the priest with the feathers glanced angrily at this act, his expression animated by a quick flame of passion as the lady's eyes found his.

'It's Max!' Carlos thought, astonished. The man didn't have the cop's exact face, but it was impossible to question his identity. 'How can it be? But that's him alright. Even the way he frowns it's the same!'

The other Carlos, the one of the vision, perceived this moment and frowned back at the man.

The real Carlos felt his hostility towards the rival like it was his own, something inside was screaming it was a real memory he had, even if by obvious reasons it was impossible. Also, he had to take a deep breath, as if he was surrounded by that massive smoke himself, so much it seemed real.

Then the picture faded and turned to something else. That same lady was now wearing simple peasant clothing and sitting on the grass near a big plantation, that had small and shallow trenches surrounded by grey stones. The young man was next to her wiping his hands, dirty with earth, on a piece of cloth that the lady gave him. Then she handed him a small bowl of food and took one for herself. As they started to eat together, he kept smiling at her. She reminded Carlos, without any doubts, of the Boss; but more on the manners than the physical resemblance. It all seemed so vivid, he could almost feel the grass below his legs now.

But he hadn't yet time to feel this sensation and the flipping scenario had already morphed into something else:

Now the same couple was swimming together at a lake. She came closer to him and leant her head on his chest. The man smiled broadly to himself: It was the first time she would display affection towards him.

Now, inside a big and rich salon, his double was changed by demented anger, possessed by jealousy, while he harshly pushed her to a wall. He wanted to know something, so bad he seemed ready to kill for it.

She was looking in his almost crazed eyes while crying and asking him to stop, and he did. Carlos felt something hurt in his stomach, he could feel the excruciating and unbearable feeling of pain, remorse and abandon. Almost instinctively, he bent over, and so did the man on his dreams, who was now wiping uncontrollably against the lady's bosom. It seemed he was saying to her 'I'm sorry'.

Next to them, lied still over the floor the handsome priest, with a small blade stuck on his sides.

But all of it disappeared, in no time the frantic hallucinations took him somewhere else. It was other landscape, that of a desert full of yellow buildings.

His heart, this time, got weightless, as if about to relive something he knew was very good:

It was he and The Boss again, together and happy. He was sitting at the stone steps of a beautiful garden of palm trees, this huge granite sphinx behind him.

A small boy was learning his first steps helped by his mother, she raised her head and looked at the man under the statue with a glance of absolute love in her heavily lined eyes. Max was nowhere to be seen anymore, but with horror Carlos saw his own body get covered in sand as the scene changed once more. His wife and kid vanished, he was alone in an arid, dusty valley.

He was now standing next to himself in a rolling chariot.

He looked back and saw two bodies in an unspeakable condition tied up to it and bumping on the floor violently. Uncanny as it was, the two people were no others than Jessica and Maero.

He couldn't see much else, because the mysterious door slammed closed over this last image.

Carlos' POV:

I swear to God, it was Hector who was pushing me back to the stone corridor we were before. He kept telling me to make an effort, that I couldn't stay there.

I did and tried to return to my body, left in the car. By the force of my will I started to become more aware of it. I tried to move without success, some unknown strength kept pushing me back to that coked up dimension. I insisted and after some time could move my fingers. It seemed so much easier to give up but I kept trying until I felt I was finally back and opened my eyes.

Thought of doing something different just for this chapter and the next.

So you noticed how The Boss was not narrating this time.

It was fun to alternate between Carlos and Max as they were the central figures of the chapter.

I hope Carlos' hallucination scene wasn't too confusing, it was meant to be a little but not totally XD ! I will get into more detail of the stories we saw there and their meaning in another, shorter fic I plan to upload someday.

Review ;)