Halifax in the darkened alleyway where Fargrim met his end,
Esmeralda von Krauss and Minerva stand in the alleyway by the dumpster where Fargrim had been thrown in to hide the fact that he was murdered. Minerva squats down by the slain doppleganger that turned into quicksilver upon death. The fake attacker.
She picks up an item of clothing from the fake attacker.
Minerva: Not bad clothing, but something that could come from any box chain like Walmart.
Esmeralda opens the nearby dumpster and sighs when she spies the corpse of Fargrim.
Esmeralda von Krauss: It looks like Fargrim was stabbed by the shapechanger in a surprise move. It was a quick death. Anything you can get from this dead shapeshifter that will lead us to a possible source of the attackers?
Minerva drops the quicksilver tainted clothing onto the ground as she stands up.
Minerva: No, mistress. Everything nondescript.
Esmeralda von Krauss: Then we should simply wait for another attack? This is unacceptable, dahling. If I had not been there to sense the wrongness of the shapechanger, who knows what sort of damage could have been done!
Minerva: And…you have to fly to England soon. REIGN has you booked in a match since NPW let you out of the contract with them.
Esmeralda closes the dumpster, not bothering to collect the body. Other people will find him. Other people will mourn his death.
Esmeralda von Krauss: Ah yes. They wanted me to use my skills in the ring. Whom am I facing in the ring on this first outing, dahling?
Minerva: You and Dakota Jennings are facing the Oblivion Death Squad.
Esmeralda cocks her head with an odd smile before she strikes up a match to light an Egyptian cigarette at the end of a rainbow colored foot long holder.
Esmeralda von Krauss: So, I’m to team up with the girl who nearly had the X*Crown championship won at the End of Days pay-per-view and we are facing two of Donzig’s goons in the ring. This is brilliant! Some of the best news that I’ve heard all night long.
Minerva looks curiously at Esmeralda before turning her attention back to the slain shapechanger where something glints in the dim light of the alleyway. She picks up a ring out of the quicksilver.
Minerva: Why is that brilliant? I doubt that Donzig’s goons are going to step aside and let you have the easy win. They are going to make you earn the win.
Esmeralda von Krauss smiles as she blows smoke into the air.
Esmeralda von Krauss: That’s it exactly. Donzig’s goons know what’s at stake here. Whomever actually gets the pinfall will earn the plate. Dakota and I will be fighting to get to that pinfall first. The Oblivion Death Squad, I cannot remember their names right now for the life of me, will also be in competition to see who can win that plate. You must collect the plates to become the main champion. What did you find?
Minerva presents the ring to Esmeralda with a small smile.
Minerva: It looks like a signet ring to represent membership in something. The shapeshifter was part of an organization. One that seems intent on attacking us.
Esmeralda turns the ring over in her hand. It’s a silver ring with a ruby inlaid at the center. Silver fangs hold the ruby in place.
Esmeralda von Krauss: We will take a photo of this ring and spread out through the city tomorrow to see who made these rings and for whom.
Minerva nods, leading the way back to the limo so that they can return to the hotel. Esmeralda looks around the place with a bit of a wrinkled nose as she flicks the butt of her cigarette to the ground.
Esmeralda von Krauss: Moloch, Mormo. Did you boys really think I would forget your names? The poor goons of Donzig the Terrible. Donzig the Mad. Donzig is enough of a leader to control you boys? He was the loose cannon of the KGB, dahlings. Armand only had to point him in the right direction to see destruction done. I suppose that’s the same relationship that he expects with the two of you. Point and destroy.
I don’t think you understand the danger that you have put yourselves in here. I could kill the both of you in under ten seconds, but that would find me in a prison it would seem. Or, at least that’s what my husband keeps telling me.
I’m not going to ask you to lay down for me and my partner Dakota Jennings. No, that would be foul play and dishonor you both as warriors. No, I ask you come down to the ring with the intention of defeating us. Come give us a wonderful challenge, dahlings. We will be sure to bring you down in style with a minimal of injuries.
Make no mistake though, you are outmatched as your master would be outmatched if he were the one in the ring against me. My husband is a formidable adversary and ally, while I am his greater. He was a Visigoth barbarian to my Roman courtier-assassin-diplomat.
Esmeralda blinks.
Esmeralda von Krauss: Nevermind that. We are Germans. Nothing more! I will come down to the ring and work with this Dakota to bring you both down. I will be the one to claim the victory and the plate as is my right. I will be the first main champion of this organization as it is my destiny.
When the fighting is done and you two boys are lying before my feet, maybe your master will remember who his master really is. We could rule this company, but Donzig is as he ever was. A barely leashed attack dog.
Dakota Jennings, you would do well to remember your place as my tag team partner. The glory goes to me during this match. You are here merely to make me look good, dahling. Though in truth, there’s not much work that will have to go into making this happen. You remember that the plate is mine and your love interest in Cross Recoba won’t find himself in a fatal accident if you catch my meaning. Yes, I realize that you love him. It’s a weakness. I don’t love my husband, but we are perfect for one another. I would hate for Cross’ decapitated head to find its way into your bed for you to wake up to. It would be the last bit of emotional trauma that your mind will be able to accept before you are transformed into a gibberish vegetable. I would rather having a winning partner at my side, not one who can’t contain her grief at her lover’s death that she casts herself off of a bridge to her doom.
We will be victorious with me holding the plate in the air. No other outcome is good for you, Dakota. Remember that.
Esmeralda gets into the limo, closing the door behind her before the limo takes off into the distance to head back to the hotel where Esmeralda has rented the entire thing.