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Haunted by the Past - Chapter 17 - Storytellers
By: RampageSports Date: March 4, 2016, 7:53 am
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Author's Note: The Spenser, Hawk and Susan Silverman characters
belong to mystery novelist Robert B. Parker. Mr. Parker is one
of my favorite authors, and his work is a major influence on the
the way I write. Whether I even come close to mimicking his
style is open to considerable debate, but I have chosen to use
his characters in this story as something of an homage. My goal
is to handle them as lightly as possible and to maintain them as
Mr. Parker created them. Any failure on that front is
completely my own.
[hr]
Haunted by the Past - Chapter 17 - Storytellers
We had only just begun explaining our situation, and our tiny
audience was already stunned into silence. I'm sure countless
theories had been floating around RSI about who Spenser and Hawk
were and what in the world was going on.
Apparently the truth was more shocking than anything the rumor
mill had come up with, so far.
Danni and I had called this meeting because, after lengthy
debate, we had finally agreed our time was up. RSI's owner and
team leader were embroiled in something bad. Bad enough that an
armed man was positioned in the lobby each day. The RSI family
as a whole was concerned, and they weren't going to be satisfied
with don't worry about it for an answer. The longer this thing
with Powers went on, the more concern there would be.
The question was what to do about it, and the answer was both
easily determined and hard to swallow.
We didn't want to, but we had to tell our story.
First of all, there was no other way. In the absence of facts,
half-truths and total fabrications would rule the day. While
neither of us was too concerned with what others said about us,
that wasn't the real worry. We needed to keep the distraction
to a minimum, and that would be a problem as the collective RSI
imagination spit out ever wilder theories. Next thing you know,
they'd have us enrolled in witness protection. Or maybe we'd be
secret agents or superheroes.
Although being thought of as a superhero probably wouldn't be so
bad.
Anyway, the second — and probably more important — point is that
we needed to trust our girls. If the roles had been reversed,
we would want our fighters to come to us. Not to report in, but
to let us help. They know that's exactly what we'd do, and it
was what we needed to trust them to do for us, now.
That said, we weren't going to hold a stable-wide meeting to
discuss our personal failures and torment. Instead, we decided
it would be better to tell a few people, and let the word spread
naturally.
And so it began here, with three of the most trusted members of
RSI.
"That's quite a mess," Stephanie McMahon said from where she
leaned against the bookcase that covered the the back wall of my
office.
It's not easy to fluster Steph, but we had managed it. She
looked truly shocked as my head bobbed lightly in agreement with
her understated remark.
"What are you going to do?" she asked.
That was exactly the attitude I'd expect from her. She hadn't
asked what was next. She asked what we were going to do.
Because doing nothing was unacceptable.
Steph's troubleshooting technique reminded me a lot of the Edna
Mode character from The Incredibles.
Go! Confront the problem. Fight! Win!
And Steph's a lot bigger than Edna. So, it's really not that
funny, coming from her.
I extended my hand toward the lobby where Hawk was stationed.
"That's why they're here," I said.
"So, you're just going to sit and wait?" Steph asked
incredulously.
"What is it you would have me do?" I asked as a bemused grim
spread across my face. "Should I go down to Trenton and wreak
havoc?"
Steph shrugged.
"Better than doing nothing."
I canted my head and looked at her sideways.
"Do you really think so?" I asked. "I'd like to wait until we
know what the hell is going on at least, ya know?"
I watched her jaw work for a second before she shrugged in
resignation.
"So, what do you need from us?" Emma Watson asked.
Surprised that we included Emma? You shouldn't be. People say
a lot of things about Emma — good, bad and ugly. Most of it is
bullsh*t, and that's only gotten worse now that she's chosen to
throw her celebrity weight behind a cause that's not all that
popular in certain Neanderthal circles. But even with all the
nonsense she has to weather, you'll never hear anyone say she
can't be counted on. I can count on her to always put
everything she has into her fights and prep work. I can count
on her to be there for her teammates. And yes, I can count on
her to hit with me a smart ass remark whenever and wherever
possible.
Sometimes, she's a little more reliable than I'd like with that
last one.
Fact is, when I first thought about how the different RSI
members would react to our dilemma, Emma was the one I worried
about most. She has a solid history of standing up for her
friends, and she doesn't care much about what it costs her to do
it. Normally, that's a good thing, but not so much in this
case.
Now, I didn't really expect her to march off and confront
Powers. Though her loyalty often blinds her, it doesn't make
her insane. But it was still hard to predict just what she
would do.
Hard to predict, and impossible to manage.
"I need you to tell our story," I said plainly.
"What?" she said. "But it's not our story to tell."
"It is now," I said.
"Most of what you've told us is nobody's business," said a
disbelieving Emily VanCamp, seated in the chair beside Emma.
As far as I was concerned, Em was the most critical member of
this little group. All three led by example, but only Emily did
it almost exclusively that way. She was quiet, classy,
unassuming and successful as hell. Head held high and nose to
the grindstone was the only way she knew how to be, and her long
list of accomplishments had established her somewhere just short
of deity-level among her teammates.
"That may have been true before," Danni said, "but not anymore."
"It's still true," Emma said. "This doesn't really have
anything to do with any of us."
I shook my head.
"I know you guys," I said.
Then, I gestured toward the training area, where the rest of RSI
was currently hard at work.
"I know them," I added. "None of you will just let it go."
"That's not true," she said defiantly, "we're not..."
"Emma, stop," I said evenly. "I'm not accusing anyone of prying
or being nosy. But, you can all see what's going on. Can you
tell me this isn't the only thing you're all talking about?"
No one offered a counter to my assumption.
"We know you're worried," Danni said.
"Which is why the story needs to come out," I said. "Anything
we try to hide will only lead to more questions."
"So, why us?" Emily asked.
"Because we can trust you," I said. "Because your teammates
trust you. Because I know you'll tell the story right."
"And because you know we'll beat the crap out of anyone who
tells it wrong," Steph said.
I winced as I shifted my gaze her way.
"I'd like to avoid that if we can, Steph."
"But the support is appreciated," Danni added.
The three still looked uncomfortable.
"We're not asking for you to put on a show, or to cover for us,"
I said. "But you three help set the tone on the training floor.
How you receive this news will go a long way to defining how
the others will receive it. So, think about it, digest it, then
handle it however you think best."
"Well, how do you want us to play it?" Emma asked.
"We don't want you to play it, at all," Danni said. "This isn't
about spin control."
All three turned to me. After all, it was my past that was most
in need of spin. As we told the story, I told my part just as
I'd done for Danni. That meant I made no effort to hide what
had happened in that ring, even if I didn't state it directly.
"We chose you guys mostly because you know us best," I said. "I
know what you've heard here is surprising, and some of it is
disturbing. We told you everything because you need to know it
all in order to decide how you feel. If you realize later that
something's bothering you, ask. My door is always open. So is
Danni's. What you tell the others doesn't matter, as long as
it's the truth."
From the looks on their faces, my little speech did little to
soothe their concerns.
"Go," I said gently. "Take a day and think it over."
Steph turned to go as Emily eased her way out of the chair.
Danni started toward the door as well, looking like she wanted
to grab Steph on the way out.
It took them all a moment to realize Emma hadn't moved.
Emily touched her arm lightly, but Emma looked up at her and
shook her head.
Danni looked back to me, silently asking if she should stay. I
shook her off, and the other three filed out leaving Emma and I
alone.
For a few moments, we just looked at each other.
"Do you, uh... have a problem, Miss Watson?"
"Nope," she answered. "Just wanted to see if you were okay."
I eyed her skeptically.
"No smart ass remarks or witticisms you'd like to share?"
She shook her head as that sneaky smile crept onto her face.
"It doesn't seem appropriate, right now."
I waited for the joke, but none came. After a while, I realized
she was serious.
"How okay I am depends on how you look at it," I said. "Under
the circumstances, I would say I'm more okay than I have any
right to be."
"But?"
"But I'm not okay," I said softly.
She nodded.
"No one's going to blame you for what happened," she said.
"I've already been through this with Danni," I said.
"And?"
"She said the same thing."
"But you don't believe her."
"Or you," I said. "I appreciate the support, but there's no
denying what I did or how it happened."
"That doesn't mean we don't understand it."
"I don't see how you could. I certainly don't."
She patiently nodded again.
"I'm not going to argue with you," she said. "I think, if you
give it time, you'll see."
I watched her silently, not offering a response.
"How's Danni holding up?" she asked eventually.
"Okay," I said. "So far."
She leaned forward with her arms on her knees, lowering her head
as if she were about to tell me a secret.
"She cares about you," she said. "You know that, right?"
"I do," I said softly.
She paused and looked down at the desk, giving me the impression
she'd appraised my response and found it less than acceptable.
"She's not going to let you do this alone," she said.
"She's told me as much."
She still looked as if I wasn't getting it.
"What I'm saying is that you need to be careful. She's likely
to do something stupid if she feels like she needs to protect
you."
The idea of Danni putting herself in harm's way for me triggered
an immediate emotional response. It felt as if some unseen hand
reached in and gripped the base of my skull — squeezing it until
every other thought fell out my head, leaving only an image of
Danni and a white hot anger that was way out of proportion with
Emma's remark.
"The only way to Danni is going to be through me," I growled.
Emma smiled knowingly and gave a little nod.
My anger drained quickly, leaving me wondering exactly where it
had come from. I also wondered how I'd make good on what I'd
just said, if it came to that.
Oh, and then there was the question of why that little smile had
returned to Emma's face.
"On second thought, maybe you'd better keep an eye on each
other," she said.
Then, she got up without another word and headed for the door,
stopping right in the opening.
"I do have one question," she said.
I looked at her expectantly.
"Did Danni really sleep with a guy named Dickie Smalls?"
"You know I can hear you, right?" Danni called out.
Emma's mischievous smile broadened.
"Of course," she said. "Why do you think I walked all the way
to the door before I said it?"
[hr]
Character Reference
HTML https://aade768506dacb303a01a361d3dc0d27209a5ec4.googledrive.com/host/0Bz8YsEjMxOhMMXhVcF82aG5SXzA/Richelle_100x120.jpg
Name: Richelle Winterfeld
Nickname(s):
Background: Owner of the RSI stable, former underground fighter
HTML https://aade768506dacb303a01a361d3dc0d27209a5ec4.googledrive.com/host/0Bz8YsEjMxOhMMXhVcF82aG5SXzA/Danni_100x120.jpg
Name: Danneel Harris
Nickname(s): Danni
Background: RSI stable leader, reigning DEF welterweight
champion
HTML https://aade768506dacb303a01a361d3dc0d27209a5ec4.googledrive.com/host/0Bz8YsEjMxOhMMXhVcF82aG5SXzA/Stephanie_100x120.jpg
Name: Stephanie McMahon
Nickname(s): Steph
Background: RSI's fighter development coordinator, former SCQ
super heavyweight champion
HTML https://aade768506dacb303a01a361d3dc0d27209a5ec4.googledrive.com/host/0Bz8YsEjMxOhMMXhVcF82aG5SXzA/Emma_100x120.jpg
Name: Emma Watson
Nickname(s): Dr. Watson, Em
Background: Reigning FAC featherweight champion, training
partner and romantic partner of Tiffany Mulheron
HTML https://aade768506dacb303a01a361d3dc0d27209a5ec4.googledrive.com/host/0Bz8YsEjMxOhMMXhVcF82aG5SXzA/Emily_100x120.jpg
Name: Emily VanCamp
Nickname(s): Em
Background: Reigning ESL lightweight champion
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