“Success is how high you bounce after you hit bottom.” – General George Patton
{The Bane Home - Las Vegas NV - “In search of the white wolf”}
A few days after Into The Void was one of recovery and anger management. I could have lost the Sin City title to anyone but Knox and been okay with it. To call this a minor setback would be a lie of epic proportions. There was a reason I chose him as the number one contender. I wanted to hurt him, humiliate him, and tarnish his reputation. I failed not only in doing what I had set out to do. I was unable to defend that title, at the moment, I wasn’t sure which one was more humiliating. That however was a fleeting thought in terms of my priorities. My priority right now was my wife, she had assured me at the show that she had this and that she was okay. I’m sure in her defense, she believed that but I knew better. I also knew she wasn’t the only one under the influence of Masque DeLune. That much was obvious, especially in the interactions I’d had with Knox. She had her hooks in him, and it was deep. She had something on him, I didn’t know what it was, I also didn’t understand why I even cared.
That’s when my phone started to chime, letting me know about the Twitter activity. I looked down to see that Fenris made his escape from his brother and mother's protective custody. That was concerning on a lot of levels, mostly because the man was probably around eighty or ninety percent blind now, thanks to Vinnie. I responded to Aaron, letting him know that I would go and look for him. I had told him days before that I had a friend who could help. She was retired Navy, her retirement was forced upon her by an explosion while we were in Afghanistan. She retired close to the same time that I decided to accept my honorable discharge and leave the service. “Well, time to call the “A” team and get someone tough that can get through to the man.” I picked up the phone and called my friend Vivian Castle. She was also the owner of one of Kuyon’s brothers. Funny how when I thought of the old boy he came trotting up with his tongue lolling out. He was a happy dog, and he made us happy. He might be the best guard dog I’ve ever seen. He, because of his breed is a natural at that.
“Well old man, Aunt Viv would be coming to visit tonight.” At the sound of her name, he barked at me and spun around in a circle, to show his joy. I scratched him behind the ears. I picked up the phone and found her number on speed dial as one of my favorites. I pressed the call button and it rang about four times before she picked up. “Hey hey, Mac! How are you doing?” I smiled as I answered, “Hey Chief, I’m good. I need your help if you are still in town.” She sighed, for that boy that got blinded last night?” I grunted, “Yeah that's the one. He’s a hard case to be honest Viv.” She barked a laugh when I said it, “Then me, and him will get along just fine.” Then it was my turn, Vivian is a hard-nosed bitch, and that was being kind. I chuckled softly, “I have no doubts it will be a match made in the bowels of hell.” “Why Mac, you say the sweetest things.” “I’ll pick you up in about half an hour if that’s okay?” “That’s fine, Krayon has been missing you guys.” I smiled at the name she had given him. It’s a running joke between the Navy and the Marine Corp. The belief was that Marines were so dumb that we started calling them crayon eaters.
“We’ll have to bring you over for supper one night this week, that way the boys can reconnect and you and I can catch up.” “Sound good, Mac, see you in a bit.” I ended the call so I could focus on where to look for Fenris. According to his brother, the GO Gym and the park were the best places to look.
Fade
{The Go Gym - “Where is Fenris?”}
After a brief interaction with Despy on Twitter, he had said that K hadn’t been there. Vivian and I were going to double-check regardless. Not that I didn’t trust Despy, but he could be wrong, I mean everyone has an off day from time to time. As we pulled into the parking spot, I put the truck in neutral, set the parking brake, and killed the motor. Vivian looked over at me, “Mac, this truck is amazing. The sound system, and that hemi, it vibrates in all the right ways.” I laughed out loud at her comment, “Yes ma’am, Amber has said the same thing to me more than once.” Krayon plopped his head over the console from the back seat. I chuckled, scratching him behind the ears, “Despy is gonna love you.” Vivian, “Another wrestler?” I smiled, “Not just another wrestler, a very special one, Viv. Despy suffered a traumatic brain injury when he was younger. His maturity level is kinda a low for his age but a really good man overall.” She nodded accepting that. “If you like him, that’s good enough for me. I’ll use my party manners.” I smiled again, “Thank you, Viv.” Lord knows I had seen here enough times with no manners. We exited my Ram and headed towards the door. I set the alarm with a quick click of the remote and we entered.
I entered the lobby area where Despy was holding down the front door. He smiled as we approached. “Good Morning, are you a member of the Go Gym?” I looked at Viv and then back at Despy. “Despy, we know each other, I’m not a member…” He cuts me off, “Then you cannot go beyond this point, sir.” Vivian touched me on the forearm, “Unlock the truck please, I’ll be right back,” She said in a conspiratorial tone. I clicked the button and she made her way out the truck. “Don’t you remember me telling you that I was looking for Fenris, earlier?” He looked at me with a blank stare. “Maybe.” He looked over at Angel as if to confirm. That’s when Vivian returned with Krayon. “PUPPY!!!” He yelled as he scrambled out of his chair to meet Krayon. That woman was bloody brilliant in my opinion. I tried to make my way past the front desk but he figured us out and he quickly scrambled back into position, with arms stretched out wide. “You are not a member and I will not buzz you in.” He said it in such a bold way that I had no doubt about his sincerity. I put on a hand on Despy’s shoulder, “Look, my friend. Fenris left home this morning without anyone being able to stop him.” He nodded solemnly and understood. “This is my friend Vivian and her pup is named Krayon. “You mean, like the kind of crayons that marines eat?” I couldn’t help myself at that point, Vivian and I were both laughing so hard….it was truly funny. I looked over at Angel, I could almost swear he was smiling. “Did Angel tell you about that?” Despy, “Angel always tells me such funny things.”
“Fenris was blinded in that match, Desp, I’m trying to help his family find him.” He started to retort but the buzzer for the door went off just then. We looked over at the desk and Angel was sitting in his seat. Despy looked at me and then back at Angel, “I guess I’ve been vetoed. From there Vivian, Krayon, and I made our way into the gym proper. There was not anyone here yet and out of curiosity, I went to the men's locker room. Also empty, “Shit, the dog park it is then.” I came back through the doors. Vivian, “No luck I take it?” I shake my head, “No there’s hardly a soul in there. Despy, you and Angel make wonderful security here at the Gym. Thank you for doing such a wonderful job. You are both incredible.” I smiled, “Of course, we always do our absolute best!” Despy, carrying Angel along for the ride, approached Krayon. Kneeling down so he could be at eye level, “He’s beautiful.” In response, Krayon laid his head on Despy’s shoulder as if hugging him. I smiled at the sight of it. Despy in return hugged Krayon back, in a truly sweet moment. The Cane Corso breed is known for being great protectors and once they’ve bonded with someone they are friends for life. Despy might not have realized it but at that moment he had a new friend who would shred anyone who might threaten him.
“Amazing” was all Viv could say when I described what happened. “Honestly Viv I’ve never seen that happen with this breed before. Krayon is a sweet boy and I think he noticed something about Despy that most humans can’t fathom.” She hesitated only briefly before asking, “What’s that Mac?” I smiled as I glanced over my shoulder at Krayon, “It’s his heart, Viv, that young man has a heart three times the size of Krayon. He’s one of the few people I give a free pass to in this business.”
Later that afternoon at the park
We arrived late afternoon at the park that Fenris and Kyssa like to go to. The later in the day that it got to be, the more worried I had become. K was a stud athlete but even the best fighter in the world needed his eyes to be that guy. “You’re concerned about this young man.” I nodded out of habit, “Yeah, he’s a good kid and an amazing fighter.” I scanned the area looking for any sign of Kyssa and Fenris. “Not seeing anyone that even remotely looks like him.” She looked down for a moment, “Let’s just walk around, it’ll be good for us to stretch our legs for a bit.” She took the leash off of Krayon and true to his training, he wouldn’t leave her side. We began to walk around, every so often stopping to show his picture with Kyssa but no one it seemed had seen them. I wouldn’t give up though, I thought of K as a friend and peer, this had to be devastating for him. “Out of curiosity Viv, how did you know that he got blinded at that show?” She laughed a silvery little laugh, “Mac, I’m blind, not deaf. I’ve followed your career for years. My husband, Ray, is a bit of a technology nerd. So, he’s set up, even my phone to where it does what he called a web crawl. It looks for any mention of you and if it’s new it will alert me and I can have the phone read it out to me or play the video that you are mentioned in.”
I allow a slow whistle to escape me, “That's pretty impressive in a digital stalker kind of way.” she laughed at my comment, “Mac, you know better than that. I just like to keep track of what my favorite Texas boy is up to. I mean, I know I don’t tell you very often, how much I appreciate what you did for me and in the Veteran Community. You have been generous and loving to us all.” I sighed, thankful for the tears she couldn’t see forming in my eyes. “Thank you, Vivian.” That’s all I could say, anything more would be I don’t know, it would seem arrogant and misplaced. I heard Krayon begin to whine and looked up in the direction he was facing. He has good taste I’ll give him that, Kyssa is a beautiful dog. “Thank you, Krayon, “ I said scratching him behind the ears. “He must have spotted her,” Viv said quietly as she reattached his leash just to be on the safe side. “Good thinking, you never know how things might turn out when two dogs, or people for that matter meet for the first time.” We slowly approached Fenris and Kyssa. When Kyssa saw me, she started wagging her tail so hard it affected her entire body. I chuckled as we got a little closer and it only increased. K looked down at Kyssa, “Must have spotted someone you know,” he mused out loud.
In a calm voice, I said to him, “Hi K.” as expected he tensed up. “Easy man, I’m not here to cause you any grief.” Physically he relaxed if only slightly, his jaw was still clenched tight. “Aaron told me what happened. When the incident happened I called my friend Vivian.” He sighed and if it weren't for the sunglasses I’d swear he rolled his eyes. “What in the actual fuck, Mac!?” the tightness in his shoulders returned and he took on a fighting stance. “You’ll want to ease that up just a bit, K, Vivian has gone through what you are going through.” I don’t know if it was the low rumble in Krayon’s chest or the sound of Viv clearing her throat, but he dropped his hands to his side in surrender. “Mac, when you’re done coddling him, let me know,” was all she said as Kyssa leaned up against her. “That’s what everyone needs is someone who looks at them the way that Kyssa looks at Vivian.” I chuckled a bit, as Viv squatted down and petted her. “That’s because she has good taste, unlike your rude assed friend.” I started to say something but she cut me off, “Don’t make excuses for him, nuh-uh, I’ll say what I need to say to him so he fucking gets it.”
Fade
{In-Studio - The Bane Home - “Embracing it”}
I stand in front of the camera, looking a little tired and a lot pissed off. So many things going on right now that I’m finding it hard to even do this for this show, to be honest.
So, let’s address the elephant in the room, shall we? Yes, I picked my contender, and like last time, I got beat. This time was a bit different though, this time it was personal, and as anyone will tell you in this business. That’s always a mistake. Me? I’ve made plenty of them. This was far from the first and not likely to be my last. I’m human, prone to the same missteps as anyone on the planet. As far as the Sin City World Title goes… I’ve told the bosses that I was choosing not to invoke my rematch clause. That may surprise some of you, but I honestly don’t give a damn.
I set my jaw to continue but then let it loosen and I laugh as I shake my head.
Then we have this climax control. It will be the first one this year without me being the world champion. The company is not better for it, but it is what it is. So the King of pettiness booked me in this cluster fuck for his own personal amusement. It’s not a wrestling match, you know because I get paid to be a wrestler not participate in racing bikes.
I frown a bit but continue on.
I was accused of stacking the deck in my favor but what everyone seems to forget is that at no point did anyone assist me in retaining my title let alone win it. That’s okay, I’ve embraced this event for the sake of the company. The real problem for you is that you forgot who the fuck I am. The bodies that I’ve left in my wake and the blood I’ve spilled for Sin City Wrestling. About how I put this company on my back for almost a year to help build it back up where it belonged. Augustino, I’m going to apologize to you in advance for what happens next.
I take a deep breath and allow it to be released slowly.
You one hundred percent have the advantage in this match, should you make it to your bike.
I mouth the words, “I’m Sorry”
I know that the person who booked this match didn’t take into account exactly how fucking pissed I’d be. How angry I would become at his attempts to humiliate me. All the time stacking the deck in your favor and his own.
I can feel my blood pressure rising, that righteous anger beginning to boil my blood.
The only key to this match for you Auggie is the fact that if I leave you laying in a pool of your own blood and piss and you never make it to the course. Well, that’s your advantage and career going up in flames before your very eyes. If I lose? Well, that’s what he wanted anyway so you guys go away happy. Right?
I shrug my shoulders.
This match however has been sponsored by George R.R. Martin and you don’t get a happy ending, son. You just get an ending.
I’m furious now and it’s so obvious.
They just couldn’t leave me alone so I could recover and reconcile things in my head and my heart. Now, someone has to pay the price!
I can feel my body trembling with the rage now. I know I’m in a bad place and I have to stop, so I focus on Whisper and the calming emotions wash over me. I continue in a much more calm voice now. Not one full of anger, it’s more disdain than anything.
So, Augustino it comes down to this. First and foremost, will I allow you to survive long enough to make it to where the bikes are? Do you have the fortitude to endure the pain that you know I’m capable and willing of unleashing on you?
I smirk at the camera.
If you can do all of that, do you think anyone will care? Don’t worry baby boy, no one really loves you anyway. They certainly won’t miss you when you’re gone.
Fade to black.
