Conflict of interest.
Well. This was awkward.
Members of the gym had fought before. With each other, against each other. In and beyond the walls. But this was different. Austin and Alex had fought over the SCW world title. But the perception was that Austin was a world champion in waiting and Alex was the beaten down veteran. Hell, Alex had been in the ring with, and beaten, Milo recently. But now, a title was on the line. And Milo was on the come up. He had impressed everyone in SCW, Apex and at the gym. Alex especially. And now things in the gym were. Off. And Alex hated it.
He hated what SCW did. Putting Milo in a position to get into a title match with Alex and Caleb.
It seemed like SCW were trying to drive Wolfslair apart.
His arms folded over his chest as he looked out onto the main floor. Everyone was there, stretching, talking, getting ready to work out. And Alex was hiding in his office, a loud sigh escaping his lips as Sonja raised an eyebrow. She shook her head not wanting to give Alex the satisfaction of coddling him. If Alex wanted to talk, he would need to be a big boy and open his damn mouth.
Alex cleared his throat and sighed again shaking his head as he turned away from the window, leaning his back against it keeping his arms folded. A black sleeveless workout shirt baring the Wolfslair logo looked like it was painted to his skin. It was so tight. Sonja laughed to herself. Alex frowned and stepped forward. ”What’s so funny?”
Sonja dropped her pen and stood up picking up the papers she was doing, moving them over to a small pile setting some envelopes on top before turning to her husband with a bemused look. ”Aside from you squeezing yourself into that muscle shirt like you’re in your early twenties, well your attempts at trying to get my attention with your overdramatic sighs.” Alex goes to say something, his finger shooting up, he stutters and clears his throat unable to reply. Sonja couldn’t help but laugh and move around tapping her husband on the shoulder. ”So, if you’re quite done, tell me what’s on your mind?”
Alex gave a small nod and turned, his hand moving sideways towards the window with a small motion. ”One of the top contenders for a championship I own is out there, and I can’t help but think this isn’t healthy.” He looked down, Sonja nodded, seeming like she was in agreement as she moved closer, she matched Alexs’ stance folding her own arms over her chest. ”What?..”
Sonja raised an eyebrow. ”Competition between teammates is healthy. That's why you formed this gym.”
And part of that was true. The entire mentality that started Wolfslair, iron sharpens iron. Going against the best of the best in the gym every day made you ready for the competition out there. But this was different, or so Alex felt. ”Thing is, I’m not part of a team. I own this place, I’m the head trainer, they look to me for guidance and help, how would they feel if I get in the ring and beat one of them for a championsh-”
Smack
Alex paused, Sonjas hand lightly shot up, smacking him upside the head sending his black hair flying up, he blinked a few times and tilted his head confused as Sonja smirked. ”Are we done going on an ego trip?. Did you fall over?” He laughed and shook his head as Sonja adjusted her stance staring her husband dead in the eye. ”Your resume speaks for itself. We get it. But, this is a team. And you are a part of it. So this match, well, it’s part of why you wanted this.” He sighed again, this time it was one of acceptance as he looked out into the gym, Sonja chuckled again. ”Besides, who says you’ll beat Milo?. Kid is talented.”
He scoffed and nodded. ”Point taken….thanks Sonja”
She beamed, stepped forward and raised up on her tiptoes to kiss her husband on the cheek before flicking his nose. ”You’re welcome, but it’s part of the job description.”
Alex smiled and quipped. ”Giving me sage like advice?”
”No.” She sat back down at her desk waking her computer up from its sleep with a grin. ”Keeping your ego in check.”
Alex was again speechless, his jaw dropped and he just shook his head groaning as he pulled the door open stepping out onto the gym floor. He took a few steps before stopping next to Austin, the six foot six former world champion stood with his arms folded watching a few of the gym members roll on the mats, a toothpick in his hand as he picked at his teeth. Alex raised an eyebrow looking up as Austin grunted with a smirk. ”She did it again didn’t she?”
Alex nodded slowly. Austin couldn’t help but laugh.
”Sooner or later, she puts everyone in their place.” He puffed his chest out and stretched. ”Except me.”
He smiled, Alex shook his head with a sarcastic and annoyed look plastered on his face, the door to the office opened, Sonja’s voice rang out, and Austin's entire demeanor changed. ”Austin James Mercer.” Alex turned and smiled. ”You and I need to have a little chat about proper disposal of body hair in the showers…” Austin shook his head and backed up, he turned on his heels and walked into the office closing the door. Alex just sighed and started to stretch. It was going to be a long day.
Earn it.
”Let the record show, past performance is never a guarantee of future results. Professional wrestling is not a goddamn science experiment. You can’t add all the same goddamn variables and expect to get the same result to verify your theories.”
Alex spits his words, looking more annoyed than usual. His lips twisting into a smile as he sits back in black jeans and a red and black wolfslair shirt. Always repping the merchandise.
”Alex was washed up right? Facing the best in SCW and kept coming up short. Against Ben, O’Malley, Jack Washington, Fenris. I heard it all. Over and over again. Alex just a shell of who he once was. And, for a second there I believed it. I felt it. I would sit there and look in the mirror and I would study every single goddamn line on my face, I’d look at a few grey hairs in my beard, I’d get up and feel my body creaking and aching. I’d honestly look at myself and think maybe it was time. Time to walk away from the ring, to walk away from my career and just be happy with what I accomplished.”
“After all. What did I have to prove? Since I was seventeen years old and I first stepped foot in a wrestling ring, since I hit that mat for the first time and hit those ropes every single breath I have taken has been dedicated to doing this. And not just doing it, doing it at a high level and being the best of the goddamn best. And in the last nineteen years that is what I’ve done. Ten world titles, countless other championships, high profile matches against the best of the day as well as legends and names that would go on to be great. And sometimes they have come and gone, and I have stayed. So when I say I was thinking about hanging them up and retiring, know that it was something that weighed heavily on my head.”
“And see, Bill Barnhart kind of got to me. See, he reminded me how he beat me. Yeah, Big Bill has a win over me, and he brought it up, chewed it up and spat it in my face.”
“Now, sometimes, for whatever reason, people can end up just beating someone else, week in and week out. For no other reason than it just happens. Look at Seleana Zdunich and Alicia, aside from one time that was due to different circumstances that is what has happened. But look at Roxi and Alicia. Same thing but reversed. So, I thought, for a second, maybe Bill would be like that with me. Maybe I was about to lose this title in a match against Bill and my first defense. And I have to be honest, if I had lost to that fat asshole, well, I’d be done. I would have taken my ass home and none of you would have seen me again.”
He shakes his head and breathes in and out deeply before pushing to his feet revealing that he has the Sin City Wrestling Roulette title in his hand. He holds it up looking sideways at it and smirks before throwing it over his shoulder.
”Anyone who wants this is going to be in for a dog fight. You want it? Then earn it. Now, my opponents in this match earned a shot, unlike Barnhart who earned it by losing then somehow got in the ring with me. Miles Kasey and Caleb Storms won matches to get their opportunity at me. I’ll admit my opportunity against Cassian was based less on me earning it and more on my name. And I still believe they thought he was the future of Sin City. I still believe he was being set up to be the next golden boy and a win over me while I had name value was going to set him up. But, I flipped the script. Just like Caleb storms seems to be doing right now.”
“See, Caleb is someone who has lost so much in Sin City wrestling it’s become a meme. Caleb Storms says he’s going to win a title, a match or an opportunity. Hilarity ensues. Only. Right now, the laughter has started to silence.”
“Because Caleb Storms is suddenly no joke.”
“And, look, I’m guilty of this too. I am guilty of looking at your name on a goddamn card and chuckling. And honestly there is a part of me, that realises if I just went down that road and I ignored what you’ve done you’d sneak up on me and take this title from me. But, how can I Caleb? The last two people I have beaten, Cassian and Bill, have also been beaten by you. So, while it might be the popular thing to do, to sit here and throw you under the bus, call you a loser, say you don’t belong in the ring with me, but goddamnit Caleb, you have come a long way from the guy who keeps running his mouth and had only been handed a title...and I think that’s what it is wasn’t it?”
“You won the title legit, you held the Internet title and realised what it was like to hold it. You had a taste of real tangible success and now, well, now you want more don’t you? It’s addictive and that makes you dangerous. But, I’m not going to underestimate you this time Caleb, you’re a danger to my title, and I’m going to fucking treat you like it.”
He smirks and nods adjusting the title and moving to the back of the room, leaning back against the wall.
”Much like I will with Milo. Someone who I know is hungry. Someone who I know is determined and driven. He has been tearing it up at PWS and in Sin City. Hell, he and I already had a one on one match so I know how far he can push me. I know how good Miles is and I’m not about to just think because I got one win over the kid he’s going to be my bitch. I see him, day in and day out in that gym, working his ass off, sweating and bouncing around like a crazy ping pong ball.”
“And therein lies an issue. I have seen what he’s capable of, everything he’s capable of. And he he hasn’t seen a third of what Alex Jones can do. He knows me as the veteran with no confidence, the mentor in the gym barking orders and unrolling grappling mats. He knows me as the guy who was on a losing streak before getting in the ring with him and in a way I should be thanking Milo. See, it was because of him I realised I wasn’t done.”
“I was able to keep up with him, I was able to beat him.”
“It made me realise I have a lot left in the tank and even more to give back to this business. It’s what led me to realise that I could beat Cassian, that I could beat Bill and that I can step in that ring at Into the void and beat both you and Caleb. But, I know it won’t be easy, he beat Bill, you beat Lincoln. You two earned the shot at the roulette title and regardless of what kind of match it is I know you will both do everything you can to try and take it from me. So, you want it? Come get it.”
Sibling Rivalry
Charlane Jones. The six foot tall amazon woman of Wolfslair. Someone who was not signed to SCW but was an integral part of the company due to her training methods. She was the one who helped make Johanna and Alicia into the killers they had become. And she was also a champion in her own right. She was the current Kingdom pro wrestling Atlantic champion as well as holding titles in MMA. She stood at the far end of the gym, her arms folded with a smirk on her face watching the women of Wolfslair do their thing. Her eyes moved across the gym and up to her brother.
Alex talked to Austin James Mercer, he laughed and tapped the big man on the shoulder and moved across the mats towards his sister with a smirk. He stood next to her, the siblings of a similar height, both of them with tanned skin, long dark hair and a similar facial structure. Alex was larger physically, but while he was more ruled by his emotions Charlie was calmer, more stoic. A rock of confidence and respect. Alex has always looked to others and rarely to his sibling for emotional support.
It was stypid really. Here was someone who understood him more than others. A woman who had walked in his shoes, who had been through it all.
From the abusive childhood, watching their father drink himself to death, the abandonment of their mother walking away to live her own life in Europe. And of course, the loss of their youngest sibling. They had even shared hatred between each other. Alex breaking down and leaving, Charlie feeling like she was alone and blaming Alex. A fractured past that had only been repaired in recent years. Their bond had been on shaky ground, but since the success of wolfslair, the fact Alex wanted her around and Charlie spent time with his kids, their bond was now strengthened. His sister was back, and Charlie had the only member of her family left.
”You ready for next week?” Charlie smiled, she gave her older brother a wink. Alex scoffed and shook his head folding his arms over his chest. Charlie looked over the other side of the gym, the younger contingent of Wolfslair talked and worked out. Lachlan Kane, Miles Kasey and Aiden Reynolds. Charlie raised her eyebrows. ”I believe they’re talking about you.”
”Probably” Alex smiled and shook his head. ”The kid has talent. He could beat me, shit, Caleb could sneak one over on us both.” Alex laughed and shrugged.
Charlie raised her eyebrows looking up up and down. ”You want him to beat you, don’t you?” The question hung in the air, Alex looked down and shook his head with a sigh, he wanted to answer but at the time couldn’t. ”Wow, you’ve definitely changed.” They both laughed, but Charlie was serious. She seemed to not believe it. ”You can’t just give it to him though.”
Her voice was serious, straightforward and had authority in it. Alex groaned and rolled his eyes. ”I won’t. I mean yeah, I want Miles to do well..” He trailed off for a moment and smirked. ”But, I’m still me. I train these kids, I raised this gym. But I’m still out to win…” Charlie raised her eyebrows and gave a small smile. Alex stepped back and looked around, proud at what he sees, the feeling of pride welling up in his heart as he can hear everyone talking, moving, working together. ”I’m not done yet...I know some people think I should be.”
He sighed heavily Charlie gave a nod and smiled warmly. She was a few years younger than Alex, but she had a lot less experience, having taken off years in between starting and where she is now. ”No one can tell you when it’s time to stop. You’re definitely closer to the end of your career than the beginning.” She paused for a moment watching Alex and his reaction, subtle movements in his face, his body language. She reached out grabbing his arm. ”But, you have a lot in the tank. I think we can all see that. You just need to believe it.”
She smiled again turning and moving towards the group of women, Alicia, Sonja and Johanna along with Kallie were ready to train. Sonja smiled at her husband giving him a small nod. Alex gave a nod back and stretched getting ready to prepare for an important fight.
Three men and a title.
”Time is ticking down eh?”
Alex sighed heavily, he reached out and grabbed the edge of a wheel spinning it. The sound of it clicking fast and then slowing it down.
”Into the void ten is coming. And at the supercard, the roulette title will indeed be on the line. And I knew it would be an interesting match. And I want all of you to think about it, like honestly think about it. We have a veteran, in myself. A former ten time world champion including a former world champion of this company, facing a guy who has been one of the constants in SCW but has never been able to reach the heights he thought he would in Caleb Storms, and finally. An up and coming star with all the potential in the world who trains at the gym I own and run. And Miles is a talented kid.”
Alex spins the wheel again and sighs, we can't see what is on it as it is off camera. Alex stops it and looks back up.
”Some, not all, but some believe my time is ticking. That I’m on borrowed time in wrestling. That the roulette title win was a fluke. Maybe they’re right. Maybe I won’t ever get back to another world title and the SCW championship was my last shot at being the guy in a company. And if the SCW n world championship is the final world title to my name, then so be it. But, the Sin City Wrestling Roulette title has it’s own lineage. One of chaos and random moments that add excitement and a thrill to each match. Think about it, Miles, Caleb and I have no idea what kind of match we’ll be put in come into the void. And I kind of like it to be honest.”
“When I first came into SCW I looked at this championship and laughed. I thought it was a joke, a cheap gimmick to play on the Vegas and Casino aesthetic that Sin City had. Hell, to be honest when Honor was bought out by SCW and our contracts were optioned, I was mad. I had resisted Sin city and now, well, I’m ashamed of that fact. This company is unique, it has a special place in history and a great lineage. And I get to say I’m apart of that. I can look back at every other company and smile but SCW will always hold a special place i9n my heart.”
“My matches with Ben Jordan, Fenris and others were wars that I will look at as pivotal moments. But, so is this…”
“This match is going to answer a question for me. It’ll answer if I have any right being in the ring with these guys, if I can overcome a guy on a career resurgence and a star of the future. And if the answer is no, well I need to look at reinvention. But, if I can beat them, if I can keep this championship?. Then it’ll be resurrection.”
He smirks and pulls back, the wheel being shown. It’s dates, ticking down towards Into the void.
”A resurrection, similar to that off Caleb Storms. One of my opponents. And it’s worth repeating. I like you Caleb. I do. When I first saw you in Honor wrestling I laughed. You turned up to work, you got in the ring but you were never a threat to me. I was the world champion, I was the world champion when that place first became prominent and I returned to save it. You were just a cog in the machine Caleb, and that’s what you became here. But, as I said, recently?..well you’ve shown that promise that we all hoped you’d realise.”
“I said it in my first promo. I straight up praised you.”
“I didn’t want to fall into that trap of tearing you down when you had worked so hard to change it all. It’s rare in this business. Inspiring even Caleb. And I applaud it.”
“But, don’t get it twisted. I heard what you had to say. That you still think people see you as a joke, as the guy who got handed a title and it hurts you. I can see it, we all can. Now it’s up to you what you do. See, that kind of anger and negativity can only go two ways. Either you let it consume you and you spiral into self doubt, or you use it. You use it to propel yourself forward and prove everyone wrong and you show us your best. The best Caleb Storms, the strongest, fastest and most determined. But, there’s one problem with that…”
“The best Caleb Storms...is still not good enough to beat me…”
Alex turns and sits down, he leans forward staring directly into the camera, his eyes burning.
”That might seem harsh, and part of me doesn’t want to be. But I can only give so much praise, I can only applaud and respect you so much before I realise that you might forget who I am Caleb. I’m not just some random name or journeyman. I’m not Bill Barnhart, I’m not Griffin Hawkins. I’m not like Miles who is yet to reach that potential. I have realised a dream that you have but have never realised. I have been the SCW world champion, I have stood on top of that mountain...you haven’t. And while you might think this fairytale is ongoing...I’m going to stop it…”
He sneers and shakes his head before sitting back and letting out a deep breath.
”Now, I already told you all how impressive Miles Kasey is, how day in and day out I see what he is capable on in that ring and how I know he’s going to be a star of the future. But, the thing is, the future could be now. If Miles wants it. Caleb has five title reigns in SCW, an incredible amount of matches. I have three to my name. If Miles is able to beat myself and Caleb then he has beaten two men who combined have two internet title reigns, three roulette title reigns, two mixed tag team title reigns and a world title reign.”
“That would be impressive.”
“Now, moving past the irony of Caleb Storms calling Miles Kasey a choke artist, lets address the elephant nin the room.”
“Me beating Miles.”
“See, Miles has a foot in Wolfslair and a foot somewhere else. He hasn’t dedicated himself to what I can teach. Even after I whooped his ass and that win kicked off this resurrection, or resurgence. He still hasn’t committed. And I can’t blame him, I can’t force him to do anything he doesn’t want to do. But, this time, a title is on the line and an uncertain future could be the prize. Miles wants to be the top dog, he wanted to be the Alpha wolf. He has to fight myself and Austin for that as well as other members of the gym including Lachlan Kane. And all those battle take place behind closed doors. The drama right?.”
“But this one? This battle will take place in the ring, in front of the world at Into the Void X. And this old Wolf is not ready to step down. So, if Caleb wants relevancy he’ll have to come get it and if Miles wants to be theguy? Well. He’ll have his chance….”