.Sometime last fall.
The wind howled across the coastline as waves crash against the shore where Vincent Lyons Jr sat near a makeshift fire pit huddled inside a thick black fur coat, his most precious possession in this godforsaken place.
It was a gift from Victoria from last Christmas. He had shrugged it off at the time but now it served as a lifeline, the only thing shielding him from the cold of the Bering Sea in a way it felt like a piece of home wrapped around him.
A few feet away chewing on a strip of dried fish they had salvaged from what was left of their supplies sat his friend Charlie, the one he had gone on this ill-fated journey with. Already a week had passed since their crash.
“I think we're still good for a while.” said Charlie glancing out the food pile “It could be worse right?”
Vincent exhaled with a sigh “Yeah… could be worse”
By a stroke of luck if like meant anything out there, a good chunk of the ship had washed up with them and the remains of the cabin provided decent shelter from the worst of the weather.
Vincent wrapped his coat tighter around himself wondering what Victoria was doing at this moment he knew she was in but he had no way of finding out how successful or unsuccessful she had become.
“We should probably start rationing more.” Charlie said “We shouldn't be in any trouble yet, but it's best to be careful.”
Vincent nodded, he no choice but to trust Charlie. While Vincent had grown up with the dreams of following in his father's footsteps in the wrestling business, Charlie had grown with a knack for exploration and new a thing or two about wilderness survival in addition to sailing.
“You think they're looking for us?” Vincent asked
Charlie sighed ‘I don't know I'd like to think so Vince.”
“Yeah me too…” Vincent said gazing Into the fire.
They had hopes rescue would come quickly in the first few days but as the week dragged on and supplies thinned, certainty began to crack. Neither of them would speak about it outright but the question hung in there like the elephant in the room. Still Vincent wasn't ready to give up hope.
"I'm going to check the traps again." Vincent said standing up.
"Now?" said Charlie "It's almost dark."
"I know I won't be long." Vincent replied.
Charlie didn't argue and watched Vincent pulled his coat tighter as made his way toward the shoreline. The traps weren't going to have anything new he had checked them earlier that morning but he needed to move and do something to keep the gnawing worry at bay.
He scanned the horizon watching the Bering Sea stretch endlessly before him half expecting to see the flicker of a rescue boat or hear the hum of the helicopter but there was nothing but waves and the wind.
Vincent's sighed and turned back toward the makeshift shelter. Charlie still sat by the crackling fire.
“Nothing?” Charlie asked looking up.
“Nothing.” Vincent confirmed sitting back near the fire.
They fell into silence again watching the flames cast flickering patterns across the snow. The fire was barely able to keep his bones warm but he had the coat, he had her coat and for now that was enough to hold on to.
He wished he hadn’t abandoned her, he could almost hear her scolding him in his brain.
"You left me Vincent you're a bad brother you abandoned me left me on my own bad brother bad brother bad brother."
“No! I’m sorry!” Vincent blurted out.
“Vince?” You okay? Vincent?” Charlie asked.
Charlies voice began to mix with Victorias, and his face shifted into hers for a moment.
“Are you okay? Vincent Vincent Vincent?”
Suddenly he wasn't on the island anymore he was face-to-face with Victoria looking at him back at the Lion's Den she raised an eyebrow curiously.
“Vincent are you okay?” she asked. “I lost you there for a moment….”
“Yeah.. yeah I'm fine Vicks.” he said “Just happy to be home, now let's get back to it. I have a championship to win and you have one to retain.”
“Very well…” Victoria said “Let's get back to it then…”
And back to it they went, Vincent with one goal in mind. Bring home the Internet Championship, and redeem himself, redeem his wrong for abandoning her. She had been magnanimous enough to forgive him, and without that coat she gave him he might have suffered a worse fate on that island. She truly was the best sister in in the world, and she would be repaid in kind with the Internet Championship.
__________
The cameras open on a single flame flickering among black darkness, casting shadows on the stone wall of an unknown location. Slow methodical footsteps and a low almost growling breath break the silence as Vincent Lyons Jr steps into view illuminated by the flames, his eyes burning with something primal.
“You were right about him Kevin.” Vincent said with a smirk of wicked amusement “Eddie. You saw it before anyone else did and you tried to warn him didn't you? You tried to tell him what he could be.”
Vincent shakes his head looking almost disappointed.
“But the thing about Eddie Lyons.” Vincent said “He's hard-headed, stubborn and too blinded by the fantasy he's built around himself. Righteousness, Honor before glory, all lies he tells himself so he can sleep better at night. So he can pretend he's better than men like you, better than men like me, better than men like us.”
With a chuckle he steps closer to the flame.
“Thing that gets me Kevin.” Vincent said “The part that does make me laugh is you let him break you. You said it yourself that he was the start of your downfall. But a man like Eddie should not have been able to do that. He's not you Kevin he's not the type of monster you wanted him to be and he never was. You laid it all out for him, you gave him a way out of his delusions, a chance to see the world for what it really was and what did he do? He ignored you, and it was all said and done it wasn't Eddie who fell apart, it was you.”
He pauses for a moment leaving only the sound of the flames crackling.
“You've got the right mindset Carter.” said Vincent “You see through the lies, and you know the game. I even like that you call yourself a scumbag. I respect a man that knows what he is and doesn't try to be anything else, but you let your failures consume you. You let Eddie….Eddie of all people win.”
His eyes narrow as he shifts his posture slightly.
“So now we come to the Internet Championship.“ said Vincent “While I don't have any personal issue with you, no deep-seated hatred or score to settle, make no mistake about it, I'm going to do whatever it takes to walk out with that championship. Unlike Eddie, I don't make excuses. I don't wait for opportunities to be given to me. I hunt them down, I carve my own path and I take them no matter how much blood it takes.”
The flame flickers violently as he steps closer to it.
“You made life hell for the Harris family." said Vincent, "For Michael, for that little parasite son of his Jayden and that that I like. You, Raven, J2H. I respected the chaos, the ruthlessness. It does make me wonder perhaps you're the one that took my sister's throne."
A dark grin grows on his face.
“Would be fitting wouldn't it?” said Vincent “You call yourself a scumbag, you admit to being a low-life bastard who does whatever it takes, and stealing my sister's throne? Well that is a true scumbag thing to, do so you never know.
He laughs slightly to himself.
“I doubt it though.” said Vincent “Just doesn't seem like your style or even your business. Your business is that championship. Something I don't need to remind you that you have and Eddie doesn't. Further proof that he should have listened to you all along.”
More silence. The flame hisses louder.
“You wanted Eddie to be something he can never be.” said Vincent “You wanted him to become like you, stronger and smarter willing to do what it takes. But now you are about to find out is, I'm what you wanted Eddie to be. You will learn that I am the real monster. I don't hesitate or waver and I'm willing to break every bone in your body if I have to.”
He straightens his posture and steadies his voice.
“You fight with a chip on your shoulder and bitterness in your heart.” said Vincent “I fight because it's who I am and at Blaze of Glory I'm going to take what I want and there's nothing you'll be able to do to stop me. Eddie will never be what you wanted him to, be but me?”
The flame flickers wildly has though Vincent is disrupting energy around it.
“I'm already more.” he said.
There's a pause as Vincent takes a final step back and the fire dims into total darkness cutting the scene to black
__________
The old attic still smelled the same. The faint of aged would mixed with some unidentifiable scent, familiar enough to be a reminder of the days gone. Vincent used to come up here to hide from the world, to get away from the stress of carrying the legacy of his family. Now it was mostly a storage space of his father's old belongings that his mother wasn't ready to part with.
It had been seven years since Vincent Sr. passed, seven years of Vincent trying to push the past out of his mind, and seven years of carrying the weight of his legacy, and his name like a badge of honor, though often it felt like a burden.
His fingers graze the edge of a dusty old photo album as he picked it up and dusted It off. There was a photo of his father on the cover as a much younger man full of life with that same familiar shadow on his eyes that never quite left.
Opening the album carefully turn in the pages with caution looking at the memories of better days staring back at him there was picture of him and Victoria with their father as kids, pictures of their father with his brothers Zachary and Ray and even a few of a young Eddie Lions hanging out with his uncle.
As he flipped through the pages he came across the folded piece of old paper yellowed with age but with the unmistakable handwriting of his father.
It was a letter a letter he had read before but not in many years and read it long ago shortly after his father's passing and then quietly tucked it away in this old album, Victoria hadn't even seen it.
One of the few pieces of his father that still survived and has he read it for the first time in seven years the words hit him differently.
__________
Vincent,
I know your hard-headed hell I didn't make anything easy for you but that's because I knew you were capable of handling it you're stronger than you think there's always been a part of you that you keep locked away hiding afraid that if you show it you'll be weak but you need to know that you're not weak for loving people and caring about them and you're not weak for wanting to do things your own way.
I may not have always been the best example I was probably Syth more times than I care to admit that darker side of me the one that pushed people away and let his anger control him I won't lie to you son I made many wrong turns in my career but in the end I realized one thing family is what matters and family will keep you grounded when the world spins out of control.
Never lose sight of yourself no matter how dark it gets Vincent there's always a light to be found don't lose yourself in the fight and don't lose sight of what's worth fighting for.
Victoria your sister. I wasn't always care for her the way I should have been either, and I regret that but you must understand you're the one that needs to step up and protect her. There's a lot of darkness in this world Vincent and while you and your sister are both strong she's going to need you. When I'm gone you're the one that's going to need to keep an eye on her love her fiercely even when it's tough she needs you more than you know and to be honest you need her too, the two of you must always be there for each other.
Love, Dad.
__________
He could feel his throat tightened has he read the final words the car accident that had taken his brother's life was still a woman that hadn't quite healed. I'd have been just like any other when the phone call came a slip of control on a wet Road and a collision and just like that his father was gone with no warning and no chance to say goodbye.
Was a sudden joke that through the entire family in the chaos with a young Vincent left to pick up the pieces well also struggling to deal with his own emotions and the years that had followed the pain had dulled but never gone away it still remained a scar a reminder of how fleeting everything could be.
His fingers hovered over the letter as you reflected on the past his father was always a fighter in more ways than one and Vincent had always felt he had to live up to the standard that he had to become something greater and better than the person his father had been.
As he remained deep in thought the door creeped open behind him.
“Vin? You up here?” Victoria's voice called.
He didn't turn immediately his eyes saying fixed on the letter with the words swimming in his head has heard her approach him.
“Mom sent me to get you. Dinner's ready.” she said
“I was just looking at this.” Vincent said “This old album, and reading this old letter from Dad.”
“A letter?” Victoria asked “What did it say?”
He handed her the letter and watched has she read the words he could see she felt the weight of it as well remembering their father's struggle with his own demons the push and pull between his own light and dark sides.
“Dad…” said Victoria running her fingers across the letter, “Even when things were hard he didn't want to carry all that pain, maybe he was just trying to help us make peace with the darkness inside ourselves.”
“I spent so many years trying to be what he wanted, or what I thought he wanted. Trying to be stronger than everything.” said Vincent
“He didn't want you to be perfect.” said Victoria said folding the letter, and handing it back to him “He just wanted you to make your own name and not worry so much about living up to him.”
“I know Vicks.” he said quietly “But I carry his name so I don't think I can ever stop trying.”
“Well..” said Victoria “It doesn't have to define you, you can let it go, we all can.”
Their father had left them with so much even if he didn't always know how to say it. But Vincent understood, family is what matters and Victoria was his family. He wouldn't leave her again and together they reign above everybody.
“Come on let's go to dinner before Mom gets upset." said Vincent.
He still had his issues, he still had his demons from the island, but he was starting to feel better feeling like his old self, with perhaps a new primal instinct one that was going to be unleashed on everyone's favorite scumbag, Kevin Carter.
_________
The cameras open on shadows in a dilapidated old room the sound of footsteps break through the silence as the cameras come to Vincent and Victoria outlined by The Faint moonlight Vincent stares directly into the camera with a piercing gaze Victoria stands a few feet behind him in his shadow silent but present her eyes glimmering with support and her presence unwavering the glint of her Championship unmistakable.
“You really think you know what this is all about don't you Kevin?” said Vincent “You think you have all the answers but the truth is you don't know me, you don't know anything about me. You talked about me like I've just been handed everything like I walked into this company with a silver spoon in my mouth. But you don't realize is that you've got me mixed up with the wrong Lyons.”
He pauses for a moment letting the words hang in the air.
“Maybe the company did give me a chance based on my last name.” said Vincent “Based on what my sister and cousin have already done in this company. But I'm nothing like Eddie Lyons, and you're about to learn the price underestimating Vincent Lyons Jr., the true male heir of the Lyons dynasty."
“He's right Kevin.” said Victoria “This isn't some sort of game. You may think you're ready for what's coming, but when you stare at Vincent across that ring at Blaze of Glory you'll see just how wrong you are.”
“Your comments on Climax Control really make me think you've got me mixed up with Eddie.” said Vincent “The man you claim started whenever little downfall you are on, but understand that I'm not Eddie I'm not going to start any problems for you I'm going to finish them.”
He let his words linger some more with a pause.
“Eddie may have set the chain of events into motion that began the downfall you spoke of." said Vincent "But it's going to be me who finishes you off because I'm not here to play nice and as much as I respect you and everything you're about I'm not really here to be your friend I'm here for one person and that's the queen standing behind me.”
He motions to Victoria behind him.
“She has been fighting and proving herself for the past year and still nobody gives her the respect she deserves. That ends NOW..” said Vincent “That ends now that the Lions twins are back together at full power, and nobody is ready for what that means."
“Nobody.” smirked Victoria.
“But you're going to find out Kevin.” said Vincent “Just as Alexandra Calaway will when my sister finishes her off for good. I am going to take your Internet Championship and I'm going to rise it to a new level just as my sister has done with her Bombshell Roulette championship."
“Just like a twin.” Victoria smirked.
“I honestly do have more respect for you than most of the people around here. Not that you care of course.” said Vincent “But you've never been cross to my sister in any way, yet you still stand in the way of something important something I need to do because of the wrongdoings I did to her. I need to bring a championship home to the family and I need to do it for the queen."
Victoria smiles with arrogant smirk as Vincent continues.
“Make all the assumptions about me that you want Kevin.” said Vincent “Because when that bell rings and reality hits you, it will be the end of your reign,the end of your time as Internet champion. The primal prince of the Lyons family is on the hunt now and you're about to be his prey.”
“The Lyons Twins are here.” Victoria said, “And now we're at full power. Stronger together.”
“And that's going to be dangerous for all of you, nobody's ready for what that means.” said Vincent. “Stronger together.”
The camera lingers on both of their sister grins before quickly fading to black.
_________
Vincent if anything was a determined he didn't seem worried about Kevin Carter despite Kevin Carter's history as one of the best to grace an SCW ring. Vincent is a man that was out to prove something to himself and to his family.
He knew what his sister had done with the Bombshell Roulette championship and while he was here to give her his full support he was ready to do that for himself and make the SCW Internet Championship mean something. Together he and Victoria were ready to fight together and show the world that the Lyons Twins are not to be trifled with and that the bond of blood is one that can never be broken.
He may not have been here long and many so see him as the new guy. But Victoria hadn't been here long either when she rose to be Queen and became the Bombshell Roulette Champion. Why would her twin be any different? Kevin Carter had better prepare himself because if he thinks he's not in for a fight, he is sorely mistaken and will make it easier for Vincent that he originally thought.
