Reconciliation…
New York, New York
3 Years Ago
The sun had gone down leaving an orange and purple twilight glow on the outside shining in. Everyone else had gone home for the day, classes over, extra training done. Alex stood alone in the huge warehouse that he and Sonja had christened “Wolfslair” A small nod towards Elena DeDraca-Mercer’s deceased husband Christian, owner of wolfpack management who was a silent partner. Alex stood in the corner, away from the rings, away from the grappling mats.
He leaned down, his hands wrapping around the large steel bar of a long weight. He jerked and lifted pulling it up to his chest and into the air and back down again. Over and over Alex used his legs, back and arms to pull the weight in the air, his veins popping out as blood coursed through them. Sweat dripped and fell, his black TapOut compression shirt clinging to his skin as he dropped the bar back down letting out a large sigh. A familiar voice breaking the silence and his concentration.
“You still lift like a girl.”
Alex laughed to himself and turned looking over his shoulder. Standing next to one of the rings was his younger sister Charlie. Her long brown hair tied back, her toned, muscular arms folded over her chest. Her lips twisted in a small grin. Alex shook his head and grabbed a towel throwing it over his head as he stepped forward. “Yeah well you always had better form than me sis.” Charlie rolled her eyes and scoffed before lightly punching her older brother in the arm.
“You have time to talk?. Or you too important Mr World champion?” Her voice was light and happy, obviously making an effort to keep things civil. The years since they were last alone seemed like an eternity ago. So much had changed. Alex went from an unknown independent wrestler to where he is today. Some would say he was a respected veteran. But someone who was still in his prime.
“Well, for most people I require an appointment but for you….I think I can make an exception this one time.” Charlie sighed and stepped back leaning against the ring, her hands sliding down onto the apron pushing herself up onto it sitting down.
“You know how long it’s been since just you and I spent time together?” Alex gave a small nod and moved next to her leaning against the ring post. His mind flashing back to all the time they had spent in the gym, the laughter they shared, the good times and hard work.
“Yeah I know, but after what happened….I never...I never thought it would be right to just ring you. Besides it hasn’t always been pleasant between us.” He shot a small smile, hiding a lifetime of pain. Charlie and Alex were two different people.
Charlie kept her voice light and upbeat. Trying to seem happy. “I know, and I’m sorry Alex. I’ve been spending a lot of time with Pix and talking. She’s been helping me with a lot of stuff. And I...we need to talk about Dylan” Alex sighed heavily, his heart sinking into the pit of his stomach as he looked away awkwardly,
Charlie stayed silent waiting for Alex to say something, anything. “There’s only so many times I can apologise, only so many times I can try and show my remorse. I screwed up, I didn’t see it. I’ll never forgive myself Charlie….never...so whatever guilt trip you’re here to torture me with I-”
“No!” She turned and shook her head sliding her knee up onto the apron as she faced him. Her eyebrows raised as she reached out taking her older brother’s hand. “That isn’t it at all. I’m not here to make you feel worse or make you feel like it was all your fault...it wasn’t.” Her voice cracked a little Alex turned his head and looked down at her hand on his, turning his hand to grab hers to give her strength. “It took me a long time to realise it but, Dylan was self destructive, he was determined to walk his own path. You couldn’t have stopped him.” She chuckled to herself and sighed. “We’ve lost so much time Alex, I don’t want to lose anymore. We lost one brother, I can’t lose another one...and besides, I kind of want to be an aunt since Ana won’t let me near Harley.” Alex nodded and smiled slowly, he turned and hugged Charlie tight before pulling back.
He let out a long deep breath and felt a weight lift off his shoulders. A genuine smile instead of the forced one from moments before formed on his face. “Thanks….I needed to hear that….come on….Sonja will love to have you for dinner….”
Am I old?
Has the world now passed me by? I remember when being a champion meant being the face of a company. The first name that people identified with when a name or lettered suffix was mentioned. The face in the posters, DVD covers, the leading name on the marquee.
All of it, the visible past, present and future.
But somewhere along the way from the ideals I learned and lived by to now something has gone wrong. Wires crossed, the role of a champion confused with that of an entitled child.
See the role of a champion is to be the shining light. The leader. You live up to and honor the title you work for it. It does not work for you. You use it to inspire others to be better. To rally the troops in a way that befits the company and the status of champion.
But now the role of a champion seems to be that of an entitled brat. Holding it hostage and only turning up when asked. Doing the bare minimum in promotion and effort. It makes me sick. It breaks my heart. But hell I might just be old fashioned in my beliefs.
I might be a relic of a time when champions were champions.
I might just believe things that are now antiquated and have been overlooked, replaced, destroyed.
The gentleman's game is dead.
And I helped load the bullet and cock the hammer….
Once upon a time in Mexico….
This wasn’t the same Alex Jones. The man sitting in front of us now. His long hair down and shaggy. His beard a bit longer like he had forgotten, or not cared to trim it. But it wasn’t just his physical appearance. There was something off in his mannerisms. Something unsure in his eyes.
”I’m sure many are wondering what it was all about on Climax control. So many questions coming out of that show. What was I planning on saying towards the end? Why has my match with Ben Jordan and the loss of the Sin city title affected me so much?. Why did Austin act the way he did? And the truth is I don’t have all the answers. I just have more questions. More questions for Austin, more questions for myself. But it’s no secret that something has changed….in both of us…”
“He’s always been the more level headed one, and I have always been the one more likely to go scorched earth. Sometimes when I have snapped, Austin has been a true friend and pulled me out of it. But now, well, now I look in his eyes and there is a different dynamic.”
“It’s clear he lost even more than me…”
“And I want you people to understand something. In this business it’s easy to lose sight of your goals and your own personality. It’s easy to forget why you do this and what matters most. When I first started it seemed like I knew my own reasons and what I wanted to do. But really, when you’re a dumb kid, you know nothing. And quickly this business clouds you, it slowly comes down over your eyes and all you can see is black. It blinds you to your own intentions much less other peoples. This should be about simply proving you’re the best in the ring, match by match, week by week.”
“But, quickly you forget that how you win is as important as just getting the win.”
He looked up through his hair, his eyes snapping into focus as he slowly pushed up, his upper body naked with a pair of black jeans on his lower body, a black leather belt keeping them up with a silver wolf's head buckle. He moves across the room grabbing a tight fitting white shirt pulling it over his head.
”Somewhere along the way I lost sight of that. And when you stop looking ahead, when you stop seeing what is right in front of you because you’re simply blinded by your own arrogance then the law of the jungle comes into play. And if you don’t stay on top of your game, if you start getting old, those young lions man, they’ll sneak up on you. And that’s what happened with me, a younger lion came on up and snatched that world title from me and there was nothing I could do about it, and Austin, well he’s another one of these young lions and he’ll get plenty more shots. More chances…”
“But me? Nah, I had my shot and I took it, and in taking it I exposed Griffin Hawkins for the whiny quitter he is. And I should be proud of that, I should be proud that I exposed Griffin and he quit. See people like that, people who quit have no place in a company like SCW. I didn’t quit, I’m right here, I lost that title and got right into the ring with Ben Jordan, he and I burned the damn house down and I am damn proud of what we accomplished, so for anyone thinking that I was about to walk out of SCW because I lost has no idea what I am talking about or what I am capable of…”
“Now, what does the distant future hold for me? I don’t know. I really don’t. But what I do know is that I’ll be getting in the ring at Climax Control and I will be facing an old foe…”
“I’ll be facing a guy who I have gone to war with. A guy who I am glad to see back. In Senor Vinnie. And, hey I know many of you are probably shocked that I said I’m happy to see Vinnie back but I am. See SCW needs stars. We need all hands on deck to keep this company rolling and getting a guy like Vinnie back is great. He’s a former world champion, he’s the guy who took both the world and internet titles off of Austin. And this should be a great match, This should be something that the wrestling world focuses on and watches and gets excited about.”
He can’t help but laugh to himself. For a moment Alex could feel himself get excited about this match.
”It’s not like he and I are strangers to one another. We have gone at it many times in SCW, and each time Vinnie and I have stood across the ring from one another we have gone tooth and nail. And I can promise you, that this time won’t be any different. Vinnie is a top flight competitor, a former world champion and someone who no matter the situation always puts it all on the line. So, I know what is going to happen, I know that I will be in for a dog fight. And I invite every, single one of you to watch.”
