Err on the Side of Caution ((Artemis))

[Anime]

In the Dracones Clubhouse, there was a flurry of activity for a Tuesday night. After a tip from one of Caden's rats in the police force, the gang had been forced to postpone their Saturday night fight ring until Tuesday with hopes that this would through the cops off their scent. The television was playing reruns of old MMA fights for a few of the newer, greener members sitting on the couch. While the older went about the business they didn't trust the newer members with handling.

Some were counting the bets that had been placed, while others geared up to head over to the site and start collecting the entrance fees. Others' still prepared to fight in tonight's event. It was divided into three leagues with two sub-leagues within each. There was a league for female fighters, male fighters, and a co-ed league (for the more violent fighters). Then within these three leagues, there was an "amateur" division and a "pro" division. This hadn't always been, but it had expanded since it's start and had about 36 fighters participating in the fighting ring overall with three matches in each division and six in each league. They played the amateur match simultaneously, as they weren't the crowd-drawers. While one male and one female match played side-by-side afterwards, the co-ed matches, on the other hand, ended the evening with the three co-ed pro matches back-to-back.

Caden sat in her fighting gear: black mesh shorts, Army Strong muscle shirt, bandages wrapped around her hands, and black sweatbands (which also proclaimed Army Strong). On her feet, she wore Adidas sandals for easy removal when her turn to fight came. With her feet propped on the coffee table, a cigarette between her lips, and the match-up list in her hand, it was hard to equate this Caden with the tyrant they saw running the meth lab or the vicious person that tormented both civilians and younger members alike.

She looked surprisingly calm tonight, mumbling a few corrections under her breath before calling out to another member about a change she'd made. 

[Artēmïš]

Myra sat watching one of te fights they had playing on TV. She had grown up in jujitsu classes so she knew all the moves that were being executed and all the rules. She was wrog a tight black tank top, ripped black tights, black combat boots and a black bandana in her hair. Her eyes were ringed with black makeup. A cigarette was between her lips. She was what one would call new here. In fact it was only her third day to actually be around the other members. She was nervous, just slightly intimidated. She was really excited to see the fights however, hoping one day they would let her join in as well dog y she could prove herself as a fighter. She looked around as the fighters on TV took a break, it was the end of round three, the fight was looking like it would go to decision. The 19 year old noticed Caden and observed her briefly. She looked like a tough son of a b*tch, someone who had gone through a lot of sh*t.

[Anime]

Caden glanced at Myra for a brief second, as she leaned forward to snub out her cigarette.She refused to do anything stronger before a fight, which she compensated for by chain smoking.

The few times she'd done that had proven to do more harm than it was worth. She always said the moment she couldn't control herself was the moment she would stop doing drugs--and stepping into that ring on a mixture of PCP and cocaine tested that control. It wasn't even the idea of killing people that bugged her. What bugged her was the accusation that she needed drugs to compete with her male competitors, and she refused to undermine her skill with her drug use.

"What's up, new blood?" She asked, rolling another cigarette, which she placed between her lips unlit. Out of all her addictions, smoking cigarettes was the one she hated the most, but she gave into her habit and lit the cigarette.

[Artēmïš]

Myra raised an eyebrow and took a long drag of her cigarette before answering, "I hear you're the top sh*t around here," she said simply, studying her. She seemed pretty tough, but she'd also heard she was the owner of the meth lab and the person to go to for drugs, so it wouldn't hurt to be on her good side. Myra had gotten addicted to all kinds of drugs when her step father had begun to rape her. It was the only was she could find to cope, since when she brought it up to her mother, her step-father had convinced her mom it had been a way for Myra to get attention and she had made everything up.

[Anime]

Caden seemed amused by the statement and studied the newbie in a different light. "In my areas of expertise, anyway. I have no ambitions to lead this gang--as long as he leaves my business in this organization alone." She shrugged. "However, I don't see that being an issue. I'm good at my job." She smirked. "In fact, I'm good at pretty much anything I put my effort into." She blew out a puff of smoke.

One of her lab assistance came out into the common area carrying a briefcase. She assessed him with a frowned. "What have I told you about wearing same s--t out of the lab that you wore in it?" She scolded. "Not everyone here wants that to be exposed to that level of toxicity." The lab assistant looked fearful for a moment and, then, confused when no further reprimand came. Caden didn't seem all that fazed by the lab assistant's reaction. "Now, are you going say why you came here...Or just stand that twiddling you thumbs?"

He thrust the case at her. "And what have I told you about bring our product here?" She sighed. "It seems like you might not hack it in my lab..." She opened the case. Her brows furrowed before rage entered her eyes. She staggered forward. The case fell to the ground, and she snubbed out the half-finished cigarette.

She grabbed the man's throat. "Stay the f**k out of my lab. I see you anywhere near it--it won't just be losing your job." She growled at him. She reached into his pocket, grabbed his wallet, and started to count the bills there. "This should cover your screw up. Now, pick up this worthless s**t and find Kaide to fix this s**t before I go find the boss--tell him about your f**k up."

She collapsed back on the couch, hand over her eyes, and mumbled under her breath, "Great...Now I'm down three lab assistants."

[Artēmïš]

Myra smiled slightly at her response. A laugh blowing out through her nostrils. However she looked up in surprise as the man burst in. She watched the entire ordeal with slightly raised eyebrows, but more in a questioning look rather than surprise.

"Well that was... Interesting," she said after a moment of silence. She pulled a small tin container out of her black book bag. She opened it and took out a pre rolled joint and held it out to her. "Want one? It's not meth or anything, but you seem like you could use something to calm you down," she said.

[Artēmïš]

(bump)

[Anime]

"I don't do meth." Caden pointed out. "And you bet not either, I don't give a s*** about any other drug your on, but we are the only meth producers and sellers in this neck of the woods, so doing meth is too much of a liability. You could stiff us by stealing the product and history would show any good junkie falls behind on their payment eventually. We can't have that within the gang." She replaced the half-finished cigarette between her lips and lit it back up. "Anyone finds you doing meth, you're out, new blood."

"Plus, I don't do anything stronger than nicotine before a fight." Caden answered curtly.

She paused for a moment, finishing off her second cigarette. "One last thing, ever tell me to calm down again and I'll make sure you don't hack it here--or anywhere else for that matter." She snubbed out the finished cigarette, picked up the clip board, and headed towards the door.

She turned back for a minute. "Thirty minutes to show time, boys. Get you a**es moving!" The door slammed close behind her. A few of the newer recruits that had been around her a bit longer cringed.

One of them, a young guy named Braden, walked over to Myra. "Need to watch out for her--watched her make two grown men cry this week already, and the one man that didn't cry ended up with something she called 'collateral damages duty'."