Stripped (WWE Fanfiction) (Bullet Club / The Shield ) (AU) (BWWM) AEW

Part 8

"So, you're meaning to tell me that you haven't found Flair yet?" Kenny Omega wiped remaining crumbs from his short beard, never taking a calculating eye off of Cody Rhodes.

The two men sat facing each other in their usual booth at Minnie's Diner, Matt and Nick Jackson sat between them. They seemed to be tempering an already tense situation, they tried in vain to keep the conversation light. However, their plucky comedic relief was not enough to sever the intensity that simmered between Cody and Kenny.

Cody's eyes shifted down to his half-eaten plate of ham and eggs. He half-heartedly pushed around the food with his fork, arranging the cold clumps of egg around the slab of ham meticulously. He was hoping for anything but this conversation. But when Kenny invited him to Minnie's alone, he knew that there was only one thing to talk about.

"Cody." Kenny said, the word was finite, sharp, commanding. Like a parent poised to discipline their child.

Cody's gaze drifted from his plate to the door, a light tinny jingle rang above it as a woman walked in. No doubt a stripper from her outfit. The tight grip of deja-vu came about him as he studied the woman's face. She reminded him of Brandi, just a much less classy version of her. He's seen this woman before, if only briefly in his past.

"Its not the end of the week yet, Ken. You said the end of the week. Trust me, I've got a plan." Cody said cooly. He was at ease, knowing his wife Brandi was on her way to the Shield as they spoke. If any thing was going to find out Ric Flair's location, it would be those full lips and doe-eyes hidden beneath thick lashes.

"I sure hope you do." A wicked grin played at the edges of Kenny's lips as he pushed away his empty plate.

The tension constricted around the four of them in that booth as silence filled the space. Matt nudged Nick, hoping his older brother would have something to say to ease it.

"Matt and I will take care of the check, boys. Why don't you bring the car around front, Codester?" Nick chirped as the table shook rhythmically beneath them. He clutched his brother's knee when he realized it was bouncing erratically.

"I got it." Kenny slid out of the booth and made his way to the counter, filing through the thick stack of bills in his wallet. His body tilted backwards suddenly as he felt the loss of control in his step. He was slipping, and soon to fall on the scuffed and dirtied linoleum tiles. He steadied himself quickly, and looked down to see the culprit of his misstep: two cards on the ground. It looked to be an ID and credit card. He picked them up and inspected them briefly before catching the last name on both.

Blanc.

Eyes wild, he searched the diner for the woman in the ID picture, and was pleased to find her sitting only 2 seats down on the counter.

*

"Who's Kenny talking to?" Matt asked as he slid further away from his brother in the booth.

"No idea. Maybe he's recruiting for the club." Nick replied, not bothering to stare at the two.

"I don't think so." Gravity came to Cody's voice as he watched them intently. The woman looked defensive, ready to strike, but her eyes betrayed her true emotions. She was terrified. "What ever that bastard is saying to her, is threatening. I mean, look at her."

The exchange between Kenny and the woman ended when Kenny walked to the cashier. She quickly bolted out of the diner, shaken.

"He has no regard for professionalism. This is not how a leader behaves!" Cody waved a flippant hand toward Kenny "We need someone who isn't going to fly off the handle at any moment. Someone who doesn't go up to random women and make them run away, terrified."