Post by Sebastian Everett-Bryce on Aug 29, 2022 17:43:56 GMT -5
Tuesday, 23rd August, 2022 - New York City, New York
The reality of the situation within which Sebastian Everett-Bryce had found himself was simple. The love of his life was now in the unofficial employ of his two-faced, conniving, backstabbing father and wouldn’t hear a word said against him. Why? Because he was fantastic at being two-faced and conniving, right up until the moment the blade slipped between your shoulder blades. Granted, Seb had to admit, his actions back in June had been somewhat overzealous, and whilst he fully accepted that fact, it didn’t alter the outcome.
Sebastian was no longer allowed to accompany Sloane to the events at which she was required.
Such an event had taken place the previous Wednesday evening - Sloane Taylor had left the Chelsea home in which they were staying for a few days in advance of Valor in the Streets of London, wearing a floor length, navy blue gown. It hugged her figure perfectly. She had worn more revealing outfits before, but it was a dress that teased sex appeal rather than outwardly stating it boldly. She had looked incredibly beautiful.
And that had made Sebastian nervous.
Returning home from the party, Sloane had been quiet. She was her usual self, but she barely spoke of the night. She looked fine - had no signs that anything had happened, but each time he brought it up she’d brush it off with a simple ‘It was a beautiful evening - pretty quiet.’ and then change the subject to one of the upcoming matches they both had, or Atara’s wedding.
In the wake of the Valor event - one in which both Seb and Sloane had been unsuccessful - they had made the decision to step back from the promotion. Both had loved their time there, and whilst they could both owe much to the company that had helped to bring Sloane back into the business when she hadn’t been sure she would ever return, they couldn’t help but want to take away some of the travel. It was a tough road schedule.
In the two weeks following EXP 30, their itinerary took them to London for Valor, back to Chicago for Synergy. A night in New York, then back to London for a couple of days, before heading to Greece for the wedding of Atty and James Raven. Next they flew into Newport Rhode Island (which isn’t in New York) to watch Thad and Lauren in the Margarita Mix before jetting out to South Carolina for UGWC’s Run of the Mill Pay Per View and then finally to El Paso for Combat Evolved. They knew it wasn’t the most hectic schedule, and that there were always people travelling more, working more, but it didn’t change the fact that until this year neither Seb nor Sloane had to travel outside of Chicago more than once a month unless they chose to. That had long since changed.
In that two weeks, they will have spent a grand total of four days in their dream apartment. Given that they’d moved to spend more time in a home they’d chosen together, that wasn’t exactly ideal. Without Valor, they wouldn’t have spent almost five additional days in London. Which means Sloane would never have attended the event and they would never have had to spend time with his father - something Seb wouldn’t have had any problem with avoiding for as long as humanly possible.
Finally back in New York, Seb had arranged to meet with Cypher. He had a favour to ask, and in return he offered his own advice on a subject that was outside of Tyler’s comfort zone. Seb couldn’t help but chuckle at a problem that Cyph couldn’t fix by hacking. There was no logic here. No strategy that could be applied to try and game the system. Ergo, Tyler had been forced to approach the subject in a more traditional way - and so he’d engaged Seb for help. In return, he’d asked for a small favour.
Seb knew that at the event that night the plan had been for Sloane to wear a wire so that she could collect the of the guests that happened to engage her. Seb also knew that there would be surveillance cameras at the event too - Clemence would never risk not knowing every movement in that room. And so, he’d asked Cypher to pull the recordings for him. There was no way he was going to get straight answers from Sloane, nor was he likely to get anything from Jessops of his father. They were perfectly happy for Seb to stew in the mystery of it all.
Sloane was asleep - Seb was awake early, out on their Terrace with a hot pot of tea sat next to a laptop. He’d received a package late the previous night - an envelope with a USB drive and an air gapped laptop inside. Seb had, of course, foot the bill for the laptop but Tyler had recommended keeping one at all times - completely untouched by the internet. True to form, when Seb had connected the thumb drive to the laptop, the contents were gibberish. The file was encrypted. He’d reached out to Tyler by text, and he’d received a reply at some point during the night.
‘lol. newb. Call u in the morning.’
And so Seb had replied when he’d woken, before setting up outside the apartment. Finally, his phone began to ring. Seb picked it up and placed in his headphones before answering.
“I was concerned I’d be sat here all day - you surprise me waking up this early.” Said Seb.
“Waking up?” Cypher replied, before making a loud slurping noise. “The night is still young, bro.”
“Is that Monster?” Seb asked. “Are you drinking Monster at seven am?”
“Are you sat up drinking tea at seven am? Tea sucks. Monster rocks. Ya boi needs his gamer fuel.” Said Cypher. Seb took a deep breath and rubbed the bridge of his nose.
“Right.” Said Seb. “Well, I wouldn’t want to keep you from pwning nerds on Fortnite…” Said Seb.
“Bro, what the fuck? I resent that.” Said Cypher. “It’s CS GO.”
“I have no idea what that is.” Said Seb shaking his head. “Can we just… It’s early, and there’s a beautiful woman asleep upstairs that I’d quite like to wake up joyfully.”
“Dude, you’re cheating on Sloane!?” Said Cypher.
“Tyler…” Said Seb dangerously.
“Ha, gottem. Just trolling ya.” Said Cypher with a chuckle. “You managed to decrypt the files yet?”
“And how, pray tell, would I do that?” Asked Seb. “I have no concept of how I would even begin to…”
“Just press your thumb on the thumb drive.” Said Cypher with a distinctive hint of mockery in his voice. “Duh.”
“Oh.” Said Seb, before gripping the top of the USB drive and holding his thumb in place. A moment later, a black screen with letters and symbols popped up, and the letters and symbols began to scroll quickly off screen.
“It’s called code.” Said Tyler.
Alright, no need to be a dick about it. Anyway, the code ran, and a moment later the folder refreshed. There were three subfolders inside. Surveillance. Private. Other.
“Alright what am I looking at?” Asked Seb.
“Three folders - in the first one, it’s the surveillance footage from when Sloane entered to when she was left. I pulled the audio feed from the wire and the surveillance footage from all the cameras. I ran it through a piece of software and now the audio lines up with the footage. You can click to switch between cameras and it’ll give you different angles.” Said Cypher.
“Holy shit, Tyler.” Said Seb. “When this deal for Veneras is complete, I might have a job for you.”
“Jobs are for ordinary people, Seb. I’m extraordinary.” Said Cypher. Seb rolled his eyes, but thought better of trying to argue.
“Alright, what about the other folders?” Said Seb. “What’s this private one.”
“Heh.” Responded Cypher. “That’s… Heh.”
“Tyler, what did you do?” Asked Seb.
“Oh no, I didn’t do anything. You did though. Heh.” Said Cypher knowingly. “I found this when I was browsing the other files they kept. This was the only one, but… Well…”
“What is it Tyler?” Seb asked, pointedly.
“Let’s just say, I don’t think you and Sloane knew that there were security cameras in this particular location.” Said Cypher.
“Oh… Oh no…” Said Seb wide eyed. “Sloane will die. Literally die.”
“It’s fine, I wiped it from the server. I made a copy for you, in case you were interested. But I didn’t even make a copy for myself. I didn’t even watch it. I only saw the start and I checked the end to make sure it was what I thought it was. Heh. It was.” Said Cypher.
“Only you could somehow do something good and make it really creepy.” Said Seb.
“About time you praised my abilities.” Said Cypher. “Anyway, the last folder is just a whole mess of nonsense. I broke into it, but it’s all coded.”
“More encryption?” Asked Seb.
“Nah, bro. More like someone has their own code - I ran it through a bunch of algorithms but it didn’t come back with much. Usually when that’s the case, it’s not a standard code, just something someone made up off the top of their head. But I figured you might be able to do something with it.” Said Cypher. “Oh, and I included the security details for all your dad’s properties. Figure you could do with knowing where all the cameras are…”
“Thank you, Tyler.” Said Seb. “Seriously....”
“It’s cool, dude - it was fun.” Said Cypher.
“Plus it felt good to help out a friend didn’t it?” Said Seb, nodding his head sagely.
“I’ll never admit that, and you know it.” Said Cypher. Seb closed his eyes and rubbed the bridge of his nose for a second time.
“Thank you again, Tyler.” Said Seb.
“No problem, Seb.” Said Cypher, before the call ended.
Seb leaned back in his seat, the pointer of his mouse hovering over the folder. He paused for a second, unsure of whether it was the right thing to do. Afterall, did he really need to see? Was it honestly going to tell him anything he didn’t already know?
But after double clicking into the folder, and hanging the pointer over the file, he knew the answer to that question already. He had to know - he had to see. Just knowing that it existed and not looking would drive him insane.
He double clicked the mouse, and leaned back in his seat as he watched. The video was from a distance, and in black and white, and really ancient looking. And honestly, not the best quality. But it was also from the inside of a bedroom.
“Why the hell is there a camera in there?!” Seb said to himself, before tilting his head slowly. “I don’t remember THAT position…”
“Morning!” Called Sloane from the doorway. Seb scrambled to shut the lid of the laptop quickly. “Everything… Okay?”
“Yes, yes!” Said Seb, clearing his throat. “I was just looking for a surprise for you - but you caught me.”
Sloane eyed him suspiciously.
“Mmhmm.” She said, “Show me…”
“I really don’t think that’s a…” Seb said, but she was quicker than him. She pulled open the laptop and, in a really helpful feature that Seb didn’t know was a thing, the video started to play again.
“Sebastian!!!” Sloane said. “Is that us!?”
“... Maybe.” Seb said. “It wasn’t me! It was Tyler… Wait, no, it wasn’t Tyler. He didn’t make the video. I just mean that he was doing something for me and he found it on a server… He deleted it! Didn’t even watch!”
Sloane’s eyes were wide, and then her head tilted.
“I don’t remember us trying that position…” She said, before leaning closer to the screen. “Seb… That’s not us.”
“What? Don’t be… Of course it… ” Seb said, before his eyes focused on the image in front of them. But Sloane was right - it wasn’t them. There was something different about the couple on screen. Oof. Tyler had made some kind of mistake. “Oh my god… It’s not us…”
“Who is it then?” Asked Sloane, as they both leaned closer to the screen. “Oh my god… Seb turn it off…”
“What?” Seb asked. “Why? Who is…”
“It’s….” Sloane began, but Seb paused, his eyes wide before slamming the lid shut, and suddenly turning a shade of green. “Your… Parents…”
Seb kept his eyes closed for a second, before his phone vibrated on the table. Seb reached over and picked it up. He let out a low growl, before turning the phone to face Sloane.
‘lol. Now THATS 4 the sex robot stuff.’
“I’m going to kill him.” Said Seb, before Sloane began to giggle and pulled him into a comforting hug.
Hello Cat,
Almost two months ago I sent out a simple tweet - Who’s next? The answer, by all accounts was you. I’m not going to claim some kind of devine understanding of the Universe and claim that I knew it would be you. And I’ll let you into a little secret - I can’t even say I wanted it to be you. Not because I didn’t or because I thought there was someone I wanted to fight more, but because in the spirit of open challenges this was exactly as it was supposed to be. Could have been you. Could have been Lord Raab. Could have been Jenny who does Larry Tact’s make up. Could have been the guy who scrapes the chewing tobacco up out of Ziggy’s lockeroom. It could have been anyone.
But it was you.
I could never have guessed, but I was pleasantly surprised. Afterall, you’re Catalina Cortes. And that means something to anyone that’s been paying attention for the last couple of years. I know, I know - you took a bit of a break once Carnage met it’s unfortunate demise, but before that you were the final ever Carnage Wrestling World Heavyweight Champion. And since the moment you stepped into the ring in Level Up, every single person has been waiting for the moment in which you step into the ring to fight for the Final Boss Championship. ‘But Sebastian!’ I hear you cry. ‘Dontcha know that Super Smash Cat ALREADY had a chance to win the Level Up Final Boss Championship.
Why yes I do, thank you so much for asking.
But here’s the thing - the more people in the match, the more difficult it is to predict the outcome. I mean I put a healthy stake on Sloane to come out with the win and she punched me pretty hard in the arm when she found out, let me tell you. So, no, I’m not talking about some multi-person clusterfuck where you can do everything right and still come out second best. I’m talking about the kind of opportunity that the two of us are fighting for at Combat Evolved - one on one, nowhere to hide. Because that’s what we all want, am I right? Those of us who want to win this the right way.
We want to fight like gladiators.
But do you know why I’m looking forward to this match more than any I’ve had so far? It’s because while I treasure the chance I had to finally face Kat Jones, while I relished the opportunity I had to finally shut Dane Preston’s mouth, whilst it was fun to slap the Change out of Ziggy Morgan’s Game? This right here is the kind of challenge I came to Level Up to face. I stood by over a year ago and I watched you and Sloane tear it up in the Main Event of Incursion. And I came out to the ring that night, not as a competitor, but standing by outside of the event. I was proud of Sloane that night, and you might not care about this, but I was damn proud of you too. You were both robbed of an epic conclusion.
Despite that victory for Carnage, soon after it was gone.
So, I could argue all day who needs this more. Me, who has spent the last two years scrambling up hill to try and regain his place as a World Champion, or you who has spent the last year lamenting the fact that your incredible run was cut short through no fault of your own. But this will never be about need - this will be about want. And I’m not willing to stand here and tell you that I want it more than you, Cat - because I’ve been in the ring with you and I’ve seen with my own eyes what this business means to you. It’s about legacy. It’s about doing something that sets you apart from others who have the same name as you.
I know a little something about that.
And there’s a bold truth to the idea that we’re more alike than we may seem. Sure, you speak like you’re in the midst of a Sloane Taylor fever dream sometimes, but we’re both burdened by the terrible things attached to our names. People assume that one day, the worst will come because it’s in our blood. And yet, deep down, we both know we’re stronger than that… Better than that. We both know that what we do with the time we’re given is about more than bloodlines and genetics, it’s about proving that we’re more than what we’re expected to be, and we’re better than we’re expected to be. Sebastian Everett-Bryce and Catalina Cortes are, for all intents and purposes, two peas in a harshly judged pod.
Except for the whole, having nothing in common thing.
And yet we continue mirror one another. We arrived in Level Up on exactly the same night, and despite having been here for less than four months, one of us is the next in line to fight for the Level Up Final Boss Championship. And that’s the crux of this entire contest. You and me. A singular opportunity that no-one in Level Up has right now. Sure, Crash or Bert could walk out as the next Level Up Final Boss Champion, but they’ve been there before. Old news. Hardly anything to write home about - but Catalina Cortes, one of the biggest names in Carnage history? Or Sebastian Everett-Bryce, a UGWC Grand Slam winner? Well now…
They’re names that get people talking.
Thursday, 25th August, 2022 - Chelsea, London
Opportunity for Seb to watch the surveillance footage had been scarce in the days following what from that day forward be referred to as the “Unseen”. Seb couldn’t really complain - Sloane was at his side more often than not, as much as he wanted to get to the bottom of what had happened at the party, Seb had enjoyed the time spent with Sloane instead. Even their trip to London had been enjoyable. Sloane had been spending time with Seb’s mother. Sofia had planned out their days together before Seb and Sloane flew out to Greece for the Themis/James Raven wedding. Day one was a shopping trip to find Sloane’s perfect dress. Day two was a spa day complete with a trip to one of the most exclusive hair salons in all of London.
As it was Day One, Seb had taken the opportunity to linger back at the Chelsea house for a couple of hours longer before meeting up with his father who was spending the morning shooting peasants… Or maybe it was pheasants. With Sebastian Everett-Bryce II who could really know? Seb had chosen not to join the hunt, as for one thing he was almost entirely against it. For another, it had finally given him a chance to open up that laptop and take a look at the footage Cypher had gotten for him. He would hereon in, no longer be referred to as “Tyler” due to the “Unseen”, as the use of his name implied that they were still friends.
Seb sat down for the second time, with the laptop in front of him and a cup of English Breakfast. He pulled open the laptop screen, immediately closed down the video that attempted to play automatically, and deleted the “Private” folder.
If only it were so easy to cleanse the mind's eye.
He navigated to the folder labeled surveillance and opened it. There was a single file inside.
“If this is just a close up of my parents, Cypher, I swear to god…” Seb said as he double clicked the file. Instinctively, he closed his eyes. He slowly opened one eye, and spotted Sloane slowly walking into the main hall at his parents estate. She had her purse clutched to her waist, clearly nervous. This was the first time she’d been alone.
“Hey baby.” He said smiling, finally opening both of his eyes and relaxing slightly. On screen, Seb saw a figure approach her - his father.
“My, my - you look exquisite my dear.” His father said.
“Oh… Well… Thank you.” Sloane said, smiling.
“By far the most beautiful woman in the room.” He added. Sloane pushed her hair back over her ear. She blushed just a little. Turns out the surveillance cameras are much better quality than whatever was in the… Unseen… “Don’t worry about tonight - no special asks or tasks. All you have to do is circle the room - your microphone will pick up what we need.”
“Okay.” Said Slane smiling. “Okay I can do that.”
“And you are just Sloane tonight, my dear. No need for any false names - everyone here knows you and Sebastian are an item.” His father said.
“Oh good… That’s good…” Sloane said. Seb could see her decompress, the nerves fading almost instantly. “Anyone in particular?”
“I imagine they’ll come to you.” Said Sebs’ father, before he leaned close into her, and placed his hand open her exposed shoulder. “They’ll want to impress you… Given that you have the ear of the heir to the crown.”
“Right.” Said Sloane, laughing nervously. “Of course. And… Where are we saying Seb is tonight?”
“We don’t offer excuses - he’s not here. That’s all the sheep need to know.” Said his father. “You are a lioness.”
“Oh! Like the Lannisters!” Said Sloane smiling widely. Seb was amused when his father offered no sense that he had any idea what she was talking about. “You know… Game of Thrones… The TV show? Sean Bean…”
Sloane made a wild, throat slitting motion with her finger, complete with protruding tongue and crossed eyes that were entirely at odds with her attire.
“Yes… Quite…” Said his father. “Anyway, Clemence will be in your ear all night. He’ll be quiet unless he has to be. He’s just monitoring the information that you get. Okay?”
“Yeah… Yeah okay.” Sloane said, smiling nervously.
“You’ll be fine.” Said Seb’s father, before leaning forward and placing a kiss on her cheek. In that moment, Seb wanted to reach into the screen and choke the life out of his dad. Instead, he leaned back and huffed slightly.
… Perhaps they had a point in keeping him away.
“Alright, Sloane…” She said shuffling for a second. “What would Sheridan do? What would Sheridan do?”
She took a deep breath, giggled at the prospect, and then walked towards the bar with her head held high.
The event itself was fairly innocuous. And had started off rather pleasantly - husbands introducing their wives. Sloane was entirely charming, and she did a fantastic job in gathering some subtle hints that may have been useful for Seb’s father. One of the wives pulled Sloane aside to warn her about a man by the name of Paul Abbott-Westlake - a married man who had been having an affair with a woman around Sloane’s age until just six weeks earlier, when she’d left him after realising that he would never leave his wife.
Clemence had chuckled at this revelation. Paul Abbott-Westlake was head of the committee that approved new building developments in London. Within the hour, they’d have all the details of the sordid affair and guaranteed permission to build anywhere they chose.
“Well done, Sloane.” Said Jessops in her ear. The sudden incursion made both Seb and Sloane jump. “Finally you’ve found something at your level - standing there and saying nothing.”
Sloane’s lip quivered for a second, before she composed herself. Seb’s hands were balled into fists.
As the night moved on, the mood changed. Less husbands with their wives and more their older children. The men who would replace their fathers as Lords or CEO’s. One by one they would approach and spill their secrets to try and tempt Sloane to accept more than just another drink.
She had managed to find a balance by which she would drink a little before depositing the remainder into a nearby flower pot. The plant would be dead by morning, but at least she had managed to maintain her faculties. Not everyone knew who she was or who she was with - and the reactions to finding out that she was the girlfriend of their host's son was varied. Some would immediately apologise for the intrusion. They would be courteous just long enough that it wasn’t rude to walk away and then they’d leave.
Then there were those who seemed to find the information to be a challenge.
“Well I won’t tell if you don’t…”
“It can be our little secret…”
“Maybe it’s time for an upgrade…”
With every slug like attempt to slither into her bed, Seb’s anger was rising. But that was nothing compared to Sloane - the later it got, the more drunk the attempts. And while no-one physically crossed any lines with his father’s security present, Sloane’s rebuttals had become more forceful.
“Is this almost over?” Sloane asked during a moment of respite. “I really need to take off these shoes and I want to catch Seb before he falls asleep.”
“Not much longer… And I think you’re about to catch the big one.” Said Clemence down her ear. “Don’t fuck this up.”
Sloane turned back the room at large as a man started to walk towards her. He was in his late thirties, attractive, but Sloane could tell he knew it.
“Hi.” She said, smiling as he approached. “I’m Sloane… I’m…”
“You’re at a fantastic party, with amazing company and you’re stood over here all on your own.” He said with a glance around to make sure they were alone. “If you’re too expensive for this crowd, then you must have a very extensive package.”
“Ex… Excuse you?!” Sloane asked, suddenly stiffening. “I think you’ve got this all wrong…”
“I’m not sure I have.” He said. “My name is Rowan Gardener - I’m the editor of the London Standard.”
“I don’t really care who you are…” Sloane began.
“Quiet.” Said Clemence. “He’s been posting the stories about the problems between Seb and his dad. We need this one.”
“I’m not…” Sloane said, realising that she can’t answer. She closed her eyes.
“I can pay whatever it takes.” Said Rowan, reaching out and running the back of his finger up and down Sloane’s arm. “I’m a man who likes his luxuries.”
“I’m not for sale.” Sloane said quietly. “But I’m more than happy for the two of us to talk for a while.”
“I’m not one for talk, love.” Said Rowan, before leaning forward. “And everyone has their price.”
“Just say a fucking price, girl!” Shouted Clemence down her ear. “You won’t have to do anything - we’ll drag you out of there as soon as he spills his guts. Just tell him a fucking number!”
Sloane’s entire body tensed, and Seb suddenly felt the same - his spine felt like it would shatter into a thousand pieces at any moment.
“I’m not… For Sale…” Sloane said. And Seb couldn’t help but feel as though that message was for two people at the same time. “Now if you’ll excuse me.”
“Fuck… No. Get back there. Fix this!” Said Clemence. “I swear to god…”
Sloane was breaking out into a trot, before she ran straight into another figure.
“Woah, woah, woah… What’s wrong?” Asked Seb’s father.
“I… Nothing… I’m sorry… I…” She tried to say, but she was on the verge of tears. Seb’s father held her in place and looked her in the eye.
“Is it Clemence?” He asked. “Did he ask you to do something…?”
“Ahhh fuck…” Said Clemence. Seb knew as soon as Clem did - it didn’t matter what Sloane said, his father would know the truth. There was the sound of a headset dropping down onto a desk.
And then the feed was cut.
Seb pulled out his phone and typed out a message. His hand was shaking and then he pressed send.
‘I need to talk to you. Tomorrow. The House.’
Seb waited for a moment, before his phone vibrated.
‘Be there at 12.30.’ Came the reply. And Seb did his level best to stop his hands from shaking with rage.
And why wouldn’t they? I mean let’s be realistic here - thus far, since our arrival in Level Up, the two of us have been almost flawless. Save for that one blot on your copy book at Super Adventure Island, no two superstars have been more impressive than you and I. You booked a place in the Skeleton Key match, beating superstars that we’re lauded in Fight! NYC, whilst I did likewise when I proved that Dane Preston’s victory in Fight’s final hours was little more than a fluke. He has since gone on to face one of the worst runs in his recent memory whilst I am here about to dance with a brand new partner for the first time ever.
Super… Smash… Cat.
And I’m not usually one to believe in fate, but the closure of Fight! NYC brought a number of - how did Bert put it during one of his child-like tantrums - “New York Yuppies” to Level Up allowing me to close a chapter, but also brought me here to this moment. Me and you - and while I respect everything you’ve done, and everything you will do in this business I have got to be honest here when I tell you that… I honestly don’t care what happened before or what happens after. I know how good you are, and all that means is that I’m fighting someone great when I’m greater. You know how that ends up, right, Cat? It means you lose - but at least you save face when you lose to me. And I get to tell the world I Super Smashed, Cat.
Not like THAT, Bert. Deviant.
Because for all it would benefit us, this isn’t Carnage. And it isn’t UGWC. This is the world where the game is real. And I know you know a lot about gaming. You’ve probably forgotten more about it than I’ll ever know, but I can tell you this. There’s no power-ups or extra lives when you’re in the ring with me. No checkpoints you can fall back on when things go wrong. There’s no codes to turn on god mode, and you can’t switch on automatic targeting and start swinging for the fences. When you step in the ring with me, you have to be better than what you’ve faced before. And you might be, kid - it wouldn’t be the first time that someone showed up and turned out better than they ever have to beat me. But understand this - you only ever get the very best of what I am, and if you offer anything less than that you may as well call it a day and rage quit now.
It would save you the embarrassment at Combat Evolved.
Because who I am and what I do is bring out the very best in those who stand across from me - and while some would lament that as their own doing, I would rather lose to you at your best than beat you at your worst. Because the fact is, however good you think you are, I know I can be better - because by all accounts I haven’t found that one opponent that brings out better in me than I’ve been able to bring out in myself. Maybe that’s you, Cat. Maybe that’s fate’s reason for bringing you here - maybe you’re here to help me to Level Up.
And I’ll take that chance with both hands.
I want this Cat. Maybe not more than you, but I want this more than anything I’ve wanted so far - you know why? Check McAlroy’s feed - he’s quick enough to jump up and down and wave his arms about it. Because everytime I fall one inch short, I want to jump fifteen inches higher next time. So maybe, just maybe, Cat, you’ll walk into Combat Evolved with the perfect game and the strategy that will be my undoing. Maybe, just maybe, you’ll be the one that walks out with her hand in the air, and maybe I’ll be sat licking my wounds all over again just like I’ve done so many times before.
But maybe… Just maybe… This is the one.
I like you, Cat. I do. Despite whatever you think is your destiny, I can see the good in you. That doesn’t make it easy to contemplate being the one that has to beat you. But it doesn’t make it hard either - this may not have been the match I was expecting, but it’s damn sure the one I’ve been looking forward to for the best part of the last two months. And I swear to the holy devil or whatever it is that you worship, that I’m going to give you every last drop of stamina, health, and experience I have. And when we’re done, and I’m the number one contender to the Level Up Final Boss Championship, I’ll have done it against one of the most worthy opponents I could have possibly have chosen.
No, Cat, I’ve never been one to believe in fate.
But it’s brought us together at Combat Evolved.
Now it’s up to us to define our own.
And I’m very much looking forward to it.
Friday, 26th August, 2022 - Chelsea, London
Seb barely moved from his seat all morning - from the moment that Sloane had kissed him goodbye. She knew something was bothering him, but she also knew him well enough not to push when he’d refused to tell her why. Instead, she’d made plans to treat him to a date night in London, and promised she’d pick him up a brand new outfit too. Seb had forced a smile to try and appease her, but he knew she’d see through it. They knew each other too well. It was how this entire thing had started little over a week earlier.
And so Seb sat, laptop open, his eyes focused upon the spectacularly well maintained garden at the back of the house. He wasn’t even sure what he was going to say, or how he was going to sat it - all he knew is that he had to say something. If he could do it without being carried from the house in handcuffs, all the better.
“Morning.” Came the aloof voice from the doorway behind him. Seb turned round to face Clemence as he leaned against the doorframe, typing into his phone. “You summoned me?”
“And you did as all good dogs do - you came when ordered.” Snarked Seb.
“I came because it amuses me to see what you have to say - that you think you have the power to make me do anything is laughable.” Said Clemence.
“Who do you think my father needs more, Clem? Me or you? And I suppose by extension, who do you think my father needs more? Sloane… Or you?” Seb asked. Clemence’s grin turned into a sneer. “Why don’t you take a seat?”
Clemence took a moment before deciding to walk to a nearby chair and sit down.
“Good dog - do you want a treat?” Seb asked. Clemence immediately stood back up. “Oh come on, you strike me as a man who can take a joke… You ex-military types all thrive on your back and forth, don’t you?”
“Us ex-military types know how to kill cocky little pricks with our thumbs, too.” Said Clemence. “But you don’t see me engaging in that whenever I like.”
“Touché…” Said Seb, maintaining the air of someone in a jovial mood. “Anyway, I don’t want to keep you longer than I have to. I just wanted to share something with you.”
“And what’s that?” Asked Clemence. “Something other than your dry wit, I hope?”
Seb smirked, before leaning over and pressing the spacebar on the laptop. It flickered into life, and immediately began to play. Seb tilted his head and looked Clemence in the eye as the video played out.
“I’m not one for talk, love… And everyone has their price.”
“Just say a fucking price, girl! You won’t have to do anything - we’ll drag you out of there as soon as he spills his guts. Just tell him a fucking number!”
As the video played out, Seb’s jaw began to clench, his hands started balling up again. There was no way he was making it out of this room without killing Clemence.
“Is it Clemence? Did he ask you to do something…?”
“Ahhh fuck…”
Seb reached out and pressed pause on the keyboard.
“Just name a price, Clem?” Seb said quietly, his foot tapping repeatedly on the wooden floor. “Just name… a fucking price.”
“Grow up.” Said Clemence, leaning back in his seat.
“What the fuck did you just say to me?” Seb asked, his eyes widening.
“I said grow… Up.” Jessops answered. “You think what we’re doing is for play, Sebastian? That we do these things because we just enjoy toying with you and your little American slut…”
Seb jumped out of his seat and gripped Clemence by the throat. He pushed him back hard into the chair.
“This isn’t the first time I’ve warned you, you greasy little prick. Give me one good reason that I shouldn’t tear your fucking tongue out.” Said Seb.
“Because… Who’s there… To protect dear… Sweet… Sloane… If you’re in a prison cell.” Choked Clemence. “I wonder… If she’d rethink… Her price… If it meant… Trying to save you?”
Seb’s grip loosened. His lip curled in fury.
“Smart move.” Said Clemence. “But the truth is, Seb - I’m not waiting for her to fuck up. I’m waiting for you. Because the moment you do, I’ll have her in the palm of my hand. And when I have her, I have you. And the entire game is over.”
“You want to use me, to trap her, to trap me.” Said Seb, shaking his head and stepping backwards.
“The perfect bait, wouldn’t you say?” Clemence asked.
“One problem, Clem. You’ve shared your plan. So now I know what to watch for.” Said Seb with a smirk. “You’ve fucked up.”
“Have I?” Said Clem with a smile. “Because now you’re going to second guess every time you want to step in to try and stop her from doing what she’s asked. Worried you’ll cause a ripple that turns into a tidal wave. Or maybe you’ll tell her what you know - perhaps she’ll have to watch her every move a little closer. Worried just in case you step over the line. Imagine the pressure she’ll be under… That you’ll be under. Enough to make the healthiest of relationships crack…”
Seb stepped back - he could feel the net closing around them. They were being sucked into this fucking world and no matter what he said or did, Clemence fucking Jessops was always one step ahead.
“I’ve been doing this a long, long time, Seb.” Said Jessops as he got to his feet. “The sooner the two of you start working with me, the easier this will be for everyone.”
Without another word, Clemence rose to his feet and left. Seb dropped into his seat and slammed his on the keyboard of the laptop. As he did, the video that had been on the laptop screen closed out, and the folder labeled “Other” opened. Seb licked his wounds for a moment or two, not noticing the change on the screen. He glanced up at it, and something caught his eye. He leaned in towards the laptop and started to notice the coded filenames on the screen. There was something familiar, yet he wasn’t sure what.
“What is this?” He asked himself, as he tried to open the files. But each time, he was met with a strange cypher… Ironically… That he couldn’t quite understand. There was a key. He needed to find the key.
Perhaps there was something in here that could help him get ahead of Clemence after all.
