Posting Bail

[u/neutronknows]

scene opens inside the jail cell of a local police station. It’s the middle of the night, but you wouldn’t know it from the glaring lights kept on 24 hours, 7 days a week. The camera pans across the mostly empty cells until it arrives at "The Righteous" Erik Von Jarrett, alone with his thoughts as he lies on a 2 inch padded mattress. He stares up at the ceiling, unmoving, his eyes puffy and red. The sadness radiating off him is palpable.

CLINK

the door to the cell area opens as Officer Mcluskey steps into the frame and walks up to EVJ’s cell. He taps on the bars with his police baton and Erik doesn’t move an inch.

Officer Mcluskey: Von Jarrett! Get up. You posted bail. You’re free to go.

EVJ sits up on the bed and looks at Mcluskey confused.

Von Jarrett: Wh-who?

Officer Mcluskey: Some lady. Didn’t catch the name. She posted your bail.

Von Jarrett: Barbara?

Officer Mcluskey: Like I said, didn’t catch the name.

Mcluskey opens up Von Jarrett’s cell as Erik gathers his belongings and follows him out to the reception area. A chill travels up EVJ’s spine as he dreads the conversation with Barbara after the phone call.

Woman: Long time no see, Goldilocks.

EVJ’s nervous sweat is replaced with confusion and disappointment to see the mother of his former best friend turned bitter enemy… “Vainglorious” Victoria Studd standing alone in the hallway with a giant hand bag and colorful baggy top puffing away on a cigarette.

Officer Mcluskey: Mam! You can’t be smoking in here!

Victoria Studd: Oh heavens! At my old age I tend to forget the liberal piss ants banned smoking indoors. My apologies.

Victoria grinds the cigarette into the wall beside her leaving a black scar as she mouthes “Ooops!” towards the officer. Mcluskey makes a move to reprimand her by decides against it, fuck it, his shift is up in half an hour he doesn't need this shit. Victoria shoots EVJ a wry smile and EVJ returns a cold stare and folds his arms - studying the Studd matriarch cautiously.

Victoria Studd: Prick. Well? I thought you southern boys were supposed to have manners. Aren’t you going to thank me?

Von Jarrett: I’m not sure. Right now I’m thinking of asking to be let back in my cell.

Victoria Studd: Awww… don’t be like that, Sugar. It would appear to me that I’m the only friend you got.

Von Jarrett: At this point I’ve seriously started reconsidering what having a friend even means. That being said, thank you for posting my bail and goodbye.

Victoria Studd: Fair enough.

Victoria holds the door open for EVJ as he walks passed and heads down the steps into the cold night air. He only gets halfway down when Victoria shouts back at him while in the process of lighting another smoke.

Victoria Studd: I thought you might like to know what he plans next.

EVJ stops in his tracks and glances back at Victoria.

Von Jarrett: How would you know?

Victoria Studd: I did shit that little demon spawn out. I’d like to think I’ve picked up on a few of his habits. He’s going to systematically destroy everything you hold dear, sugar. It won’t stop with Barbara. Such a shame, you and her. Victor knew exactly what he was doing.

Von Jarrett: What’s that supposed to mean?

Victoria exhales a ring of smoke as she saunters down the steps in front of the police station towards EVJ. She gently caresses his shoulder and heads towards the street.

Victoria Studd: Come on. Let me give you a lift.

Victoria gestures towards a 1992 Geo Metro, its missing passenger side window taped up with a black trash bag, half a block down the street. Von Jarrett trails behind, keeping his distance while Victoria continues to puff away on her smoke chatting away.

Von Jarrett: What do you mean "he knew what he was doing"?

Victoria Studd: You know, I never did understand how Victor managed to dupe Babs into falling for him. Maybe it was the fact the Studd family are notoriously... passionate lovers.

Erik winces at the thought of Vic and Barbara together all those years ago.

Victoria Studd: She was such a sweet girl… definitely not compatible with a narcissistic sociopath who refers to himself as "Vile" with pride, that’s for damn sure.

Victoria tosses her cigarette butt to the ground and pulls a screwdriver out of her giant hand bag just as she reaches the car. EVJ stops in his tracks, his mind racing with possibilities of what the "Vainglorious" one plans to do with it.

Victoria Studd: Ultimately I think it was the business. The constant traveling, the drugs, the lies... she couldn’t take it. When she divorced my son back in the early 90’s she swore that she would never have anything to do with the business again. She found it all disgusting, from the treatment of the wrestlers all the way to the effect this business has on their bodies, their psyche. And she was right. She was right. Back then, it was cut throat. Not like the cakewalk you indie kids have today.

Victoria gets in the car and jams the screwdriver into the ignition to start it up. She shoots EVJ a lopsided grin as she pulls out another cigarette and he breathes a sigh of relief. She lights it up and turns the heater up. EVJ surveys his surroundings and sees no one in either direction, satisfied they're alone he enters on the passenger side of the Geo.

Victoria Studd: He used that. It didn’t matter what happened at Mark Madness. The SECOND you agreed to bring your relationship with Barbara into “our world”… it was over. Win, lose... it didn’t matter. And Victor knew it.

EVJ closes his eyes as a lump forms in his throat as he realizes he was played from the get go. He cups his hands over his face, fighting back the tears.

Von Jarrett: Damn it... I should never have accepted… how could I be so stupid? It was my fault...

Victoria gvies EVJ's thigh a reassuring squeeze.

Victoria Studd: No, sugar… it’s mine.

EVJ looks over at Victoria in confusion. She takes a heavy breath as she leans back in her seat taking a couple quick drags of her smoke as she gathers her thoughts.

Victoria Studd: Victor is a product of his environment. Like you, he was raised in this business… but on the road. It wasn’t like you with your father – who is a fucking asshole if I ever met one by the way – running a territory and staying within those borders. Guiding the ship and whatnot. Ever since he was a baby, Victor never left my side as I traveled all over the world. And I…

Victoria chokes up for a moment as she opens herself up to EVJ.

Victoria Studd: I did things. A lot of things that I’m not proud of. Things a girl had to do to keep her head above water in this business back then, make sure she gets bookings, form alliances to protect herself and her child. His prick of a Grandfather didn't help either. Fuck, he even tried suing me over using our actual last name. Thus, Victor grew up with a lot of the boys I traveled with on the road... away from their families... doing everything they could to reach a higher rung on the ladder... leaning on stimulants to keep you going, painkillers and alcohol to dull the constant pain...

She pauses briefly as her eyes begin to well up with tears, but she fights them back.

Victoria Studd: I didn't know any better. I was as bad as the rest of them if we're being perfectly honest. And as a child he soaked it all in: the manipulation, the backstabbing, the unwavering protection of kayfabe in the 70’s and 80’s. It became the only world he knew.

Von Jarrett: Explains why he’s so good at living the gimmick.

Victoria Studd: That’s my point, Sugar. It isn’t a gimmick to him. Victor’s mind has been twisted since Day One of his time on this Earth. Kayfabe is all he knows. Hence his disappearing act after the neck injury back in 2000. He didn’t know how to function in the real world, so he turned to drugs and alcohol to block it all out.

Von Jarrett: Why are you telling me all this?

Victoria Studd: This is only the beginning, sugar. Victor will stop at nothing until he destroys the very essence of what makes Erik Von Jarrett. And if he succeeds? Who knows where he will focus his wrath next. He’s dangerous Erik. And that idiot Paisner set him loose in the real world when he fired him. You have to bring him back to WiR. You have to stop him. You’re the only one that can.

EVJ shakes his head in amazement trying to process all this information. He always knew Vic was a bit off... but to this extent...

Von Jarrett: I… I don’t know. This is all too surreal.

Victoria places her hand on Erik’s shoulder and leans over, looking him directly in the eye.

Victoria Studd: Erik… Vic is on his way to Tennessee as we speak. Your father, your step-mother… your sisters. I don’t know what he has planned, but I can assure you it isn’t good.

Erik’s eyes grow wide as the realization of what Vic is capable of doing to his family crosses his mind.

Von Jarrett: How- how do you know this?

Victoria flashes a lop sided grin as she reaches into her giant hand bag. She pulls out a hunk of metal with black and green radar screen and hands it over to EVJ. EVJ fumbles around with it before turning it on, the radar line spins in a clockwise circle, a tiny blip popping up somewhere to the southeast.

Victoria Studd: I had a tracking device implanted into Vic when he was 10 years old. Little Fucker used to disappear any chance he got to go out drinking with the boys. And before you ask, yes, it was very expensive.

EVJ stares at the blip for a moment. He knows what he has to do.

Von Jarrett: I'm coming for you. You son of a bitch.

Victoria Studd: You know I’m sitting right here.

Von Jarrett: Oh yeah. My bad.

Victoria Studd: I’ve been called worse. I’ll give you a lift to the bus station. And Erik…do not hesitate. Do not waver with your resolve. If you have the chance to put him down… you do it. Understand?

EVJ solemnly nods in acknowledgement his gaze focused on Vic's blip.

Victoria Studd: Godspeed, Erik Von Jarrett.

scene fades to black.