'Hit the Floor'~Bounce

Unexpected

Jude knocked heavily on Lionel's office door, then walked in without waiting for a response. He was so frustrated he didn't even bother to shut the door behind him. He went to her desk, put his hand to his hip and leaned in. "I was gone one day, and all hell breaks loose." He made his point by tapping on her desk.

"It's not my fault that my assistant coach murdered someone," she said, as she slowly walked away from the window and leaned on her desk facing him.

"No, but did you have to tell the press you hope Sloane fried for it?!"

"I was pushed."

"Were you also pushed to kick Terrence and Jelena out of the arena? Fans are pissed."

"Terrence and Jelena flipped Derek." She then sat down in her black leather chair. "He's backing them with the League now. And Sloane instigated this whole forced sale to begin with, so, yes...I was pushed!"

"I didn't know any of that." He looked down. His tone was quieter and less angry.

"Well, I didn't know you were getting mani-pedis with Oscar. So, if you wanna talk about smart..." she said pointedly.

Jude swallowed. He then took a seat. How, the Christ did she find out about Oscar and him? Lionel no doubt had a source at the prison who tracked Oscar for a price. "I went to see him a few times. The last time he asked me to track down the medical examiner from the recording. The one saying Oscar had Mia killed."

"Did you?"

"I did."

"But Oscar's case lives or dies by that recording. If you could get to the M.E., he'd figure out some way to use him, to get out. I wasn't going to risk that." Jude could see genuine fear on Lionel's face. "I'm as done with Oscar as you are."

"Good."

"Look, Terrence and Jelena was one thing." Jude leaned in close. "But what you said about Sloane...Lionel, you need to go out in front of the press and apologize to her." He was pleading. He remembered distinctly what Jelena had said in their earlier conversation about the League and the ongoing scandals and it rang even truer a day later. Throw in Derek jumping ship and the Kinkade Dynasty could end abruptly.

"I'd throw myself off the roof of this arena first."

He shook his head. He loved Lionel. She was family to him. But, she was way in over her head and letting the personal interfere with the professional. "If you don't fix this, there'll be plenty of people lining up to help you."

Jude gave her one last look before he rose and headed back to his office. Once there, he immediately started to make phone calls.
~~~

"It's not just the press. It's the board questioning Lionel now too. I mean, they're minority owners. But their opinions matter." Jude paced the bedroom the next morning, as he told Gideon about everything that had unfolded.

"Maybe you should do something," he said as he sat on a storage chest located at the end of the bed.

Jude couldn't help but notice Zero's decidedly passive response. In the past the blond would have offered a more pointed, decisive and/or engaged suggestion. Zero usually relished the game on and off the court. But, in the last two days since their visit to his old foster home, he'd been subdued, at least for him.

"I already have. I made a double date with Marcus Douglas. He's got the most sway of anyone on the board. I can't risk bringing Lionel. God knows what will come out of her mouth right now. Would you go with me?" Jude ask, looking down at him.

"What, you want me to be the little wifey?" Zero replied as he sat up, touching his chest in bemusement.

"More like the big, bad baller. Marcus thinks you can do no wrong." It was true. The fans, to include most of the board, loved their Zero. He was a favorite.