>>> Long Live The Queen <<<

[Aerynn Donnelly]

>>> 29 May 2014 – Lake Tahoe <<<

-- It had been almost twenty-four hours since Aerynn got the call regarding Gabriel. After going to the hospital the day before, she had come home to start going through the laptop that she’d found at the office in which he wanted to meet you.

-- She went through file after file. Going through each and every file was tedious and time consuming. She didn’t get to bed the night before until late. But when she woke the next morning, she was right back at it. Going through files and pictures.

-- After about five hours, she came across a file that was locked. Using the same password from the day before, the file unlocked and everything started to fill up the screen. She retrieved a flash drive and copied the entire file to the device. That done, she had Logan wipe the laptop of any and all evidence of the file.

-- Once that was done, she called the hospital to find out how Gabriel was doing. She was informed that he was still unconscious. She informed the nurse that she was going to be coming back in about an hour, but if anything changed, to give her call.

-- After placing her call, she headed up to get a shower and get changed. While she was doing all of that, Logan was going through the files to put them in order. Once she was out of the shower and dressed, he called her in and showed her everything that Gabriel managed to collect on Joshua McBride.

-- She sat down in the chair beside him and began to read everything over.

Logan: “It seems that Mister McBride used to be a cop.”

-- He pointed to one case of his in particular.

Logan: “It was this case here.. A drug addict mother sold her child for drugs. When they found the kid, it had been raped and violated.”

-- He looked at Aerynn. A frown on his face.

Logan: “Aerynn, the kid was dead.”

-- Aerynn frowned as she read over the case and moved onto the next pieces of information.

Logan: “After that, he became a bounty hunter. Specializing in cases dealing with lost or stolen children.”

-- Then he moved to the next big piece of information. And the picture that came up on the screen had Aerynn looking a little closer.

Aerynn: “Nae feckin’ way. Tha’s her.”

-- Logan arched a brow as he looked from the picture of the woman, to Aerynn and back again. Obviously confused.

Logan: “That’s who?”

-- She nodded towards the screen.

Aerynn: “Tha Children o’ Nephilim’s Priestess. Tha bitch tha’s been tha voice o’ Tha Children since they showed up. Tha’ is until Joshua stopped bein’ a coward an’ showed his face.”

-- Logan read over the file and grunted darkly.

Logan: “Maiko Adachi. Says here that Joshua took a case involving her little sister. She was kidnapped. Apparently sold into child slavery. Half Japanese, Half white. Pretty girl.”

-- He read through the file more and frowned.

Logan: “Seems they had a relationship while they were looking for her sister. Then they found the men that took her and.. The little girl as well. But it was too late for her, too, Aerynn.”

-- Aerynn reached up and pinched the bridge of her nose and closed her eyes.

Aerynn: “So, how does a man who’s sworn tae serve an’ protect go from bein’ a cop, tae a bounty hunter.. Tae... This?”

-- She brought up various pictures of Joshua throughout the years. One of him as a cop. Another of him and Maiko when he was a bounty hunter. And then one of the two of them as the Messiah and Priestess of The Children.

Aerynn: “I dinna get it. Says here tha’ he joined a different wrestling company, but was let out o’ his contract ‘cause they apparently found drugs an’ other paraphernalia in his hotel room.”

-- She frowned as she looked at Logan.

Aerynn: “Whot happened ‘tween him leavin’ tha’ other company an’ him showin’ up in U.W.A.?”

-- Logan shook his head.

Logan: “I dunno, babe. But we’ll find out.”

-- He reached out and patted her knee lightly.

Logan: “Go to the hospital. Check on Gabriel. And then come back here.”

-- She nodded lightly and leaned over to kiss him lightly before standing to head out.

>>> Barton Memorial Hospital <<<

-- After parking her bike, she headed inside the hospital. Stopping at the Visitor’s Desk to find out what room Gabriel was in. Once given the information she requested, she headed over to the elevator and pressed the button to go to the proper floor.

-- A few moments later, she exited the elevator and headed to his room. Stopping by the nurse’s station to find out if they could give her any new information on his condition. After finding out that nothing had changed, she turned and headed directly to his room.

-- Once there, she pulled one of the chairs over to the side of his bed and sat down. She leaned her elbows against her knees and looked at him as she folded her hands together.

Aerynn: “A’ight, old man, ye need tae wake up. I found tha files. I just dinna understand tha video.”

-- She felt like she was talking to thin air as Gabriel laid there unconscious and unresponsive.

-- She stood up and began to pace back and forth. Moving over to the window to look out of it, then over to the foot of his bed to look at the man whom she’d viewed as an uncle for years. Then back to the window again. It was about the fifth pass back and forth that her cell phone chimed with a new message.

-- The voice that spilled from the phone was distorted. Aerynn was unable to make out of it was male or female.

Voicemail From An Unknown Number: “Listen to me and listen carefully.. Your friend is in grave danger. You’ll be receiving a series of pictures. The pictures are of symbols that you MUST get tattooed on his body immediately. And if you’re smart, you’ll get them tattooed on yourself and anyone you care about as well. Logan. Bethany. Ashley. Even Jezsika. You must hurry, Aerynn. Your very lives could depend on it.”

-- Once the voicemail was listened to, her phone chimed again with a series of picture messages. The pictures were of various symbols that, if Aerynn didn’t know any better, were of some religious sect. It wasn’t Christian, that much she knew from being raised Catholic. But, with everything that had been going on lately, she wasn’t about to ask any questions. She could get the tattoos done easily enough on herself. She could even talk Logan into getting them done.

-- She looked up from her cell phone over to where Gabriel was laying in the hospital bed. She took a deep breath and called Logan.

Logan: “Hey. How’s Gabriel doin’?”

Aerynn: “Still out. Listen, I’ve jus’ got tha strangest phone call…”

-- She spent the next thirty minutes telling him about the phone call and pictures and what the voicemail had said about the tattoos. They went into how they’d be able to get the tattoos on Gabriel without the nurses and doctors flipping out.

-- Then she got an idea.

Aerynn: “Ye know how tha’ Samoans get their tattoos, aye?”

Logan: “Yeah. What about it?”

-- Aerynn smiled as the idea just hit her.

Aerynn: “I know a guy who gives traditional Samoan tattoos. He’s in Hawaii right now. But, I’m sure if we get ‘hold o’ him, he’ll come here. Fer a price, tha’ is.”

Logan: “Do what you have to, Aerynn. Just.. Be careful, yeah?”

Aerynn: “Aye, I will.”

-- She hung up the phone and spent the next couple of hours arranging everything for her friend to arrive in Lake Tahoe within twenty-four hours. Once that was taken care of, she headed out to the nurses station to make arrangements to have someone watch over Gabriel while she wasn’t there. The nurse put in a call to security and had a special detail (on Aerynn’s dime, of course) placed both inside and just outside Gabriel’s room.

-- Once the security guards came up to take up their posts, Aerynn headed out. As she was walking to her bike in the garage of the hospital, her phone rang again.

Aerynn: “Aye?”

Logan: “How long until you’re back?”

Aerynn: “I’m headed back now. Why?”

Logan: “I was rewatching the video message that Gabriel left for you on his laptop. Aerynn, you’re going to want to see this…”

Aerynn: “A’ight. I’m on my way.”

-- She wasted no time in getting back to the cabin. With traffic, it took her about forty-five minutes before she was pulling into the drive-way. Once her bike was turned off and settled, she headed inside and directly up to Logan’s office.

-- He looked back as she entered into the office and motioned towards the wall of screens before them. Pressing play, he sat back and waited.

-- She rewatched the video again and sat down in shock.

Aerynn: “Tha feck was tha’!?”

-- She asked as she pointed to an area behind Gabriel that was nothing more than shadows and something. And that something moved. Far too fast to have been a mere shadow. She reached over and hit the rewind button on the player and played it back. Staring in disbelief each time she watched it.

Aerynn: “There n’way tha’ is real.”

-- She looked over to Logan.

Aerynn: “I dinna know anythin’ ‘bout this stuff. ‘R tae see if tis authentic ‘r no’.”

Logan: “I don’t either. And I don’t even know anyone who could do that.”

-- He looked back to her.

Logan: “What about Bethany and the rest of Arsenal? Think they might know someone who could verify if this is true or not?"

-- Aerynn shrugged.

Aerynn: “I dinna know. But I can ask. Tha’s tha best I can do right now.”

-- Logan nodded to her and nodded towards the camera.

Logan: “You have a match this week. Focus on that and then we’ll take care of the other business.”

-- He stood up, kissed her temple and headed out of the room.

-- Aerynn turned to watch him leave and then moved closer to the desk where she could use the computers web cam. She reached over to press play on the computer and a song came spilling from the speakers. But when she spoke, it was very easy to hear her.

>>> Lake Tahoe <<<

“The blood that runs within my veins
(The blood that runs within my veins)
Keeps me from ever ending the same
(Ending the same)

The fire that’s pushing me on and on and on
(On and on and on)
To me it’s everything that makes me fucking strong
Love me or hate me
I walk alone”

“The Once and Future King.

Is tha’ no’ whot ye call yerself? But, I have tae know.. Whot makes ye believe yer a King? Whot is it ‘bout ye that ye believe yer able tae walk tha talk tha’ spills from yer mouth like shit filling up tha’ toilet which is yer throne.

Ye sit there on high an’ accuse me o’ bein’ a petulant child fer givin’ Oliver an ultimatum. Dinna ye do tha very same in yer no’ too distant past? But, ye took it a step further an’ actually assaulted tha’ owner o’ tha company ye were in when ye made tha very same threat.”

-- She raised one hand.

“Pot..”

-- Then the other hand raised.

“…meet kettle.”

-- She laid both of her hands back down on the desk before her and folded them together. And laughs darkly.

“Ye claim, o’er an’ o’er ‘gain tha’ I’m only jus’ now startin’ tae fight. Are ye tha’ feckin’ blind tha’ ye dinna see tha’ I’ve been fightin’ from tha very beginnin’? Ye’ve already proven yerself tae be nothin’ more than a delusional unevolved thug who canna, fer e’en a moment, convince me.. ‘r anyone in U.W.A. tha’ ye are tae be taken seriously.

Ye sat there an’ claimed time an’ time ‘gain tha Jezsika Gautier was a thief. Tha’ she stole tha identity o’ ‘nother woman ye knew in yer past. E’en when she showed ye solid proof o’ yer feck up, ye still kept on an’ on ‘bout it. Until Brody came out an’ destroyed ye.

Ye sit there an’ claim tha’ ye can buy Arsenal an’ they’ll just go away.”

-- She laughed again.

“An’ ‘gain, I do believe Jezsika addressed tha’ in her promo tae yer own lil puppets, Sang Real.

I mean, come on! Ye an’ them can’t seem tae get it through yer heads tha’ no’ e’erythin’ is ‘bout money!

Me pocketbook? Do ye honestly believe tha’ I started fightin’ ‘cause o’ me bank account? Are ye daft ‘r were ye slammed on yer head as a child? I mean come on now!

Tis has been obvious from tha very beginnin’ tha’ yer nae able ta tell tha difference ‘tween reality an’ fantasy. Ye keep spewin’ tha same shite ‘bout how ye could buy this person ‘r tha’. Ye keep goin’ on an’ on ‘bout how I’ve nae been fightin’ Tha Children from tha start.

Whot are ye smokin’? ‘Cause it’s some mighty potent shite.”

“Been called a monster, called a demon, called a fake
(Called a fake)
I’m not an idol, not an angel, not a saint
(I’m not a saint)

I walk alone, I always have, I’m not ashamed
(Not ashamed)
A living nightmare from the cradle to the grave
The soul that lives within my chest
(The soul that lives within my chest)

Just won’t allow me to turn out like the rest
(Turn out like the rest)
This heart that’s driving me on and on and on
(On and on and on)
Has the same vision and it keeps me fucking strong

Love me or hate me
I walk alone”

-- She sits there a moment, bringing her hands up to steeple her fingers against her lips.

“Ye sit there an’ say tha’ I’ve nae taken any action ‘gainst Tha Children. Ye dinna see whot’s goin’ on behind tha scenes.”

-- She waved her hand as if to dismiss the thought.

“Jus’ like wit’ Jezsika, ye willna get it through yer head tha’ Brody hasn’t been me employer fer a very long time. Brody was m’friend. Brody knows tha’. Jezsika, Bethany an’ Ashley all know tha’. An’ on some twisted level, e’en ye know tha’.

Step inta reality, Mister Travis.

Step out o’ tha darkness tha’s yer own delusional world an’ see whots right in front o’ yer face.”

-- She lowers her head slightly and glares at the camera.

“Ye claim tae be a monster. Ye claim tae be an evil tha’ is worthy o’ taken on Tha Children. Yet, ye keep sayin’ tha same things. Yer like a broken feckin’ record.

Oh.. Arsenal this. Jezsika tha’. Money this. Thousands tha’.

Time tae change tha tune, Kyle.

Time tae prove yer weight. Time tae prove tha’ ye have whot it takes tae take on Tha Children. Time tae prove ye can back up yer own claims. Ye’ve nae more walked out wit’ a chair, ‘r lead pipe, than any o’ us have.

Howe’er, nae all wars are fought wit’ chairs an’ lead pipes. Nae all battles are fought wit’ bloody crow bars an’ money.

Evolution, Mister Travis. In all o’ tha years ye’ve been in tha circuit. In all tha matches an’ companies ye’ve been in.. Tha’s tha ONE thing ye’ve failed tae do.

Evolve.

Ye only want Joshua tae try an’ finish me ‘cause ye know tha’ ye canna do it yerself. Ye know ye canna face Tha Children alone.

An’ ye will be, Mister Travis.

Ye’ll be alone on tha’ stage wit’ yer chair ‘r bloody crow bar.

Ye ask where me fight is. It’s been here all along, Mister Travis.

Ye’ve jus’ been too damn blind tae see it.”

“Been called a monster, called a demon, called a fake
(Called a fake)
I’m not an idol, not an angel, not a saint
(I’m not a saint)

I walk alone

Been called a monster, called a demon, called a fake
(Called a fake)
I’m not an idol, not an angel, not a saint
(I’m not a saint)

I walk alone, I always have, I’m not ashamed
(Not ashamed)
A living nightmare from the cradle to the grave

Been called a monster, called a demon, called a fake
(Called a fake)
I’m not an idol, not an angel, not a saint
(I’m not a saint)

I walk alone, I always have, I’m not ashamed
(Not ashamed)
A living nightmare from the cradle to the grave”

-- She stands up from the desk, the camera seems to follow her as she rises. She lifts her chin up and smiles darkly into the camera.

“Soon, Mister Travis.. Soon, ye’ll find out tha truth o’ it all. Soon, ye’ll see tha’ all ye’ve done is awakened tha monster further…

An’ tha Once an’ Future King shall perish.”

-- She raises her hands out from her sides once again.

“Tha King has died… Long Live Tha Queen.”

-- The camera fades to black.