𝐏𝐫𝐨𝐠𝐫𝐞𝐬𝐬 𝐖𝐫𝐞𝐬𝐭𝐥𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐏𝐫𝐞𝐬𝐞𝐧𝐭𝐬 𝐂𝐡𝐚𝐩𝐭𝐞𝐫 𝟏𝟕𝟓:
𝐔𝐧𝐛𝐨𝐱𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐕𝐈𝐈: 𝐓𝐡𝐞 𝐂𝐮𝐫𝐭𝐚𝐢𝐧 𝐂𝐚𝐥𝐥
It should have been a happy moment.
Everything about Unboxing was usually a happy event, a happy show. Alyssa Stevely had loved every single Unboxing that she had been able to take part in. Every year it was like unwrapping a new present, seeing who was going to be standing across from you in that ring. Today should have been the same. Gene Munny had sprung to make sure that she, his "nephew" Will Kroos, and himself were dressed in the colorful Christmas jumper that Progress Wrestling had put out. He and Will were beaming and jolly as anyone could have ever hoped. The problem wasn't them or the crowd or the event.
The problem was, as it had been for months, herself.
Alyssa still blamed herself as the reason that Joe Hendry, her Joey, was nowhere to be seen. Had she been a better partner, maybe they could have made their debut together in front of the Electric Ballroom. Instead, Joe had been nowhere to be seen for months, ever since his attack at the hands of the Death Riders led by Devin Heraldry. Alyssa thought that she could have stopped it, or at least gone down with him. Now here she was, trudging behind her two teammates and trying not to let on just how miserable she was.
By the pity on Gene's face, she wasn't hiding it well.
By the look on Gene's face, something was concerning him.
As the trio stood in the ring, Alyssa felt the arm of another wrap around her neck. She had originally assumed that it was Will Kroos, trying to playfully give her a noogie, until she saw the young man watching just as terrified as Gene seemed to be. Neither man moved, only watching in terror as Alyssa felt her breath getting cut off by whoever was behind her. Her eyes cut to the side, hoping to see who it might be out of her peripheral vision. All she could see was a glimpse of red hair, pulled into a matronly bun. That's when she began to struggle. This wasn't just anyone attacking.
This was Selene Bishop of the Death Riders.
She struggled to find the words to urge the boys to run, barely squeaking them out. She wouldn't risk Will or Gene the way she had risked Joe. Will wasn't strong enough to fight them off. Gene wasn't strong enough to fight them off. "Boys...go..."
Will didn't need to be told twice, turning tail and fleeing the ring before the rest of the Death Riders could even attack. Were the others even here? Alyssa's vision was fading as she watched Gene move in to try and help, "I'm not le-"
"I said go," Alyssa struggled to breath, arms gripping on Selene's arm to try and push her away, "please go..."
Will looked between Selene and then Alyssa, tears as he himself fled, Alyssa finally sinking to her knees in the ring. As she lost concious, she could feel the heel of Selene's boot pressing against the side of her face, making her look into the camera. Was this another warning from the Death Riders? Or had she simply finally paid for her own crimes against the group.