Post by Zane on Jan 14, 2017 18:31:22 GMT -5
"Mr. Zane...are you sure this is a good idea?"
Zane looks up from his desk and barely manages to stifle the smile from his face by putting his hand over his mouth. The reason for his barely contained smile is because his waifish assistant Larry stands on the other side of his desk and is decked out in the “Zane9000” costume. Zane looks down at his desk and his body shudders a little bit before he looks up again and barely manages to contain another obvious guffaw at the sight of his 135 pound Personal Assistant standing before him in a “costume” that’s larger than he is and by quite a lot. In fact if one were to assign a metaphor to the sight that’s currently before him, the best one could do is to say that it looks like someone has stuffed a very thin scarecrow into a sewage pipe. The image looks even sillier when one considers the large, silver colored block shaped “head” that Larry barely manages to keep tucked into his armpit. The entire “ensemble” is quite a sight.
"Mr. Zane, did you hear me?" Larry squeaks out again. "Are you sure that this is a good idea?"
Zane chokes down another laugh and waves a dismissive hand at his assistant.
“Yes.” He replies. “It’s a great idea.”
Larry squirms in his costume, which only causes it to continually rattle around over him. It really is quite a sight. He shifts the “head” from his right armpit to his left, trying the move with all of the coordination that one would expect from one who has recently suffered a severe concussion. Larry is not such a person, he’s just that absurdly uncoordinated.
“I don’t know, Mr. Zane.” He replies dubiously as he barely avoids dropping his “head” onto the floor.
Zane shakes his head and rolls his eyes before he sits back in his high backed leather desk chair and grins at his assistant and frequent source of cheap humor.
“Firstly, Larry, I’m not ‘Mr. Zane’.” He answers. “I’m either ‘Mr. Scott’ or ‘Zane’. When you call me ‘Mr. Zane’ it sounds like you missed an entire year of school or were educated by Boris and Natasha from ‘Rocky and Bullwinkle’. Next you’re going to say something to me about being unable to ‘catch moose and squirrel’ and while I find this terribly entertaining, it also makes you sound really idiotic.”
Larry responds by pushing his slightly quivering bottom lip out. Zane drops his head into his hands and shakes it.
“Not this again.” He mutters to himself.
It starts slowly at first with just the aforementioned quivering lip. A few seconds later Larry’s eyes begin to redden and mist up. After a few moments he begins to sniffle. A few seconds after that, the show starts as gigantic tears begin to well up in his eyes and tumble down his face.
“Larry.” Zane says in a weary tone.
Larry continues as the engines on his mini-meltdown are now fully engaged and regrettably irreversible. Zane responds by lowering one hand to his side, with which he pulls a box of tissues from one of his top drawer. He lobs the box onto his desk and looks up with a frown as John Paul Grevane enters his office. He sees Larry in the preliminary stages of a good “man cry” (or something) and promptly slaps him really hard in the back of the head. Larry pitches forward and barely misses bouncing head first off of Zane’s desk before he tumbles to the floor in a heap and the waterworks really start. Grevane looks at him with a disgusted sneer.
“Get up you pussy.” He says.
He looks up at Zane with an expression of equal dislike on his face and points down at the bawling assistant in disgust.
“Why the fuck do you keep that...thing...around?” He sneers.
Zane runs his left hand over head dark stubble that covers head and glares back.
“Because he kid is good at what he does.” Zane replies. “Besides, even if he wasn’t a great Personal Assistant, I like the kid and I prefer his company to a miserable asshole like you.”
He pauses and looks at Larry, who is still in the throes of a good cry and then looks up disgustedly at Grevane.
“Especially over you.”
Grevane replies with a derisive grunt.
“Going soft?” He replies. “After all, you haven’t been in a ring in over a year and you spend a lot of time with that...thing...down there.”
Zane locks an icy and somewhat threatening glare on Grevane.
“Be glad that I spend the amount of time with him that I do.” He replies. “It gives me less time to figure out ways to arrange a date between you and the Veterinarians needle.”
Grevane glares in response and practically snarls out his response.
“I’m a man, not a fucking rabid dog!”
Zane shrugs in response, but his cold expression doesn’t change and neither does his equally cold tone.
“Both of those points are debatable.” He answers. “You have ten seconds to tell me what you want before I remove you from the room without opening the door first.”
Grevane looks at Zane with utter hatred on his face and sneers out his response.
“John wants to talk to you.” He snaps.
Zane nods his head and watches as his assistant struggles to get to his feet. Grevane turns and seeing this, takes a step towards him with a look of ill intent on his face.
“Don’t.” Zane growls.
Grevane takes another half step towards Larry but pauses when Zane stands up from his desk. He looks at Larry, then at Zane and finally shrugs his shoulders with a loud huff and storms from the room. Larry finally gets to his feet with a considerable effort and looks in confusion at Zane.
“Are you sure this is a good idea, Mr. Zane?” He asks.
Zane shakes his head and faceplams in response.
LATER
“It’s not the greatest fit in the world.” John Ein says with a sideways grin.
Zane smiles and nods in agreement and barely stifles a chuckle as Larry barely manages to navigate his way around the display table without pitching over on his face.
“I think that’s a part of why it works so well when he wears it.” Zane replies.
John grins and nods as Larry momentarily stumbles forward and steadies himself on the table. He turns and looks at Zane.
“This is really difficult to wear, Mr. Zane.” He squeaks.
Zane looks at John and takes a short breath before he looks at Larry.
“That’s kind of the point.” He replies. “It works as well as it does with the kids because you entertain them so much due to how goofy you look in it.”
Zane’s statement is true almost to the point of absurdity. The large, silver pained set of boxes was clearly made for someone far larger, which causes them to hang off of him like a linebacker’s jersey on starvation victim. The secondary effect is that that frequently swing around on him and throw him off balance. Zane and John help Larry straighten himself up so that he’s balanced again and then sit down in their chairs to as the line begins to form. Zane smiles and looks over his shoulder at Larry.
“Just wait until picture time.” He says.
“Oh fiddlesticks.” Larry replies with a shudder.
Zane and John answer his exclamation with matching looks of befuddlement.
“Did you just say ‘fiddlesticks’?” Zane asks.
Larry nods enthusiastically, which causes him to tip slightly too far forward and nearly face plant into the table. Zane and John catch him just in time and straighten him out again, although once he stands up his “head” is slightly crooked so that his nose pokes through the left eye.
“Larry...” Zane says as he points at it.
“Is it just me, Mr. Zane, or is it oddly dark in here all of a sudden?” Larry inquires.
Zane closes his eyes and shakes his head as John chuckles to himself and turns to look forward at the assembling crowd again. Zane stands up to help Larry as he begins to try and pull the helmet back into place. The entire scene is rather comical to watch as Zane tries to grab the “head” and turn it back in the right direction as Larry grabs it and tries to roughly yank it back in the other and wrong direction. The result of them pulling in two separate directions is that the assembling crowd gets to watch as “Zane9000” and the person it was created to mock engage in an off balanced struggle behind the table.
“Gents.” John says. “Could you kindly conclude this scuffle so that we can do business?”
The two men struggle to turn the “head” in the right direction so that Larry can get his nose out of the eye hole and when it finally does, they pull so hard that the head pops right off in Zane’s hands and sends Larry toppling over onto the floor. John responds with a smirk and a head shake as Zane looks at him and shrugs.
“That’s not how I’d prefer to get head…” He says with a smirk.
John rolls his eyes at his response and momentarily looks at Larry as he struggles to get back to his feet before he looks at Zane again.
“Language.” He says. “There are children here.”
Zane raises an amused eyebrow before he shrugs, sits down and places the “Zane9000” head down on the table between them. Meanwhile, Larry continues to struggle to regain his footing. The two men look over towards the line that’s forming and prepare as the two security officers move the control cordon away.
“It’s show time.” Zane says with a genuine smile.
The two men wait as the people on the line enter and disperse around the room. The two men wait for a couple of minutes before an older man with slightly graying hair and a young girl walk up to them. She holds out a picture and smiles.
“Hi.” She says shyly. “You’re big.”
Zane replies with a large smile and a short laugh.
“Thank you.” He says. “What’s your name, kid?”
“Emily.” She replies.
“Do you want me to write anything, or should I just sign this for you?” He asks.
She looks down and shuffles the point of her shoe on the floor.
“You can answer him, Emmy.” Her father says. “It’s ok.”
She looks up and smiles sheepishly at him.
“Can you write something?” She asks.
“Sure.” Zane answers. “How about ‘thank you for saying hi. You’re awesome. Zane.’ Would you like that?”
She shakes her head in the affirmative and looks sheepishly at the floor again. Zane signs the picture and leans over to hand it to her. Her father smiles at him and takes it.
“Would you like a picture with us, if it’s ok with your father?” He asks. “Is it ok?”
Her father nods “yes”. Zane and John stand up behind the table as Emily’s father picks her up and stands between them. She notices the “Zane9000” head and points at it.
“Where’s ‘Zane9000’?” She asks.
“He’s having some technical difficulties at the moment.” Zane answers as Larry gets to his feet, loses his balance and falls back over again with a thud.
“Is he going to be ok?” She asks.
Zane smiles warmly to her.
“Sure.” He replies. “He’ll be fine.”
One of the event employees comes over and takes the picture. He looks at the father and nods.
“The picture will be at the exit table, sir.” He says and then steps out of view again.
The father nods and then turns to the table to extend a hand to Zane.
“Thank you.” He says. “And welcome back.”
Zane nods his head appreciatively.
“Thank you.” He replies. “It’s good to be back.”
The father turns and walks way with his daughter in his arms and the two men sit down again. John turns to Zane.
“How does it feel?” He asks. “Any nerves?”
Zane shakes his head ‘no’.
“None.” He replies. “I missed this part of it too.”
The two sit and chat for a few more minutes before someone else wanders over. He’s a twenty something male with short brown hair and a “UGWC” t-shirt on. Zane and John both nod in welcome to him as Larry finally gets to his feet and leans against the wall. The twenty something looks at him quizzically before he shrugs and looks at Zane.
“Duuude.” He drawls out.
“Hi.” Zane replies.
“Duuuuuude.” The twenty-something says again.
“Afternoon.” Zane says. “Can I help you with something?”
The twenty-something looks around glassy eyed and suddenly looks down at the “Zane9000” head and stands there staring at it. John and Zane look at each other and shrug before they look back at the kid. Zane finally interrupts him.
“Can we help you?” He asks.
The kid looks down at him and smiles from ear to ear.
“Duuuuuude.” He says.
“Right.” Zane replies.
He takes a picture of himself from the table, signs it and hands it to the guy. The guy looks down at it and then looks up with a big smile on his face before he shuffles off. Zane watches him go and shakes his head.
“Not much for conversation.” He says. “But at least he got a signed picture out of it.”
John looks at him and smiles in amusement.
“He’ll probably wake up in a few hours and wonder where he got it.” He replies.
Zane nods in agreement.
“Probably.” He answers. “But at least he got a nice, signed photo in his stupor.”
John replies with a grin and nods his head.
“This could be an interesting afternoon.” He says.
Right as he finishes saying it, Larry leans over to pick up his head, loses his balance and goes toppling ass over head over the table and onto the floor in front of it in a heap. Zane and John both lean over to make sure that he’s ok, shrug in unison and lean back into their seats as a young woman walks up to them, steps over the prone Larry and flashes a large smile at Zane. He returns the smile and casts a quick look to John.
“Yes it could.” Zane replies with a nod and a mischievous grin.
That Evening:
Zane Scott’s Home
Salt Point, NY
Zane sits on his large, brown leather couch and swirls the drink around the glass. He looks up at John and smiles. John nods his head and smiles back.
“It’s almost time.” John says. “You’d had a hell of a year since your ACL and MCL were torn by Killian and further damaged by Pierce during your last match. I’ve seen you change a lot in the past year plus and I have to say that I’m damned proud of you.”
Zane lifts his glass and grins before the two men lean forward from their respective seats and clink their glasses before each takes a drink. Zane leans back on the couch while John sits back in the dark blue recliner that he occupies.
“If you’d told me a year ago that I’d be teaming with Killian and Eden in my return match, I’d have told you that you were insane.” He replies. “I wanted nothing more than to kill him for tearing my ACL and MCL.”
John nods his head.
“I remember.” He replies. “You were almost a raving lunatic after they were torn and you only got angrier going into and after your match against Pierce. In all honesty, I didn’t think you’d make it for three months without having to be committed. I’m truly impressed by what you’ve done.”
Zane smiles in reply and takes another sip from his glass before he places it back down on the coaster.
“Thank you.” He answers. “Sometimes I’m surprised, too. Had you handed me a gun and placed both men in front of me, I’d probably have shot both of them to death and not thought twice about it.”
This time John nods in reply.
“I know.” He says. “I was waiting for you to be overcome by that anger and do something stupid that would have ruined the rest of your life. I was amazed when you didn’t, and that’s not a dig at you.”
“No.” Zane replies. “I know that.”
John takes another drink and places his glass down as Zane shifts on the couch and adjusts the neck on his black button down shirt. John takes a breath and smiles as Zane’s German Shepherd, Sammy lopes silently into the room and lays her mostly black head in his lap. John looks down at her and gently scratches her behind her ears. Zane watches it with a smile.
“She’s always liked you.” He says. “Then again, there aren’t too many people she doesn’t like.”
John’s hand shifts down the base of her neck where her collar is. She looks up at him and sighs as he begins to scratch her neck below it.
“I’ve noticed that.” John replies. “The only person she doesn’t like is Grevane.”
Zane shrugs and chuckles.
“Of course not.” He says. “Shepherds are smart and she knows that Grevane’s an asshole.”
Sammy casts a quick glance at her person and lets loose a low, throaty growl. Zane chuckles as John continues to scratch her neck in the same spot.
“It’s ok.” Zane says to her. “He’s not here and he’s not going to be.”
Sammy replies by turning back to John and dropping her head onto his lap. She tips her head slightly up and to the left so that he can scratch a different spot. Both man chuckle at it and continue speaking.
“She’s quite a character.” John says.
“She’s a big reason why I didn’t go insane after my injuries.” Zane answers.
“I know.” John says with a nod. “I’m happy that you have her.”
He pauses for a moment as if he’s considering his words. After a few seconds he finally speaks again.
“Speaking of females who are or have been in your life…how do you feel about your meeting with Eden later?”
Zane shrugs dismissively.
“If I’d had a problem with it, I would never have allowed her to come here.” He answers.
John nods and takes another sip from his glass.
“What about teaming with her and Killian?” He asks. “No reservations?”
“No.” He answers. “I meant what I said. I want it to be like it was. We were an excellent team who, along with Alan, dominated UGWC for a year. We had our issues. We had some gigantic ‘up’s’ and obviously some rather large ‘downs’, but as they both treat this match on the level, things will be fine.”
John takes in Zane’s response and pauses thoughtfully. As he does this he stops scratching. Sam looks up at him with her large brown eyes and nudges her arm with her muzzle. John laughs and resumes his scratching. She responds with another sigh and lays her head back down.
“My apologies, princess.” He says with a smile.
Zane laughs at his response.
“And don’t you forget it.” He replies.
Both men laugh in response before John looks thoughtfully at Zane.
“Do you expect any problems with them?” He asks.
Zane lets out a long breath and momentarily closes his eyes in thought. When he opens them again he levels them on John.
“’Expect’?” He replies. “Not as such, no. That said, I’ll be wary of everyone in the ring just because that’s the smart thing to do. This match will do a lot to establish what happens between Eden, Killian and myself in the future.”
John nods.
“What about Alan?” He asks.
Zane shakes his head in response.
“I never had any issue with him and I’d like to keep it that way.” He replies.
John nods again and switches hands. Sam momentarily looks up and him before her eyes begin to slide closed. John looks at her and smiles.
“My hand was getting tired.” He replies.
Both men share another laugh before the resume speaking.
“What about the ‘Engine’?” John asks.
Zane shrugs again.
“We’ll see.” He answers. “I’ve never gotten along particularly well with the good doctor, so there’s that. I don’t honestly care much about Rogan. The kid has talent and knows how to handle himself in a wrestling ring. We’ll see what happens beyond that. Ichabod...well...he’s always just done his own thing. I won’t take anything personally unless he makes it personal. I just want to win my return match. They can make it as personal or strictly professional as they wish and I’ll go from there.”
John nods and takes another drink.
“And if they make it personal?” he asks.
Zane grins darkly.
“Then they make it personal.” He replies. “In some ways that’ll make what I want to do easier.”
John laughs and then throws down the rest of his drink. He places the glass down and looks at his watch before looking back at Zane.
“I’d better get back to the office and make sure that Grevane didn’t try anything while I was gone.”
Zane chuckles and nods.
“Check on Larry.” He replies. “If Grevane has done anything to him, let me know.”
Sam replies with another growl before she stands up and walks over to where Zane is sitting. She leaps up onto the couch and curls up so that she’s facing Zane and John. The two men stand up, shake hands and share a hug. When they separate John looks at Zane.
“I’ll let you know.” He replies. “He knows that tormenting Larry is off limits and if he does so that he’ll pay for it.”
“I know.” Zane replies. “But he’s a mindless idiot and a bully.”
John shakes his head as he places his white suit jacket and over cape back on.
“No worries.” He replies. “I’ll handle it.”
Zane shakes his head in acknowledgement.
“Yup.” He answers.
“Have a good meeting with Eden.” John says. “I’ll catch up with you later. I’ll see myself out. The princess looks like she wants you to pick up where I left off.”
Zane looks at Sam and chuckles as she turns her head slightly to the side in that Shepherd way before she places it back down. Zane looks at her with a grin.
“Yes.” He says. “We’re talking about you.”
She thumps her tail on the couch a couple of times in acknowledgement. Both men smile at her before John walks out of the living room, his boot heels clacking on the blue-gray slate floor. He makes a left, walks up the open front wood stairs and pulls the interior front door open. The view switches back to Zane as he sits back down on the couch and picks up the TV remote. Zane switches the TV on as Sam lays her head in his lap and he picks up where John left off, scratching her neck right at the base of her collar. She sighs contentedly and closes her eyes. Moments later she begins to snore.
Zane looks up from his desk and barely manages to stifle the smile from his face by putting his hand over his mouth. The reason for his barely contained smile is because his waifish assistant Larry stands on the other side of his desk and is decked out in the “Zane9000” costume. Zane looks down at his desk and his body shudders a little bit before he looks up again and barely manages to contain another obvious guffaw at the sight of his 135 pound Personal Assistant standing before him in a “costume” that’s larger than he is and by quite a lot. In fact if one were to assign a metaphor to the sight that’s currently before him, the best one could do is to say that it looks like someone has stuffed a very thin scarecrow into a sewage pipe. The image looks even sillier when one considers the large, silver colored block shaped “head” that Larry barely manages to keep tucked into his armpit. The entire “ensemble” is quite a sight.
"Mr. Zane, did you hear me?" Larry squeaks out again. "Are you sure that this is a good idea?"
Zane chokes down another laugh and waves a dismissive hand at his assistant.
“Yes.” He replies. “It’s a great idea.”
Larry squirms in his costume, which only causes it to continually rattle around over him. It really is quite a sight. He shifts the “head” from his right armpit to his left, trying the move with all of the coordination that one would expect from one who has recently suffered a severe concussion. Larry is not such a person, he’s just that absurdly uncoordinated.
“I don’t know, Mr. Zane.” He replies dubiously as he barely avoids dropping his “head” onto the floor.
Zane shakes his head and rolls his eyes before he sits back in his high backed leather desk chair and grins at his assistant and frequent source of cheap humor.
“Firstly, Larry, I’m not ‘Mr. Zane’.” He answers. “I’m either ‘Mr. Scott’ or ‘Zane’. When you call me ‘Mr. Zane’ it sounds like you missed an entire year of school or were educated by Boris and Natasha from ‘Rocky and Bullwinkle’. Next you’re going to say something to me about being unable to ‘catch moose and squirrel’ and while I find this terribly entertaining, it also makes you sound really idiotic.”
Larry responds by pushing his slightly quivering bottom lip out. Zane drops his head into his hands and shakes it.
“Not this again.” He mutters to himself.
It starts slowly at first with just the aforementioned quivering lip. A few seconds later Larry’s eyes begin to redden and mist up. After a few moments he begins to sniffle. A few seconds after that, the show starts as gigantic tears begin to well up in his eyes and tumble down his face.
“Larry.” Zane says in a weary tone.
Larry continues as the engines on his mini-meltdown are now fully engaged and regrettably irreversible. Zane responds by lowering one hand to his side, with which he pulls a box of tissues from one of his top drawer. He lobs the box onto his desk and looks up with a frown as John Paul Grevane enters his office. He sees Larry in the preliminary stages of a good “man cry” (or something) and promptly slaps him really hard in the back of the head. Larry pitches forward and barely misses bouncing head first off of Zane’s desk before he tumbles to the floor in a heap and the waterworks really start. Grevane looks at him with a disgusted sneer.
“Get up you pussy.” He says.
He looks up at Zane with an expression of equal dislike on his face and points down at the bawling assistant in disgust.
“Why the fuck do you keep that...thing...around?” He sneers.
Zane runs his left hand over head dark stubble that covers head and glares back.
“Because he kid is good at what he does.” Zane replies. “Besides, even if he wasn’t a great Personal Assistant, I like the kid and I prefer his company to a miserable asshole like you.”
He pauses and looks at Larry, who is still in the throes of a good cry and then looks up disgustedly at Grevane.
“Especially over you.”
Grevane replies with a derisive grunt.
“Going soft?” He replies. “After all, you haven’t been in a ring in over a year and you spend a lot of time with that...thing...down there.”
Zane locks an icy and somewhat threatening glare on Grevane.
“Be glad that I spend the amount of time with him that I do.” He replies. “It gives me less time to figure out ways to arrange a date between you and the Veterinarians needle.”
Grevane glares in response and practically snarls out his response.
“I’m a man, not a fucking rabid dog!”
Zane shrugs in response, but his cold expression doesn’t change and neither does his equally cold tone.
“Both of those points are debatable.” He answers. “You have ten seconds to tell me what you want before I remove you from the room without opening the door first.”
Grevane looks at Zane with utter hatred on his face and sneers out his response.
“John wants to talk to you.” He snaps.
Zane nods his head and watches as his assistant struggles to get to his feet. Grevane turns and seeing this, takes a step towards him with a look of ill intent on his face.
“Don’t.” Zane growls.
Grevane takes another half step towards Larry but pauses when Zane stands up from his desk. He looks at Larry, then at Zane and finally shrugs his shoulders with a loud huff and storms from the room. Larry finally gets to his feet with a considerable effort and looks in confusion at Zane.
“Are you sure this is a good idea, Mr. Zane?” He asks.
Zane shakes his head and faceplams in response.
LATER
“It’s not the greatest fit in the world.” John Ein says with a sideways grin.
Zane smiles and nods in agreement and barely stifles a chuckle as Larry barely manages to navigate his way around the display table without pitching over on his face.
“I think that’s a part of why it works so well when he wears it.” Zane replies.
John grins and nods as Larry momentarily stumbles forward and steadies himself on the table. He turns and looks at Zane.
“This is really difficult to wear, Mr. Zane.” He squeaks.
Zane looks at John and takes a short breath before he looks at Larry.
“That’s kind of the point.” He replies. “It works as well as it does with the kids because you entertain them so much due to how goofy you look in it.”
Zane’s statement is true almost to the point of absurdity. The large, silver pained set of boxes was clearly made for someone far larger, which causes them to hang off of him like a linebacker’s jersey on starvation victim. The secondary effect is that that frequently swing around on him and throw him off balance. Zane and John help Larry straighten himself up so that he’s balanced again and then sit down in their chairs to as the line begins to form. Zane smiles and looks over his shoulder at Larry.
“Just wait until picture time.” He says.
“Oh fiddlesticks.” Larry replies with a shudder.
Zane and John answer his exclamation with matching looks of befuddlement.
“Did you just say ‘fiddlesticks’?” Zane asks.
Larry nods enthusiastically, which causes him to tip slightly too far forward and nearly face plant into the table. Zane and John catch him just in time and straighten him out again, although once he stands up his “head” is slightly crooked so that his nose pokes through the left eye.
“Larry...” Zane says as he points at it.
“Is it just me, Mr. Zane, or is it oddly dark in here all of a sudden?” Larry inquires.
Zane closes his eyes and shakes his head as John chuckles to himself and turns to look forward at the assembling crowd again. Zane stands up to help Larry as he begins to try and pull the helmet back into place. The entire scene is rather comical to watch as Zane tries to grab the “head” and turn it back in the right direction as Larry grabs it and tries to roughly yank it back in the other and wrong direction. The result of them pulling in two separate directions is that the assembling crowd gets to watch as “Zane9000” and the person it was created to mock engage in an off balanced struggle behind the table.
“Gents.” John says. “Could you kindly conclude this scuffle so that we can do business?”
The two men struggle to turn the “head” in the right direction so that Larry can get his nose out of the eye hole and when it finally does, they pull so hard that the head pops right off in Zane’s hands and sends Larry toppling over onto the floor. John responds with a smirk and a head shake as Zane looks at him and shrugs.
“That’s not how I’d prefer to get head…” He says with a smirk.
John rolls his eyes at his response and momentarily looks at Larry as he struggles to get back to his feet before he looks at Zane again.
“Language.” He says. “There are children here.”
Zane raises an amused eyebrow before he shrugs, sits down and places the “Zane9000” head down on the table between them. Meanwhile, Larry continues to struggle to regain his footing. The two men look over towards the line that’s forming and prepare as the two security officers move the control cordon away.
“It’s show time.” Zane says with a genuine smile.
The two men wait as the people on the line enter and disperse around the room. The two men wait for a couple of minutes before an older man with slightly graying hair and a young girl walk up to them. She holds out a picture and smiles.
“Hi.” She says shyly. “You’re big.”
Zane replies with a large smile and a short laugh.
“Thank you.” He says. “What’s your name, kid?”
“Emily.” She replies.
“Do you want me to write anything, or should I just sign this for you?” He asks.
She looks down and shuffles the point of her shoe on the floor.
“You can answer him, Emmy.” Her father says. “It’s ok.”
She looks up and smiles sheepishly at him.
“Can you write something?” She asks.
“Sure.” Zane answers. “How about ‘thank you for saying hi. You’re awesome. Zane.’ Would you like that?”
She shakes her head in the affirmative and looks sheepishly at the floor again. Zane signs the picture and leans over to hand it to her. Her father smiles at him and takes it.
“Would you like a picture with us, if it’s ok with your father?” He asks. “Is it ok?”
Her father nods “yes”. Zane and John stand up behind the table as Emily’s father picks her up and stands between them. She notices the “Zane9000” head and points at it.
“Where’s ‘Zane9000’?” She asks.
“He’s having some technical difficulties at the moment.” Zane answers as Larry gets to his feet, loses his balance and falls back over again with a thud.
“Is he going to be ok?” She asks.
Zane smiles warmly to her.
“Sure.” He replies. “He’ll be fine.”
One of the event employees comes over and takes the picture. He looks at the father and nods.
“The picture will be at the exit table, sir.” He says and then steps out of view again.
The father nods and then turns to the table to extend a hand to Zane.
“Thank you.” He says. “And welcome back.”
Zane nods his head appreciatively.
“Thank you.” He replies. “It’s good to be back.”
The father turns and walks way with his daughter in his arms and the two men sit down again. John turns to Zane.
“How does it feel?” He asks. “Any nerves?”
Zane shakes his head ‘no’.
“None.” He replies. “I missed this part of it too.”
The two sit and chat for a few more minutes before someone else wanders over. He’s a twenty something male with short brown hair and a “UGWC” t-shirt on. Zane and John both nod in welcome to him as Larry finally gets to his feet and leans against the wall. The twenty something looks at him quizzically before he shrugs and looks at Zane.
“Duuude.” He drawls out.
“Hi.” Zane replies.
“Duuuuuude.” The twenty-something says again.
“Afternoon.” Zane says. “Can I help you with something?”
The twenty-something looks around glassy eyed and suddenly looks down at the “Zane9000” head and stands there staring at it. John and Zane look at each other and shrug before they look back at the kid. Zane finally interrupts him.
“Can we help you?” He asks.
The kid looks down at him and smiles from ear to ear.
“Duuuuuude.” He says.
“Right.” Zane replies.
He takes a picture of himself from the table, signs it and hands it to the guy. The guy looks down at it and then looks up with a big smile on his face before he shuffles off. Zane watches him go and shakes his head.
“Not much for conversation.” He says. “But at least he got a signed picture out of it.”
John looks at him and smiles in amusement.
“He’ll probably wake up in a few hours and wonder where he got it.” He replies.
Zane nods in agreement.
“Probably.” He answers. “But at least he got a nice, signed photo in his stupor.”
John replies with a grin and nods his head.
“This could be an interesting afternoon.” He says.
Right as he finishes saying it, Larry leans over to pick up his head, loses his balance and goes toppling ass over head over the table and onto the floor in front of it in a heap. Zane and John both lean over to make sure that he’s ok, shrug in unison and lean back into their seats as a young woman walks up to them, steps over the prone Larry and flashes a large smile at Zane. He returns the smile and casts a quick look to John.
“Yes it could.” Zane replies with a nod and a mischievous grin.
That Evening:
Zane Scott’s Home
Salt Point, NY
Zane sits on his large, brown leather couch and swirls the drink around the glass. He looks up at John and smiles. John nods his head and smiles back.
“It’s almost time.” John says. “You’d had a hell of a year since your ACL and MCL were torn by Killian and further damaged by Pierce during your last match. I’ve seen you change a lot in the past year plus and I have to say that I’m damned proud of you.”
Zane lifts his glass and grins before the two men lean forward from their respective seats and clink their glasses before each takes a drink. Zane leans back on the couch while John sits back in the dark blue recliner that he occupies.
“If you’d told me a year ago that I’d be teaming with Killian and Eden in my return match, I’d have told you that you were insane.” He replies. “I wanted nothing more than to kill him for tearing my ACL and MCL.”
John nods his head.
“I remember.” He replies. “You were almost a raving lunatic after they were torn and you only got angrier going into and after your match against Pierce. In all honesty, I didn’t think you’d make it for three months without having to be committed. I’m truly impressed by what you’ve done.”
Zane smiles in reply and takes another sip from his glass before he places it back down on the coaster.
“Thank you.” He answers. “Sometimes I’m surprised, too. Had you handed me a gun and placed both men in front of me, I’d probably have shot both of them to death and not thought twice about it.”
This time John nods in reply.
“I know.” He says. “I was waiting for you to be overcome by that anger and do something stupid that would have ruined the rest of your life. I was amazed when you didn’t, and that’s not a dig at you.”
“No.” Zane replies. “I know that.”
John takes another drink and places his glass down as Zane shifts on the couch and adjusts the neck on his black button down shirt. John takes a breath and smiles as Zane’s German Shepherd, Sammy lopes silently into the room and lays her mostly black head in his lap. John looks down at her and gently scratches her behind her ears. Zane watches it with a smile.
“She’s always liked you.” He says. “Then again, there aren’t too many people she doesn’t like.”
John’s hand shifts down the base of her neck where her collar is. She looks up at him and sighs as he begins to scratch her neck below it.
“I’ve noticed that.” John replies. “The only person she doesn’t like is Grevane.”
Zane shrugs and chuckles.
“Of course not.” He says. “Shepherds are smart and she knows that Grevane’s an asshole.”
Sammy casts a quick glance at her person and lets loose a low, throaty growl. Zane chuckles as John continues to scratch her neck in the same spot.
“It’s ok.” Zane says to her. “He’s not here and he’s not going to be.”
Sammy replies by turning back to John and dropping her head onto his lap. She tips her head slightly up and to the left so that he can scratch a different spot. Both man chuckle at it and continue speaking.
“She’s quite a character.” John says.
“She’s a big reason why I didn’t go insane after my injuries.” Zane answers.
“I know.” John says with a nod. “I’m happy that you have her.”
He pauses for a moment as if he’s considering his words. After a few seconds he finally speaks again.
“Speaking of females who are or have been in your life…how do you feel about your meeting with Eden later?”
Zane shrugs dismissively.
“If I’d had a problem with it, I would never have allowed her to come here.” He answers.
John nods and takes another sip from his glass.
“What about teaming with her and Killian?” He asks. “No reservations?”
“No.” He answers. “I meant what I said. I want it to be like it was. We were an excellent team who, along with Alan, dominated UGWC for a year. We had our issues. We had some gigantic ‘up’s’ and obviously some rather large ‘downs’, but as they both treat this match on the level, things will be fine.”
John takes in Zane’s response and pauses thoughtfully. As he does this he stops scratching. Sam looks up at him with her large brown eyes and nudges her arm with her muzzle. John laughs and resumes his scratching. She responds with another sigh and lays her head back down.
“My apologies, princess.” He says with a smile.
Zane laughs at his response.
“And don’t you forget it.” He replies.
Both men laugh in response before John looks thoughtfully at Zane.
“Do you expect any problems with them?” He asks.
Zane lets out a long breath and momentarily closes his eyes in thought. When he opens them again he levels them on John.
“’Expect’?” He replies. “Not as such, no. That said, I’ll be wary of everyone in the ring just because that’s the smart thing to do. This match will do a lot to establish what happens between Eden, Killian and myself in the future.”
John nods.
“What about Alan?” He asks.
Zane shakes his head in response.
“I never had any issue with him and I’d like to keep it that way.” He replies.
John nods again and switches hands. Sam momentarily looks up and him before her eyes begin to slide closed. John looks at her and smiles.
“My hand was getting tired.” He replies.
Both men share another laugh before the resume speaking.
“What about the ‘Engine’?” John asks.
Zane shrugs again.
“We’ll see.” He answers. “I’ve never gotten along particularly well with the good doctor, so there’s that. I don’t honestly care much about Rogan. The kid has talent and knows how to handle himself in a wrestling ring. We’ll see what happens beyond that. Ichabod...well...he’s always just done his own thing. I won’t take anything personally unless he makes it personal. I just want to win my return match. They can make it as personal or strictly professional as they wish and I’ll go from there.”
John nods and takes another drink.
“And if they make it personal?” he asks.
Zane grins darkly.
“Then they make it personal.” He replies. “In some ways that’ll make what I want to do easier.”
John laughs and then throws down the rest of his drink. He places the glass down and looks at his watch before looking back at Zane.
“I’d better get back to the office and make sure that Grevane didn’t try anything while I was gone.”
Zane chuckles and nods.
“Check on Larry.” He replies. “If Grevane has done anything to him, let me know.”
Sam replies with another growl before she stands up and walks over to where Zane is sitting. She leaps up onto the couch and curls up so that she’s facing Zane and John. The two men stand up, shake hands and share a hug. When they separate John looks at Zane.
“I’ll let you know.” He replies. “He knows that tormenting Larry is off limits and if he does so that he’ll pay for it.”
“I know.” Zane replies. “But he’s a mindless idiot and a bully.”
John shakes his head as he places his white suit jacket and over cape back on.
“No worries.” He replies. “I’ll handle it.”
Zane shakes his head in acknowledgement.
“Yup.” He answers.
“Have a good meeting with Eden.” John says. “I’ll catch up with you later. I’ll see myself out. The princess looks like she wants you to pick up where I left off.”
Zane looks at Sam and chuckles as she turns her head slightly to the side in that Shepherd way before she places it back down. Zane looks at her with a grin.
“Yes.” He says. “We’re talking about you.”
She thumps her tail on the couch a couple of times in acknowledgement. Both men smile at her before John walks out of the living room, his boot heels clacking on the blue-gray slate floor. He makes a left, walks up the open front wood stairs and pulls the interior front door open. The view switches back to Zane as he sits back down on the couch and picks up the TV remote. Zane switches the TV on as Sam lays her head in his lap and he picks up where John left off, scratching her neck right at the base of her collar. She sighs contentedly and closes her eyes. Moments later she begins to snore.