Aristotle once said that a friend is one soul abiding in two bodies. Many in this world consider it an accomplishment to have as many friends as possible, almost as if quantity superseded quality in regards to the friendship. But most anyone will tell you that if you're able to make one true friend, the type of friend who is always there for you and it's more like family than friendship? Then you have truly found something special in this world to cherish.
Throughout history, there have been prime examples of such friendships that have solidified bonds between two souls. The friendship and love between Achilles and Patroclus in ancient Greece has lived on for millennia in the minds of scholars and romanticists. The bond between Alexander the Great and his closest friend, Hephaestion, was so profound that when Hephaestion died, it tragically sent Alexander into a downward spiral of alcoholism and pancreatitis. Brought about by a broken heart.
In more modern society, there are other prime examples of strong friendships. Mark Twain and Helen Keller. Queen Victoria and Abdul Karim. Marilyn Monroe and Ella Fitzgerald. Stan Laurel and Oliver Hardy were so close as friends that upon parties passing, Stan retired as he stated “It simply wouldn't be the same without Ollie.“ Famed comedians Lucille Ball and Vivian Vance remained as close as sisters until Vivian's passing in 1979.
Friendships in the sport of professional wrestling, tried and true friendships, are something of rarity to this day. This might seem unlikely given the close camaraderie we witness on camera week in and week out, but the fact remains that in the sport, it’s every man (or woman) for themselves and the glory of being at the top can be celebrated by only one. So more often than not we have seen these very friendships either tossed aside or at the very least, put at great risk all in the name of personal glory. That is why when you have the distinct honor of finding that one special person in your life that you can call a trusted friend, you hold onto them with all you have in your heart.
And where Carter McKinney is concerned, he has not one but two special people in his life that he can call exactly that. Carter, by his own admission, was not the most popular of kids when he was in school. Because of his own inner demons and hidden sexuality, he felt closed off and isolated. He was the student that always sat at the back of class and rarely If ever raised his hand to answer a question whether he knew it or not. And when it was discovered that Carter indeed was homosexual, that circle of what friends he had grew even scarcer. But by then, he was relatively unconcerned about making friends in the hostile environment known as the public school system. He was concerned only with surviving long enough to graduate and go against his family’s wishes by moving to Las Vegas to make a dream become a reality.
And that was where he met his closest friend, a young woman who he had come to love like a sister; Ariana Angelos. They say that in life, opposites tend to attract and such as indeed the case when Carter met Ariana at the famed GO Gym when they had joined the same class of students. Where Carter was outgoing and up front in how he dealt with life around him, Ariana was far more reserved and quiet in nature. Carter was always doing or saying something that made Ariana blush and want to duck beneath the nearest table, and if he was to be perfectly honest, such reactions only egged Carter on even more. But when they were on lunch and dinner breaks, the two talked about everything under the sun - from mutual likes and dislikes to their families and homes. It was then that Carter had learned Ariana had been disowned by her own family, simply because she had chosen to follow her own dreams rather than the ones her parents had chosen for her. She had confided in him that what little money she had was going to a hotel where she was staying - and no more need be said. Carter insisted that Ariana come to live with him in his little studio apartment in town. There was barely enough room for one person, let alone two, but Carter decided then and there that he would make room for the young woman who had fast become his best friend forever. Carter would do anything for Ariana, and she, him.
But as easily as opposites can attract, there are instances where people who have much in common can celebrate just as likely of bonds. From the moment they had met backstage in Sin City Wrestling, Carter and the young lady Dawn Warren had quickly become like two peas in the proverbial pod. Carter had discovered in Dawn a kindred spirit, a friend who could be just as loud and flamboyant as he himself was. Dawn was second only to Ariana when it came to Carter’s closest of friends.
Las VegasAny tourist in the famed City of Sin would readily admit that one of the highlights of visiting this city was the Las Vegas Strip and all that it had to offer. The dazzling lights of all the hotels, casinos and businesses were something to see during the day, but they were even more profound at night. And if you thought it was something from ground level, either walking along the Strip or driving down in on the street, it was nothing compared to witnessing it from high above in one of the famed helicopter tour rides – which was exactly what Carter had surprised Dawn and Ariana with following a sumptuous steak dinner at the famed Herbs and Rye restaurant.
He had presented both ladies at the very start of their “girls night out” with a late Christmas gift each; for Ariana, that studded leather jacket she had her eyes on since the previous year but never brought herself to buying it. And for Dawn, a pink feathered jacket, much like his own trademark garment.
And that was when we found this fun loving trio of friends casually walking down the famed Las Vegas Strip amongst the masses of tourists and locals alike. The hour had grown late and the weather was bitter cold, and that was quite enough reason for Carter to stop at one of those ‘famous’ food trucks to buy the three largest hot cocoas seen by man for he and his two close friends. Sipping at the hot drink and walking arm in arm, and doing little else but enjoying one another’s company.
“You know bestie,” Ariana said from Carter’s right, leaning into his body in both a gesture of support and to get some body heat to stave off the chilly air. “Dinner was enough. You didn’t have to take us on that helicopter ride.”
“Yes he did!” Dawn said from Carter’s left, her voice a touch boisterous but her smile making the humor behind her words all the more evident.
“I know, I just still feel bad over that little fuck up the other day when I was driving.” Carter sighed, shrugging his slim but muscled shoulders as he all but forgot his own hot drink. Less than a week ago while on a shopping excursion with his girls, Carter had been tailgated by the same car relentlessly until Carter slammed on the brakes, brake checking the man. Luckily the man’s brakes worked well but in the heat of the moment, Carter had forgotten about his passengers. Ariana was jerked forward in her seat but was wearing her seat belt. As was Dawn but the sudden movement threw her forward and she hit her head on the passenger seat behind Ari. “Dawn here could have been hurt and I just need to work on my road rage problems.”
“Well, we can’t say that the jerk didn’t deserve it for tailgating you.” Dawn mused. “It's a pet peeve of mine too.”
“I think mine is when people wait until they’re halfway through turning their car before they turn on their car signals.” Ariana added to the conversation, prompting Carter and Dawn to look to one another and nod in agreement.
Carter then went on and admitted, “I told Miles what happened and he told me I need to get my act together when I’m behind the wheel. Especially when I have passengers.” He looked between the two young women on either side of him and said, “This was just my way of apologizing.”
“Well, apology accepted.” Dawn said as she gave him a friendly cuddle. To which Ariana wrapped an arm around his neck and drew him in for a friendly hug and a peck on the cheek. Ariana said, “You never have to apologize to me, bestie.”
“So, is everything okay with you and Miles?” Dawn asked out of the blue, turning both Cater and Ariana’s heads in her direction.
“Miles?” Carter replied. “Yeah,. Why?”
“How come he didn’t come with us?” Dawn found herself asking. To which Carter answered, “We’re not joined at the hip 24/7, Dawn!” Both Dawn and Ari gave their friend a knowing look and Carter laughed, “Okay, most of the time! But we just had different plans tonight. He wanted to hit a pub for a few beers and I wanted to spend the evening with my girls.”
He bumped his hip into first Ariana and then Dawn, drawing smiles and laughter from both ladies as they stopped at the famed Fountains of Bellagio, watching along with dozens of others as the colorful lights in the fountains worked their magics for all to appreciate. Making this night between friends even more special.
Turnberry Towers And as much as the trio had enjoyed themselves and wished the evening could continue on, it sadly had to come to an end. Fun times were had by all and forgiveness for his driving gaffe given, they had gone their separate ways after an evening of enjoying each other’s company. Ariana had to get back home to Francisco, and while Carter had invited Dawn to stay the night at the condo, Dawn had already made other accommodations. And thus, that brought us to the familiar sight of the Turnberry Towers and the parking garage reserved for residents, where the lime green beetle drove into the quiet surroundings, its headlights illuminating the way ahead. It was well after ten PM by now, and Carter figured Miles was probably home by now as he drove the familiar path around the reserved parking spots until he pulled into the one reserved solely for him.
Upon a closer look, Carter saw that the car inherited by Miles from his own father was still in its spot, but Miles’s own car was nowhere to be seen. Figuring Miles was tying one on with some buddies and he himself might get a call to pick his boyfriend up, Carter put the car into park and turned the engine off. Stepping out of the ‘beetle’ and locking the door behind him, Carter suddenly felt a strange and yet sinister pang of isolation for some reason. You know, that sensation you get when you feel as if someone was watching you from afar but when you looked up, there was no one about? Well, that was what Carter experienced as he stopped walking toward the entrance to the lobby of the Towers and looked up from the light of his phone, but saw nobody.
He looked around full circle in every direction but saw nothing but empty vehicles of all of the Tower’s residents and their guests. Not another living soul to be seen and that fact alone turned Carter’s stomach into a sudden knot and made him feel that sense of isolation a hundred times over. An adult male of 24 years, this still gave him the feeling of being a small child that was afraid and his steps picked up in pace as he walked quickly through the garage, his eyes shifting back and forth to the phone in his hand when a chill down his back that he could not ignore alerted him to sudden movement from out of the corner of his eye.
Carter turned his head and just BARELY ducked out of the way of a crowbar, swung wildly by someone wearing a dark hoodie that kept his facial features cloaked in shadow! The weapon struck the concrete pillar, obviously where the attacker had been lying in wait! Carter stumbled back, wide eyed at what was suddenly happening around him and at his own home. He tripped over his own foot and fell back and just managed to roll out of the way before the crowbar came down where his head had been!
Survival instincts kicked into high gear for the young man and he realized that whoever this attacker was, he had cut him off from the lobby entrance, preventing a quick and easy escape route! He could try to get back to his car but that would only serve as a deterrent and not a solution! Carter rolled to his feet and just in time as the attacker threw an overhead swing of the crowbar right at him but this is where his training from the GO Gym and some self defense lessons from Fenris had come in handy enough as he used his right forearm to block the blow, using his left top grab at the weapon! But before Carter could attempt to wrest it free from his grasp, the attacker used his own free hand for a straight shot into Carter’s mouth, causing his lips to literally explode in a spray of blood!
Carter fell back against the nearest car and the assailant swung the crowbar with both hands but Carter again moved, the crowbar shattering the passenger side door of a black, 2020 Jeep Gladiator! This was enough of a distraction to give Carter the chance to kick the crowbar out of the attacker’s hand, sending it scattering across the cement pavement of the garage! This did not deter whoever this was, as the attacker swung a hard right into Carter’s face, striking just above the cheekbone! The man then bulled himself against Carter’s smaller frame, driving him back against another car!
If this was a simply mugging, the man would have come at him with a gun and demands for his wallet or whatever else was on his agenda! But no, this attacker was literally hiding and waiting for him and attacked him with a weapon! A set up? A gay bashing? Whatever it was, Carter’s survival instincts had kicked into high gear and the moment his body was struck back against a Nissan Versa, his adrenaline was coursing through his body to where he barely felt the pain of bone striking back against metal! He tasted the coppery flavor of his own blood in his mouth but he all but ignored that as he brought blow after blow down into the man’s back, trying to break free! The man retaliated quickly, swinging a hard fist into Carter’s stomach, doubling him over and sending him to his knees! This was all happening so suddenly and from out of the blue! They say that we are in the greatest danger the closer we are to home and Carter had been caught completely off guard by this ambush-like attack! Whoever this was, he was cold and calculating and had the advantage of surprise! But Carter had been trained by the best and perhaps more importantly, he was a self-professed survivalist! The attacker turned his head as if to see where the crowbar had fallen when Carter swung his fist right up between the man’s legs!
“YOU MOTHER FU…!!!!” The attacker did not have the option to finish as his mouth fell open in a silent scream, doubling over at the waist and clutching at himself! Grabbing the man by the head in an unorthodox but tight side headlock, Carter proceeded to ram the man straight forward into the nearest car, shattering the window with the attacker’s own skull! The man stopped fighting. He simply hung there in the frame of the shattered car window. Carter took a step back and away from the scene as the weight of the attacker’s body slowly pulled him from the car window and he hit the pavement. He continued to clutch his genitals but his hood had been thrown back in the chaos and Carter could now see that whoever this was, he could have been Miles’s own age.
That was the precise moment when the adrenaline had worn off, and Carter’s legs had given out from under him. He sank to the ground and fell to his backside, the emotional turmoil of this life or death situation now taking its toll on his emotional well being and he started to shake, his body convulsing. His eyes remaining on the body of his attacker, he reached blindly for his phone, grasping at it when he heard the sound of running feet…
“What is going on… oh my god!” It was the head of the Turnberry Tower’s HOA, Anne Thompson. Carter had only met her in passing but Miles spoke highly of her time and again, and she was followed by two other tenants whom he did not know. They had heard the sounds from the garage and came running, and Anne came rushing right up to where Carter sat in shock, his hand finally having found his phone.
“Carter? Carter!” Anne tried to rouse him from his shock. “What happened!? Are you alright!?”
Not answering her, his eyes misted over and he pressed the right call button on his phone…
“9-1-1, what is your emergency?”
Carter’s tremors grew worse as he choked out, “I’ve… been … attacked!”
“For as sporadic as your time with us in SCW has been, you’ve had quite the ride for yourself, haven’t you Finn?”Carter said from where he stood on the patio outside of his and Miles’s bedroom, bearing the signs of what had happened to him earlier. A dark scab covering both lips and the mark from where he had been struck just below his eye. Carter had just returned from the hospital where Miles had taken no lip from him and forced him to get examined and file a police report all at the same time.
Still shaken up from the harrowing experience, Carter had stepped out onto the patio without a jacket, seemingly all but ignoring the frigid air that had to have dipped into the mid-forties by now. He stared over the railing into the darkened sky, his eyes focused solely on the lights of the Vegas Strip where mere hours ago he had been having the time of his life. How circumstances change.
“I have to admit that when J2H vacated the title and the tournament was announced, I was less than thrilled. Not about having another chance to become the World Heavyweight Champion, because – c’mon! Who in their right mind would bitch about that? No, this was more about J2H abdicating his throne. I really wanted to see if he’d be able to break his own record and who would be the one to eventually topple him. But there’s more to it than that. There has always been something exciting about a championship tournament, and when J2H named Miles as one of the participants, I was proud of my man. Then when my name was announced, a part of me felt a touch of dread, like right here.”He patted himself on the midsection.
“Not for the fear of taking part and failing, or facing the pressure of a championship run. I’ve been there before a few times in Sin City Underground. No, I think the butterflies started hitting me at their hardest when I realized how likely the chances would be of Miles and I both advancing and ending up against each other at some point in this tournament.”He shook his head, folding his arms and running his hands along his bare arms.
“I don’t know how couples in this business can do that and nothing changes. Keira and Roxi have done it a few times. Crystal and Seleana… Miles and I wrestled once before for the Roulette title way back when but that was then – this is now. And times have changed. But that’s just one of six other possibilities in the future. For the time being, I have someone else watching me from across that ring, wanting to accomplish the very same thing that I do; make it to the Quarter-Finals and eventually the championship round at My Bloody Valentine V. Finn Whelan. Probably one of the most enigmatic men on the entire roster.”
“You watch Finn Whelan and you literally don’t know what to make of him as far as personality, but that’s not what you’re dealing with inside of the ring. You know from many past experiences that you are dealing with a thug - and I mean that in the nicest sense of the word. Finn Whelan has been around these parts as far back as April of 2020 and while the man isn’t undefeated like I initially thought when I started my research on him, he still has one of the most impressive win-loss records in either division. In the middle of everything else that I have had going on around me this past week, I sat in the GO Gym for literal hours and watched every single match I could find of his. From his official debut in 2020, right up until his most current tag title defense at December 2 Dismember V. And while I can best describe Finn’s career path in SCW as Hobbit-like … There And Back Again … I can’t deny the fact that when he does grace us with his presence, he certainly makes the most out of each and every opportunity handed to him. It was Finn Whelan who ended the six month long Roulette title run of “Bulldog” Bill Barnhart. It was Finn Whelan who ended “Godly” Ken Davison’s first World heavyweight title run. And even though that World Championship[ reign didn’t last as long as I’m sure he would have wanted, the fact remains – he knows what it feels like to win the big one.”
“And of course, let’s not forget the fact that Finn – and Kayla – did the entire Mixed tag division a favor by stripping the titles away from Ollie and Eiley, and so far? Nobody has come close to ending their run. And that … that right there … is the reason why I think I have the edge going into this first round match against a man that many tend to overlook! Because while I’m sure he wants to become a two-time champion, in the back of his head he knows he has other commitments and that he has a tag team partner that is depending on him to fulfill them. Finn is splitting himself into two totally opposite directions and one can do that only for so long before you inevitably break in two.”
“I’m going into this match with the odds stacked against me, but when have I ever allowed that to stop me? The majority of my success stories have taken place elsewhere, down in SCU when it was still a thing in the sport. When I came up here to SCW where the stakes were even higher, I have to admit that I found myself to be a small fish in a HUGE ocean! And while my first taste of championship gold still eludes me in SCW, I still know the feeling. The taste. I’ve come close to winning the Internet and I am proud to say that I took J2H to the limit, earning respect from the man and that fact alone is almost as valuable as the championship itself! But now, I am being given another opportunity and I have to get past seven men in order to do so. And it all begins just between us, Finn.”
“See Finn, I admit fully that inside SCW and in outside territories, you have had one HELL of a run! And the scary thing is that your career is still in its infancy, much like my own. But this isn’t WWH or Union Battleground or anywhere else that you’ve set foot inside. This is Sin City Wrestling and I am not like any other man you’ve faced before. Because facing me is not going to be entirely unlike facing yourself. I noticed that when I was watching you, you know? How many similarities there are between us, despite our differences in age and experience. I know that you see yourself as something of an underdog.”From behind, one can see the pearly whites of Carter’s smile shone through as he shakes his head.
“And that is a feeling I know all too well and can easily relate to. After I graduated from the GO Gym and signed with SCU, the Boy’s Club in the locker room didn’t look past me because they didn’t even see me. I went in there being myself and when the macho men of this sport see someone like me, they either have a hard time accepting the fact that I’ve made it this far or that they have to share a dressing room with me. There were times where I was made to feel so unwelcome that I had to get dressed either out in the hall or the bathrooms, but that’s fine. That’s alright. Going through all the hazing and the bullshit just made me ready for even more that came my way. I came to realize they didn’t resent me for who I was. They resented me because I was there to take their spot at the top. And they made the graven error in judgment thinking that just because I looked soft, I did business inside of the ring the same way.”
“And that right there was where and when I proved them all wrong. That was when I started fighting and winning to earn the respect of the big dogs in the backyard. I was winning matches and tag titles with my bestie Ariana at my side but that wasn’t enough for them because I had a partner. I was depending on someone else. Nobody thought I stood a snowball’s chance in hell when I was entered into the Combat division because … look at me! But I went on to win that title and was fighting in everything from MMA battles to boxing matches and everything in between! That is when the boys started to wonder if they misjudged me. But from that point on when I was winning the TV title to the Underground Championship, right up until I came here, even my strongest supporters had their doubts when I would be booked against someone that was bigger and more experienced. And yes…”He nodded with sincerity.
“I have lost my share of matches. We all have! It’s the nature of the game. But I’ve also won my share against some of the biggest and baddest they could put against me. Men like “Bulldog” Bill Barnhart! Senor Vinnie! Goth! We are talking about the best of the best and what did all of them have in common? They didn’t take me nearly as seriously as they should have. And I can admit there was a time when I ranted and raved about being overlooked like that but a wise man told me that in the end, it was a lot like being carded for buying alcohol. You’ll come to appreciate it in time. It only works to my advantage and the detriment of my opponents. And one day, and with this tournament I can only hope that it is soon, one day I’LL be joining that Boys Club!”He poked himself in the chest with a forefinger.
“And the days of that indirect advantage will slowly erode away. And all of the doubters will look back once that World title belt is fitted around my waist and realize just how wrong they had been from the very beginning! And I sincerely hope that they choke on all of those doubts that they’ve had about me!”Having been leaning against the railing, Carter stood upright.
“There’s a lot to be said for you and me going into this match, Finn. Similar styles. Similar outlooks. And neither one of us is going to take any bullshit from the other. And while it’s not going to be easy for either of us, it is going to be fun! And when you think about it, it’s appropriate that I’m going to go all the way to the first Supercard of the year to win my first championship in SCW. Because 2024 is going to be MY year. The year of Carter. And all due respect Finn, you’re going to be the first of many to get me to that point.”Just then, the patio door opened and Miles Kasey stepped out onto the terrace with Carter’s feather jacket in hand. Having no need to say anything, Miles slipped the jacket over Carter’s shoulders and gently guided him back inside.
