Post by Steve Matthews on Oct 10, 2020 6:58:41 GMT -5
======== BE WARNED ========
“There are some values that you should never compromise on to stay true to yourself; you should be brave to stand up for what you truly believe in even if you stand alone.” - Roy T. Bennett.
Wednesday 30th September 2020
Baltimore, Maryland.
Steve Matthews Hotel Room.
It's about one in the morning in some nondescript hotel in some nondescript part of Baltimore, Maryland. At this hour, any normal human being would be asleep, dreaming of their grocery lists and the walls of their nine-to-five home away from home. Naturally, Steve Matthews is not asleep. Having signed and given away his copy of Pro Wrestling Illustrated to a fan in the reception area, Matthews is stuck re-reading the Gideon-stamped Bible left in every hotel room from Milwaukee to Moscow as he lies up in bed. Suddenly, a knock at the door cuts through the silence of the night.
When a shirtless Matthews gets to the door, Kylie Ford is standing there in a black cocktail dress and matching black heels. Her hair and make-up are impeccable, borderline perfect. The florescent light of the hallway casts a glowing halo around her... and two large bags of luggage that sit like obedient children just behind her legs.
“Hi,” she starts.
Matthews raises a quizzical eyebrow, although Kylie knew he was there, he wasn’t expecting to see her, especially at just after one in the morning. “Hi.”
“Umm... we have a problem.”
Maybe it's because he doesn't want to believe it, but it takes Steve Matthews much longer to understand what's going on than it should. Kylie retells the tale a second time for him, and a third. She begins to retell it a fourth time before a silent hand motions for her to stop.
She'd been out on her date that evening. The guy's name was Josh; traditionally handsome, well-groomed, well-mannered, impeccably dressed to impress and wearing that sort of light-hearted smirk that all the girls swoon for and all the guys know is as fake as a Beverly Hills' chest. They were out to eat at a fancy French restaurant, because Josh had read in the playbook that girls go wild for fancy and French. That's when someone from the Carnage office noticed her. He introduced himself as Michael or Matthew or some other generic slightly biblical name and asked politely to speak to Kylie in private.
“Ms. Ford,” he had said, “I don't mean to be crass, but just what in the hell do you think you're doing?” Naturally, Kylie had no idea what he was talking about and she responded with charming innocence and naivety. “I'm having dinner,” she replied. “Yes, I can see that,” he replied as his lips curled in some mutant wolf-like cross between a smirk and a sneer. “But unless my eyes deceive me, that young man is not Steve Matthews.” Kylie thought that she'd figured it out, “Oh no. Steve and I aren't dating.”
“Oh yes... you are.”
“Remember that word you taught me earlier... faykabe'?” She said as tears were welling-up in the corners of her eyes.
“Kayfabe,” Matthews corrected her instinctively, forgetting his tact and compassion momentarily.
“Yeah, well, this guy. He said that we were a 'kayfabe couple.' That management had just written a story about it. About how you wanted to bring your girlfriend into the business with you, so you could see her more often. He said my contract forced me to comply.”
“And... you're my girlfriend?”
Kylie nodded her head in the affirmative before patting the delicately dripping run of black eyeliner from just below her lashes.
“And... I'm your boyfriend?” Matthews inquired, still wrestling with the concept.
Again, Kylie nodded, this time exhaling deeply and trying to compose herself. After a long pause, Matthews spoke again. “Wow,” he said before meeting Kylie’s downtrodden gaze with his, “I'm really sorry that I'm not better looking.”
Thursday 1st October 2020
Somewhere Above The Atlantic.
A surprise and forced girlfriend is not the news you want to receive at any time. Of course, the Fates have conspired for some time, and this is not the first time they have cast an ill lot for Steve Matthews. Life in general had found Matthews distracted, struggling for answers. But this was different. Everything was different.
Somewhere in the air, thirty thousand feet above and several hundred miles away from Baltimore, Steve Matthews gazes out the small porthole window from his seat in coach at the rolling clouds and small spaces of blue sky. Long, straight blonde locks cascade over his left shoulder. They are not his. Kylie Ford sits, or more correctly, leans in the seat next to his with her feet slightly dangling out into the aisle and her head rested on his shoulder. Matthews doesn't nudge her awake, Matthews doesn't even move. He simply looks. He looks out the window. He looks for answers. He also looks forward to returning home to England for an appearance he accepted many months ago and nearly forgot, even with nothing and no one for him in England, it’s still home more than Boston ever will be.
Saturday 3rd October
Maidstone, Kent, England.
Maidstone is a lot like many of the towns and cities in America. Yet this small town seems like home.
This town, some thirty miles south-east of central London, feels like home to Steve Matthews. It’s a place where people mull around pretending that they've got somewhere important that they need to be. Pretending that if they smile enough and ask 'how was YOUR day?' enough that magically good things will happen to them. Like, I don't know, maybe not living in Maidstone anymore. It's false optimism. It's fake smiles covering up shattered dreams and the somber sense of settling. It feels like home.
Kylie is asleep in the hotel room. His hotel room. Their hotel room. Smile enough. Ask 'how was YOUR day?'. Things will get better. At the corner in front of the Hazlitt Theatre, Steve Matthews reclines with his shoulder against a “No Loitering” sign. Matthews pulls an all-white cigarette from the carton, haphazardly shoved into the front-right pocket of his jeans. Smoking is an occasional habit he on the whole keeps secret from the world, he strikes a match against the back of a matchbook and lights the cigarette that hangs delicately between his pursed lips. A small trickle and then a stream of smoke escapes from the corner of his mouth before he replaces the matchbook and carton of smokes. 'I am killing myself, slowly,' he thinks, 'because I haven't lived long enough with the guilt to kill myself any faster.'
He exhales a long pillar of white smoke from his mouth and nostrils. His usually vibrant blue-grey eyes appear sunken, deadened. His eye sockets look like they've been punched out. The bags are heavy; too much skin, hanging dead like off the bodies of old men. His head is drooping down against his chest like its several sizes too big; like a prize fighter far past his prime. He raises it just high enough gaze up from under the shadow of his brow.
“I know this whole Kylie Ford situation is coming from St. James and Alex Winter, so Alex, be warned… I am going to fucking destroy you!!”
Matthews takes another drag of his cigarette, and holds it for a moment before breathing the fire out of lungs.
Tuesday 6th October 2020
Heathrow Airport Departures.
We find Steve Matthews and Kylie Ford sitting opposite each other in Costa Coffee whilst waiting for their flight to Washington to be called, Steve has his head down staring at his coffee, it’s Kylie doing the talking.
“Have you thought about what I said yesterday?”
Steve doesn’t even raise his head but does respond with a tired sounding “Yeah,”
Kylie lets out an almost exasperated sigh before forcefully going on, “For fuck sake Steve, I’ve been in this business less than two months and even I can see the only people succeeding are those that stay true to themselves, you are one of the nicest guys i’ve ever met but when your at work you tense up and put up boundaries.” Kylie pauses for a second knowing she is repeating something she has already said but desperate for it to sink in, Steve now does raise his head slightly. “If you plan on being something in Carnage even my untrained brain knows that first and foremost you have to be yourself, drop the damn barriers you surround yourself with, believe in something for gods sake, and make that something you! Trust your instincts but most of all just be the Steve Matthews I've got to know away from the arena because that's the only Steve Matthews that will not become an afterthought!”
Matthews finally lifts his head fully and looks thoughtful, “You finished your little pep talk?”
“Errr… Yeah!” Kylie half smiles and shrugs.
Steve nods and breaks into a full smile “I’ll make the call to Mac Bane when we land.”
“Good”
They both smile and Steve’s shoulders visibly relax at a decision clearly made.
Last Edit: Oct 10, 2020 7:03:21 GMT -5 by Steve Matthews
Post by Alex Winter on Oct 11, 2020 1:28:53 GMT -5
====== Rise!!!
======
“Fear has two meanings:
‘Forget Everything And Run’ or ‘Face Everything And Rise.’
The choice is yours.” - Zig Ziglar
======
Chaos ninety-nine had finished, and in the parking lot, Alex had just been mugged at knifepoint by someone dressed all in black wearing sunglasses. Whoever mugged him was definitely a man, that’s about all Alex knew right now, even if he did have his suspicions. His suspicions may well be everyone right now, but he knew eventually he’d find out who it was and that their blood would be on his hands. Instead, right now, he had his own blood on his hands from the little cut from the knife. Thankfully it wasn’t too bad and had stopped pretty quickly. When Alex was mugged though, everything was taken, even all of his clothes. A very embarrassed and humiliated Alex stood there still shocked at what had happened.
“I should’ve stopped them!” He doesn’t realize he’d said that out loud.
Looking around, Alex was thankful that no one could see him as he heads towards the trash container and hides behind it. It felt like he’d been there for hours before he spotted Ryker and Seven. Eventually, Alex manages to grab their attention, explaining to them it was very important they listened to him and did exactly as he said.
“Ryker, Seven I need you to do me a favor. That money I gave you both, I’ll double it if you go buy me some clothes, anything just so I can get back to my hotel suite. Speaking of which, I’ll need you to take me thereafter.” An embarrassed Alex says red-faced.
“Okay… But what happened?” A very confused Seven replied.
“I got mugged at knifepoint and the weirdo took everything, even my damn clothes. Hurry up, it's really cold around here.” A slightly shivering Alex replies.
The only one out of Ryker and Seven who can keep a straight face is Seven as Ryker has to turn away trying his hardest not to burst out in laughter.
“We’ll go get you some clothes, wait there.” Seven turns realizing that Ryker finds this whole situation hilarious.
“Well, where else am I going to go naked?” Alex’s tone was more stern now.
“The beach!” Ryker finally manages to stop laughing enough to say.
It’s no good, Seven may be able to act well and keep a straight face but Ryker just bursts out laughing as Alex steps out giving him a glare that would kill you where you were standing.
“THIS ISN’T FUNNY! Remember the only FEAR I have is Face Everything And Rise… REMEMBER THAT!” Alex was extremely angry as he stepped out in full view.
“Um… Okay… But could you stop pointing that thing at me, I’m scared it could take someone’s eye out.” Ryker replies, holding back more laughter as his stomach hurt.
“JUST GO NOW!!!” Alex was so furious as he hid behind the trash container again.
Walking off to go get Alex some clothes, Seven looks at Ryker and shakes his head before he begins to release his laughter too. “Did that really just happen?” Seven once again shakes his head in disbelief.
“Really wish we had another choice to make the money we needed.” Ryker sighs.
“We’re in this together and it’s only business. You and I are nothing like Alex, will only have to do this until we have our money. Remember we’re doing this to help out your mom with her medical bills. I see you and your mom as my family so I’m right here by your side.” Seven taps Ryker on the shoulder.
“I know Seven, thank you.” Ryker smiles.
Finally, Ryker and Seven get to the stand inside the Carnage arena in time before it was closing. They were both just hoping they could find something just to help that ‘Bastard’ Alex Winter out. After all, he said he’d double their money, and money was something they were in desperate need of.
“Bro… Don’t suppose you have a shirt and some trousers we could buy to fit Alex Winter do you?” Seven asked the guy at the stand that sold the shirts and other merchandise in the Carnage arena.
“I only have one t-shirt left and luckily it’s the right size to fit Alex. The only other thing I have that he could use is a beach towel.” The guy smirks knowing the only two things he had, where merchandise of someone Alex probably hated.
“Yeah we’ll just take them, anything to cover him up and get him back to his hotel suite and out of our sight.” Ryker grabs some money from his pocket.
When the guy hands the stuff to Ryker he hands over the money. “That should cover it right?”
“That’s more than enough.” The stand guy tries to offer the difference back.
“Just keep the rest and enjoy the rest of your evening sir.” Ryker offered an elbow as the guy smiles and touches elbows with him.
With that done, Ryker and Seven head back to where Alex was as they see his head poke around the edge of the trash container. “Did you get me some clothes?”
“We managed to get you a t-shirt and a beach towel to wrap around your bottom half.” Once he’d finished talking, Ryker hands them over to Alex.
Managing to unwrap the beach towel, Alex notices who is on it and isn’t best pleased with it at all. “Please tell me you two are fucking joking?” Alex wraps the towel around his waist tucking it in so it doesn’t fall off him.
Alex walks out from behind the trash container with the towel wrapped around him, clearly annoyed as Ryker and Seven stand there shocked at who was on the towel.
“THIS IS STUPID!!!” Alex couldn’t hold back his anger.
Ryker and Seven just shake their head in disbelief. “We asked what he had, that towel, and the shirt you have is all he had.”
Ripping off the packaging around the folded up t-shirt, Alex can’t bear to look at it as he puts that on too. As he stands there, Ryker and Seven have to turn away as they knew straight away Alex wasn’t going to like it.
Looking down at the shirt and beach towel wrapped around him, Alex looks at Ryker and Seven. “Turn around and look at this!!!” They both let out a sigh, this time making sure they both stayed straight-faced. “STEVE FUCKING MATTHEWS!!!”
“We’re both still getting double money right?” Ryker asks as he and Seven stand there still shocked at what they see.
“YES… Just take me back to my hotel suite and fast before I change my mind.” Alex punched the trash container in frustration busting his knuckles open.
Not even saying a word, Ryker and Seven starts walking off to their rental car with Alex Winter following who was full of mixed emotions.
HUMILIATION, ANGER, EMBARRASSMENT, and PAIN!!!
“DO NOT… I REPEAT… DO NOT MENTION A WORD OF THIS TO ANYONE!!” Alex got in the back of the rental car and slammed the door behind him.
The last thing to be seen before Ryker and Seven get in the car and drive off, is them both smirking at each other.
======
Shots Fired!!!
======
“And don't you wish you were me?
The king of all you see,
And don't you wish you were me?
It ain't that easy,
And don't think you'll ever be,
everything a man should be, cause,
Don't you wish you were me?
Keep dreaming, you'll never be me.”
======
The music fades out as Alex Winter walks into the shot. He has a pair of black Doc Martens, with black jeans which are tucked into the Doc Martens, followed with a black t-shirt with a picture of himself on it. The writing above the picture says “Carnage Wrestling’s Resident Bastard” with the writing underneath the picture saying “Alex Winter.” Smirking towards the camera, Alex turns around to show off the back of the t-shirt too. On the back, it obviously has another picture of him with the writing above it saying “A Better Class Than You & Your Favorite Wrestler.”
Once he’d finished showing off, Alex turns back to the camera and just starts laughing. It takes him a couple of seconds before he can compose himself and address all the minions in Carnage Wrestling.
“I can’t help but laugh. Honestly, it’s extremely funny that even though I’m the most hated person here in Carnage, it still seems people want to imitate me. I say people, but it’s only two in particular.” Alex just shakes his head. “I know you wish you were me but it just ain’t that easy. These two people in particular are Sebastian Hawke and his buddy Axton Gunn. I see what they had to say for their match against Adrienne Levi and The Dragon Lady. I saw what they had to say about The Dragon Lady to be exact. Basically recycling an insult that I’d previously used. As flattering as it is that you wish you were me, it just isn’t that easy and you never will be me. The insult was to do with Mortal Kombat, I’m guessing you couldn’t come up with anything original, so you decided to use my line because after all, I beat The Dragon Lady, so why not TRY and be like me right?”
Alex’s surroundings where his home gym, as he walks over to the weight bench and sits down on it. He raises an eyebrow as if he was waiting for an answer, but he obviously wasn’t going to get one yet.
“You both got very lucky indeed against Levi and Dragon Lady, not that it bothers me at all, what does bother me is that you are trying to be cheap, rip off imitations of me. You’ll both probably be straight on Twitter after you hear this, saying stuff like “Why would I want to be you?” or even the line Hawke used “Who are you?” That line when he used it was the most moronic thing I had seen and had to read. I’m guessing I’ll see what Hawke has to say since I’m not blocked by him yet, but block away, it doesn’t bother me one bit.”
Letting out a laugh, you can clearly see that he isn’t taking Axton Gunn or Sebastian Hawke seriously at all.
“There’s only room for one Alex Winter here in Carnage, I’m a better class than you and clearly your favorite wrestler. You are both welcome to come at me, but as quickly as you come at me, will be as quick as you regret it. Not only do I have power on my side but soon enough my army, The Wild Cards will be getting bigger, and bigger. As an Army would, together we’re stronger, together we will take what we want, and there is no one going to stop us.
Anyway, enough about you two imitations. Let’s get onto suspicions instead. After getting mugged, something I’m sure all you idiots feel I deserve, I did some investigating. I have my suspicions on who it was, and when I do catch up with them, they’re going to regret they ever pulled a knife on me. You really think you are going to get away with humiliating me?”
The mood had clearly changed. Alex’s nostrils were flaring and he’d gone red. The icing on the cake to tell he was angry was when he got to his feet and picked the medicine ball up. Without hesitation, Alex throws it through the window of his home gym. Shards of glass fly everywhere as Alex stands there staring furiously into the camera.
“Your first mistake was pulling a knife on me, your second was humiliating me and last but not fucking least, not finishing the job when you cut me was your biggest mistake of them all. It isn’t just you that will suffer for this, anyone in my way is going to suffer and you are to blame, you know who you are and I know too!!!
I may not get you at Chaos one hundred or even Chaos one hundred and one but I promise you now if I haven’t I definitely will by the end of Chaos one hundred and two. No one humiliates me and gets away with it. You can make all the jokes you like, but they won’t save you and that dumb green wannabe superhero named after a dumb movie won’t save you either. I don’t care who gets in my way or in the way of The Wild Cards, you will all fall at our hands, we will have your blood on our hands and I’ll gladly wear your blood as armor, ask Steve Matthews about that.
You can always receive the treatment Matt Knox got too, or maybe even worse since he got lucky to get away with just a fractured arm. I’ll gladly rip your arm out of its socket, and bitch slap you with it. As much as you all think, I don’t hide from a fight, the fight just happens on my terms, and when I say it does. What you all fail to realize is that I’m Alex Winter and I get what I want!!!”
Starting to pace up and down in his home gym, Alex’s fists were clenched as you could clearly see he was still angry.
“Mentioning Matt Knox, if you push me too far, you will hate what happens not only to Hope any of your other disgusting seeds and those you hold dear to you. Maybe I’ll have Hope dragged to the ring and lock in The Winter of Discontent. You can say “I’m going to kill you.” and whatever else you want to spew, but it won’t stop it from happening. You think I’m all words do you? Then I welcome you to test me. That goes for anyone else too, I won’t hesitate to destroy those close and dear to you. Especially Amber who seems so desperate to want to face me in the ring, but as I’ve said before, it’ll happen when I want it to happen, not when you want it too. I welcome anyone to come to try, my Army and I will be happy to see you. I’ll be happy to stand there and watch them pick you apart like the weak-minded enemies you are. As an Army, we may lose a battle or two, but I can promise you right now, Alex Winter and The Wild Cards will win the war.”
His fists now unclenched, Alex makes his way back to the weight bench he previously was sitting on and once again sits down on it.
“Steve Matthews, there has already been a lot said between us. You had to use some bullshit clause to get this match. Didn’t you learn the first time from what happened to you? Scrap that, you clearly haven’t since you requested this match. Just be thankful there wasn’t a way to change things because I’d quite enjoy destroying you with anything at hand. That’s okay though, you got your little match. There isn’t much else to say to you, to be honest, Steve Matthews other than Krystian Pearce is looking forward to seeing you.”
Getting to his feet once again, Alex gets closer to the camera, all you can see now is his face, his eyes full of hatred and evil, and a smirk so sadistic you’d think it was murderous.
“I will always… IMPROVISE, ADAPT, and OVERCOME!”
With his words full of such venom lingering, Alex headbutts the camera cutting the feed, the last thing you hear before the camera completely shuts off is the spine chilling laughter from Alex Winter.
======
Caring!!!
======
“Caring for someone is easy, but to make someone care for you is difficult, so never lose the one who really cares for you.”
======
We are back in Beverly Hills, California, and in the home of “Carnage Wrestling's Resident Bastard” Alex Winter. Alex was in a pair of Los Angeles Lakers shorts and vest as he laid on the couch staring at the ceiling. He was going over in his mind about what had happened after Chaos ninety-nine where he was mugged. In the process, he had his keys, wallet, money, car, and even all of his clothes taken. The mugger had even pressed the knife up against his throat causing Alex’s neck to bleed which is why he had a plaster over it still.
Unaware of what was going on around him, he hadn’t even realized that Nadia had let herself in with a key he had given her to his place. He was just in a world of his own, just staring up at the ceiling. He was going over the mugging in his head again and again trying to see if there was anything else he could remember to help him try to figure out who it was. Every time he pictured something his fist would clench a little more. It just made Alex so angry, not only did they take everything but they humiliated him in the process.
“Hey…” a smaller than usual voice reached out to him. Nadia had an incredibly concerned look on her face that she didn’t bother hiding. She took a few steps forward but couldn’t muster up more words.
Realizing he heard Nadia, Alex turned to face her and forced a smile as she could now see the plaster. “Sorry… I didn’t hear the door.” Alex saw the concerned look on her face. “Is everything okay?” He was trying his hardest to hide there was something wrong with him, but he wasn’t succeeding.
All Nadia could respond with for a bit was a sigh. She didn’t like it when he shielded himself emotionally but understood that there was always a reason for it. Still, though she was the determined type and wanted to find out what was going on. “Apparently it isn’t. Would you mind telling me what is up with that?” While there was a hint of attitude, it was a result of her worry which was growing more by the second.
Letting out a sigh of his own, Alex moved from laying on the couch to now sitting on it, making sure Nadia had somewhere to sit down. When Nadia had sat down on the couch, both her and Alex turned to face each other. Alex took the plaster off and placed it on the arm of the couch as he revealed the cut the knife had made. “This is a result of getting mugged after the show.” Alex lowered his head, still embarrassed and ashamed of what had happened to him.
Nadia’s eyes widened upon seeing the cut, her sense of worry reaching beyond its limit to the point where she had begun to fight tears. “Oh my god sweetheart, are you alright? I mean.. I am so glad you’re still here and safe and..” Nadia started shaking slightly. After taking a breath she reached over, gently hugging Alex, letting a few stray tears flow as she did so. “I’m so glad you’re as okay as you are. You could have…” Nadia’s voice choked up a bit, leaving her unable to finish the dark thought. Though he felt a sense of shame, all she could do was feel a mixed sense of worry, fear, and relief he’s still around.
As Nadia hugged Alex, he hugged her back holding her tightly in his arms as he did. When the hug finally broke, Alex noticed her tears and wiped them away from her eyes with his thumb and planted a kiss on her forehead. “I’ll be fine. I’m not sure who it is but when I find out, they’re going to wish they ended me when they had the chance.” The tone of Alex’s voice was serious. “I could see who it was, they were wearing all black, couldn’t even see their eyes because they had sunglasses on.” Letting out a deep sigh, Alex took Nadia’s hands in his. “They did speak and all I can tell was it was a man's voice. I just keep replaying it over and over in my head. They absolutely humiliated me, I can replace the stuff but I’ll never forget them leaving me naked with absolutely nothing.” Once again Alex lowered his head in shame.
Looking down at their hands, Nadia let out a soft sigh. As she returned her gaze over to Alex, she had a bit of a different expression. Along with worries and concerns, there was also anger. “Please do not think or feel that way. You should not be the one feeling humiliated. The only one deserving of any shame is that pathetic piece of scum that did that to you. While he took your things, he still had to go back to whatever trash life even led him to do something so heinous. He’s the one with nothing and who left with nothing that night. You left with your life and an even bigger resolve. So please, please don’t be down about this anymore. We’ll figure this out together and make that sad excuse of a human pay for what he did.”
“Thank you.” Now looking up from the floor he looks directly at Nadia and genuinely smiled at her. “I’m so happy to hear that you want to figure this out with me, and you are right. He should be the one who is ashamed, not me.” Alex leans in and cups Nadia’s face as he kisses her. When the kiss does break, Alex smiles at her again. “I’m so grateful to have you in my life. Whatever happens, please don’t hate me, you are the only person whose opinion truly matters.”
“No matter what happens, count on me to be by your side. We don’t stop the journey when things get crazy, we grow even stronger from it together. Never worry about that. You know how I feel, that’s not changing.” Showing a smile of her own to Alex now, Nadia can’t keep her eyes off of him, admiring his resolve through such a traumatic moment. “So where do we begin our investigation? Should we both go to your job and interview people? See if there is any security footage of some sort from where it happened? Traffic footage following the criminal?”
“We begin by ordering some food in Detective Adair. I’ll tell you everything I can remember and go from there. Whoever it was, was smart in how they went about it, just not smart that they did it to me.” Alex couldn’t help but admire her and how she was supporting him. Since his sister’s death, he’d never had any support or felt what it was like for someone to love him. “I already tried to get footage but surprise, surprise there wasn’t any. You can help me watch wrestling promos of those in Carnage though. Maybe I’ll get a hit on the voice that keeps playing over and over in my head.”
Nodding in understanding, Nadia pulled her phone out from her pocket, smiling as she looked back at Alex. “Okay, that sounds like a plan. I’ll call the place now, you get on the company’s site so we can get started on watching promos and we’ll take what notes we can. It’s a good thing I came by intending to stay over because it seems as though we’re going to have a long night.” While the last bit was said with a hint of sarcasm, she knew that he knew it came from a good place. Nadia was determined to help Alex find his mugger and didn’t care about the costs along the way. After all, truly loving and caring for someone is about supporting them in the best and worst of times.
