Episode 35 Royal Rumble (part 2/3) (Patreon)

Lisa Mays

She’d never take assignments like this again, and screw the favor from the mayor’s aide. She… she nearly died, and without the actions of the officers she accompanied to the Prison, she knew she’d suffer a terrible fate.

While her cameraman filmed the other inmates intimidating the kids by sharing horrible stories or making them do pushups, she wasn’t blind to their stares, or deaf to not hear the comments they made about her.

There was a touching moment when one of the teens met his older brother, and they had a tearful reunion, her cameraman capturing precious footage for live TV. She knew their ratings would skyrocket, and this could be a regular gig for her instead of her usual spot at late night, covering recent crime and accidents in the city.

When the alarms started, she thought it was a routine thing, but she watched as the faces on the correction officers changed when the siren turned to three long bursts. The talkative inmate, Oscar, claimed there was a riot in progress.

To her credit, the Warden acted quickly, transferring the half a dozen inmates out of the room, and they were given quick instructions to head to the nearest exit as soon as possible. The only problem was that the warden didn’t account for the fact that their escape route would pass by a cell block that was reported to be secured, but wasn’t, as she even spotted a dead corrections officer lying on a pool of his own blood.

It was then that the quiet Jack Routh, yes, him, took action immediately. Earlier, she was thrilled to learn she was sitting with the elusive prince, the talk of the city for several days. It was nearly impossible to get an interview with him, and with him being a cop, tailing him while he was on duty was not a smart idea. His records were sealed, so they didn’t know where he lived, only that he worked for the LAPD’s Metro division.

To her disappointment, Jack Routh wasn’t talkative when she initiated light conversation with him, and she really didn’t know how to address him properly. He was a nephew to the king of the Netherlands, and his family was worth in the hundreds of billions, perhaps more if the rumors were true. She couldn’t fathom why he was still working as a cop in one of the most dangerous cities in the country.

She was reminded that he was also a powerfully built man, and she was distracted by his gorgeous face that she only noticed his muscled form and broad back as he led them down a corridor where they were ambushed by a group of six inmates hiding in one of the rooms. They aimed for her, but Routh stopped them, taking some blows in the process, before he subdued them by knocking them out with John Nolan’s help. She thought she was going to die and started to talk to the camera, hoping the guys at the station would alert the authorities to her current situation.

She watched in amazement as Routh took on the majority of the inmates that had just arrived at the end of the corridor, blocking their path to the exit and safety. He was brutal and merciless, his moves smooth and precise as he dealt debilitating damage to the inmates who attacked them. Then his efficiency increased when he had those two wooden clubs in each hand, and the way he moved reminded her of the introductory lessons in Kali she had taken a month ago, but his was much faster and deadlier. He was taking them apart so quickly. Suddenly, she felt that she wouldn’t die, or worse, after all.

“You… you seeing this?” She whispered to her cameraman, Craig.

“Yeah… damn.” Craig was a professional and was able to film their protectors while the teens kicked those already subdued on the ground.

She burst into fresh tears as they moved past the gate, just in time as a fresh wave of inmates poured out of the prison cells and into the yard. They hooted and yelled and tried to rattle the fence to no avail. She didn’t care, they were finally safe, all thanks to Jack Routh.

“Thank you.” She told him after he finished treating his own wounds.

“You’re welcome, Ma’am, but it’s our job to protect you.” Jack Routh replied. She felt his eyes look over her and Craig, looking for any signs of injuries. The man nodded and started checking on the four teens that were now totally obedient, a far cry from the cocky attitude they had when they arrived at the facility that morning. Clearly, they had been impressed by Routh's actions and were now looking at the larger man in a new light.

“Well…” She turned to her cameraman, who had focused the lens on her. “It looks like these teens are scared straight.”

Willem-Alexander of Orange-Nassau

“This is real?”

 He watched as his nephew took on a dozen inmates without hesitation. He winced as he saw some blows land on Jacques, but he gave more punches than he received. The two other guards were able to support him somewhat until he managed to secure some crude weapons.

His efficiency is dispatching his opponents changed after that. The result was something even he had a difficult time watching. Broken bones, dislocated jaws, Jacques showed no hesitation. His nephew was a beast.

He was amazed at his efficiency, and looking around, he could see his staff and his guards were impressed at what they saw.

“It looks like he won’t need a protection detail.” His aide remarked, causing several of his guards and staff to nod in agreement.

“Call them in.” It was finally time to get some answers. He was preparing a delegation to meet with his nephew, but first, he needed to understand what he had become, and those two were the ones capable enough to give an assessment. It was time for them to become useful after their government gave them new identities and a peaceful life in their country.

“Both of them?” His aide asked.

“Yes.” He answered. “I don’t care if he’s meditating out in the woods in his log cabin, but I want him here to give an assessment.”

“And Doctor Shearing?”

“Her input would be invaluable.” And she was his bait to get Jack to come over. He knew the young man would not be able to resist learning more about what happened to him.

As soon as the DNA tests returned, he immediately released a statement, claiming kinship with Jacques-Henry, or Jack Routh as he preferred to be called, to protect him in case they thought about making his nephew vanish. By publicly recognizing him, he had given the young man his protection and a silent show of support, a gesture he was sure everyone would notice and pick up on.

He couldn’t wait to meet the young man.

“See you soon, Jacques Routh.”

Zoe Andersen Routh

She had been given orders after Jack’s Royal Rumble, as the media were starting to call it to make sure her husband remained safe and out of danger for the immediate future, while the attention from the public was still high. It would be a nightmare scenario for nearly everyone involved if Jack got seriously injured due to his work.

She even received a letter from the State Department, strongly advising her to keep her husband on a tight leash, as if that were possible. She assigned Jack to desk duty, processing old case files and sorting them by date and importance. With only one shift today, she watched with some envy as her husband headed home to relax while she had to deal with the incoming rookies and who their training officers were. Her FTO pool was gutted, with Lopez getting promoted to detective. Bradford had a complicated schedule, juggling two roles, both for Metro and as the future FTO of Katie Barnes, who was already making waves in the academy as graduation grew near.

Harper was reliable, and she trusted the woman to be her second set of eyes in patrol. It was she who alerted her of Armstrong’s moves after all.

As soon as her second shift ended, she rushed home, eager to see Jack again and enjoy some of his cooking. While not of Michelin restaurant quality, the servings he prepared were usually huge, and she had developed quite an appetite.

As the gate to their house swung open, she was not prepared for the mess that littered the front patio.

“What is this?” She asked once she got out of her car. Wooden beams and sawdust littered the ground, along with extension cords and power tools.

“We had some spare materials when we upgraded the bunker.” Jack was a sweaty mess, with sawdust and sweat lining his face, neck, and arms.

“All that mess, for a swing?” She stared at the strange swing that was now under the large tree of their property. Unlike a regular, simple swing with two ropes hanging from each end, this one had four chain ropes bolted to the corners of a thick, solid wooden block that served as the seat.

“About that, watch this.” Jack sat down on the swing, and with both hands, he started to pull on one set of the chains. To her surprise, he started moving up, bit by bit, with every pull of the rope. She followed where the chain ropes led, and her jaw dropped open when she saw the wooden platform secured between the main trunk of the tree and two of its thickest branches. It looked more like a tree stand for hunters, and she watched in amazement as Jack finally reached the wooden platform.

As soon as he stepped off, and was now twenty-five feet in the air, while the swing slowly lowered itself back.

“Neat, huh?” Jack called out. “I repurposed the chain hoist. What do you think?”

Her earlier frustration forgotten, she was intrigued by this new addition to their home. She followed Jack’s actions, and though it required some upper-body strength, half a minute later, she was standing on the wooden platform.

She looked around and noticed that they were practically hidden from the street thanks to the thick leaves of the tree, but they had a perfect view of their property and outside of it. It was an excellent vantage position.

“Like it?” Jack wrapped his hands around her waist, and she didn’t mind the dust that now stuck to her blouse and skirt. “I really outdid myself on this one.”

“I love it.” She admitted with a grin. Her husband looked really proud of his work. “But your ego is inflating your head.”

“How about we mark this spot as well?” Jack suggested, and she immediately noticed the look of desire on her husband’s face. The thought intrigued her, and she nodded and started to hike up her pencil skirt above her waist.

Jack as always, was insatiable, but then, she had the sex drive to match her husband.

“Keep the pace slow.” She warned and got on her knees. She needed to keep Jack’s dick well lubricated so that she could properly enjoy this new environment for sex.

Nikolaj Coster-Waldau

The script reading for season 7 had ended, and he left the room with mixed feelings. IT had been fun, but he knew everyone, especially the fans, would hate the ending. The lead character, Jon Snow, played by Kit Harrington, was stabbed by his fellow brothers of the Night’s Watch, leaving his fate unclear. But they had no choice, as the two executive producers, David and Daniel, explained why they left it at that for the finale of the show.

They had no choice, as their scripts finally finished with the last book. They had no material left, and the two didn’t want to make things up. The pressure was now on George, and hopefully it would encourage the eccentric writer to finish Winds of Winter.

He looked around and watched as his fellow cast and crew chatted and said their goodbyes. He was invited for a round of drinks by some of the cast members, but he declined, he had his own party to get to. The only problem was how to talk to the show runners and get their permission to wear one of his old costumes from season one of the show. He knew Jack and the others would get a kick out of seeing him in that armor.

“Not going to join the lads for a drink?” Lena appeared by his side.

“I have a party to get to. I just need to talk to David first.” He replied to one of his closest friends on the show aside from Gwen.

“Is this about… that?” Lena lowered her voice and looked around, making sure they were out of hearing range.

“It’s just a simple birthday party.” He explained. He didn’t know why Lena had to act all sneaky about his friends.

“Simple.” Lena scoffed as she led him to the two show runners. “Yeah, right, if half the rumors I keep hearing about that Rosewood club of yours is true, you guys are practically running things in Hollywood.”

“That’s stupid.” He replied. “We’re just a bunch of friends who like what any celebrity dreams of, privacy.

“Just a bunch of friends.” Lena smiled. “Sure. One of those friends is a global pop star.”

“She’s very down to earth and fun when you get to know her.”

“And the other is a hidden Royal whose family is one of the most powerful and influential in the whole damn world.” Lena added.

“You know his surname is Routh, right? Not Orange-Nassau.”

“Nikolaj, Lena.” David Benioff quickly noticed their arrival. “Something I can do for you? If this is about the script…”

“Not that.” He quickly answered. “I was wondering if I could borrow one of the props? One of my older costumes from season 1.”

“He’s attending a birthday party.” Lena explained.

“The Kingsguard armor with the white enamel?” Benioff asked.

The armor had several iterations through the years, and its design in season 7 had more brass on it than white, with the helm looking more intimidating than ever, with the narrow eye slits. It was completely impractical for actual combat, and he bumped into things when he wore the damn thing one time on a dare from Gwen.

 “That’s the one.” He replied. “My friend, well, it’s his birthday, and I figured appearing as a Kingsguard would make an impression.”

“This friend of yours, it’s Jack Routh, right? The one with royal lineage?” David asked.

“Yeah, so could I?” He asked.

“Let’s go. I’m sure it’s stored somewhere in the backrooms.” David replied, causing him to sigh in relief. Now he wouldn’t have to worry about his costume, and he had a high chance of winning the best costume. “I didn’t know he watched the show.”

“I made him watch it, and he grew to like it.” He explained. “He’s more into the science fiction genre, but he did enjoy comparing the plot on the show with actual medieval history.”

“And guess who he found the most attractive on the show?” He turned to his friend.

“Who?” Lena asked. “Emilia? Or is it Carice?”

It was a good guess, since the two mentioned actresses were very popular, mostly due to the number of nude scenes they were in, especially in the earlier seasons.

“Nope, he said you were the most attractive,” He laughed at Lena’s puzzled face. “I’m not joking.”

“Man has taste.” David laughed. “Excellent choice, if you ignore the cruelty and the incest.”

“Why don’t you come with me?” He suggested to his friend. “I’m sure they’ll enjoy your company.”

“Are you sure?” Lena asked.

“Pretty sure.” He replied. “They’re the most normal people you’ll ever meet, trust me on that.”

“Okay.” Lena smiled.

“Then you need a costume as well.” David stated. “Luckily, those two are stored in the wardrobe department near each other.”

David had come through for them, big time. He even asked some of the make-up artists to help him and Lena get into their costumes, and he only asked that he be shown pictures from the party. Lena was relieved that she didn’t have to wear her blonde wig and chose one of the more comfortable gowns from season 2 with the elaborate Lannister Lion embroidery.

“This is surreal.” His TV show sister giggled in nervous laughter as they headed to the address Taylor had sent to the group chat. For such a domineering character in the show, he found Lena to be Cersei’s exact opposite, shy, an introvert, and she did not like to be the center of attention.

“Are you sure it’s okay for me to be tagging along?” Lena asked for the tenth time on their way to the venue. It was quite far, the directions on the app showing them that they would soon cross the city’s boundary.

“Relax, Lena.” He answered. “I already told Jack’s wife, Zoe, and she says she couldn’t wait to meet you. You’ll like her.”

“She’s the police captain, right?” Lena asked.

“She is.” He nodded. “That’s why they have to keep their address strictly private, due to the nature of their work.”

“You think he’ll sing one his songs?”

“You never know.” He replied. “Jack’s a very spontaneous guy.”

Jack Routh

Something was not right. Zoe said she was in the gun range with Pam and Liz, but it was too dark now to properly use the firing range, unless they meant to use the shorter range for handguns. His wife left pretty early too, and she just gave him a quick kiss as soon as he returned from the station.

Still, it was nice to ride his bike again as he drove around the city. At a stoplight, he returned a nod of greeting from a fellow rider. With how loud bike engines were, the biker community had developed its own pseudo-language that consisted of head tilts and hand gestures to communicate with each other during traffic. The other rider’s bike was sweet, a black and red Kawasaki Z900RS.

He soon reached the road leading to John Martin’s firing range, and fifteen minutes later, he arrived at the parking lot. He was surprised at how full it was and spotted familiar cars on the lot.

The old gunnery sergeant was even waiting for him, and quickly guided him to the entrance of the shop as soon as he parked his bike.

“So, is it some sort of training class?” He joked at the older man.

“You’ll see, son.” Martin led him to the back door, and once he stepped through, he was assaulted by pops of confetti.

“HAPPY BIRTHDAY!”

He took one step back in surprise. The rifle range had transformed, with several tents erected in the middle. Above, several string lights illuminated the whole grounds in a soft yellow light, giving a magical feel to the place. Everywhere he looked, familiar faces greeted him, and they were all wearing some sort of medieval costume. The whole thing looked like an elaborate Renaissance fair.

His wife wore a princess costume, showing some impressive cleavage. She was not alone. Taylor and Jessica wore similar gowns. Liz was showing off a tavern girl’s costume, complete with puffy white sleeves. Even Howard was present, wearing a typical jester’s outfit.

“Your grace.”

He turned to the side and laughed as Nikolaj made an appearance, his Kingsguard armor standing out with how elaborate and authentic it looked.

“Uhhh… Thank you, everyone.” He told the crowd of well-wishers. “You really caught me by surprise.”

He didn’t even realize today was his birthday. Wow. He realized he hadn’t celebrated his birthday ever in this world, the date of his birth was just something to fill in information sheets for college and the academy.

“Happy birthday, husband.” Zoe gave him a quick kiss, earning a round of applause from everyone. This was a surreal feeling. He felt a strange sensation in his chest.

“So this was what you’ve been working on for the past couple of days?” He asked his wife.

“Don’t you know how hard it is to plan a birthday for someone like you?” Zoe complained. “Any mistake or slip up, and you’ll pick up on it like a bloodhound. I had to keep you in the dark as much as possible.”

“It worked!” Taylor laughed as she engulfed him in a hug that he quickly returned. “We totally surprised you!”

“You did!” He smiled at the tall blonde. He quickly moved to each guest, expressing his gratitude for their being here. Everyone he knew was here, from the close friends he had at Mid-Wilshire to his squad in Metro. Howard and his buddies were present with Penny, with Sheldon wearing a friar’s brown robe.

“I believe you know who this is.” Nikolaj was grinning as he introduced him to a face he’d seen on the TV.

“Queen Cersei.” He greeted the woman.

“Just Lena, please.” The brunette smiled. “Happy Birthday!”

“Thank you.” He replied with a smile. The woman was as pretty off-screen as she was on screen, though her demeanor was vastly different from what she portrayed on the show. He was impressed, that was the mark of a talented actress.

Taylor Swift

“That’s so unfair!” She complained and compared her robes to the Lannister Twins’ elaborate costumes. “At this rate, one of them will win best costume!”

“You didn’t specify where the costume had to come from.” Jessica replied.

“That’s it, next time I’ll get a top-notch costume department to do my costume.” She stated.

Still, she was in good spirits. The party she and Zoe planned had turned into a resounding success. This shooting range was the ideal location, since it was far enough from the city to have complete privacy, and the field was big enough that the catering crews had no issues setting up the food stations.

 She was excited when Zoe first asked for help setting up this surprise party. She knew Jack was very observant, so she purposely kept her distance despite wanting to talk to him about the revelations about his past. She cried when she heard how he was lost in the system at such a young age, but she was glad his family was now reaching out to him.

His appeal as Sugar increased with this revelation, and she knew as soon as his album was released this Christmas, sales would skyrocket. Her label would also earn a good amount of profit. She couldn’t wait, there were only a few more days to go.

She looked around the party she helped plan. Jack was, as usual, camping beside the grill station, wolfing down steaks. Her friend must have been hungry with how he demolished his food. She liked this kind of party, all of the guests were people she recognized by face, even Sheldon, who stood out with his costume. The large wooden crucifix hanging from his neck was certainly eye-catching.

The Police Officers seemed to be enjoying the venue and food, as they sat down on the numerous bean bags she had placed all over the field. Zoe said Jack didn’t like formal parties, and she figured this was a nice way to make things more fun for his birthday party. It looked like a hit, and all of the bean bags were occupied by satisfied-looking guests.

“Why did I throw my old bean bag?” Liz collapsed beside her in her own bean bag. “This is wonderful. You’re a genius, Taylor.”

“Thanks.” She grinned.

“You may have started a trend here.” Liz laughed. “A bean bag party will be a hit.”

She was feeling down lately, but planning for Jack’s birthday party was a good distraction. Her love life was painfully nonexistent, and she had a dilemma about what she wanted for the direction of her career.

She couldn’t just pop out albums every few years, she knew she’d burn out, and the last thing she wanted to do was to release a crappy album. She wanted a break from making music and to take things slow for once. Not all of her family and friends agreed with her decision.

She was in a slump, and she needed some inspiration for what to do with her life. Maybe she could pick up a hobby like painting or even traveling. She certainly had the funds and means to travel in comfort.

“That was a good chicken salad.” Zoe sat down on her other side. Her friend had a good appetite lately and always polished her plate whenever they went out.

A cheer in the distance attracted her attention, and she realized the karaoke stage was being used. Lucy, if she remembered correctly, started belting out I Never Loved a Man by Aretha Franklin, a classic. It was a difficult song, and she was impressed by Lucy’s range.

“That’s why we don’t have a karaoke competition in the station.” Zoe shook her head. “That girl would always be the reigning champion.”

“Unless Jack decides to join it.” She added.

Speaking of Jack, her smile widened when she spotted him heading to the karaoke booth, encouraged by his swat friends. She didn’t have to tell the others, as one, they all moved closer to hear the celebrant perform. Was he about to perform one of his older songs? Or is this a new composition? She didn’t know. She only knew one thing, she felt incredibly lucky to be here at this moment. Every Sugar performance was special after all.

The crowd let out a cheer as Jack stood on the stage and took out one of the acoustic guitars on display in the background. They were all tuned, and she made sure of that, in case Jack was in a mood to sing, and it looked like her preparations had paid off.

“This song’s a bit personal.” Jack told the group. He didn’t use the microphone, with the crowd being so small and his voice easily reaching even those at the back, thanks to their isolated venue.

“Actually, my wife Zoe helped to compose this song, even if she didn’t know it back then.” Jack added.

More than a few faces turned to Zoe, but the woman looked confused.

“This is called Don’t look back in Anger.” Jack gave his wife a nod, and she saw the moment the woman realized what Jack was talking about.

“We just visited my family.” Zoe explained, disbelief written all over her face. “Things didn’t go well with my stepmother, Melissa. I didn’t know he made a song about that.”

[Noel Gallagher – Don’t Look Back in Anger (Acoustic Rare 1995)]

He started strumming the guitar, and as soon as the notes reached their eyes, they all erupted in applause. The melody was slow and simple, but had a relaxing quality and feel to it.

Slip inside the eye of your mind,

Don’t you know you might find…

A better place to play?

You said that you’d never been,

But all the things that you’ve seen

They slowly fade away…

They lyrics were so beautiful. She was instantly mesmerized by Jack’s performance. Those lyrics were just immaculate.

So I start a revolution from my bed

Cause you said the brains I had went to my head

Step outside, summertime’s in bloom…

Stand up beside the fireplace,

Take that look from off your face,

You ain’t ever gonna burn my heart out….

She felt her heartbeat getting faster as she started breathing harder. She could sense the chorus coming up, and she couldn’t wait to hear the climax of this wonderful, wonderful song. Jack’s vocals elevated the amazing lyrics to another level.

And so… Sally can wait,

She knows it’s too late, as we’re walking on by…

Her soul… slides away,

But don’t look back in anger,

I heard you say.

“Incredible.” She breathed out. She looked to the side and saw Zoe trying to dry her tears with a tissue but failing. Jack even started plucking, showing mastery of the guitar as he added distinct delicate notes to the mesmerized audience.

Take me to the place where you go,

Where nobody knows, if it’s night or day

Please don’t put your life in the hands

Of a rock and roll band

Who’ll throw it all away

Jack started singing the pre-chorus once more, and she yearned to learn the lyrics, wanting so badly to sing in concert with her friend.

So I start a revolution from my bed

Cause you said the brains I had went to my head…

Step outside, summertime’s in bloom…

Stand up beside the fireplace,

Take that look from off your face,

Cause you ain’t ever gonna burn my heart out….

This time more than one voice started singing with Jack. She was one of them.

And so… Sally can wait,

She knows it’s too late, and she’s walking on by

My soul… slides away,

But don’t look back in anger,

I heard you say.

By the time he started singing the chorus again, nearly everyone was singing with him. So simple and beautiful were his lyrics that they were easily memorized, probably etched deeply into the hearts of everyone present.

And so… Sally can wait,

She knows it’s too late, as we’re walking on by

Her soul… slides away,

But don’t look back in anger,

I heard you say.

And so… Sally can wait,

She knows it’s too late, as she’s walking on by

My soul… slides away,

But don’t look back in anger,

don’t look back in anger,

I heard you say.

At least not today.

As soon as he stopped playing applause broke out, and a few even whistled their appreciation for Jack’s performance.

“So… this is Sugar.” She heard an unfamiliar voice and realized it was Lena Headey standing near her with Nikolaj at her side.

“I told you, he’ll always surprise us with something.” Nikolaj grinned. “Aren’t you glad I invited you to tag along?”

She focused back on Jack as he took off the guitar and headed towards them. No one seemed eager to sing on the karaoke just after he performed, but that was okay. She, no, all of them needed to absorb that performance, and loud music would just distract them.

That was one of the most beautiful, haunting songs she had ever heard. It spoke about separation and moving on, and one glance at Zoe and her teary look, it looked like the reunion with Melissa, or Sally, as Jack mentioned her in the song, didn’t end amicably.

While Jack created that song for his wife, it reached her on some deeper level within her. This was the inspiration she was searching for, the spark she needed to decide on her life, not just her musical career.

Resentment and bitterness had no place in her heart, despite the lack of support from her friends and family about her latest decisions. No, she would just focus on moving forward and not follow what was expected of her. She would take a break. She deserved that at the very least. She would return to creating music when she was damn good and ready, and not before.