J2H looks frustrated as he stands on the balcony of his room in the Saxon Hotel, looking over at the deserted streets below, usually alive with tourists and locals alike. The lights of Las Vegas had gone, faded to black, unknown when they will get the chance to rip through the night sky once more. Vegas was always alive with noise and bright lights, but the sights and sounds had now gone indefinitely and there was an eerie ghost town feeling about it.
J2H: Why won't they just let her in here?
He growled through gritted teeth, thinking about Melody and his son, James Jr , who had arrived the day before but as per SCW rules, the couple had to be kept apart until the tests for corona virus were complete, seeing as they had spent time apart recently, with J2H heading to England and Melody and JJ staying at home. It annoyed him that his wife and child were being isolated away from him while test results were being taken care of.
He steps in to the room, not one of the most luxurious rooms the Saxon Hotel had to offer, and he agrees.
J2H: I should have been given one of those champion rooms. I am the biggest thing to ever happen to this place ever.
A bitter tone tore from his lips as he stomps towards a sofa, putting himself down, his shirtless back touching the material behind him as he eases in to the cushions, his feet swinging around and clunking on the wooden table in front of him.
J2H: What a fucking time to end up in a situation like this. Hey J, come to England, come meet my guys, come catch up, it's been years man. All horse shit. Kicked in the balls, attacked by a fake paddy and now I'm stuck in a hotel, because I was around those people to begin with. If here there was a fucking reason to stay away from social media.
The huffing tone echoed around as he looks around the room, it wasn't badly decorated, in fact it was fairly comfortable and very clean but he hated being told what to do, he'd never liked it and he never will, and this felt like it was just that. The choices were simple, go home and say fuck you SCW, I've give you good ratings, and possibly give something dangerous to his family? He had been around the fans, Berkshire was packed of fans and for some reason, the English were being idiots and not listening to the rules, acting all tough and not caring about their family members, he knew they could have carried it to the arena and infected everyone.
J2H: I could have gone home.
It was more wishful thinking to go home, but he knew that tests for COVID-19 was rare. If somehow SCW, SCU and GRIME had secured a deal with a local lab to make the tests and use them on their stars and families, then they had to take them up on the offer, even if it meant being stuck in a bubble for a month. He felt lost, stuck though. He knew he had tested negative for it, but it bugged him he couldn't be around Melody, but he was soon distracted as his phone lit up on the table.
He quickly reached for it and answered it, switching it on to loud speaker.
J2H: Yo.
His tone was affirming but the sound of his man servants voice can be heard responding
Simpson: Sir, it's Simpson, how are you today?
History lesson because there's a lot of unrecognisable faces on the roster. Simpson has been the family servant from before J2H was born, a strong figure in J2H's life from day one. His father and mother were always busy, Simpson played a huge part in raising him.
J2H: Fucking bored Simpson. I'm holed up in a hotel room, Melody and JJ are here, but I can't see them yet till they get their results back from these tests so I'm sitting here kicking my heels at the moment. how is everything there?
Simpson: As you suggested sir, everything is on lock down. The whole house is secured and there's only me here now the cleaning crew has left.
J2H: "Well the house is yours then Simpson. Do as you please but do not leave the house, let this thing blow over and hopefully we will be back in a few weeks.
Simpson: Thank you sir. I wish you very well in your return to the ring this upcoming week.
Not even Simpson's cheery and affirmative tone could stop J2H rolling his eyes, slowly shaking his head from side to side.
J2H: What a fucking time to let emotion boil over Simpson. The greatest return since Jesus and I'll be wrestling in front of a bunch of people not good enough to wrestle on the big boy show, but think they're fucking special anyway. This is a treat for those guys but for people like me, it's hard to get motivated.
Simpson: Just remember sir, you are facing an old rival in Mr Murphy, that should be motivation enough.
He was right. Connor Murphy had been a thorn in J2H's side for so many years, a rivalry stretching back long before J2H was ever the World Champion. Connor Murphy was like everyone else back in the day, thinking that James Huntington-Hawkes III was a complete joke, they never saw the transformation in to J2H as anything to be worried about. Simpson was right, that was motivation enough to shake J2H back in to life.
J2H: You're right. That should be the motivation I need. Those SCU clowns should be sitting there taking notes about how to be as good as me while I smack the alcohol from Connor Murphy.
Simpson: Indeed sir.
J2H: Anyway Simpson, No one in and out of the house at all.
Simpson: You have my world sir.
J2H: Stay safe Simpson.
Simpson: You too sir.
With that, J2H presses the button on the phone ending the call, the look of frustration was still there on his face. Patience was never one of J2H's strong points, even through Austin Parker tried to change that after the intense training sessions. He was always used to getting his own way immediately so sitting waiting was more frustrating than most things in his life.
The frustration was short lived as he heard a key card slide in to the lock of his door, causing him to look towards the door like a dog hearing its owner return. His eyes locked on the handle as it moved down and the door pushed open. A wide smile crossed his face as he saw his wife in the shadow of the doorway, standing holding their son in her arms, their bags carried by a member of staff. Melody steps in the room, quickly moving towards her husband and planting kisses on his face, wrapping her free arm around his shoulders and holding his topless body close to hers. He wraps his arms around both of them as the member of staff drops the bags just inside the door and steps away, closing the door behind him and leaving the couple and their son together.
Melody: I've missed you.
Her voice was hushed and whispered, slightly cracking with emotion as she held J2H close.
J2H: I missed you too.
Melody releases J2H from her tight grip and looks at her son holding his arms out towards his father.
Melody: I think someone else missed you too.
J2H reaches his arms out towards his son who almost jumps in to them.
J2H: Everything ok?
Melody nods, her blonde hair slightly moving across her shoulder as she looks at her husband, a smile on her face.
Melody: Yes. They tested us and we're all good. Our son on the other hand has been a pain.
J2H moves James Jr at arms length, looking at him with a tilted head.
J2H: Have you been naughty for mommy?
His tone was firm, but not angry as he looked at his smiling son.
Melody: There was an incident with paint, that he got angry about.
J2H looks at his son, a serious look on his face.
J2H: What have I told you about being naughty to mommy? I told you when I was away, you look after mommy. Not be horrible to her, you have to be good. Any more of that and I will take away your trust fund.
James Jr smiles towards his father, a laugh coming from him.
Melody: I don't think that worked.
J2H looks at him and shakes his head.
J2H: Ok wise ass, I'll take away your favorite toy car.
That did the trick as the smile on James Jr's face faded to blankness before a little sadness replaced the blank stare. He reaches his arms out towards Melody and Melody takes him. J2H watches as he wraps his arms around Melody, hugging her tightly. Melody smiles at J2H.
Melody: Threaten to take away the trust fund didn't work, but the car thing did?
J2H: And he calls himself a little rich kid. He'll change his tune in a few years time when he wants a sports car or something.
Part of J2H was actually proud of the fact that he was more worried about his toy car. Thank God there was more of Melody in there than J2H. Melody was always sweetness and light and that's who J2H wanted his son to be like but for now, he's just a daddy's boy.
J2H: And now we're around each other again, can we get out of this room? This place is driving me crazy.
Melody: We won't get sick?
J2H's mind drifted back to what was said in the memo and what was said on the coaches to the airport. Everyone who tested positive would be staying in their rooms for two weeks to allow freedom of the hotel to everyone else. No one could leave their rooms till they had been given the all clear.
J2H: Nah, we're good, we can go and wander round, because we don't have that virus. Everyone sick or not sure is stuck in their room. We're fine, this place is meant to be luxury, so let's go find out if it lives up to the hype.
And with that, the camera fades.
The hotel boasted many things and lived up to them all, one that wasn't mentioned was a play area for children. It may have just been put in, these hotels don't usually cater for families, more aimed towards the executive type but a lot of rules had been relaxed and a lot of rules had been put in place, rules to allow freedom for families, yet still keep the place spotless.
J2H had never been the most comfortable guy doing the dad thing at times, Melody had been the one taking James Jr to playgroups and the likes, mother and baby running club and things like that, but J2H, he was more of an indoor dad at this point. This was the first time he'd ever been around co workers with his child. Even when people who thought they could just drop by, people like Kate Steele just randomly appearing at his house claiming Melody was a friend, J2H wanted James away from them. He knew the people in the wrestling world only too well, and didn't really want his son around them, as proved when Melody had travelled to see Odette and the rest of the people from that gym at a show a while ago. J2H didn't overly like the fact that Melody was backstage with him at some shows.
Yet here he was walking through the hallways of the Saxon Hotel, his son in his right arm, asleep on his shoulder, his wife holding his left hand. She had a look of pride on her face, her little family, her pride and joy in one place, but drawing looks from other SCW staff and personnel unsettled him. His work life was his work life, his home life was his home life. He did what he could to keep them separated.
Walking through an open door, he'd reached his destination, the outdoor pool area. It seemed a popular place to be for the SCW, SCU and GRIME people, as many of the gathered around the pool or at the bar. J2H could feel the eyes on him as he walked in to the area, looking for nearby seats and sighing a sigh of relief when he found two and moved towards them with Melody, the two sitting down and looking around.
J2H: This is what wrestlers have become.
His words were slow, yet devoid of any kind of tone, but it did enough for Melody to look at her husband as he moved James Jr in to a more comfortable position on his leg.
Melody: What do you mean, babe?
It was genuine curiosity in Melody that forced her to ask.
J2H: Look around at these people, these SCW so called stars. Look over there.
J2H pointed towards the foursome of Lachlan Kane, his brother Malachi, and their fiancees, Sierra Williams and Bella Madison.
Melody: What about them?
J2H: The ones who have the right mindset to be wrestlers are Sierra and Bella. Lachlan Kane spends five minutes talking on camera and gets pissed cause his opponent speaks more then him. I've seen his sly bitchy Twitter shots at people. Can't see the concept of if you don't want people to talk longer, then fucking talk more, and his brother, well, his brother wouldn't be remembered if it wasn't for Bella Madison.
Melody: Ok...
Melody's confusion was justified, but J2H had a point to prove as he turned his head to look at Caleb Storms, Katie and their dog Lemmy.
J2H: And take a look at that greasy fuck there. The most over thing around him is his dog. People don't watch him for him, they wanna see his little animal thing there. That's pretty sad.
Melody: But he's so cute!
J2H: And that is why the dog is more over than him. Look at that mess there.
J2H points a finger at Brandon Sludge.
J2H: The fuck is that meant to be? It looks like someone shaved a bear and said go ahead and wrestle. Then you have the Mexican guy over there.
Melody: Senor Vinnie?
J2H: Yeah, Senor Vinnie. He married the first easy going fat chick that came along and talks to a plant like he's actually real. He was funnier when he had his little fat nephew around, that fat kid was funny, but since he's gone, entertainment levels watching him have gone down to zero.
Melody: I still think he has funny moments.
J2H: Compare him to the Vinnie of old, he was better. That fat ginger idiot he's around too with the dog that wants to bang the cactus.
Melody: Bill Barnhart?
J2H: If you want, that old grampa is a walking information desk in a bad way. You could say you've been to the moon and he'll tell you he was there first and give you a fun fact, then record a promo that makes no sense or have no relevance. You have those guys too.
Melody looks towards London Underground and her eyes widen.
Melody: You don't wanna be talking bad of them.
J2H: Well the big lump is hardly gonna tell me off, he don't talk and Mr. Suit there, talks like he's proud of England, went on tour there, never wrestled a match, it's just lazy. A chance to go out to your people and talk but no, use it as a chance for a free flight home.
He stops talking as he directs his eyes to Kate Steele and Teddy Warren and wags a finger towards Teddy, whose eyes have been on J2H for the past minute.
Melody: Don't Jam.
J2H: Don't worry about Rupaul over there, I ran in to him earlier and I don't have to do a lot to torture him, but I've been talking about him for weeks, I've been telling him just what I think of that cuck, but he, a man who has spent years of his life trying to figure out if he prefers boxers or lingerie, still can't work it out, but he calls himself a wrestler.
Melody: What's your point?
J2H: My point is these guys are who SCW deem good enough to be on the roster. Even Mark Cross, who is like a thirsty Twitter ho trying to jump on anything with tits, Alex Jones who's as pale as a vampire in Austin James Mercer's shadow, you got Fenris who's only advantage to anything is that people fear him for who he USED to be and Jake Raab, who, although deemed impossible by scientists all over the world, is actually stupider than Lord Raab which makes his mental state lower than a retarded baby.
Melody: Babe....
Melody wanted J2H to get to his point, these were people she was friends with, that she liked to see. She knew the sooner he would get to his point, the sooner she wouldn't have to listen to these views.
J2H: My point is Mel, these are the people who make up the SCW roster, these are the people who need to carry on a company, but they ain't shit compared to who made the road for them. Not one of them is as good as Goth used to be before he lost it, not one of them could even get near Spike Staggs even if he was at his worst and they were at their best. Gabriel could beat them all in the ring without touching them, just using that voodoo shit. Not one of them honestly...
He sighs, shaking his head in disappointment at what he's about to say.
J2H: Could even beat Despayre.
He shuddered as he actually gave that compliment about someone who had been a thorn in his side for years, someone who thought he was his friend, but J2H couldn't bare to be around him. That comment alone brought a smile to Melody's face.
Melody: Despayre was good.
J2H: Compared to this roster, Despayre is as good as me back then, which makes me untouchable compared to them. I can't believe I came back to this shit, with a roster like this. I can't believe I didn't come back to face a legend, instead of the junk handed to me now and more than anything, I can't believe that even those these people are that shit at their jobs, that they are all still so much better than Connor Murphy.
Melody took it all in her stride and smiled at her husband, not meaning it as a sign of agreeing, just that part of her liked it when he spoke in a confident way. Out of the corner of his eye, he saw someone approaching, that someone being Kate Steele. J2H puts his hand up and stops Kate in her tracks.
J2H: Six feet away please, better still, six miles, maybe six states, yeah, six states should do.
He puts his head next to his son's sleeping head and whispers.
J2H: What's that son? You want to get away from the crazy lady with seventeen personalities and go chat to people with just one personality? That sounds like a great idea.
J2H stands up, lifting his son with him and quickly turns to Kate.
J2H: Order your husband a Cosmo or something on me, he also likes girly drinks as well as wearing girly make up and girly underwear too.
He raises James Jr's arm, while the baby sleep and gently waves it towards Melody.
J2H: Bye bye mommy, love you, have fun talking to the crazy lady. Muah!
Melody smiles at her husband but turns back to Kate, shaking her head slowly, trying to keep a straight face as the camera fades out.
We switch back to the hotel room where J2H stands on the balcony once more, his eyes covered by dark sunglasses as the Vegas sun, although not completely warm, still shines bright over the usual energetic place. He looks at the camera with a smirk.
J2H: I seriously thought that when JT Midas invited me to England, to speak, I thought it was all about him turning over a new leaf and actually trying to give something back, actually paying the wrestling business back for putting up with him for being a waste of time and talent, I thought it was a redemption story, but we can just look at the facts here. Hey J, I had nothing to do with you getting attacked, oh by the way, this guy who attacked you is my new client.
J2H frowns as he looks down the camera, shaking his head.
J2H: I just want a match with you, just a match to show the world how good it used to be.
Another frown crosses the former World champion's face.
J2H: What a load of horse shit that was because I say no and your new client attacks me? Are you thinking that I'm stupid? That the fans are fucking stupid? Connor getting thrown in my path has served the purpose for one damn thing and that's I get to smash that fucking fake paddy all over that pretty empty building on Sunday.
He exhales sharply as he turns his head away from the camera.
J2H: Fucking fake paddy never did get over the fact that I'm better than him, fucking fake paddy never did looking pale in my shadow while the spotlight hit me like a light straight from the Gods themselves and fuck did I look good in that light but you Connor, always three steps behind, never in the limelight, never in my limelight unless you forced your way there. You were never good enough to be anywhere near my light yet for years, you pushed for it, you tried to put your toe in it when I wasn't looking just to try and make yourself look relevant when you were fucking trash, not even good enough for a toe to be in it. There were homeless bums who deserved to be in the spotlight more than you. Perhaps you knew that you alcohol filled fuck because you drink like a bum, you smell like a bum, you look like a bum. Face it, everywhere you step lowers the tone to below zero. That's who you fucking are and that's all you ever will be.
A cocky, confident smile wrinkles J2H's face, his arrogance flowing through him.
J2H: I'm the man SCW always needed, the man who kept eyes on the company, kept people interested in everything going on here, I was the one who people thought of when they thought of Sin City Wrestling. What did people think of when they heard your name? Absolutely nothing at all cause no one gave a damn about you then, no one really gives a damn about you. God couldn't resurrect your career, JT Midas ain't gonna do shit for it.
Another confident smirk comes from J2H.
J2H: You wanted a crack at my spotlight again, you've done it before and all it's done is got your ass kicked by the far better man. Shit, the world knows that me at ten percent could smack you around the ring even if you were at two hundred percent. We both know it yet you attacked and thought you was getting off scott free? Hiding behind JT Midas and his band of freaks was gonna keep you safe? Are you out of your tiny little mind or just drunk out of your skull? Which one is it Connor? You've never been on my level. Even in your drunken delusions, you couldn't be on my level if you tried. This one is gonna be a nice little stroll down memory lane for me, because it's just gonna be like old times. It's gonna be like the times I beat you in every possible way, it's gonna be like those times when I leave the ring smiling, you leave the ring helped to the back and feeling it for days to come. It's gonna be like those times where you wake up in the morning with a hangover and that emptiness in you because you know once again, J2H has fucked you up and there was nothing you could have done differently to have changed that.
He looks down the camera with an arrogant smirk.
J2H: We've gone to war many times Connor and other than your one little minor battle win, I've always some out on top, always shown why I was headlining shows and you were opening them. I showed everyone time and time again that I am the greatest.
J2H points to himself with his thumb.
J2H: And you were lucky to be even opening shows.
He points at the camera.
J2H: You've build your career out of trying to get around people better than you to try and give yourself a career boost and that's what you've done here, but trust me when I tell you this Connor, I'm gonna be sending you packing and back to your flea ridden one room home quicker than you got here. I'll be sending you back to whatever shack you come from with that old familiar feeling of getting your ass beat by the greatest wrestler to ever step in to wrestling.
J2H pats his chest with an open palm.
J2H: That would be me dickhead and it don't matter how long I've been out of that ring, it doesn't matter that all those shows have passed, all that matters is you're gonna learn real fast that this guy hasn't lost a step, this guy is gonna step back in the ring and fight like I never stopped, because this guy really is that damn good, this guy really is something special. I proved that for years while you proved you never had what it took to be anywhere near as good as me. This is why I will always be championship material and you'll always win the prize for loser of the year Connor. We are opposite ends of the scale and you know you could try your entire life and you'll never make it one tenth of a way to my level and one tenth is me being seriously fucking generous.
J2H arrogantly smirks down the camera.
J2H: Everyone knows this is a mismatch but use it as a lesson to people, to those idiots from SCU sitting there watching what a real wrestler does or in this case, doesn't do. If they even wanna make it, they've seen me, they know how good I am, they know the need to be like me if they want any kind of success, but what they need to do is take a good hard look at you Connor and see how not to be. I mean you're the perfect example of how bad a wrestler can actually be, so these guys from SCU need to take a good look at you and see never, ever become like you. As soon as they learn not to be like you, they might make it in some fed worse than SCU.
He looks away, his eyes drifting down to the streets of Vegas.
J2H: This will be the last we will see of you Connor because as soon as they see how bad you are, JT Midas will drop you like yesterdays trash, you will go back to being unknown here, and uncared about, not even a single thought. You'll go back to irrelevance where you belong. By the end of this, I will make an example of you that damn much, that JT Midas ain't gonna want any part of this. JT Midas thinks this is the best chance he'll have of ever beating me, cause of the time I spent out of the ring, you probably think you've got a good chance of beating me because of me being out of the ring for a while, but it ain't happening, it won't happen.
He turns to look down the camera with a serious look on his face.
J2H: I'll be back like I never left and you Connor Murphy, you're fucked! That's real talk, bitch!
And with that, J2H turns around and walks back in to the room.
