Abuse of Faith: Part 5

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August 31st, 2020

Miami, Florida

Off Camera

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The phrase “the best laid plans of mice and men” is a translation of a Scottish proverb that was first published in 1786. This particular proverb refers to something that has gone awry, something that has not turned out as well as one had hoped and carries the connotation that one should not expect for things to always turn out to plan. Glory Braddock definitely understands the full meaning of this proverb, perhaps more so than anyone else because her many plans are starting to go awry.



Meanwhile Braddock had been busting her ass to make the year 2020 a year to remember. The British Bombshell consolidated power within her company, eliminating all challengers and rivals to her power on the Global Wrestling Board of Directors. She consolidated power within her wrestling school, making herself the sole authority figure. Braddock went through a grueling best of five series with Henri Black that culminated in her becoming MWE Riot Champion. Nothing could go wrong.



Then it handed; an event that she hadn’t planned for, an event that she did not predict and yet one she should have known would come to pass. Glory Braddock was targeted in a drive by shooting, but the shooters missed Glory. Instead it was Mary Ford, Glory’s mother, who took the brunt of the bullets vicious assault. The blonde beauty can only reflect as she paces the floors in the waiting room at a hospital in Miami, Florida. She is kicking herself for not planning for this possibility. She is angry with herself for not protecting her family, because she should have seen this coming.



Glory Bradddock had been utilizing tactics akin to those in organized crime to help her obtain and maintain power over the members of her company’s Board of Directors. By dipping her toes into organized crime, The British Bombshell should have known that potential retaliation was not only possible but probably. Yet she ignored the warning. Braddock persisted in her obsessive quest for power. But this attack on herself and her mother wasn’t the only time such an event took place. She should have known such an attack was coming because this wasn’t the first time shooters targeted her.



Several months earlier shooters targeted Glory Braddock, her husband Kurt Logan, and their daughter Melinda Braddock outside of their hotel in Charlotte, North Carolina. She should have known then at that moment that her life, as well as her family’s lives, were in danger. But she ignored the warnings. Now Glory Braddock has been targeted twice for assassination, both times she can guess that organized crime was involved and both times she knows that her own actions in trying to strong arm her way to controlling her company’s board of directors led to these assassination attempts.



Braddock can take it, though. She’s a strong and capable woman. She is a woman with great power and with great power comes many enemies. But her family should not suffer because of her. That isn’t right. It isn’t fair.



Glory is alone in this waiting room, which is good because her pacing would under normal circumstances disturb others around her. And besides that fact, she really needs to be alone right now. Yet this alone time and her meditation is interrupted when she spots the waiting room door opening. Her eyes grow wide as she notices that her assistant, Meagan Collins, comes walking with a purpose towards The British Bombshell.



“Oh Gloria!” Meagan approaches Braddock with outstretched arms. The two embrace in a tight hug. Meagan isn’t exactly known for being the best of human beings. She herself is involved with organized crime and Glory knew it. Not only did she know it but she had evidence to prove it. The evidence was used by Glory to blackmail Meagan into assisting her in her corporate takeover. Collins held a grudge at first but over time they grew to become almost friends. Whether you want to call it the Stockholm Syndrome or not is irrelevant. These two women are now close allies. The hug is broken and Meagan looks on at Glory with sad eyes. “How are you doing, honey?”



“As well as can be expected, mate.” Glory says, grief and despair still on her face. In public she has been able to put on a good show. She has been able to maintain a strong front. She does not want anyone to see her like this. She looks weak and vulnerable and she cannot afford to let anyone think she is vulnerable, especially not her enemies. “What information do you have for me?”



Meagan looks from side to side, making sure there is no one around listening. She motions to two chairs against the wall in a far corner. Glory nods, indicating that she knows what Meagan wants. Glory had asked Meagan to meet her here at the hospital to deliver any information she had regarding the shooting. Meagan has her ear to the ground, the underground namely, of organized crime. If anyone may be able to find out about this shooting it would be Meagan. Thus it was Collins tasked with the job of investigating this deadly shooting. Still, secrecy is vital, because The British Bombshell does not want anyone knowing of her involvement. So being here in a quiet, private part of this waiting room is important. And whispering is important as well. The two women approach the chairs and sit down next to one another.



“I can’t tell you much…”



“I don’t care. It doesn’t matter.” Braddock is noticeably, visibly frustrated. “Just tell me what you do know.”



“What do you want to know?”



“Is Matthew Alan involved?” Glory’s question is pointed and demanding. Matthew Alan was the founder of the company Glory now owns. His involvement in organized crime led to him losing control of the company, then when Glory obtained the company in 2012 Matthew continued to pressure her for years. The pressure seemingly stopped after he was arrested by federal authorities on charges of embezzlement, tax fraud, and other white collar crimes. Still, Glory knows of Matthew’s involvement in organized crime. She knows how badly he wants this company back. And she knows he will do anything to get it back.



Matthew Alan is her prime suspect.



“Matthew did not order the hit.” Meagan declares quietly. This is surprising news to Glory who is shocked at it shows based on the look on her face.



“He did not order the hit, Glory. I am certain of it. He is currently on trial for white collar crimes. Ordering a hit like this would be catastrophically stupid for him. Prosecuters would immediately link it to him and charge him with attempted murder on top of everything else.”



“So?”



“He’s facing a lot of time behind bars as it is; if he were to be convicted of attempted murder it could become a life sentence. And if your mother were to die…” Meagan is stopped by Glory who shakes her head, tears rolling down her cheek.



“Do not talk that way!”



“I’m sorry, Glory, but if your mother were to die, then Matthew could be charged with murder and then face the death penalty. He knows this. He wouldn’t make such a dumb move.”



Braddock sighs and nods her head. “Fine...but did you at least look into it?”



“Yes, I looked into it even though I knew it was futile. My sources confirmed what I already knew; Matthew did not order the hit.”



This isn’t the news Glory Braddock had wanted. It would have been so much easier for the enemy to be Matthew Alan himself. Braddock could have dealt with him better. But this changes things. Braddock is also still rocked by the possibility that her mother could pass away from these gunshots. But she still needs to remain strong and focused. She steels herself and regains her composure.



“So if it wasn’t Matthew then who was it?”



“It wasn’t Matthew, you’re right. But it was someone connected to Matthew who ordered the hit against his wishes. It may have been a member of his family, it could have just been an ally of his, but someone with strong ties to Matthew ordered this hit.”



“And you don’t know who?”



Meagan sighs and shakes her head. “No, I don’t. Sorry.”



No control. Glory Braddock has absolutely no control over this situation and it is driving her crazy. All she wanted was a clear, definitive answer from Meagan Collins but she isn’t getting it. The frustration has reached its boiling point.



“So it isn’t Matthew...but someone connected to him…am I understanding that right?”



“Yes.”



“Fine.” Glory nods her head. “Look into my eyes, Meagan; I want you to understand very clearly what I am about to tell you.”



“Ok…” Meagan pauses, clearly confused by this, but she does as she is told. She looks into Braddock’s eyes.



“Take care of this.”



“What?” Meagan is startled by this very vague demand. “What does that mean?”



“Just take care of it.”



“You need to be more specific. What do you want me to do.”



“Just take care of it!” Glory exclaims quietly but angrily. “I am the MWE Riot Champion, which means everyone is after me, people may also be after my company, and I have a mother who may be on her deathbed. I cannot deal with all of this right now!”



Braddock pokes Meagan in her chest. “I need you to take this weight off of my shoulders. I need you to handle this for me and I really don’t care how you handle it. Are we perfectly clear?”



Meagan Collins pauses to consider the words of The British Bombshell. Meagan finally nods her head. Before she can answer a nurse emerges into the room. “Ms. Braddock?”



“Yes, I’ll be right there…” Glory looks one final time at Meagan “...do you understand what I want?”



“Yes, I get you.” Meagan nods her head.



“Good.”



Glory and Meagan hug one final time before Meagan gets up and makes her exit. She approaches the nurse who then proceeds to lead her through the halls of the hospital. It isn’t that terribly long a walk but for Braddock, who is terribly concerned for her mother’s well being, it seems like an eternity. Finally they reach the door, brown and dull like all the others, but Glory can already see people inside.



"Well, here we are," the nurse smiles kindly and opens the door wider. Doctors and nurses surround a hospital bed. IV's, heart monitors and oxygen tanks are attached to a figure who Glory can see is her mother, Mary Ford.



The hospital room is a concrete pen with a window the size of a biscuit tin lid. It has a stagnant smell, like it's cleaned with plain water instead of disinfectant. The bed sits low to the ground, the frame baring the signs of rust and the mattress worryingly thin. The hospital room is as devoid of beauty as The British Bombshell is of hope. Its walls are simply cream, not peeling or dirty, just cream. There is no decoration at all save the limp curtain that hangs in front of the window. It was perhaps once the kind of green that reminds people of spring-time and hope, but it's faded so much that the hue is insipid. The room has an undertone of bleach and the floor is simply grey. At the door are dispensers for rubber gloves, hand sanitizer and soap. These items only reinforce the fear of germs, they are so ubiquitous here that cleaning is mandatory every time a doorway is passed or a patient is touched.



The nurse leads Braddock further into the room to the man who appears to be the lead doctor. He is a white haired, older gentleman. He is wearing scrubs and is staring down at his patient when the nurse and Glory arrive.



“Doctor…” he turns around to face the nurse and Glory “...this is Gloria Braddock, the patient’s daughter.”



“Nice to meet you, Ms. Braddock.”



“Thank you, doctor.” She looks nervously over at her mother. “How is she?”



“There hasn’t been much change since your last visit, I’m afraid.”



“Is she awake?”



“No, we have had to put her into a medically induced coma. The injuries she sustained went beyond just merely the gunshots which, for the most part, we have been able to fix. It appears that Ms. Ford has suffered some minor brain trauma as well. She is in a medically induced coma so that her brain, along with the rest of her body, may be protected while she heals naturally.”



“Will she be ok?” Glory is fighting back the tears but this strong front is becoming very difficult to maintain. The doctor sighs.



“I hope so. I believe so. But right now, at this stage, anything is possible.”



“What does that mean?!” Glory demands. “Is my mother going to be ok or not?!”



“Your mother is stable for now. Unfortunately she could easily take a turn for the worse at any moment.”



Braddock sighs and shakes her head. “May I...may I just have some time alone with my mom?”



“Of course.” The doctor nods his head and then, along with the other nurses, makes his exit. Glory is now alone in the hospital room with her mother. Braddock approaches the hospital bed. She looks down at her comatose mother and the emotions immediately become unbearable. Like a tidal wave they wash uncontrollably over Glory as she begins to bawl. The British Bombshell then reaches out and clasps her mother’s hand tightly.



“I’m sorry you got drug into this mom! I am so sorry…” Braddock’s eyes narrow with hatred “...but I will make them pay...I swear to you, they will pay…”



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September 3rd, 2020

Miami, Florida

Off Camera

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The opulent living room of “The British Bombshell” is a gorgeous, sleek modern design. It is also clean; almost to perfection with barely a spot and even if one exists, it isn’t noticeable. The cream colored sofa is soft, comfortable, and plush. It is situated in front of a large flat screen television mounted on the wall above a fireplace. The fireplace does seem slightly out of place as it is the only piece in this living room that looks relatively traditional. It isn’t used often; this is Miami, after all. Sitting in a comfortable recliner with her feet propped up is none other than “The British Bombshell” Glory Braddock. Sitting on the arm of the comfortable reclining chair is the remote control and in Braddock’s right is a glass of red wine. The blonde haired beauty’s stone faced gaze is glaring across at a television set which is tuned into the morning news.



Her intense focus right now is so much so that she doesn’t even notice her husband, Kurt Logan, entering the living room. She doesn’t even notice when Kurt sits down next to her. The reigning MWE Riot Champion is completely oblivious to it all. Her focus is set entirely on the news, which is focusing on the ongoing trial of Matthew Alan…



“The trial of millionaire and former wrestling promoter Matthew Alan got heated today as the prosecution presented one of its key witnesses, a former employee who worked in finance and who admitted to doctoring the books at the request of Mr. Alan himself, so that he could pocket extra cash. Mr. Alan’s defense attorneys are still adamant that these claims are entirely fraudulent. They claim that the witnesses are all part of a greater conspiracy against their client, trying to bring him down, and that Mr. Alan has done nothing illegal.”



Kurt taps Glory Braddock on the shoulder. “Glory?”



“Huh?” Braddock is somewhat startled. She turns and is surprised to see Kurt sitting there beside her. She sighs. “Oh, it’s just you…”



“Nice to see you too.” Kurt smirks, then he leans over and kisses her on the cheek.



“Sorry, love. I just didn’t notice you were there, that’s all.”



“That’s obvious.” Kurt takes the remote from Glory and turns the television on mute. “Care to take a break from this?”



“I can’t.”



“Yes, you can. You need to.”



“Maybe I need to but I still can’t take a break from this.” Braddock sighs frustration oozing from her voice. “My mum got shot by assassins targeting me, Kurt. And I need to figure this out.”



“Your only responsibility is to take care of your mother, and as far as that goes, you’ve done everything you can do by placing her in a doctor’s care. You are not responsible for figuring out who did this. That’s for authorities and they are investigating this, am I right?”



Glory is silent for several moments. She still hasn’t openly admitted to her husband about her involvement with Meagan Collins and the strongarm tactics that she used in order to obtain control over her company. Kurt definitely suspects. Who wouldn’t? But she hasn’t told him. She doesn’t plan to. Braddock nods her head.



“Yeah, you’re right…”



“Good. Then you’ve done your job. Now you need to focus on taking care of your other responsibilities. You have a family that loves you, you have a company to run, and if I recall, you have cashed in your Trios contract and that means you have a world title to win.”



Braddock nods her head. Kurt is right on the money this time. As much as she wants to the bottom of these recent attempts on her life she still realizes that a woman in her position has a great many responsibilities. Among those responsibilities include her professional responsibilities.



“Yeah, I know.”



“Then you need to quit dwelling on this. Your mom will be fine. She is in good care. And I am sure she wouldn’t want you moping around the house worrying about her.”



“It’s easy for you to say, love.”



Kurt is preparing for his response when a knocking is heard coming from the front door. Kurt starts to get up but Glory holds out her arm, stopping him. She shakes her head. “No, let me answer it. I mean, you’re right, I do need some kind of distraction from all this mess.”



Kurt nods his head and watches as his wife steps away from the sofa. Glory begins her walk out of the living and the knocking begins again, more intense this time. Glory is growing frustrated by this and she rolls her eyes. “Bloody hell! Be patient!”



Braddock steps out into the hall and then heads to the front door. She opens it and she is surprised to see none other than Aurora Alan, youngest sister of Matthew Alan, standing there. Glory has had very few face to face encounters with her but she does know who she is. She also knows her home and headquarters is in Charlotte, North Carolina along with the rest of her family. The fact that she made the trip to Miami, Florida to personally see Glory is a shock.



“Aurora? What the bloody hell are you doing down here?”



Aurora rears back and slaps Glory across the face. Braddock rubs the sting out of her cheek before exclaiming angrily back at the visitor. “What the hell was that for?!”



“I think you know damn well what that was about, Braddock!” Aurora shouts angrily. The shouting was enough to alert Kurt who now joins his wife at the door.



“Is something wrong?” Kurt asks curiously. Glory shakes her head, hoping he’ll go away.



“Nothing is wrong, Kurt.”



“Your wife is a liar, Kurt.” Aurora says accusingly, pointing a finger at Glory. “Why don’t you tell your husband what you did? Or shall I?!”



“What is she talking about?” Kurt asks Glory curiously.



“I have no bloody idea…” Glory says, genuinely confused about what is going on.



“You can play the fool all you want but you don’t fool me, Glory. I know you did it and you cannot hide your guilt forever.”



“You’re insane! I haven’t done a damn thing!”



“Yes you did!”



“Enough!” Kurt exclaims as he steps in between the two women. “Now will someone tell me what the hell we’re talking about here?!”



Aurora nods her head. “Fine, since your wife still wants to play innocent. Gunmen came and shot at my sister’s house a couple days ago.”



“What?!” Glory aks in pure, genuine shock. Aurora is the youngest of three children, Matthew is the oldest. The middle child was Jennifer Alan. To hear that Jennifer was fired upon is shocking news to The British Bombshell. “You’re kidding, right? You have got to be joking?!”



“No, I’m not. You’re just lucky that no one was home at the time.”



“Thank God…” Glory’s voice trails off, grateful that no one was hurt. Then she looks up into Aurora’s eyes which are still full of anger and hatred. It becomes clear that Aurora is accusing Glory of being behind this crime. “...wait, you think I am behind it?”



“You have been playing dirty politics and dirty tricks to strongarm your way into power over your company’s board of directors because you were paranoid that for some reason Jennifer, myself, or even our brother might try to take your precious company from you.”



“Look…” Glory starts to answer back but she cannot find the words. She looks into her husband’s eyes which are also judgmental.



“Glory? Is she telling the truth?”



“Kurt, I may have done some things, but everything I did was legal. I would never ever do anything criminal and what happened to Jennifer was criminal.”



“You’re damn right it was criminal!” Aurora shouts. “And you know what else? That’s the same line my brother keeps giving prosecutors, the same line he keeps telling the government; that everything he did was legal. But guess what? I know as good as anyone else that he was involved with organized crime. I know he used organized crime to obtain his corporate power. So why wouldn’t you use it to KEEP your corporate power?”



Braddock shakes her head. “Because I’m better than that! All I want to do is protect this business. I want to protect professional wrestling! I know I am the best person to run that company, so I do what I must. But your brother, he was actively involved in organized crime and you knew it!”



“Yes, I know it. But the difference between you and me is that I’m doing my best to rebuild my family’s reputation. And yes, if prosecutors call on me to testify against my brother, I will. But you…” Aurora shakes her head “...you’re single handedly destroying the Braddock name. It was once an upstanding, proud, noble name. You’re ruining it.”



“No I’m not…” Braddock sighs and shakes her head vehemently “...I’m not! I’m doing what’s best! I’m looking out for the greater good!”



“Says every tyrant that ever existed. But I’ll tell you what, Glory, I’ll give you a chance. Look into my eyes and tell me the truth. Did you have anything to do with the assassination attempt on my sister?”



Braddock stares into Aurora’s eyes for several tense moments before shaking her head. “No…”



Aurora nods her head. “Fine, I believe you. But if you think you have any idea who did this, or any reason why she was targeted, you had better tell me or tell the authorities, because if I find out this was in any way connected to you, I will push for criminal charges. And if the government doesn’t go along with it, then I will sue your ass for every damn penny you have!”



Aurora turns and storms away in an angry huff. Glory is standing there in disbelief watching her go away. Kurt taps Glory on the shoulder and for the second time she is startled, because yet again Glory wasn’t focused on Kurt. She was focused on what may be her entire plans, her life, coming crumbling down in front of her.



“Glory?”



“Yeah…”



“I think you and I need to talk.”



Braddock sighs and nods her head. Slowly she turns and walks back into the house. She hears the door shutting behind her and then can feel the footsteps of her beloved husband Kurt following ever so close behind. Glory reenters the living room where she sits back down on the sofa. Kurt does not sit next to her; instead he remains standing, towering over his wife, with his arms folded over his chest. He almost resembles a disappointed parent expecting a good explanation rather than a loving husband.



“What is this all about, Glory?”



“Kurt, you know how I feel about my company. And you know how I feel about wrestling.”



“You’re very passionate about both. It doesn’t explain what you did or why you did it.”



Tears are forming in Glory’s eyes as memories come rushing back. “They took my company away from me once.”



“I remember; and I also remember that it was because you were on the verge of a mental breakdown.”



“Yes and they took my company away from me!” Braddock exclaims angrily. “They took it and gave it to Henry Van Stanton, Mason’s brother and an enemy of mine. Don’t think that went unnoticed. Because this wasn’t about looking out for my best interests or the best interests of the company. It was all about my enemies on the Board of Directors.”



“You’re sounding paranoid.”



“Do I really? Because think about it, Kurt, a majority of the Board of Directors at the time I lost power were all allies of the founder and former owner Matthew Alan. They wanted him back and hated the fact that I was in charge. They put Henry Van Stanton in charge because they could control him. Or at least they thought they could. When they lost control of him, when Henry became their enemy, they turned back to me. They gave me control of the company again. They never cared if I was truly cured of my mental break or not. They just wanted to replace Van Stanton.”



Glory sighs and shakes her head. “But I knew it wasn’t as simple as that. I knew that if I was replaced once, and if they just as easily replaced Henry, that they could get rid of me a second time. I had to ensure that I had majority support on the Board so that I would never again be stripped of power in my own company.”



“So you went to organized crime?” Kurt asks. Glory vehemently shakes her head in denial.



“No! I would never resort to organized crime! I had a private investigator dig up dirt on Meagan Collins. I found out evidence of her involvement in criminal activity when Matthew Alan was running the company. With that evidence I...convinced her to help me…”



“So you blackmailed her.”



“She is much better and far more adept at corporate politics than I am. She was able to manipulate enough members of the Board to give me the majority control I needed. That’s all I used her for.”



“Alright fine,” Kurt himself is beginning to show signs of frustration “but I still fail to see how this ultimately connects to the shooting that took place at the Alan home?”



“I don’t know.” Glory shrugs her shoulders. “I’m not even sure that it does.”



“Well you’re in this deep, Glory. I hope you realize just how deep you are and I hope you can find a way out. And I hope that whatever you have to do to end this you get it done so that we can put a stop to this. We were already shot at once before and I took the bullet for you. You were shot at again and that time your own mother took the bullet. Now Jennifer was....”



“Oh my God!” Glory gasps as her face lights up in a look of shock mixed with sheer horror. This is because The British Bombshell has finally come up with a potential explanation behind the attack. “It was retaliation…”



“Retaliation against what?”



“Against the attempt on my life. Meagan did this…”



==========

September 7th, 2020

Miami, Florida

Off Camera

==========



Author Joseph Heller once said, “Just because you're paranoid doesn't mean they aren't after you.” Paranoia is a crippling mental problem that can lead to far more severe issues regarding to one’s social life, social identity, and even far more severe mental issues. A common symptom of paranoia is the attribution bias. These individuals typically have a biased perception of reality, often exhibiting more hostile beliefs. A paranoid person may view someone else's accidental behavior as though it is with intent or threatening.



In the case of “The British Bombshell” Glory Braddock, paranoia isn’t just crippling, it isn’t just hindering her social activity, it has become a trigger for her post traumatic stress syndrome. It is an issue she has been dealing for a long time now. Ever since Braddock regained control over her promotion she has felt the paranoia creep in and corrupt her judgment. Part of her paranoia is justified; she once had the power to run her company as she saw fit, she once had the trust and approval of her company’s Board of Directors. Then things began to change; then she had the power stripped away from her. It was all because they lost faith in her mental capacity. She had been compromised by Aphrodite Noel.



Eventually Braddock would regain control of her company but it wasn’t easy. Braddock had to fight long and hard legal battles to get her power back but she did regain control of her company. But regaining power in her company did not get rid of the paranoia. The paranoia was still there. Glory still did not feel safe and comfortable in her situation. The British Bombshell needed to assure herself that she would never again lose the business she had grown to love so much.



Did she use some less than savory tactics to assure her power remained steadfast? Some may call it that. Braddock just called the tactics necessary. Braddock just thought the tactics she was using were all part of the cutthroat corporate lifestyle. She thought it was all part of the game that was played.



Now it seems that Glory finds herself wrapped up into a world that she never intended to find herself in. Glory Braddock was twice targeted by shooters aiming to take her life. The first time they missed and hit her husband Kurt. The second time they hit her mother, Mary Ford, instead. Twice there have been assassination attempts on her life and twice instead of hitting Glory they hit members of her family instead.



Paranoia isn’t the only thing Glory Braddock feels right now. She also feels guilt, because she feels that it is her fault that her family is being brought into this war that has been seemingly waged, an all out war against The British Bombshell. Are these enemies real? Are these just imagined foes from her paranoid mind? Had there just been one random attack, maybe; but two times is not random. Someone wants her out of the picture and if Glory’s associate, Meagan Collins, is right, then the person who wants her out of the picture may be none other than Matthew Alan…



...or at least someone connected to him. And to Braddock’s paranoid mind it all makes sense. When Glory was ousted from power years ago it was by a majority vote of the Board of Directors and everyone who voted to oust her from power were all supporters of the former owner and founder of the company, Matthew Alan. Matthew is currently on trial from embezzlement, tax fraud, and other white collar crimes, but his involvement in organized crime is suspected. Would Matthew’s associates target Glory in order to get her out of the way, to pave the way for their hostile takeover of the company?



Yes, yes they would. Glory is convinced that this is the case and up until recently she has tried to shield her family from this war she has been engaged in. Now it has become impossible and now, after being confronted by the youngest Aurora Alan, sister of Jennifer and Matthew Alan, Glory’s husband Kurt knows all about this as well. For there has been what may be a retaliatory attack against the Alan family. Gunmen shot at the home of Jennifer Alan. And in Aurora’s mind, Glory is the prime suspect.



Would The British Bombshell engage in criminal activity to maintain power? No. She would and has done many things to maintain her power and status but criminal activity is not one of them. Glory has an idea about who it may be…



...her business associate, Meagan Collins, another woman who, like Matthew Alan, has contacts with organized crime. Ideally Glory Braddock would be meeting with Meagan right now but that is not the case on this day. Now that her husband knows about everything that has gone on, Kurt is forcing Glory to attend a special session with her psychiatrist, Dr. Fitzgerald.



The black cushioned chair Glory finds herself sitting in is surprisingly comfortable. This waiting room is rather small and cannot fit many people, thus she is thankful that she is the only person here today. Dr. Fitzgerald gets few patients to begin with as it is a very small local practice. This is what was most appealing about him to Glory Braddock. The smaller the better. She wants to keep it a secret that she needs psychiatric help. If anyone knew the truth it would damage her reputation.



The floor of this waiting room is a navy blue carpet. Braddock is wearing tight denim jeans, black flats, and a purple blouse. Her long blonde hair hangs unrestrained to shoulder length. Seated next to her is her husband, Kurt Logan. The frustration upon the face of The British Bombshell is quite evident.



“I do not want to be here…”



“Yes but you need to be here.” Kurt says, whispering back to Glory. His wife just rolls her eyes.



“I have a lot on my plate, Kurt.”



“Yeah, you do have a busy schedule this week, but don’t sit there and pretend that you’re concerned mostly over that. You hid it from me very well for quite some time, Glory, but now I know damn well what you’re really worried about.”



Braddock sighs deeply and nods her head. “Fine, you’re right, I do have other things to figure out. I do need to meet with Meagan Collins so I can get this whole shooting figured out, I need to decide how to handle its fallout.”



“No, you can’t afford to be distracted, but don’t try and fool yourself. We have been attacked twice by armed gunmen. Another set of gunmen attacked your corporate rival’s family and that could potentially lead accusations back to you. And one meeting with Meagan Collins will not settle that.”



There is a long tense pause as Glory Braddock remains silent. The words of her husband ring harsh and yet true. She is in this deep, very deep, and as much as she’d like to believe one meeting with Meagan Collins will settle this she knows in the back of her mind that it will take more than that to get her out of this situation. The British Bombshell sighs and nods her head.



“Fine, you’re right...and I am sorry for keeping you out of the loop, Kurt.”



“I have already forgiven you, Glory.” He leans over and kisses her on the cheek. She turns and looks longingly at Kurt.



“I just need answers, that’s all. I have this horrible feeling that Meagan ordered that hit on Jennifer Alan and that she ordered it in my name. I need to find out if that’s true.”



“And you will. But right now you need to get things right up here…” Kurt taps her on the head.



“But…”



“No, do not argue with me. You know you need this.”



“Ms. Braddock…” Glory looks up to see Dr. Frederick Fitzgerald standing in the doorway leading back to a hall. He motions for to her follow him. Glory smiles pleasantly as she stands up and follows him through the door and down a short hall and then almost immediately to the right into a room which serves as his office. It is a small office with a light brown desk a comfortable black swivel chair where Dr. Fitzgerald no doubt sits, and two gray chairs that look rather uncomfortable. There is also a red comfortable cushioned sofa. As predicted, Fitzgerald makes a beeline for the swivel chair at the desk and sits down.



“Have a seat.” He says. Glory opts for the comfort of the sofa instead of the chairs. She sits down and crosses her legs. The British Bombshell can sense that he is somewhat irritated, but how much so? And why? Glory then remembers that it is Labor Day. With everything that is going on in her life today she almost forgot that it was a holiday. Maybe he isn’t that thrilled that Glory requested this special session? She can only assume he is upset about that but how much so? She tries to get a read off of him but his facial expression is stoic. All she can do is wait until he speaks…



“I see that you brought your husband along today.”



“Yes, we have to leave and catch a flight today.”



“Ah yes, this is a rather big week for you, Ms. Braddock; That and the fact that this is Labor Day, a holiday, makes it seem rather odd that you would request this special session.”



“Yes, I know.” Glory nods her head slowly. “Thank you for taking the time to see me, Dr. Fitzgerald.”



“That isn’t the only thing I find strange about this. We had begun to slow down our meetings, Ms. Braddock; this was done because I saw legitimate progress within you.”



“Yes, I have worked very hard for that progress, Dr. Fitzgerald.”



“I know, and I also know how much it pains you to visit me in the first place. It is an issue of pride with you, Ms. Braddock; you do not want to think that anyone can get to you mentally. You do not want to think that you need help. Yet here you are, willingly asking for my help on a day most people would be taking off. Needless to say, I do find this strange.”



“I admit that it is strange, Dr. Fitzgerald.” Glory says quietly. This conversation is not going as she would like.



“Is there something wrong that I should know about?”



“My paranoia is back, Dr. Fitzgerald.” Glory says quietly. “It is back with a vengeance.”



“I see. Your paranoia was a trigger and symptom of your post traumatic stress disorder. Your paranoia returning is quite concerning. I find it unusual that you seem to know it is paranoia.”



“I just feel like everyone is out to get me. Isn’t that what paranoia is? Everywhere I turn around I see new enemies, some of them real and some imagined.”



“Did one of those real enemies recently strike?”



Braddock arches her brow. “How did you guess?”



“It just makes sense. Just because one is paranoid does not mean that one has no real enemies. So when those real enemies strike it could easily cause the imagined ones to creep back in as well. So tell me, what happened?”



“I’ve been shot at twice now. Once gunmen targeted me and my family outside of a hotel and my husband was hit. Luckily it was a minor injury and he recovered quickly, but the second time I wasn’t so lucky. The gunmen targeted us again and this time hit my mother…” Glory reaches up and wipes tears that are forming in her eyes “...now she is in a medically induced coma in a hospital.”



“Why were you targeted?”



“The Alan Family targeted me.”



Dr. Fitzgerald lowers his eyes and stares at Glory curiously. “I asked why...not who…”



“That alone should tell you why I was targeted.”



“Not necessarily.”



“Are we really going to play this game, Dr. Fitzgerald?”



“I do not like playing games, you know this.” Dr. Fitzgerald remarks. He shakes his head. “Fine, I’ll play your game. You seem convinced that it was the Matthew Alan family who targeted you. How do you know it was the Alan family?”



“I cannot say…” Glory answers quietly, her voice trailing off. Dr. Fitzgerald is growing more and more frustrated by this and it shows by the look on his face.



“I cannot help you if you are not honest with me, Ms. Braddock, and if you are not honest with me, then this is truly a waste of my time.”



“It just makes sense, doctor. Like you said, it just makes sense. All of it, every single bit of it, makes sense.”



“What do you mean?”



“There has been a third shooting.”



“Targeting you?” The psychiatrist asks. Glory shakes her head.



“No, targeting Jennifer Alan, a member of the Alan family.”



“I see. Did the authorities question you? Are you a suspect?”



“No, but Jennifer’s sister Aurora seems to think I did it as retaliation against the previous two hits.”



“Which she also denies being involved with.”



“Of course.” Glory answers in the affirmative, nodding her head. Dr. Fitzgerald sighs.



“Let me just ask you point blank; did you order the attack on Jennifer Alan?”



“No, I did not.”



Glory Braddock’s eyes never leave Dr. Fitzgerald’s eyes. The British Bombshell just wonders whether or not this psychiatrist suspects her of any wrongdoing. Finally, after several long and tense moments, the psychiatrist just nods his head and speaks…



“I think you are right, this may be your paranoia creeping up again. Perhaps we should have more frequent sessions in order to deal with this.”



“I understand.”



“Let me ask you another question if I may; your career, how important is it to you, Ms. Braddock?”



“Very important. I mean, look at me, I am a successful businesswoman, I am the reigning MWE Riot Champion, I run my own wrestling school. My career is very important.”



“I understand this, Ms. Braddock, but tell me; what would you do to protect your career?”



“Anything.” Glory answers definitively. The psychiatrist arches his brow curiously.



“Anything?”



“Yes, I would do anything to protect my career.”



==========

September 7th, 2020

Miami, Florida

Off Camera

==========



Glory Braddock and the psychiatrist remained in locked in their heated session for another thirty minutes. It was an excruciating thirty minutes for The British Bombshell because in her mind she had given up too much information. She was convinced that Dr. Fitzgerald was trying to get her to admit to the shooting at Jennifer Alan’s home but she had nothing to do with it! Absolutely nothing!



Then again, paranoia is funny like that; it can make you believe one thing when in reality it is the furthest thing from the truth. In truth Dr. Fitzgerald was just getting the most out of this time. He was working on a day he normally would have taken off so he wanted to get as much out of his seemingly insecure and paranoid patient that he could. Dr. Fitzgerald doesn’t think Glory has anything to do with the shooting. She doesn’t strike him as the type to do such a thing and he is just writing it off a paranoid delusion, created partially by her PTSD.



It is this thought, the thought of her championship match, that goes through her head as she rides in the passenger’s side of her 2020 Ford Fusion next to Kurt Logan. She is trying to push the thoughts and memories of her corporate problems, especially the shootings, out of her mind. She doesn’t want to think about that right now. And the first mile or so has been very quiet. She wants it to stay that way. Kurt then ends that silence rather abruptly…



“How did your talk with Dr. Fitzgerald go?”



“As well as can be expected, love.”



“What does the psychiatrist suggest?”



“Just more sessions. He wants to meet with me more frequently.” The blonde sighs deeply with frustration mixed with disappointment. “I was hoping it wouldn’t come to that.”



“But babe, if you need help then you need help. It is as simple as that.”



“I do not need any help!” Glory exclaims loudly, her tone and attitude suddenly turn as she seems almost crazed. It is rare that she yells at Kurt like this. Kurt notices this.



“Listen to yourself! This isn’t like you!”



“And I assume you know me so well?”



“Yes, I do.” Kurt answers, nodding his head. “The Glory I married was kind, loving, and passionate. Yes, she was passionate about wrestling, but not the extent you are. You have grown an unhealthy obsession with doing all of this on your own. You want to be a world champion, you want to run a successful company, you want to run a successful wrestling school, and you want to do it all on your own with no help.”



“And I CAN do it all!”



“You’re being pulled in so many directions that your own judgment is being clouded. There was a way to ensure you had full control of your company and that was the right way, but instead you took the shortcut. You got yourself involved with Meagan Collins.”



“And it worked.” Glory counters. “Global Wrestling Enterprise is mine!”



“Yeah, it is, but at what cost? Your involvement with Meagan Collins may have made you a target of organized crime. And if you did order Meagan to do that hit…”



“I did not order that hit!” Glory shouts angrily. “I already told you this!”



“Fine, Meagan may have misunderstood your direction, but either way, if the federal government traces Meagan back to you, then you are truly in deep trouble. Look at Matthew Alan right now. He is on trial for federal crimes. Is that how you want your name, the Braddock name, to be remembered? As a criminal? Because even if you are charged but ultimately found not guilty, that mark and stain will be forever left on your name.”



“I…” Glory is shaken by Kurt’s words, which ring true in her mind. She isn’t sure how to respond.



“Is that how you want to be remembered?” Kurt asks rather demandingly a second time. Finally, after another long and tense pause, Glory nods her head.



“I admit, these attacks have shaken me to my core. They’ve rocked my spirit. And yes, they’ve increased my paranoia. And that paranoia may have led to my PTSD resurfacing.”



“So you do need help.”



“Yeah, maybe I do.” Glory nods her head.



“And you need to get away from Meagan Collins.”



“Not yet.” Braddock shakes her head. “Not until I find out how she’s involved in this.”



“She is the one who set this up!” Kurt exclaims. “She set you up!”



“We don’t know that.”



“How much more evidence do you need, Glory?” Kurt demands angrily. “This was all on her. And if you want to keep your name out of this, you need to push yourself away from her. You need…”



And suddenly before Kurt can say anything gun shots can be heard. Kurt tries to keep his eyes on the road but Glory looks and spots a car coming in quickly, screeching in next to them on the highway. More gunshots can be heard as the bullets whiz in through the back windows, busting them out. More gunshots ring out and this time they are not aimed at the windows or the Kurt or Glory; instead their target are the tires. Kurt immediately notices this as control over the vehicle is lost.



“Glory...I can’t drive this thing!”



“What the bloody hell is happening?!”



“Brace yourself!”



Kurt swerves off the road. Their attackers speed away. Meanwhile Kurt’s vehicle slams into a power pole. The airbag deployed and may have hurt Kurt’s ribs. He holds them in pain. But he bears it as best as he can before turning to face his wife. “Glory, you ok?”



“I’ll be fine. You?”



“My ribs hurt but I’ll be fine. What the hell was that?”



“Retaliation.” Glory answers quietly. “We were attacked twice by gunmen supposedly associated with the Alan family. Is it a coincidence that we were attacked for a third time after the Alan family targeted?”



“It could be a coincidence but…”



“No, it is no coincidence.” Glory states defiantly. “Just because you’re paranoid doesn’t mean the world isn’t out to get you.”



==========

September 9th, 2020

Portland, Oregon

Off Camera

==========



The illusion of control is the tendency for people to overestimate their ability to control events. This illusion occurs when someone feels a sense of control over outcomes that they demonstrably do not influence. It is thought to influence gambling behavior and belief in the paranormal. In the case of Glory Braddock, the reality of her lack of control over her own life is becoming all too apparent.



Her life has been out of control ever since The British Bombshell decided to use strongarm tactics in order to gain control over her company’s board of directors. Most notably, Braddock herself has been twice targeted for assassination by drive-by gunmen, but both times they missed their targets. The first time they hit her husband, Kurt Logan. Luckily his injures were minor and he recovered in short order. Glory’s mother wasn’t as lucky; Mary was gunned down in the second attempt and she now is in a hospital in Miami, Florida where doctors are fighting to save her life.



Organized crime is obviously involved. Only organized crime could pull this off; but why? The answer is all about Glory Braddock. It was her strongarm tactics to bully supporters of Matthew Alan off of the board of directors of the company, it was her strongarm tactics that tried to bully Matthew’s family out of involvement from the company itself, that led to her being targeted. Matthew Alan, after all, has ties to organized crime. Glory Braddock has suspected it all along but never had any evidence to prove it, otherwise she would have leaked the information to the press and got her enemy locked away for life. Now her suspicions have all been confirmed; not only has she been attacked twice, conveniently after strong arming Matthew Alan operatives, but also she heard it right from the mouth of none other than Matthew’s own sister, Aurora Alan.



Now things have really begun to heat up for The British Bombshell. Aurora and Matthew’s sister, Jennifer Alan, the middle child of the Alan family, has been targeted. Her family home was targeted by gunmen late Tuesday night. Luckily no one was home and thus no one was hurt. Still, who would target Jennifer Alan? Who would want her dead? Aurora Alan immediately believed that Glory Braddock was the woman responsible for ordering this hit. Aurora’s logic was that Glory had ordered it in retaliation for the two hits purportedly put out on her on behalf of Matthew Alan.



Glory may be a great many things; The Best in the World? Maybe. MWE Riot Champion? Definitely. A tyrant? An egomaniac? Maybe she has become twisted in the past year. But one thing she is not is a mobster. She is not a murderer. She may hate the Alan family but she would never kill them. She would never stoop to those lows. But she has an idea about who may have perpetrated this, or at least who ordered it…



...Glory’s assistant, Meagan Collins.



The hotel lobby is classy in the most unclassy way possible. It has all the corporate taste for opulent items without the slightest touch of personality - those little out of sync items that makes decor "human." The deep brown floor shines as well any polished glass. There are flowers, beautiful, the perfect shade of orange to compliment the woody hues and creams. On closer inspection their stamens have been pulled to prevent even the pollen disturbing the perfect sheen on the mahogany pedestal tables. The floor was tiled in fine marble, which made every step echo. A chandelier made rainbow colors dance across the luxurious lobby. Embroidered silk sofas surrounded a large, flat-screen television. The twin doors that led into the lobby were a pristine white with golden handles. The desk was made of amber-colored wood and a green granite top. Exquisite paintings hung from the rich, red walls. Even the door hinges were engraved with swirls and elegant designs. The domed ceiling rose at least 100 feet high. This is the Hard Rock Hotel and Casino, a five star luxury hotel; luxury because only the finest of establishments will do for The British Bombshell.



And it is here, in the lobby on a plush cream colored sofa, where we find the beautiful blonde Braddock sitting down, anxiously anticipating the arrival of her assistant. Meagan at first did not want to come. Meagan claimed she was too busy handling other affairs, but Glory insisted. She even paid for Meagan’s travel to Portland so that they could hammer out these fine details and discuss this. The thing is, Meagan has no idea what Glory wants to talk about. For Braddock, this is all part of her strategy. Meagan is a cunning and ruthless businesswoman and has her own ties to organized crime. She may hold some information over Meagan’s head that gives her power over her but Glory realizes that she has to always be at the top of her game when dealing with Meagan. So she wants to take Meagan Collins off guard with the subject of the assassination attempt on Jennifer Alan. She doesn’t want Meagan to have any time to prepare a potential lie or cover story. The British Bombshell wants the truth from Collins and she will do whatever it takes to get to the truth.



Glory impatiently keeps checking her watch. Technically Meagan is late but only by two minutes. And Glory has been waiting here in the lobby for a long time. She got here far earlier than she needed to; but this is all because of the paranoia and nervousness that has built up in Glory’s mind. She just wants Meagan to hurry up and get here so that she can get the answers that she wants, that she demands…



“Glo!” That jovial, almost crazed voice is unmistakable. Braddock turns and spots Meagan Collins making her way through the automatic doors that lead into this hotel lobby. The brunette is wearing denim shorts, flip flops, and a black t-shirt with the word “Evil” embroidered on the front in hot pink lettering. Meagan is eccentric but she is damn good at what she does and what she does is oftentimes illegal. Is she the one responsible for the attack on Jennifer Alan? This is what The British Bombshell wants to find out.



Braddock stands up to greet Meagan. Immediately Glory’s assistant outstretches her arms and embraces Glory in a tight embrace, almost as if they were close friends. And it wasn’t but just a few days ago Glory considered her a friend. Did she trust her? No, she didn’t; still, she was a friend. It may not make sense to people but it made sense in Glory’s mind. But now she isn’t sure if she can even consider this woman her friend, especially if she has jeopardized Glory’s livelihood in this assassination attempt on Jennifer Alan.



Glory gently pushes Meagan away, breaking the embrace. “Hold off on the hugging, mate. You may not want to do much hugging after we’re done here.”



“Am I trouble?” Meagan asks, playfully pouting. It is almost as if she knows she is in trouble for something but doesn’t really care. That would certainly be Meagan’s M.O. Glory sighs and shakes her head.



“We need to talk.”



“Sure!”



Meagan sits down on the sofa. Glory looks at her and frowns. “No, I don’t think talking in such a public place would be advisable.”



“Why not?”



“Just follow me outside, Meagan.”



Glory is doing her best to maintain her composure. The frustration and anger is building up again but she realizes she cannot lose control. She knows that while she is doing her best to control it, she still has a case of the post traumatic stress disorder that can creep up at any time. It can take control of her and if it does she knows she will go into a rage. She needs to control herself.



The British Bombshell waits for Meagan to stand back up. Then Glory leads her assistant back through the lobby and out of the automatic doors. Once Braddock and Collins find themselves outside, they go to a dark corner nearby where they can talk without any listening ears.



“Seriously, babe, what’s this about? I mean, I don’t mind travel and all, and I gotta admit I loved the first class shit hotel and flight and dining you gave me to get me down here…”



“Yes, well I knew convincing you to come down here with such short notice would be difficult. Hence I provided the incentives.”



“And I appreciate them!” Meagan says, beaming from ear to ear. “But c’mon, there’s gotta be a reason you’re dragging me out here to this dump.”



“Portland is a dump?” Glory asks curiously. Meagan nods her head.



“Yes, of course it is! Have you seen the people here?!” Meagan playfully pats Glory on the head, as if she were a puppy. “Sorry you have to compete here today. Stupid Sasha D bringing you out here! She deserves a spanking…”



“A spanking…”



“Yeah a spanking…” Meagan chuckles “...ok, yeah, I just realized how kinky that sounds!”



“Look, we’re getting off track.” Braddock shakes her head as she continues to try and maintain her composure and resist the urge to strangle Meagan. “I wanted you to come out here and I wouldn’t have asked you to make this trip if it weren’t for a good reason.”



“Ok then, what is it? I’ve been trying to get that out of you since I got here but you started yapping about wanting to spank Sasha you naughty girl.” Meagan winks at Glory. The British Bombshell sighs deeply.



“Jennifer Alan…”



“Who?”



“Don’t play dumb, Megs. You know damn well who Jennifer Alan is.”



“No, seriously, I don’t.”



“You’re lying. You used to work for her, Meagan. She used to run Global Division of Wrestling.”



“Oh THAT Jennifer Alan!” Meagan exclaims. “I thought you meant that lady on the syrup bottle!”



“Just tell me what you know about Jennifer Alan.”



“Great hair! Horrible complexion, though…”



“I meant what have you heard about her lately?”



“Oh…” Meagan shrugs her shoulders “...well nothing. I think she’s been trying to lay low since her brother’s trial began. Though she may be called as a witness by prosecutors. At least that’s what I’m hearing.”



“Funny you should say that, because I heard that Aurora Alan may also be called as a witness in the trial.”



“Who told you that?” Meagan asks curiously.



“Aurora Alan. She also told me about how some gunmen shot at Jennifer’s home earlier this week. Now gee, I wonder how that could have happened?”



“Oh well first you have to buy a gun. Then you have to get a reliable car that can get you to where you need to go. Oh and maybe a smart device with good GPS that can direct you to Jenn’s home. And then get out of the car and shoot!”



Meagan is making an absolute joke out of all of this. She has been making a joke out of this since her arrival. Glory Braddock has done her best to contain her anger but she has finally snapped. The British Bombshell reaches out and grabs Meagan by her throat. Glory pushes her back against a nearby wall.



“All I have to do is squeeze…”



“And all I have to do is scream…”



Glory pauses momentarily to think about her options. A part of her does want to choke the life out of Meagan right then and there. But the logical part of her mind suddenly retakes control. Glory releases her grip on Meagan.



“I’m sorry, Meagan. But you did provoke me…”



“Yeah, I tend to provoke a lot of people. It’s just my personality.”



“I can tell. But what about the Jennifer Alan shooting. What do you know about it?”



“Absolutely nothing.” Meagan says, claiming innocence.



“Is that the truth?”



“Of course it is! What could I possibly know about…” Meagan furrows her brow “...wait a sec, you think I had something to do with it, don’t you?”



“Yes I do. And before you start with any righteous indignation act, let me remind you why you are working for me in the first place. We may be friendly with one another now but this relationship didn’t begin out of friendship. It began because you have dealings with organized crime and I have evidence to prove it. I have evidence to put you away for a very long time. So don’t stand there and act innocent. Don’t pretend that you are incapable of having someone like Jennifer gunned down.”



“I did NOT shoot up Jennifer’s home. I even have an alibi! I was with my husband Mikey all day long!”



“Nice attempt at a dodge but that’s not what I asked. Did you order that hit? Did you tell someone else to kill her?”



“What’s with these questions?!” Meagan exclaims. “Seriously, does it really matter in the grand scheme of things who shot at ol’ Jenn Jenn? We both know someone associated with the Alan family tried to kill you...twice...and both times they ended up injuring a member of your family.”



Meagan pokes Glory in the chest. “Look, if you haven’t figured it out yet, someone is trying to kill you. Someone wants you dead. I have no idea who shot at Jenn Jenn’s home, but maybe this’ll send a message to them? Maybe this will make them stop?”



Braddock has to admit that Meagan raises a good point. Still, she wants her answer one way or the other. Glory puts her hands on her hips and stares a hole through Meagan. “You still avoided the question. Did you or did you not order the hit?”



“I don’t think you want to know the answer to that question, Glory. Plausible deniability is an awesome thing, y’know?”



“I don’t give a fucking shit anymore!” Glory is in another angry rage. Meagan can see the incensed look in her eyes and realizes that it may be best to just give Braddock the answer that she wants.



“Fine. Yes, I sent the hitmen after Jennifer.”



“Bloody hell!” Glory exclaims. The beautiful blonde begins to pace back and forth, exasperating as she breathes in and out deeply, trying to maintain her composure.



“I’m sorry, Glory, but this is on you.”



“How the hell is it on me?!” Glory demands angrily.



“I told you that someone with connections to the Alan family tried to assassinate you. I told you that the same ones behind the shooting that hurt your husband were also behind the shooting that put your mother in the hospital. And you told me to take care of it.”



“Yeah, but I didn’t tell you to try and kill anyone!”



“You weren’t very specific now were you?” Meagan asks with a wry grin. “If I recall, I told you that you were too vague in your request. I told you that you needed to be more specific. But you told me you didn’t care how I handled it, you just wanted me to handle it for you because you were too busy with the other things on your mind...your precious company, your wrestling school, your family of course, and your little wrestling career.” Meagan chuckles.



“You wouldn’t dare!” Glory exclaims angrily, approaching Meagan in a threatening manner. Meagan immediately backs off and shields herself with her hands.



“Whoa, whoa, whoa! I’m just kidding, babe! Your hands are clean of all of this! I covered your tracks completely and I did my best to cover mine. Even if authorities figure this out they’ll find me out as the mastermind and you…” Meagan looks at Glory and rolls her eyes “...little miss prim and proper princess who can do no wrong. You’re just another unfortunate victim of Meagan Collins. At least you will be in the mind of the authorities.”



“This is getting out of control.” Glory shakes her head. “I didn’t intend for this to escalate. I didn’t intend for you to do that!”



“Well you should have been more specific with your instructions. Remember who you hired…” Meagan smirks “...or rather, remember who you blackmailed. Like you said, I deal in this kinda criminal stuff all the freaking time. And you gave me carte blanche to deal with this problem however I wanted to; so I dealt with it the best way I knew how.”



“I need to fix this. I need to do the right thing. I need…”



“Stop right there, babe. Stop and take a deep breath.” Glory does as she is told and takes a deep breath. “Now look, Glory, you talk about right and wrong but really, isn’t right and wrong just subjective?”



“No!” Glory exclaims defiantly. “Not for everything! There are some things that are just never ever right under any circumstances! Murder is never right! And that’s what you tried to do in MY name!”



“Yes I did, but think about this; what do you want more than anything else?”



“Where are you going with this Meagan?”



“I mean, why did you hire that stupid private investigator to dig up the dirt you used to blackmail me with? Why did you use my unique skill set to manipulate your way into total control over the board of directors at your company? Why did you do all of that?”



“Because it is my company and I know what is best for my company. I cannot deal with board of directors constantly trying to undermine me or threaten me.”



Glory, if you go and do something rash, you risk eradicating all of this progress we’ve made.”



Glory shakes her head. “But Jennifer…”



“Do not worry about her, babe.” Meagan wraps a comforting arm around Glory’s shoulder. “I’m sure that shooting scared her enough to call off the dogs. But if there’s any retaliation you just let me deal with it, ok?”



“That’s the thing!” Glory exclaims wildly. “There’s already been retaliation!”



“What?!”



“Yes. Kurt and I were on our home from my...ahem...psychiatric session…”



“Your loony bin talk.”



“Whatever.” Glory sighs out of frustration. “We were on our way home and we were attacked by more gunmen.”



“Where? Outside of his office or at home?”



“On the road! They shot at our windows and finally the tires, causing Kurt to lose control. He hit a power pole.”



“Were either of you hurt?” Meagan asks, sounding genuinely concerned. Glory nods her head.



“Kurt’s ribs are hurt. I was lucky and had no real injuries; I was just shaken up by the whole ordeal.”



“If they wanted to kill you they would have. This was done to send a message.”



“What message?!”



“Who knows? But I’ll talk to my people and see what I can find out.”



“Look Meagan, I do not want to be involved in this any longer!” Glory exclaims as she shakes her head vehemently. “This is getting far too deep for my liking. I want out...I want…”



“No, you do not want that.”



“I know damn well what I want and I want out of this! I want this to stop! I want the violence to stop! I just want…”



“Calm down…” Meagan places a comforting hand on Glory’s shoulder.



“I just don’t want to be involved in this anymore. I’m no criminal.”



“No, you’re not. So you leave it to me to deal with this. Ok?”



“Yeah…ok…”



“You do want to keep your hands clean of this, because you’re no criminal.”



“Right...I’m not a criminal…”



“Exactly.” Meagan embraces Glory in a tight hug. “You are no criminal.”



“Thank you, Meagan. I don’t know what I would do without you.”



==========

September 11th, 2020

Vancouver, BC, Canada

Off Camera

==========



The concrete floor is gray and the walls are painted an off-white color, at least the walls that still have paint on them, as most of the paint on the walls have begun to peel. There is a standard wrestling set up in the center, weights scattered all over the floor. At one of the far ends of the room is a red heavy bag. The lovely Glory Braddock is standing there at the heavy bag dressed in a pair of workout shorts, black tanktop, and her long gorgeous blonde locks of hair are pulled into a ponytail in the back, as she viciously attacks the heavy bag with her well-educated feet. Sweat is pouring from her forehead as she intensely throws fists and kicks at the punching bag. Yet, as strange as it may be, her focus even now is divided.



Distraction is expected when you have been attacked by gunmen three times. Once was outside of a hotel, another time outside of a church, and the most recent time on a highway which resulted in Glory and her husband Kurt wrecking their vehicle. Braddock’s associate, Meagan, believes that these were all messages being sent by organized crime, most likely those connected to the powerful family that founded the company Glory now owns, the Alan family. A retaliatory attack was ordered by Meagan Collins against Jennifer Alan, Matthew Alan’s sister. Luckily no one was injured and the authorities do not suspect her. They suspect that Matthew Alan himself may be trying to silence potential witnesses, his own family included, who are going to testify against him in his ongoing trial. Glory does feel safe knowing that authorities do not yet suspect her involvement but still, she wants out of this before she gets too deep in it because one thing she is not is a gangster.



Every so often she casts a curious gaze at her iPhone, which sits by her gym bag a few feet away. Braddock knows that training for her title match should be the only thing on her mind right now but she is equally as focused on her corporate dealings. And so she is awaiting a call from the President of her company, Francis Taylor. A few moments later she hears the familiar ringing. Glory immediately stops taking on the heavy bag. She marches towards her phone, picks it up, and looks at the front: the caller ID identifies it is indeed Francis, and that she is requesting a face time call. Glory answers the call and smiles warmly upon seeing Francis Taylor appear on the screen.



“Hello Francis. How are you?”



“I’m doing wonderful, Ms. Braddock.”



“Please, there is no need to be so damned formal. Call me Glory.”



Taylor nods her head. “Very well, Glory. Just calling you as you requested.”



“Thank you. I only wish we could have met in person. You did get my ticket to Apocalypse?”



“Yes, I got the backstage pass as well, but unfortunately more pressing matters are keeping me here in the corporate offices at Miami.”



Glory nods her head; with all of the recent string of incidents that have sprung up surrounding her company she anticipated that her president would end up with quite the hefty workload upon her shoulders. The British Bombshell picks up a white towel and wipes the sweat from her face. Then she finds a seat on a black steel folding chair close to the wrestling ring set up nearby.



“So what is going on at corporate?”



“Do you really have to ask, Ms. Bra...Glory?”



Braddock sighs deeply. “The Jennifer Alan shooting.”



“That and the recent attack on you and your husband.”



“I never reported that.” Glory seems genuinely shocked and surprised to hear this from Francis Taylor. “How did that get out?”



“I have no idea but it certainly wasn’t me, nor was it Meagan. Yet somehow the Board of Directors knew of both incidents. They also know that the FBI is actively investigating the possibility of Matthew Alan’s involvement in organized crime.”



“How does this impact my standing with the Board?”



“Quite well, actually.” Francis says with a prideful smile. “At first the Board refused to believe in the potential of Matthew Alan being tied to organized crime, but that was before Joshua Hernandez was arrested. You wouldn’t know anything about that, would you Glory?”



“Nothing at all.” This is, of course, a lie. Glory was the one who tipped the FBI agents off to Hernandez and his ties to organized crime. Francis herself can safely assume that it was Glory who tipped them off. But this fact goes unsaid and spoken by the two women. It is best that way.



“Very good. While this certainly does not prove Matthew himself had any ties to organized crime, it did cast the entire faction of Matthew Alan supporters in a very poor light. From what I hear Hernandez was taken by surprise by his arrest and is spilling the beans on a great many secrets. I wouldn’t be surprised if more Alan family supporters weren’t arrested before this is all said and done.”



A confident grin forms on the face of The British Bombshell. This is the absolute best news she has heard in the past two weeks. Everything seems to be coming together, she seemingly has things under control. Her enemies are seemingly done for and all that remains is to ensure that none of this is traceable back to her.



“You have done a good job, Francis. Thank you for handling this for me.”



“There is one final thing I would like to ask you about, if you have time.”



“Sure. What is it?”



“With this recent investigation into our company’s former owner, with this recent string of attacks that could be connected to him, we could end up becoming a target of the investigation. So I have to know…” Francis pauses to consider her next words carefully “...off the record…”



“Off the record.” Glory replies, nodding her head.



“Yes, off the record...did you have anything to do with any of this?”



Glory knows that Francis is asking for an honest answer. That is what “off the record” implies. But can Glory trust Francis with the truth? Braddock was taught in the corporate world to trust no one unless you hold something over them. That is why she does trust Meagan, she holds something over her head to keep her loyal. She does not have Francis Taylor’s loyalty guaranteed. Braddock opts for safety and shakes her head.



“No, not at all.”



“Is that the truth?”



Francis doesn’t quite believer her boss and is pressuring for more information. Glory can tell and is growing frustrated. But then she hears the door to this private gym opening up. She spots Meagan Collins making her way over in her direction. Braddock looks down at Francis.



“We can talk about this later.” Glory hangs up abruptly on Francis. She quickly puts her phone away just as Meagan Collins arrives. The devious woman has a grin on her face.



“Did I interrupt anything important, Glo?”



“Nothing important.”



“It has to be important to keep a workhorse like you away from all that bleeding, sweating, and crying the way you do!”



raddock rolls her eyes. “Funny, Megs.”



“It’s true! But uh, seriously though, I would think you’d be a mite more concerned about wrestling, training, blah blah bah, and that crap than your company in Miami, especially since ya got Francis down there handling things for you.”



“And that’s who I was talking to.” Glory answers immediately, sharply. Meagan’s eyes immediately grow wide. A sense of nervousness washes over her.



“What did she want to know?”



“She wanted to know nothing. I asked her to call me.”



“What was the conversation about?”



“Bloody hell, Meagan, calm down. It was just boring corporate stuff, I assure you.”



“Crap, crap, crap!” Meagan starts pacing the floor. Glory watches her curiously.



“We just spoke about the business. What is any of that to you, mate?”



“Because we are under the microscope, Glory!” Meagan exclaims. “Look, you’ve been kept in the dark for so long and you’ve been silent and kept innocent for so long that you have become delusional! Absolutely delusional!”



“How am I delusional?” Glory asks. Meagan is so erratic and upset right now that she doesn’t notice Braddock retrieving her phone and dialing a number.



“You want the hard truth, Glory?!”



“Yeah, I’d like the truth, mate, because quite frankly I’m bloody sick and tired of being lied to and manipulated at every turn.”



“Yeah, well you’ve been manipulated for a long damn time.” Meagan’s eyes grow narrow and more intense. “You may think Matthew Alan and his connection to organized crime is your only problem but you have no idea how much that his ties to organized crime have permeated your company!”



“I am beginning to gain some knowledge of it, Meagan.” Glory says with a knowing smirk on her face. “Did you hear that Hernandez was arrested?”



“What?!” Meagan cries out in shock.



“It turns out that he was involved in organized crime. He helped Matthew Alan maintain influence over my company for a long time after he lost it. And he wasn’t the only one involved, apparently.”



Almost as if on cue the doors to the gym burst open and local authorities, police, and other agents come bursting in the room They surround Meagan Collins and Glory Braddock. Meagan looks too stunned to move and her arms are raised high in the air. Glory just looks back with a smirk on her face.



“Hernandez cut a deal with the FBI. He has agreed to testify against Matthew Alan and talk about some of the deeper rooted problems within the company in exchange for leniency. I had no idea that you were involved with this, Meagan.” She shakes her head with a faked look of disappointment. “Such a shame.”



Meagan Collins is handcuffed with her hands behind her back. Meagan glares angrily at Glory. “You…”



“I expected better of you, Meagan. My company is an upright place for good people. I cannot imagine you would have orchestrated such despicable acts.”



Glory continues to stare at Meagan with a confident smirk. Meagan’s look of contempt slowly shifts from acceptance of her fate to a sly grin of her own. She did, after all, have to realize that eventually she would go down. Glory Braddock had damning evidence against her already; it was only a matter of time before Glory found Meagan to be no longer useful and turned her in. Glory though is turning her in because Meagan has become a liability. Glory Braddock is not a gangster and she cannot allow these recent string of attacks to be traced back to her. She had to turn Meagan in.



“I suppose this was going to happen eventually.”



“You can’t escape justice forever, Meagan.”



Those are the final words these two former friends exchange before the authorities drag Meagan Collins away. Glory is surprised that this devious, manipulative woman took her downfall as well as she did. But now that Meagan is out of the picture Glory is definitively cleared of any potential charges that would have come her way. Glory Braddock sets her phone down and approaches the ring. She sits upon the edge of apron and sighs deeply, contemplating her future. She doesn’t get much time to think before she hears another door opening, a door from the back. A warm smile forms upon her lovely face.



“Did you enjoy the show, love?”



A few moments later Kurt Logan, Glory’s loyal and supportive husband, enters into view. He stares at her stoically and nods his head. “You did the right thing.”



“Did I?”



“Yes. I admit, I do not like how you chose to do it, but you did the right thing by getting Meagan Collins out of your life.”



“Maybe so but this only solves one small problem.”



“I think potentially having yourself or your company go under was a pretty damn big problem you dealt with, Glory.”



“In the grand scheme of things? Are you sure?” Glory sighs. “I mean, yes, I’m in the clear. But are my problems with organized crime truly over? If there is a faction of Matthew Alan supporters willing to go that far to take me down, who is to say they’re going to stop now?”



“Fair point.” Kurt admits, nodding his head.



“All of this happened because of what I did, Kurt. All of this happened because I wanted unlimited and unquestioned power within my company. That drive for power made me paranoid and caused my mental issues to resurface. And those mental issues are not going away anytime soon, Kurt. My drive for more power isn’t going away either.” Braddock shakes her head. “That isn’t me…”



“I wasn’t going to say anything, but you’re right. It isn’t you.”



“What happens if I keep going down this path I’m on? Between Meagan Collins and Aphrodite Noel I’ve learned a great deal about how to win and maintain power. I’ve hurt a lot of people on my way to maintaining my power and I even hurt and betrayed both of them in the process.”



“So what do you want to do?”



“I don’t know.” Glory shrugs her shoulders. “I am at a crossroads. I could stay on this path but these past two weeks gave me a reality check. It gave me a true glimpse into my future. I will be constantly paranoid, constantly looking over my shoulder at possible enemies looking to betray me, looking to do to me what I just did to Meagan.”



“Or you could change your ways.”



“Yeah, and risk losing everything I have fought to obtain.”



Glory hops off of the ring apron and approaches the heavy bag. She resumes smacking it with closed left and right hands as well as a few martial arts kicks mixed in here and there. Kurt studies his wife for a few moments before speaking.



“Well?”



“Well what?”



“What are you going to do?”