Chapter 2 - Smart Mouth
Seth was happy to finally be back at his hotel. This game of cat and mouse he was currently playing with Dean and Roman was amusing but exhausting. He had managed to avoid one attempt at capture earlier in the week at a house show, but he knew he wouldn't be able to avoid them forever. He considered it a matter of pride, though, to delay the inevitable as long possible.
Well, at least I'm done for tonight, Seth thought as he rifled through his wallet looking for his room key. Crap. Where is it? he wondered. His key was not in its normal place in his wallet. After checking his wallet and his bag thoroughly twice, Seth finally admitted defeat and headed wearily toward the hotel lobby.
Returning from the front desk with his replacement key in hand, Seth unlocked the door to his room, the next day's agenda running through his head. He was trying to decide whether he had enough time to go to the offsite gym he had found before his flight or if it would be wiser to just use the hotel's gym in the morning. Maybe I could do a quick workout here in the morning and get in a real workout after I land, he thought as he walked inside his room. He almost jumped out of his skin when he noticed Roman and Dean lounging casually on his bed.
"Lose something?" Dean asked mockingly, waving Seth's missing room key in the air.
Seth quickly weighed his options. If he turned around and bolted right now, he could make it out of the room before Roman and Dean could rise from the bed to catch him. But that would mean he would have to leave most of his stuff behind and get a second room or find someone to bunk with. Besides that, Dean and Roman would probably just wait for him to return in the morning. True, he could find back-up if he left, but he really didn't want to get the other members of the Authority involved. They were allies of convenience, not friends, and this was personal anyway. No, it was better to go ahead and settle things tonight.
"Well, boys," Seth said dropping his gym bag but holding on to his Money In The Bank briefcase, "what's the plan?"
"The plan," Roman replied, "is for you to finally get what's coming to you."
"Well, you're gonna have to be awfully quiet. These walls are thin, and J & J are rooming on one side of me, and Big Show and Kane are on the other," Seth lied.
"Oh, I think we can find a way to keep you quiet," Dean said threateningly, finally rising from his spot the bed and approaching Seth.
"Dean, Roman, please. Let's all be mature about this. I'll cooperate." Seth was not eager to be gagged again, and besides he had the beginnings of a plan.
"But that would ruin half our fun, now wouldn't it, Rollins?" Dean stepped closer to Seth.
"Please, Dean, please," Seth pleaded taking a step back and bumping into the desk. "No need for violence. Like I said, I'll cooperate. What do you wanna do? Tie me up like last time?"
"I think we can start with that," Dean agreed. "Pull out that chair."
Seth pulled out the desk chair and turned it to face the beds.
"Sit," Dean ordered.
Seth complied cooperatively, placing his briefcase down carefully behind the chair before sitting down. If Dean and Roman were suspicious of his easy compliance, then they weren't showing it.
Dean pulled a bag of zip ties from his pocket. "Let's see you squirm out of these."
"Oh. I saw you use those on Wade Barrett. Good thinking," Seth complimented genuinely, but Dean shot him a nasty look anyway. Seth responded by closing his mouth and placing his hands helpfully behind the back of the chair. Seth wished that Dean had decided to use duct tape like last time. Zip ties could leave ugly cuts if you struggled against them. He also wished he still had on his ring gear. His gloves made it easier for him to get extra space between his hands without being noticed, while his wrist tape would have protected his wrists. Oh well. He pulled the sleeves of his shirt down as far as possible and hoped for the best. For his part, Dean seemed to take pleasure in pulling the zip ties extra tight against his wrists. He repeated the action around Seth's ankles, then stood to survey his work.
Without warning, Dean reared back and slapped Seth hard across the cheek.
Seth took a moment to recover from the shock. Game time, he thought. Out loud he said, "I'm disappointed in you, Dean."
"Why? Because I hit a defenseless man?" Dean retorted. "You should know I'm not too good for that."
"No, no. I'm sure I deserved it. I'm disappointed because you can't see the truth when it is staring you in the face."
"What truth is that, Rollins?" He drawled Seth's last name like an insult.
"That me breaking up the Shield is the best thing that could have happened to you. To any of us. We took the Shield as high as it could go. It was coming to an end no matter what I did. I just made sure we went out with a bang instead of a whimper. Roman saw it coming."
Roman sat up for the first time since Seth entered the room as two pairs of eyes turned to focus on him. "I don't know what you're talking about," he said in a low, dangerous tone.
"Oh, is that right?" Seth returned steadily. "I seem to remember you grooming yourself for a nice singles career before I broke us up. You weren't going to outright leave us. No, no, no. You're too good for that, aren't you, Superman? But you were ready to leave us behind, weren't you, Roman? You were tired of sharing the glory. You were planning on being the breakout star of the Shield. And I don't blame you. Really, I don't. I'm an ambitious man. I get it. But there was no way you could go on to bigger and better things without making me and Dean look like chumps. I like you, Roman. Really. I do. But I wasn't going to let you make me look like a chump."
"That's all a bunch of bullshit, and you know it," Roman growled rising to his feet.
Seth desperately wished that he could use his hands to defend himself, but they were securely tied behind his back. He would have to use his mouth as a shield instead. "Oh, is it, Roman? Why don't we ask your good friend Dean for his opinion."
Roman paused in his progression toward Seth and looked at Dean.
"He's not completely off base, Ro," Dean answered carefully. "You were coming off of fantastic Royal Rumble and Survivor Series performances. All signs pointed toward you pursuing a singles career. But I don't think it would've made me look like a chump. Unlike some people," Dean looked pointedly at Seth, "I'm not threatened by my friends' success. I think we would have ended up looking even more dominant."
Dean's answer surprised Seth. He didn't think that Dean would acknowledge how Roman had been gradually setting himself apart from his Shield brothers. But since he had, it made Seth's job that much easier.
"How very loyal of you, Dean," Seth sneered. "Do you think Roman appreciates how loyal of a friend you are to him?"
"You bet I do," Roman asserted vigorously.
"Does Roman appreciate all the sacrifices you've made for him?" Seth continued looking only at Dean. He could see the confusion in Dean's eyes. He felt like he could almost read Dean's thoughts: What sacrifices? Where is he going with this?
"Because you have made sacrifices, haven't you, Dean?" Seth insisted persuasively. "Do you think Roman has ever wondered why you haven't thrown your hat in the ring for a chance at the WWE World Heavyweight title? Because I've wondered, Dean. It would seem like you were more qualified than me or Roman. You're the only one of the three of us who has ever held a singles title. And you didn't just hold it, did you? No, you had the longest U.S. title reign of anyone ever in the WWE. And I don't think that Roman would disagree with me when I say that you are just as talented, if not more so, than me or Roman. You've been working for this for over ten years now, busting your ass in the indies for years just to make it to the WWE. So tell me, Dean, why is it that Roman who hasn't been wrestling even half as long as you have is the one going after the big prize while you struggle to even get a shot at the Intercontinental Title?"
Seth stopped to let his words sink in. He could see Dean struggling to come up with an appropriate response. That's it, he thought. Divide and conquer. Seth continued, "Roman might not know why, but I think I do, Dean. I think you have deliberately stepped aside so that you wouldn't step on Roman's toes. It's sweet of you really, to put yourself on the back-burner so your friend can bask in the glory."
Seth could tell by the uneasy looks on his former partners' faces that his words were having the desired effect. Let's see if I can push it just a little further, he mused.
"Because Roman does like the glory, doesn't he Dean? He likes to shine? You know, I watched the Royal Rumble match, and I couldn't help but think how dominant the two of you could have been if you had just worked together for most of the match. Together you two could have eliminated everyone else, and then you could have sorted out the rest at the end. But that's not what happened, did it? And let me guess why. I bet that Roman talked to you before the match, didn't he, Dean? And he said something like, 'I just have to do it on my own. I have to prove myself.'" The looks on Roman's and Dean's faces confirmed that Seth's guess had been on the mark.
"Do you think that was really the reason, Dean? Or was Roman just afraid that you would steal some of his spotlight? But what would I know? I'm just the guy that helped you steal the show night after night. I'm just the guy who helped you main event a pay-per-view. You were killing it while Roman was injured. Of course, once he came back..." Seth trailed off. There was no need to spell out how Dean's place on the card had dropped since Roman's return.
Dean finally snapped. He grabbed Seth hard by the shoulders, got right into his face, and seethed, "You know nothing, Rollins. Nothing. You hear me? Do you even believe any of the shit that comes out of your mouth?"
Though the question was clearly rhetorical, Seth decided to answer anyway. "About half," he shrugged. In his head he added, The best lies are those that are mixed heavily with truth.
"About half," Dean repeated in disbelief. He let go of Seth and began to pace around the room, muttering to himself.
"I'm tied to a chair with two guys who want to kick my ass. I don't really think this is the best time for complete honesty," Seth clarified.
Roman's mouth quirked in an unwilling smile as he shook his head.
"You know what, Roman," Dean said as he continued his manic pacing, "I can't do this right now. I'm outta here." He slammed the door as he left the room.
Seth smiled inwardly in triumph. And then there was one, he thought.
Roman marveled at how brilliantly Seth had just manipulated Dean. Seth always had known how to pull Dean's strings, but when they were together he had used his powers for good. "I hope you don't think that smart mouth of yours is going to work as well on me as it just worked on Dean," Roman warned, "because I am bound and determined to give you everything that you deserve."
"Oh, Roman," Seth replied condescendingly, "with you I wouldn't even have to open my mouth. Because you, my friend, are much too honorable to hit me when I can't defend myself."
"I'll show you just how honorable I can be," Roman growled.
"Maybe I'm wrong, then. Go ahead, then, Hit me," Seth challenged.
Roman hesitated.
"See?" Seth said. "This just isn't your style. You simply got caught up in our little game of one-upmanship. Call me out next week on Raw. Kick my ass in the ring instead. Trust me, you'll enjoy it much more."
Roman desperately wanted to prove Seth wrong. He raised his hand, ready to strike, but he just couldn't do it. He had been wrong. Seth had manipulated him even easier than Dean. Roman sighed then smiled as an idea occurred to him. No, he wouldn't beat Seth up, but that didn't mean he wouldn't get the last laugh.
"You're right. This isn't my style," Roman agreed. "But I don't have any qualms about leaving you here, tied to that chair. Don't worry, though, I'll come untie you in the morning. Wouldn't want housekeeping to find you like that." Roman started to leave, but then turned around and added in mock sympathy, "I bet it will be awfully hard to sleep like that, though. Why don't I help you out with that." He pulled a bandana out of his pocket and tied it around Seth's eyes. "There. That should help," he said, patting Seth's head. "Goodnight."
Seth heard the door shut softly behind Roman. He took a moment to congratulate himself on making it through this confrontation with only minor injury. He counted it as a victory. Now it was time to get himself loose from this chair. He felt behind him for his briefcase. He was glad he had had the foresight to place it within such easy reach. Now for the hard part. Briefcase in hand, Seth hopped the chair toward the bed. It would have been much easier if he could see where he was going. Luckily, the hotel room was small, and the bed was only a couple of feet away. Once he could feel the bed with his knees, Seth maneuvered the chair around the opposite way and carefully raised the briefcase until he could rest it on the bed. He fumbled with the latch, stretching his shoulders painfully in order to reach. He smiled in relief when the latch clicked open.
After getting locked in the supply closet, Seth had decided it would be wise to prepare for any possible future encounters. C.M. Punk might have liked to refer to John Cena as 'boy scout,' but it was Seth who actually lived by the motto 'Be prepared.' Along with packing a professional lock picking kit in his briefcase, Seth had also packed anything else that he had thought might be useful: a pocket knife, scissors, a flashlight, tweezers, a poncho, a lighter, tape, a first aid kit, and an air horn among other things. It was a pain always having to unpack and repack the briefcase every time he got on an airplane - he didn't think airport security would approve of his supplies - but he was glad he had gone through the trouble.
He felt around carefully until he located the pair of scissors he had packed. He manipulated them gingerly, trying to get the right angle without letting them drop. Snip. The zip tie fell from his wrists. He pulled the bandana from his eyes, and after two more quick cuts, he was free. He stood, shook out the kinks, replaced the desk chair, repacked his briefcase, and threw away the zip ties. He then walked to his door and dead-bolted it. He didn't want any more surprises tonight. Finally able to relax in his bed, Seth pulled out his cell phone and snapped a quick selfie of himself smiling and leaning into his pillows. He sent it with the message, "Goodnight, Roman."
Roman entered his own hotel room hoping to find Dean inside but was unsurprised when he was not. He couldn't help but admire how efficiently Seth had manipulated the two of them. He wondered if he had done the right thing leaving Seth tied to the chair. He knew he deserved it, but it was still kind of cruel. Maybe, I should go untie him, he thought. Nah, let him sit there and think about what he has done.
Roman had barely finished brushing his teeth when he heard his phone ding, announcing a text message. Dean, he thought hurrying to read it, but was greeted with a photo of a smiling Seth instead. Groaning good-naturedly, Roman returned the phone to the nightstand. "Goodnight, Seth," he muttered.