THEN
(Pre-LOF)

This is great. Just fuckin' great. Somehow the bottles of water that I specifically "enhanced" got mixed in with the regular ones. Luckily, a fate far worse than what had actually occurred, didn't befall Steve. His bottle was only tainted with a pretty potent sedative, it'll wear off in time. The drugs kicking in must've made him disoriented and confused which in turn made him open the wrong door. He took a bad spill, looks like he must've hit every stair on the way down but that's about the worst of it. I should consider myself lucky he didn't take that fall when I had "company". If he caught an eyeful of something that he shouldn't have, this scenario would need to go... a lot differently. Though, I'm pretty damn fortunate, that there wasn't something worse than a sedative in his water. Fuck. I'd have to explain why the only interviewer for the XWF is dead or tragically "missing". Both are bad. Especially, after it's an established fact that his last job was conducted at my place. People would talk. That bumbling oaf has been stumbling around the sacred halls of the XWF for years, he's a beloved icon for the company and if I did something to harm him; accidentally or not, I can kiss my cover goodbye. Then, I'd have to go back to fending for myself and hiding in shadows like I did in the old days and I can't go back to that. Not after experiencing the artistic freedom I've felt. Plus, if I get connected to a brutal murder... again, I'm getting locked up in a real prison and not the kind a guy like me would survive in either. I mean, I'm a pretty decent fighter but I'm still one fuckin' guy. In a place like that, I wouldn't stand a chance.

So I'm very... very lucky, this wasn't anything more than what it was. A close call. A wake up call. Some kind of call... that reminds me of the fact that despite having a sweet cover, I still need to be mindful of my little hobby and the select few that understand the detailed, inner workings of it or the next slip up, could cost me more than my guilty pleasure is worth. Hell, the next error could kill me. Ahahahahaha! Imagine that! Jesus fucking christ! I'd seem like such an amateur! I have "company" over and I wind up dying instead. Hahaha! Now, that would be something! Wouldn't it? Anyway, I should deal with this little problem and ensure the fact that it never repeats. Which means, I have to have a talk with the maid. Which also means, I need to sound angry and I've already lost that special spark. Ugh. Conveying anger is always touch and go with me. Shit. Okay. Gotta think of something that pisses me off. Oh right... I almost lost my cover. God fuckin' dammit! Steve could have died. I could have died. We both could have died, literally at the same time. And the last of the brown sugar and cinnamon pop tarts were missing from the cupboard this morning, indicating that someone must have eaten them and I know that someone, wasn't me. FUCK! Alright! Now I'm pissed! Now I'm ready!

Dillinger was positively livid as he stormed into the kitchen and tossed his bottle of water across the room. Where it collided with the wall and busted open. Leaving an explosion of water and an empty plastic bottle in its wake. With the bottle feebly echoing on the black and white tiled floor as the water slowly dripped down the wall to meet it. The maid barely flinched from her dusting; however, the act did call her attention to Dillinger and she immediately stopped what she was doing as she faced him and awaited what would inevitably come next. Whatever it may be. She was ready.

"Give me one good reason why I shouldn't fire you?"

His eyes narrowed as he focused on the curvaceous, red head that stood before him. Feather duster in hand, she tugged at the short hem of her maid uniform and met his gaze with a small smile.

"I've worked here for years. No one knows the ins and outs of this place like I do. You'd have to go through the process of interviewing, hiring and training, someone new and you don't strike me as a patient man. Not to mention the trust factor. Or the immensely large lack thereof. Yet that's an entirely different can of worms to open and since I feel I've sufficiently answered the question already, I doubt I need to open that one. So I'll leave it on the proverbial shelf and stop here. Though, it does beg the question..."

Her smile broadened for a moment as a small burst of laughter left her lips quicker than it did her outstanding, amethyst eyes. Pure violet and improbable in most humans, they practically radiated against her flawless, pale skin.

"Why do you feel that you need to fire me?"

"Why?"

With a sigh, Dillinger sat on a stool near his kitchen counter and fired up a cigarette.

"You rearranged the fridge and combined all the bottles of water together and it could have cost me everything. That's why."

A pause, accompanied by a long drag from his cigarette.

"What if I had drank from my own bottle of water? What then? I'd be passed out too or worse! Luckily, Steve's bottle didn't contain anything stronger than it did or I'd have to explain why the XWF's only reporter, turned up dead after coming to see me. Though, I suppose if we both drank water, there's a chance I wouldn't have to worry about that one. Cause I'd be in the same boat with Steve. Traveling down the river Styx!"

Dillinger exhaled a cloud of smoke and ran a hand back through his hair.

"Did you know those water bottles were tainted?"

The exquisitely formed maid with red hair, pursed her lips and stepped closer. Her eyes never leaving his, she leaned against the counter and spoke in a low, sultry voice.

"Yes."

"And you still integrated them with the regular supply?"

"Yes."

"Why? Are you trying to kill me, Elise? Wait. Why am I even asking that? What else would that mean? Of course it means that you want me dead."

Dillinger attempted to stand and Elise stopped him. Placing her hand on the middle of his chest, she pushed him back onto the stool and stood in front of him.

"I'm not trying to kill you. I was simply making room in the fridge. You wouldn't have been harmed from what I did. Trust me.

"I know what's mixed in those bottles. So trust me, when I say, I could have died and I would have, if I drank from the wrong one."

Elise smiled coyly as she leaned in and spoke quietly into Dillinger's ear.

"There isn't a wrong one."

Trailing her nails along his jaw line, she brought her face even closer, till her lips were nearly touching his.

"Not when it comes to you anyway."

Dillinger remained absolutely still and Elise smiled softly and backed away.

"I keep forgetting that you don't know."

"I don't know?"

"No, you don't. Not yet. You will soon enough though."

Elise waved her feather duster at Dillinger and with a smirk, she turned to walk off towards the refrigerator.

"You should tend to Mr. Sayors. He's due to wake up soon."

Popping up from his stool, Dillinger followed Elise and grabbed her by the arm in order to stop her. This caused Elise to laugh as she turned back to him and sighed.

"There's time for that sort of fun later."

The words made him release her arm immediately, which only made her laugh more.

"Oh! I can't wait until you're finally entertaining!"

"What does that mean?"

"It means... until then, I'm going to fix the bottles of water; rearrange them back to the way that you preferred, while you take care of Steve."

Before Dillinger could say another word, he heard Steve moaning from the sofa. The man sounded like a water buffalo in heat! It was beyond disturbing, deeply troubling and baffling at the same time. In the entire history that, that drug was introduced to individuals by Dillinger, no one had ever reacted like that when they were returning to a conscious state. With a sigh, Dillinger started for the living room and then stopped, turning back to Elise, he saw that she was already half inside the fridge, humming while she worked. For a moment, his eyes were stuck to her as she moved. This wasn't his first encounter with an attractive female, nor was she the first woman to ever show an interest but there was definitely something about her that was different. It was like he was mesmerized by her and he couldn't shake that sensation. Not on his own anyway. However, another groan from Steve, set him back on course and Dillinger quickly made his way to the living room. Utterly confused by what just happened, he was happy to get away, even if it was only to check on Steve. He just needed to go and hoped the living room was far enough.

---

"TJ Adams, I gotta say I'm crushed. You thought I was a cool guy and now, you think otherwise? Oh my god! It can't be! Tell me it isn't true, TJ! Tell me it isn't true! How will I live without your adoration? HOW?!?! Oh yeah... I know, without even a quarter of a fuck given. That's how. Shit. I can't tell who's more of a whiny bitch, TJ or Demon TJ? One's sore about the outcome of his match at LOF and the other wants to get on some 'deep thoughts' about me and talk about the fear in my eyes and heart. Please. If you seen fear radiating from anyone's eyes, they were your own. That's why you wanted to play nice and be friends and avoid conflict. If the powers that be, didn't put you and me in this match against each other, you'd still be on that horseshit. So don't pretend that you suddenly developed a backbone, man. Especially not after crying about only getting half a cheese sandwich. Your words didn't carry that much weight to begin with but now, after hearing everything you had to say, you're practically spewing feathers. Even 'Demon TJ' is weak as fuck. You'd think he'd have a little something more going for him cause he's got the powers of hell backing him up... but no, he's just as feeble and unimpressive as 'normal' TJ. Which means, you're obviously powered by the demon that all the other demons take turns shitting on. Literally. Whatever demon you've got fueling your 'evil' side is also the dark, fiendish toilet for the underworld. When he's not occupying your body with his presence, he's the vessel for all the unholy crap that gets released from the bowels of hell. Yeah... each and every bowel that needs a release, finds it on the body of that demon. I bet they even let Hitler get in on that shit too! That's the only explanation for what happened next. You hand him a bible and that's how you destroy him. Because he starts reading it. Right. So he's . Other demons will mock people with actual verses from the bible but this guy? He gets brought down by his own silent reading. And that's the thing that sees my fear? Hahahaha! Wow. There just isn't any more words for that. That's how pathetic it is. It exorcised my ability to speak on the matter any further."