A tainted Champion: is it really a champion? #2
Dec 2, 2020 10:16:11 GMT -6
Deana Barrows likes this
Post by Lucas 'The Icon' Thames on Dec 2, 2020 10:16:11 GMT -6
We left The Icon in Key West Florida as he had moved his fiancée Josie and future father-in-law down there for the foreseeable future because it would seem as though the men who had kidnapped Nigel were not done just yet.
We join the Icon now as he’s walking along one of Key West’s multiple beaches hand in hand with Josie. Nigel has been left in Emilio’s house with Emilio himself. Josie is sceptical about being in Florida, but deep down is thankful for some time away.
Josie: Luke, I’m glad to get out of Detroit for a while, don’t get me wrong but…
The couple sit down on a nearby bench as Josie downs a bit more of a fruit smoothie she bought earlier on.
Lucas: But?
Josie: Mike Zybala.
Lucas: What about Mike Zybala?
Josie: Can we trust him?
Lucas turns his head and looks at Josie confused.
Lucas: What? What do you mean?
Josie: Well… you’ve never even mentioned him before the other day…
Lucas: Oh! Oh I see.
Lucas nods, downing a smoothie of his own.
Lucas: Mike Zybala is a man that, as far as I can tell, is a decent man. I’ve decided to become a team with him because we both have had a hand in training Pete Vaughn.
Josie: The Janitor?
Lucas: That’s right.
Lucas shrugs.
Lucas: With that being said… his methods for training are a little more… unorthodox. But no-one can deny the results. Pete Vaughn has definitely come on in leaps and bounds.
Josie rubs her hand on Lucas’s knee and faintly smiles.
Josie: And you baby? What about you? How’s things going over in the GCWA for you, personally? Luke you spend so much time worrying about how everyone else is doing that you must remember to grab the brass ring for yourself too… I know things didn’t exactly go to plan with Enforcer.
Lucas: Enforcer…
Lucas casts his mind back to Darkness Falls wherein he failed to capture the TV title. A look of determination washes over his face.
Lucas: Things admittedly did not go to plan with Enforcer, Josie but you know what they say – it’s time to move onwards and upwards. This week it’s Outcast. Already a legend of the GCWA, here once again to one more glory run. He holds the X-Division title and it’s a title that I will do my damnedest to – pardon the pun – wrestle away from him. He has no qualms about doing things less than dishonestly. Outcast made a pact with the devil incarnate, in Jonathan Barrows to get the title away from another legend in The Lost Soul, who Barrows had beef with at the time. The thing is, Jos… Outcast wasn’t Barrows’ first choice for the title win – I was.
Josie: What? Then why turn it down?
Lucas: Because it wasn’t even down to be contested in a match. TLS was going to be banned from the building and I was going to win by forfeit. Forfeit Josie! I couldn’t do it – not like that. I work for my wins. Hence why I turned my attention to Enforcer and his attacks on Tony the Spider.
Josie smiles and shakes her head.
Josie: You and your principles, Luke. I absolutely adore you, you know.
The conversation is suddenly broken up by a shout behind them. Both Lucas and Josie turn around to see Emilio running up to them holding a piece of paper.
Emilio: LUCAS! YOU HAVE TO UH...SEE THIS!
Lucas: Hello Emilio. What’s the matter?
Emilio violently shakes his head and merely shoves the paper into Lucas’s hands. Lucas opens the scrunched up paper, reads it and then throws it to the ground in anger. Josie looks on, concerned.
Josie: Luke? What is it?
Lucas doesn’t answer. His anger is too great. So, instead Josie picks the paper for herself and screams in horror. It’s a message from Garrett. It simply reads:
Hey Thames family:
How’s Florida?
Garrett.
Josie looks at Lucas for support and she runs to his arms. The two hug, before Lucas turns his attention to Emilio.
Lucas: Emilio! Where’s Nigel now?!
Emilio: He home.
Lucas: Your house?
Emilio nods, and the three of them race back to Emilio’s house as fast as possible. Back at Emilio’s Lucas and Josie find Nigel relaxing in front of Emilio’s TV. He is all smiles as they enter the living room.
Nigel: Lucas! Josie! How was the beach? Y’know this Emilio guy is a great fella. Little hard on the understanding front but he was just telling me a joke earlier on about a donkey and a frog. I think, anyway… my Spanish is a little rusty.
Josie immediately throws her arms around Nigel in a hug and bursts into tears.
Nigel: Woah! Hey, now! What’s all this?
Continuing to sob, Josie has a hard time getting her words out so Lucas helps her out.
Lucas: Nigel… Are you OK? Nothing’s happened while we’ve been out?
Nigel: I’m fine, kid. Nothing’s happened at all, no. Why?
Lucas: They know we’re in Florida.
Nigel: What?! How?
Josie: We don’t know, Daddy! But that Emilio guy gave us this.
Nigel takes Garrett’s message off of Josie and reads it for himself. He smiles.
Nigel: Oh… Garrett! You don’t need to worry about Garrett, he’s a close friend of mine.
Lucas: He’s the one that messaged Josie up in Detroit. Garrett is the man who runs the gang that have been after you!
Nigel: Garrett?! Nonsense kid… he’s a bartender!
Lucas: In the club that I followed you to a while back?
Nigel looks perplexed.
Nigel: No. In another one in town…. You’ve got this all wrong, Garrett wouldn’t do this. He’s clearly just asking us how we’re all doing. It’s nothing to worry about.
Josie: But Daddy! We can prove it – the message that came to my phone the other day!
Nigel looks quizzical at his daughter at this comment but gives her the benefit of the doubt. Josie then searches through her phone for the message but somehow it has been deleted.
Josie: Oh no!
Lucas: You didn’t…?
Josie: No, *I* didn’t, but you know that I’ve been having problems with my phone recently.
Lucas and Josie grimace as Nigel simply goes back to sitting down on the sofa.
Nigel: Listen I know you two haven’t met Garrett but trust me when I tell you he isn’t involved in this…
We fade out.
=----=----=----=
Meanwhile back in Detroit, Michigan a man is sitting in the club house surrounded by a lot of other men wearing the same type of uniform. He is a handsome man in his mid 40s with black hair and he is smiling ear to ear. This is Garrett. He downs a beer as he talks to his other men.
Garrett: The plan is working perfectly. Soon we’ll have our money from that old bastard… Charlie! How did you manage to get our message to delete from the bitch’s phone.
Charlie: It was simply a matter of putting a virus on the message itself – it deletes the message after 24 hours.
Garrett: Perfect. Then if I know that old sod… he’ll have no idea that it’s me…
Garrett and his men burst into laughter as we fade out from here and head back to Key West. It’s later in the day and Lucas and Josie have decided to try and get the aid of the local police department. However they are not having much luck. They are with a young police woman trying to iron out the details in an interview room.
Police Woman: I’m sorry but it’s as I’ve said. Here in Florida we don’t have the jurisdiction to what goes on up in Detroit.
Josie: But we’re in danger! My FATHER is in danger, again! He’s just got back from being kidnapped!
Police Woman: Do you have any proof that you’re in danger again?
Lucas: We’ve already told you, it got lost…
Police Woman: Then I’m sorry. But there’s nothing we can do.
Lucas and Josie sigh realising that it’s a no go and leave the station. The two go back to Emilio’s and then a few hours later, Lucas decides to take a walk, alone. He walks down to the local marina looking at the boats moored in and the ones that were heading in and out. He leans his arms comfortably on the railings allowing the sea breeze to wash over him. He pulls out his phone to record another message for Outcast. Little does he know that he is being watched.
We fade, for now to black.
=-----=-----=
Lucas: Outcast. On Friday at Inferno… I’ve already said that the X-Division title is coming home with me but it’s more than that. See this isn’t a matter of wanting to do this… it’s HAVING TO. The X-Division title represents some of the best talent on the GCWA roster and yes while you can certainly be counted among that group, this is not up for debate – you have already proven this. I am arguably the most technically sound athlete on that roster.
I am the epitome of what management look for in an X-Division champion. I am a hybrid fighter. I can adapt to any situation. Just what the X-Division title represents. And WHEN I win the X-Division title on Friday, I pledge to defend it against anybody. Anywhere…
Getting ahead of myself? Perhaps… But, you’ll see Friday Night, when you’re tapping to my Knee Bar or Anaconda Vise. And then when I beat you, and Zybala beats Shawn Warstein for the North American title...it’ll be time for us, Life Before Death, to run roughshod over the Tag Team division.
Unfortunately there is no good luck to you from me – I already know the uphill battle I face… But this match is strictly business and one that has to be won by me.
=-----=-----=
Word Count: 1,656
We join the Icon now as he’s walking along one of Key West’s multiple beaches hand in hand with Josie. Nigel has been left in Emilio’s house with Emilio himself. Josie is sceptical about being in Florida, but deep down is thankful for some time away.
Josie: Luke, I’m glad to get out of Detroit for a while, don’t get me wrong but…
The couple sit down on a nearby bench as Josie downs a bit more of a fruit smoothie she bought earlier on.
Lucas: But?
Josie: Mike Zybala.
Lucas: What about Mike Zybala?
Josie: Can we trust him?
Lucas turns his head and looks at Josie confused.
Lucas: What? What do you mean?
Josie: Well… you’ve never even mentioned him before the other day…
Lucas: Oh! Oh I see.
Lucas nods, downing a smoothie of his own.
Lucas: Mike Zybala is a man that, as far as I can tell, is a decent man. I’ve decided to become a team with him because we both have had a hand in training Pete Vaughn.
Josie: The Janitor?
Lucas: That’s right.
Lucas shrugs.
Lucas: With that being said… his methods for training are a little more… unorthodox. But no-one can deny the results. Pete Vaughn has definitely come on in leaps and bounds.
Josie rubs her hand on Lucas’s knee and faintly smiles.
Josie: And you baby? What about you? How’s things going over in the GCWA for you, personally? Luke you spend so much time worrying about how everyone else is doing that you must remember to grab the brass ring for yourself too… I know things didn’t exactly go to plan with Enforcer.
Lucas: Enforcer…
Lucas casts his mind back to Darkness Falls wherein he failed to capture the TV title. A look of determination washes over his face.
Lucas: Things admittedly did not go to plan with Enforcer, Josie but you know what they say – it’s time to move onwards and upwards. This week it’s Outcast. Already a legend of the GCWA, here once again to one more glory run. He holds the X-Division title and it’s a title that I will do my damnedest to – pardon the pun – wrestle away from him. He has no qualms about doing things less than dishonestly. Outcast made a pact with the devil incarnate, in Jonathan Barrows to get the title away from another legend in The Lost Soul, who Barrows had beef with at the time. The thing is, Jos… Outcast wasn’t Barrows’ first choice for the title win – I was.
Josie: What? Then why turn it down?
Lucas: Because it wasn’t even down to be contested in a match. TLS was going to be banned from the building and I was going to win by forfeit. Forfeit Josie! I couldn’t do it – not like that. I work for my wins. Hence why I turned my attention to Enforcer and his attacks on Tony the Spider.
Josie smiles and shakes her head.
Josie: You and your principles, Luke. I absolutely adore you, you know.
The conversation is suddenly broken up by a shout behind them. Both Lucas and Josie turn around to see Emilio running up to them holding a piece of paper.
Emilio: LUCAS! YOU HAVE TO UH...SEE THIS!
Lucas: Hello Emilio. What’s the matter?
Emilio violently shakes his head and merely shoves the paper into Lucas’s hands. Lucas opens the scrunched up paper, reads it and then throws it to the ground in anger. Josie looks on, concerned.
Josie: Luke? What is it?
Lucas doesn’t answer. His anger is too great. So, instead Josie picks the paper for herself and screams in horror. It’s a message from Garrett. It simply reads:
Hey Thames family:
How’s Florida?
Garrett.
Josie looks at Lucas for support and she runs to his arms. The two hug, before Lucas turns his attention to Emilio.
Lucas: Emilio! Where’s Nigel now?!
Emilio: He home.
Lucas: Your house?
Emilio nods, and the three of them race back to Emilio’s house as fast as possible. Back at Emilio’s Lucas and Josie find Nigel relaxing in front of Emilio’s TV. He is all smiles as they enter the living room.
Nigel: Lucas! Josie! How was the beach? Y’know this Emilio guy is a great fella. Little hard on the understanding front but he was just telling me a joke earlier on about a donkey and a frog. I think, anyway… my Spanish is a little rusty.
Josie immediately throws her arms around Nigel in a hug and bursts into tears.
Nigel: Woah! Hey, now! What’s all this?
Continuing to sob, Josie has a hard time getting her words out so Lucas helps her out.
Lucas: Nigel… Are you OK? Nothing’s happened while we’ve been out?
Nigel: I’m fine, kid. Nothing’s happened at all, no. Why?
Lucas: They know we’re in Florida.
Nigel: What?! How?
Josie: We don’t know, Daddy! But that Emilio guy gave us this.
Nigel takes Garrett’s message off of Josie and reads it for himself. He smiles.
Nigel: Oh… Garrett! You don’t need to worry about Garrett, he’s a close friend of mine.
Lucas: He’s the one that messaged Josie up in Detroit. Garrett is the man who runs the gang that have been after you!
Nigel: Garrett?! Nonsense kid… he’s a bartender!
Lucas: In the club that I followed you to a while back?
Nigel looks perplexed.
Nigel: No. In another one in town…. You’ve got this all wrong, Garrett wouldn’t do this. He’s clearly just asking us how we’re all doing. It’s nothing to worry about.
Josie: But Daddy! We can prove it – the message that came to my phone the other day!
Nigel looks quizzical at his daughter at this comment but gives her the benefit of the doubt. Josie then searches through her phone for the message but somehow it has been deleted.
Josie: Oh no!
Lucas: You didn’t…?
Josie: No, *I* didn’t, but you know that I’ve been having problems with my phone recently.
Lucas and Josie grimace as Nigel simply goes back to sitting down on the sofa.
Nigel: Listen I know you two haven’t met Garrett but trust me when I tell you he isn’t involved in this…
We fade out.
=----=----=----=
Meanwhile back in Detroit, Michigan a man is sitting in the club house surrounded by a lot of other men wearing the same type of uniform. He is a handsome man in his mid 40s with black hair and he is smiling ear to ear. This is Garrett. He downs a beer as he talks to his other men.
Garrett: The plan is working perfectly. Soon we’ll have our money from that old bastard… Charlie! How did you manage to get our message to delete from the bitch’s phone.
Charlie: It was simply a matter of putting a virus on the message itself – it deletes the message after 24 hours.
Garrett: Perfect. Then if I know that old sod… he’ll have no idea that it’s me…
Garrett and his men burst into laughter as we fade out from here and head back to Key West. It’s later in the day and Lucas and Josie have decided to try and get the aid of the local police department. However they are not having much luck. They are with a young police woman trying to iron out the details in an interview room.
Police Woman: I’m sorry but it’s as I’ve said. Here in Florida we don’t have the jurisdiction to what goes on up in Detroit.
Josie: But we’re in danger! My FATHER is in danger, again! He’s just got back from being kidnapped!
Police Woman: Do you have any proof that you’re in danger again?
Lucas: We’ve already told you, it got lost…
Police Woman: Then I’m sorry. But there’s nothing we can do.
Lucas and Josie sigh realising that it’s a no go and leave the station. The two go back to Emilio’s and then a few hours later, Lucas decides to take a walk, alone. He walks down to the local marina looking at the boats moored in and the ones that were heading in and out. He leans his arms comfortably on the railings allowing the sea breeze to wash over him. He pulls out his phone to record another message for Outcast. Little does he know that he is being watched.
We fade, for now to black.
=-----=-----=
Lucas: Outcast. On Friday at Inferno… I’ve already said that the X-Division title is coming home with me but it’s more than that. See this isn’t a matter of wanting to do this… it’s HAVING TO. The X-Division title represents some of the best talent on the GCWA roster and yes while you can certainly be counted among that group, this is not up for debate – you have already proven this. I am arguably the most technically sound athlete on that roster.
I am the epitome of what management look for in an X-Division champion. I am a hybrid fighter. I can adapt to any situation. Just what the X-Division title represents. And WHEN I win the X-Division title on Friday, I pledge to defend it against anybody. Anywhere…
Getting ahead of myself? Perhaps… But, you’ll see Friday Night, when you’re tapping to my Knee Bar or Anaconda Vise. And then when I beat you, and Zybala beats Shawn Warstein for the North American title...it’ll be time for us, Life Before Death, to run roughshod over the Tag Team division.
Unfortunately there is no good luck to you from me – I already know the uphill battle I face… But this match is strictly business and one that has to be won by me.
=-----=-----=
Word Count: 1,656