The Wonderland vs. Las Bandidas de Gata Negra

[Konrad Raab]

Alice Ames & Cain Adams vs. Valeria Garcia & Maria Vencejo

4 RP limit for tag

Deadline: 11:59 pm ET Tuesday, April 28, 2020

[Ruby]

February 27, 2020

SCW had started back up in the wake of trios, and no sign of Las Bandidas de Gata Negra hadn't slowed anything down.

As the show had gone down in Raleigh the previous night, Valeria and Maria had been watching from a hotel room in Pittsburgh. The Steel City didn't really have any significance to them right now; just a stopping point on their way to their next target, which had shifted a bit since their last heist. The idea was to stay on top of SCW affairs so that when they ultimately returned, they'd be ready to hit the ground running once more. Most of the show hadn't really been too interesting to them outside of the company's standard fare, but Valeria couldn't help but show a bit of concern for Scarlet's defeat now that she was back in action. There was also the interesting mess that was the match between Kandis and Tommy and the pairing of Regan and Selena that just had the two women shaking their heads, even causing Maria to mutter a few things under her breath in her native tongue that would never fly had there been a camera right in front of them at this very moment. The idea of Frozen Hell getting a tag title opportunity so soon after just forming left a sour taste in their mouths for sure, even if Valeria could play devil's advocate over the fact that with the two of them on hiatus they were probably lacking in teams.

Vencejo: So, when do we return to the ring and turn all of this upside-down?

Garcia: Originally, I didn't think this would go for more than another week if all went well. After what we learned, though? Probably for the best if we continue to stay off the airwaves until we have a better idea of what's going on and how we dismantle it.

Maria wasn't going to lie about missing the thrill of the ring now that she's had quite the taste of the wrestling life, but she knew Valeria was being wise about this. Just a few days ago, they had been in New York stealing a few gifts from a wealthy man who was clearly in the good graces of their true endgame, as a means of trying to quietly undercut some of his connections to both weaken Ivan's global power and potentially distract him to aid in their final attack. During this, they had also stolen a letter that outlined the possibility of the wealthy Norwegian looking to invest in SCW via one of his proxy connections. Maybe it was just a failsafe in case the investment didn't pan out like he was hoping, as a means of keeping himself from really taking the hit in the long run, but the letter's mention of someone in SCW having caught his eye set off all sorts of alarms in Valeria's head. She was trying to ignore the very likely possibility that the man had finally tracked her down because of her being a very public face now, but she knew Ivan better than most and the fears could very much be well-founded.

They had to know for sure.

They had arranged for a little meeting while they were in Pittsburgh, feeling that if they got what they needed then the city would serve as a valuable pivot point for their next move. After all, it was closer to the state of Minnesota than New York had been, putting then that tiny bit forward towards infiltrating Ivan's home in America, and the drive was actually a bit shorter to Toronto from here should they need to start heading towards where SCW's headquarters were to trey and cut off anything regarding this SCW investment if there was a need to do so. They had originally planned to hit a few more of Ivan's connections along the east coast of the country to try and spread his focus before working their way in his direction, but catching wind of his latest plan and short-circuiting it early could prove invaluable. As they headed out on this night to meet up with someone, Valeria had laid this out to Maria, but the master thief naturally had her concerns.

Vencejo: I know the SCW gambit is a big deal, but don't you think trying to cut that off is risky? It feels like the kind of move that would expose us prematurely and give him a chance to either track us or prepare for when we ultimately strike him.

Garcia: If you'd like to consider our informant as a perfect example, then you'll realize that despite the power and fear tactics he wields, Ivan is still not without his enemies. One thing I safely remember from our past is that he made a major deal up in Canada once that took a bad turn due to some unforeseen circumstances, and he's not exactly a welcome face around those parts anymore because of it. One would think it might've blown over after all these years, but if he's trying to go through someone else to invest in SCW, which is based in Canada, then that's a pretty clear sign he's still not a name that wants to be recognized in the Great White North.

Vencejo: So you're thinking that if we sabotage this, he'd draw the conclusion that one of his enemies up there caught wind of it and did the job instead?

Garcia: If we play our cards right, that's exactly what we'd want him believing.

Maria seemed satisfied as the two made their way into a seedy little bar that was quite out of the way even for a city like this, but Valeria had her doubts despite the confidence she radiated in her answer to her partner. While her assumption certainly wasn't a lie and she thoroughly believed it to be likely, there was a lingering concern that part of why Ivan would use a proxy for this deal had just as much to do as trying to avoid public recognition that would give away any indication that he may be one step closer to sinking his claws back into her. Considering who she was talking about, anything was a viable option that had to be kept in mind, which was one of the reasons why Ivan had been quite the pain to take down by anybody attempting to do so. Deep down, Valeria hoped that tonight she'd be able to nail down a few of those options to prepare accordingly, which is why she and Maria took a seat at a table in a dimly lit corner of the bar, right across from a man in a trenchcoat who certainly looked like he belonged in a place like this for reasons that are probably better off not being public knowledge.

???: The eagle dies by night.

Garcia: And the coyote calls in the morning.

The figure chuckles to himself before reaching out to shake hands with both ladies. Neither one really wanted to bother trying to make sense of the nonsensical phrases, but if this guy needed a way to make sure his information was only passed on to those looking for it, he needed something to confirm he had the right client.

???: It's good to see you ladies again.

Garcia: You too Rattlesnake.

The man relaxed a little bit at the acknowledgment before motioning for a round to be brought over to their table, so as not to come off as any more suspicious that they may already have seemed. Obviously Rattlesnake was a code name and neither Valeria or Maria knew his real name, but the fact of the matter was the guy was good at his job. He was an information dealer, being inexplicably good at infiltrating even the tightest of inner circles to get information that would not be so easily accessible and then selling it to anyone looking to use it for their own ends. Being somewhat of a master of disguise made it virtually impossible to ever truly trace things back to him, and as long as he made his money he didn't care about the consequences his actions brought about. In that regard, he certainly lived up to his code name in every sense of the word.

Vencejo: Thank you for the intel on that mansion in New York.

Rattlesnake: Ey, that was standard information ladies. But it held value to you, so I was happy to comply. I assume things went well, which makes me curious as to the nature of requesting another meeting.

Garcia: There was something we found in that house that raised a few concerns about our main target. We were hoping you might be able to shed a little light on Ivan's plans so we know what our next move is.

Rattlesnake just chuckled to himself, which doubled as a perfect mask for when their beers were brought over. He took a drink as they were left alone again, motioning for the ladies to indulge as well as it was his treat to help make the mood seem a little less tense. The fact that Rattlesnake had managed to infiltrate the inner circle of Ivan Telebor was a true testament to his impressive abilities and disregard for consequences or any fear of what may happen if he were found out.

Rattlesnake: Something pertaining to those 'gifts' I told you Ivan passed along to the guy to make sure he was handsomely rewarded for his loyalty while keeping quiet about their dealings?

Garcia: Not quite.

Valeria nodded to her partner, and Maria pulled the letter from her coat pocket and slid it over for Rattlesnake to examine. Maria thought it would be best to hang on to it because Valeria seemed to zone out in a way that concerned her whenever she so much as read a word off that piece of paper, and Valeria was silently thankful for it. She was starting to get tired of stressing about smaller details of what they were doing, but in her defense she honestly believed she was more emotionally prepared to tackle this than she truly was.

Rattlesnake: Interesting... he spoke of this in confidence to those he trusts recently, including yours truly which is always a mistake, but I did not think he was boldly outsourcing this information to potential connections he has in the stock market yet. He must really be certain he's going to get what he wants out of this.

Vencejo: What exactly IS he after, though?

Rattlesnake slides the letter back to the ladies before gulping down more of his beer, almost like he's pausing to ponder the best way to put this.

Rattlesnake: Basically, he knows SCW is seen as one of the biggest and most profitable wrestling companies in the world right now, or businesses in general for that matter. He's hit a bit of a snag in past years over a mishap with one of his main financial lines back in his homeland, and it's starting to catch up to him. He originally was going to just ignore the place and try to wave himself into some other profitable venture around here, since he's still not exactly in the good graces of our neighbor to the north after a debacle some time back, but I guess someone in particular caught his eye there and he felt it was worth finding a way around all his enemies up there.

Garcia: Any idea who it is that caught his eye?

Valeria phrased that question a little more desperately than she would have liked, which was a rare moment of emotion creeping through and potentially messing up her carefully laid plans, but while Rattlesnake certainly looked intrigued by her investment into this he seemed more amused than anything else as he finished off his beer, motioning for Valeria to indulge a little more as she seemed like she needed it.

Rattlesnake: Sadly, I can't share that. Ivan's been pretty tight lipped about this person even to his closest and most trusted confidants. All I know is it's somebody on that roster. Some of the guys have been throwing out wild theories that it's some lady Ivan might be interested in, but his heart's been more ice cold than normal since he lost someone he used to call his 'little diamond in the rough' some time back.

At the sound of that, Valeria's eyes went wide and she practically shotgunned the rest of her drink, surprising Maria as she'd never seen Valeria ever openly chug an alcoholic beverage without any regard before. Rattlesnake certainly seemed to be growing more invested in her reaction to this, but before he had a chance to pry, Maria interjected, knowing what the next step was with what had been shared with them.

Vencejo: If Ivan's staying out of Canada because he's not welcome there, then how's he planning to get a piece of the SCW pie?

Rattlesnake: Ah, I take it this is the part where we discuss your next victim? I was nice enough to give you a few freebies out of respect for someone trying to undercut this bastard, but if we're going to continue any further I'm going to need me fee.

Maria just rolled her eyes at this and slid an envelope stuffed with bills across the table, to which Rattlesnake quickly moved it beneath the table and counted it out to confirm he wasn't being shorted. Tucking it away in his coat, he nodded and pulled out a small index card and a pen before jotting down all the necessary information.

Rattlesnake: Your connection here is an investor who works in Toronto. The guy's pretty unremarkable at first glance and doesn't have a great track record with the small firm he works for, but it's all a front so he can pocket a little bit extra for himself or dabble in under-the-table dealings with shadier folks. Ivan's his biggest client in that regard, and if anyone can somehow find a way to get him a slice of that place, it'd be this guy. Here's his address... pretty small apartment he shares with a ton of other tenants, but it helps to keep people from looking into him along with the whole 'down-on-his-luck' image he presents in public.

He slides the card and all it's information over, and Maria pockets it before finishing up her drink. Valeria slowly seems to have snapped out of her thoughts as the two stand up and prepare to depart.

Vencejo: It was nice doing business with you Rattlesnake. We'll keep in touch.

Rattlesnake: Actually, could you ladies hold on for just a moment?

Just as they're about to turn and leave, they slowly return to facing Rattlesnake as he stands up and moves close to Valeria to whisper something in her ear that sends a shiver down her spine.

Rattlesnake: I think you think you're the one he's after. I can't say for sure, but I'll be nice and try to find out for you. I don't think I'd need to say this if you are who I think you are, but tread lightly if that is the case.

Valeria nods and the two women leave, Rattlesnake eyeing them carefully. Maria would question Valeria on this later and hear this statement reiterated, which only added to her own worries, but Rattlesnake simply hated the idea of losing out on some very valuable long term clients to his info dealings.

Of course, if Ivan found out who he was and decided to use his services instead of outright killing him... well, his code name wasn't just to disguise his identity, after all.