Tempers and Passions

Jackie wasn't disheartened to hear Carmen shrug off her lie. It had been a gamble, and the thing about gambling was that sometimes it paid off, and sometimes it didn't. What mattered was that she didn't simply admit it was a bluff - Carmen still wasn't totally convinced, or else she wouldn't still be talking.

"Big surprise there, you siding with your brother," She said with a light shrug, "Try asking him sometime and see if you still think that. Fuck, you know what, why bother?" Jackie sighed, "It's pretty clear you're not here looking for the truth - all you're itching for is an excuse. Admit it, I hurt someone you love, and now you want any excuse you can find, so you can feel justified in trying to hurt me right back. Jesus fucking Christ, I have literally stolen his lunch money!" Jackie exclaimed, lifting the glass as evidence.

She'd toss the glass, sharp and sudden, splashing the tarry black liquid into Carmen's face, throw her off guard. A sweeping kick to the side of her head, just like the one her dear brother had gotten, then snag a handful of hair and pound that bitch's face into the-

It took tremendous force of will for Jackie to lower the glass again. She could get the drop on Carmen, she was pretty sure of that, but what would that solve? It would feel immensely satisfying, but it would just be another problem that would keep building higher and higher. Pragmatism stayed her hand, but she knew the situation was rising to a boil, and a fight was pretty much destined to occur. She stared hard at Carmen, not backing down an inch, daring her to deny the accusation.

"So, are you going to do what you came here to do, or are you going to ask more pointless questions? Because if it's more questions, you can kindly fuck right off - you're starting to kill my buzz."

Jackie was laying it on thick, now. The woman didn't lack for confidence. Carmen still wasn't buying it, but she had to appreciate the effort that went into the product, if nothing else. Jackie would go far in the AFW with talent like that. There were a few kernals of truth in what she said, which was the sign of a good lie. Part of her did just want to avenge her brother, no denying that. That didn't make her wrong, though.

Carmen took a final gulp from the glass, finishing it off and sucking down an ice cube with it to keep her mouth cool. "Jackie, if I wanted to fight you, I wouldn't pick a bar for it. It would be in the middle of the ring, with a referee, where I don't have to worry about jail time for anything I do."

She put a few yen under the glass, paying for the drink with a small tip on top. This guy deserved a little extra for having to serve Jackie all night.

"This is professional courtesy. A warning." She stood up and pushed away from the table, making sure to keep her eye on Jackie in case she tried anything. The girl was fast. Faster than her? Maybe. Carmen didn't want to find out by taking a punch in the face. "I'll stay out of this, let my brother handle his business. But watch what you do." Her voice darkened and she took on  her mother's tone. Stern and fierce.  "Because if you ever pull some shit like that again and put my brother in the hospital, juro por Dios, I will fucking end you.And that's not a threat, that's a promise."

She lit back and smiled, starting to walk past Jackie to the door. [color=#400000]"Just so we understand each other. Enjoy your crappy Guiness, have a nice night."[//color]

As Carmen move to walk past Jackie, the air was so thick with tension that it had the greasy feeling of static-heavy atmosphere. Jackie's lips curled into a smile as the tall Puerto Rican woman passed her, not bothering to turn her head as she replied, "Right, sure you will, quivering in my boots just thinking about it. Save the intimidating talk for when you're willing to back it up, yeah? As for your brother, if he tries going for me again, he gets more hospital time. It's a pretty simple arrangement than I'm sure even he can figure out, and all the big bad bullshit you can spout wont change that fact."

It was only then that she turned to glance over her shoulder at Carmen's retreating back, "And the Guiness is fucking delicious. Safe trip back now."

And then she was gone, leaving Jackie alone once more. The barman collected the empty glass and his tip, looking more than a little relieved that things hadn't devolved into a brawl, and Jackie caught his attention to order another drink. She leant back as she finished the current one off, running over what had been said in her head. So, Carmen hadn't bought the line, and likely at least suspected what Jackie was really like. Jackie felt convinced that Armando still hadn't revealed everything to her though, otherwise Carmen wouldn't have even felt the need to talk with her, and that meant there was still a few cracks she could try and wedge open there. Army was a factor Jackie was more than equipped to deal with, but Carmen was still an unknown factor, and that meant she posed the greater risk.

So how could she remove Carmen as a threat? By removing the source of her confidence; her faith that Armando was honest and truthful. Remove that, and everything she had assumed about Jackie became suspect.

Jackie grinned, licking her moistened lips clean of alcohol. Armando needed to be compromised somehow...and Jackie knew just how to do it.