A new girl in town

Chapter 27

Hunter/DX

Hunter watched the group leave.

"I bet those are the guys who attacked Tori and Chyna." He said to the road dogs.

"Were they in the locker room?" Jessie asked.

"Yeah I'm pretty sure they were." Hunter said. "The girls said the guy was damaged and one was blind."

"That fits them pretty well." Billy said.

"They are with that new bitch the one who embarrassed me." Hunter said. "And no one does that to me."

"What are you going to do?" Jessie asked.

"I don't know yet but it'll be something big. Count on it." Hunter said moving back into their room.

Kane/J.J./Wade/Kayla

Kane hooked up the trailer again while J.J. and the others got the luggage in the back and got into the car. Then he slipped behind the wheel and they were off. He'd seen Taker and Sammy with Vanessa and Cassie already leave.

"It's not a long drive but if you guys need anything let me know and we'll pull over." Kane told them. Already planning on stopping at least once to let Kayla stretch her legs.

"Thanks for the ride, man," Wade said.

"Really it's not a problem." J.J. said.

"I need a replacement for Kathleen," Wade said with a grin.

"That probably won't happen on the drive but yeah, sometime soon," he added.

"Why do you call it Kathleen?" Kane asked never having named an inanimate object before.

"People name all sorts of weird shit," Wade said.

"Cassie has more technology at home than a person ever needs and she's got names for them all. I don't know; my guitars have always been Kathleen's," he added.

"But why name it if it doesn't breathe." Kane said. "I had a pet rat once his name was Ralph. He lived in the basement with me. Then one day I found him dead. Father had laid out poison."
"Oh my god. That's so fucking awful," Kayla said.

"Jesus fuck," Wade added.

"I guess instruments have always felt alive to me. I know they aren't real fuckin' people or anything, but that guitar made it through a lot of my shit with me, you know? It's hard to explain I guess. . .or maybe I'm just fuckin' crazy as shit," Wade said with a laugh.

"I don't think you're crazy. Other people do it I guess." Kane said. "I just never saw the sense in naming something after Ralph."

Kane laughed at the picture of Wade hugging him.

"Many people feel that way about father." Kane said.

"I'm one of them." J.J. said straight faced.

"Sorry to say this Kane, but I think you're stuck with him now. When Wade says he wants to hug you, that's it," Kayla said.

"I don't hear you complaining," Wade said.

Kayla shrugged.

"There's still most of the day left. I'm sure you'll do something before it's over to make me regret being nice," Kayla said.

Kane and J.J. both laughed loudly for a few minutes.

I wonder what she means. Is he going to travel with us from now on because he wants to hug me? Kane thought.

"It's going to be fucking awesome, just wait and see," Wade enthused.

"We're so going to have you guys over at the house. We'll get all of the grills out, cook more shit than we can eat and yeah. You know. Hang out and shit.

"Then I'm going to live in your pocket forever. Shit, why don't I just adopt you? That would be great," Wade added.

"I am older than you Wade you cannot adopt me. Besides I was already adopted once by father." Kane said. "He said he was willing to take on the burden because no one else would want me because I was burned." Kane added matter of factly.

"That's it; he's going to die," Wade said.

"That is literally the worst fucking thing I've ever heard, and I've heard a lot of shit. None of that is true, man," Wade added.

"None of what is true?" Kane asked. "He said it so it must be true. The times I left the basement it was obvious I wouldn't be accepted. Others jeered me and attacked me. I was even taken from father for a while because I was different."

"What that mother fucker said about no one wanting you because of the burns," Wade said.

"I'm just sorry that you've mostly seen the asshole side of life. But I'm here now and it's going to be fuckin' awesome," Wade added.

"Ok." Kane said still sounding confused.

J.J. saw him stiffen because Wade had spoken badly about Paul. She put her hand on his arm and he calmed somewhat.

He's still jumping to that fucker's defense after everything he's done? Wade thought.

Jesus fuck, this will never make any god damn sense to me. It's like he's been brainwashed or something.

Kane continued driving without saying anything else.

What I say seems to upset him. Kane thought with surprise.

"You're being rather quiet," Kayla said after Wade hadn't spoken for several minutes. He shrugged then pulled out his phone.

A few moments later, Kayla's phone went off.

Wade:

I don't want to say anything fucked, okay? I keep doing that and it's fucking weird. He's been through more than one person should ever have to deal with and he seems to think that it's okay, you know? Like he deserved it all or something. I just want to help but fuck me, I've got nothing. And the more I hear the more it pisses me off. But maybe you, Cassie and V can come up with something I haven't. Fuck. Sorry for the venting.

J.J. tried to talk to Kane a little bit but soon realized he wasn't in the mood for it when the only reaction she was getting were one word answers and grunts.

He hasn't been the uncommunicative while. J.J. thought. Did what Wade say actually affect him.

Is he talking about Father being a bad father? Kane wondered. He was stern yes. But that's because I was a burden to him. How could he have been different since he was stuck with me after he adopted me?

Wade took his headphones out, plugged them in to his phone and that - turned it up.

Kayla looked from her boyfriend to Kane and sighed again.

When Wade starts shutting you out, that's never good. She thought.

I know we can't talk here but fuck. It looks like Kane isn't talking to J.J. either. Why do guys always do this when they're upset? It's either screaming, violent rage or stone cold silence.

Kane continued to be silent until they stopped so Kayla could stretch her legs. Then he asked if they wanted to eat while they were there.

"It's always lunch time in Wade's world," Kayla quipped.

"You forgot breakfast, second breakfast, brunch, afternoon tea and dinner," Wade replied with a grin. Kayla smacked him in the arm.

"I don't even eat that much." Kane said sounding a bit confused.

How can he eat all that and be as small as he is? Kane wondered.

"Kane, he's quoting the hobbits in 'Lord of the Rings" J.J. told him. "That's a movie series we'll see eventually."

"It's cause he smokes way too much god damn herb," Kayla said.

"I don't smoke up that much," Wade said defensively.

"Anyway, it increases your metabolism I guess," Kayla added as if Wade hadn't spoken.

"If you say so." Kane said. "Lord of the Rings?" Kane questioned J.J.

"Yeah it's three movies long." J.J. said. "And they are long movies."

"IT Burns It burns." Wade said in his best Gollum voice tugging on and imaginary rope around his neck.

When Kane didn't respond he began to do "My Precious." To and imaginary ring.

Kane still didn't respond he just cocked his head.

"You'll understand when we see the movies Kane. I think you'll like them." J.J. said laughing at Wade's Gollum impersonations.

"Oh my god, you ridiculous fucking lunatic," Kayla said with a laugh.

"What? I had to!" Wade said.

"Whatever, Ryan Renolds," Kayla quipped.

"Fuck off," Wade said.

They continued to banter for a while.

Uh oh. Wade's gonna get his ass kicked in a sec.

"Whatever, Katelyn Jenner," Wade quipped.

Kayla's eyes widened and she froze.

She looks pissed now. Kane thought. I wonder who Katelyn Jenner is? Kane thought surprised to see such anger in Kayla's face all of a sudden

Then Wade realized what he'd just said and who he was with.

"Oh fuck. Oh shit. Kayla, I'm sorry. I'm an asshole. Kayla? Where are you - "

But Kayla was gone.

Where is she going we don't have much time before we have to get on the road? Kane thought watching her storm off.

"I'll try and go talk to her." J.J. said heading in Kayla's direction.

"I don't know who this Katlyn Jenner is but I would guess it's something bad." Kane said.

"Oh my god. Fuck! Fuck!" Wade yelled.

"I didn't think! We fuck around like that all the time. Fuck!" Wade said.

"Well apparently she didn't take it the way you intended it." Kane said understanding exactly how Wade felt. "I think we've all done that a time or two."

"She's a trans woman from a family of socialites. Made headlines when she came out last year," Wade explained distractedly.

"Oh like Kayla." Kane said. "But why would that upset her?"

"She reacted like that because I did it in front of you guys," Wade said.

"I guess you already know about the Mike thing," he added.

"Yeah she said something about it the night she was well you know. I had to have J.J. explain it to me." Kane said.

"That is sad." Kane said. "What box?"

"The 'never being quite female or male enough' box," Wade said.

"Oh, is that like the you're different box." Kane asked. "Because I've been in that box a long time."

"Yeah, you could say that. Cassie deals with similar shit. In school, she always got compared to other blind students. She stays away from the blind community too," Wade said.

"Well there is plenty of room in the different box." Kane said. "Though people seem to think there are less of us."

Wade smiled.

"There are more of us than you think, man," Wade said.

"Has Kayla told you about her therapist Karena yet?" he asked.

"No. J.J. said she had to go to a psychiatrist to be sure she wanted to change? But that was all." Kane said.

"Yeah, she did. She's been seeing someone ever since," Wade said.

"Anyway, Karena's awesome. She looks like us; it's the craziest thing. We don't know how it happened because she's never talked about her personal life with Kayla, but I'd guess that it was maybe because of an abusive ex," Wade added.

"Abusive how? J.J. had one he used to hit her. I scared her once by moving at her too fast. That's how I found out. I wanted to do him damage." Kane said.

"Jesus fuck," Wade said.

"I'm not sure. If I had to guess, I'd say the guy or girl enjoyed torture. Karena has some pretty serious looking burns, and that's just what I've seen of them," he added.

"And they call me a monster. I could never do that to someone I supposedly cared about." Kane said.

Wade nodded.

"You're not a monster, man," Wade replied.

"Monsters are the people I fought against in special forces. . .the people who got me and did this shit," Wade added, gesturing to his ravaged body.

"I don't think you're capable of something like that. You're a good guy," he said.

"No I do and have done many cruel things to people. I am not good. Except with J.J. she is my good." Kane said.

"I'm glad you guys found each other," Wade said.

"But I'd wager that you're better than you think you are," he added.

Kane didn't say anything for a moment deciding what to say.

"Someone did that.." Kane said gesturing to Wade. "ON purpose?"

"Yeah, it was definitely not an accident," Wade replied.

"They were gunning for me specifically.

"I was on a solo recon mission - what should have been the first of many.

"It was late and I was in the middle of fuckin' nowhere camping for the night. I went to bed and the next thing I knew, I woke up strapped down to a table in more pain than I'd ever been in.

"They kept me there for months. I don't remember most of it. Probably a combo of the torture and the drugs.

"They burned me repeatedly; I can remember that much.

"There were burning knives, too. Maybe electricity but I don't know for sure," Wade said.

"That is terrible I can't understand war or especially what you went through." Kane said. "I have wanted people to feel what I felt. I was angry and tried to set people on fire after matches. Especially after J.J. left me. But to do it for no reason to someone you don't even know is horrendous." Kane added. "But I know that was wrong. That is why they call me a monster and why I think you'd lose that bet on me being better than I thought I was."

"I get being pissed off at the world," Wade said.

"After what you've been through and the shitty way people have treated you, I'd probably feel the same way," he added.

But you're directing all of that shit at the wrong people. Wade thought but he didn't say it aloud.

He's been through worse than I could ever imagine. Kane thought. Yet he is kind.

"I turned all of that anger towards myself, I guess," Wade said.

"Drugs are bad, kids," he added with a grin.

Kayla/J.J.

Once Kayla got outside, she realized that she had no idea where to go. She didn't even know where the fuck they were and didn't have the keys.

But she did have the keys to her bike and that, at least, was still here. She ran to where Kane had parked and was just going to attempt to get the bike down when J.J. arrived.

"Kayla I know what he said was upsetting but it's not that bad." J.J. said when she got to Kayla.

Kayla laughed bitterly.

"He said it because he's Wade and that's what he does," Kayla said.

"Kayla, I know why it upset you but it doesn't matter." J.J. said.