CARMEN, riverdale.

' carmine '

🐍

IT WAS the relief that both of them felt as soon as they were returned to their containment that made them fall silent, either way, still covered in blood.

The images left in their heads were the most brutal, if not almost being drowned and strangled to death. They were being watched, as Claire Atkins had informed. The camera at the corner of the room, for the first time, blinked in red occasionally for the first time since their captivity, even for Robin.

Maybe having his way with the two of them was enticing, but Novak's way of satisfaction was slowly breaking them down to reveal the whereabouts of the remaining Murdock child that may or may not even be alive. He was not at all aware that they were already broken before that, and he was just stepping on the powdered, crushed shards of what they used to be.

"I can't keep watching him do this to you," Robin admitted to her. "It makes me weaker, and I hate it." He could've sworn he almost saw a lightbulb go off in Carmen's eyes.

She glanced at him with that same glint in her identical dark-colored orbs. "I have a plan,"

🐍

"REMIND ME why I am doing this instead of you?" Robin whispered to her as he held her body close to him, the makeshift knife he'd made for her pressed against her jugular, easily one move that could severe her life.

"He knows how crazy I've gone when he took you, from threatening to cut off Walsh' balls to signing my freedom away to get to you and keep my friends safe, he knows that's not what I usually do," Carmen hissed. The change in her father's eyes as soon as he understood was immediate and it almost scared her, if she didn't trust him at all.

But she did, they got the same crazed look in their eyes everytime. The soldiers burst into the small room, their guns up high. That meant Novak still needed one of them alive, and Carmen held onto that small leverage like it mattered to her life.

"Robin, put that, whatever you made it out of, down. You won't kill your own daughter," Claire snapped, her eyes wide with fear.

"You think I wouldn't? Wrong, you were always wrong," Robin smirked down at her. "You know how much I despise weakness, Atkins, I'd kill my own daughter if that meant my survival. Put your damn guns down!"

He pressed it tighter to her neck, she could feel the tremor in his free hand and practically the disgust radiating from him when he spoke those words. It wasn't enough to make her bleed, but it was enough to actually sting.

"Just-Just do it, whoever you are, okay? My father does not deserve this, just do what he says, and don't-don't kill him, please," Carmen pleads, to pretend she actually needed her help. She wasn't a damsel, not if she wouldn't let herself be. But there was it, the tremor, that made Claire's eyes widen, and eventually soften.

Claire mustered all her strength, before signaling the men by lowering her own. Robin chuckled bitterly, "Slide one of those. Now."

The soldier beside Claire, easily the fearful, slid his Beretta to their feet.

Robin snatched it, dragging Carmen down in his momentary distraction but he was up once more, but now he had the gun pressed to her temple. He cocks it and a sinister smile widened on his face.

"You like assuming one of those shit, Atkins? Step outside." Robin shoved Carmen forward, Claire obeyed, thankfully.

"Stop with this shit, Murdock," Claire demanded as soon as he had her to manhandle and his daughter to keep close down the hall as hostages.