Post by jbgarnerwrites on Apr 14, 2020 22:35:57 GMT
Bethany Christian, commissioner of FAWN, frowns thoughtfully as she flips closed the dossier on her office desk. She had been preparing for the business meeting that now stares her in the face for the last hour… today. She’s honestly been mulling over the very idea of this meeting for the week prior, and even now, she is unsure if this is a horrible idea or the best one she’s ever had.
That all depends on how her discussion with the intensely staring woman across her desk goes. Though certainly beautiful, with dark eyes, shoulder-length inky black hair, and an hourglass figure, there is a hardness in her. Maybe it is the callused hands folded in her lap, the broad shoulders that push at the ill-tailored jacket of her business dress. But above all, it was those smoldering, seemingly unblinking eyes.
To think, a decade ago, this woman had been an all-American success story, a wrestling prodigy on the cusp of immortal greatness, before she snapped an opponent’s neck in the middle of the ring.
Bethany breaks away from the past and focuses on the present. “So, Ms. Walker,” the shrewd businesswoman begins, steepling her fingers as she props her elbows on the desk, “I am not going to start this discussion by recounting the Incident.” She glances down at the thick dossier that recounted the promising career of one Jessica Walker, the death that occurred in the ring by her hand, and her subsequent prison term. “I’m certain you have said your piece about it numerous times.”
Jessica Walker’s dark eyes turn their laser-focus from Bethany to the dossier for a moment. The entire time she has been sitting in the commissioner’s office, she had barely moved a muscle, but now, a faint smile curves on her surprisingly soft lips.
“I would agree, Commissioner Christian.” The once-rising star matches Bethany’s posture, elbows on the armrests of the plush chair and fingers steepled, almost as if it is on purpose. “And yet, why else would we be having this meeting? I have paid my debt to society,” her lips twitched at the word, though her tone remained cool, even, almost casual, “in full. Certainly, my career and training speak for themselves. The only reason you have to not hire me immediately is the Incident.”
Bethany Christian had sat across from many a cold-blooded character in her time, and it can be argued that she is as cold-blooded as any of them, but this woman? Something is clearly… off about her. On top of that, Ms. Walker was clearly trying to get inside of her head.
She would not allow that one bit. This is her office, her league, and she is in control.
“This,” Bethany says with a quirked eyebrow, “is not going to happen.” She pointed a perfectly manicured nail back and forth across the desk. “If you wish to play mind games with anyone, Walker, you would best not do so with me.”
The two women lock gazes again, and neither is quick to break away.
“Of course, Commissioner.” Jessica’s smile quirks up another hair. “Then what questions do you have for me? I have nothing to hide as if I could.” She shrugs her shoulders with an economy of action that speaks of a rigid degree of self-control. “My life has been dissected over the manslaughter trial. Of course, then it was all swept under the rug. My career may as well not have existed.”
Strangely, there is not a hint of regret, anger, or malice in the ex-con’s voice. Instead, her tone is scarily even, almost… happy.
“Suffice it to say that not everyone has forgotten.” Bethany taps on the dossier. “It’s because of your exceptional talent and career that I have even the faintest interest in bringing you into FAWN. Beyond that, your prison records are exemplary, so assuming we come to certain agreements and you answer my questions in a fashion I believe to be truthful, I think we would be foolish not to hire you before one of our competitors does.”
Jessica speaks up with swift, deliberate intent. “I wouldn’t sign with them.”
“Oh?” That was unexpected, and Bethany hides the faint slip of surprise in her expression by brushing a lock of dark hair out of her eyes. “Why is that?”
“Let me offer a question in return, Commissioner.” For the first time since she walked into Bethany’s office, Walker turns her gaze away, searching the ceiling of the room idly. “Why do you think I am still ring-ready after ten years locked away behind bars?” Her burning eyes snap back to Bethany. “For all you know, I simply came to you to bank on my old skills for a lucrative contract. I could be of no use to you whatsoever.”
The thing is that Bethany can tell that Walker… Walker knows. Knows that Bethany has sources, does her homework, investigates new talent. They both know the answer to Jessica’s question, but for whatever reason, the former wrestling prodigy wants it said aloud.
“More games?” the commissioner asks to cut through the bullshit.
“Play mine, and I will gladly play yours.” Jessica’s tone is unflinching.
“Very well, let’s play.” Bethany sits back in her leather office chair, shifting her arms to rest on the armrests as her hands grip the edges. “I have my sources, sources that tell me that you spent most of your ten years in prison not being a good little ward of the state, hard at work to repay society for your crime, but employed by certain… disreputable corrections officers to participate in a prison wrestling league.” She says all this in the same nonchalant tone that Jessica has been using all this time. “So, your turn, Ms. Walker.”
Jessica offers the commissioner a golf-clap as that persistent smile turns devilish. “I could never turn away from the lure of the ring.” She shrugs slightly. “Or so I thought. It wasn’t until several years in my incarceration that I truly understand what it was I wanted.”
Bethany arches a perfectly sculpted eyebrow. “From wrestling?”
“From that, from everything.” Jessica lets out the faintest of sighs before her expression hardens. “I want to work for FAWN and only FAWN because you provide what I crave… what I need to function. A perfectly balanced mix of structure and chaos… just like the prison that I called home for these past years.”
“Are you calling my league a prison?” Offense and disbelief in equal measures fill the commissioner’s voice as she glares at the ex-con. “I may run a tight ship, but ultimately—”
“Oh, no!” The throaty chuckle that rolls out of the curvy grappler’s body is just a little… forced. “FAWN is better. What you allow and what you prevent… it’s glorious. It feels… like home.” Jessica flashes a strange smirk. “Warden.”
It is now clear to Ms. Christian that she is dealing with someone that is more than a bit cracked… but considering some of the talent in FAWN, this isn’t a deal-breaker. In fact, if she is reading properly between the lines, she may have just been handed the reassurance she is looking for.
Bethany takes in a deep breath and lets it out in a slow, measured sigh. “So…” She decides to go with her gut. “… Prisoner Walker?”
A strange, twisted spark lights up in the ex-con’s eyes as she leans forward just a hair in her chair. “Yes, Warden?”
“While you’re in my ring, you are going to follow the stipulations and regulations I have put down, aren’t you?”
“So long as you don’t change them to undermine me, to punish me for simply doing what is in my nature, I will gladly do as you ask.” Jessica smiles, an ugly thing Bethany decides. “As Warden, you set the rules, you keep us in our cells, and you set the yard for our fights. From there, you let the winner take the spoils.” Walker taps the side of her head. “They let us watch FAWN in prison if you didn’t know.”
Bethany nods slowly, thoughtfully. She can’t say she fully understands the twisted woman before her, but she understands enough. “Then as your… Warden…” She clears her throat, only slightly uncomfortable with the strange title. “I would like to welcome you to FAWN.”
Jessica flashes a broad smile, both genuine and disturbing in equal measures. “I’m oh so eager to walk the yard, Warden Christian. When do I get out of my cell?”
That all depends on how her discussion with the intensely staring woman across her desk goes. Though certainly beautiful, with dark eyes, shoulder-length inky black hair, and an hourglass figure, there is a hardness in her. Maybe it is the callused hands folded in her lap, the broad shoulders that push at the ill-tailored jacket of her business dress. But above all, it was those smoldering, seemingly unblinking eyes.
To think, a decade ago, this woman had been an all-American success story, a wrestling prodigy on the cusp of immortal greatness, before she snapped an opponent’s neck in the middle of the ring.
Bethany breaks away from the past and focuses on the present. “So, Ms. Walker,” the shrewd businesswoman begins, steepling her fingers as she props her elbows on the desk, “I am not going to start this discussion by recounting the Incident.” She glances down at the thick dossier that recounted the promising career of one Jessica Walker, the death that occurred in the ring by her hand, and her subsequent prison term. “I’m certain you have said your piece about it numerous times.”
Jessica Walker’s dark eyes turn their laser-focus from Bethany to the dossier for a moment. The entire time she has been sitting in the commissioner’s office, she had barely moved a muscle, but now, a faint smile curves on her surprisingly soft lips.
“I would agree, Commissioner Christian.” The once-rising star matches Bethany’s posture, elbows on the armrests of the plush chair and fingers steepled, almost as if it is on purpose. “And yet, why else would we be having this meeting? I have paid my debt to society,” her lips twitched at the word, though her tone remained cool, even, almost casual, “in full. Certainly, my career and training speak for themselves. The only reason you have to not hire me immediately is the Incident.”
Bethany Christian had sat across from many a cold-blooded character in her time, and it can be argued that she is as cold-blooded as any of them, but this woman? Something is clearly… off about her. On top of that, Ms. Walker was clearly trying to get inside of her head.
She would not allow that one bit. This is her office, her league, and she is in control.
“This,” Bethany says with a quirked eyebrow, “is not going to happen.” She pointed a perfectly manicured nail back and forth across the desk. “If you wish to play mind games with anyone, Walker, you would best not do so with me.”
The two women lock gazes again, and neither is quick to break away.
“Of course, Commissioner.” Jessica’s smile quirks up another hair. “Then what questions do you have for me? I have nothing to hide as if I could.” She shrugs her shoulders with an economy of action that speaks of a rigid degree of self-control. “My life has been dissected over the manslaughter trial. Of course, then it was all swept under the rug. My career may as well not have existed.”
Strangely, there is not a hint of regret, anger, or malice in the ex-con’s voice. Instead, her tone is scarily even, almost… happy.
“Suffice it to say that not everyone has forgotten.” Bethany taps on the dossier. “It’s because of your exceptional talent and career that I have even the faintest interest in bringing you into FAWN. Beyond that, your prison records are exemplary, so assuming we come to certain agreements and you answer my questions in a fashion I believe to be truthful, I think we would be foolish not to hire you before one of our competitors does.”
Jessica speaks up with swift, deliberate intent. “I wouldn’t sign with them.”
“Oh?” That was unexpected, and Bethany hides the faint slip of surprise in her expression by brushing a lock of dark hair out of her eyes. “Why is that?”
“Let me offer a question in return, Commissioner.” For the first time since she walked into Bethany’s office, Walker turns her gaze away, searching the ceiling of the room idly. “Why do you think I am still ring-ready after ten years locked away behind bars?” Her burning eyes snap back to Bethany. “For all you know, I simply came to you to bank on my old skills for a lucrative contract. I could be of no use to you whatsoever.”
The thing is that Bethany can tell that Walker… Walker knows. Knows that Bethany has sources, does her homework, investigates new talent. They both know the answer to Jessica’s question, but for whatever reason, the former wrestling prodigy wants it said aloud.
“More games?” the commissioner asks to cut through the bullshit.
“Play mine, and I will gladly play yours.” Jessica’s tone is unflinching.
“Very well, let’s play.” Bethany sits back in her leather office chair, shifting her arms to rest on the armrests as her hands grip the edges. “I have my sources, sources that tell me that you spent most of your ten years in prison not being a good little ward of the state, hard at work to repay society for your crime, but employed by certain… disreputable corrections officers to participate in a prison wrestling league.” She says all this in the same nonchalant tone that Jessica has been using all this time. “So, your turn, Ms. Walker.”
Jessica offers the commissioner a golf-clap as that persistent smile turns devilish. “I could never turn away from the lure of the ring.” She shrugs slightly. “Or so I thought. It wasn’t until several years in my incarceration that I truly understand what it was I wanted.”
Bethany arches a perfectly sculpted eyebrow. “From wrestling?”
“From that, from everything.” Jessica lets out the faintest of sighs before her expression hardens. “I want to work for FAWN and only FAWN because you provide what I crave… what I need to function. A perfectly balanced mix of structure and chaos… just like the prison that I called home for these past years.”
“Are you calling my league a prison?” Offense and disbelief in equal measures fill the commissioner’s voice as she glares at the ex-con. “I may run a tight ship, but ultimately—”
“Oh, no!” The throaty chuckle that rolls out of the curvy grappler’s body is just a little… forced. “FAWN is better. What you allow and what you prevent… it’s glorious. It feels… like home.” Jessica flashes a strange smirk. “Warden.”
It is now clear to Ms. Christian that she is dealing with someone that is more than a bit cracked… but considering some of the talent in FAWN, this isn’t a deal-breaker. In fact, if she is reading properly between the lines, she may have just been handed the reassurance she is looking for.
Bethany takes in a deep breath and lets it out in a slow, measured sigh. “So…” She decides to go with her gut. “… Prisoner Walker?”
A strange, twisted spark lights up in the ex-con’s eyes as she leans forward just a hair in her chair. “Yes, Warden?”
“While you’re in my ring, you are going to follow the stipulations and regulations I have put down, aren’t you?”
“So long as you don’t change them to undermine me, to punish me for simply doing what is in my nature, I will gladly do as you ask.” Jessica smiles, an ugly thing Bethany decides. “As Warden, you set the rules, you keep us in our cells, and you set the yard for our fights. From there, you let the winner take the spoils.” Walker taps the side of her head. “They let us watch FAWN in prison if you didn’t know.”
Bethany nods slowly, thoughtfully. She can’t say she fully understands the twisted woman before her, but she understands enough. “Then as your… Warden…” She clears her throat, only slightly uncomfortable with the strange title. “I would like to welcome you to FAWN.”
Jessica flashes a broad smile, both genuine and disturbing in equal measures. “I’m oh so eager to walk the yard, Warden Christian. When do I get out of my cell?”