Jude/Zero[Gideon] centric spin on 'Playing Dirty'~S2E8
"So, what changed your mind?" Jude asked Lionel, who was sitting courtside, looking beautiful as ever in a form fitting black and red dress.
She sat composed, her eyes rapt on Pete Davenport.
Jude could guess but wanted to hear it from her lips. Not that he wasn't happy. One of the many 'It's the last thing I want to do' was to inform Oscar that the actress was out, but he couldn't help but wonder what was in the water. Raquel, Sloane…
"Let's just say, things have taken a turn, and I might just get what I want, after all." She gave him an indulgent smile.
He sat next to her, his eyes going from Lionel to Pete. He took a deep breath. He had put the screws to Sloane and Raquel, using threats of firings and blackmail regarding INS. He couldn't let them bring down Oscar, his father. He had to control the situation. And he would.
He decided to focus on the game. The Devils were playing the Indiana Steeds. They were in the fourth quarter. L.A. 113, Indiana 114, with 19 seconds left.
The Devils brought the ball up, passed it to Terrence. He watched as Zero called for the ball. Time was running out, there were three seconds left. Zero spun, he shot, he made it!
The shot went off after the buzzer.
The baller seemed to be disappointed…and arguing with the Ref, who shook his head.
~~~
After the game, Jude cautiously followed Raquel from the Playground.
She was at the elevator across from the gym pressing buttons, looking agitated.
Jude walked through the dark corridor; illuminated only with the glow of a blue security light.
He knew that she had been using him, somehow, to gain information for Sloane and her 'investigation' into Oscar's fraud and he also knew that she was in the weakest position and easier to flip.
Seeing him, she said, "We're working on it!"
"I know. Listen, I was thinking. You're in a tough spot, being illegal."
"I'm not illegal, I'm undocumented." Offense evident in her voice.
"Whatever. It's got to be bad for you or Olivia wouldn't threaten you with that letter."
"So, what?"
"I can protect you. Make sure Oscar only hears Sloane's name."
"Why would you do that?"
"Let's just say I have a soft spot for single moms with young sons. I don't want to risk
separating you if I don't have to. I don't trust Sloane will give me everything, but you can make sure she does. But you have to get every last bit to me, and you won't have to worry about Miguel again."
He could see her seriously mulling it over, as he gave her one last look, before walking away.
~~~
The next morning, Jude sat at his desk at the agency. 'Done waiting. 6 tonight.' He then sent the text to Sloane. Hopefully, Raquel had enough common sense and self-preservation to give him what he wanted.
A minute later, his phone pinged. 'Sloane.' He took an irritated breath. To his surprise it was Zero.
'Meet me out front. 5 minutes. Surprise.'
Leave it to Zero to be on his phone in L.A. traffic. 'Okay,' he replied. That man was so reckless. Jude supposed at times, so was he. He stood, straightened his slightly wrinkled burgundy tie and picked up his briefcase. He needed to get over to the arena after whatever it was Zero wanted to talk to him about.
He walked toward his black BMW. It was parked next to a blue car that belonged to Tonya, an assistant at the agency; a 'baby on board' sticker in the back window. He stopped in front of the office building as Zero screeched to a halt in front of him.
"Another Porsche?" This would be his fourth vehicle. Jude didn't think anything could top the basketball player's Aston Martin, but he had to admit this car was pretty close.
"Nope. This one's yours." Zero squinted up at him, against the sun, and unbuckled his seatbelt. "I thought you'd like the color dark and tortured, just like you," he teased. Zero then tossed him the keys, Jude catching them.
The noise of the people and cars was fading away. He was in shock. He kept looking the sleek and shiny, black car up and down as if it were a swimsuit model.
"Had a conversation with the agency," Zero started, as he got out of the car, slammed the door, and extended his arms. "Talked to the partners. Made it official. My agent doesn't tool around in a crap box."
Jude made his way to the driver's side. "Your agent?" He raised his brows and stared into his eyes, looking for truth.
Zero sauntered to the passenger side, leaned in and smiled. "Goodbye junior agent, hello my main number one guy."
"I don't... I don't know what to say."
With a sweep of his arm, Zero invited him to get behind the wheel.
Jude easily slid into the soft, beige leather.
Zero got in next to him and turned to face him. "I'd never be here in L.A. with the world at my feet if it wasn't for you."
Jude's heart leapt.
"You still Team Zero?" he asked with a tilt of his blond head.
Still marveling at the interior, Jude put on his seatbelt. "Abso-freaking-lutely."
"Good. Now, drive me to the arena, you lazy bitch," he joked with a relaxed smile.
While he drove, Jude began to pitch the idea of expanding Zero's brand. "Listen, I think we should really develop outward. It's the perfect time, you're white hot, the fans love you! I'm not talking necessarily anything too high end, the moms, or better still basketball dads in Christ," he said drily, "aren't necessarily interested in Aston Martins, but maybe something like Cadillac? All- American, prestige…it's sophisticated, aspirational, but not too far afield" He looked over at the other man, "What do you think?"
Zero nodded appreciatively. "And that, is exactly, why you're my agent!"
~~~
Jude watched in dread. He'd received a Google Alert, while having a lunch meeting with Millie Mayron, a representative from the League. As soon as he clicked on the KEJM Channel 13 news link, his heart sank. There was Zero, fielding questions, badly, in front of Devils Arena. He was swarmed by reporters, cameras and microphones representing everyone from Channel 3 to TMZ.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
'Many people wanna know what happened,' shouted a reporter.
Jude recognized him from Inside Sports Network but didn't know his name.
'The e-mail? Can you confirm or deny it?'
'Need some type of statement here!'
'Excuse me, Zero. Verify what you've said.'
'Madam Callie Malina didn't supply you with girls?' from a KQBC reporter.
'Where is this coming from?' asked Zero, clearly panicked.
'A leaked E-mail linked you to her. When we showed it to her-,' answered a Channel 104 reporter.
Jude recognized her, Angela Song.
'I don't care what she or anyone says. It's a mistake.'
'How did Your sponsors react?'
'There's nothing to react to. Hand to God,' Zero said, raising his hand in a now familiar gesture.
'What will you say to people who say your Christian lifestyle is a calculated lie?' pressed Song.
'I, I…' he stuttered.
'What's your answer?'
'I don't have an answer.'
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Shit. Unsurprisingly, his phone rang. It was Oscar.
~~~
Jude and Zero sat in the back of a stretch limo. The small forward was getting ready to board a plane to the first playoff game.
What a difference a day made. Jude had gone from a career high and the certainty that he had Sloane and Raquel where he wanted them. To this. Ha, ha, he thought drily. Not only had they found his red envelope linking him to Olivia, but he was also at a stalemate with the women. As much as he wanted to protect Oscar, he also wanted to protect himself. He didn't know which he was more afraid of, prison or Oscar.
Then to top it all off, Zero and this Callie Malina mess. Oh, he had also caught the Extra interview with Jelena. It made everyone love her more and continue to despise Zero.
Jude listened as he told him what had happened…
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
"…I know how this looks, but don't worry. My PR team, they're getting in front of this whole thing. So what, people know that the God thing was an act? I'll get them back. People love a reformed sinner if you cry hard enough. If that doesn't work, win a championship. People forget. I'll be fine. We'll be fine."
"I don't know. That was pretty devastating. I'm not sure you'll ever recover."
"You set me up."
"You asked me to choose. I chose."
"You didn't even know if Terrence was an option."
"I'd rather have a 5 percent chance with him than 100 percent chance with you. Looks like you'll be needing that championship after all...
"Zero had gone off on a side quest. He'd done what Jude was afraid he would. This was bigger than some nudes for Hank SaBerre's personal collection. He'd fucked around and found out when it came to Devil Girl Jelena Howard.
"That's what she said…she took my reputation, all my sponsors."
He'd never seen Zero this upset. In fact, he was fairly sure he'd never seen him upset. Zero kept a cool on his emotions and words. At least the ones that highlighted vulnerability or weakness. He looked on the verge of tears.
"I'll figure something out. I'll fix it," Jude replied in a soothing and comforting tone.
"It's beyond fixing. I've lost everything!"
"Listen to me. Listen to me," he said softly, but firmly. "I was Team Zero before, and I'm Team Zero now." He leaned in closer, looked into Zero's eyes meaningfully. "We're in this together, okay? I would never leave you."
"No, you wouldn't. You never have," he said in a broken voice that was tinged with trust. "I don't know what I'd do without you, Jude." He then put his hand on Jude's knee.
Suddenly, words became action. Jude leaned in, grasped the back of the other man's head, palm and thumb to his cheek and kissed him. It was a quick, five-second kiss, but so much happened in that time. It was light, tentative. He felt Zero's tongue flick his...and pressure as he realized the other man was responding.
Suddenly, Zero pulled back. "Jude!"
Oh, shit.