"Refocused." w/ Siobhan Rojas Vs. Stian Fournette/Rora Sky

[Declan Hale]

IMMEDIATELY FOLLOWING WARZONE MARCH 19TH, 2018

Kieffer Stone stood with Dick Oswald, both just looking down at the body of Declan Hale. He lays on the concrete floor, a pool of blood forming around his head next to the discarded lead pipe that was used against him. The television above him was just a static picture now, no one knows what Declan saw before he was taken down. Dick has his arms crossed over his chest, his eyes examining the scene. Kieffer looks around, frantically.

K. STONE “Twice now, Dick. TWICE! What are we going to do about this?”

D. OSWALD “I’m going to do. . . absolutely nothing, Mister Stone. Declan knew of the environment when he signed his contract. Anything goes, anything.”

K. STONE “So this is acceptable, huh? Someone basically comes in and kills Declan, and you’re going to shrug your shoulders and walk away.” Kieffer turned away from Dick. “Riley is going. . .”

D. OSWALD “To kill you? I’m aware of your arrangement with Mister Calix, Kieffer. Maybe what you should be focused on is trying to figure out who wants Declan incapacitated like this and to what degree they’re going to go to until they stop, before Riley does come kill you.”

Dick turned around, walking away from the scene. Declan’s body twitched. Signs of life were beginning to restore. Kieffer sighed deeply.


MARCH 31ST - DECLAN HALE’S APARTMENT

Declan Hale laid out, motionless and asleep on the sofa. Doctors have diagnosed him with a concussion, obviously. Recommended lots of rest and sleep. Of course, Declan wanted nothing more than to be out - hunting this coward in the black mask. Kieffer Stone moved through the apartment, his mind was racing. It was announced that Declan was going to be involved in the next Warzone event, this time against the man he teamed with last time - Stian Fournette and his partner Rora Sky. Declan would be teaming with newcomer, Siobhan Rojas. Kieffer knew that Declan did not care about this match. This social posts confirmed as much. But it was Kieffer’s job to make Declan fly straight, to not get himself into any trouble. Otherwise, he would have to answer to Ri---

Ring

Kieffer looked at his phone. “RILEY CALIX” in big lettering over the screen. He declined the call. He already knew what Riley was going to say, how he was going to approach this scenario, and what he wanted Kieffer to do. At this exact moment, talking to Riley was the last thing he needed to do. What Kieffer was doing was trying to think of a way to keep Declan’s head off of this mysterious attacker, and get him to focus on Stian and Rora. His phone rang once more. It was Riley, again. Kieffer ignored the call for a second time, but this time he looked up and saw Declan sitting up on the sofa. Declan groaned, bringing a hand to his head and through his hair.

D. HALE “Why are you here?”

His tone was sharp. He threw his legs off of the sofa then stood up. A little wobbly at first, but he found his footing. Kieffer slid his phone into his pocket.

K. STONE “To talk to you about your match at Warz--”

D. HALE “What do you not understand? I know Oswald sent you here to talk to me about my match, but I don’t give a fuck. I’m going to Japan.”

K. STONE “For what, huh? For Stassi? Declan - she doesn’t love you anymore. I’ve read the email on your phone..”

Declan’s head snapped up, and the fire - the intensity in his eyes - would frighten anyone, especially Kieffer who swallowed hard.

K. STONE “You need to focus on the match. Stian and Rora..”

D. HALE “FUCK this match! Fuck Sebastian. Fuck Aurora. And who am I teaming with? -- Fuck her too. Kieffer, what’s going on is so much bigger than two fucking bitch figure skaters and… who the fuck ever I’m supposed to team with. I don’t care. The only thing on my mind is Stassi and finding this coward that’s attacking me, and stalking her.”

K. STONE “So going to Japan is going to solve all your issues, huh? To hell with a contract that you signed to compete in the Factory?”

Declan remained silent, not caring anymore about Kieffer’s words. For now. Declan moved around the table in front of him, walking past Kieffer.

K. STONE “And they say you have a knack for focusing more on the match at hand than your opponents. I mean, we’ve all seen how they risk their own safety for each other, but you’re completely unfocused right now, Declan, and you’re lacking that composure. Sure, going after a man’s wife - no matter how estranged they are - is enough to push anyone’s buttons, but you’re going off of the deep end. How do you think this is making you look in your opponent’s eyes?”

Declan’s ice blue eyes locked on Kieffer, narrowing hard on him.

D. HALE “I will break every bone in Stian’s one hundred and eighty five pound body and not think fuckin’ twice about it. And Rora? I know she saw what I did to that other stupid bimbo Carsyn last time - I’ll do the exact fuckin’ same to her. Kick her fuckin’ head off of her shoulders. Figure skaters aren’t fighters and neither of them have proven that they have endurance to last when they’re getting their faces punched repeatedly. MMA and submission training? They’re not going to last long enough to try that shit, not when I have them pinned to the floor - bashing my fist into their faces until their brain’s are left splattered on the floor.”

K. STONE “See! That’s it. That’s the focus that you need, Dec.”

Kieffer stops when he notices that Declan has grabbed a bag and has begun to stuff it full of clothes.

K. STONE “Declan. I need you to forget about Japan and Stassi for right now. Going to her is just going to make her more upset than she already is.”

D. HALE “And doing nothing puts her in more danger.”

K. STONE “Think about it this way, Declan. Whoever is attacking you . . . is in the Factory.”

Declan’s movements stopped. Kieffer sighed softly. So much for putting his thoughts on the match.

K. STONE “Whatever you saw of Stassi was just a video. It could have been from anything. But the person who hit you from behind - twice - is real and is in the Factory. So flying to Japan isn’t going to help you find him. In fact, he could be closer than you think..”

Kieffer’s voice lead. Declan, by now, had dropped his bag and moved closer to the man that he assumed was a member of Factory staff, told to keep Declan aware of his matches.

D. HALE “What do you mean, closer than I think? . . .”

K. STONE “It could be anyone, Declan. It could even be Stian or Rora . . .”

Declan didn’t move. His eyes never left Kieffer.

K. STONE “Think about it. Stian could have gotten upset after you left him high and dry in your last match. He could have been the one that hit you with the pipe when you had your back turned.”

Declan wasn’t thinking clearly..

K. STONE “I know you’re concerned about Anastasia, but you are able to finally flush out this attacker this week. If you go into the ring with Stian and Rora, you are able to send a message - because you know the masked person will be watching. Treat Stian and Rora like you would them. You’re bigger than Sebastian, use that size advantage to boost your power over him. Break whatever bones in his body that you see fit. Aurora is crafty, agile - but once you catch her, you can snap her like a twig. They’re both master submissionists, but there’s no chance Rora can overpower you to even attempt a submission based on her size compared to you, so they will be looking to use wrestling knowledge to counter your moves, to put you in a position where they can submit you.”

D. HALE “Too bad this isn’t fucking wrestling then.”

K. STONE “You’re right. This is a fight.”

D. HALE “This is a fucking message.”

K. STONE “And a message you will need to send at those figure skaters expense. They’re not built for this environment like you are, Declan. They care too much about each other to watch the other suffer. In Aurora’s first match, Sebastian sacrificed himself to a chain for her. Aurora gets involved all of the time when Sebastian is in trouble. Nor do the two use weapons. This is way beyond their comfort zone, so if you - or say - your ex-con of a partner were to introduce a weapon or two? I’m sure that will put little Miss and Mister Ice Dancer on their heels.”

Kieffer’s phone rings again in his pocket. Declan’s eyes narrowed on him, noticing he was hesitant to see who it was, but ultimately didn’t think much else about it.

D. HALE “My partner. . .”

K. STONE (moving his hand from his pocket, where he canceled the call again) “Siobhan Rojas. She’s an ex-con, as I said. She’s a member of some gang in New York, and her husband is one of the higher ranked members of that gang. She’s violent, too. I hear she broken an inmates arm while in prison. . .”

D. HALE “Good.”

K. STONE “I can safely assume that means she’s not going to hesitate to do something similar to Rora or Stian, if it came down to it.”

D. HALE “She won’t have a chance. I’m going to beat her to it.”

Declan said moving past Kieffer and through the hallway of the apartment, disappearing into the bedroom. Kieffer immediately withdrew his phone from his pocket, making his way over to the balcony. His fingers working frantically to call Riley back. After pressing the call button, he brought the phone to his ear.

K. STONE “Sorry! I was talking to Declan..”

Kieffer stepped out onto the balcony and closed the door behind him.