I Bet the Devil Was Handsome Too

by KenzieKaddl

Modern AU: Pandora- A malicious, deteriorating state where murder is more common than a smile. As CEO of leading corporation, Hyperion, Jack owns every single life within Pandora's borders including our protagonist Elizabeth; a floundering college girl who unintentionally ends up on Jack's bad side. Will she be able to survive the hell that is Handsome Jack? (Handsome Jack x OC)

5. A Little Party Never Killed Nobody

A Little Party Never Killed Nobody

"Nope…wrong…dumb…were you even trying?" Elizabeth glanced up from the work she was grading to watch Mordecai verbally assault the paper he held within his calloused hands. As he flipped through them, a look of frustration spread over his wrinkled face. Defeated, he squeezed the bridge of his nose with a disappointed shake of his head, "These kids don't treat this seriously, Berry. They don't question anything; everything's at face value with them."

"What are your students working on right now?" She asked.

"They had to write an essay analyzing a philosophical question of their choosing and only half of them even turned in the damn paper. And those who did just don't get it. They aren't questioning what they know, they aren't trying, they aren't-" Mordecai gave a dejected sigh – "interested."

"Damn freshman," Elizabeth smiled.

"You were always so interested in what I taught. You weren't afraid to experiment with existential shit and your papers were fun to grade. I've never liked suck-ups but you turned out alright, Berry," Mordecai said propping his feet up on the table and with a flick of his skinny wrist he whipped his black tie off.

"Tell that to my math teacher," She said pulling out the front of her sweater to air out her sweltering body, "I know you like it hot but damn, it's boiling in here." Mordecai laughed as he turned up the electric fan; the worn blades producing a soft buzz as it failed to cool the blazing room.

"Gotta keep it toasty for my girl," Mordecai said turning the fan toward Elizabeth, "Bloodwing loves the heat and I guess I'm just used to it. To make up for the changing weather, I crank the heat for her. Isn't that right, Bloodwing?" To her right sat a great brown hawk who gave a content squawk as it groomed its mangy feathers a-top a wooden stand. Bloodwing was a severely ugly thing but Elizabeth had a soft spot for the bird. She leaned over to give her head a well-deserved scratch and Bloodwing's feathers ruffled in response; her bloodshot eyes closing to revel in the sensation.

"Haven't seen you in a while, Berry, where you been? Been busy?" Mordecai asked flipping a cigarette into his mouth. As he lit it, Elizabeth tapped her fingers against her knees nervously. With a rub of her palms, she said, "Yeah, you could say that. A lot of classes, a lot of work…"

She tried to hide the tremor in her voice but as soon as he gave her a look, she knew she was caught. Mordecai was the sharpest man she'd ever met. If even a single thing out of place, Mordecai knew about it. It was as if his eyes were drawn to the smallest of details; he was definitely a stickler for them.

Sometimes to mess with him, Elizabeth would rearrange things around the room to see if he would notice. She started out big, a new poster or chair, then tried for missing pencils and a reorganization of just two or three books at the top of his dusty, old shelf- which she knew he barely touched. He always immediately caught the changes as if they were an itch at the back of his neck.

Before he could speak, she reassured, "There's just been a lot on my mind lately, school and all. I guess senior year is just hitting me harder than I expected." In more ways than one, she thought grimly. He ran his hand over the graying scruff that was his beard. Although he seemed to let the answer slide, she wasn't completely convinced he had bought it.

"I know how that can be. I wasn't a great kid in school. I hardly went to class, barely did any work, got drunk or high before every test but always managed to ace them. I felt like I was cheating the system, but it only got worse after my parents died," Mordecai said letting out a puff of smoke into the open room. He looked at the poorly concealed disgust on her face, muttered a quick "sorry", and opened the window. The cool wind that blew in cascaded over Elizabeth's skin and she welcomed it gratefully as it froze the sweat along her back.

Mordecai's skinny body relaxed as he took in another inhale of smoke and exhaled it into the afternoon. As he took his glasses off to rub his tired eyes, he put his arm out straight to the side. Bloodwing recognized the motion and jumped from the stand and on to Mordecai's forearm; her talons curving over his scraggy arm like a band. He gave her chest a scratch and she cawed happily.

"I got involved in the wrong crowd; a bunch of thugs who hurt people. I hurt people. I was good at it, so I started getting paid for it. I want to say I fought to live but I was just fooling myself. I lived to fight. I had no one to talk to and no one I wanted to talk to. I had Bloodwing and that was enough," He said, grabbing a piece of dried jerky from his desk drawer to give to the bird, "But then I met a guy who actually wanted to help an asshole like me. He got me out of that situation and I wouldn't be the person I am today without the bastard. Even if I am a roaring drunk of a professor with a fuck-all attitude, I wouldn't trade it for nothing. He was and still is my best friend."

Elizabeth clung on to every word Mordecai spoke; obviously lost within his words. She loved to listen to him. He was a man with a lot to tell.

"I'm rambling but do you get what I'm trying to say?" He asked and she was silent.

"What I'm trying to say is that you got a lot of people who care about you, kid. Don't bottle things up; it'll just eat you alive," He said placing a hand on her shoulder, "I would know, I did my fair share." The sudden contact of his warm hand threatened to release a floodgate of emotions, but she kept it trapped within her throat, her face expressionless. She wanted to plead for help but what could he possibly do for her?

She worked up the strength to smile at him, but he didn't smile back. He ran a hand through his messy dreads and went back to his desk, passing her. Even though the smell of weed and bourbon was strong, it was almost a comfort to her. Bloodwing tittered in the background as she chewed on her piece of jerky.

Mordecai sat down at his desk as he placed a hand on his head and looked back at her with a sullen expression, "You'd tell me if something was bothering you, right, kid?" She could only nod. He was without a doubt the sharpest man she knew.

Jess' Apartment

"I can't believe you're going out and I can't even dress you up! What kind of BS is that?" Jess whined as she looked through her closet, "Can you at least model some new clothes for me? I want to see how they look on someone else to make sure they look alright." Elizabeth laughed as her friend pulled out a light pink sundress.

"You know I'd love to, but I can't stay long; Rhys will be picking me up in a little bit. And trust me, Jess, you could make couture out of a trash bag- you don't need me to remind you that you're super hot… Although I gladly will- you're super hot." Elizabeth winked and Jess blew a raspberry as she crossed her arms; a smile lifting the side of her purple-stained lips. She bit it trying to keep her frown.

Elizabeth said, "Besides, I already have my uniform for tonight. Also, I'm pretty sure it's not considered going out if it's for work."

"Please tell me you'll at least look cute?" Jess asked and wiggled her eyebrows, "For Rhys!" Elizabeth made a teeter totter with her hands and pulled out her uniform. Jess groaned, trying to avert her eyes from the monstrosity. "What? You don't think it's cute?" Elizabeth laughed, slapping her hand on her lap. The uniform was a bright, yellow suit-jacket with black trim along the cuffs and vest and it was accessorized with a long, black, lace neckerchief.

"I'm sorry, sweetheart, but yellow isn't your color," Jess said putting a finger to her cheek. Elizabeth sighed as she scanned over the uniform, trying to find any remaining pieces of white fur stuck to the itchy material- courtesy of Jess' cat. The little fur ball thought it'd be a good idea to make her clothes his personal nap area while the girl had her back turned.

"Yeah no kidding, I'm pale enough as it is. I can only imagine the guest's faces when a giant, well-dressed banana approaches them with appetizers. Hopefully I'll be too busy serving to care about how I look," She said picking off a strand.

"I guess…" Jess said. The dejection in her voice made Elizabeth's head rise. She asked, "…What's wrong?"

"Ugh, I don't know. It's just really shitty that I've only seen you like twice this week. I miss our nights together. I didn't think it was possible to see you less than before, but… surprise!" Jess said letting down her black ringlets from her hairband as she sat on the bed. She put a dark, freckled hand on top of Elizabeth's and said, "You mean so much to me, Liz, I don't want to lose you."

Elizabeth's heart began to ache as she ogled over Jess' sweet brown eyes. It hurt too much to look, so her eyes travelled down to their linked hands. This wasn't just about hanging out was it? This was something else entirely. Elizabeth could feel herself start to choke up and quickly caught a few tears with her sweater sleeve. The salty liquid vanished into the fabric, leaving a dark, wet spot where they had soaked in. Elizabeth's puffy eyes scrutinized herself as she stared hard into Jess' mirror.

She placed her clammy hand atop Jess' and cleared her throat. For the first time she was hesitant of what to say to her best friend. It was ridiculous. She shouldn't be feeling this way. She could tell Jess anything. She was her confidante- her sister. Jess made her feel so sure of herself- so safe- she always had. So, why was now any different?

"I swear to you that once this is all figured out, I will do my best to spend more time with you. Everything is just very… hard right now and I have no-" Elizabeth's voice caught in her throat, "No idea how to handle any of this, but I won't ever leave you. I promise. We're best friends forever, Jessie. I can't just bail on my partner in crime. Who else would I go on road trips with to do things I would never be comfortable enough doing by myself? You're my second-half whether you like it or not, chickadee."

Jess gave a small smile as she hugged her pillow to her chest, "Remember that time when we went swimming in that pond outside of Overlook- the one with the twenty foot ledge? I dared you to jump with me and it took you like an hour to even get you on the platform."

"Don't forget the few minutes of crying," Elizabeth added. Jess laughed, "Yeah! And you only jumped because I promised I'd buy you a chocolate cone!" "Can't say a cone made up for the trauma, but hey, it was an experience," Elizabeth giggled.

"I swear, you can be a real chicken sometimes, but you still try the craziest shit- just for me. You're always there when I'm acting dumb, and I want you to know I really appreciate that- like really. You're my sister, Liz…." She paused as she looked over Elizabeth's pale face and then down at her own dark skin, "A fraternal sister."

"You stole all the cool genes in the womb. That's why the only dance move I know is the robot," Elizabeth sighed making her friend laugh. After their laughter had ceased, a restless silence formed between the two girls until Elizabeth finally asked, "I have a bit of time if you want to do my hair. I'd love to show off your signature braid at the party tonight."

Jess was quiet for a moment. Then, she halfheartedly nodded, "Okay."

Helios 7:30 p.m.

The party was extravagant to say the least; much more grandeur than Elizabeth had ever witnessed. It was held in Helios' ballroom which was decorated in white drapes with an exquisite gold to match. The high ceiling was covered with a fantastic mural of the galaxy; stars and planets painted across the entirety of the structure. She had a hard time believing she was a part of such splendor, albeit having to work it.

Throngs upon throngs of people quietly chatted amongst themselves across the ballroom floor as they patiently waited; eager for the man of the hour to arrive. Handsome Jack was late as per usual, but the buzz of his eventual arrival pumped life to the room.

Elizabeth placed herself close to the refreshment table, standing as stiff as a board as countless people passed her rigid form. Each guest was dressed to the nines in their tuxes and gowns; their mere existence radiating brilliancy, formality, and of course, douchery. They refused to acknowledge Elizabeth but if they did, she was often shot with a look of disgust. She ignored the harsh stares as she held a bottle of Dom Perignon within her shaky hands. She had to admit, the growing number of bodies was making her anxiety escalate, but she held her own as she practically hugged the wall, hoping to God she was blending in.

But she knew that was damn near impossible when she had a giant mud stain on the front of her suit jacket laid out for all to see. She scratched at the hardened dirt but the damage was done. Her anger reignited as the scene scratched its way into her head. Elizabeth and Rhys had parked and were walking the rest of the way to the party when suddenly she was pushed off the sidewalk by this brickhouse of a woman and straight into a muddy puddle. She could still hear her smug tone, too.

"The pavement is not for commoners, darling; not when more worthy people require it. You should learn to step down for your superiors. It's only polite, my dear." She could've exploded right there, but she refrained when she saw the woman disappear into Helios' doors. She would maintain herself for the night. She'd get along with these assholes and maybe- just maybe if she played by the rules, Jack would let her off for good behavior. She could only hope.

Rhys had tried to help her with the stain before having to leave, but not without apologizing profusely. It was weird, she almost felt bare without him. The ride over had been amazingly comfortable and along the way they discovered their mutual love for baking videos, so cake took up most of the conversation. The same could not be said for extraction videos. Pimples definitely didn't thrill Rhys the same way they did Elizabeth. In fact, the mere thought had him dry heaving. Still, Rhys was a friend in a dark place and she was grateful for that.

She began pouring a glass of champagne for a guest when someone cheered, "He's here!" The room, like a stampede, flooded toward the doors to observe their savior's arrival. Flashes of a hundred of cameras blinded Elizabeth as people pushed past her in a rush to get a good spot; a stray arm catching her elbow on its way past, making the champagne bottle in her grasp start to slip. She blew a sigh of relief as she steadied the bottle within her hands and only joined the rest of the mob when all was finally settled. And suddenly, there he was standing in all his glory. The hero of Pandora: Handsome Jack.

He looked like a dime; head to toe in absolutely gorgeous attire. He wore a three-piece charcoal gray tux, highlighted by a yellow tie; the whole ensemble fit him like a dream. His usually wily hair was slick and maintained, and his black shoes were shining as bright as the stars. But why the hell was he wearing sunglasses at night? And he was inside, for God's sake. As good as he may have looked, the douche overpowered the allure.

On his arm was Nisha sporting a dazzling magenta gown with a thigh slit cut so high it could give the Alps a run for their money. She sparkled underneath the brilliancy of the hanging chandeliers; the hundreds of sequins along her boobs- which looked bomb by the way- painting the room in a colorful hue. Her dark hair was pulled back revealing both of her razor-sharp eyes and her smile publicized her beaming confidence- or arrogance. Elizabeth couldn't tell which.

The couple glided along the waxy flooring as they continued to ignore the mounds of people confessing their undying love to them. Over the roar of the crowd, Elizabeth could hear Jack yell at one of the workers, "Where's the effing mic?" And they instantly scurried off to fetch it. When he was given the microphone, Jack smacked it a few times before taking his place in the middle of absolutely everyone; his eyes ablaze with that unyielding vanity he so often exposed. As she laid the champagne bottle down on the nearest table, Elizabeth thought, He's got every single eye in the room on him; bet he's through the roof. What an attention whore.

"Good evening, you beautiful bastards! How're all of you doing?" Jack announced garnering an immediate applause; a couple of people giving hearty whoop of enthusiasm- some crying. Elizabeth spotted Rhys at the edge of the group; mop in hand and gazing completely star-struck up at Jack. She snickered as he turned to her to excitedly point at his idol. He then waved for her to come over and she obliged, scooting silently closer to him.

"Hyperion has been my home for many years, and as soon as I saw my home start to shit the bed, I did what any insanely talented- not to mention gorgeous- man would do. I took matters into my own hands and you know what else I did? I made it great again. We are currently leading in weapon sales and we continue to grow throughout the country. Let's be real, our competitors don't stand a freakin' chance against us! Just take a look at Atlas. That wannabe, piss-slit of a corporation thought they could mess with us and look where that got 'em!" There were a few cheers from the crowd as people started to lose their shit.

"Anyway, I plan to run this place for another fifty years, even if those bandit idiots have to pry it from my cold, dead fingers- which I won't have to worry about with our new, top-of-line of combat rifle, the Destroyer. And all of this was made possible because of you glorious people- mostly me, but you guys too… a little," He said pinching his fingers together.

"So, enjoy the refreshments, mingle a little, get laid tonight, and when you go to bed remember to be grateful for the life I've given you. Believe me when I say Hyperion will always be there to protect you and your family, so don't be a dick and be there for Hyperion- yada, yada, yada- let's get drunk!" He raised his fist in the air. "Screw Atlas!"

"Screw Atlas!" The crowd cried.

With that, Jack stepped out of the spotlight to go socialize with his associates. One of which Elizabeth recognized as the woman who pushed her off the sidewalk. Her voluminous black hair extenuated her ebony cheekbones as if she had plums implanted into her face. The flawless texture of her skin was gently caressed by the white tuffs of fur along her collar, and her blue pantsuit was perfectly tailored to fit her full figure. Although she was still bitter about the encounter, Elizabeth couldn't help but admire the woman's style.

As Jack approached her, the smile she presented seemed lackluster; a sort of necessary formality instead of a friendly welcome. As they exchanged an awkward handshake, Jack placed a kiss on the back of her well-polished hand; a look of disdain appearing across her face immediately. Her tightness loosened as he withdrew and Elizabeth could see the woman's voluptuous lips utter a short comment making Jack cackle in response.

Elizabeth elbowed Rhys, "Hey, who's that lady Jack's talking to?"

"That? That's Aurelia Hammerlock, heiress of the Hammerlock family. She stops by every once in a while to represent her family since they're one of Hyperion's biggest sponsors. She's a total bitch," Rhys laughed, "Her and Jack go way back, even before he became CEO. Even though he has a huge support system from the Hammerlock family, Aurelia hates Jack. No one really knows why."

"I probably know why."

"I'm sure you do," Rhys said patting Elizabeth's shoulder. He continued, "Rumor has it they had a falling out a long time ago. In any case, if she wants the partnership to work out, Aurelia has to put on her nice face- which has got to be at least a day's process for her- and hold back from saying something that could potentially destroy everything her family has culminated."

"How do you know all this?"

"…It was in Jack's auto-biography."

"Oh my God," Elizabeth laughed as she slapped her forehead, "You seriously read his auto-biography?"

"It was really interesting!" Rhys defended.

She patted his shoulder, "I'm sure it was, you fanboy."

Rhys rubbed the back of his neck as his cheeks flushed, "Am not…" His head then snapped up as he noticed a friendly face approaching, dressed fresh to death in sharp black suit, albeit a little big for the man's short frame, and a green bowtie. Rhys gave the young man a firm pat on the back as he joined Rhys' side.

"Buddy, you are looking good! No. Better than good- you look fly, bro," Rhys said exchanging knuckles with the man, "I never see you out and about looking so professional." The man laughed nervously and hunched slightly making him seem even shorter than his already small stature.

"Yes you have, I wore it to senior prom, remember? It was my dad's. He let me have it after graduation; said a suit would give me more confidence, but I just feel like a member of the lollipop guild in this thing. If we ever go camping, I got the tent covered. I seriously could fit a family of five in here." He pulled at the sides of his suit. "But thanks, bro. I wish I could say the same for you. You look like some creepy janitor from a murder mystery cartoon."

"That's very… descriptive, thanks," Rhys said.

Vaughn then looked beyond Rhys to peek at Elizabeth, his glasses sliding down his nose a bit as his hazel eyes expanded. With an impish look, he looked back to Rhys to give a wiggle of his eyebrows. "Rhys, you're not going to introduce me?" Vaughn said with a sly grin.

"O-Oh, yeah! Elizabeth, this is-"

"Hi, I'm Vaughn; Rhys' best friend. I'm Hyperion's main money man-"

"He's an accountant," Rhys interjected earning a frown from the short man.

"…better known as an accountant, I guess," Vaughn reluctantly confirmed, "Rhys literally cannot stop talking about you. Like yesterday he told me how excited he was to be riding with you to the party, but he was so afraid he was going to do something stupid like throw up in the car. He also said how much you scare him, but if it's any consolation, you don't seem that intimidating. Oh! And then he said-"

"VAUGHN," Rhys interrupted clapping the man on the back, "You're so funny. Heh, don't mind this jokester; always cracking jokes, cause that what jokesters do… they crack jokes. Don't know where he comes up with this stuff- comedy gold." Vaughn looked up to his friend, perplexed. "But Rhys, you said-" Vaughn started but shut his mouth when he saw Rhys' horrified expression. "Oh yeah, that was someone else; my other friend… also named Rhys… who also came to the party. It's a weird coincidence, I know." There was a slap as Rhys' hand connected with his face.

"Small world," Elizabeth snorted; a grin forming her lips.

"Anyway, it's awesome to finally meet you," Vaughn said shaking Elizabeth's hand.

Elizabeth laughed, "Nice to meet you too. How long have you guys known each other?"

They looked at one another and began counting fingers. "Well, we became friends in…what- fourth grade? So, that's got to be at least seventeen years. Yeah, almost seventeen years now," Rhys said. "Holy crap, we're old, man. We're practically married, and you haven't gotten me a single anniversary present," Vaughn said.

"I'm sure I've gotten you something. I bought you eggs once, I think."

"Watch out girls, this one's a real lady-killer," Vaughn announced, "Hey, Remember the first time we met? We were at recess when you tried to stand up to those bullies who literally tried to use me as their human punching bag?"

"They ended up beating both our asses…" Rhys said unamused.

"Our first bond, it seems like only yesterday!" Vaughn said proudly.

"They stole all my business cards," Rhys flat-lined, "I worked so hard on them."

"You had business cards when you were a kid?" Elizabeth asked incredulously, pulling them from memory lane. Rhys smiled sheepishly and scratched the side of his face. "Can you tell I've always wanted to run my own company? Look where that got me." He said bitterly, tugging at the mop in his hand.

"Up until high school people always picked on us. We didn't have anyone else to talk to; that is until our friend, Yvette, started hanging out with us freshman year. She intimidated the hell out of anyone who would so much as try and copy our homework, and in return we always bought her lunch. It was awesome; we finally had a friend who was semi-cool. Well, cool enough to get us into the captain of the math team's house parties," Vaughn grinned. "She actually works here too, but I haven't seen her tonight. She should be around here somewhere."

"Oh, there she is; schmoozing with Vasquez. I'm going to barf," Rhys muttered, crossing his arms in disgust.

Elizabeth turned to see a skinny, dark-skinned woman talking to a bulky, bearded man whose hair looked like it could drown a baby seal. The woman, whose angular arms were crossed tightly against her chest, had her entire torso hitched backward in a defensive manner; her attention unwavering. As they continued to talk, Elizabeth noted the underlying shrewdness of their shared glances; their sharp eyes scrutinizing one another.

Elizabeth had seen that look before. There was ambition burning within their seemingly unceremonious exchange, but nothing went unplanned with these people. Their talking was an act of formality, but it wasn't the guts of the conversation- not really. Anything they needed- or wanted- to know was there for the taking; hidden within their eyes. Elizabeth couldn't help but wonder if they knew they both had been betrayed by their own irises.

Watching the scene unfold made Elizabeth uncomfortable. Seeing them search for value in one another as if choosing the perfect cut of meat. It felt unpleasant to say the least.

When they were done talking, they shook hands and parted. Vasquez then turned around, snagging Rhys' attention and started wiping the floor with an invisible mop. As he whistled, he swayed back and forth into the crowd. Rhys' face burned like a red hot nickel ball; his bionic fist tightening around the mop's stick, effectively producing a loud crack. Vaughn and Elizabeth took a step back from his burning fury.

As Yvette approached she paused when she felt the stab of Rhys' glare. She glanced at his face and asked, "Rhys, how'd you manage to get a sun burn in November?"

"It's not a sun burn; it's the face of a man who has been betrayed by their traitor of a friend, because that it was you are- a traitor. Et tu Yvette- Et tu?" Rhys scoffed, shaking his head. Vaughn then stood on his tippy-toes to get a closer look at Rhys' face and said, "Dude, I think you do have a sun burn. I can see the peeling."

"…Okay, it might be a sun burn but the majority of it is anger!" Rhys exclaimed.

"What the hell are you talking about?" Yvette asked taking a step back, her head turning to give Elizabeth a once over, reading her immediately, "You must be the new girl Rhys texted me about. What's up? I'm Yvette." As Elizabeth opened her mouth to talk, Rhys pointed an accusatory finger at the woman who looked one hundred percent done with his dramatics.

"Don't change the subject. You looked pretty chummy over there with the number one douche king himself. What were you two talking about exactly? Trying to suck up to the VP?"

"Is that what we're calling him now? The last time I checked it was admiral stick-up-ass." Yvette put her hand on her hip as she readjusted her glasses. "And I wasn't being a suck up. Unlike you, Rhys, I actually try to be nice to people I hate; gets you further in life. For example, Vasquez just told me if I keep playing my cards right, he's going to make me Head of Requisitions. With a promotion like that I could make lunch on me for a change." She pressed her lips. "Probably not, but I could."

"Vasquez has no say in whether or not you get promoted- Jack does. And do you really think Jack sees Hugo as anything but a dumbass? I wouldn't be surprised if Jack pulled his name out of a hat when he made him Vice President," Vaughn said, "Cause what does Vasquez do anyway? Jack handles all the work. Vasquez just sits around in his office all day doing God knows what. Vasquez is basically a potted plant with a fancy title. You're lucky, Rhys. At least, you get to do something."

"Yeah, cleaning up the men's restroom is so much better than being in my own office and having people respect me. I'm blessed," Rhys grumbled. Elizabeth listened on quietly as the three friends bickered. It was like a sitcom.

"Vasquez may not have the power to promote me but a good word never hurts. You guys need to take charge if you want to actually break the Hyperion hierarchy," Yvette said; a shine from the chandelier catching her glasses and temporarily concealing her eyes.

"I was already at the top just in case you forgot. It was being a doormat that got me…" Rhys presented himself with a signal of his hands, "here." He then went to clean a spill, his friends following close behind. "If only Jack knew how much better I am than Vasquez. I could seriously help this company. I could offer my ideas, my thoughts- he'd never give me the time of day, though. He's always held up in his office and-" Rhys paused as he lifted his head from the mess. He then whirled around to Elizabeth who gave him a small wave, "Hi."

"You!" Rhys exclaimed, his sudden fervor making her jump. He grabbed her shoulders, smiling as wide a child who had just opened their first first Christmas present.

"I don't know why I didn't think of this sooner! You can talk to him! You can tell Jack all about me. You know, how incredibly hard-working and loyal I am. You're the only person I know who's been in Jack's office- well, the only person who hasn't disappeared on sick leave, so maybe you could ask him to meet with me or like, write my name onto a paper on his desk and he'd be all, "Who the hell is Rhys? His name is taking up space where important stuff usually goes, so he, himself, must also be important. I must find him immediately"!"

"One: Nice Jack impression and two: If I could I would, but do you honestly think he's going to listen to me of all people? He hates me, Rhys. He'd probably fire you just to spite me. I don't want to risk that," Elizabeth said trying to let him down softly.

"Please, Elizabeth. I have worked so hard and I just want the chance to prove myself… and I guess if that means risking it all, I am ready for it," Rhys said with a look of determination that matured him immensely, his usual awkwardness gone. Elizabeth had to admit, Rhys was surprisingly ambitious. At first, she wasn't sure how a person like Rhys could have possibly survived for so long in a cut-throat place like Hyperion, but now she knew. On the outside he may have seemed unsure, but on the inside he was a man who knew what he wanted out of life- and on top of that he was willing to fight for it. She couldn't help but be envious.

She begrudgingly agreed, "Okay, I'll see what I can do. No promises, though."

"That's all I need. Thank you," Rhys said, gratitude lifting his cheeks.

Yvette faced Elizabeth, her pencil skirt tightening as she widened her stance like a bird surveying land. "You just started yesterday, right?" She asked. Elizabeth nodded. "And from what Rhys told me you have no experience in business and yet, you're Jack's right hand," She said subduing her doubt, "How is that?"

"I wouldn't say right hand- not at all. I'd say I'm more of a pet monkey who does all the shit Jack doesn't want to do. For whatever reason, I'm not exactly sure," She spoke openly. "Then that's risky business, Rhys; entrusting someone like her with your job. Not the approach I would have suggested," Yvette commented and Elizabeth felt her face flush.

"You told me to take charge. I'm doing it anyway I can," Rhys countered. He turned to place a hand on Elizabeth's shoulder and gently shook her back and forth. He felt her lean into his touch, "Besides, I believe she can do it- and if not, I guess I'll just have to be content with losing it all because I can't be satisfied with what-could-have-beens."

"And hey, my couch is always open if you become a jobless hobo," Vaughn offered. "You really think I couldn't make it on my own?" Rhys asked somewhat insulted. Vaughn chuckled, "I know you couldn't. You'd last one day out in the streets, maybe two tops. If the gangs don't get you, those wild dogs by the docks would. Either way, you'd probably lose your face to some tripped out psycho- just saying."

"Oh, they'd do a lot more than that. They'd rip out your insides while you're still conscience just to make you watch them flip your newly parted skin inside out, all so they can make their infamous "skin suits". Ever seen one? They're horrific. Then after that, they'd hang you upside down to bleed out while you scream, barely holding on to your life. And as you clutch on desperately to that one final breath of life, one of them rips off your face to make their specialty "face pizza". I'd say that's a bit more accurate," An acquainted voice explained cutting through the conversation.

The group spun around to find Nisha biting into an hors d'oeuvre consisting of spicy jelly on a cracker, her hip angled out to the side as she licked her fingers of the cream cheese spread. When she finally focused her eyes, she idly looked over the daunted group, her amused leer revealing pleasure at the expense of their dread. "S-Sheriff, it's uh- it's great to see-" Yvette started.

"Scram. I want to talk to the newbie alone without you ass-kissers lingering around polluting the air," Nisha commanded in a tone that immediately had Vaughn and Yvette turning on their heels to leave. Rhys gave Elizabeth one last look, narrowly missing a direct shot of Nisha's glare and said, "I'll talk to you later." With that, the girl was left alone with the Sheriff of Lynchwood. A gut-wrenching feeling of insecurity shot through her as Nisha sipped away at her whiskey, her menacing company setting Elizabeth on edge.

"I hate parties," Nisha said breaking the silence. Elizabeth looked up, but Nisha's eyes were fixed on the throngs of people surrounding Jack. She took a sip, "And I hate people."

Elizabeth paralleled Nisha's gaze. She rubbed her hands together as her heartbeat threatened to pump out of her chest. "I hate crowds," Elizabeth said, "They make me nervous." Nisha gazed down at Elizabeth from above her drink glass. "Really? I just think they're all a-holes. They try and fake nice but they're all snakes in disguise; every last one of them," She said and offered Elizabeth a sip.

Elizabeth raised her hand to decline but then took the glass and gulped the liquid fire down her gullet. She felt the burn slide down her throat only to land in the pit of her stomach like a combusting roller-coaster. Like a hot coal, it sat uncomfortably within her gut. As she cringed, Nisha laughed and patted her back. "They shouldn't make you nervous, kiddo. You're probably smarter than all of them combined. These idiots think sucking Jack's ego off will reward them somehow, but they're just fooling themselves. Jack likes it straight up- probably why you're still alive," She said.

Elizabeth wiped her lips as she returned the glass. "You guys definitely make one hell of a power couple," She said, not quite sure if she meant it as a compliment, but Nisha grinned anyway, "I have to ask, though- and I hope I'm not overstepping any boundaries- but what do you see in Jack? What about him- I don't know, swept you off your feet?" The laugh that shot out of Nisha's mouth echoed off the ceiling of the ballroom.

"Please, honey, there was no feet sweeping. It was more of an act of vehicular manslaughter. I swear, when I met that man I felt like I had been hit by a bus in the best way. See, I grew up on the streets of Pandora and was even in my own gang for a while. When Jack contracted me to handle a few odd jobs there was no denying the immediate attraction. He was hot, I was hot, and after our first major contract, he convinced me to quit the gang life and join him- what more could a girl ask for? Every day's been an adventure since we met," Nisha said, allowing herself to smile.

"So, are you like Jack- do you believe you two can save Pandora?" Elizabeth asked curiously.

"Honestly, Pandora can suck a chode," Nisha said bluntly, making Elizabeth chuckle. She downed the rest of her drink, "I don't like Pandora, but I like Jack. I like what he stands for; wiping out those bandit sons-of-bitches is my life. And I may sound like a dumbass, but I'd follow Jack to the ends of the earth. Two heroes making this place a little more bearable one dead bandit at a time." Nisha swirled the ice in her glass around.

Elizabeth listened on eagerly as Nisha spoke. Although she was an insane bully who had the temper of a rabid honey badger, Nisha was halfway decent when her personality wasn't stimulated by Jack's. Elizabeth stood straighter beside the tall woman letting her shoulders align with Nisha's poised posture. She could feel the alcohol burn her cheeks.

"Anyway, I just came over here to make fun of your stain. What happened- did your dog shit on your outfit before you came?" Nisha said backing up; two of her fingers balancing her empty glass against her hip. Elizabeth pulled at the bottom of her suit jacket. "Nah, just forgot to run to the store for toilet paper," She cheesed. The woman shook her head, "Sicko."

"Hey, hey, hey, there are my two favorite ladies. How's it going, Thelma and Louise? Having some good, old-fashioned girl on girl bonding time?" Jack announced to the party of two. "Hey babe, how'd you manage to get away from those leeches?" Nisha asked as Jack wrapped an arm around her waist. They kissed and Elizabeth feared of a repeat of yesterday, but since the alcohol in her system had a mind of its own, she couldn't help but glue her eyes to the spectacle.

"Told 'em I'd personally paint the walls with their own brain matter if they didn't buzz off," He said and looked to Elizabeth, "You enjoying the party, cupcake?" Elizabeth looked around the room and nodded vigorously. "I feel like I'm in a storybook. Everything's glammed out to the max, you really pulled out all the stops for this party," She said trying to cover her stain, once again self-conscious in Jack's presence.

"Drink it in, babe. This is the Hyperion life; never a dull moment," He said, his head undeniably swelling, "By the way, I didn't know you were friends with tweedle dee and tweedle dumbass over there- kinda hilarious, actually." Jack gestured over to Rhys and Vaughn who were busy throwing grapes in each other's mouths. Vaughn lobbed one up to Rhys which ended up nailing him in the eye. "Yeah, they're good guys," Elizabeth said ready to defend them, "That one- Rhys, the tall one, was actually up for a promotion as your Vice President."

"Ha! It's cute how you people actually think that means something." Jack downed the last of his champagne. "I don't even know the name of the poor sucker who's my VP right now. Who the hell is he, Nish?" Jack asked and Nisha shrugged. "You got me. I don't like remembering their stupid names," She grumbled. He snapped his fingers trying to jog his memory. "Vazz- Vacky- Vacuum- ugh, it's on the tip of my tongue."

While he rambled on, Elizabeth remembered Rhys' request. "Oh, I have to ask you something- for a friend," She said, but Jack's cocky smirk made her hesitate. If she were to ask him about Rhys right now in front of his colleagues, he would make a spectacle, she was sure. He would have no qualms with degrading her in front of hundreds of strangers, so she elected to wait. "Uh…When you selected your Vice President- did you just pull a name out of a hat?" His matter-of-fact retort made her gears grind, "Excuse me, I flipped a coin. Do you really think I'd waste my time writing out individual names just to put them in a hat? I don't have that kind of time, kiddo."

Yearning for their undivided attention, a group of people encircled Jack and Nisha instantly, shamelessly swooning over their very existence; the crowd's fancy attire and graceful air rendering Elizabeth a sore thumb. As the horde buzzed around like bees drawn to the first flowers of the season, Elizabeth was forcefully pushed out of the circle. With a dig of her heels, she planted herself firmly to the ground, keeping her stance as the group attempted to elbow her back. For a bunch of people who looked like they hadn't done a hard day's work in their life they were pretty strong.

Annoyed with her insolence, the group began muttering hushed comments about "the help" Jack was associating with. Once these whispers reached Jack, his regard for Elizabeth soured instantly. His exterior hardened as he took a step back, distancing himself from the girl.

"Shouldn't you be working? I'm not paying you to stand around gawking at my guests and flirting with my girlfriend. Get back to work, pumpkin," Jack said, shooing her away with a wave of his hand. His attention then turned back to his fans, "Don't you just love it when they think they're important? God, so cute." The laughter that boomed throughout the ballroom shook Elizabeth, her throat clenching from the overwhelming embarrassment. It tore her apart like a million buck shots through her body. To top it off, Nisha gave a final wave goodbye and said, "I hope you buy some toilet paper soon, you little weirdo."

Giving an indignant huff through her nose, Elizabeth turned to leave; totally ready for the night to end. Resentfully, she reassured herself that she wanted no part of the awful group anyway. They were all deplorable, so why should their opinion matter? Although it was a nice sentiment, it did little to soothe the sting she felt ripping at her self-esteem. Her mother's words came to her as she sifted through the mass of people, Normal people should only have one face. Any more and you're friends with an actor.

Before she could walk off, though, Elizabeth's attention was drawn back to the mob. There was a sudden variance within their ranks that pulled at the girl's peripheral like a kid's eye in a candy store. She suddenly became acutely aware of a tiny, red dot that had made a home for itself on the forehead of Jack. It looked like a red spot of paint on an artist's canvas or a needle through the head of a doll. She couldn't decipher the anomaly, so without another thought she inched a bit closer, forcing her way back into the horde. Yells erupted from her zombie-like pushing, but they were static to her ears. What the hell was on his forehead?

Jack was quite literally marinating in praise when he heard the commotion start, popping his good mood instantly. He was confused- then he was furious. He watched the girl's slow approach, her boldness once again testing his already thin limits. He hated how easily she got under his skin. The worst part was she hardly knew she was doing it. She was just being an idiot half the time and it drove him insane; acting like she knew all the corners of the world. The kid didn't know a goddamn thing about the world. The heat of the bodies surrounding him made his temper rise as he pushed a couple of people at arms-length.

"What are you doing, you idiot? I said get back to work," Jack warned, but she failed to hear his words. She was completely entranced on something else- something above him. He looked up in confusion. When he saw nothing, he glared back down at her. His fists tightened as he asked, "What the hell are you looking at? You're creeping me out!" She proceeded forward despite Jack's rising hostility.

Time seemed to stop as Elizabeth noticed the slight sway of the red dot upon Jack's forehead. It resembled a laser pointer. When the dot lowered itself right in between Jack's tight brows, Elizabeth's heart plunged; realizing in an instant exactly what it was. She gasped making heads turn. She didn't save time for thought as she leapt forward.

Elizabeth's arms wrapped around Jack's waist like a boa constrictor and with all her weight, she took him to the floor, knocking a few people out of the way during their graceless tumble. Her body tensed on top of Jack's as she prepared herself for the shot that would inevitably ring out, but much to her dismay, it never came. She dug her fingers into the fabric of Jack's suit as she propped herself up from him. The dot had disappeared, but Jack's anger had not. Unfortunately, it had intensified.

She gave an awkward laugh as she hurriedly thought of an excuse, "My bad. I thought I saw a bee… good news- no bee!"

Jack's rage came out in the form of a growl as he pushed her off of him, her back being caught by a couple of shins. They both sat facing each other like children on a play mat, his face growing red in a mixture of fury and humiliation. The whole ballroom went deadly silent as they watched the ordeal unfold; their mouths agape as they waited for Jack's next move.

Their electrifying stares crawled up Elizabeth's back sending her neck hairs skyward. Elizabeth hesitantly looked up to Nisha whose eyes were suddenly ablaze with fury; their previous mischief replaced by something utterly terrifying. So, this was the infamous anger of the Sheriff of Lynchwood. Shit.

"What…the hell… did you just do?" Jack whispered, his bared teeth transforming him into a baited wolf. Everyone waited for her response, but the entire English language evaded her as if it too wanted no part of this. She tried to gulp down what felt like an apple clogging up her esophagus. How was she going to explain this? She knew she saw that damn dot, but how the hell was she going to convince all these people? She was nothing to them. She was an idiot, she was expendable.

With a snake-like quickness, a hand shot out to seize Elizabeth by the collar and roughly pull her from her feet. A squeak popped from her mouth as she dangled helplessly within Nisha's grasp. With a single fist, she was holding Elizabeth's entire- not exactly small- body up in the air. "What the hell do you think you're doing, dumbass? You got a death sentence, because after I'm done you're going to wish you were dead!" Nisha yelled, waving the girl around as easy as holding a ragdoll. From Elizabeth's vantage point, she couldn't help but marvel at the impressive yet terrifying girth of Nisha's biceps as she cowered in fear. "Well?!"

Elizabeth opened her mouth when suddenly a shot pealed throughout the room like a crack of lightning across metal- the shot Elizabeth was waiting for. Her eyes instinctively closed from the abrupt sound that literally felt painful to her ears; the vibration making her head throb. A shrill ringing entered her ears, deafening her from the intensity of the shot- not to mention proximity. When she felt Nisha's grip loosen on her jacket, she opened one eye; the smell of iron strong and the blaze of steel burning her nostrils. She met Nisha's eyes. All she saw was confusion- that is until she saw the blood.

It dripped down Nisha's long neck like honey in a jar. Its origin- a hole located just below her jawline; the wound resembling a red blossom. "I-" Nisha gurgled, mouth spilling red. Then came another shot. This one Elizabeth saw. Straight through her head. Out the side. Blood spilling. She fell from Nisha's grasp as the woman's dull amber eyes rolled back into the abyss of her skull and with a sickening thud, Nisha was on the ground. From the fall, her leg had twisted awkwardly underneath her and a single hand had fallen tenderly against her still-beating chest.

All Elizabeth could do was watch as the red liquid soaked Nisha's unmoving form. She had no words, so she just stared. Warmth trickled down Elizabeth's face and she touched the sensation only to have a sticky redness coat her fingers. There was a scream- it was her own.

Everyone scattered like rats in a cage, screaming as they ran toward the exit. An earsplitting noise like that of crunching bones came from the stampede of frenzied feet over shattered glass. What once was the window was now evidence of the surprise assault. Jack was over Nisha's body in an instant; his fingers entangling themselves within her bloodied hair before her head had a chance to slip back in between her shoulder blades.

Elizabeth held on to her face, failing to process what exactly had happened- what the hell just happened? A woman was killed- no, murdered right in front of- how did- why did? Her mind was a mess as she paced back and forth, attempting to ignore her blood soaked shoes. She kept pacing in spite of the panicked crowd as she tried to desperately pull the scene from her mind.

Another shot pulled her from her panic as she gripped on to Jack's sleeve. She saw the smoke of a bullet-hole rise from the ground like a burning campfire. It was dangerously close to Jack, but he did not budge. She gave his sleeve a hard tug and Jack whipped around from her forceful touch, his face the definition of pissed off. "We have to go! We have to get out of here!" Elizabeth yelled over the blare of the mob. He looked at her with big eyes, glanced back at Nisha, then back again. Elizabeth put her hand out and begged, "Jack!" With a roar, he grabbed her hand and they sprinted toward the door.

"I have a car in the garage we can use! If someone wants me dead they're going to have to come get me," Jack said as they reached the elevator. He slammed his fist on the button for the ground floor and Elizabeth collapsed at back of the elevator; sliding her way down to clutch her knees to her chest. She clung on to her shoulders as if they were her last lifeline. Jack didn't look at her as he stepped back from the door, head remaining level and face staying firm- almost unnervingly so. The shaking of Elizabeth's body was involuntary as images of Nisha flashed across her mind.

"They must have offed my bodyguards before they tried for me and Nish. I was wondering why I hadn't seen them. Thought they were being discreet, but they're probably stuffed in a closet somewhere. I should've known, dammit," Jack said, though, he wasn't talking to her. He cursed as he smashed his knuckles against the elevator door. Jack lowered his head, his hands filling his pockets, "Sorry, Nish…"

He turned to Elizabeth, finally acknowledging her company with a thin smile, "Thanks. It would have been me lying on that floor if it weren't for you. Thought you were just trying for a grope, but you're not completely useless. Glad you could recognize a sniper laser." Elizabeth let out a shaky breath and stuttered, "N-No problem. I've w-watched a lot of m-movies." Jack smirked. How the hell could he be smiling at a time like this?

He knelt beside her and asked with a vein of sympathy in his voice, "First dead body, huh?"

Elizabeth's mouth dropped in disgust as she pulled back from him. She yelled, "How can you be so calm about this? A woman just died- not just any woman- you're girlfriend!" Elizabeth stood up and turned around to face the corner of the elevator, unable to look at his awful face. There was a silence until he answered, "Guess I'm just used to it. When you've seen as much death as I have, eventually you're bound to go numb." She didn't acknowledge his words as she continued to keep her nose to the corner of the elevator.

He watched her keep her back to him like the angry feminazi she was; arms crossed and stubborn as all hell. He rolled his eyes and scoffed, pulling his hands out of his pockets to pull her away from the corner, her struggles making his anger grow. He really didn't need this right now. With a yank, he whipped her around to face him and pinned her against the back of the elevator with a slam. The terror in her eyes made Jack soften slightly. Damn, she was just a kid.

"People die. It happens. The best way to get over it is to not think about it. Don't think about it, cupcake. If we think about it, we die. The dead will just drag us down with them. Do you want to die?" He demanded. She shook her head quickly. He grinned, "Good, glad to hear it. Now come on. We're getting out of here."

Once the elevator door opened, they ran out into the brightly lit garage and Jack located his getaway car… a yellow Lamborghini with a Hyperion emblem gracing the side. Elizabeth made a face as she said, "I think we should try for something less…Handsome Jack. I mean, you just said how much you don't want to die, right? This is kind of asking for death." Jack sighed, "Fine, we'll take the Bentley."

As they jumped in, Jack revved the engine and Elizabeth clicked her seatbelt. She did not say a word as she took an obvious look at his unfastened belt, but she did shrewdly pull her lips to the side. He huffed as he clicked the belt in place then gunned it out of the garage. Elizabeth held on tight to the sides of the car, clutching on for dear life as he zoomed down the pitch black road; her fingernails digging in to the soft leather interior. As they drove, thick flakes of white snow started to fall from the sky creating a disorienting blur of the road, obscuring their sight; the soft headlights of the Bentley their only form of navigation.

"So, what exactly is the plan? Where are we going?" Elizabeth asked. "Hell if I know. Ideally, we find those bastards and take them down. I'll ring their damn necks for what they did to Nish- for what they tried to do to me!" Jack growled, "No one tries to cap Handsome Jack and get away with it."

Elizabeth shook her head in disbelief, "You can't be serious! Whoever's trying to kill you is probably highly-trained- they had a freaking sniper for Christ's sake! Like, who the hell decides one day that they want to be a professional sniper- that is literally mind-blowing that that's an actual occupation! And there's no doubt an assassin on our trail right now coming to kill you- I should know, I've seen the movies!"

Jack cackled loudly as he slapped the steering wheel. "Do you base everything on what you see in movies? Sorry to burst your bubble, kid, but this ain't a movie. And you've got nothing to worry about, babe. I guarantee we have no reason to be scared of these idiots," He said, his tone darkening, "If they're smart, they should be afraid of me." Just as Elizabeth looked out the window, she caught a glimpse of the dim, passing lights of the Sugar and Spice. "I don't doubt that," Elizabeth said.

The car was quiet as the two contemplated the night's events, but the one thing that continued to plague Elizabeth's mind was Nisha. She could not for the life of her shake the image from her mind. She could not unsee the pale takeover of Nisha's pupils as she slipped from the waking world; being so full and vibrant one moment then extinguished the next. She wondered if it had affected Jack as much as it did her. If it did, he was taking it marvelously well.

Jack then turned the radio to a rock station Elizabeth was unfamiliar with. When the song reached the bridge, the pounding drum solo worsened the pain in her head, but she kept silent, thankful that the guitar riffs and clashing symbols were drowning out the thoughts afflicting her.

"It's surprising you didn't let that bullet carve my head like a pumpkin. You could've just as easily kept your mouth shut, but you didn't. I appreciate it, really. And I really hate to say it, but I owe you. Whatever you need- no matter what the cost- I'll try my damnedest to see that you get it, no questions asked. You want a car? I'll get you a car so effing expensive everyone you know will want you to run them over for a liability claim." She actually laughed as he fixed his hair and took a brief look at her. "But seriously- thanks, kid." She met his eyes and nodded. "Anytime."

She doubted his proclamation was sincere but it was a nice sentiment, nonetheless. It was the most genuine she'd heard him sound, but he was a good actor; of that she was painfully aware. The atmosphere grew heavy as the unforgiving wind thrashed against the windows, beating the ever-living crap out of the hood of the car. The brutal attacks- along with the trauma of seeing a woman's head be blown to bits- had successfully set Elizabeth's teeth on edge.

Jack noticed her discomfort and flipped the switch to her seat's built-in warmer. She felt the heat flood her bones immediately and she sank into its embrace, her eyelids growing heavy. "Thanks," She said. He gave a toothy grin, "Anytime."

Suddenly, a blinding light shone through the back window of the Bentley, highlighting the two in a bright yellow. Elizabeth whirled around to see a single light protruding through the dark of the night. The black silhouette riding low of the light resembled a motorcycle, its tires picking up the fallen snow and flinging it into the blistering wind. As she attempted make out the rider, the car accelerated to a speed that would have made Doc Brown jealous- then came the gunfire.

A few shots ripped through the air tightening Elizabeth's grip on her seatbelt, making her knuckles whiten. The car jolted as the bullets ricocheted off the bumper and impenetrable window. "Oh shit!" Elizabeth cried, ducking her head in between her knees while Jack gunned it further. "These assholes think they can ride me?" Jack howled, "Liz, there's a gun in the glove compartment! Hand it over! We're going to show these bastards who they're messing with." Without delay, Elizabeth popped the compartment and passed the handgun to Jack who loaded it with a click. "Thanks, babe."

"Be careful!" Elizabeth shouted over the roar of the wind as Jack rolled down the window. "I'm always careful!" He called back, lifting himself from the seat, "Take the wheel, I'll end this bullshit!" She grabbed at the sliding wheel as popped his torso out the window. He turned around toward the attacker, bracing himself with one hand planted against the roof for support and began firing. He fired off a number of shots and the motorcycle swerved a few times dodging the oncoming rain of bullets. Elizabeth tried to keep the car on the straight and narrow but the slick snow had other plans. She had an idea; it was a stupid one, but it was an idea.

"Hold on!" She called grabbing on to Jack's pant leg. With a pull of the wheel, Elizabeth took a sharp right down a conjoining street in an attempt to lose the pursuer. She could hear Jack shouting obscenities at her from outside, but she ignored them as she gained control over the vehicle, once again straightening the car. A bead of sweat dripped in front of her line of sight and she swiftly wiped it away. There was no time to think, there was only do. She scrunched her nose in concentration as the adrenaline pumping through her produced a high she had never experienced. It was crazy to say, but she liked it.

"I think I may have got 'em! I think-" Jack called when suddenly a screech shook Elizabeth to her core. She peeled her eyes from the road to see Jack holding on tight to his right shoulder; blood dripping through his fingers like a failed patch job against a dam. She grabbed him by the hem of his suit jacket and pulled him into the car where he slumped against the seat, wriggling in pain. "Goddammit, lucky bastard got my shooting arm!" Elizabeth watched as the blood poured from his wound. Her mind went blank.

Without warning, Elizabeth looked to the road to see a dead end sign. "Shit!" She cried as she launched herself across the arm rest to slam on the breaks; the tires sliding from the lack of friction against the snow. The Bentley came to a sudden halt against the fence of an alleyway. The car's overheated engine created a sputtering noise that resounded above the silent swish of crunching snow. The motorcycle's roar calmed to a low purr. They were coming.

Elizabeth looked to Jack whose skin was paler than even his off-colored face. He was going to bleed out if Elizabeth didn't do something quick. She grabbed his arm and slung it over her shoulder to help him out the vehicle; managing to grab the gun from his weak grasp, despite his delusional grumblings. As soon as she stepped foot out of the car, Jack's weight had her crashing to her knees in the freezing snow. God damn, he was heavy.

The silent approach of the assailant drew closer as their dark silhouette stepped in front of the motorcycle's headlight. Elizabeth could see a slim form start to take shape, one clothed in all black. They also wore a sleek, black helmet that donned a red stripe on the side, concealing their features from the world. Elizabeth let Jack's back slide against the fence as he sat in the snow and Elizabeth stood; knees shaky and tears forming, but she was determined. She raised the gun at the advancing figure.

"Take one more step and you're…" She started but she was she really in the position to make threats? The figure paused in their approach to give a short laugh, "Dead? I think the word you're looking for is dead." Elizabeth's heart leapt but she nodded slowly.

"You don't even know how to use that thing, do you? By the way, you're holding it the wrong way. You're liable to break your thumbs when they're crossed like that," They said. Elizabeth glared at them but reluctantly undid her thumbs.

"Look, you're just a kid, I get that. Let me have Jack and I promise I won't bother you. Just go back to your ordinary, everyday life and act like none of this ever happened. It won't be your fault." The figure took a step forward revealing a gun. "Just look at him. He's half dead already, why risk your life for this asshole?" Elizabeth dared not turn her eyes from the menacing figure, but she wanted so badly to look at Jack. Whether it was for guidance, for reassurance, or for something else she wasn't sure- but he was no doubt unconscious or face first in the snow by now.

"Do you think you have the right to kill him? Does that make you any better than him?" Elizabeth challenged.

"No, I never said it did. But he has to die. Whether or not that's for the greater good, you can decide, but for now, let me have him. If you don't, I won't have any remorse killing you, I've done it a thousand times." A sob escaped Elizabeth's throat as terror overwhelmed her. What the hell was she doing? Why didn't she just leave now? Leave and never see Jack's slimy face again. Yet, if she did she'd have to live out the rest of her days knowing for the few moments he trusted her, she let him die. The decision was crushing.

"My girl's loyal to the end, Lilith. She's a rock- won't budge a freaking muscle. So, if you're going to take her down, you're taking us both down, you bitch." Elizabeth felt a hand grasp her shoulder for support and she turned to find Jack clutching on to her, looking worse for wear. Guess he made the decision for her. The figure sighed as they took off their helmet to reveal a strikingly pale woman with bright, unnaturally red hair and piercing yellow eyes. Her languid yet ready disposition reminded Elizabeth of a fox.

"Anyone who's dumb enough to defend you, Jack, deserves to be put down," Lilith said acrimoniously. As she aimed her gun at the duo, Jack placed his hand over Elizabeth's and followed suit; his ragged breathing hot against Elizabeth's cheek. They were at a standstill.

Just then, Lilith put a hand to her ear as if intently listening to something. She gazed at the ground in confusion which slowly turned into anger as she quietly argued with whoever was talking in her ear. The anger slowly transformed into an unwilling comprehension and she stood straight, facing them once again.

"You get to live another day, Jack. Guess you can thank the kid for this one. She's a pretty good guard dog, but don't get comfortable," She said spitefully, "She won't always be there for you to hide behind. Do me a favor, Jack, and bleed out." With one last glare, Lilith traversed back to her motorcycle and zoomed off; the snow around her obscuring her departure until she became one with Opportunity's backdrop.

Jack called out after her, spitting blood from his mouth like it was venom, "That's right, run! Run back to your bandit friends!" He stepped forward and was close to falling to his knees until Elizabeth caught his crumbling form.

"W-We scared her. Like she could have handled us anyway," Elizabeth joked despite the nausea overtaking her. With a lurch forward, she felt a rush of putrid bile sting her throat, but she successfully kept it down- for however long she wasn't sure.

Jack cringed, "That's gross."

"We have to get you out of here. Here, let me help you into the car, I'm taking you to the hospital." She put a hand on Jack's arm but he yanked it away defensively. "No hospitals! Handsome Jack cannot go to a hospital!" He commanded. He wiggled lamely in her arms, his huge body making her sway clumsily. "Do you know how stupid I'd look if people knew I went to a hospital? I'd lose all my respect; my citizens would shit their pants if they knew they had a little bitch for a leader. I'd have to-"

Elizabeth threw an arm up into the air in frustration. "Christ, okay! Well then, where am I supposed to take you? You're going to die here if we don't find someone who can fix you, and you're probably going to die faster if you don't shut your goddamn mouth! So, just tell me how to help you, Jack!" She yelled. Jack's bloodshot eyes focused on her and the silence amongst them felt odd. It wasn't the angry, intimidating silence she was used to. It was almost careful- thoughtful.

"First, stop the bleeding then we can go see my personal doctor on the north side of town," Jack said and Elizabeth nodded, grateful for his compliance. "I hope you don't like this suit," She said as she tugged on the seam of Jack's sleeve. "Please, this is just a backup. Cost maybe a thousand; nothing but pocket change. Do what you have to do, girl," Jack said, watching her work as she tried to gingerly pull off the sleeve without disturbing his wound.

She meticulously pulled at the fabric and muttered a sorry each time he winced, but the pain was a thinning issue. It was the look on her face that made him hesitate. He was aware and unapologetic that he would often let his mouth run but for once, he kept his thoughts to himself. She severely confused him. She could have let him die a million times over in a single night, but she didn't- even after he acted like a complete dick head.

Instead, she was here with a look of utter devotion painted upon her bloodied face and a gentle hand against his wound. She was either a goddamn guardian angel or some crazy bitch who'd try to wear his skin by the end of the night. He was excited to find out which.

Once she ripped the sleeve clean off, she wrapped it around his shoulder, slowing the bleeding. With a careful tug, she brought him back up to his feet and helped him in the car where they zoomed off to find Jack's doctor, hopefully leaving the chaos behind them.

Doctor Samuel's 3:45 a.m.

Elizabeth sat anxiously outside of Doctor Samuel's work room and slowly counted the tiles on the ceiling, her feet tapping nervously against the floorboards. She tried to busy herself with the thought of Monday's exam notes, but they were replaced with the agonizing groans of Jack. The sound sickened Elizabeth, bringing the image of Nisha back to her once again- the surprise that flooded her eyes when the bullet connected with her skull was surreal. She didn't even know what was happening, how could she? It all happened so quickly. She never even got her last words.

Another wave of nausea swept over the girl and this time it won- and rather quickly. Thankfully, she made it to the trashcan before she could make a mess on the floor. As she sat back down with a foul taste clogging her mouth, she rested her head against the wall, closing her exhausted eyes. They felt as heavy as a sunken ship confined forever to the lonely depths of the ocean. She wanted nothing more than to be curled up in her warm bed. She wanted to be able to wake up in the morning and know with utter certainty that this was all just a lucid dream, but her aching joints cruelly reminded her it was all too real.

Elizabeth heard the door creak open and Doctor Samuel's stepped out looking rather weary- possibly since her sleep was so rudely interrupted mid REM cycle, but Elizabeth had a feeling this wasn't her first 3 a.m. patch up. Samuel's stood in front of Elizabeth as she took off her bloodied gloves, and with a dab of her forehead she said, "He's going to be fine. Not the worst I've seen him, but for once he didn't have the energy to make some smartass comment- not that I mind. I honestly don't know how he survives such ordeals; you'd really think he ought to be dead by now, but he just keeps living. I wouldn't be surprised if he's nearing his ninth life."

"Thank you for doing this, doctor. I'm so sorry for the inconvenience, but you really are a life-saver," Elizabeth sighed, rubbing her eyes. Samuel's seemed taken aback by the appreciation. She said bluntly, "It's my job. There's no need to thank me." She was quiet as she looked to her right, her nimble fingers bringing her glasses up from her jutting cheekbones to rest in her light hair. "If you'd like, you can go in and see him now."

"…No, I should probably go home. It's late and he needs rest. I wouldn't want to-" Elizabeth started. "Actually that wasn't an offer. Jack told me to tell you to come in, so I recommend you do and by recommend I mean I implore you to go in. That is, if you want to save me and -to a lesser extent- you from his bitching," Doctor Samuel's said; the deadpan in her voice persuading Elizabeth. The older woman looked like she had seen some shit and Elizabeth wasn't one to argue. Carefully, she stood and opened the door to the workroom.

The smell of antiseptics hit Elizabeth hard as she stepped into the room; the fluorescent lighting thoroughly burning her pupils. She rubbed them, not caring about her remaining makeup. She knew she looked like shit, what harm would raccoon eyes do? When her vision focused, she planted her attention solely on the hospital bed in the middle of the room.

Jack looked completely vulnerable lying on the clean bed; his dark scrapes and bruises a stark difference to that of the pristine, white covers surrounding him like a blanket of snow. A thin white sheet was covering his lower half and his shoulder had been successfully patched up.

When he heard her come in, he attempted to prop himself up but fell back slightly, grunting in pain. She offered a hand but he denied it as he muscled his way to a sitting position. She rested her hands on the side of the bed as he elongated his back, producing a large crack. "Hey, babe, you're a sight for sore eyes." He gripped his shoulder as he hunched, his belly rolling slightly over. She said, "You should lie down. You don't want to agitate your shoulder too much."

"Trust me, this is nothing; I've had more painful shits than this. If Nish were here she'd be all "Suck it up, buttercup" and slap my arm so everything after that wouldn't hurt as much," He laughed and then sighed, "God, I'm gonna miss her." Elizabeth bit her lip and said, "I'm sorry, I can't even imagine losing someone you love. I-If there's anything I can do-" "Cut the pity party. Nisha knew the risks of staying close to me, and she was willing to put her life on the line for Pandora. That was all her, so don't you dare take that away from her." Elizabeth's drew in a breath then nodded solemnly.

Jack motioned for her to sit on the bed and she complied, sliding her way on top of the covers. The air was thick with words they didn't want to share; the only thing cutting through the silence was the steady beep of Jack's heart monitor. Jack rested his good arm behind his head to prop himself up as he laid back to stare out the window; a single light from the outside illuminating the continuous snowfall.

"Who was that woman?" Elizabeth asked, "She have some sort of vendetta against you?" Jack's tongue clicked as he continued to stare outside. "Who doesn't? She's a part of that goddamn bandit group in Sanctuary, the Crimson Raiders."

"They really exist? I was starting to think they were just a myth."

"Nope, they're real, but don't be impressed. They're justbunch of murdering, mentally-damaged idiots who think they have a snowball's chance in hell of killing me- me, Handsome Jack! Don't get me wrong, the fact that they think they can kill me is adorable and all, and sometimes I even let them have the first shot- no one ever said Handsome Jack wasn't fair- but, God, are they annoying."

"Okay so, this one time I was- I don't know what the hell I was doing- getting coffee? Anyway, I'm walking down the street, right? And this guy just upping throws his shoe at me in broad daylight. That was his tactic plan: a shoe. It didn't even hit me. It flew past me and hit some old broad in her ancient face. Shit, it was priceless- you should have seen it, she was like-" He pulled his face back into a wrinkly, startled grimace.

"So, this guy's still standing there like a moron with his other shoe in his hand, and he was so proud of himself, too. He had a battle cry and everything! "This is just a taste of what the Crimson Raiders can do- be warned, we are coming for you! Yadda, yadda, yadda, I'm a stupid jackass!" I was going to piss myself, I was laughing so hard!" Jack bellowed as he wiped his eyes. He sighed as he managed to catch his breath, "Then I broke his kneecaps and crushed his windpipe because his voice was super annoying." Elizabeth gave an uncomfortable laugh to humor him even though the picture he described terrified her.

Jack's laughing stopped as he wrapped his hands into tight balls. "But the moment they killed Nish was the moment it became personal. Those cowards didn't even have the balls to face me. Nope- they had to send that bitch in to do their dirty work while they hid away in the corners like a bunch of rats in a hole. I'll make sure every last one of them burns." Elizabeth stayed silent as she rubbed her arms; a shiver chilling her to the core.

"Do you know anything about love, kid?" Jack asked giving his neck a crack. Elizabeth was caught off guard by the sudden change of subject but attempted to mull the odd question over.

"Probably not; I've only ever had one boyfriend and he was a real asshole. We were together for about eight months before I found him at the dog park with another girl. He knew that was my favorite spot to take my bully, and he goes and pulls that shit. But, to be honest, I was probably more upset that I had to find another dog park to go to. To say he had the conversation skills of a wall would be an insult to walls. Thinking back, I'm pretty sure I was just with him because I felt I had to. It's sort of funny to say that it was a relief to see him there." Elizabeth brought her legs up onto the bed to cross them as she thought about her dog, Leo. That's who she really missed.

"Wowie, that sucks big time, kiddo- but you're young; you got your whole life to be worried about that shit; a lot of a-holes will break your heart and trust me when I say those big, brown eyes will do a lot heart-breaking, too." Elizabeth felt her cheeks flare.

"For me, love was a crucial part of my life. My first wife and I were married when we were still kids- probably around your age. Since then, I've been married three times over, I've had more girlfriends than I can count on one hand, and when I wasn't with someone I was always looking for the next prospect," He said as a shiver wracked his body, shaking the whole bed. Straightway, Elizabeth went to fetch him an extra blanket from the closet. He looked up at her with his eyebrows raised and mumbled a quick, "Thanks".

"I guess what I'm trying to say is I've never been alone. Even if I wanted to throttle them, there's always been someone at my side throughout the years. And, yes, I am man enough to say that I have no effing clue what I'd do without someone constantly in my ear- guiding me, encouraging me, yelling at me." Jack stared down at his hands, trying to gather his scattered thoughts. "I'd like to think I'm a pretty passionate guy. I'm passionate about my work, about my love life, about Pandora. I give and give and give and I'm just overall, hilariously generous."

Although she felt the burn of sarcasm tickle the tip of her tongue, Elizabeth refrained from sharing it. She had never seen Jack so open; she didn't want to ruin the moment.

"Growing up in a shit home with shit people shaped me into the man I am today; a hard-working, take-no-shit kind of guy who happens to be the pinnacle of loyalty- not to mention modesty," Jack said, stroking his own inflating ego. God, was he making this hard for her on purpose? He then clutched the bed sheet along his lap, wrinkling the fabric into tiny, white valleys. There was remorse in his voice when he said, "But I have this shit habit of attracting less than loyal friends."

"Everyone who has entered my life has eventually left me or has been taken from me. It sucks to admit, but I'm desperate to hold on to those I still have- and don't want to kill. If I like you, I will go all out for you. I don't half-ass anything… I just wish more people felt the same way- wish they actually gave a damn," Jack said, shaking his head as a low growl rumbled out of his throat, "…Jesus, I sound like I'm on my period. I don't know what the hell I'm trying to say. I'm sure you don't want to listen to me complain about bullshit that doesn't concern you."

"Come on, I listen to it all the time, what makes now any different?" Elizabeth teased, "And I'm not sure what you're trying to say either, but I appreciate you trying. It's the closest I've ever seen you as an actual person and not Handsome Jack." She subconsciously put a hand on his forearm and he flinched from her cold fingers. "And I like listening. For as long as I can remember, I've loved listening to people. Why do you think I want to be a Psychologist? All I'd have to do all day is listen to people talk about their lives. It's weird, but it's my thing," She reassured.

He narrowed his eyes at her as he let out a long exhale through his nostrils. "You really are strange, cupcake. One minute you're as sharp as razor blade and the next you're so sweet it's almost sick- kinda scary." She seriously could not believe her ears. All the effort she underwent to try and suppress herself was for naught as her quiet snicker wildly turned into a full on laugh; a hand hovering protectively above her mouth in an attempt to hide her ugly cackle.

"Coming from the human atom bomb himself! I'm afraid that if I so much as breathe wrong in front of you you'll break my spine over a two by four!" She had no idea why she found any of this funny, but she continued to laugh in spite of herself. Jack couldn't help but laugh too. "You're just a little psychopath, aren't you? Pegged you as a masochist from the first time we met and looks like I was right," Jack snorted, "You handled yourself pretty well back there, by the way. Thought you were just some punk kid with shit-for-brains, but I'll gladly accept I was wrong- you're pretty badass, pumpkin."

She was about to mention her violent nausea just moments prior but didn't want to disregard his compliment, so she just smiled. "Thanks."

So, that was all it took to make her smile- all this sappy shit? Hell, he could pull this all damn day. Although, he loved her anger, her smile was starting to grow on him. And having her so close, he could now see new parts of her he hadn't noticed before, including the few crooked teeth planted at the front of her mouth. They looked like little clashing sugar cubes. He also noted the pink tint of her chapped lips; a bit of blood staining the upper groove of her lip. They reminded him of his favorite flavor of Starbursts.

Elizabeth stretched her arms out in front of her as she let out a long yawn, "Welp. I should probably get going. It's past my bedtime and I have class in the morning. You should probably get some rest, too; can't be the CEO of Hyperion from a hospital bed."

"Please, I could run Hyperion from my grave."

"Well, hopefully it doesn't come to that," Elizabeth said standing up and giving Jack a quick nod, "Bye, Jack." She turned to leave.

Rather than continuing towards the door, Elizabeth stopped mid stride as she felt an unexpected tug at her clothes. Before she could react, she was suddenly pulled back roughly, her shins colliding with the metal siding of the hospital bed and her teeth clashing together with something so painfully hard it made the inside of her eyeballs hurt. Her lips, however, were met with a particular softness; a chapped connection of a gentle yet assertive encounter. She opened her eyes to find Jack's lips locked against hers.

Her surprise was muffled by the pressure of Jack's mouth over hers, her words lost within the confines of his maw. She felt his soft moans tickle the back of her throat. As she felt her lips slowly lose control under his force, his hands started to wrap around her waist. In an instant she panicked. She put her hands on his chest in an attempt to pry her body from his grasp, but his hands pressed tighter to her sides, unwilling to let go; his strong fingers digging possessively into her ribs. She didn't want to think about how soft his lips were or how they tasted of stale champagne. She just wanted to rid herself of his hold.

The final straw was the sudden shift of his hips into her lower abdomen as he tried to overpower her. Elizabeth focused her whirling mind and pressed her knuckles into Jack's shoulder with all her might. She was not having this. With a yelp, Jack's grip loosened and Elizabeth's feet connected with the cold, tiled floor; her legs shaky underneath her weight. Her heart began to spasm as she made eye-contact with Jack, his ragged breathing sending chills down her back. Astonishingly enough, he didn't look mad. He looked… eager.

"I-I… I have to-" Elizabeth stuttered as she backed up toward the door, Jack's face unreadable. The beeping of Jack's monitor was frantic as he watched her go. She felt behind her for the door knob and whispered, "I'll see you." With that, she turned to briskly walk out of the suffocating room; not stopping to acknowledge Doctor Samuel's as she passed. She simply walked out of that shit show as quickly as humanly possible.

As she bolted outside, the cold night air hit her hard; a thousand butcher knives carving up her lungs. She didn't care how she was going to get home or what horrors waited for her in the darkness, she just started walking. Much to her chagrin, the once fluffy snow had turned to sleet against the pavement making her boots slide against the slick concrete. She fell on her butt a couple times freezing her damp pants to her legs, but it never stopped her pursuit for home- wherever that was. She put a hand to her numb lips as she tasted the mixture of sick and champagne on her tongue. It made her stomach flop.

Her march through the snow halted as she looked to the ground, her thoughts running wildly. She felt hot tears burn her cheeks. She had no reason to cry, but the waterworks came regardless; uncomfortably freezing in place on her red cheeks. With a deep breath, she pushed on.

Apartment 4:50 a.m.

Elizabeth ran a towel through her wet hair as she sat in bed. She rejoiced as she fell back into its warm embrace, letting out an exhausted sigh as soon as her head hit the pillow. Her scattered mind then zeroed in remembering her eleven o'clock class. She gave a groan of disgust. With a dig of her face into the pillow, she made an executive decision to skip it. She had definitely earned a day off from all the bullshit.

After a well needed shower, Elizabeth's heart had successfully found its way back to a healthy equilibrium. Still, her jumbled brain was relentless as it cruelly replayed the night's events. She didn't want to acknowledge any of it, but her brain was persistent as it displayed the horror show from beginning to end; all of which was still very fresh in her mind.

She saw the light of her phone go off and she snatched it quickly; not wanting to let out any of the heat that had developed under the covers escape. She squinted as the light burned her eyes.

Rhys

Hey are you okay?

I didn't see you leave

Are you alright?

Sent 8:30 p.m.

I wanted to go back in

But they wouldn't let me

Can you please answer?

Sent 8:45 p.m.

Vaughn said he thought he saw you leave

Sorry this is really freaking me out

Please text me when you can

Sent 9:00 p.m.

I can't go to sleep

Are you home?

Sent 12: 03 a.m.

Elizabeth?

Sent 4:32 a.m.

Without hesitation, Elizabeth texted back. Whether Rhys was up or not, she wanted him to know she was okay. She was more than relieved to hear he was.

im okay

Sorry I made you worry

Looong story

Will tell u later

Delivered 4:54 a.m.

Elizabeth waited.

Rhys

Thank God

That is so good to hear

Goodnight Elizabeth

Sent 4:54 a.m.

She smiled as she attempted to choke back an onslaught of tears. God, she was sick of crying, but she could hardly believe it. He had stayed up all night worrying about her. Her heart broke as she pictured him staying up to routinely check his phone to see if she had responded, growing more worried each time there was no new message. God, this kid was a gift.

As Elizabeth began to put her phone away she noticed another notification in her messages. It was from a number she didn't recognize. She assumed it was just spam or a wrong number, but checked it regardless. The message read:

Unknown

Hi, you do not know me, but I know you very well.

Do not be afraid, I am here to help.

I have been watching and would like a moment of your time when you can.

After you get this next message erase it immediately-

I am at the address 202 Bunker Hill.

I will not be in any of the surrounding neighborhood-

I am hidden away but this is how you can find me.

There will be a code under a statue of a swan near the edge of a pond-

The code is 3114597-

Erase that as well.

I want to discuss the position you keep with the man known as Handsome Jack.

I look forward to our meeting.

I know this may seem an odd request-

And you have no reason to trust me, I understand.

But I implore you to come.

I may be able to help you.

-A.

Elizabeth ran her eyes across the words multiple times before she could understand the mysterious message. Even then, she could not fully grasp what she was reading. This was not the craziest thing she had been subject to tonight, but it definitely itched at her curiosity. This person could have been a murderer for all she knew; ready to draw her in with pretty words and build up a false sense of security just to slit her throat in a private area. The excitement Elizabeth felt overruled her practicality.

Her thumbs hovered over the keyboard as she read the last line again. I may be able to help you. As if they had a mind of their own, her fingers went to work.

This is pretty dumb of me but

Yeah sure

I'll meet u there

Tomorrow 4

Sent 5:03 a.m.

Despite feeling as if her emotions were about to transform her body into a chaotic symphony, Elizabeth wasn't an idiot- not entirely, at least. She brought herself back down from the clouds and went through her contacts to find Jess.

U wanna go on an adventure?

Sent 5:04 a.m.

Jess was not one to shy away from the tantalizing idea of reckless escapades, no matter the cost. This was the same girl who explored abandoned buildings every other weekend just to find moss and rust samples for her labs, and unfortunately, Elizabeth was her right hand in these endeavors. But Jess had definitely given her friend her fair share of heart attacks in the past. Maybe it was time to return the favor.

Elizabeth heard her phone shake the table with a quick vibration. She checked it in anticipation.

Wonderful!

-A.