Alex sighed deeply, he had just come down to the lobby f4rom his room. He needed some air, a few moments to think. After twenty minutes or so he had been able to greet his younger sister. Charlie had just come back from a very profitable and successful week in Japan. Training, open workouts via skype in the hotel gym followed by a TKO victory in the first Triumph event.
All of this showed the dominance of Wolfslair as a wrestling and MMA gym. The current SCW internet champion, SCW mixed tag champions, one half of the Rose City Wrestling tag champions, two of the best young rookies in Aiden Reynolds and Kallie Keznik and now the Triumph FC Women’s bantamweight champion.
It made Alex smile.
He sighed happily and stretched, he knew he wanted more. Needed more. But he would be content for now. Riding out this virus with a stable job and the mixed tag belts with Johanna. Speaking of Johanna. ”Alex..”
He heard her voice turning his head, her german accent a dead giveaway at it being her. Alex gave her a nod and went to greet her. But before he could he noticed something. She seemed jumpy, she seemed anxious. The normally confident Johanna Krieger paced back and forth, Alex stood up and raised an eyebrow watching his tag team partner pace before stepping in front of her.
”Hey, you ok?. You seem a little...off’ Johanna took a long deep breath, Alex stepped back and folded his arms over his red and black Wolfslair shirt. Johanna seemed to take a moment and then go to walk away. Alex reached out grabbing her arm. ”Whoa...slow down…”
Johanna looked up and turned back trying to calm down. ”I just….I hate this...being stuck here. I mean, I know we can leave and come back if we have exemptions and get tested. But, those nose swab things suck. I just….I want this shit over with...ya know?” Alex did know. He too had started to feel the claustrophobic nature of lockdown. He gave her a small smile and tried to find the words. This is when he knew he needed to be a leader, a teacher. Not her friend, not her tag partner...the head of the gym.
”I get it. We’re locked up here, we only get small instances of freedom..” His hands ran through his hair as he slowly sdat down on the same bench near the front window he had been on when Johanna walked up to him, Jo stopped, listening to him now that she knew he wasn’t going to laugh or ignore it all. ”It’s only temporary Jo.We have this covered. We stick together. And we enjoy the freedoms we have...like being able to beat up Caleb and Jesse..”
She laughed. A loud chuckle followed by a nod, that big toothy grin coming from her black lipstick painted lips. Johanna took a deep breath and looked over seeing Sonja, Alex’s wife and her friend, she gave a nod to her and then looked back at Alex. ”I needed that...but I think she needs you more boss…”
Johanna gave Alex a pat on the shoulder and winked at Sonja who gave her a warm grin back moving over to her husband. ”Everything alright?” Alex took a long, deep breath wrapping an arm around his tall, fit, muscular wife.
”Jo is just….going as stir crazy as the rest of us...but I worry. I have you, Austin has Lisa, Alicia has michael..Jo is….alone…” There was sadness in his voice, Sonja looked down and sighed before hitting him in the ribs.
”She has us...we’re family...besides you could get Kallie to room with her…” Alex scoffed and got to his feet putting his hands in his pockets.
”I’m an asshole...but not that big of an asshole…”
Metal Mayhem
We are greeted bu the sound of flesh hitting leather. Austin James Mercer holds up pads for Alex Jones. A few jabs, a straight right, Alexz laughs and stops as he notices Johanna Krieger holding her phone to record a promo.
”So Alex...I just got done recording my thoughts on Caleb and Jesse...what about you?”
Austin laughs and takes the pads off his hands sitting down with Alicia in the gym as they both get prepared to watch Alex at work.
”My thoughts on Jesse Salco and Caleb Storms? I think that would be obvious.m I mean, I know you would have gone over Jesse right? Her incredible ability to lose match after match and still somehow get into title opportunities?n Yeah you covered that?”
Johanna makes a simple “mmhmm” noise as Alex clears his throat and takes off his striking glover throwing them down near the pads as now Sonja Jones and Charlie Jones, his wife and sister respectively walk in eating their lunch to sit down and watch Alex cut a promo too.
”It’s crazy right? Jesse Salco has been here like, eight years and is about to have her fiftieth title shot. Like, who the hell has fifty title matches in one goddamn company, thats ridiculous and I...oh, wait, I’m supposed to cover Caleb right?”
Johanna turns the phone around to herself to reply.
”It’s ok I covered Caleb a little, I’m sure no one will care you’re just as confused about Jesse as I am…”
She turns it back to Alex who laughs under his breath.
”I’m confused about them both to be honest. You two have been here for so long yet constantly stumble. And I get it, this is all you have. Pro wrestling is addictive. It’s like a drug. The roar of the crowd and the bright lights really give you that rush you want and need but the issue now is, that roar is gone. We now walk out into the Go gym week after week and there are no fans, no noise.And you’re still here, chasing your fixes. But you’re simply not good enough to get that other rush...winning…”
“See winning is as addictive as anything else. Take it from us, the members of wolfslair. Take it from me, a nine time world champion. Someone who has held more titles than Jesse has had title shots.”
“But, what have you two done to change your culture?”
Alex pauses and looks around, he looks back at Austin, Alicia, Charlie and Sonja, he smiles and looks back at Jo and the phone.
”We all go through losing streaks, but then to get over them you are supposed to change your direction, change what you do week in and week out to regain that winning edge. Caleb and Jesse have never done that. Caleb especially. You walk in and do the same amn thing every single week. The same tired lines, the same tired moves and once in a while it works, once in a while you get your damn arm raised. But once in a while is no way to have a real career.”
“You Caleb Storms...are a bitch…”
“You are here so people like myself and Austin can look good when we squish you like a bug and shit, Austin did that a few weeks ago when he put his internet title on the line against you. Hell he put out an open challenge and you were the one to step up and pound your chest like a challenge from you would mean something. And sure, many people here will say they admire your heart. That you are someone who has stared in the face of loss and week in and week out you turn up to work. And I suppose, in one way it is something to respect but Caleb….this life, this business...it’s built on more than just heart…”
Alex steps sideways and shuckles before sliding his hands back and tying his hair up and away from his face.
”This business is built on dominance, it’s built on legends. It’s built on names and moments. And you have not had any moment in this business that people will live on with. Your name is only known because you are still here. When I retire people will remember my name, my matches, my title reigns. Wolfslair will also be a part of my legacy. But you?. When you eventually stop and retire and look back...you’ll be the only one doing so.”
“People will not remember your name…”
“Your moments…”
“Your actions…”
“You will be forgotten until some pimply faced smark types on a message board, or on facebook, or on twitter that “Hey that Caleb Storms guy was so underrated” all to be a goddamn hipster douchebag and be a contrarian to the spirit of pro wrestling. The cream always rises to the top Caleb...but you went sour a long, long time ago.”
He folds his arms and shakes his head as Johanna chuckles behind the phone.
”Now, you two have a shot at ending mine and Jo’s title reign before we hit a hundred days, the thing is, we can’t and won’t let that happen. We will reach that milestone, we will go on to beat the Trenton Tigers and we will break the record set bu Team Eggplant. Johanna and I are two of the best wrestlers on the planet and as a team we are damn near unstoppable. So Celab..Jesse...get in the ring on Climax control...and take your L like a good pair of bitches…”
