"Roman!" Several children ran up to the Samoan.
"Es tan chistoso cuando intenta hablar, ¡enséñale!" A boy was pushing a girl.
"Mira Roman, esto es una achochilla." The girl showed him a strange fruit? or maybe it was a vegetable? "Achochilla." Again, she said the name of the fruit.
Roman narrowed his eyes, it was always the same. But these children amused him. So he tried to spell the name.
"Aish..."
The children laughed in unison.
"A-cho-chi-lla." The girl tried again.
"Ashashalia."
The children laughed once more handing the fruit to Roman.
Roman smiled. Another man came to the place where they were hanging.
"Finn, enseña a Roman a hablar español." One of the kids requested.
"Cuando regresemos, les prometo que Roman estará diciendo trabalenguas." Finn grinned and winked at the kids.
"No lo creo, hace un año que está aquí y solo sabe pedir comida." Another boy said laughing.
"¡No hablo, pero entiendo!" Roman smiled at the kids.
The kids laughed again.
"These kids are going to miss you." Finn said to Roman.
"No doubt. Their favorite pastime is making fun that I haven't been able to learn Spanish." Roman pointed.
"By the way, don't eat that. They already played that joke on me, and that fruit tastes awful if it's not cooked." Finn indicated to Roman.
The Samoan smiled.
A truck arrived and Finn indicated to Roman that they should go. The Samoan and Finn climbed into the back of the truck and both said goodbye to the inhabitants of that place.
They arrived to a makeshift and very hidden airstrip in the outskirts of that little town. Once there, Finn pointed to a hangar and proceeded to hand Roman a passport.
"You have everything under control." Roman looked at his new identity. "And many aces up your sleeve."
"I have had a whole year to get everything under control." Finn grinned. "Besides having allies everywhere, who are the aces up my sleeve. After all, we might end up saving the world."
"Speak for yourself, I'll just go kick some ass to get back here, so those kids can keep making fun of my terrible Spanish." Roman stated.
"At least that heart of yours hasn't turned into a rock yet." Finn sighed. "That is already something."
"My heart doesn't even beat Finn. I'm a freaking zombie." Roman smirked again and Finn rolled his eyes. The Samoan walked to the waiting plane. "And what is the name of the place we are going to?"
Finn showed Roman a map. "We will have to make some stopovers, but we must get to this place as soon as possible."
Finn pointed to an island in the middle of the ocean. Roman tried to read, but there were symbols there that he didn't understand.
ఆదర్శధామం
"And I was complaining about Spanish." Roman narrowed his eyes. "And how is this pronounced?"
"Ādarśadhāmaṁ" Chris Jericho, the businessman who ran the underground fighting league, was speaking to several fighters he had summoned to that meeting. "That's the name of the place we're going to. Don't worry if you don't understand, I probably mispronounced it too."
They had gathered the best fighters in the league, in the arena they used for their matches. They were all getting the news.
"Why are we going there?" Mox asked.
"We are going to take the tournament to a new level." Chris continued explaining. "They offered me a lot, emphasis on a lot, of money for a show there. They want us to take the best of this dumpster, and that's why you guys will come with me."
"Where is that?" Another fighter asked.
"It's an island in the middle of some ocean. I honestly don't care where it is, what I do care is that a business is going to be carried out on that island, in which a small group of billionaires want to get their hands on it. The richest and most powerful on the planet will be in that place, and if we entertain them, this little garbage league will become a mine of gold. Our gamblers and assistants will stop being the scum of this city to become the most powerful men of the planet. So, we are going to entertain the zillionaires, as part of the week of celebration for the national holidays of that place. Needless to say, if someone refuses, are very much fired."
Mox frowned and whispered to Becky. "I don't care, I must go to USA, not to the other side of the world, to a country that I didn't even know existed."
"How much money will there be for us?" Another fighter asked.
Chris smirked. "For each fight, you will receive a hundred thousand win or lose. But the winners will receive an extra bonus, which depending on the bets could be double."
Everyone started commenting excitedly.
Becky smirked and whispered to Mox. "You really don't plan on going? If you're going to USA, that money would be really good for you."
Mox nodded. "You're right, besides, if I've already waited that long, I'll be able to wait a little longer."
"I don't know why everyone is so happy." Another fighter commented. "I watched on yotube, a documentary about that place, it's sad what they did with that people."
The fighters began to murmur.
"Well better if I tell you now." Chris sighed. "That island is an independent state. Once upon a time, had their own government, a monarchy. But now, they are under the control of those who hired us. They manufacture weapons there, the most dangerous in this planet. They arm anyone who can give them money for what they do."
"Are the inhabitants of that island happy with that?" Becky asked.
"Would you be, Becky?" Chris replied sarcastically. "The town was taken over by an army, they murdered the king and his entire family. Nearby countries are not interested since they are also clients and they handle a lot of money there. Anyway, we are not going to be their superheroes, we are going to work for those who oppress them, so I don't want any of you gossiping on that. That will ruin this business."
Mox rolled his eyes at stared at his partners. "How do you guys know about all this?"
A couple of fighters started laughing. "Because we use the internet, Mox. There is a lot of information that everyone tries to hide, being revealed on the retribution youtube channel."
"Do you keep watching that garbage?" Other fighter scoffed.
"Hey! they have good content." Another defended. "You didn't even know where we are going."
"Good content?" Another fighter started laughing. "Haven't you seen the videos? They're clowns. They insist that Seth Rollins, the hero who saved Utopia, is actually a villain, and that Roman Reigns and Dean Ambrose were always innocent."
"Are there people who really believe these conspiracy theories?" Chris pointed out. "Those are just YouTube videos of people with no work or future. You watched on television everything that happened in Utopia. The guy saved them from a horrible threat. So stop gossiping and go pack up that we must leave as soon as possible."
The fighters began to leave the place. Mox and Becky looked at each other thoughtfully.
"So, Finn did spread the evidence." Mox whispered in Becky's ear.
"Looks like he did." Becky nodded. "I wonder where Finn is. I never heard from him since he sent you with me."
"He didn't communicate with us, but he seems to have communicated with those guys on YouTube. Or maybe he's one of them." Mox frowned.
"I trust you will bring the supersoldier." A deep voice was heard from the computer.
"I trust that you will have all the merch ready. I don't want to waste too much time there. I don't even want anyone to know I'll be there." Drew answered sitting in his oversized chair in the main office at Utopia.
"You will have to stay here at least a couple of days. Things won't be as fast as you wish. And let me remind you that we will only let you leave the island when the supersoldier is under our full control."
Drew scoffed, "Good luck with that, because the damn zombie-like serum formula is no more. Or at least I don't know about its existence. This supersoldier obey his own damn will."
"We are going to tame the supersoldier, no problem on that." The voice indicated.
"What if you can't?" Drew seemed mistrustful.
"If we don't succeed, we will kill him." The voice of the interlocutor sounded tired. "Those are superior orders, Mr. McIntyre. Everything is authorized."
"Good look on that. They are powerful, you can't just kill them." Drew indicated. "And I point this out, because I don't want the negotiation to suffer any setback just because you can't keep him under control. I am telling you in advance, it will be almost impossible to mind control or even worst kill the damn freak."
"Don't worry about that, Mr. Mcintyre." The man smirked. "You just have to bring what the boss asked, and we'll take care of everything else. Then you will enjoy a show prepared so that you do not get bored during your stay."
Drew rolled his eyes. "The only thing that will entertain me on that island are the resources that you all promised me, and of course to finish consolidating our society. Nothing else."
"This place has its charms Mr. McIntyre, you never know."
"That's why you haven't been out of there in 20 years." Drew squinted his eyes."What can I tell you... Boss pays me dearly to take care of the investment."
"Then, it's done. I'll see you tomorrow." Drew closed the video call.
"Everything is ready, and I have the perfect excuse to cover you those days. We will say that you are in the Amazon, solving the problem of your rainforest demons." The Miz indicated.
"In fact, that's true. My trip there will also help me to end the damn problem in the Amazon." Drew smirked.
"I can't believe how easy it will be to fool Seth." The Miz poured himself a glass of whiskey. "You have him eating out of your hand. Poor thing, when he realizes it will be too late."
"Don't be silly Mike, never let your guard down with Seth. Neither with him nor with any other of those who are like him." Drew glared at The Miz. "If we give them the slightest chance, they will finish us off. Remember that they are like cockroaches, it is very difficult to eradicate them."
"Will you go to that island?" Tony sighed in concern. "The shows Chris will make you all perform there, will be ruthless. And if someone dies in that country, no one is going to give a fuck."
"You know this is my life." Mox was smoking a cigarette, lying on a bed, his naked body covered with a sheet.
"I know. It was healing your wounds that I met you." Tony decided to divert the subject. He knew it was useless to insist on that. Not even god could make Jon Moxley change his mind. "You know, now that I am going to be an intern at the hospital, I will do everything I can to make that surgery on your eye. It will be purely aesthetic since we cannot reconstruct that level of damage, but it would look natural. You could finally take off that patch."
"Tony, after going to the Ii8sland of Terror, I will have the resources to go to the hospital where you are going to work and have you and your future colleagues fix my damn eye." Mox indicated. "I'm just not interested in doing that."
"But I am." Tony started kissing Mox's neck. "I'm seriously interested in your well-being and everything related to you."
"We've already talked about this. You shouldn't." Mox tilted his head giving Tony more access. "I'll never be able to offer you anything but sex. I don't want you to feel cheated, Tony. You're too good to bear with me anymore."
"You're a heartless son of a bitch." Tony kept kissing him. "And here I am, still hoping that I can make you change."
Mox put the used cigarette in the ashtray. "You will never make it. I don't want to break your heart, but I suppose it is inevitable if you want to."
They both kissed and soon the room was filled with moans.
Two days later...
"I don't understand a word they say." Roman whispered to Finn.
It was early in the morning, both of them were walking in the middle of a crowd of people who did not seem to pay any attention to them. All of them preparing the streets for the largest celebration in that country. Boy, there were people in that place. Traders, street vendors and people just passing by.
The streets and houses looked very traditional, and quite old. With the typical architecture of the Middle East.
The women wore tight-fitting clothes of very bright colors. They wore their long hair down, adorned with flowers and their eyes outlined in deep black and lips tinted in various shades of bright red. The men also wore colorful suits with bright embroidery, all very neat.
Several of the locals smiled flirtatiously at Roman. The samoan smirked back at several of them.
Finn sighed, this was common wherever they went.
Roman has always been very handsome, but the confidence that now transpired out his body, was like a magnet for men and women. It would be no different here.
"Remember we came on a mission, not to leave descendants." Finn said sarcastically.
"I didn't know that a dead man could leave such thing." Roman replied just as sarcastic. "Don't worry, I will fulfill my mission 100%. I can multitask."
Finn rolled his eyes. But also noticed Roman was quite relaxed. It was obvious he was comfortable here.
"You liked that about the Amazon, and you like the same about here: that nobody knows who you are." Finn said knowingly. "Nobody in this place cares what happens in the West, that's why none of these people knows who you or Seth Rollins is, or anything about that story. But even if these people knew our history, they don't care about America, or any other part outside of this island."
"Do America or any other part outside this island care about these people?" Roman narrowed his eyes. "This island is small in size, but rich in resources and look! Its inhabitants live in a very rural way, while their executioner lives in the midst of absurd opulence. The whole world knows that they live under the rule of a tyrant King, and they don't give a damn. These people are right not to care about anything beyond their own lives."
Finn stopped and nooded at Roman. "And the worst thing is that this island is under the control of powerful people from the West. These people are just their pawns."
Roman sighed. "When we're done with this, I definitely want to go back to the Amazon and never leave."
"I understand your point of view." Finn nodded. "But we must focus on this place first because, if Drew and Seth associate with those who control this island, the rest of the world could suffer the same fate as this place."
"How are we going to stop all of this?" Roman asked the obvious. "What is going to be developed here is bigger than us and the abilities we have now. Even if the Shaman says that your alter ego is the most powerful thing on the planet, we have never verified that he is so. The demon has never demonstrated the power the Shaman says he has. And while we wait for him to make his big entrance… Seth's skills, money, and now weapons and powerful allies are still more powerful than us."
"You have already defeated an enemy more powerful than yourself." Finn insisted.
"Then maybe I can kill myself alongside Seth Rollins and all his malevolent allies." Roman said wryly. "If I have to do it again, this time please don't resurrect me."
Finn pursed his lips, he hated when Roman talked like this.
"Perhaps we can avoid going to those extremes. My contact is part of a group that is organizing a revolution. He wants to overthrow the tyrant government and expose them to the world. With that, we would prevent Seth and Drew from getting the weapons and, moreover, the entire planet he will find out that they are villains. That way we will both go after them and destroy them without having the western armies trying to annihilate us, thinking that we are the villains."
"Or maybe we should just be the villains everyone believes we are, go to Utopia and murder them, and whoever protecting them, innocent or not. I've done it before." It was a strange thing to hear Roman speak so calmly about his assassin stage, even if he didn't remember it. "We should find allies to our cause and..."
"Become Seth Rollins." Finn looked worriedly at his friend. "That was exactly what happened to him. But if you decide to switch to the dark side of the force, I will contact Dean Ambrose and tell him the truth. He will make you see reason, by hook or by crook."
"You will make a guy I don't remember, and don't give a damn about remembering, to make me change my mind." Roman almost scoffed. "You think I'll see him and it'll be like a fairy tale, I'll remember the life of the late Roman Reigns and I'll become the good guy who died in a stupid way, precisely for being so nice."
"Make fun all you want." Finn was unfazed by Roman's obvious sarcasm. "I will do everything in my power to prevent you from becoming someone like Seth Rollins. One is enough."
Roman looked at Finn and smiled knowingly. "I don't really know what your story with the other super soldier was about, but as far as I know, you've already tried to stop Seth Rollins from becoming what he is now, using the power of love." Roman even air quoted the last three words. "And it didn't work at all. But don't worry, I have no interest in becoming his copycat."
"I'll make sure of that." Finn said this very seriously.
"Take it easy." Roman gave him a friendly smile. "Plus, all that speech of yours. It's so obvious, you still love the villain we're supposed to destroy. Who knows and... maybe I'll be the one who should make you see reason not to join him. You still love him, right?"
"I hate him enough to do whatever it takes to stop him. Look how far I've come, everything I had to lose, even my own soul. There is no turning back." Finn assured, and they both continued on their way
Thank you very much to those who are reading, leaving comments and likes. It really is very important to me. And in case you didn't understand the first part of this episode because it was in Spanish, here is the translation:
"Roman!" Several children ran up to the Samoan.
"It's so funny when he tries to talk, show him!" A boy was pushing a girl.
"Look Roman, this is an achochilla." The girl showed him a strange fruit? or maybe it was a vegetable? "Achochilla." Again, she said the name of the fruit.
Roman narrowed his eyes, it was always the same. But these children amused him. So he tried to spell the name.
"Aish..."
The children laughed in unison.
"A-cho-chi-lla." The girl tried again.
"Ashashalia."
The children laughed once more handing the fruit to Roman.
Roman smiled. Another man came to the place where they were hanging.
"Finn, teach Roman to speak Spanish." One of the kids requested.
"When we get back, I promise you Roman will be saying tongue twisters." Finn grinned and winked at he kids.
"I don't think so, he's been here for a year and he only knows how to ask for food." Another boy said laughing.
"I don't speak, but I understand!" Roman smiled at the kids.
The kids laughed again.