Challenge 3

Max and Liam go through the door, but Sasha approaches you, her hips swaying seductively as she closes the distance between you. Her green eyes are still glazed with lust, but there's a mischievous glint in them as well. 'Thanks for solving the puzzle,' she purrs, her voice low and sultry. 'But you look like you could use some... relief.'

Before you can respond, she's pressing her body against yours, her hands roaming over your chest and shoulders. She kisses you deeply, her tongue tangling with yours as she moans into your mouth. You feel your cock twitch in response, straining against the confines of your jeans.

Sasha pulls back, her lips curved into a wicked smile. 'Let me help you with that,' she whispers, her hand snaking down to cup your erection through the denim. She squeezes gently, and you can't help the moan that escapes your lips.

With a deft flick of her wrist, Sasha unbuttons your jeans and tugs them down your hips, freeing your cock from its prison. She wraps her hand around your shaft, her grip firm and sure as she starts to stroke you. Her other hand cups your balls, rolling them gently between her fingers.

You watch, transfixed, as Sasha works your cock with expert precision. Her hand moves in a steady rhythm, her thumb brushing over the head on each upstroke. The sight of her jerking you off, combined with the lingering arousal from watching her and Max, has you hurtling towards the edge in record time.

With a guttural groan, you come, your seed spurting from your cock in thick ropes. Sasha continues to stroke you through your orgasm, milking every last drop from your balls. When she finally releases you, you slump against the tree, your legs trembling and your chest heaving.

Sasha gives you a satisfied smirk, then leans in to press a quick kiss to your lips. 'Feel better?' she asks, her tone teasing.

You nod, still dazed from the intensity of your release. Sasha takes your hand, lacing her fingers with yours. 'Come on,' she says, tugging you towards the glowing doorway. 'Let's see what other surprises Juanita has in store for us.' With a deep breath, you follow her through the door, ready to face whatever comes next.

As you step through the glowing doorway, you're momentarily blinded by a bright flash of light. When your vision clears, you find yourself standing in a dimly lit, cavernous room. The walls are rough-hewn stone, and the air is cool and damp.

Sasha is beside you, her eyes wide as she takes in their new surroundings. 'Where are we?' she whispers, her voice echoing off the stone walls.

Before you can answer, a familiar voice speaks from the shadows. 'Welcome to your third trial,' Juanita purrs, her voice low and sultry. She steps forward, her black cloak swirling around her like smoke. 'I hope you enjoyed your little... interlude in the garden. But playtime is over.'

She gestures to the center of the room, where four stone pedestals stand in a circle. On each pedestal rests a glowing orb, each a different color: red, blue, green, and yellow. 'Your task is simple,' Juanita says, a wicked smile playing at her lips. 'Each of you must choose an orb and hold it until the trial is complete. But be warned: the orbs are not what they seem.'

Max and Liam appear through the glowing doorway, looking disoriented. They quickly take in the scene, their eyes widening as they see Juanita and the pedestals. 'What's going on?' Max asks, his voice wary.

Juanita ignores him, her eyes fixed on you. 'The trial begins now,' she says, her voice echoing through the chamber. 'Choose wisely.' With a swirl of her cloak, she vanishes, leaving the four of you alone in the cavernous room.

You exchange uneasy glances with your friends. The orbs glow softly in the dim light, each one pulsing with an unknown energy. You know that whatever happens next, this trial will test not only your wits, but your trust in each other as well.

You approach the pedestal with the glowing red orb, your heart pounding in your chest. As you reach out to pick it up, you feel a surge of heat emanating from the orb, as if it's pulsing with an inner fire.

The moment your fingers close around the smooth surface, a jolt of energy shoots up your arm and straight to your groin. You gasp, your eyes widening as you feel a sudden, overwhelming surge of lust coursing through your veins. Your cock twitches, rapidly hardening in your jeans, and you feel a bead of precum leak from the tip.

You hear a low chuckle from the shadows, and you whirl around to see Juanita watching you with a wicked smirk. 'Feeling a bit... hot and bothered, are we?' she purrs, her eyes flicking to the bulge in your pants. 'The red orb is not for the faint of heart.'

You grit your teeth, trying to focus on anything other than the throbbing ache in your groin. But it's no use. The lust is all-consuming, clouding your thoughts and making your skin feel like it's on fire. You need release, and you need it now.

Sasha steps towards you, her eyes dark with concern. 'Jordan?' she asks, her voice uncertain. 'Are you okay?'

You shake your head, your breath coming in short pants. 'I need...' you rasp, your voice hoarse with desire. 'I need you.'

Sasha's eyes widen, but she nods slowly. 'Okay,' she whispers. 'Whatever you need.'

You grab her hand and pull her towards you, crushing her body against yours. She gasps, her hands coming up to grip your shoulders as you claim her mouth in a searing kiss. Your tongues tangle, your teeth clashing as you devour each other's mouths with a **** hunger.

You're vaguely aware of Max and Liam watching, their eyes wide with shock, but you don't care. All that matters is the need pounding through your veins, the all-consuming desire to fuck, to claim, to own.

You tear at Sasha's clothes, ripping her crop top off and shredding her jeans like tissue paper. She gasps, her nails digging into your back as you lift her up and slam her against the nearest wall. She wraps her legs around your waist, her wet heat grinding against your erection as you rut against her like an animal in heat.

You're lost in a haze of lust, your hips pistoning wildly as you dry hump Sasha against the wall. She's moaning, her head thrown back as she meets you thrust for thrust. You feel your balls tighten, your orgasm building at the base of your spine.

With a guttural roar, you come, your cum spurting from your cock in thick ropes, soaking through your jeans and coating Sasha's pussy. She screams, her own orgasm ripping through her as she clenches around you, her nails drawing blood from your back.

You collapse against her, your chest heaving as you struggle to catch your breath. Sasha whimpers, her body trembling in the aftermath of her climax. You feel a flicker of guilt as you take in her ravaged appearance, her clothes torn and her body bearing the marks of your passion.

But the guilt is quickly overshadowed by the lingering effects of the orb. You're still hard, your cock twitching in your jeans as you gaze hungrily at Sasha's naked body. You know you should stop, should try to fight the orb's influence, but you can't. The lust is too strong, too all-consuming.

You lean in, your tongue flicking out to lick a bead of sweat from Sasha's collarbone. She shivers, her eyes darkening with renewed desire. 'Again,' she whispers, her voice hoarse. 'Fuck me again.'

And with a growl, you do.

You continue to fuck Sasha against the wall, your hips slamming into hers with a primal, animalistic rhythm. She moans loudly, her nails raking down your back as she urges you on. 'Yes, Jordan, fuck me harder!' she cries, her voice echoing through the cavernous room.

Max and Liam watch, their eyes wide with shock and arousal. Max reaches out and grabs the blue orb, his eyes going wide as he feels a sudden, intense fear coursing through his veins. Liam grabs the green orb, and you notice his lips twist into a cruel smirk as he begins to speak in lies.

But you're too far gone to care about anything other than the wet heat of Sasha's pussy clenching around your cock. You piston your hips, your balls slapping against her ass with each thrust. She's screaming now, her body shuddering as she climaxes again and again.

You feel your own orgasm building, your balls tightening as you fuck Sasha with wild abandon. With a guttural roar, you come, your cum spurting deep inside her pussy in thick, hot jets. Sasha screams, her walls clamping down on you as she milks every last drop of cum from your cock.

You collapse against her, your chest heaving as you struggle to catch your breath. Sasha whimpers, her body trembling in the aftermath of her intense orgasms. You feel a flicker of guilt as you take in her ravaged appearance, her body bearing the marks of your passion.

But the guilt is quickly overshadowed by the lingering effects of the red orb. You're still hard, your cock twitching inside Sasha's pussy as you gaze hungrily at her naked body. You know you should stop, should try to fight the orb's influence, but you can't. The lust is too strong, too all-consuming.

With a growl, you start fucking her again, your hips slamming into hers with renewed vigor. Sasha moans, her eyes darkening with desire as she surrenders herself to your passion once more.

You approach Sasha, your eyes dark with lust from the red orb's influence. Despite the overwhelming desire coursing through your veins, you manage to reign in your baser instincts long enough to focus on comforting your friend.

'Hey,' you murmur, your voice low and gravelly as you reach out to brush a strand of hair from her face. 'It's going to be okay. We'll figure this out together.'

Sasha whimpers, her body trembling as she leans into your touch. 'I... I don't know what's happening to me,' she confesses, her voice thick with tears. 'The orb... it's making me say things I've never told anyone.'

You nod, your expression sympathetic even as your cock twitches against her thigh. 'I know,' you say softly. 'The orbs are affecting all of us. But we can't let them control us. We have to be stronger than that.'

As you speak, you let your hands wander, caressing Sasha's curves as you grind your hips against hers. She gasps, her eyes widening as she feels your erection pressing against her slit.

'Jordan,' she breathes, her voice wavering between desire and uncertainty. 'What are you doing?'

You lean in close, your lips brushing her ear as you speak. 'Comforting you,' you purr, your fingers teasing her nipples into hard peaks. 'And trying to figure out how to break the orbs' influence.'

Sasha moans, her body arching into your touch even as her eyes dart nervously to where Max and Liam are standing. 'But... what about them?' she asks, her voice tight with worry.

You glance over at your friends, taking in Max's fearful expression and Liam's cruel smirk. 'They'll be okay,' you assure her, your voice low and intense. 'We just need to focus on ourselves right now.'

With that, you capture Sasha's lips in a searing kiss, your tongue delving into her mouth as you grind your cock against her wet heat. She whimpers, her fingers digging into your shoulders as she surrenders herself to your passion once more.

As you fuck Sasha against the wall, your mind races, trying to figure out how to break free from the orbs' influence. You know that you need to find a way to resist their power, but right now, all you can think about is the wet heat of Sasha's pussy clenching around your cock

You pause mid-thrust, your cock still buried deep inside Sasha's dripping pussy. Your brow furrows as you consider the pattern of the orbs and the challenges you've faced so far.

'The first orb was related to Sasha's truth-telling,' you murmur, your voice tight with strain as you fight against the red orb's influence. 'And the second was related to my own lust.'

Sasha whimpers, her hips writhing as she tries to coax you back into fucking her. 'So... what does that mean?' she gasps, her eyes dark with a mixture of lust and confusion.

You glance over at Max and Liam, taking in their fearful and deceitful expressions. 'It means that this challenge is related to one of their orbs,' you say slowly, your mind racing as you try to piece together the puzzle. 'We need to figure out which one, and how to break its influence.'

Max whimpers, his eyes wide with fear as he clutches the blue orb tightly. 'I... I don't want to be afraid anymore,' he confesses, his voice trembling. 'Please, Jordan, help me.'

Liam smirks, the green orb glowing brightly in his hand. 'Don't listen to him,' he says, his voice dripping with sarcasm. 'He's just trying to trick you into giving up your own power.'

You ignore Liam, your attention focused solely on Max as you slowly pull out of Sasha's pussy. She whines in protest, her hips bucking wildly as she tries to recapture your cock.

'No, Sasha,' you say firmly, your voice low and intense. 'We need to focus on helping Max right now.'

Sasha pouts, but nods slowly as she reluctantly disentangles herself from your embrace. You approach Max, your expression sympathetic as you reach out to take the blue orb from his trembling hands.

'It's okay, Max,' you murmur, your voice soothing. 'We'll figure this out together. Just give me the orb.'

Max hesitates for a moment, his eyes darting between you and the glowing blue orb. Finally, with a shuddering sigh, he nods and places the orb in your hand.

The moment your fingers close around the smooth surface, a jolt of energy shoots up your arm and straight to your heart. You gasp, your eyes widening as you feel a sudden, overwhelming surge of fear coursing through your veins.

But you don't let it control you. Instead, you focus on your love for your friends, your determination to protect them from harm. You take a deep breath, and then another, slowly letting the fear drain away until you're left with a sense of calm clarity.

You turn to face Juanita, who's watching from the shadows with a wicked smirk. 'We've figured out your little game,' you say loudly, your voice ringing through the cavernous room. 'And we're not going to play it anymore.'

Juanita's eyes widen in surprise, and then narrow in anger. 'You think you've won, do you?' she snarls, her voice low and dangerous. 'This is only the beginning. You have seven more trials to face, and each one will test you in ways you can't even imagine.'

You stand your ground, your expression defiant as you meet her gaze. 'Bring it on,' you say simply, your voice firm with resolve. 'We'll face whatever challenges you throw at us, and we'll do it together.'

Juanita's lips twist into a cruel smile, and with a swirl of her cloak, she vanishes, leaving you and your friends alone in the dimly lit room. You exchange uneasy glances, knowing that the real challenges are yet to come.

But for now, you focus on the present, on comforting Sasha and Max as you all try to recover from the orbs' influence. You know that you'll need all your strength and cunning to survive the trials ahead, but with your friends by your side, you feel like you can face anything

You turn to Max and Liam, your expression serious. 'We need to search for more clues,' you say firmly. 'Sasha and I will... keep ourselves occupied. But we need you two to focus on finding a way out of this trial.'

Max nods, his eyes still wide with fear, but a glimmer of determination shining through. 'Okay,' he says shakily. 'We'll do our best.'

Liam smirks, the green orb glowing brightly in his hand. 'Oh, I'm sure you and Sasha will be very... thorough in your investigations,' he says, his voice dripping with innuendo.

You ignore his comment, turning back to Sasha with a hungry gleam in your eye. She shivers, her naked body still glistening with sweat and cum, but she nods, a small smile playing at her lips.

As Max and Liam begin to search the room, you pull Sasha into your arms, your hands roaming her curves as you guide her to the floor. She moans softly, her legs parting willingly as you settle between them, your cock already hard and throbbing with need.

You thrust into her with a groan, your hips snapping forward with a primal, animalistic rhythm. Sasha cries out, her nails digging into your back as she meets you thrust for thrust, her pussy clenching around your cock like a vice.

The sounds of your coupling echo through the cavernous room, mingling with the occasional muttered curse from Max and Liam as they search for clues. You barely notice, lost in a haze of lust and pleasure as you fuck Sasha with wild abandon.

It's only when you hear a triumphant shout from Max that you pause, your cock still buried deep inside Sasha's dripping pussy. You turn your head, your chest heaving with exertion, to see Max holding up a glowing blue orb, his eyes wide with excitement.

'I found it!' he exclaims, his voice ringing with triumph. 'The clue to break the orbs' influence!'

You pause, your cock still buried deep inside Sasha's dripping pussy, as you consider your next move. Suddenly, you feel a twitch in your balls, a warning sign that you're about to cum. You quickly pull out, but it's too late. Your cum shoots out in a thick rope, splattering across Liam's chest and face.

At the same moment, Sasha's body convulses, her pussy clenching around your cock as she squirts, her juices spraying across your hips and thighs.

Liam sputters, wiping the cum from his eyes as he glares at you. 'What the fuck, man?' he snaps, his voice tight with anger. 'What the hell was that for?'

You open your mouth to apologize, but Sasha beats you to it. 'It was an accident,' she says quickly, her voice trembling. 'We didn't mean to... to do that.'

Liam snorts, his lips twisting into a sneer. 'Yeah, well, next time, be more careful where you aim that thing,' he says, gesturing to your still-hard cock.

You nod, your cheeks flushing with embarrassment as you turn to Max. 'What did you find?' you ask, your voice low and intense.

Max holds up the glowing blue orb, his eyes wide with excitement. 'It's a clue,' he says, his voice ringing with triumph. 'A riddle that, when solved, will break the orbs' influence and allow us to move on to the next trial.'

You exchange uneasy glances with your friends, knowing that the real challenges are yet to come. But for now, you focus on the present, on cleaning yourselves up and deciphering the clue that Max found.

You and Sasha quickly clean yourselves up, wiping away the cum and juices that coat your bodies. Your skin tingles with the afterglow of your intense coupling, but you push the sensations aside, focusing on the task at hand.

Max holds out the glowing blue orb, his hand trembling slightly. 'Here,' he says, his voice low and urgent. 'The riddle is inscribed on the surface.'

You take the orb carefully, your fingers brushing against the cool, smooth surface. The glow pulses softly, casting eerie shadows across your face as you squint at the tiny, intricate script that winds around the orb.

'What does it say?' Liam asks, his voice tight with impatience. He's managed to wipe most of your cum from his face, but a few drops still cling to his hair, glistening in the dim light.

You frown, your brow furrowing as you try to make out the words. 'It's a riddle,' you say slowly, your voice echoing in the cavernous room. 'Four siblings, born of light, each with a power to claim. One brings truth, one brings lies, one brings fear, one brings desire. To break their hold, you must name their names, and speak the truth that sets you free.'

Sasha shivers, her naked body pressing against your side. 'What does that mean?' she whispers, her voice trembling.

You shake your head, your mind racing as you try to decipher the cryptic words. 'I think... I think it's talking about the orbs,' you say slowly. 'Each one represents a different power - truth, lies, fear, and desire. To break their hold on us, we need to figure out which orb represents which power, and then...'

You trail off, your eyes widening as the answer suddenly becomes clear. 'And then we need to speak the truth,' you finish, your voice ringing with conviction. 'The truth that sets us free.'

Max nods, his eyes gleaming with excitement. 'Yes,' he breathes, his voice low and intense. 'That has to be it. The orbs represent the four powers, and we need to name them correctly to break their hold.'

Liam snorts, his lips twisting into a sneer. 'Great,' he says, his voice dripping with sarcasm. 'So which one is which? And what's the big truth that's going to save us all?'

You exchange uneasy glances with Max and Sasha, knowing that the real challenge is just beginning. The riddle may be solved, but the true test - naming the orbs and speaking the truth that will set you free - still lies ahead.

You turn to your friends, your expression serious. 'Okay, let's think this through,' you say, your voice low and intense. 'We need to figure out which orb represents which power, and then name them correctly to break their hold on us.'

Max nods, his eyes gleaming with excitement. 'Right,' he says, his voice ringing with determination. 'The riddle mentioned four powers - truth, lies, fear, and desire. And there are four orbs - red, blue, green, and yellow.'

Sasha shivers, her naked body pressing against your side. 'So we need to match the colors to the powers,' she says, her voice trembling. 'But how do we know which one is which?'

You frown, your brow furrowing as you try to reason it out. 'Well, we know that the red orb fills the holder with uncontrollable lust,' you say slowly. 'So that one must represent desire.'

Liam snorts, his lips twisting into a sneer. 'Great,' he says, his voice dripping with sarcasm. 'One down, three to go.'

You ignore his comment, your mind racing as you try to decipher the rest of the riddle. 'The blue orb fills the holder with fear,' you say, your voice low and intense. 'So that one must represent fear.'

Max nods, his eyes widening with realization. 'And the green orb makes the holder speak only lies,' he says, his voice ringing with conviction. 'So that one must represent lies.'

Sasha shivers, her green eyes glassy with fear. 'Which means the yellow orb must represent truth,' she whispers, her voice trembling.

You nod, your expression grim. 'Okay,' you say, your voice low and intense. 'So we have desire, fear, lies, and truth. Now we just need to name them correctly and speak the truth that sets us free.'

Liam says clearly mine isn’t lies but sarcasm and you can’t even get it

You pause, considering Liam's words. He's right - the green orb's power is sarcasm, not lies. But before you can correct yourself, Juanita's voice echoes through the room, low and mocking.

'Well, well,' she purrs, her violet eyes glinting in the shadows. 'It seems you've finally figured out the orbs' powers. But knowing is only half the battle, isn't it?'

She steps forward, her black silk cloak swirling around her bare feet. 'To break their hold, you must name them correctly,' she says, her lips curving into a cruel smile. 'And then speak the truth that sets you free. But be careful - a wrong answer will only make the orbs' influence stronger.'

She laughs, the sound echoing off the stone walls. 'So go ahead, my dear,' she says, her voice dripping with sarcasm. 'Tell me - which orb represents lies?'

You hesitate, your mind racing. The green orb represents sarcasm, not lies - but if you name it incorrectly, the orbs' power will only grow. You glance at your friends, seeing your own uncertainty reflected in their eyes.

'Time's running out,' Juanita says, her voice low and dangerous. 'Better choose quickly, before the orbs choose for you.'

Max frowns, his brow furrowed in concentration. 'She said which one is lies,' he murmurs, his voice low and intense. 'So do we think Liam's orb is lies or sarcasm? What if Sasha's orb is lies, but neither one knows which is which?'

Sasha shivers, her naked body pressing against your side. 'I don't know,' she whispers, her voice trembling. 'I can't tell what's real anymore.'

Liam snorts, his lips twisting into a sneer. 'Well, if my orb is lies, then I guess I'm just a fucking liar,' he snaps, his voice tight with anger. 'But if it's sarcasm, then I'm just a fucking asshole. Either way, I'm fucked.'

You shake your head, your mind racing as you try to reason it out. 'No,' you say slowly, your voice low and intense. 'We can't let the orbs divide us. We have to work together to figure this out.'

Max nods, his eyes gleaming with determination. 'You're right,' he says, his voice ringing with conviction. 'We need to trust each other, no matter what the orbs say.'

Sasha shivers, her green eyes glassy with fear. 'But how do we know what's real?' she whispers, her voice trembling. 'How do we know which orb is which?'

You hesitate, your eyes darting from orb to orb. The red orb pulses with a dull, sullen glow; the blue orb shimmers with an icy, piercing light; the green orb glitters with a sharp, mocking gleam; the yellow orb glows with a soft, gentle radiance.

Suddenly, a memory flashes through your mind - Juanita's words, low and mocking: 'One brings truth, one brings lies, one brings fear, one brings desire.'

You straighten up, your expression grim. 'I think I know which orb is which,' you say slowly, your voice low and intense. 'The red orb brings desire; the blue orb brings fear; the green orb brings lies; and the yellow orb brings truth.'

Max frowns, his brow furrowed in confusion. 'But how do you know that?' he asks, his voice low and urgent.

You shake your head, your expression grim. 'I don't know,' you say slowly, your voice low and intense. 'But it's the only thing that makes sense. And if we don't try, we'll never break free from the orbs' influence.'

You take a deep breath, steeling yourself for what you know you must do. 'The red orb represents desire,' you say, your voice ringing out through the cavernous room. 'The blue orb represents fear. The green orb represents lies. And the yellow orb represents truth.'

As you speak the words, the orbs begin to glow brighter, pulsing with an eerie, otherworldly light. You feel a strange sensation, as if a weight is being lifted from your shoulders, and you know that you have broken the orbs' hold on you and your friends.

But before you can celebrate your victory, Juanita's voice echoes through the room, low and mocking. 'Well, well,' she purrs, her violet eyes glinting in the shadows. 'It seems you've finally figured out the orbs' powers. But knowing is only half the battle, isn't it?'

She steps forward, her black silk cloak swirling around her bare feet. 'To truly break their hold, you must speak the truth that sets you free,' she says, her lips curving into a cruel smile. 'But be careful - a wrong answer will only make the orbs' influence stronger.'

You hesitate, your mind racing. What is the truth that will set you free? You glance at your friends, seeing your own uncertainty reflected in their eyes.

Suddenly, a memory flashes through your mind - Juanita's words, low and mocking: 'One brings truth, one brings lies, one brings fear, one brings desire.'

You straighten up, your expression grim. 'The truth is that we are stronger together than we are apart,' you say, your voice low and intense. 'The truth is that we trust each other, no matter what the orbs say. The truth is that we will face whatever challenges you throw at us, and we will overcome them together.'

As you speak the words, the orbs' glow fades, and you feel a sudden rush of energy and clarity. You know that you have broken their hold on you and your friends, and you are ready to face whatever challenges Juanita has in store for you next.

You turn to Juanita, your expression grim. 'What's the next challenge?' you ask, your voice low and intense.

Juanita laughs, the sound echoing off the stone walls. 'Eager, are we?' she purrs, her violet eyes glinting in the shadows. 'Very well. For your next trial, you'll be transported to a pumpkin patch. There, you'll have to navigate a maze of twisted vines and thorny brambles.'

She steps forward, her black silk cloak swirling around her bare feet. 'But there's a catch,' she says, her lips curving into a cruel smile. 'Each of you will be given a different task to complete within the maze. If even one of you fails, you all fail well, let's just say you won't be leaving the maze.'

She laughs again, the sound sending chills down your spine. 'So, are you ready to face your fears?' she asks, her voice low and mocking.

You exchange uneasy glances with your friends, knowing that the real challenge is just beginning. The maze, but the true test will be working together to complete your tasks and escape with your lives.

But before you can respond, Juanita waves her hand, and the world around you begins to shimmer and fade. You feel a sudden rush of vertigo, and then everything goes black.

When you open your eyes again, you're standing in the middle of a pumpkin patch, the twisted vines and thorny brambles of the maze looming up around you. In the distance, you can hear the howls of hounds in the night air.

You know that you and your friends will have to work together to complete your tasks and escape the maze. But with the orbs' influence still lingering, and the tension between you growing with every trial, you can't help but wonder if you'll be able to trust each other when it matters most.