The Last of Us: Part Two

[Jessica Reed]

Boston, 3 Years Later

Roberto Verona: You’re sure about this? They really have enough stock to has us set for the next year?

Isabella Maldini: That’s what she said.

Roberto Verona: And what is the catch exactly?

Isabella hops over a few boxes, looking around her carefully before beckoning Roberto to follow her.

Isabella Maldini: Just a little transport duty, lighten up Roberto, we’ll be back in Boston with your feet up soon enough. We can’t pass something like this up.

Roberto Verona: I have a bad feeling about this, the Diamonds are never this simple…

Isabella Maldini: Do you have any better ideas then, big shot?

Roberto sighs, shaking his head.

Isabella Maldini: I thought as much. Look, just wait here.

Roberto hangs back behind a corner, his pistol withdrawn as his eyes dart back and forth constantly on the lookout. A few minutes pass before he suddenly hears the sound of feet rapidly approaching and Isabella’s voice, clearly sounding agitated.

Isabella Maldini: I don’t fucking believe this…

Roberto Verona: Izzy, what is…

Roberto turns the corner and suddenly freezes in his tracks. Isabella stands with her hands on her hips but behind her stands Katherine Lockheart and… Jessica. Verona’s eyes widen as the young blonde stares at the floor, a backpack slung over her shoulders.

Roberto Verona: What the fuck is this?

Isabella Maldini: This!? This is our package.

Roberto Verona: Our package is… her!?

Isabella nods as Katherine steps forward, interrupting the pair.

Katherine Lockheart: Listen, guys, you’ll be adequately reimbursed…

Roberto Verona: You said this was a transport mission…

Katherine Lockheart: And it is. I need you to take Jess to our HQ…

Roberto Verona: Oh no, I left her with you so you could keep her safe…

Katherine Lockheart: And we did. You also said you’d come back for her, didn’t you?

Roberto suddenly looks to the side, trying to avoid contact. Katherine then steps forward, pulling her had away from her side, which is covered in blood.

Katherine Lockheart: The Boston patrol hit us hard and I… look, I can’t get her there in time myself, I need to get medical assistance. You asked me for help keeping her safe, and now I am asking you to hold up your end of the bargain. We’ll look after her Roberto, but you abandoned her! You owe me…

Isabella grabs Roberto by the shoulder and drags him aside.

Isabella Maldini: Look, it’s just a quick job across Boston, I know you’re not hyped about this, but we can be in and out of there before we know it and set for the whole damn year. Just think about it, a year without having to put our necks on the line.

Roberto Verona: You’re not going to drop this, are you?

Isabella Maldini: Hell no, Roberto. Drop your emotions to the curb for once, this is about survival. If you have to suck it up and spend a day with her after you ditched her then so be it.

Roberto groans, turning back to Katherine.

Roberto Verona: Fine, we’ll take her, come on kid, let’s get this over with…

Roberto and Isabella turn and begin to walk away as Jessica reluctantly follows, a hood over her head, kicking at the floor in clear disgust at her predicament as Katherine goes back inside clutching at her ribs in visible pain.

Gee Whiz!

This has to be the biggest weekend of my whole life! Yes, even bigger than the midnight release of the Fellowship of the Ring and we all know that dressing up as Gandalf makes you an automatic bad ass.

Mental note, find ring compatible Gandalf costume.

This is the moment nobody ever saw in my future, not even myself. I mean sure, when I was a little girl pretending to wrestle with a pillow I totally saw myself standing tall, a belt in my hand a foe beneath my boot, but to actually be two matches away from fulfilling my childhood dreams?

It is so… damn… amazing!

When Roberto got me a contract in his latest plaything I thought I’d be opening the show, adding a little joy to an otherwise macabre affair where big scary men make each other bleed once a month, which I guess is a score for gender equality! I was completely nervous when I laced up my boots for my match with Jezebella all those weeks ago…

I was scared I would fail myself.

Yet I shone, people really invested in me, they… loved me. For the first time in my life people were chanting my name, without adding “Is an uber skank” at the end, which FYI was totally unfair, pops wouldn’t even let me hold a boys hand until Grandma’s funeral, and that was my cousin. Which is a total no go.

I really lit people’s hearts and left a warm fuzzy glow inside their feelings cavity that has proven infectious and I can only say, thank you everyone for all of the support, I do this for you as much as for myself.

But, like, don’t stop just yet cos, I mean, the jobs not really done. Keep those signs coming, the more glitter the better!

We’ve made it this far together and now, I swear, I am going to see this through to the bitter end. I’m hungry, growing in confidence and desperate to prove to everyone that just because I am not a cerebral assassin it doesn’t mean I can’t go with the best in the business inside that squared circle.

Not that I am entirely sure what a cerebral assassin is anyway, but Ezio is pretty damn adorable so it must be a good thing.

Ah, shoot, focus Jess, focus.

I know everybody looks at me as this ditzy little lovable ball of fun, sorta like a semi-retarded kitten, and whilst I would absolutely love to just bat you guys around like a ball of yarn out there, there’s a so much more to me than I am ever given credit for. Sure, I’ve surprised myself, but more importantly I have surprised everyone else by making it this far without being a complete and utter bawdy itch.

What do you mean this show isn’t PG? I don’t do needless profanities, I mean don’t you guys remember that if you swear you get mauled by a bear? Or was it don’t step on a crack it’ll break your back?

Either way, bad stuff happens and I don’t want that curdling my mojo ahead of this big test.

I’ve gone out there every single week and I have busted my lil tush to get myself into this final four and I refuse to do myself a disservice by crashing and burning on my big night. Miss Gardner may have more titles than I have pirate hats, Miss Conway may be more experience than like a professor or something and Miss Eternity may be able to control the dead and stuff but I have shown everyone that not only am I on your level…

I may have even grabbed myself a mushroom and upgraded to be above it.

There’s a lot of pressure on me going into this undefeated, lose and people will say “Well, it was always coming, she’s just been on a roll”, credit where it’s due isn’t a phrase that rings true around here. People have just been waiting for me to fail and the nearer I get to that Diamond’s Championship, the harder I am going to fall.

And I’ve got enough bruises already.

I know that ultimately, I don’t need to justify myself to any of my opponents, or even to the wider world, but I’ve got to prove to myself that I am not just the daddy’s girl whose knowledge of how the world works is severely lacking but that I can achieve what I set out to do. To be a true professional wrestler. We all know that success in this business is measured by what is draped over your shoulder or wrapped around your waists, that is why I am the underdog this week, but the fact is, we’ve all gotta start somewhere and this…

This is my chance to make my mark.

That belt means the world to me, just like it no doubt does to every lady I am competing against this weekend and I promise that if I am going down I’ll make it hard and be sure to give you all something you’ll never, ever forget…

Off screen laughter.

Oh, come on, stop laughing…

Now I see why Berto films these things in private.

You’ve completely ruined my big finish, now everybody is going to think that I am a total goose, thanks a lot guys! Just… get the next tape…

Roberto Verona: Are you going to keep this up the whole journey?

Jessica continues to ignore him, staring blankly ahead.

Isabella Maldini: Cherish the silence…

Roberto Verona: Look, I’m sorry, but you were better off with them…

Suddenly Jess comes to a complete stop and turns, staring at Roberto with a uncharacteristic rage in her eyes.

Jessica Reed: Better off? You abandoned me with a bunch of complete strangers because I look too much like my sister, you coward! Do you know how alone I have been? They just keep me locked up all the time, “for my own safety”, whilst telling me nothing about what’s going on in the world!

Roberto Verona: Yeah, and you could have stuck with me and got your God damn throat ripped out!

Jessica Reed: Oh stop it, we both know you’ve never wanted me around anyway, from day one you resented me being in your home. You only cared about Hannah and when she died you just wanted to ditch me. You’re just like my father…

Roberto Verona: That’s not…

Isabella suddenly interjects.

Isabella Maldini: I hate to break up this little reunion, but we’ve got a problem here.

The three crouch down and shuffle slowly towards a ledge, looking down where a floor has collapsed leaving scattered debris and access to a bunch of infected, who mutter and scream intermittently as they shuffle around agitatedly.

Roberto Verona: Shit, that’s the only way through…

Isabella Maldini: You betcha champ.

Jessica Reed: Wh-what’s wrong with them?

Isabella Maldini: Have you been living in a cave all these years?

Roberto Verona: Izzy… they’re infected Jess, by the Promotoa virus. They’re fuelled by pure rage and a desire to hurt people contrary to their personalities, the virus rots their brain and their ability to think rationally and express themselves. Like a Mike Laszlo vignette, only air born.

Jess gulps and looks down at one of them.

Jessica Reed: That one looks a little like Eternity…

Roberto peers over the ledge, quickly pulling back before he is spotted.

Roberto Verona: I hate to break it you, but that is Eternity. I've often wondered if she is even infected at all or just playing with us all.

Jessica almost lets out an anguished cry, but she suppresses it and covers her mouth. Verona raises his finger to his lips, indicating for her to keep quiet.

Jessica Reed: How…how do you beat it?

Isabella grins.

Isabella Maldini: With a two by four…

Jessica Reed: That’s so horrible!

Roberto Verona: She’s a runner now, Jess. Although honestly, I don’t think her personality has changed all that much. Her mind is scattered, but she is always alert, sensing any danger that may be in the immediate vicinity, she will not respond openly unless in danger but if threatened she will respond with extreme violence, without the endearing theatrics now. She’s still quick, agile and now she will be even more merciless, if you do not act quickly enough, she will kill you without a second thought.

Jessica Reed: That’s mean! What did I do?

Roberto Verona: That’s the world we live in Jess, if you want to survive, you’re going to have to learn to adapt. We need to work as a team, there are too many of them for me to take out by myself. Strike them in the head as hard as you can until they stop moving, don’t think twice about it, or they will rip your throat out. Ready, Izzy?

Isabella Maldini: Always.

Roberto and Isabella nod at each other before hopping down to the floor below as quietly as they possibly can as Jessica begins to psyche herself up.

Jessica Reed: Come on missy, you can do this…

Taking one more deep breath she closes her eyes as she lifts herself up before opening them as she takes a step forward, but as she does so her other foot gets caught on a outstretching piece of concrete. Jess lets out a shrill scream as she falls, face first, right between Roberto and Isabella with an almighty crash, causing every single runner to immediately turn their red eyes towards the group.

Roberto Verona: This won’t be good…

A collection of ear piercing howls erupt from the infect who begin to barrel forward at the trio as Jess looks up, her vision blurred, to see Roberto and Isabella begin to open fire, the bullets barely halting their progress before the world goes black and her head slumps to the floor.

Are we rolling?

Hey! Up here sunshine, my breasts don’t deliver promos… well, not yet, it’d pretty sweet if they could…I wonder what they’d say…

Oh, er…he-hey! So, I guess I’d better say a little to my fellow leading ladies this week, although I have to admit, you seem to all have an awful lot of grievances and drama going on that I seem to be sorta taking a backseat in this whole shin dig and believe me, Jessica Reed doesn’t do backseats.

I mean, not since prom anyway. I’ll never forget that night, whilst all the chumps were making out on kissing point I was wracking up some pretty sweet high scores on my Gameboy… but I am losing my thread of thought again, forgive me.

Eternity, girl, I totally dig your whole supernatural getup but this whole… kidnapping thing is a little, erm, dare I say, illegal? I mean, you could get into some serious trouble with the law over this… that’s really super serious! Hannah told me what happens to girls in jail, apparently I would never be the butch which confused me a little but still, it’s not somewhere you want to be!

Well… ok, maybe you do, it’d be like day school to you, but still, my point is valid! You’ve totally crumbled your cookies this week. Miss Lockheart looked really upset when she told us all… I mean, she didn’t cry, or sound sad but she was frowning!

I know this is all to try and get inside Kathy’s head and I guess it goes to show just how far you’re willing to go to succeed this week that you’d deprive somebody of their freedom to send Miss Conway into a rage. I mean, I thought the lightening and stuff was enough but perhaps this kitty needs more than a few claps of thunder to rattle her...

I’ve seen what you’re capable of up close and personal last week Eternity, and I’ll be honest, what you can do in a ring is probably even more scary than the felonies your committing this week.

I mean heck, if it wasn’t scary enough that at any moment I could be left in complete darkness which is clearly unfair as you must have eaten more carrots as a child than I did to be able to use it to your advantage but you can also take a girl apart in so many… inventive ways that I honestly don’t know if some of them ever see it coming.

But Lord knows they feel it. Trust me, I’ve walked by the medics room after they’ve wrestled you and they resemble mangled blackberrys. It’s pretty gross. I promised myself that if we meet in that final, I am going to find whatever’s left in my tank to not look like that…

I bruise like a peach.

I hope you don’t hold this against me but last week was an invaluable insight into how you operate inside the ring, because God knows I’ve given up trying to understand how you function out of it. We’ve been neck and neck throughout this thing and many would say by rights, we should be competing for the belt and if we do… I know what a huge battle I am in for. I will have to pull out all the stops to beat you and crown myself the best female wrestler in the company… 

Just if I do win, promise not to kidnap me, okay? Seriously. Roberto said if anybody ever does he’ll throw a party and I just got my room looking the way I want it…

Alysson, I know you like to pride yourself on your honesty, so let me be honest with you. I am looking forward to wrestling you this weekend, regardless of what you may or may not think of me. Honestly, I won’t make any presumptions until you open those lips, but I will happily admit that I am excited to be able to test myself against somebody of your ability.

To be the best, you’ve got to beat the best and all that stuff.

I mean, sure, you’ve got a win percentage record that any of your ancestor’s would be proud of here, but as you’ve shown time and time again, that when it matters, you bring the bacon. This weekend is the perfect stage for a classic Alysson Gardner master class in dominating a division, what better way to prove that I deserve to be at the top of this division than by vanquishing you on my way to the final?

You’re one of the icons of women’s professional wrestling, people keep telling me that arguably you are, on your day, the absolute pinnacle of this business.

I mean, like, all the time. On and on and on… sheesh, talk about pressure guys?

But it just makes this all the more exciting for me because I know, that if I can beat you, then no matter what condition I am in after our match I will be able to overcome any challenge that awaits me in the final. Putting you down will earn me so much EXP points that it may just be the key to pushing myself over that finish line and giving myself my own saga to pass on down to the newbies.

I can totally dig being an Obi Wan. Only question is, McGuiness or McGregor?

Now, I know, you’ve could totally tear into me and use that legendary sharp tongue of yours, but it won’t change the fact that as a wrestler, I have the utmost respect for you. We may not have seen eye to eye over the course of this tournament and heck, maybe you’re one of the few sourpusses who just don’t like me, but at the end of the day I can always look past the costume and see the talent beneath.

It’s one of my gifts. 

Whether you like me or you don’t, I will make sure that come the end of the night you respect what I can do in that ring as much as I respect your ability. I know that professional wrestling isn’t about everyone being friends, which is a shame because the slumber parties could be pretty damn entertaining, but that doesn’t mean that even though we may never see eye to eye, you can’t learn to appreciate what I can do out there from personal experience, rather than a video.

You got a small taste weeks ago when me and Tiffy-Taffy wrestled you and your bestie, but when it’s just the two of us out there it’s a whole new kettle of fish and I sure as heck don’t wanna waste my time trying to find Nemo because I know you’ll totally go Jaws on me.

It’s womano-a-womano this weekend, no N.E.R.D., B.W.A. or any other acronym, just Aly G the Big Red Wrecking Ball and the Countess of Cosplay.

It could be a classic.

Why are you still here… we’re done aren’t we?

Oh, shoot, I almost forgot about Miss Conway. I am so sorry! I think after thinking about what Eternity is doing I just wanted to blank you’re whole bracket out of my mind, even I think it’s a little creepy and I totally did a séance with a Ouija Board once!

I mean, the spirit told me to take off my bra which was a bit weird, but the guy I was with told me that was normal paranormal activity.

Argh, sorry, I am getting distracted again. Concentrating on so many opponents is hard work!

I am glad to hear that I’ve not given you a reason to dislike me just yet, it must mean that the cookies I sent you a few weeks back worked their magic, and Hannah told me that baking little cookies with card suits on them wouldn’t melt your heart!

Ha, 1-0 to the less qualified Reed.

I know you’ve been in this game for a while, and that totally isn’t a dig on your age, if anything I think your experience could be your biggest weapon. The knowledge you’ve accumulated over the years in this business is perhaps more deadly than any roundhouse kick, you just can’t buy that sort of experience…

Trust me, if you could, I’d be on PayPal instead of standing in front of this camera.

Perhaps you never captured the big one in NCW, despite your best efforts, but at least you learnt a lot along the way and you did it with the man they call your biggest weakness by your side. I know people think of Jake as your kryptonite, destined to cause your doom, but I see things differently. Knowing that you have such a stable home to return to no matter what must be so liberating…

You can fight tooth and nail in that ring and still feel safe when the lights go out at the end of the night… well, before this whole kidnap ordeal… Eternity sought of stole my thunder there…

Either way, so many wrestlers have a damaged home life which eventually plagues their professional life, some of them even fear going home and live recklessly in the moment. I remember what it was like living with my father, I hated every minute under that roof and the expectation he placed on me, the way he constantly compared me to my sister… it put so much pressure on me to succeed, to return home and be praised that I couldn’t cope and I…

Jessica suddenly pauses as we hear voices asking if she’s alright

Erm, sorry… can…can we call that a wrap?

I think I heard my sister calling me…

We re-join the trio as runners lay dead around them, fixated on the image of Verona’s visibly shaken expression as he looks at Jess.

Roberto Verona: Oh shit…

Jessica slowly begins to stir as Roberto looks down at her arm with dread, her sleeve slightly rolled up from the fall.

Roberto Verona: She’s been bitten…

Isabella brings her boots down on the skull of the final runner, but she turns her head immediately, but visibly winces.

Isabella Maldini: She’s what!?

Suddenly Jessica groans and opens her eyes before screwing them shut and raising her arm to a patch of blood which has formed where he head hit the floor.

Jessica Reed: Ouch… where am I? Wh-what happened? I think I've got a uber-boo-boo...

Roberto Verona: You fell…

Isabella Maldini: That’s the least of our fucking problems, Roberto! You said…

Roberto turns and stares intensely at Isabella.

Roberto Verona: I know what I God damn well said, Izzy!

Jessica Reed: Guys…

Isabella Maldini: When did it happen?

Isabella steps towards Jessica, but Roberto stands up and prevents her from reaching the young blonde.

Isabella Maldini: How long does it take for the symptoms to start!? Huh!?

Jessica Reed: I-I don’t…

Roberto Verona: Jess… we’ve seen your arm…

Suddenly, shaking off the cobwebs, Jessica starts frantically kicking at the floor to lift herself up to a seated position, an intense fear filling her eyes.

Jessica Reed: Shoot…sugar…shuttlecocks…

Isabella Maldini: What the hell is wrong with her?

Jessica Reed: It’s not what you think!

Roberto Verona: When did it happen Jess…

Jessica Reed: Five months ago…

Isabella suddenly scoffs, running her hand through her hair in frustration.

Isabella Maldini: Are you listening to this!?

Roberto Verona: Izzy, calm the fuck down! Jess… it can’t have been five months, maybe the fall…

Jessica Reed: No! I swear… back when we were travelling to Boston, one of those… things, they bit me… Miss Lockheart rescued me and… nothing… nothing happened…

Isabella Maldini: Bullshi-…

Jessica Reed: I swear! It’s the truth! Everybody else, they turned in hours, I’ve been with you guys since yesterday, I’d have turned by now…

Roberto’s eyes dart around frantically as he mulls the information over.

Roberto Verona: She’s right… the rest turned within 6 hours…

Isabella suddenly turns white, as though the blood rushed from her skin in fear.

Roberto Verona: Izzy?

Isabella sighs.

Isabella Maldini: Shit!

Slowly she removes her hand from her side, blood oozes from a wound as Verona starts to shake his head.

Isabella Maldini: If she’s telling the truth, you need to get her the fuck to where she’s going.

Roberto Verona: I’m not leaving you!

Isabella Maldini: There’s no time to argue, Roberto! She’s immune, we don’t know if I am, I’ll be just like those assholes inside the next few hours and I doubt you’ll enjoy my love bites anymore…

Roberto goes to grab her, but she pushes him back.

Isabella Maldini: Go!

Verona looks down at Jess, offering her a hand as he lifts her up. Isabella smiles, a tear running down her cheek as Roberto reluctantly leads Jess over the carnage and out of the room. The pair move in total silence for a few minutes before suddenly a shot rings out and birds leap from their roosts as Roberto closes his eyes and the scene fades to black.