>>19075375The superkick from Nikki Kade rings Carmody's bell, and the first sucker-punch from La Jefa has her reeling. As she pulls herself to her feet and shakes it off, Carmody hears Priscilla Divine's challenge to a title match with no time limit, but she can't respond before Raquel Durango tries her second sucker-punch.
This time, Carmody's ready for it. She pivots, blocks, and with her rapidly-improving kickboxing skills retaliates with a combination of rapid strikes. But while La Jefa's not a subtle opponent, she's frighteningly quick as well, and fresher than Carmody, having rested since her match. She's also tough as nails and hits like a truck, as Carmody finds out when Jefa swings again and lands a haymaker that has her reeling. Unwilling to back down, Carmody wills herself to take the blow and come back swinging on Raquel Durango with spirited tenacity, landing several hits before she sustains another deadly blow. The arena spins, and Carmody knows that despite her own furious onslaught, she's losing this fight. Isn't this just what Colby had warned her against, getting in over her head against a vicious, merciless opponent?
She recalls Ash Romero's advice given in the hospital: "Survive. Learn. Win." The implicit meaning was that it was time to retreat and focus on the important battle ahead. Priscilla and the title, or even Nikki and justice for Sola, were more worthy hills to die on than going down swinging to be victimized and hurt by this opportunistic serial glory thief.
When Raquel comes in for a killing blow, Carmody drops down and rolls out of the ring, then begins backing away up the aisle. Her swelling face and spinning head tell her she made the right choice, but the anger, bile, and wounded pride rising in her chest scream otherwise. She yells "I'LL SEE YOU AFTER THE B-1, ASSHOLE! YOU BETTER BE READY!" without a mic, furious at ceding the ring to this hated interloper after a star-making performance in the biggest match of her life.