"I'm not working with him! He shot me in the leg." Katarina Love shouts at Freddy Escobar in front of a room of many Hope soldiers as well as thugs from Roman's cartel. Roman McIntyre leans against a wall a few feet behind Freddy as Sabre and Sofia stand next to Escobar. Alexis is next to Freddy.
"Stand in line and shut up." Freddy said
"You're making all of Hope work with criminals and a traitor who went AWOL on your organization, three days ago." Katarina said. "And worst of all, you want us to fight Chris Wolf."
"You know, in our timeline, that wouldn't be a hard fight." Sofia said
"This isn't the time for jokes." Alexis said, looking at her
"I refuse to work with them." Katarina said
"That's cool. We don't need someone with one leg anyways." Sabre said. Katarina was about to strike, but Freddy grabs her arm.
"Just leave then. We'll do this without you." Freddy said
"You've all gone insane. He killed Seth." Katarina said, before limping through the crowd of Hope Soldiers and street thugs. Freddy sighs
"She's acting like that doesn't make you a hero in every timeline." Sofia jokes.
"So the plan is to ambush them since you guys are supposed to guard their celebration?" Roman asked.
"Pretty much. They won't see it coming. We have enough gear to disguise them as guards. The rest will be in the crowd. Make sure that no one innocent doesn't get hurt." Freddy said
"This is war. Casualties happen all the time. I can't guarantee that people in that crowd won't die." Roman said
"Just make sure your boys don't shoot directly at the people. Regardless of what happens, I'm still a protector here. These people's safety is my priority." Freddy said
"We'll do what we can." Roman said, as Alexis looks around, before noticing someone missing.
"Are you okay?" Asked Jason, noticing her.
"Yeah, I'm just going to go get a drink." Alexis said
"Getting drunk the night before the battle. That's my Alexis. Let's get a drink" Sofia said.
"I was thinking of drinking with someone else right now." Alexis said.
"You suck in this timeline." Sofia pouts before Alexis left the room. We cut to Ash Russo standing outside on Hope's balcony. He looks down at the city as we see an electronic billboard that says 'Chris Wolf comes to LA, tomorrow'. Ash hears the door behind him opens and turns around to see Alexis Espinoza with two Modelo's.
"You look like you need one." Alexis said as she joins him on the balcony and hands him the beer.
"Do you have a bottle cap opener?" Ash asked, causing Alexis to giggle. "What?"
"Where I'm from, Ash Russo doesn't use bottle openers. He knows how to pop the cap off these with his hands like a real man." Alexis said, before taking Ash's bottle and opening it for him. She throws the cap over the balcony.
"Hey, that's loitering." Ash said
"You're nothing like the real Ash. Although, I'm sure you spend lots of night thinking and reciting poetry." Alexis said
"I'm a published poet actually." Ash said
"That doesn't surprise me in the slightest." Alexis said as the two look over the city.
"So the truth is that I'm some vigilante going against the government and I'm dating a girl who gets me coffee at Starbucks instead of a supermodel." Ash said
"Lacey is a Starbucks employee. That's weird." Alexis admits.
"I'm sure the actual Ash Russo would rather have a girl who works at Starbucks than a Supermodel. Status in life isn't everything to him. Kind of like you." Ash said.
"What do you mean?" Alexis asked.
"You're the Queenpin of a Drug Cartel in Mexico. The Queen of the South. But you aren't attracted to successful business man. No, when I got my memories back, I remembered a week where we lived in a house, before something called 'ACW Into the Shadows'. I observed through those memories that you had eyes on your husband. The only difference is that Freddy Escobar isn't a wealthy leader that everyone respects. He doesn't instill fear or draw any sense of enchantment from children. He's a bankrupt loser who lives on a bus. Yet, you're fond of him. Why is that?" Ash said
"I make his life a living hell. What are you even talking about?" Alexis said
"Don't put up a shield. I'm smarter than that. I went to Harvard University and majored as a Psychology expert. Your Ash Russo was a degenerate and vigilante while the one in front of you is well educated. There was something that happened that made you grow attached to that mess of a manchild. I wonder what it is." Ash said
"He worked for my dad." Alexis said
"That can't be the only reason." Ash said
"Listen, I don't want to talk about it right now. We have a history and I'll leave it at that. I came out here to check up on you, not get a lecture about who I like and why I would torment them if I did like them." Alexis said, snapping a little.
"I may have pushed your buttons a little bit too much. I'm sorry. I just find it interesting that in this universe that you're his wife while in that one, you're his enemy despite there being feelings. At least from your side. He doesn't seem to like you. It's almost like watching two first graders who don't know anything about love" Ash chuckles as he sips his beer.
"I know about love. Besides, what do you know about love?" Alexis said, causing Ash to stop and contemplate.
"I….I honestly don't know. I've spent all my life studying and being a success that I didn't really have time for my wife. We only went on two or three dates in college before I proposed." Ash said
"Wow. Why?" Alexis said
"I'm not exactly the uber cool badass Ash Russo that you know. I was unconfident. So I just locked her up and here we are today." Ash Russo said
"Yes, here we are. With the truth being that everything you knew was a lie." Alexis said
"It's a tough pill to swollow. But it's the truth. I haven't even visited my kid and wife. I never went home because it's hard to accept." Ash said
"The only way to overcome is to accept the truth." Alexis said comforting him by rubbing his arm.
"I could give you the same advice about your love life." Ash said, smiling at her.
"I'd push you off this balcony right now if I didn't feel bad for you." Alexis said, smiling back, knowing he was referring to Freddy. The two just smiled under the stars. Then suddenly Ash leaned in and locked lips with Alexis. Alexis for a moment got into it, even wrapping her arms around his head. Suddenly, she realized what she was doing and let go, before pulling her lips away from Ash. "Ash, this isn't right."
"This reality isn't right. The truth is that you and me are on the same side of the law. I'm an Outlaw and you're a Queenpin." Ash tried to reason.
"In this reality I'm married." Alexis said
"This reality is fake." Ash said. "Let's go back to our reality and rule side by side."
"There's one thing the same about the real Ash and you. You're both overly emotional and reactive. You don't want to be with me. At least not with Lacey by your side and Richard Montoya on your mind. If I start something, I want it to be serious. Also, we are on the same side of the law, but we're in two different spots in this world. You're a rebel. I'm not. I work within my system in the underground. We could never be together. You need to chill out." Alexis said, shutting Ash down. Alexis then quickly walked away from him as Ash sighed. Ash then threw his beer bottle off the balcony and screamed. Alexis heard it from inside, but ignored it as she closed the door behind her. That's when she noticed Sofia and Jason holding up a large picture frame up to them and staying in the same pose. "Oh no…."
"Shit, we got caught." Sabre said as they both dropped the picture frame
"I told you that a picture couldn't contain the Ace and Ace connection. It was very unrealistic." Sofia said, slapping Jason in the chest.
"I'm guessing that you saw everything." Alexis sighs
"At least you're moving up in life. Everyone would rather bang a Mass Murder who's dating a slightly crazy girl over Freddy Escobar any day of the week." Sofia said.
"I didn't know people disliked him that much." Jason said, rubbing the back of his head.
"Listen, he was just being emotional and that happened. It wasn't a big deal. Don't tell Freddy." Alexis said.
"Okay okay, let's not tell your fake husband over your adultery." Jason said
"Listen, if he finds out, then he won't help. So shut up." Alexis said.
"Fine." Both of our Ace's says.
A couple hours later….
Ash Russo is standing next to Katarina Love underneath a highway.
"I don't like this idea." Ash said as the two stand side by side.
"Don't worry, it'll all work out in the end." Katarina winks as a van pulls up and out walks Caesar Montana dressed in all black and wearing sunglasses.
"You know, the Caesar Montana of this timeline would kill the Caesar of theirs in seconds." Ash said.
"I plan on beating everyone who is going to try and take out King Chris Wolf and Matt Lopez." Caesar said
"Do you have the Wolf Tribe branch ready?" Asked Katarina.
"Yeah. Chris Wolf is ready to play with these idiots. The Wolves are on the hunt as we speak. There will be no ambush." Caesar said
"Hey Ash." Asked Katarina.
"What?" Ash asked
"You should kill Freddy. I mean, I'm taking over Hope when we beat them and he is the one who's technically married to Alexis. It would be good for you." Katarina said. Little did these three know, someone was looking down from the sidewalk of the highway listening in. That was Natalia Rodriguez.
"They're going to kill everyone." Natalia said Until Caesar looks up.
"What are you doing up there?" Caesar screams before pointing his gun at her. Natalia quickly makes a run for it as Caesar shoots.
"That was one of Jason's favorite whores." Katarina said "She's probably going to go and tell Jason what's happening."
"The Wolves will get to him before she can do anything. But just in case, I'll call someone to take her down. What's her name" Caesar said as he pulled out his IPhone
"Natalia Rodriguez" Katarina said
"Who are you sending?" Asked Ash
"The Shadow." Caesar said
"Nyx Rosewood…. That girl is as good as dead." Ash said
Furno Moxley, Raptor Reigns and Aiden Black stand outside of Hope HQ.
"Our backup will be here soon." Aiden said
"So who's taking who?" Raptor asked.
"We'll take on whoever the King says we take out. It doesn't matter. All that matters is Jason Sabre, Freddy Escobar, Roman McIntyre, Sofia Reynoso and Alexis Espinoza get taken out and have their heads chopped off." Furno said with a smile. Suddenly a large flying ship starts to lower causing the Hounds of Justice to back up.
"Look alive." Raptor grins as it lands. Slowly the bottom of the ship opens to reveal a ramp that leads to the ground. The Imperial March by John Williams and the London Symphony Orchestra plays in the background as a man wearing a black Wolf mask and inspired armor walks down the ramp. Behind him stands Samuel and a second masked man. And behind them as army of soldiers march down.
"Lord Wolf." Raptor greets.
"Let the battle begin." Chris Wolf said as he notices lights turning on in Hope's building.