A/N: Trigger Warning, an incredibly violent scene in Theo's POV and mentions of suicide.

But yeah, like I said, bad guys be evil.

I don't own pitch perfect.

Theo did his best not to shake in his shoes. A feeling of dread had settled in the pit of his stomach for most of the day, since he had received instructions from his brother, and up until the business dinner he had with the Kommissar, Pietro, the state attorney general, Richard Drake, and the current district attorney, Francis Jameson. It kept him from enjoying his deliciously extravagant meal. Because Theo knew, from the tone of Chicago's voice to the look of his eyes when they met this morning that he was up to something.

And it was that something that kept him on edge.

The meeting-slash-dinner was to pretty much square away the details of their collusion with their two new allies and strengthen Babel's position on legal matters. Since the start, Theo had set his phone down on the table, and started a call to his brother. In one ear was subtle earbud. Chicago would listen to the conversations and direct Theo on what to do and what to say. He just had to be the perfect puppet, and everything will go according to Chicago's plan, whatever that plan was.

But Chicago wasn't sounding too pleased whispering directions in his brother's ears. Both Richard Drake and Francis Jameson were proud men who truly believed that they were in control of this deal.

"It's time we make them understand, don't you think so, dear brother?" Theo heard Chicago ask. He had to hide away a visible gup under the pretense of wiping the corners of his mouth. The wicked and gleeful tone in Chicago's voice was enough to send shivers down Theo's spine.

Still, Theo obeyed, like a good little boy. He wouldn't dare upset Chicago too.

Following his brother's instructions, Theo stood up and ended the dinner meeting, inviting his companions for desserts and drinks elsewhere. The drivers of the cars that serviced DSM were already instructed on where to go. They were, after all, part of the gang of hoodlums that Theo had recently hired to scare Chloe. Recently, Chicago had recruited them for his own schemes. They took them to the shipping docks.

Both the state attorney general and the DA were rightfully enraged. Theo, still on call and under the instructions of Chicago, had ordered the drivers to restrain them and take them into a shipping container his brother had prepared for them ahead of time. Once they stepped inside, the drivers had tied the two men down from their arms and upper body and down to their legs, making them kneel at the far back of the container.

"What on earth has possessed you?" the Kommissar asked, uninitiated to Chicago's plan. Pietro meanwhile looked at both of them uncertain and confused.

"We could have done this the easy way," Theo said, ignoring the Kommissar, still following Chicago's instructions. "But you had to go and make me mad."

Theo had to stop himself from jumping on the spot after he said that. The doors to the container opened. Behind him he could hear the scraping of a hockey stick on the walls. Soon a man in a hockey outfit, complete with the mask, made his way towards the center of the container unit, tapping the hockey stick on the ground. He looked over to Theo and then pointed to each of the two restrained men.

Theo wanted to plead on their behalf, he finally understood what Chicago was up to, but he soon found that his words failed him. His fear of his brother won out.

"You shouldn't make me mad," Chicago then said through his mask as both Richard and Francis continued to plead for their lives. Using his hockey stick, he lifted each of their heads up, as if it was a long wooden sword. During their turns, they both made their case, using their wives and kids as their reason for mercy, and pledging their loyalty.

"Very well then," Chicago then said with a light-hearted jovial tone, turning away from them and proceeding to take a few steps towards Theo.

But Theo never expected his brother to be merciful, no. While both the state attorney general and the DA both sighed in relief, Theo knew something horrible was coming.

So, when Chicago's heel had turned, Theo was all but bracing for the impact.

"But I only need one!" Chicago had said, whipping his stick to hit Francis Jameson straight to the right said of his head. Theo all but winced and closed his eyes.

"Let. This. Be. Your. Warning," he heard Chicago say in between the wet smacks and thuds as he repeatedly bashed the DA's head with his stick. Theo couldn't dare look straight ahead. He knew from the sounds of it – from the wet thwacks and squelches – that Chicago had cracked his skull open, that his blood had stained both the floor and the walls of the container. He knew from the sharp gasps he could hear from the Kommissar and Pietro, and from the cries and endless please coming out of Richard drake's lips, once again begging for his life what Chicago had done.

Theo didn't dare look. Not even when it was over and they stepped outside. Not even when Chicago told Richard he owns him now, and that he reports to him because he spared his life.

He didn't dare look at Chicago casually wiping away the sticky wet blood from his sticks, shaking his head at how his stick was now ruined.

The Kommissar was the first to regain composure, promising Chicago she would handle the cover story for the now deceased DA. Pietro on the other hand still looked shellshocked.

Theo didn't dare look through all of this.

He simply balled his fists in his pockets as he nodded along to what Chicago had said, his brother continuously giving him instructions about the doctor, about the PI they hired and sent to Italy.

All he could do was listen and follow and survive.

All he could do was pray for this madness to end.

Beca almost woke up with a jolt.

Almost being the keyword.

The only thing that kept her still was Chloe's arm around her waist and her desire not to disturb the redhead's peaceful night's sleep. That's why, as Beca stirred awake, with flashes of old buried memories of the things she did, who she had become over the years, replayed in her mind. Chloe's question still lingered there as well, about if she's ever killed anyone before, and the way she had side-stepped that question, one she refused to give a clear answer to.

She had never felt guilty before, and neither does she now, but she does feel a bit of shame, from staining her hands scarlet. From the darkness that was a part of her. Beca couldn't help wonder if Chloe would be afraid or disgusted, even when deep down, she already knew, that Chloe simply accepts her as she is.

At least, she's never given Beca any reason to think otherwise.

Beca stayed still for a few more minutes before intricately removing herself from underneath Chloe's arm and out of her bedroom and into her kitchen to prepare breakfast. It's only been a couple of days, but she and Chloe quickly settled into a routine during this temporary living arrangement. A routine that, dare Beca say it, she's actually enjoyed.

Despite bitter memories haunting her every morning, despite whatever shift or schism Chloe had unwittingly started deep within Beca, she did find some kind of solace and peace in her company. One she dared not want to disturb, afraid that the illusion of being normal roommates, of being friends and allies against this fight against Babel, would be dispersed, and the bubble of innocent mischief they have been involved in their pursuit of evening the scales of justice would sooner rather than later burst.

No, Beca felt protective of these quiet moments. That's why she dared not broach the topic of being in the mafia with Chloe unless she brings it up. That's why it's all just rather mundane and normal living thus far.

Beca would cook in the morning and sometimes in the evening when they don't go out. Chloe would either get or make her coffee every time during work at the office or when they are out, and even late night when they get home if they still have some work to do. If they wanted to relax, they'd have a glass of wine, and Chloe would chatter on, and Beca would answer questions if she ever had some. Chloe never pushed if she felt like Beca would be uncomfortable about a topic, and Beca was thankful of that.

In way, they got to know each other better. They're able to anticipate each other's needs better too, all in a short amount of time. Quickly, Beca learned of Chloe's lack of personal boundaries, walking around the apartment after a shower or as she is getting ready to head out in various states of undress that Beca still hasn't gotten used to it yet. She's nearly given Beca a heart attack a few times too, because if Chloe needed something from the bathroom, it doesn't matter if Beca would be showering or was inside, she will still barge in. In one occasion, she did so simply because Beca was singing a verse from her favorite opera. Chloe would always be amused at Beca's reactions. The words "adorable" and "cute" were even thrown around much to Beca's chagrin. But as much as she protests, she loved to see the way Chloe would smile and laugh at their own private antics.

And somehow, some way, that was enough.

Enough piece of happiness that Beca could ever ask for.

Then there's Chloe's natural tendency to cuddle. She had gotten so used to cuddling up to Beca that one recent late night in the office had Aubrey staring at them when Chloe leaned in to rest her on Beca's shoulders, hands around Beca's waist their chairs pulled closely together around the meeting room. Aubrey didn't say anything. She simply chuckled to herself amused.

But Beca didn't say anything either. She simply quirked an eyebrow back and that was that.

There was something almost sacred about their rituals, constantly towing the line between what? Beca wasn't sure of, or perhaps she does, she just doesn't want to complicate matters. She was here for a reason, even when Babel has become a priority to deal with. But she still wasn't going to end this dream over it. She dreads the day when dreaming would end, true, because she doesn't want to wake up to greet the morning in a world without Chloe.

So, for now, whatever it was that they had, she would protect and treasure.

Simple as that.

She'll worry about answering what happens one day, when things come to a head, when they finally do.

At least, for once in her life, that's what Beca resolved to do.

"Beca," Chloe called out from her room just before she all but stumbled out of there with a concerned look on her face. Her eyes were fixed on her phone.

"What's wrong?" Beca asked. Somehow, she had a feeling Babel was involved.

And once Beca saw the news headline appearing as a notification on Chloe's phone after the redhead handed it to her, she confirmed her suspicions.

A freak accident had killed the DA. Beca couldn't shake the feeling that in this case, accident had meant murder.

Beca sighed.

It was time to wake up.

Ever since Babel's nonsensical plots to ruin everybody's life, Aubrey's been busier than ever.

Today, most especially.

It started with waking up to the news about the DA's "accidental" death. Then there's the research about the real Babel mastermind and finding a way to pin them down via their paper company and money laundering schemes. Then of course there was the whole thing about Dr. Mitchell and his case, with Aubrey filing the motion for his retrial noontime that day.

She had just had a late lunch near the courthouse when she got a call about Dr. Mitchell's recent lab results and his declining health. This had her scrambling to the hospital, where he was still confined in for his treatments, to check on him and speak to the doctors. When she got there, she was surprised to see, Beca talking – more like berating – the doctors for not being more strict with his medications and treatment, all this before shifting her attention to Dr. Mitchell who equally got an earful. His appetite wasn't like it sued to and whatever it was troubling his mind – Aubrey could already take a guess about what, or rather who – had suppressed it even more. He's been very lax about his meds too.

"Stop being stubborn and wasting my money! Don't you want to get better? Then you have to do your part and get better!" Beca yelled before huffing and marching off leaving a very confused Chloe and stunned hospital staff in her wake.

Aubrey wasn't too sure if she was more impressed at Beca yelling at the stubborn patient and the doctors, or that she managed to march off with ease on high heels. She was dressed simply that day, wearing a light blue button down paired with gray slacks, but she was still rather intimidating. If anything, the added height thanks to the heels made her look more authoritative.

"What's going on?" Aubrey finally asked after a minute and after the medical staffed has excused himself.

"Dr. Mitchell was being stubborn about taking his pain meds. He already didn't have much of an appetite, but refusing the pain meds meant he was trying to endure the pain that comes with the disease too. He doesn't have much strength to eat," Chloe pointed out. "That's why he's been losing weight and why his current labs, while not terrible, took a turn to the wrong direction."

"I don't want morphine in my system," Dr. Mitchell insisted, this time after having taken said morphine and trying to eat. "But it's the only thing they can give me for the pain so I've been trying to tolerate it."

Aubrey shook her head. "Beca is right, you know? To recover and to handle your treatment, you need to be strong. You can't be strong if you don't have the proper nutrients in your body."

"Ah, but I'm so sick of the hospital food. It's not much better than what they serve us in prison."

"Well, what do you want?" Chloe then asked. "We can ask the doctors if we can bring you some, right Bree?"

"I suppose if it's healthy enough, then yeah. We should be able to get their approval," was Aubrey's response.

Dr. Mitchell's moods lightened at that.

They soon found Beca outside Dr. Mitchell's room, talking to the floor nurse about Dr. Mitchell's stubbornness. Aubrey had to suppress a chuckle. Sure she didn't want to talk about the truth of her relations with the patient, she was equally as stubborn as her father, but Beca did care. A lot, by the looks of it.

The three of them headed out together after their unplanned visit, only to be interrupted once again from their schedule for the day. This time by a prosecutor from the DA's office who was waiting for them outside Babel Tower, she had just arrived herself.

She was short, but well dressed, and she had a stern look on her face when she invited them out for coffee. Her name was Kimmy Jin. She had been working under the recently deceased DA for years, but was suspended for two years – although technically and officially, they put her on a rather forced sabbatical – thanks to her efforts in uncovering the crimes of the Walters family and of Babel. Old contacts in politics had secured Charles Walters position then. But now that he's gone, she's back and she's working on a case against Theo and Babel once more. She even claimed to have a star witness already hidden away in safety.

"I was as shocked as everyone else who knew Francis to hear about the news. He's been acting a little suspicious before the incident, and I can't help but wonder if it's connected to Babel," she said as she concluded her explanation at the café they all went to.

"I don't understand why you would need us for this," Aubrey commented. They sat in one of those round tables. To her right was Kimmy Jin, and to her left was Beca. Chloe sat opposite her and exchanged looks with Aubrey before nodding along.

After all, they weren't sure they could trust her. They knew that Francis Jameson and Richard Drake had become pawns to Babel and DSM recently. Beca even served them on a silver platter for them in exchange of Chloe's freedom.

"Because you've actually been able to make a difference," she said sincerely. "Please, all I'm asking is that you consider it. Here's my card," Kimmy Jin went on to say, handing them one of each. "I hope you would think about working together in bringing Babel down."

Beca looked thoughtful about it after Kimmy Jin went on and excused herself.

"What are you thinking? Spit it out?" Aubrey pressed her on.

Beca simply shook her head in response. "Nothing much. Let's wait and see for now, if we come to work with her, it would be under our terms. I do wonder who her witness is, and what this person knows."

"We were thinking about finding allies to help nail Babel down, she could be that," Chloe then said. "But I'm with Beca, to wait and see, we need to be cautious and sure first. I mean, what if she was bluffing about the witness? What do you think, Bree?"

"Just the same. I suppose great minds do think alike," Aubrey then commented before checking the time. "Now come on, we promised the families of the RDU victim's we'll meet them for dinner to celebrate that win later. We still have sometime for that, so we should get some work done and squared away before heading out there."

"Must we really meet them for dinner?" Beca asked.

"They want to thank us, Beca," Chloe then said with a smile. "And with the BLSD case right after and trying to stop the Babel securing their finances, we've been so busy we had to reschedule with them three times. Let's celebrate the wins, no matter how small. I'm sure it would mean a lot to them."

Beca sighed but nevertheless agreed and all Aubrey could do was shake her head, amused. Beca always folds so quickly when it comes to Chloe.

She let the two of them take the lead back to the office, Aubrey examining Kimmy Jin's card as she slowly followed, still deep at thought.

They don't know much about her, not yet at least. She could prove useful with what she already knew, or she could be using them as an opportunity to further her career by capturing whoever was behind all of this. She didn't seem to think anyone else was behind Theo, so perhaps her only info for now was basic knowledge to them. Only time will tell what her motivations were or if Kimmy Jin would prove useful.

But with all that's happened, Aubrey couldn't help but be cautious too.

They've already lost too much in this war against Babel.

Throughout the craziness of the last few months, Pietro went along with all that was thrown his way. Corporate greed he could justify. He could gain from. It was easy.

Murder though?

He was still pretty much shaken from the events of the night before, unsure of what would happen next. He didn't even know what to say to Theo, but he had called him for a drink at a private bar that caters to the elite anyways.

Theo looked empty. Theo looked like he had seen these things before.

Theo looked like he's been conditioned to simply accept things as they are.

But he shouldn't.

"We have to stop your brother," Pietro outright said after downing his glass of scotch.

"Do you want to die?" was Theo's response.

"He's crazy," Pietro said plain and simple, because he really was, plain and simple.

"Think about it, even all the nonsense Bable has been dealing with is because of his crazy schemes! Babel will be so much better without him!"

"And who would take over Babel?" Theo asked.

"You!" Pietro then said. "The former chairman and CEO legally recognized you as his son. You're puppet to your brother now, but you don't have to be for the rest of your life! I can teach, we can learn together, how to be a proper CEO. I'll back you up. But we have to get rid of him. How many more people need to die before we do something?"

Theo looked frightened at the thought of what Pietro was suggesting, quite possibly afraid of failing more than anything.

"Think about it Theo. Please think about it," Pietro repeated. He sounded like was practically begging him to do so.

In a way, he was.

Because one way or another, this madness had to end.

It was yet another lively day at the office as they try to take Babel down. Chloe was rather amused at the animated discussion that Aubrey and Beca were having about trying to figure out what the prosecutor, Kimmy Jin knew. Without an actual case against them preoccupying their ragtag team, it was basically time to do some research and information gathering. It would seem that the idea that Kimmy Jin did have a star witness had preoccupied Beca's mind much of the night before, and over the dinner with RDU-90's family members.

Chloe smiled as she looked at the photo they sent them early that morning. A photo they took at the crack of dawn as they started their adventure. In memory of their lost loved ones, their group was going on a road trip around the country. They found a new family with each other as they dealt with grief, and they wanted to honor the memories of the victims by visiting the places around the country they had originally wanted to visit before passing away from Babel's wrongdoings.

They all looked so hopeful. Chloe wouldn't dare say happy, after all, they did lose their loved ones, but they were also so proud of what Chloe, Beca, and Aubrey – and yes, even Emily who was also in attendance – had done for them.

"It had to be someone who had recently fallen from Babel's graces," Chloe heard Beca comment.

"You're not gonna let this go, aren't you?" Aubrye then asked.

"Bumper and his goobers are taking time to put together what they know of Babel's financial schemes, we have to do something in the meantime or this can drag on for ages," Beca argued.

"Why? Do you have somewhere else to be so soon?" was Aubrey's retort but Beca didn't reply.

Not because she didn't have one. Chloe assumed she did.

No, it was because of Emily's interruption as she turned on the TV while having a coffee break.

"You guys are not going to believe this," she said. "Dr. Matthews is dead."

"The woman or the smarmy husband?" Aubrey asked.

"The smarmy husband," Emily said as she turned the volume up for the rest to hear what was going on.

The reporter on the TV was talking about how Dr. Matthews was hiding away under witness protection. Not much info was given other than that he knew certain information about people the prosecutor's office were investigating. Some vague explanation was given about it being corruption with high-ranking officials, but Chloe had a feeling it was actually about Babel.

Beca was right. If Kimmy Jin had a star witness to testify about Babel, it would be someone who fell from their graces. Someone with enough damning evidence to turn bury them for good. Someone who knew too much that Babel, or rather Babo, felt they needed to eliminate.

"We should call the prosecutor for lunch. She might want to chat about what Dr, Matthews knows," Beca commented, a stern look on her face.

"If she knew anything. He was killed. I'm betting he tried playing both sides to secure himself a wonderful deal," Aubrey then commented before her phone rang.

There was a look of consternation of Aubrey's face when she saw the number before answering it.

"Don't tell me it's the prosecutor?' Chloe asked but Aubrey shook her head and held up a finger towards her, asking her to wait a moment.

The look of shock on Aubrey's face as she listened to whoever was talking to her on the other side of the phone was enough to fill Chloe with dread.

It was Beca who drove the car on the way, being the only one with a level head to process everything. Emily was already crying in the car. Aubrey was still too stunned, silently processing things.

And Chloe?

Chloe felt cold. Like ice had replaced the blood in her veins.

Police lines were strewn all over the side of the road surrounding the scene of the crime. The mini-van was found at a darkly lit rest area off of the interstate. The detective in charge, who was coincidentally one of the two who tried to arrest Chloe, was explaining what they had found.

A truck driver had found the mini-wan, explaining that he called 911 when all he could see in the mini-van was smoke.

The family members who fought against Babel after losing their loved ones because of RDU-90 have lost their lives. The police called them because they were the last ones they texted with a photo. The detective thinks it was their suicide letter, their final goodbye.

Chloe collapsed on her knees as she caught a glimpse of a small portable charcoal grill used to burn the charcoal that suffocated them inside the car. Beca's arms were quickly around her while Aubrey spoke with the police, arguing that this couldn't possibly be suicide.

"Babel did this," she said, shaking, crying in Beca's arms, warm and steady. She wasn't fazed at all, at least on the surface. But judging from how her breathing felt slightly erratic at the moment, Chloe wouldn't say she wasn't at all upset about things.

"Villains fight villains," Beca said, slow and steady. "In my world, you don't hurt the innocent and they were the innocent. Someone took their lives, someone will pay," she went on to say. "What we need now is not another lawyer."

"Someone has to fight for the truth, for justice," Chloe said as she buried her face in the crook of Beca's neck, her tears and make-up staining her bespoke suit of the day. But Beca didn't complain, and Chloe couldn't do much of anything but cry in her frustration and pull Beca closer. "We have to get the ones who did this to them."

"We will," Beca promised. "But hearing what the detectives have to say, no amount of cases we file will do anything."

"What are you saying?"

But Beca didn't give her a reply to that question.

"Harden your heart, Chloe, things will be easier that way," was what she said instead. "Things are only going to get more difficult from here. If we want to catch Babo and bring Babel and DSM down, we have to do whatever it is that's necessary. Evil is vast and grand. If we don't fight with everything we've got, if we keep playing by the rules this broken society dictate, we'll never beat it."

Chloe chuckled dryly, "Good thing you're a villain then."

"Yeah," Beca replied before briefly pulling away with a sad smile. Her hands briefly brushed Chloe's cheeks, wiping away her tears. "So, harden you heart, Chloe. At least for now, because I can't do what I need to do if I see it break."

Chloe nodded.

She's put her trust in Beca. They'll see this whole thing through to the end.

A/N Pt 2: I had to cut out a POV that felt much better placed in the next chapter, but you shall see soon! Things are definitely heating up!

But yeah, Chicago is a 100% certified whackodoodle

Much excite for the next chapter or two!

Please bare patience, every week I think I'm finally gonna get eased up on workload, I get proven wrong T^T Hopefully more consistent updates starting next week!

UPNEXT: Shenanigans?! A Message is Sent! A Trap is Set!