Do you know what it’s like to be viewed as a monster?
Not even in wrestling terms, the monster in wrestling is a large, lumbering oaf often stronger than the average wrestler and someone who will destroy others in the ring. No, I mean a real monster. Someone who has lost all their morality.
Suspicions raised and half truths told as you are questioned and stripped even further of any and all sanity.
That’s where I’ve been for the last few months.
Stripped of my morality, my sanity and made to feel like a criminal, a monster…
Subhuman.
3 Months Ago
”What about the issues you and your wife were having Mr Mercer?”
Solomon sat forward, clasping his hands together on the papers in front of him, a few files left open at strategic pages. His eyes trailed up to Austins, and Austin stayed staring forward, a steely eyed look right ahead, his eyes sunken into his face, dark rings underneath as he stays silent and stoic. Solomon raises his eyebrows waiting for Austin to say something. Anything. This entire thing, was a game of chess. Waiting to see who would break the silence first. Solomon was clearly losing, his eyes darting from side to side, looking up at his partner who stood by the door, his arms folded over his chest and his cheap lightblue shirt and black tie.
Solomon clenched his jaw, shalking his head and then slamming his hand down on the table, raising his voice as if to startle Austin. ”We know you and your wife argued. We know over the months leading up to her murder you and Lisa were starting to become estranged. So again, I am going to ask you. He leaned forward, closer to Austin and staring him right in the eyes as Austin kept staring. ”What were the issues between you and Lisa?”
Silence again, the only thing breaking it was the sound of the chains between the handcuffs clinking together as Austin moved his hands from his lap to the table, shifting his weight as he shuffled straight on.
Paloma, the giant lug who Solomon brought in moved a half step closer to Austin as a precaution. Austin was, after all a very large human being. Powerful, strong and now with his haircut, sunken eyes and five o clock shadow he looked like some kind of criminal kingpin. He growled and finally spoke, his deep, gravelly voice booming while speaking in a whisper. ”Issues. You’re sitting here talking about, minor, marital arguments that had nothing and have nothing to do with any of this?” He raised his eyebrows and and gave a small shrug moving a little closer, pointing his right pointer finger right at Solomon. ”You should be out there, looking for my wife’s killer, and instead you’re here asking me about petty arguments. How do you sleep at night? Austin stood up.
This may have well been a sin as he moved around the room looking into the double sided mirror. Knowing that behind his own reflection there would have been multiple other police officers, maybe even police psychologists, watching and staring. ”Sit down Mr Mercer.” Austin turned and shook his head, blowing off the detective. Paloma stepped up to Austin, he turned and came face to face with the other detective, the younger partner. He was almost as big as Austin, kept himself in shape and in an instant Austin had him sized up. He could tell.
The detective knew how to handle himself. Austin slowly grinned and turned, looking past Paloma to Solomon, who was still sitting at the desk, hands clasped. ”Oh, that’s why he’s here…”
Solomon took a deep breath and shook his head. ”Mr Mercer…sit down.” After a few more tense moments Austin shook his head and turned, stepping forward then to the side and back down onto the chair across from Solomon. Solomon pulled the file on the bottom to the top and pulled out a few pieces of paper. One of them was a police report.
Date: Sunday, 23rd January 2022, 215pm.
Austin swallowed hard and shook his head sitting back. Solomon waved his hand over the piece of paper bringing Austins eyes back to it. ”So, care to tell us what happened that day, and why two uniformed patrol officers were called to your residence that day?”
Austin put his hands back on the desk, staring right at Solomon before clearing his throat and starting. ”It was a stupid argument…”
January 23rd
”She’s my family Lisa!”
His voice was raised, not quite to a yell but it was loader than Austin usually spoke. His long hair was tied back in a bun as he threw his hands in the air. He paced back and forth as Lisa shook her head, her tattooed arms over her chest as she ground her teeth together and tapped her foot. Austin stopped and looked right at her, they both looked tired. Tired of the arguing, tired of the situation. Tired of everything. ”Tell me what you want me to do.”
Lisa exploded, her hands flying up in the air. ”I want you to take care of your family. I get it, I do, your sister needs help but you are putting so much time and effort into this for her and we are struggling Aus, we need you, the kids need their father and I need my husband.”
Austin sighed heavily and shook his head, breathing deep and moving back against the couch, leaning on the back of it and folding his hands over his chest. ”I’m right here. We have our house, you never go hungry, you and the kids get everything you want and I provide for you..” Lisa was boiling, Austin could feel it and see it.
He held his breath and she stepped forward. ”You’re not here. You’re either helping her or working, at the gym or at a show. You are never HERE with me, with the kids. You like to think that throwing money at it can fix it.” Lisa shook her head and stepped back, looking angry and disgusted at her husband. [color[=hotpink]”You have become your father.”[/color]
”Don’t! Don’t you dare bring him up or compare me to him. Now Austins voice was raised as he stepped close to Lisa, his hand outstretched as he pointed at her, his fonger right in front of her face. ”I am nothing like him. My father left me with my mother, who he mentally broke to the point where she couldn’t fix herself. He was never there and I didn’t even see him til I was eleven fucking years old!. DO NOT EVER COMPARE ME TO HIM.”
Austin yelled louder, his anger was almost uncontrollable. Lisa reached out slapping Austin across the face, the children both started crying, Austins head snapped back and at that moment there was a knock at the door, it all happened so fast as two uniformed officers came in, Austin turned and yelled at them without thinking, it all turned to slow motion, everything, and for a moment Austin could feel everything that happened that day, his heart sinking as his cheek even stung from a slap.
”It was an argument about your sister. An Amy Mercer?”
Austin gave a small nod and sat back, slumping in his chair. ”Lisa thought I was spening too much time fighting Amys battles for her, combined with work, the travel and the gym I didn’t have time for her and the kids.”
Solomon leaned forward, narrowing his eyes. ”So she was trying to control you? I bet for a guy like you that really got under your skin, or was it the shot about your father?”
Austins eyes flashed up toward Solomon and back down again, his face changing as he shook his head sadly. [color[=lightblue]”No. She was right…..she was right…”[/color] Austin went back to being silent, staring ahead as Solomon and Paloma exchanged looks, Solomon got up and talked to his partner, whispering. Suddenly there was a knock on the mirror, both detectives shared a glance and turned leaving Austin alone in the grey, cold and silent room.
Four men enter, one man leaves
He moves around a chair, turning and sitting across from a camera. The filter set to black and white as Austin chews gum and laughs under his breath with a sigh.
”An armageddon. My own private one. It’s funny, I’m sure so many people thought a man that size was going to be some sort of challenge for me. After all, despite being a former world champion and a man who many consider to be dangerous I was also…rusty. For lack of a better word. Rusty in the ring, rusty talking in front of a camera and rusty in the way of the world right? The way the wrestling world works.”
He couldn’t help but look down and laugh under his breath, being amused by the situation and the match from a few weeks ago. But this wouldn’t be the last time we had seen Austin. Not by a long shot.
”After moving past that giant man that SCW thought was going to slow me down I was ready to keep doing what I had to. I really was. See, I beat him and then wanted to keep going. I wanted to throw myself into this world again, because wrestling, the pure essence of it, is where I feel home. The feeling of violence, combat and the cheer purity of inflicting your will on another human being is what I need and what I crave. So after doing exactly what I told you all I was going to do, and having to sit back and wait till the following week, well…not having another match made me…antsy.”
“But, leading up to that show someone, a little birdy, decided to chirp my name. Now, I don’t want it to seem like I was doing this out of some kind of loyalty to Wolflair. I won’t deny that I have a soft spot for the gym and everyone there but I am a member in nothing but name at this point. I attacked and took out Alexander Raven, because he dared to mention me. By name. When he had nothing to do with me. See, he has been verbally taking down the gym I was once a part of, and while he clearly had an issue with Lachlan, Miles, Finn and Zoey, well, I couldn’t have cared less about it.”
“Hell, who is going to take a man like that seriously when he stomps his feet about listebning while not even getting members of the gym right. Like Fenris. Hmm?”
“So, following his loss to Ken Davison, a man who is still the SCW champion, out of pure luck, I decided to send a message. And considering he likes to talk about how people don’t listen I am begging, BEGGING Alexander to pay attention to this. That message was very. Very simple. Don’t fuck with me. Don’t mention my name. And now that I did lay you out, now that I did take you out from this opportunity, well, do us all a favor, and learn from your mistakes. Don’t be an idiot. Stay down.”
He laughed again and tilted his head, a small smirk coming ac ross his lips.
”Now, what of this opportunity. What are the other three men and myself fighting for? A shot at Ken Davison and the world title at High Stakes XI. And if you can all believe it I had called this beforehand. See, Ken wanted me to call him out, I said I didn’t need to. I said I would earn my way and I called him a fake champion. Low and behold here we are a month later and I am on the precipice of earning that title shot. Cause, I told you so Ken. I told you I wouldn’t need to jump the cue and I could earn it. So maybe now you see what kind of real power I have Ken.”
“And how your title reign is in real jeopardy.”
“And not just from me.”
“Look at this match. Four men, four men who are some of the best in the wrestling world. Goth a man who has just as much history in SCW as me, Finn Whelan a guy who has fought tooth and nail for respect everywhere he’s gone and Chris Page. A legend in his own mind and a world weary veteran in the minds of others. And then, of course. Me. And trust me,l while I look different and while I clearly have gone through some things that have given me a fresh outlook on life I am still the guy who ruled this company with an iron fist. Actually. Let me rephrase.”
“I am better than I was. I am more dangerous than I was.”
“Physically I am still a beast. I am still the same six foot six athlete I always was but now, instead of being all about honor and respect, instead of this competitive outlook and the “may the best man win” attitude, well, now I want to simply. Win. And win in the most violent way possible….”
Austin shakes his head and looks down.
”Now, a wrench is somewhat thrown into that with Finn Whelan. See, I don’t have a problem with Finn. He has come in and done wonders at Wolfslair and I don’t think he is inherently a bad guy. He gives Alex, the Alex who actually matters noit the birdbrain, he gives our Alex a headache, constantly at his throat over some personal family drama in the past involving Finns sister and her wayward vagina. But as far as myself and Finn? I don’t dislike him.”
“In fact I kind of identify with Finn Whelan. See I know what it’s like to be discarded and thrown away by family and then having them periodically come into mylife for help and to need me. Something Finn knows all to weel.; His parents, his sister, his little brother and all the friends he’s made. They all walk away and only come back when they want something.,Right Finn?”
“Well, I can tell you, man to man, I don’t want anything from you. I don’t need anything from you and while you are a formidable opponent and I know you could give Ken Davison a beating and snatch up that SCW title I have to tell you…I won’t roll over and let it happen.”
“I won’t sit back and just observe.”
“But good luck Finn, maybe this match and a win will give you that boost you so desperately need to reclaim your place as the dominant male member of your family since your younger brother has been the real star for the last few years..”
Austin slowly stands up, folding his arms over his chest.
”Before I get to Goth, let me get one thing straight. I can understand the allure of someone like Chris Page. See, Chris has increased his profile as of late, Fight NYC, guest spots at other companies like PWE and otters, I get it, Chris Page is a brand he is everywhere. But, he’s also tiring and boring. Let me explain something to you Chris, you are a dime a dozen type of guy in wrestling. The whole “I’m richer than you” businessman schtick has been done to death. Somehow there is a huge amount of millionaires in wrestling who didn’t actually make their millions from wrestling. It’sd even more maddening for someone like me. See Chris…my father turned his back on wrestling, on our families lineage in the north east to go into business…”
“He made alot of money, and I mean, alot. But a guy like me? Well I have been a world champion multiple times over. Honor, WWH, here, I have held top titles in this company and the wrestling world yet somehow, with all my success, with all my amazing skills I am not filthy rich.”
“And to be honest, I’m glad I’m not like you Page.”
“See, in not having a mountain of money, it means I’m hungry. I’m hungry for everything this business has and offers. I’m hungry to inflict pain and violence on anyone in my way and make a living from it. What is it you have left to want or prove? You have done everything, you have more money than you could ever hope to spend in a lifetime and now what? You’ve come to SCW to try and capture the world title, you really want to try and keep up with this company and the killers at the top? Well, goodluck to you. Cause I won’t sit back and applaude you, I wont verbally blow you like some others…”
“I spends more of my time wondering what your head would look like on my fucking trophy case. And your scalp, Chris Page…is a valued one…”
Austin points and nods before clearing his throat.
”But not quite as big as Goths. See, Goth is the only other man in this match who has climbed to SCW’s apex, like I have. In fact you can see the influence a guy like Goth has had on SCW and the main event scene. And hey, you are someone who belongs here. Anyone can see that. A two time SCW World champion, a three time Roulette champion, a former tag team champion, mixed tag team champion and internet champion. Lets face it, Goth has done it all in SCW and it’s not hard to see why.”
“You are a large, strong, beast of a man Goth.”
“I won’t ignore it, I wont sit here and roll my eyes and spout of some kind of rhetoric that I am in someway better or scarier than you. No, I’m not that insecure about who I am. I can look at you as everything you are, a challenge, a former champion. Someone who should be respected and one of the only people going eight now who has a better resume on paper than me. Anf that alone is a reason for me to destor you as much as it is for me to go after Chris Page or Finn.”
“You are the biggest target.”
“The strongest prey.”
“And I am the hunter. I am climbing my way back up to the top and I am doing it by walking on the broken bodies of Finn, Chris and Goth…and I am just waiting to see if any of you can stop me from reclaiming what is always…always..mine…”
