Chapter Text
Prologue: “You’re going to hate what I do next!”
He could think of a million places he wanted to be right now than in this room. Still, as much as he had wanted to retire in Montreal - his mother didn’t raise someone stupid. The homophobic locker room was taking a violent edge and he wasn’t going to let himself get injured through a deliberate or ‘accidental’ injury through a lack of care from his fellow teammates.
Shane was under no illusion that his coach would have his back as he was one of the lead instigators with the homophonic comments. Shane was annoying as he was too good a player to dismiss but did not fit Theriault’s image of what a hockey player should look like. So the coach was trying to intimidate him out, well, the coach could get what he wanted but Shane was going to make them pay a high price.
Even this meeting was an attempt to intimidate him, but Shane was a Hollander, and way too smart to be caught out so he would take this meeting just like he and Farah planned. The aim of this meeting was to get the Montreal management to agree to trading him to another team. When he floated that idea the GM paled and he was pretty sure the head lawyer stuttered in shock. He guessed the rapid texting was to get the owner down here to really lay it on thick.
As far as Shane was concerned they could get the Canadian PM down and he still had no intention of changing his mind. In his mind, the culture was toxic and unless he could have support changing it then he wanted out. Hockey was way too dangerous a sport to second guess his safety especially with the way opponents already tried to target him.
“Gentleman, are you refusing to trade me even on the grounds I have asked?” Shane wanted this locked down and in concrete if he needed it.
“You are the face of this franchise.” The GM reminded him, “We made you.”
Shane rolled his eyes, as that was not the argument they hoped. “Then you should have supported my face and well-being.”
Theriault sneered, “It’s not our fault you can’t take the heat.”
Shane kept his PR cool. “No coach, the last two training sessions are what led to this. I have been checked 50% more than previously and my defence men have gone missing. You tell me what conclusion you want me to draw?”
The coach glared at being called out, “You are imagining it.”
Shane was not the boy they had drafted and despite his careful PR image he was far more confident in his own skin especially when it came to arguing Hockey. “No, I am not. Please, you have all credited my high hockey IQ … You can’t get upset when I use it.”
The GM sighed, and went for middle ground in the hope of finding a compromise. “Look, we can send the players on HR training.”
Shane didn’t roll his eyes, but it was a near thing. “No Sir. You cannot cure homophobic tendencies where I have had physical threats against me made with DEI training.”
Theriault sneered, “No one heard the threats.”
Hollander smiled serenely. “That is what your investigation suggested but sadly the video and audio recordings I have compiled would suggest otherwise.”
The lawyer looked up, and all the colour in his face had gone, “You have evidence?”
Shane did roll his eyes at this point because this was getting stupid, “Yuna Hollander is my mother and she didn’t raise a fool. I am also aware of all elements of my contract and you have just broken the safety one.”
Theriault’s sneer grew wider, “So what?”
Shane sat back. “I can leave with no restriction and you need to pay up the remainder of my contract.” He helpfully handed over his contract with the relevant section highlighted to show that he was serious and that he wasn’t going to be bullied.
The Owner, Andre Bouchard, who was leaning against a wall listening to proceedings finally admitted, “We cannot pay you. We don’t have the funds.”
Shane had heard rumours about them expanding and attempting bold ventures that had not paid off. If they had managed to be in debt the year after winning a Stanley cup and sell out crowds then they seriously needed to fire their entire finance department.
Shane was staring in disbelief and wondered how bad the debts were if they could not settle the 32 million they would owe him. He went for the jugular, “So you're telling me you’re homophobic and broke? Wow."
All the management flushed at the rebuke but tellingly no one had a response for Shane. What could they say?
An idea struck Shane.
Could he do it?
It would be insane and send his profile even more sky high than the Rolex campaign.
Sometimes you could have everything when you were bold.
Shane stood up deciding that there was nothing useful he could gain from staying here. He had a wicked idea, and knew if he pulled it off; he would make history. “Oh You are gonna hate what I do next… I will be in touch with Mister Bouchard only.”
And left.