Jude Kinkade/Zero [Gideon] centric spin on S2E1~'Game Changer'
"You ready?"
"I was born ready."
"You might want to lay off the clichés, during the press conference," Jude retorted, with mock exasperation.
What he really felt was a sense of excitement and pride. Zero was here in L.A. and he'd brought him. Oscar was ecstatic. Thirty million was a small price to pay for the small forward, who could help guarantee the Los Angeles Devils a Championship ring.
"Man, people love clichés...makes 'em feel all warm and safe," Zero replied in a low whisper.
Even through the phone, Jude could see Zero's signature grin. It made him smile.
"I'll be at your office in 10."
Normally, Jude would have been the one to pick up a client, especially one on Zero's level. But the baller tooled around in the latest Escalade and Porsche, there was no way he was going to be seen in Jude's used 2010 BMW.
After they'd hung up, Jude stared for a few minutes at his phone. At 'ZERO.' Idly wondering about the significance of it, before shaking himself out of it, collecting his briefcase and heading stood off to the side, looking on, with his hands in his suit pockets as cameras flashed and microphones were thrust forward while Zero charmed the sports reporters. He sat in a simple red chair, behind a table strewn with microphones, against a Los Angeles Devils backdrop. Hair neatly parted; beard trimmed. He wore a dark, perfectly tailored suit, with a grey and white shirt and tie. He was confident, cool, and attractive. Zero was all the things that Jude wanted to be or be with…
"I am thrilled and humbled to be a part of this amazing organization. I know what it's like to win a ring. I just hope I can bring some of that magic here to L.A," he intoned, with just enough false modesty to sell it.
"I'd like to thank the two people who brought me here. Jude, junior agent and rock star at my agency," he said looking over at him and flashing a smile.
Jude found himself beaming in response. In that moment, he was even more certain that convincing Zero to leave the Cleveland Wolves and come with him to L.A. was the right choice.
"And God. With him, all things are possible," Zero finished, pointing upward for added effect.
Jude had tried to convince him to tone down the religious rhetoric. He'd gotten to know Zero, as well as either man could or would let the other, pretty decently and he knew his Christianity was a fraud. Jude just hoped that nobody else figured it out…
At that moment Oscar and Pete Davenport, the head coach, coasted into view. Zero immediately rose and sauntered over to them, Jude quickly trailed behind as the reporters shouted questions and there was an increase in flashbulbs.
With a quick introduction between Pete and Zero and a slight nod from Oscar to Jude, Zero was now officially a member of Devils Nation.
~~~
"I don't know how you did it, but gold star for bringing Zero to L.A," said Oscar, as he and Jude walked through Devils Arena's corridors.
Jude had done it by looking directly into the often, unnervingly intense stare of Zero and asking, 'Why be a Prince of Cleveland, when he could be a King of L.A?' Over the course of numerous agency expense account drinks, dinners and a few high-end strip clubs, Jude made the promise that a higher profile and lucrative endorsements could be Zero's, for the taking. Maybe, even Captain. If he would just trust Jude. When Zero pointed out that there seemed to be more to his proposal than just making full agent, he, to his surprise, easily admitted that he hoped to use Zero as an entry point into Devils Arena management, working by his father's side. Zero's captivating smile eventually reached his blue eyes as he saw the possibilities of their plan.
"Got more than a gold star. With Derek here already, the agency made me their point person at the arena," he said, hoping for some sense of approval from Oscar. "I haven't always felt a hundred percent welcome here on my own." Jude immediately regretted that last bit. It had a whiff of neediness, that he sensed Oscar found distasteful.
"Keep coming through for me like this, that could change. Good job, kid," he said as he began to walk away.
"Thanks, dad," Jude called after him.
That made the older man pause, turn, and give him a quiet look.
"Oscar," Jude corrected, like a little boy scolded.
"So, how did it go?" Jude asked.
It was a few days after Zero's triumphant winning shot, during his first game as a Los Angeles Devil. He was sitting across from Zero overlooking the empty court at the arena. He preferred it here. It was where he had always wanted to be, not stuck in the bullpen at his agency, fetching coffee orders for the otherfullagents.
The baller leaned in close to the junior agent, a look of sheer malevolent delight lit up his face. Jude could smell the mix of sweat and expensive cologne that permeated from Zero, he involuntarily swallowed and found himself slowly leaning away as his pulse sped up ever so slightly. Jude made himself tamp down whatever feeling he was, well feeling and forced himself to focus on the other man's words.
"Yeah, suggesting that I include Derek and Terrence in that SportsCenter interview, was a stroke of genius, Jude. It definitely is throwing them off their game, get it," he said grinning at his own pun, as he lightly slapped Jude's shoulder. "Tamping down some of that suspicion."
"Good. But I gotta' say I'm not so sure about this Jelena thing...you think it's a good strategy to go after Terrence's girlfriend?"
"Ex-girlfriend."
"Regardless, Terrence isn't going to want to be all that chummy with you if you go after Jelena Howard," Jude reasoned. He also knew the Devil Girls coach's reputation. She was smart, talented, and ruthless. She was not the kind of person that you'd want to play fuck around, and find out with...
"Jealous?" Zero asked, licking his lips and giving Jude that intense stare of his.
In that moment Jude wasn't sure if he meant of him or her.
"I'm just pointing out that it might not be a good idea to create drama between Terrence and you, when the main goal is to create a rift between Derek and him," said Jude, ignoring the question while fidgeting with his plaid tie.
"Don't be so anxious, I got this," Zero said with confidence. "I came here to be a king. Every king needs a queen. Jelena on my arm is just what I need to be featured in every media outlet from Inside Sports Network to E. The endorsements will come rolling in."
"Yeah. Just be careful," Jude advised, returning to professional agent mode, as he pulled out his cell. "I've got a meeting with Lionel Davenport, before I head over to Oscar's groundbreaking."
The latter which he was more than a little apprehensive about. Thoughts of Olivia Vincent's threatening red envelope on his mind.
Zero seemed to look at him with a mixture of surprise and curiosity.
"Don't even think about it," said Jude. "She is solely fixated on getting Pete Davenport back. Which gets me one step closer to Oscar's house."
A quick flicker of what might have been empathy passed across Zero's face before it was gone.
"Maybe I'm jealous," he taunted.