The Way to Eden

Serpentina glanced around the empty studio apartment in a controlled fit of rage. When Original Sin hadn't shown up for the retribution match, she knew she'd been set up, and now it looked like Sin had left town altogether. In the taller fighter's place, Serpentina might have done the same. She knew Sin understood she would definitely have injured her beyond repair. In fact, she'd been looking so forward to it.

Now it seemed that she would have to track the bitch down first. Serpentina shook her baldhead in frustration. It would be a setback but she determined it would only be minor. She'd flush Sin out if she had to, and it looked like that's what needed to be done.

Now, how to do that? She'd been studying the videotapes of the last few performances just to get a sense of where her opponent's head was. Sin had been a bit erratic the night she and Boa faced off. She'd seemed distracted by a cold-looking woman in the audience. Try as she might, Serpentina could dig up no further information on her, though. It was as if she dropped out of nowhere and returned the same way.

But there was another. Yes, that wrestler and his green haired friend had come to see Sin fight a couple of times before. What was his name? Hardy, she thought. It was one of those Hardys from WWE. She could find him and he would likely lead her to Sin, or at least know who could. All she had to do was locate him. Now, how to do that? She'd look on the company's web site first.

Yes, that was it, she smiled.

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Henry waited none too patiently in his hotel room. When would the body be discovered already? He was anxious to get his hands on that little betrayer. He knew she'd be defenseless then.

He had every confidence Sin had completed the task. She was a formidable woman and his money was, well literally, on her. Jeff couldn't fight her. There was no way anyone could. He would have liked to see her go up against Rio. That would have been some fight. Oh, Rio could handle herself, he knew, but Sin utilized tactics he'd never even envisioned before. She was as cold as an iceberg and smiled like an angel when she slit her enemy's tendons.

As long as Jeff's body lay undiscovered he couldn't get to Rio, though. He was glad the crazy Southern boy was most likely dead. That man had been an instrument in Henry's final public embarrassment that night. It was supposed have been his greatest triumph. Instead, he'd spent weeks in a hospital under armed guards, only to be locked up when he was healed. Then, after his conviction but before he was sentenced, Henry's lawyers managed to win him a window of opportunity. He was released briefly bore his sentencing and he ran as fast and far as he could, taking refuge in Mexico until the heat died down.

That's when he'd hatched his plan. He knew Jeff's death would destroy Rio's life. And she had to pay for betraying him like that. Why couldn't she and Fury have just stayed dead? Things would have been so much easier if they had. And Phantom, Henry cringed, deserved the most pain of all. How dare he conspire against him while feeding him those lies. He should have relied on his instincts and not trusted him when he got the funny feeling. He knew he never should trust anyone smarter than him.

He sat down in a huff on the bed and played with the remote. This was the third hotel he'd followed Rio and Shannon to in the last two weeks and he hoped it would be the last. These people didn't know how to travel in style. There wasn't even a Jacuzzi for him to relax in. And the bed was only queen sized. Philistines.

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"So what do we do now?" Nora asked uncertainly. She was still trying to believe that Jeff was no longer WWE. She herself had been relegated to occasional Heat matches, so she knew the sting of being outcast. But from what Jeff had said it seemed like he was actually a little relieved. She knew he'd been having trouble with the politics lately, but she never fully realized the extent to which he'd been hurt by them.

"Well, they said they're gonna put a note up onna site tamorra," Jeff said. "I guess that'll start th' ball rollin' fo' Justin."

"Yeah, that should do it," Tara sighed. "Henry will believe your body was found and go after Jolene thinking she's me."

"Will she be safe?" Nora asked, surprised Tara was so relaxed about putting another woman in danger.

"Oh, he'll never get within fifty yards of her," Todd spoke up touching her hand. Nora felt a little shiver dance up her spine but willed herself to ignore it. "Dad's going to get him. You'll see."

She only nodded and looked away. Jeff smiled at her knowingly. She frowned back, trying to make him uncomfortable but it didn't work. His smile broadened and he shook his head slightly. She decided to change the subject instead.

"What do you think your brother will say when he finds out you're not in WWE anymore?"

"Honestly?"

She nodded at him.

"'E'll probally ask me if i's what I wan', an' then back me no matta what," Jeff shrugged. "Matty's always good tha' way. He always has been an' I 'xpect 'e always will be."

"You're lucky," Todd murmured from his seat behind Nora. "I wish I had that growing up."

"Hey!" Tara complained. "You have that now!" She punctuated the statement with a balled up napkin to Todd's head.

Nora laughed at the exchange. She and Tara hadn't gotten along when they'd first met, but she was warming to the smaller woman now. She caught Jeff's eye again and shared a laugh. The two Warrior Series siblings continued to napkin fight, ignoring their audience.

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Eden woke slowly to the sound of the door being opened. Too exhausted to get into fight position, she just watched Sven enter the room through heavy lidded eyes.

"You finally believe I will not hurt you?" he queried softly.

"Not exactly," she admitted. "I just don't care anymore."

"Unlikely," he grinned as he produced a tray from behind him. It was laden with fruit and oatmeal. Eden's stomach rumbled in response. "You are hungry."

"Maybe a little," she said sitting up gingerly.

"How is the pain?"

"No worse than yesterday," she lied/

"I have brought medication."

"So you can sedate me for Rio? No thanks."

"She is still in North Carolina," he stated flatly.

"And where am I?"

"Where do you think you are?"

"You didn't take me to Norway, did you?"

He just laughed and shook his blond head.

"Well, where am I then?" she asked. "Or is it a secret?"

"No secret," he shrugged, peeling a banana and slicing it into the oatmeal. "I have taken you to Massachusetts."

"Massachusetts?!" Eden exclaimed. "What the hell am I doing here?"

"I live here."

"But Rio lives in North Carolina."

"She does."

"Then what are her fathers doing up North?"

"It is where we live," he answered handing her the bowl. "She gave us this house and we live here with our son."

"Fury."

"No, goes by 'Todd' now."

"Todd," she said, running the unfamiliar name over in her mind. "But Rio still goes by her fighting name."

"She does not."

"You mean her name really is Rio?" she asked finally taking the oatmeal and beginning to eat. "Jeff called her 'Ri,' so I guess it is."

"Her true name is Tara."

"Tara?" Eden said as she licked the spoon. "Tara and Todd? How'd that work out."

"Those were their names."

"Hey, you're trusting me with utensils."

"One of us needs to make the first move."

"You sure you want to risk it?"

"It is not as if I cannot defend myself."

"But you're so mild mannered," she teased lightly.

"Who do you think taught Rio to fight?"

Eden suddenly stiffened. That's true, she thought. A woman like Rio had to learn her moves somewhere. But he did seem gentle.

"I do not harm unless provoked," he said.

"Stop reading my mind."

"Not your mind," he explained with a smile. "Your face."

Samuel had often punished her for not successfully suppressing her emotions. She was chagrined to find herself in the same predicament now. He'd be so angry with her.

"He hurt you for not being able to hide your thoughts, did he not?" Sven asked.

"Who?" she demanded trying to put her game face back on.

"Your former guardian."

"He isn't former."

"I hope he is," Sven said quietly.

"Why?" she hissed. "He saved me."

"Did he?"

"Yes!"

Sven shrugged and raised his hands to signify a truce. Eden went back to eating her oatmeal in silence.

"What is your name?"

"Original Sin."

"Your real name."

"That's what I go by."

"That is what Rio used to tell people."

"Well in this case, it's the truth."

"Is that the name he gave you?"

"I chose it!"

"So what does he call you?"

Eden didn't know why the man was bothering to try to know her when she'd be leaving soon anyway. Either Samuel would come to take her with him or kill her. Those were the only options left.

"It doesn't matter," she grunted.

"It does."

"Why?"

"You are a person and I would like to treat you as one."

Well, this was new. No one, except Jeff, had ever tried to treat her as anything more than a commodity. She found herself strangely attracted to the prospect and before she could stop herself, her name slipped out.

"Eden," he repeated to himself. "It is nice to finally meet you."

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"You never answered my question," Nora said.

Jeff turned away from the laughing former prizefighters to look at her. He still didn't get why she was here. It wasn't as if they'd formed some friendship while they worked together. Still, it was nice to have her involved. And it seemed to make Todd happy.

"I guess tha' upta Ri," he replied.

Tara apparently heard him and piped right up. "We should probably vacate the area for a while, just in case anyone comes looking around," she said. "Maybe take a side trip up North and see how Sven is faring."

Jeff smiled. She meant it when she'd promised to help him with Sin. He'd been kind of worried about that.

"Can ya take a bit o' time off, Nor?" he asked.

"Oh yeah," she grimaced. "No need to worry about that."

"They ain' releasin' ya, too, are they?" he asked with concern. He may not know her, but he certainly didn't wish her ill.

"Not yet," Nora replied. "Hopefully not at all, but you never know."

"Mine was a special case," he said.

It was true. While he felt a deep disappointment in his heart, another part of him was relieved as hell. He hadn't known how to juggle WWE and his other interests and problems. This took a huge weight off his shoulders for the time being. He'd miss everyone, but he had to make a choice at some point. And he chose his sanity. Besides, he would be back someday.

"Okay," Nora answered, still sadly.

"We're going home?" Todd asked excitedly.

"Yeah," Tara said, ruffling his red hair. "I need to assess this chick in a neutral locale."

"Oh boy!" Todd grinned rubbing his hands together. "Covert stuff!"

Jeff and Nora laughed.