Friday, May 28th, 2021
Riverwalk, New Orleans, LA
3:43pm
OFF-CameraVoice #1: “You Wendy Stevens?”
The woman in her Shieldmaiden kutte slowed her walking speed, just a tick, enough to keep herself in ear shot but not enough to give herself away. She can hear the footsteps quickening behind her, getting closer. Not threatening, which was surprising, but purposeful. Needing something, perhaps? The years of training in body language returned as quickly as her ability to tie her shoes.Voice #2: “I assure you we just want to talk.”
The woman stops and turns around, crossing her arms over her chest, her phone in her hand clearly visible. Wendy ‘Zombie’ Pellegrini shook her head as the two NOPD officers tried to not size her up. She can tell they were nervous, there was notorious tension between them and the Shieldmaidens, but Zombie could almost respect their gumption.Zombie: “Guys got thirty seconds to say what you need to before I get on my bike there. I have a very special package to pick up for my wife, and neither she nor I like having our time wasted.”
The two officers look at each other briefly, before one of them speaks up.Officer 1: “Officer Vicente Palacios.”
Officer 2: “Officer Rafael Belliard.”
Zombie: “That’s already eight seconds, time’s ticking, boys.”
Palacios: “If you don’t mind, we’ll take all the time we need to.”
Zombie smirks and crosses her arms as she’s holding her phone.Zombie: “If you don’t mind, I’m going to be filming all of this. We’re aware of your harassing nature as of late.”
Belliard: “That won’t be necessary. If you cooperate, you’re free to go.”
Zombie: “So I’m being arrested? Is that what you’re saying?”
Belliard backs off his line of questioning as Palacios takes over.Palacios: “You are not, but you do know we can make things difficult for your kind.”
Zombie: “Okay, so threatening a citizen who is not under arrest. Calling us terms like ‘your kind’ already shows your racist and potentially homophobic natures. Got it. Actually, I think I’ve already been pretty damn cooperative as you’ve blown through your thirty seconds I allowed you.”
Palacios: “We’re investigating your friend, Tori Carter. None of your compatriots have been very helpful.”
Zombie: “And what led you two to believe that I’d be any more helpful?”
Belliard: “We’re aware of your dealings in California, Miss Stevens. We know why you are no longer wearing a uniform.”
Zombie keeps her smirk but her eyes narrow.Zombie: “Call me ‘Miss Stevens’ again, I beg of you, but I’ll humor you because this I’d like to hear.”
Palacios: “And your return to New York to handle some... family business?”
Zombie nods.Zombie: “So… the fact that I confronted a certified asshole that abused my mother and robbed her blind, and turned the sonofabitch into the authorities is somehow illegal? Me rescuing a woman in distress, who has a young child as well, and helped rehab her into a functional member of society is somehow illegal too? Help me out, I’m confused here.”
Palacios stammers as Belliard steps up.Belliard: “In and of itself, no. The fact you took some liberties with him before turning him in is.”
Zombie leans over and checks out the patches on the officers’ shoulders.Zombie: “So, you’re NYPD? Honestly, that was handled before I came down to New Orleans. Besides, fucker deserved it, and worse.”
Belliard: “So, for the record, using violence to solve a situation is acceptable? Are you passing these nuggets of wisdom onto Miss Carter and her daughter as well?”
Zombie: “That woman I saved in New York? She’s now my wife. Her little boy is mine as well. Bullying is wrong, an obvious lesson the two of you need to learn. Standing up for yourself, and your friends? Pretty honorable, and THAT nugget of wisdom I did pass on to my son.”
Palacios: “We’re beginning to see a pattern here with you biker dykes. You all defend Miss Carter because of your own personal biases.”
Zombie chuckles, and puts her hands up.Zombie: “Hi Kettles, I’m Pot. Pretty sure my bias is far less than yours. How stupid do you think I am? You don’t think we know who you two are? Who you run with and why? It’s blatantly obvious how stupid YOU guys are. You’ve spoken to all my other sisters, tried to shake them down, and got nowhere so now you’re trying with me. How strongly do you value your badges, boys?”
Palacios: “Careful what you say next, Miss Stevens. We can, and will, arrest you for assaulting a police officer.”
Zombie: “Much as I could, and would, knock the two of you out where you stand, I won’t give you both the satisfaction of getting one of us in your pretty little bracelets. It’s a simple question, Palacios. How strongly do you value your badges?”
Belliard: “Stronger than you value the patches you wear.”
Zombie turns to Belliard and leans in close to him.Zombie: “Good. Tell you what you two should do. Go back to your precinct, get on your computer, and look up my name in your database. Or use your little walkie-talkies and ask whatever pencil pusher is at their desk to do it for you. DOB 12/16/90. I’ll wait.”
Palacios scoffs but Belliard takes his walkie-talkie off his shoulder.Belliard: “Hey, can you look up a name for me? Wendy Stevens. Date of birth December 16th, 1990.”
After a few seconds, Belliard hears a squelch from his walkie-talkie.Voice: “Tall brunette? Shieldmaiden?”
Belliard: “That’s her.”
Voice: “Um, sir?”
Belliard: “Yeah?”
Voice: “Abort. She outranks you.”
Zombie smiles, and holds her thumb over the microphone to mute the laughing coming from her phone.Belliard: “Huh?”
Voice: “She’s a former Deputy Commissioner of the NYPD and LAPD, and still on retainer as special counsel.”
Zombie cocks an eyebrow as Palacios and Belliard look at each other before looking back at Zombie.Belliard: “Um, thank you. We’ll um… we’ll be on our way. Thank you for your time.”
Palacios: “We’ll be in touch.”
Zombie holds up a finger, signaling the officers to wait.Zombie: “Actually, what you’ll be doing is wrapping up your investigation, and talking to your boy and letting him know we don’t appreciate this constant harassment. If it continues, we will have to review our options as to how we should proceed. Have a good day, gentlemen.”
The two officers debate pressing the matter more, but instead decide to leave. Zombie looks down at her phone.Zombie: "They’re getting ballsier. And more desperate."
Bullet: "Think they’ll listen?"
Zombie: "No. We know who they work for. He’ll try something else."
Bullet: "Okay. What did you get Lexa?"
Zombie laughs.Zombie: "Sorry, Jefe. Some things you don't need to know about. I'll see you later."
“You know what, Sullivan, I can’t find a fault in any of the logic you have displayed so far. I commend that. We’re both mothers, we both fight honorably for our families, even when some members deserve a slap upside the head to wake them up. I completely get it.
We’re both coming off losses to strong opposition. Hell, you had to face Leah, Azurine and Eavan in your first match, that’s not easy. Hell if you didn’t almost win it all. Again, can’t fault you. That was Episode Thirty-One though.
THIS… is another war altogether.
In this battle, there isn’t the need to keep your head on a swivel, having multiple threats from all different directions. No, this is one threat. Sounds simple, right? Except this threat is a former ThrowDown Champion here in Mile High. This threat has a statement that needs to be made. This threat doesn’t give two shits about who you are, where you came from, or where you think you’re going.
This threat, Stephanie… is me.
And I’m not somebody to be taken lightly.
I see who you are. I see what you can do. Hell, I can even give you respect enough to want to be here and be your best self. Really, though, how far will that get you? Respect doesn’t pay the bills. Respect doesn’t put gold around your waist or across your shoulder.
Dominance does that. And how dominant are you?
From what I saw? Not much. If I’m going to call a spade a spade, the only reason it came down to you and Leah at the end is because Eavan made Azzy tap, and Leah took advantage of an opportunity to take out the woman who was her biggest competition. YOU lasted about a minute. I know your type, you will spin that by saying you were three seconds away from winning, but let’s be honest here. Let me get ahead of this so that the people know the truth.
You wouldn’t have lasted one-on-one with any of them.
And this time? Robert Mack threw you to the wolves. And this wolf is very very hungry.
I want my ThrowDown Title back, and it’s no coincidence this show is called Rise because come the thirtieth? THIS Zombie rises up again. Don’t look at this as just another match. Look at it this way. The world will know your name. However, they’ll most likely be saying ‘Damn, Zombie sure beat that Sullivan chick into the ground twelve feet deep’.
You get to be the statement. You get to be the sacrificial lamb who people will not want to switch places with. And with a sixty-seven percent chance I’ll have to face another of my sisters to get my title back? If I would willingly bloody up my OWN kin, the hell do you think I’d be willing to do… to… you?
What’s in your head, Sullivan.”
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