I was relieved to get Aiden out of trouble. No longer did I have to worry about him working for the mob, because he was going to be working for me. On Monday I showed him the ropes as I brought him to the main hall. He looked around, taking in everything.
Aiden Ravencroft: Wow...so this is where you work?...
Griffin Hawkins: Yeah, I know it's not fancy, but it's honest work.
Aiden Ravencroft: Oh it's good...I like things simple. At least I don't gotta worry about seeing any dead bodies.
Griffin Hawkins: Only thing dead you'll see is the cockroaches...remind me to call an exterminator tomorrow.
Aiden Ravencroft: You got it boss.
I did like the sound of that. I figure I joke around with him a bit.
Griffin Hawkins: Stick with me kid and you'll get to the top..
Aiden Ravencroft: *laughs* Dude, I'm a year older than you.
Griffin Hawkins: You're still my employee bro, remember that.
I lead the way as we head into the office.
Griffin Hawkins: And this is where all the magic happens...my office.
Aiden Ravencroft: Not bad, pretty good actually. Is this my desk?
Griffin Hawkins: No..that's my desk. Your desk is over there.
I motion to the desk that's near the window.
Aiden Ravencroft: Ah, I get a nice view of the area, not bad.
Griffin Hawkins: Hey, I'm not paying you sit around and do nothing, but make sure to enjoy the view once in a while.
Aiden Ravencroft: No problem..so whats my job?
Griffin Hawkins: You take any calls that come here, write it down and I'll set up the meeting with our client. After that we'll get to work in helping the person with the problem.
Aiden Ravencroft: Sounds...pretty interesting.
Griffin Hawkins: You really think so?
Aiden Ravencroft: Yeah, so...why did you put this together in the first place?
Griffin Hawkins: It's hard to explain...I guess I like helping people. People who have problems and can't go to others. I know that sounds lame.
Aiden Ravencroft: Oh no, it doesn't at all. In times like this in a world where we got a douchebag as president, it's good to have someone out there looking out for somebody.
Griffin Hawkins: Thanks...and I know this isn't as glamorous as you working for your family or as a bartender, but it is work.
Aiden Ravencroft: I'm always up for anything new. Shall we get started?
Griffin Hawkins: Yeah...lets do it.
He nods as he goes to his desk, getting everything set up. I go to mine and kick back, reading a newspaper. I was starting to think maybe us together would be perfect, at least I'd be keeping him out of trouble. I just hope he doesn't get me in trouble...
---------------------------------------------------
~Flashback~
After that fight with Gideon...I felt humiliated and hurt. I had no idea how to feel now, I felt like I was emasculated somehow. The words he told me as he rained down fists upon me was just brutal. After I told Marquis what had happened, he actually didn't really say much about it, which confused me. I didn't understand why he wasn't doing anything about it. Course, I didn't expect him to fight my battles, but at least stick up for me once in a while. One night I was reading a Punisher comic book in my room as I lied back on my bed when suddenly, he opened the door, walking into the room with a serious look on his face.
Marquis Laveaux: Come with me...I have something to show you.
I put down the book, looking up at him
Griffin Hawkins: Where are we going?
Marquis Laveaux: You'll see...call it a surprise.
I wasn't sure if I would like this surprise or not. Just days before I got the surprise of my life when Gideon beat me down like a Dog, who knows what was going to happen next. I followed him out to the car and we drove downtown. I honestly didn't know where we were going...I remained silent during the car ride, not sure if it was okay to speak up. Finally he spoke.
Marquis Laveaux: What I'm about to do is help you out. In the long run, you'll be grateful that I did this for you.
Griffin Hawkins: Um...okay.
What was he doing for me? How was this going to help me out? Soon we stopped on the edge of town in what looked to be an old gym. We both got out of the car and went up to it, him leading the way for me. He reached into the pocket of his trench coat and pulled out a key, opening the door with a creak. He turned on the light switch and there looked to be some heavy sandbags, a punching bag, some weights, and a huge wrestling ring right in the center of it.
Griffin Hawkins: Whats this?...
Marquis Laveaux: Whats it look like? A wrestling ring.
Griffin Hawkins: I get that, but why did you bring me here?
He looks to me with a serious look on his face.
Marquis Laveaux: Look, Gideon beat you down. He could've killed you right there if he wanted to, but chose not to. You were lucky that day.
Griffin Hawkins: I realize that. But why am I here?
Marquis Laveaux: I've thought about it and I want to train you to be a wrestler.
I was immediately taken aback..a wrestler?
Griffin Hawkins: A wrestler? You mean like those big dudes on TV?
Marquis Laveaux: Same ones.
Griffin Hawkins: What experience do you have?...
Marquis Laveaux: Well I've been wrestling for the last ten years...I'd say that's a lot.
Griffin Hawkins: Marquis...have you looked at me? I'm not exactly the wrestling type, I just got the shit beat out of me on a subway train...and you want me to be a wrestler?
Marquis Laveaux: I realize this sounds crazy to you, but after what happened with Gideon it made me realize that I'm not always going to be there to back you up. You need to fend for yourself.
Griffin Hawkins: Okay...so you want me to learn how to wrestle. Never mind I have no prior experience in this sort of area..not to mention I'm just now finding out that you're a wrestler.
Marquis Laveaux: It's not something I tell a lot of people about. But you don't have to have prior experience in this. Have you played any sports in your life?
Griffin Hawkins: Well when I was younger I used to play little league baseball as a pitcher. As I grew older I started playing Hockey with my friends.
Marquis Laveaux: Well, you're well on your way. First I wanna see how well you hit...I want you to punch me as hard as you can.
I did not like where this was going...
Griffin Hawkins: Dude..if I hit you, you hit me back, and I'll be taking a dirt nap.
Marquis Laveaux: I'm not going to hit you back, this is a free shot. I wanna see how hard you hit..see if its enough to knock me down. My hand are behind my back..
He takes off his coat, placing both arms behind his back. I ball my fist up and connect with the hardest punch I can, striking him hard in the face. He's staggers back a bit, but it doesn't knock him down. I did however manage to make him bleed. He wipes it off.
Marquis Laveaux: Not bad...for a beginner. But you're gonna have to try harder than that if you want to pursue this career.
Griffin Hawkins: ....Okay?
Marquis Laveaux: Before we go further, I want to make sure you're all in for this. I don't want to push you into something you're not ready for. If you don't want to train to be a wrestler, then just say the word and we'll go home..I'll never bring it up again.
I thought about it. For the last few years I have been looking for something to do with my life. Wanting to escape my rich and wealthy family name. Chances are I was gonna get hurt...but on the other hand this was my chance to carve my own name into history without them. I didn't know if I would succeed or not, but I had to take a chance.
Griffin Hawkins: .....I'll do it. Come on, lets get started.
Marquis Laveaux: Whoa whoa, don't get too excited. Your training won't be with me, it will be with the owner of this gym. If you want this, you gotta be up early..8 AM tomorrow...no later.
Griffin Hawkins: I'll be up.
Marquis Laveaux: Good..lets get out of here.
He turns to leave, but something Gideon said still bothered me.
Griffin Hawkins: Marquis...wait....Gideon said some...things to me. He called me a charity case and said it wouldn't be long until you get bored and toss me aside.
He steps closer to me, looking at me as if I was an injured dog.
Marquis Laveaux: Griffin, Gideon doesn't know anything about you or what you're capable of. I saw something in you that night that I haven't seen in anyone in ages. You're gonna be something great one day, you just have to have more confidence in yourself and not listen to him. I'm with you every step of the way, I'd never ditch you.
Griffin Hawkins: ...You really mean that?
Marquis Laveaux: I promise...I will never leave your side.
That almost instantly put all my worst fears to rest, he believed that much in me that he was going to stand by me. We leave the gym as I have hope in my heart that I would succeed in this endeavor. I have never wrestled before, so this was going to take a long time. But I was set on making my own name and blazing my own trail. My journey would begin tomorrow..
-------------------------------------------
Cameras open up to a very chilling place. On this night it's time to say goodbye to all...as the camera man zooms out, we see many headstones. It doesn't take long for them to realize this is a Cemetery. I walk from out of the shadows in this lonely cold place. I'm dressed clad in black, a long black trenchcoat covering me as I got my hands in my pockets.
"Fate can indeed be a cruel mistress. Just when my SCW career is just starting to flourish...in just a matter of weeks, it will come to an end. Sin City Wrestling will close it's doors for the final time. Everything that has been built up for years, everything it represents will be nothing more than a memory. I realize nothing lasts forever...I know all things must die. In time we'll look back on SCW's history and remember all the past superstars...Kris Ryan....Dmitri...Despayre...Alice Knight...warriors who fought for what they believed in and never gave up. My time here is nearly over, I don't know what will happen between now and the new year. But the one thing I can promise is that I will give the people a show of a lifetime. I will see to it that they remember Griffin Hawkins as a man who never gave up, who never sold out, and never backed down from anyone no matter who it was. This match coming, is the biggest match of my SCW career...for the first time ever, I face the World Heavyweight Champion in form of Calvin Harris."
I continue to walk, not even looking at the graves as I pass. I stop near the end of them.
"Calvin Harris...heh....we meet at last, one on one. This time no tag matches, no more you taking all the glory while I do most of the work carrying your sorry ass. It's finally one on one...heh, you had to know this was coming Calvin, the two of us..two major players in SCW clashing for the first time. Many are saying this is your biggest challenge to date, I see it as the same thing. You've been complaining on and on about how you're being booked...well I guess management got tired of listening to you cry like a little girl and threw you a bone. Because here's the thing, I'm not a Clown...and I'm not a Crusader....I'm The Rock Soldier. I'm the guy who's coming straight at you..and you can thank almighty God that that belt of yours is not on the line. It's not about titles dude, it's about giving the people the show that they deserve. It's about leaving a lasting memory for the people of Vegas. And that memory will come when I lay you out in the middle of the ring."
Calvin Harris..my toughest challenge to date. I know already there will be an uphill battle.
"You know...there is just this one thing that I have been wondering Calvin..why are those two stiffs really here? I mean..you got Daniel Richards and Gabriel Michaels...but do you think the average SCW fan knows who they are? Do you think they even care? Here's the truth man...nobody gives a fuck about what you did in some pissy little federation you and those two rent a cops wrestled in a few years ago. They don't care about the past, they care about now. You brought them back..claiming the system is against you? Nah man..that's a smoke screen. You brought them back because you're scared as fuck. You knew that with Dmitri out of the picture, it wouldn't be long until the whole roster starts gunning for you. They're not just friends to you...they're a security blanket. They are protection to keep you from losing that belt to bigger and badder competition. Because without them you're a man without a country. That itself tells me that you're scared. You're worried that you'll lose the title again, so you went out and picked up the phone and begged you buddies to come out of retirement or whatever Burger King they were working at to come down and assist you. That's where you and me differ. I knew on my road to the top...it would be a tough one. But I didn't need to pick up my phone and call my old pals to back me up...everything I've done, I did it on my own. You travel in a pack, I travel alone. But if your two little butt puppets want to come down and watch the match, I invite them. Because once their meal ticket is gone..they'll go back to whatever podunk workplace they were at as if nothing happened."
I look around at the graves around me.
"I came to this place for a special reason. Around me are tombstones....people I have left in my wake on my road to the top...."
The camera man shows the tombstones, Samuel Devereux, Damian Payne, James Tuscini, Ryan Keys, Steve Ramone, and Dmitri.
"All serious competition. They all tried against me and they failed. Former Champions, former contenders, all around athletes. But none of them compare to you Calvin. None of them your champion pedigree. I realize that this win....would be a good way for me to go out. A victory over the World Heavyweight Champion...the company's top guy. I'm not gonna tell you that this is gonna be easy Calvin, I'm not like you. I don't have a hard fought match and then pretend that the whole thing is a breeze. I learned a long time ago that too much arrogance can be a man's downfall. I know that coming up against you....there's a chance that I'll be defeated. But I use that fear to fuel me. I use it as motivation to go in there and give you the biggest fight you have had in SCW. In times like this, I have to give the SCW fans something to remember me by. And so far, I have not disappointed. Whether I am opening the card...or main eventing it, I make sure every single fan in this arena has something to talk about the next morning. See, all these warriors are people who put up their best against me...but in the end they failed. Will you be added to this list?.."
A sly smile comes across my face before I continue.
"I must say..for a World Champion, god damn are you bitter. Your problem is you whine about EVERYTHING! I mean Christ alive man, I've heard people with gunshot wounds complain less than you do. Every time there's a camera in front of you, all you ever do is whine and cry and bitch and moan about not getting what you think you deserve. When was the last time you said anything that actually meant something? You're pretty much a 6'2 227 pound child who always stomps his feet when he doesn't get attention. My little boy at home has more maturity than you and that's sad. Whenever something goes wrong on your end, you blame everyone around you because you don't got the balls to go home, look in the mirror and blame yourself for your short comings and errors. Is this the example that you want to set for your kid? When things don't go your way you throw a big ass tantrum like the world's biggest crybaby bitch? This sounds cliche dude...but to get respect, you gotta earn respect. And all you've done lately is run around and blame management for your shortcomings as if there's some kind of conspiracy against you just cause you're champion. Wake up Calvin! There is NO conspiracy! There is no agenda against you! Ward and Christian handed you everything on a silver platter and you act as if the whole world is against you. You've been given everything that the every man and woman in that SCW locker room would give their right arm to have what you have..and you were crying on social media just because you're "unfairly" booked or you don't have a show that's dedicated to you? You playing the victim card has gotten old a LONG time ago. You're not a martyr...you're just a sad..pathetic..flawed shell of a man who doesn't got it between his legs to look in the mirror and see the failure in front of him."
Calvin was someone who needed to be brought back down to earth...and fast.
"You talked before about being the best...and how Christian and Ward don't give you the credit you deserve. I ask you....what have you done to deserve any credit? Yeah, you beat Dmitir..the same guy twice, but who have you beaten since then? Anthrax? Please...The Crusader, good athlete, but not quite on your level.
You say you're the best, but you have NOT beaten the best. Kris Ryans has been calling you out for months, and he was the Roulette Champion for over a year...and each time you ignored him. Crimson lately has stepped his game up, and he mentioned that he wants your title, but he's not even on your radar. See, I held a title like the one you're holding now...three times in my career. And I knew quickly in holding a belt like that, is that you have to take on all comers who want to knock you off your perch. It seems you're just comfortable facing jabronies that my sister could beat to a pulp...but when it's someone who's fierce competition who you see as a threat, you complain on social media about it...sometimes even threatening to no show the event. Is that how a World Champion is supposed to behave? The truth of the matter is...you haven't been tested since you won that title. You've already proven your superiority over someone like Dmitri...but what's gonna happen when you face a new Challenger? What's gonna happen when you face me?"
The collision between me and Harris was fast approaching, only one of us would walk out the winner.
"I know as always you're probably treating this like it's gonna be the easiest match you ever had because well let's face it..you're a douchebag with zero redeeming qualities. But I'm treating this like a true clash of the titans. See...you may not realize this, but you and me are a rare dying breed. We both climbed out from where we're at, we were both told that we don't have what it takes to get to top, so we scratched and clawed and fought for what we want. We toured the world, honed our craft, becoming a global brand. See, you don't see it that way. You see this match is nothing but bragging rights, I see it as a chance for both of us to give the people...the fans of SCW a match to go out on. I have a chip on my shoulder just like you....but the only difference is, I care about this company, I got the respect of everyone in that locker room. This is something you and me have fought our whole lives to get at, and I'm not going to squander it. Win or Lose, I'll give the people of Sin City something to talk about the next morning, I guarantee you that."
I begin stepping up on the hill.
"What's puzzling you is the nature of my game. You spoke about me before, treating me like i'm just some jabroni who just came out of nowhere. I'm a guy who's been in the ring with them all, I've turned kings into beggars, Gods into simps. And how do I do that? I take the hardest hits my opponent can dish out and I ask him...is that the best you got? I know when my story in Sin City is over, people will remember me as one of the greatest in it's history...bar none. And while I am disappointed that I won't get to achieve my goal in becoming Sin City Wrestling World Heavyweight Champion, I'll at least take solace in knowing that I was in the ring with the man himself and I was able to give him the biggest fight of his life....hell..as an added bonus, I may end up handing him his most significant loss."
I finally make my way up to the hill, I go to what looks to be an empty grave...on it reads...Calvin Brandon Harris,
November 19th 1988 - December 17th 2017.
"Will this be your grave Calvin? Unlike Eboneezer Scrooge...you may not have a chance of escaping this fate. Sin City Wrestling is ending...everyone's wondering where they will be in 2018. I already have a place I'll be going to when my time here is up..question is where are you gonna be? Shit, last time you lost the title you acted like a pouty little baby who just got his candy taken away from him. After you lost the title, you just disappeared, you went into hiding, you refused to be interviewed so you can talk about losing the title. I mean..if your match didn't have a rematch clause, we probably would never hear from you again...which wouldn't be a big loss. Are you gonna retire? Or are you going to go to another company, get your ass beat, and claim the whole world is against you as usual because you blame everyone for your shortcomings? That's why we're here....for this may be your fate. The run of Calvin Harris will come to an end, but before that happens. I'm gonna get my piece of you. I have been waiting for months to test my skills against you, see if you are everything you say you are. There is no turning back from where you and me are headed. This is the last hurrah for both of us in Sin City. The question is can The Martyr defeat The Rock Soldier? All questions will be answered this Sunday. Now if you'll excuse me....I got some work to do. See you Sunday Calvin..."
I pick up the shovel and begin to shovel the dirt into Calvin's grave. Sunday was going to be the day of reckoning for both of us.
