Post by Jade Night on Jul 7, 2022 7:03:37 GMT
Julian Savell was sitting in a chair in a section of Nightfall, specifically, it’s the area where you could find Rayven Hardy socializing when she wasn’t training at the well known gym. He was wearing a white dress shirt, a black tie, brown suspenders, dress shoes, black slacks and his hair was tied back in a ponytail. Standing behind him was Rebekkah Katz, which could cause Rayven to hesitate once she showed up. But if you looked closely, you could see that Julian had handcuffs on his wrists and on his ankles. He was completely helpless as he sat there. As he waited, he didn’t make conversation with Rebekkah, no, he just sat there, whistling to the tune of “Black Honey” by Thrice, his theme song. It was already late at night, so nobody else was there. But of course as both Rayven and Julian were veterans and stars of the gym, they had their own keys to access the place whenever they felt like. Yes, despite the animosity between Chris Night, the owner of Nightfall, and Julian Savell, over the last seven years, Julian had always been welcomed back to the prestigious gym. It surprised many but Julian still had a connection to the place and several of its graduates.
‘No way’
The two words were uttered by a voice familiar to Savell, Rayven Hardy of course. She stops a few feet away from the chair, unable to see the handcuffs on her once friend and now bitter rival. She points at Rebekkah.
Rayven Hardy: What is SHE doing here? I didn’t bring anyone.
Hardy was wearing bright orange yoga pants, black and orange Puma’s and a lightweight orange hoodie with the Nightfall logo on it. The closer she gets to Julian, she finally sees the restraints. He wasn’t able to attack. He wasn’t able to defend. He was simply, there.
Rayven Hardy: What’s going on?
Julian held out his cuffed hands and legs with a grin on his face.
Julian Savell: You want to feel safe? Well, I’m providing a situation that can be as safe as possible for you. Rebekkah? She’s here to protect you, not me. That’s what I’ve paid her for tonight’s services. The odds are stacked against me, little bird.
He nodded towards Rebekkah.
Julian Savell: But if you want this Jewish badass soldier out of here, just tell her and she will listen to every word.
Rebekkah rolled her eyes at Julian before looking toward Rayven and offering a friendly smile and a nod. Hardy’s eyes soften towards Rebekkah now before moving back to Julian.
Rayven Hardy: No, she’s good, but what’s going on? A month ago you were doing anything and everything you could to cause Jack and myself stress that you could never imagine, and then a few weeks ago you threw me off of a bridge, which could have killed me. And now, you want to talk? What are we talking about Julian?
Rayven puts both hands on her hips and looks down at him, not a bit of pity in that stare from the Noir champion, instead, it was a look of disdain and confusion. Julian had a devilish grin on his face before he began to cackle loudly. Once he calmed down, he let out one last laugh before he responded.
Julian Savell: Little bird, our war? It is over. As for you and I? Perhaps I may have taken things too far. But have you looked at the larger picture?
Savell grinned widely as he lifted his cuffed hands and pointed toward his temple with his index finger.
Julian Savell: Think about it, Rayven. Why else would I have been so tough on you? Would it be because I want to kill you? No. I’d never kill the daughter of my friend. The thing is, little bird, I like you. And as for your boyfriend? Shit, I love him. He’s the kind of chaos… That I love. The kind that I would want by my side. But that? That’s besides the point right now. The point is, there is a bigger picture to everything.
The usually mild mannered young woman raises her voice, shouting in Julian’s direction.
Rayven Hardy: What the HELL is the bigger picture, Julian? I’m tired of this. The laughing. The cackling. The mind games. Regardless of what you’re saying, you COULD have killed me. You and Jack could both be in jail right now for the stuff away from the ring, and all I’m getting is you sitting here laughing, looking just as crazy as you did on that bridge. I’m DONE!
Rayven actually steps forward and puts her hand on Julian’s head. She grabs his ponytail and pulls his head back. Rebekkah steps forward, but quickly stops as Julian nods her back. Rayven pulls his ponytail with a bit more aggression to keep his head turned up, wanting to look him in the eyes.
Rayven Hardy: The games end tonight, Julian. Tell me what you want, and NEVER call me little bird again…
Was Rayven pulling on Julian’s ponytail painful? Yes, yes it was. But Julian didn’t show any pain or fear, no, instead? There was a look of delight on his face.
Julian Savell: Yes! That’s what I want to see! Do you see it, Rayven? The timid side? The ‘little bird’? She’s no more. You’ve done it. That is the bigger picture. This is what I was asked to do.
He grinned widely as Rayven let go of his hair and stepped back, her jaw dropped wide open in shock.
Julian Savell: That’s right, Rayven. I didn’t do any of this because I hate you or because I wanted to destroy you. No, I tore you down so that I could build you back up.
He cackled again as Rayven’s jaw remained dropped.
Julian Savell: Now? You’re ready for anything.
Rayven Hardy: Go back. What do you mean you were ASKED to do this? Who asked you to do anything to me?
Rebekkah looks a bit uncomfortable at the revelation and Rayven was now nervously playing with her fingers and then tucking them into the hoodie pocket.
Rayven Hardy: Julian…tell me!
Julian grinned and shook his head.
Julian Savell: Now, now… That would be telling, wouldn’t it?
He paused and thought it over, wanting to choose his words wisely.
Julian Savell: You know what? Let’s talk about you, Rayven. Over a year ago, you were lost. You changed everything about yourself. You acted like a spoiled brat with your father, you turned on your friends, hell, you turned on Gavin, your best friend. Then you went off and had a baby with some old fuck. Obviously, that old fuck was holding you back. He derailed your career, along with you getting lost in finding yourself. Finding your edge. You came back thinking you were back to your old self, and maybe you were.
He shrugged his shoulders.
Julian Savell: But you weren’t ready for all of this and its glory. No, you needed something to kick you in the ass. You needed someone.
You needed me.
Julian stood up, despite his hands and legs being cuffed, he inched toward Rayven and pointed at her.
Julian Savell: Now… If you want the truth? You have to do something for me.
He let out one of his devilish cackles again. Rayven was fighting every urge inside of her to punch him in his face. It was hard, but she wanted the information.
Rayven Hardy: I’m not proud of who I was a little over a year ago. I went through a dark phase where I felt like I needed to do anything at any cost to prove that I wasn’t the fluke little girl who only got somewhere because of her last name. You know almost as much as anyone how hard I worked to prove that I’m so much more, and just when I found myself again…you showed up. You want to play? I’ll play. What do you want from me for that information?
Julian stares at her, holding back his words, still waiting for the right moment, or maybe he was testing her, but Rayven was done waiting. She grabs him by his collar and pulls him close. On his unsteady feet, he was going down, but Rayven held him up. The two were nose to nose.
Rayven Hardy: What do you want from me!?
Julian laughed again before he leaned closer toward her, his nose almost touching hers as he whispered the words of what he wanted without even elaborating.
Julian Savell: Jack.
He stayed face to face with her as he smiled widely and nodded slowly.
Rayven Hardy: Jack? You want JACK from me?
Rayven eases up her grip on Julian’s collar and then eyes Rebekkah again. She takes a deep breath, trying to catch a breath. Her face was burning and her heart was racing.
Rayven Hardy: Please explain to me what’s going on.
Julian laughed and shook his head.
Julian Savell: No. I would never take him from you, birdie. He makes you stronger. Tougher. I would be doing the opposite of what I was asked to do if I took him away.
He nodded as he continued on.
Julian Savell: I just want you to let him have the choice to accept the offer that I’ll be making to him. And you don’t have to let go of how you feel about me. All I ask is that you and I stay cordial and let bygones be bygones and let Jack listen to what I have to say. Say yes. Say it right here, right now.
He leaned forward again with a devilish grin on his face. It was clear that Julian was asking her to make a deal with the devil and he? He was that devil.
Julian Savell: And I’ll tell you everything.
Rayven Hardy: Stay the HELL away from Jack. If you think what he did to protect me was bad? You don’t want to see what I’ll do to protect him.
Rayven loses it and takes a swipe at his face. Her nails scratch just above his upper lip and slice the corner of his mouth as a trail of blood begins to drip down into his mouth. Hardy can hardly believe what she did and as she reaches forward to wipe the blood, her hand was shaking as she pulls back.
Rayven Hardy: Screw you, Julian.
Julian Savell: You wish you could.
He licked the blood from the corner of his mouth and cackled.
Julian Savell: Come on, Rayven. Do you really want to sit and wonder who asked me to do this? Do you really want to ask why someone would want to put you through this kind of hell? The kind that had you questioning if this wrestling thing was really worth it? All I ask is to make an offer to Jack with your approval. And the offer I make him? It’s not one that will put him in danger. No, he’s in danger without me and without you. He’s all by himself on Liberation and he’s reckless. An uncontrollable gunslinger and eventually? That is going to bite him in the ass.
He moved closer to Rayven again, lifting up his jaw, inviting her to attack him.
Julian Savell: I want to help him and I’ll give you what I want so that I can do that. I’ll tell you who it is and if you need to take out more aggression on me? Go ahead. It’s why I’m standing here before you, defenseless. It’s your choice, Rayven. I’ve given you everything here. Take what you want from me. Just give me a chance to make my offer with your blessing.
Rayven Hardy: What are you offering him? I’m not letting him fall into your trap. We are DONE with you. Rebekkah, you can uncuff him if you want, but I’m getting the info I need, and he’s NOT getting my blessing for anything.
Rayven peels the orange hoodie over her head and drops it to the floor of the gym she proudly trains in. Now wearing only a crop tank and the rest of her attire, she puts both hands up to her face as if she’s ready to fight.
Rayven Hardy: Uncuff him. Lets end this once and for all.
Julian Savell: All I can tell you is that my offer to Jack is to align with me, sort of. You see, I have the Uncalled Four in Millennium and I’m looking to expand. Jack? He is the kind of man I need and my offer is something he wouldn’t be able to refuse. But as for me? I’ll be busy doing my thing in MWE. Jack won’t directly be side by side with me. But he will have friends, ones who will do what he loves to do, and that is to kick ass and ask questions later. And those friends? They are loyal. They will never turn on him. They will protect him and vice versa.
Julian nodded at Rebekkah to uncuff him and like the good soldier that she is, she followed orders. Julian was free but was he? He walked toward Rayven, keeping his uncuffed hands behind his back.
Julian Savell: As for you and I? Our fight is done, Rayven. I promised to never touch you again. So like I told you before, do what you have to do. Beat me. Break me. Make me BLEED! But until you let me make my offer… I won’t ever tell you who asked for this. So go ahead, destroy me. Do it.
Rayven Hardy: FINE!
Hardy breaks down, taking a few steps back from Julian. Her hands were still shaking and her eyes were welling up with tears of frustration.
Rayven Hardy: You can make your offer…I doubt he’ll accept, but you want my blessing? You’ve got it. But tell me what I want to know. We had a deal. Who was it and why?
Julian smiled widely and nodded.
Julian Savell: A deal is a deal. But first… I have one last question for you, Rayven. I think you have an idea of who it might have been. Amuse me for a moment and tell me, who do you think it was? I’ve seen your wheels spinning since the moment I told you I was asked to do this. So, just for my own entertainment… Who was it, Ray?
Rayven Hardy: I’m not entertaining that question or you, now tell me who it was.
It was clear that Rayven was at a breaking point. She wasn’t giving into anything Julian was doing to play anymore games. She could lay him out, but then she would never know who it was, and she already gave her ‘blessing’, hoping Jack will do the right thing, at least what’s right in her eyes.
Rayven Hardy: So….?
Julian nodded.
Julian Savell: Very well. I’ll tell you. But I have one last request. Promise me that you won’t sway Jack’s decision, nor will you hold it against him.
Rayven Hardy: He knows how I feel. That I would NEVER want him to have anything to do with you. And what I hold or dont hold against my boyfriend is none of your concern. You don’t get to request anything, you’re lucky I even showed up here. Now…tell me.
Julian pondered over her words for a brief moment before he glanced over at Rebekkah.
Julian Savell: That’s a wrap, WildKat. It’s time for us to go.
Julian looked over at Rayven and shook his head and waved his finger side to side.
Julian Savell: You’re a bad negotiator. You're not the one in the driving seat here, I am. Despite that, I gave you so much to work with here. But instead? You chose to take and take and take. I guess you’ll never know.
Julian turned away and started to walk away with Rebekkah Katz following close behind her client.
Rayven Hardy: FINE! Okay you win. I won’t hold it against him. I need to know. Who hired you to do what you did?
Julian and Rebekkah had their backs to Rayven, but Hardy walks up to him and once again gets physical, pulling him by the shoulder and spinning him to look her in the eyes one more time.
Rayven Hardy: Please…
Julian smiled widely as Rayven pleaded for him to tell her who it was. He took his time as he exhaled slowly, looking around the gym to make sure that nobody was around.
Julian Savell: First off, I did this as a favor, I didn’t get paid. Nobody could ever be able to pay me off, I’m worth hundreds of millions of dollars. But hey, a deal is a deal.
He leaned in close and laughed again, a crazed look in his eyes.
Julian Savell: It was the only woman on this planet that you consider a… Well, let’s say a mother.
He leaned back and bellowed out an evil laugh. You could see Rayven’s heart sink and then move up into her throat. She goes to talk but is choked up. If he was being honest, they BOTH knew exactly who he was talking about. When the words finally escape her, they were quiet, and pitchy. Her voice breaks.
Rayven Hardy: I want to hear you say it and then I want to know WHY…
Julian began to walk a circle around Rayven as he answered her questions.
Julian Savell: You want to know why? I told you before, it’s because she wanted you to find yourself. She wanted to toughen you up, to give you an edge. But the exact reasons? The deep down reasons, the one in her heart? Well, then…
He stopped in front of Rayven and he wasn’t laughing anymore. He peered into her eyes with a dark, sinister look.
Julian Savell: You’ll have to ask her. The woman who was beaten and blooded, the woman who was basically kidnapped and then left abandoned in a desert while she suffered from stockholm syndrome. You were just a teenager when that happened to her, right? You’ve known the truth for awhile but back then? Robb shielded you from it. He shielded you from when his wife, Jade Hardy died, along with the former Jade Night version of her. Deep down? You’ve known she’s changed. Trauma like that can do that to a person and what she asked me to do to you?
His serious demeanor turned to a laugh.
Julian Savell: Fucking child’s play compared to what happened to her. Thanks to me though? You won’t deal with what she dealt with because back then? Nine years ago when all of this happened? SHE WAS WEAK!
He screamed the words in her face as she stood there shocked. Rayven breaks down, with all of this hitting her deeper than anything else Julian had ever done to her. She buries her head in her hands and has no words for what he was saying. Did she believe him? How could she not? Julian was a lot of things, but he didn’t lie very often if ever.
Was Rayven weak? Her recent performances would say no, and the fact that she was even in the presence of Julian Savell would be further proof, but her tumultuous childhood, losing her parents, being adopted by Robb, and now hearing the woman she considered a second mother, was responsible for one of the worst few months of her career and personal life? It was too much. She doesn’t have anything to say, and Julian might have gotten what he wanted, while either pushing Rayven to the next level, or breaking her beyond repair.
Rayven could hear Julian laugh before the sound of footsteps walking away could be heard as her hands kept her face covered. Surprisingly, she could feel arms wrap around her, pulling her into a hug. As Rayven moved her hands and looked up, she saw that it was Rebekkah Katz holding her, trying to console her.
Rebekkah Katz: I am sorry you are going through this but it will be okay.
To the surprise of Ray, Rebekkah showed her human side. As the public had only seen her as a machine, a weapon that was used for the benefit of Julian Savell, but it was clear that the soldier was more than that. It was also clear that things between Julian and Jack were about to get interesting…
‘No way’
The two words were uttered by a voice familiar to Savell, Rayven Hardy of course. She stops a few feet away from the chair, unable to see the handcuffs on her once friend and now bitter rival. She points at Rebekkah.
Rayven Hardy: What is SHE doing here? I didn’t bring anyone.
Hardy was wearing bright orange yoga pants, black and orange Puma’s and a lightweight orange hoodie with the Nightfall logo on it. The closer she gets to Julian, she finally sees the restraints. He wasn’t able to attack. He wasn’t able to defend. He was simply, there.
Rayven Hardy: What’s going on?
Julian held out his cuffed hands and legs with a grin on his face.
Julian Savell: You want to feel safe? Well, I’m providing a situation that can be as safe as possible for you. Rebekkah? She’s here to protect you, not me. That’s what I’ve paid her for tonight’s services. The odds are stacked against me, little bird.
He nodded towards Rebekkah.
Julian Savell: But if you want this Jewish badass soldier out of here, just tell her and she will listen to every word.
Rebekkah rolled her eyes at Julian before looking toward Rayven and offering a friendly smile and a nod. Hardy’s eyes soften towards Rebekkah now before moving back to Julian.
Rayven Hardy: No, she’s good, but what’s going on? A month ago you were doing anything and everything you could to cause Jack and myself stress that you could never imagine, and then a few weeks ago you threw me off of a bridge, which could have killed me. And now, you want to talk? What are we talking about Julian?
Rayven puts both hands on her hips and looks down at him, not a bit of pity in that stare from the Noir champion, instead, it was a look of disdain and confusion. Julian had a devilish grin on his face before he began to cackle loudly. Once he calmed down, he let out one last laugh before he responded.
Julian Savell: Little bird, our war? It is over. As for you and I? Perhaps I may have taken things too far. But have you looked at the larger picture?
Savell grinned widely as he lifted his cuffed hands and pointed toward his temple with his index finger.
Julian Savell: Think about it, Rayven. Why else would I have been so tough on you? Would it be because I want to kill you? No. I’d never kill the daughter of my friend. The thing is, little bird, I like you. And as for your boyfriend? Shit, I love him. He’s the kind of chaos… That I love. The kind that I would want by my side. But that? That’s besides the point right now. The point is, there is a bigger picture to everything.
The usually mild mannered young woman raises her voice, shouting in Julian’s direction.
Rayven Hardy: What the HELL is the bigger picture, Julian? I’m tired of this. The laughing. The cackling. The mind games. Regardless of what you’re saying, you COULD have killed me. You and Jack could both be in jail right now for the stuff away from the ring, and all I’m getting is you sitting here laughing, looking just as crazy as you did on that bridge. I’m DONE!
Rayven actually steps forward and puts her hand on Julian’s head. She grabs his ponytail and pulls his head back. Rebekkah steps forward, but quickly stops as Julian nods her back. Rayven pulls his ponytail with a bit more aggression to keep his head turned up, wanting to look him in the eyes.
Rayven Hardy: The games end tonight, Julian. Tell me what you want, and NEVER call me little bird again…
Was Rayven pulling on Julian’s ponytail painful? Yes, yes it was. But Julian didn’t show any pain or fear, no, instead? There was a look of delight on his face.
Julian Savell: Yes! That’s what I want to see! Do you see it, Rayven? The timid side? The ‘little bird’? She’s no more. You’ve done it. That is the bigger picture. This is what I was asked to do.
He grinned widely as Rayven let go of his hair and stepped back, her jaw dropped wide open in shock.
Julian Savell: That’s right, Rayven. I didn’t do any of this because I hate you or because I wanted to destroy you. No, I tore you down so that I could build you back up.
He cackled again as Rayven’s jaw remained dropped.
Julian Savell: Now? You’re ready for anything.
Rayven Hardy: Go back. What do you mean you were ASKED to do this? Who asked you to do anything to me?
Rebekkah looks a bit uncomfortable at the revelation and Rayven was now nervously playing with her fingers and then tucking them into the hoodie pocket.
Rayven Hardy: Julian…tell me!
Julian grinned and shook his head.
Julian Savell: Now, now… That would be telling, wouldn’t it?
He paused and thought it over, wanting to choose his words wisely.
Julian Savell: You know what? Let’s talk about you, Rayven. Over a year ago, you were lost. You changed everything about yourself. You acted like a spoiled brat with your father, you turned on your friends, hell, you turned on Gavin, your best friend. Then you went off and had a baby with some old fuck. Obviously, that old fuck was holding you back. He derailed your career, along with you getting lost in finding yourself. Finding your edge. You came back thinking you were back to your old self, and maybe you were.
He shrugged his shoulders.
Julian Savell: But you weren’t ready for all of this and its glory. No, you needed something to kick you in the ass. You needed someone.
You needed me.
Julian stood up, despite his hands and legs being cuffed, he inched toward Rayven and pointed at her.
Julian Savell: Now… If you want the truth? You have to do something for me.
He let out one of his devilish cackles again. Rayven was fighting every urge inside of her to punch him in his face. It was hard, but she wanted the information.
Rayven Hardy: I’m not proud of who I was a little over a year ago. I went through a dark phase where I felt like I needed to do anything at any cost to prove that I wasn’t the fluke little girl who only got somewhere because of her last name. You know almost as much as anyone how hard I worked to prove that I’m so much more, and just when I found myself again…you showed up. You want to play? I’ll play. What do you want from me for that information?
Julian stares at her, holding back his words, still waiting for the right moment, or maybe he was testing her, but Rayven was done waiting. She grabs him by his collar and pulls him close. On his unsteady feet, he was going down, but Rayven held him up. The two were nose to nose.
Rayven Hardy: What do you want from me!?
Julian laughed again before he leaned closer toward her, his nose almost touching hers as he whispered the words of what he wanted without even elaborating.
Julian Savell: Jack.
He stayed face to face with her as he smiled widely and nodded slowly.
Rayven Hardy: Jack? You want JACK from me?
Rayven eases up her grip on Julian’s collar and then eyes Rebekkah again. She takes a deep breath, trying to catch a breath. Her face was burning and her heart was racing.
Rayven Hardy: Please explain to me what’s going on.
Julian laughed and shook his head.
Julian Savell: No. I would never take him from you, birdie. He makes you stronger. Tougher. I would be doing the opposite of what I was asked to do if I took him away.
He nodded as he continued on.
Julian Savell: I just want you to let him have the choice to accept the offer that I’ll be making to him. And you don’t have to let go of how you feel about me. All I ask is that you and I stay cordial and let bygones be bygones and let Jack listen to what I have to say. Say yes. Say it right here, right now.
He leaned forward again with a devilish grin on his face. It was clear that Julian was asking her to make a deal with the devil and he? He was that devil.
Julian Savell: And I’ll tell you everything.
Rayven Hardy: Stay the HELL away from Jack. If you think what he did to protect me was bad? You don’t want to see what I’ll do to protect him.
Rayven loses it and takes a swipe at his face. Her nails scratch just above his upper lip and slice the corner of his mouth as a trail of blood begins to drip down into his mouth. Hardy can hardly believe what she did and as she reaches forward to wipe the blood, her hand was shaking as she pulls back.
Rayven Hardy: Screw you, Julian.
Julian Savell: You wish you could.
He licked the blood from the corner of his mouth and cackled.
Julian Savell: Come on, Rayven. Do you really want to sit and wonder who asked me to do this? Do you really want to ask why someone would want to put you through this kind of hell? The kind that had you questioning if this wrestling thing was really worth it? All I ask is to make an offer to Jack with your approval. And the offer I make him? It’s not one that will put him in danger. No, he’s in danger without me and without you. He’s all by himself on Liberation and he’s reckless. An uncontrollable gunslinger and eventually? That is going to bite him in the ass.
He moved closer to Rayven again, lifting up his jaw, inviting her to attack him.
Julian Savell: I want to help him and I’ll give you what I want so that I can do that. I’ll tell you who it is and if you need to take out more aggression on me? Go ahead. It’s why I’m standing here before you, defenseless. It’s your choice, Rayven. I’ve given you everything here. Take what you want from me. Just give me a chance to make my offer with your blessing.
Rayven Hardy: What are you offering him? I’m not letting him fall into your trap. We are DONE with you. Rebekkah, you can uncuff him if you want, but I’m getting the info I need, and he’s NOT getting my blessing for anything.
Rayven peels the orange hoodie over her head and drops it to the floor of the gym she proudly trains in. Now wearing only a crop tank and the rest of her attire, she puts both hands up to her face as if she’s ready to fight.
Rayven Hardy: Uncuff him. Lets end this once and for all.
Julian Savell: All I can tell you is that my offer to Jack is to align with me, sort of. You see, I have the Uncalled Four in Millennium and I’m looking to expand. Jack? He is the kind of man I need and my offer is something he wouldn’t be able to refuse. But as for me? I’ll be busy doing my thing in MWE. Jack won’t directly be side by side with me. But he will have friends, ones who will do what he loves to do, and that is to kick ass and ask questions later. And those friends? They are loyal. They will never turn on him. They will protect him and vice versa.
Julian nodded at Rebekkah to uncuff him and like the good soldier that she is, she followed orders. Julian was free but was he? He walked toward Rayven, keeping his uncuffed hands behind his back.
Julian Savell: As for you and I? Our fight is done, Rayven. I promised to never touch you again. So like I told you before, do what you have to do. Beat me. Break me. Make me BLEED! But until you let me make my offer… I won’t ever tell you who asked for this. So go ahead, destroy me. Do it.
Rayven Hardy: FINE!
Hardy breaks down, taking a few steps back from Julian. Her hands were still shaking and her eyes were welling up with tears of frustration.
Rayven Hardy: You can make your offer…I doubt he’ll accept, but you want my blessing? You’ve got it. But tell me what I want to know. We had a deal. Who was it and why?
Julian smiled widely and nodded.
Julian Savell: A deal is a deal. But first… I have one last question for you, Rayven. I think you have an idea of who it might have been. Amuse me for a moment and tell me, who do you think it was? I’ve seen your wheels spinning since the moment I told you I was asked to do this. So, just for my own entertainment… Who was it, Ray?
Rayven Hardy: I’m not entertaining that question or you, now tell me who it was.
It was clear that Rayven was at a breaking point. She wasn’t giving into anything Julian was doing to play anymore games. She could lay him out, but then she would never know who it was, and she already gave her ‘blessing’, hoping Jack will do the right thing, at least what’s right in her eyes.
Rayven Hardy: So….?
Julian nodded.
Julian Savell: Very well. I’ll tell you. But I have one last request. Promise me that you won’t sway Jack’s decision, nor will you hold it against him.
Rayven Hardy: He knows how I feel. That I would NEVER want him to have anything to do with you. And what I hold or dont hold against my boyfriend is none of your concern. You don’t get to request anything, you’re lucky I even showed up here. Now…tell me.
Julian pondered over her words for a brief moment before he glanced over at Rebekkah.
Julian Savell: That’s a wrap, WildKat. It’s time for us to go.
Julian looked over at Rayven and shook his head and waved his finger side to side.
Julian Savell: You’re a bad negotiator. You're not the one in the driving seat here, I am. Despite that, I gave you so much to work with here. But instead? You chose to take and take and take. I guess you’ll never know.
Julian turned away and started to walk away with Rebekkah Katz following close behind her client.
Rayven Hardy: FINE! Okay you win. I won’t hold it against him. I need to know. Who hired you to do what you did?
Julian and Rebekkah had their backs to Rayven, but Hardy walks up to him and once again gets physical, pulling him by the shoulder and spinning him to look her in the eyes one more time.
Rayven Hardy: Please…
Julian smiled widely as Rayven pleaded for him to tell her who it was. He took his time as he exhaled slowly, looking around the gym to make sure that nobody was around.
Julian Savell: First off, I did this as a favor, I didn’t get paid. Nobody could ever be able to pay me off, I’m worth hundreds of millions of dollars. But hey, a deal is a deal.
He leaned in close and laughed again, a crazed look in his eyes.
Julian Savell: It was the only woman on this planet that you consider a… Well, let’s say a mother.
He leaned back and bellowed out an evil laugh. You could see Rayven’s heart sink and then move up into her throat. She goes to talk but is choked up. If he was being honest, they BOTH knew exactly who he was talking about. When the words finally escape her, they were quiet, and pitchy. Her voice breaks.
Rayven Hardy: I want to hear you say it and then I want to know WHY…
Julian began to walk a circle around Rayven as he answered her questions.
Julian Savell: You want to know why? I told you before, it’s because she wanted you to find yourself. She wanted to toughen you up, to give you an edge. But the exact reasons? The deep down reasons, the one in her heart? Well, then…
He stopped in front of Rayven and he wasn’t laughing anymore. He peered into her eyes with a dark, sinister look.
Julian Savell: You’ll have to ask her. The woman who was beaten and blooded, the woman who was basically kidnapped and then left abandoned in a desert while she suffered from stockholm syndrome. You were just a teenager when that happened to her, right? You’ve known the truth for awhile but back then? Robb shielded you from it. He shielded you from when his wife, Jade Hardy died, along with the former Jade Night version of her. Deep down? You’ve known she’s changed. Trauma like that can do that to a person and what she asked me to do to you?
His serious demeanor turned to a laugh.
Julian Savell: Fucking child’s play compared to what happened to her. Thanks to me though? You won’t deal with what she dealt with because back then? Nine years ago when all of this happened? SHE WAS WEAK!
He screamed the words in her face as she stood there shocked. Rayven breaks down, with all of this hitting her deeper than anything else Julian had ever done to her. She buries her head in her hands and has no words for what he was saying. Did she believe him? How could she not? Julian was a lot of things, but he didn’t lie very often if ever.
Was Rayven weak? Her recent performances would say no, and the fact that she was even in the presence of Julian Savell would be further proof, but her tumultuous childhood, losing her parents, being adopted by Robb, and now hearing the woman she considered a second mother, was responsible for one of the worst few months of her career and personal life? It was too much. She doesn’t have anything to say, and Julian might have gotten what he wanted, while either pushing Rayven to the next level, or breaking her beyond repair.
Rayven could hear Julian laugh before the sound of footsteps walking away could be heard as her hands kept her face covered. Surprisingly, she could feel arms wrap around her, pulling her into a hug. As Rayven moved her hands and looked up, she saw that it was Rebekkah Katz holding her, trying to console her.
Rebekkah Katz: I am sorry you are going through this but it will be okay.
To the surprise of Ray, Rebekkah showed her human side. As the public had only seen her as a machine, a weapon that was used for the benefit of Julian Savell, but it was clear that the soldier was more than that. It was also clear that things between Julian and Jack were about to get interesting…