The surf crashes against the shore of the island in a rhythmic pattern as gulls fly high overhead but never land, and the wind just never seems to stop.
There at the makeshift camp he and Charlie had been living at for the past month and a half is Vincent Lyons Jr, but now he's alone. Sort of.
He's hunched beside a crude figure of sticks date into the earth of the beach, and effigy built from driftwood tied together crudely with some vines, draped over it is a weather stained and bloodied Blink 182 t-shirt, Charlie's shirt.
Vincent had found it when he went back to the site where the incident occurred, Charlie fell and the wolves came.
That was just two or three days ago, he had retrieved the shirt and built the effigy himself.
He had rescued his friend.
Reaching out he adjusts the effigy slightly straightening it to be more upright.[/i]
“There you go buddy.” Vincent said “Is that better? I know you like looking out over the water.”
He crouches down and sits next to it.
“I don't know if you remember when it happened.” Vincent said as he looked out across the waters. “You fell and I tried to get there and pull you out, but the wolves and they came and I ran…., but I didn't run away. I came back for you Charlie. I came back for you.”
He looks at the effigy with a smile.
“You're here now though.” Vincent said “And you're okay. I saved you I saved you from those wolves. Terrible vicious beasts. Bad…. wolves…. bad…..”
There's a slight twitch in Vincent's eye but he keeps most of his composure at the moment.
“Yeah I saved you. You're here.” Vincent said. “We're going to get out of here man both of us together. I won't run again Charlie..run ran hide. run ran hide.”
There's another slight twitch in Vincent's eye.
“No, I don't think they'll come back.” Vincent said “They know you're protected now because you've got me. They won't bother us again."
There's a short pause has Vincent just blankly stares off across the sea
“Yeah we're smarter than them too.” Vincent said. “You're right about that Charlie. Big dumb dogs.”
Vincent laughs.
“I was worried I'd never find you, you know. Thought the wolves had dragged you away he said but here you are.” Vincent said. “You're safe now.”
Vincent gives the effigy a careful pat on the “back.”
“You ever wonder if this is meant to happen to us?” Vincent said “Like maybe we needed to leave the world behind for a bit? Strip everything down to just this? The real stuff?”
There's a lingering silence only broken by the sounds of the wind the sea and and the gulls above.
“I'm glad you're still here Charlie.” Vincent said “It's going to be okay. We have each other.”
He sat there for some time next to the effigy just watching the waves still waiting for a sign of anything to come to the rescue of him and “Charlie.”
__________
The Danish Skyline stretches out through the antique windows of the hotel room Vincent stairs out the window in a brooding fashion as Victoria casually relaxes on one of the beds with a half finished glass of red wine.
“You're stewing…” Victoria said, breaking a lingering silence.
“I should have finished him at Climax Control.." Vincent said “I should have finished Jayden Harris.”
“We both knew Mark Ward wouldn't let that happen.” Victoria said “He's as predictable as ever. A no contact clause, as if that ever stopped any real violence.”
“It stops me from taking Jaydens head off in catering.” said Vincent.
“All it does is buy Jayden some time.” Victoria said “Now Jayden gets to strut around for a few more weeks without consequence until Into The Void.”
“Into the void..” Vincent muttered to himself.
“Exactly.” said Victoria “Jayden Harris will get his, for now your focus shifts. At least with this clause he won't be able to interfere in any of our business.”
“Helluva Bottom Carter…” Vincent muttered.
“A walking joke and a spotlight addict.” Victoria said “Him and Miles both mocked me for months. Little Twitter comments, little promo jabs, always something to say.”
“I heard it all.” Vincent said “They thought they were clever. All you wanted to do was help them make their relationship stronger.”
“Now you get to correct him.” Victoria said “Not just beat him, but embarrass him publicly. Drag him out of that theater he calls a career and show him what real consequence looks like.”
There's a short silence as Vincent listens.
“Let him dance and let him play to the crowd and think he's safe, then tear it from him.” Victoria said between a sip of wine, “Show him what happens when you disrespect the queen.”
“What about Harper Mason?” Vincent asked “Do you really think we'll be able to pull her in?”
“Harper Mason will realize her full potential.” Victoria said “She already knows of the truths I've been telling her she just needs to learn to admit them to herself. I'm sure more will become clear to her after Christian Underwood and I discuss the Queens Gambit.”
“I hope you're right Vicks.” Vincent said.
“We’ll get her.” said Victoria “But the trick is to make sure that she believes it was her idea. You just worry about Carter and making sure he regrets ever even mentioning my name.”
“And I can send a message to Jayden Harris in the process.” Vincent said with a grin.
“That's the brother I know." Victoria said with a grin of her own and another sip of wine.
“It looks like Alex Jones will be getting a present from the Lyons Twins” Vincent said “Because Carter is going to be delivered to him at Into The Void in a box.”
As the night rolled on, Vincent continued to brood out the window, Victoria finished a couple more glasses of wine. Both mentally preparing and strategizing for whatever came next.
__________
The cameras flicker to life in a basement a bunker the location itself is hard to tell but the concrete walls drip with condensation has that familiar overhead bulb swings on its frayed wire casting shadows across the scene, in the center of it all sits Vincent Lyons Jr knees spread resting his elbows, shoulders hunched over, hands clasped as he stares into the camera with cold distant eyes that are focused like a sniper's scope.
“Jayden Harris….” Vincent began “I'm going to start with you for a moment because I know you're watching, waiting behind your little legal bubble. Protected by Mark Ward and his no contact rule how convenient.”
Vincent shakes his head slightly.
“You're scared Jayden…” Vincent said “And you very well should be because every day that passes between now and Into The Void is another day I get sharper and meaner and the worst part of it? You know Mark Ward can't keep me away forever. Eventually he's going to run out of ink and paper, and when he does you're going to drown in all the things you tried to escape."
Vincent smirks and chuckles to himself.
“But you're not the man of the hour right now are you?” said Vincent “No the man of the hour is actually someone we share agreeing opinions on. If there's anything you and I can come to terms on. it's that Helluva Bottom Carter is a piece of garbage.”
He pauses for a moment keeping his lingering gaze on the camera.
“You hate the fact that he allowed me to do what I did to you in the elimination chamber.” said Vincent “But do understand the reason why he didn't stop it? It's because he too is afraid. He saw what was happening to you and was worried the same could happen to him. As todays kids say, he did not want that smoke. But everyone's time comes sooner or later and now that time has come for Helluva Bottom Carter.”
That unsettling unstable smile grows across his face again.
“I want you to watch this match closely Jayden.” Vincent said “I want you sit there cozy with your immunity and watch what happens when the leash comes off. Watch what happens when someone doesn't have Mark Ward to protect them, I want you to watch what's coming your way at Into The Void.”
He takes a short pause letting his words linger.
“So what about you Carter?" Vincent said with a venomous hiss. “You've been coasting for years on charmed and cringe. Constantly on X throwing your annoying relationship in everybody's face like anybody cares who you're sleeping with.”
He keeps his tone slow and deliberate.
“I've seen the way you and your little clique talk about her.” Vincent said “My wonderful, kind, magnanimous sister. You and all your little bully friends are the worst of them. You, Miles, L.J., Calaway, Bella Madison. You all thought yourselves funny but you always reap what you sow and now it's time to pay the piper.”
Vincent rubs his fingers together the well-known symbol for money.
“You were too busy bedazzling your boots in a room full of mirrors.” Vincent said, “While Victoria was busy being royalty, busy making herself the greatest Bombshell Roulette Champion of all time. She was able to take care of Calaway, she was able to take care of Bella Madison, but she could do nothing about the weak men that continued to ridicule the queen. But now Carter, now the queen’s executioner has arrived.”
He laughs to himself amused.
“You should have known someone would come for you.” said Vincent “Someone always does. But you need to listen to me close I'm not just going to win I'm going to ruin you. I'm going to expose you and I'm going to show everyone that you're not climbing any ladder, you're just hallucinating the rungs, standing on smoke and calling it solid ground and the people around you that are too afraid to tell you the truth are what keeps you from falling.”
He paces slowly slightly but deliberately.
“You're just a distraction dressed as a contender a parody a parody in rhinestones.” Vincent said “The only reason you are number one contender is because of me. I suppose Jayden and I can agree on that much as well.”
He took a heavy breath, fogging the air.
“But this is about your treason.” he continued “How you tried to drag my sister's name through the mud like she wasn't the greatest bombshell of all time.Like she isn't out there fighting and grinding for everything she's ever earned. I have nothing much to lose in this match so it's all about retribution for you insulting someone I care about, and it’s about sending a message to Jayden Harris."
There's an uncomfortable twitch of his lip.
“So I'm going to make it crystal clear in case you don't understand.” Vincent said “I'm going to hurt you, you’ll feel it in your ribs, your spine, and in your lungs when they all stop working. You won't be able to tell up from down anymore you'll cry, you’ll beg, and if you're smart you'll run away but whatever you choose you will pay.”
He continues his subtle pacing.
“My sister is a queen and she will be treated as such.” Vincent said “And you you're just the court jester and I'll do what royalty always does to jesters. I'll cut your tongue out and hang your balls on a pike. When it's all said and done you will regret all of it, and you will never mock her again."
He keeps his home firm and strong.
“The end is coming for you Carter.” Vincent said “And if Miles is smart he'll start the funeral preparations now. I'm sure he'll get you the most shiny, bedazzled, glitter covered coffin of your dreams. I'll see you soon Carter and you will be made an example of for Victoria, for Jayden and you will be exposed to all the fans as the fraud you truly are.“
With a hideous gaze, as he lets his glare linger into the camera has everything fades out to black
__________
Vincent really wasn't one for sightseeing but he could admit there was something oddly suited about the little toy houses lined up across the Copenhagen harbor. He walked alongside his sister Victoria in silence, neither of them with any particular destination in mind. Sometimes Victoria just like to walk before an incoming storm. She said it was something about helping with clarity and control. They were walking for a few minutes when they saw a familiar face.
Eddie Lyons. From the looks of it he was snapping pictures and taking some sort of cute little video to send back to his fiancee Sabrina.
“Well would you like who it is.” Victoria said pointing Eddie out.
“So?” Vincent said “What? You want to talk to him?”
“I mean we might as well say hello to family right?” she said with a grin.
“Your idea of hello usually ends with a hospital visit.” Vincent said.
“Only when it's warranted.” she said as her smile widened “Come on let's go.”
They approached casually Eddie turning just as he heard his name called, his eyes rolling into the back of his head as soon as he saw who it was he straightened up his posture and the smile on his face vanished.
“You've got to be kidding me…” Eddie muttered.
“Is that any way to greet family?” Victoria said with a mocking tone “We happened to be walking, you happened to be here, I think fate wants us to talk.”
“Well then fate hates me.” Eddie said unamused.
Vincent let his silence do the talking standing beside Victoria studying his cousin's face still seeing that same smug self-assurance, that little moral glint in Eddie's eye like he figured out the world and can judge everyone accordingly like some self-righteous bastard.
“We just wanted to have a conversation.” Victoria said “We haven't seen you around for a few weeks we were wondering how you've been.”
“I'm fine.” Eddie said bluntly “I'm just waiting for my next round of blast from the past and in the meantime taking pictures and videos for Sabrina is that what you want to hear?”
“Well I'm sure that will make Sabrina very happy.” said Victoria.
“Is that all?” said Eddie.
“So dismissive.” Victoria replied “You dismiss your family so quickly.”
“What about Alex?” Eddie said “Was he family when you had Vincent break his wrist?”
“He aided and abided a criminal.” Victoria said.
“He defended his friend.” replied Eddie.
“He defended Alexandra Calaway.” Victoria replied taking a step forward “You know what she's done and you know what she is. Yet you still act like there's some noble cause and shielding her.”
“Look they may not be innocent.” he said “But neither are you you want to accuse everyone else of their transgressions but never admit to your own.”
Vincent took a slight step for it but felt Victoria's arm just out in front of him to stop him.
“You know there's been certain times when you said some not so nice things about your queen.” said Victoria “And treason is even worse when it comes from your own bloodline. But I can forgive, if I feel you've earned it.”
“And what's that supposed to mean?” Eddie said.
“You mention your Blast from the Past tournament.” said Victoria “You got past round one, good on you but with our help we can take you all the way. You join us and we reform The Pride, you win the whole thing you cut through the brackets like butter and then you go on and you will actually win the world championship this time.”
“You can't possibly believe I'd ever go for that.” Eddie said.
“Why not?” Victoria asked “You and I already proved we can be tag team champions. Imagine the three of us together. We could take over SCW in a fortnight."
“I don't need your help and I won't stand with people who poison everything they touch family or not.” Eddie retorted
Finally Vincent had heard enough.
“You think you're better than us?! She's offering you everything, but you'd rather struggle for scraps and pretend it's some sort of integrity." he snapped
"I would rather lose with honor." Eddie said "Than win with you."
Vincent wanted to strike but he could feel Victoria’s gaze. she wanted to leave this alone so with a heavy breath he took a slight step backward.
“So you're still going to let pride stand in the way of power.” she said.
“No.” Eddie replied “I'm letting integrity stand in the way of corruption.”
The words pierce through Vincent's ears he was really tired of this sanctimonious idiot, always so sure of his own moral superiority and convinced that the world would bend for him if he smiled hard enough.
“Forget about him Vincent.” Victoria said “Leave him for now to his pictures and recording his little love letters for his fiancee. Let him continue to chase his fairy tale one day he'll see the truth. We'll be seeing you Eddie good luck in the tournament.”
With a wink and a smirk Victoria turned and Vincent followed as they continued their walk down the harbor leaving Eddie behind them knowing that if he didn't come to turn soon perhaps his dream would also turn into a nightmare.
