It was a war. Bi-laws were reiterated, weapons were introduced and respect entirely shattered. No civility remained in even the strongest of bonds. Mac and Charlie had inched into the 3rd round just ahead of the Golden Geese.

Dennis would forever consider the point loss to be a devastating setback. He hadn't foreseen the legality of Armed Intervention until suddenly Mac was randomly zapping him in the armpit with a stun gun as he attempted 50 pushups. His opponent waited until he started to hit his stride, 15 in.

It wasn't intense enough to drop Dennis, still it triggered an unpleasantly visceral reaction as he shook and cursed. "Fuck!" He initially yelled in shock as he stopped.

"Commissioner!" Mac pronounced the title with theatrical respect, causing Frank to turn. "Proposition to delay the drink penalties until after the physical challenge is completed."

Frank thought for a moment. "Seems fair to me."

Dennis looked up from the floor to see Mac smirking deviously. "Right! Otherwise, he'll never finish those push-ups." He looked down at Dennis. "I believe you were at 16."

The zaps were unpredictable, but Mac budgeted his 5 allotted strikes, and Dennis cursed every time. He wanted to scream in fury as he felt his composure being ripped directly from his grasp.

At 35, Dennis couldn't take it anymore, unable to hold himself up with his arms of jelly. Reluctantly, he dropped as his intention fell to the large chug count he owed.

For 20 seconds, Dennis would be expected to drink, but he knew Mac would try to stretch it into a minute. The drinking wasn't his main source of aggravation, but the knowledge that it didn't matter since he had lost the challenge.

Mac watched him intently, a palpable sense of pride arrogating his gently handsome features. "Ready to drink, Baby Boy!"

"Question." Dee shouted.

Mac didn't flinch, keeping his eyes on Dennis as he spoke. "I can assure you, Frank, Bird, that was a declarative statement." He lifted his brow and smirked. "Come one, Den. We ain't got all day."

Dennis stood slowly, maintaining eye contact with Mac as he handed him his beer. Glaring, he accepted the bottle. "Go ahead, make my buzz." He feigned complete confidence as he inhaled.

"Hold on there, buddy." Mac oozed as he grabbed a fresh beer. Popping the top off, he forced the second drink into Dennis' free, but shaky hand. "After all, 20 seconds is a long time."

As the sardonic satisfaction spread across Mac's arrogant expression, Dennis felt overtaken by a frustration he couldn't quite name, but it was there just the same. He wanted to rattle Mac and take pleasure in shaking him. He swallowed his burning urge to aggressively launch at him and forced a smirk of his own instead.

"Make it 25." He lifted his beer as if to offer a toast. "Fuck you, Ronald."

Mac narrowed his eyes and Dennis reveled in his pathetically minor victory.

"Begin!" Frank shouted.

Dennis almost immediately regretted his power play when Mac began counting. The latter's voice seemed to move in slow motion, but his eyes never wavered from Dennis'. He reciprocated his gaze and it made him feel almost dizzy, like before; still, he couldn't sever the intimate eye contact, even if he wanted to.

At 10 seconds, much to Dennis' dismay, he had to switch in his new bottle. After a full minute, Mac was finally shuffling through Dennis' additional 5, smirking as the bottle drained.

The count finished, leaving Dennis with a single sip leftover. He tipped it back glaring gratefully at Mac. "Refreshing."

"I'm glad you enjoyed it." Mac spoke succinctly. "Frank, Charlie and I are ready to move our pieces to Round 3."

"I wouldn't get so cocky." Dennis tried his hardest to sound threatening, though he felt bloated and sore. "Not when I'm right behind you."

"Well, that's a first." Charlie called beside Mac. "You've never had to say that before."

"Not to a man, at least." Dennis snickered before he noticed the unamused expressions all around him, even worse landing on Mac's disdainful eye-roll.

"Not everything has to be weirdly sexual, Dennis. Respect the game." It was Charlie who admonished in a serious voice, before bellowing, "Round 3!"

It was Dee who acquired the next point, pushing the Golden Geese to the final round right behind their opponents.

Mac had just pulled his card and before he had a chance to read it aloud, Dee noticed Dennis squirming uncomfortably, so she called the Golden Geese's final timeout.

Predictably, Dennis ran to the bathroom so he might empty his bursting bladder.

Mac grinned devilishly as he read his card.

"What?" Dee defensively inquired.

Mac shook his head. "Commissioner, I need a clarification on a card."

"Let me see, let me see." Charlie excitedly called as he stepped closer.

"Why, Charlie?" Dee mocked. "You can't even read."

Frank stepped beside him and read the card as Mac pointed along. "That should mean anything, right?"

"Within reason." Frank nodded with an intrigued expression. "Why, what are you thinking?"

Mac thought for a moment but was interrupted by Dee. "No game talk with the Commissioner during timeout."

"That's not even an official rule, Dee." Charlie balked back.

"Not if all parties are present, Charlie." She gestured around. "Dennis isn't here."

"Deandra, calm down. There's nothing against personal clarification, but we'll stop." Frank lifted his hands up. "Happy?"

"Hardly." She scoffed. "What is up with Dennis? He's completely off his game."

Frank shrugged. "He forced it and now he's feeling it."

There was a knock at the front door and Mac went to answer it. "He hasn't begun to feel it yet, Frank, but he's going to." He opened the door ever-so-slightly and gave a brief laugh to find an attractive delivery woman standing with their food. "Perfect."

"Tell me that's my pizza!" Frank called as he approached. "I'm starving."

"I've got this, Frank." Mac offered, turning back to the door. "How much was that, again?" He asked, eyeing the large bill in his wallet.

"$28.95." The young woman responded simply.

"$28.95." Mac repeated gently before looking directly at her. "So, Heather," Mac read off her nametag. "How would you like to make a $70 tip?" He flashed her a hundred-dollar bill.

Heather grimaced but stood her ground. "We don't offer those kinds of services at The Pizza Place, and I should warn you that my manager gives mace to all delivery drivers."

"What?" Mac's face contorted. "Ew, no." He shook his head. "Sorry, I don't mean, 'Ew', it's just, no, I'm gay. I actually was hoping to embarrass my buddy who's about to put on a presentation."

"What kind of presentation?" She asked warily.

Mac shrugged. "Consider it to be the lamest TedTalk you've ever seen."

"And what would I do?" She asked, still blatantly displaying her unease.

"React naturally." Mac shrugged. "Boo him, if you want, but only if you feel like it."

"How long are we talking?"

"About 5 minutes." He estimated from memory and watched her mull it over. "Come on." Mac encouraged. "I'll throw in a free beer. Think about it; you take a short break here, take a load off, enjoy a beer, kick your feet up and make some money."

"$70? Seriously?"

Mac shrugged. "It's up to you. I can make it out exact change, so you don't have to break it." He flashed the bill. "I swear, easiest money you ever made."

She shrugged. "Deal, just remember the mace."

"Will do." He stepped back, hands up, allowing her entrance.

Dennis had re-joined the gang just as the clock was about to start up. Mac handed Heather a beer and allowed her to sit where she pleased.

"Mac. Your card!" Frank yelled.

"Ah, yes." Mac strolled up giddily before clearing his throat to read from the card. "A play for cruel spirits." Everyone lifted their shots in honor. "In the true spirit of Chardee Macdennis, cater you combatant's torture."

Dennis froze; there was no need to guess who Mac had chosen. At least he wouldn't be getting zapped again. It wasn't as if he hadn't heard the worst Mac had to say in the past day. He finally took notice of the random bar patron, having thought them to be locked up.

"I wonder what Mac might say." Dennis side-stepped the rule.

"Nothing." Mac shrugged. "For this card, Dennis will lay out the entirety of the D.E.N.N.I.S. system."

"That's Round 1." Dennis protested, looking at Mac.

Mac turned away to acknowledge Frank, who was busy stuffing pizza down his gullet. "Commissioner, it is true that simple recital of the system is considered to be of the Mind pillar; however, if there are emotionally tortuous aspects involved, it is prime fodder for the Spirit Round."

"Fodder!" Dennis proclaimed in shrill outrage as his eyes narrowed.

"Merely present the D.E.N.N.I.S. system." Mac shrugged nonchalantly. "I need to see about breaking the delivery woman's tip." He hurried away.

Dennis knew it couldn't be so simple. Of course, Mac would hurl boos or insults, but he heard it before. It was nothing new, so he stood tall and retrieved the poster boards from the office.

Almost immediately, he felt like a moron for not seeing Mac's intent. It went smoothly as he began, until he started recalling examples and anecdotes.

His attention turned in the direction of Mac, he could see the growing look of disgust on the delivery driver's face and worse, a shred of genuine fear. Just as it was beginning to sink in; Dennis heard the noise he loathed above all else, the grating sound of a buzzer. He convulsed with confusion before he noticed the sound coming from the phone in Mac's hand.

It was even worse than being zapped. Mac offered up his full attention, waiting for specific buzz words. 'Manipulate' 'intimidate' 'threaten' 'lie' 'use' 'trick' 'hunt' 'prey' 'penetrate'.

Dennis was beginning to feel sick, but he pushed through, despite the venom surrounding their patron. He couldn't blame her, as he was afforded clarity in between buzzes. All the insecurities he had given Mac, were actual truths about himself. He was the predator.

The real hitch came at the final step. It didn't matter that Dennis knew it by heart; in the moment he was in, caught in the worst fight he'd ever had with Mac, he couldn't recite the final step.

Mac cleared his throat loudly. "Almost there Dennis, but you're short one."

"No!" Dennis directly argued with Mac.

"You can't win the card, if you don't admit the final step." Mac challenged evenly, his eyes locking onto Dennis with full understanding.

Dee shook her teammate. "It's Separate Entirely. You know this."

Dennis tensed, unable to admit what Mac wanted. "I concede the point." He replied resolutely.

"You can't do this because of some stupid buzzer, Dennis."

"No." He reiterated reluctantly. "A point was made, but not by me."

Mac nodded at Dennis, surprised by his blunt honesty. "Charlie, collect our card." Looking back to the woman, he spoke quietly. "Thank you." He paid her.

"What the hell was that about?" Heather's face scrunched up unpleasantly.

Mac shrugged. "I just needed him to really hear that."

"Well, that got pretty dark." Charlie's voice announced in the background.

"Your friend is fucked up." Heather surmised. "Seriously, does he even like women?"

Mac sighed sadly as he looked at Dennis. "Besides himself, I don't think he really likes anybody."

"Oh," She took one more sip from her half-full beer, before nudging her head in Dennis' direction. "Good luck with that." She offered sympathetically. "Hey, at least you got the point."

"Yes," Mac forced a cheery disposition. "I definitely think your presence amped up the guilt meter. So, thank you."

"Thank you." She nodded. "For the great tip and the good beer." She offered a departing wave and pocketed her tip as she left.

Mac re-joined the gang when Frank spoke. "I was following it for a moment with the buzzer and all, but you gave up Dennis. Why?"

Dennis briefly looked up and met Mac's eyes before lying. "I couldn't take the pressure."

"You're going to cost us this game, Dennis." Dee rightly accused. "Mac will mutilate my Barbie Dee I just know it."

"Actually," Mac chimed. "I get Dennis' doll, Charlie gets yours."

"I have some great makeover ideas, Dee." Charlie chimed in. "I'm thinking Bird Barbie Dee."

"Dennis, this is going to be your fault!" Dee shrieked in panic. "Bird Barbie Dee."

"Hey, I'm not happy about this either, but" Dennis complained. "It's not over yet."

"Oh, boo hoo." She mocked. "Mac'll try to blow your Dennis Doll's mound for 5 seconds, but mine is going to be hacked to death."

Mac gasped in offense while Dennis froze, unable to put up the pretense of laughing as he finally recognized the familiar hurt in his favorite brown eyes as they averted his gaze.

When Dee pulled her card, Dennis inched near Mac, acknowledging him with a whisper. "Look, I'm sorry. I think I understand now."

"No, Dennis, I really think you don't." Mac replied simply, shrugging from him, turning his attention far away and back to the game.