Trinity Burning, Part III

Trinity Burning: Part III

Some Time Ago

Amelia Jenkins grew up in Boston. It was her home, even if it didn’t feel that way. No matter what bed her head met at night, home didn’t seem to exist for her. Many thought she was one of those happy children, all because of her strawberry blonde hair. But the smiles she forced stemmed from the glares she’d receive from her parents if she did anything to cast any doubt. If she saw a glare, she knew what she was in store for her when they got home.

She would be beaten until she couldn’t stand to sit down. Sleep would rarely come when those beating took place, which was often. She’d go to school sleep deprived, asking to go to the bathroom just so she could sleep in the stall, even if it was for a few minutes. This happened one too many times, and she was caught by her favorite teacher, Mrs. Owens. When asked what was wrong, Amelia finally broke down, showing her the bruises all over her body, telling her of the beatings she received almost nightly. Mrs. Owens called child protective services. Her parents were investigated, and she was removed from the home. She hoped to go home with Mrs. Owens, but that was as far as their relationship went.

From there, Amelia bounced around from group home to group home. She thought home life with her parents was bad until she was molested by one of the boys in her first placement. This went on until she decided to make his actions known. She went to another home, with the foster father switching places with the boy from her previous placement. She knew it was wrong, but she sort of liked the attention from the foster father, as her own dad never gave her the time of day.

This went on until the foster mother came home to find Amelia bent over the living room couch. She was gone, but the foster father got to stay, stating she had come onto him and that he finally lost control. She heard his apologies as well as the foster mother’s acceptance due to her own stupidity, causing Amelia’s worth to diminish even more. She would spend the next few years bouncing from here and there, even traveling to New York, where a family took her in for a few months before she aged out. From there, she wandered aimlessly around New York, before all her pent-up frustration and issues rose to the surface.

She would steal from stores. If anyone came after her, she would outrun them, then wait for them to catch up so she could attack them, letting loose of her violent nature. Her violent nature that she never knew existed. It made her feel powerful to finally be introduced to it, as she had spent so much of her life as the victim. And she didn’t want to be a victim any longer. That ride only lasted so long, before she was caught, and no matter how hard she fought, she wouldn’t get away.

She spent time in jail, before being released with a mandatory sentence of anger management. She attended her meetings, where she was introduced to the man, she felt would save not only her life, but her mind and soul.

His name was McIntosh.

He invited her to check herself into a facility he ran himself. It was called the Trinity Institute. He said he wanted her to find peace, to find solace, to know that she didn’t have to be afraid of the world. She believed in him and let him in.

That is why she felt safe when she arrived, by cab, to Trinity. She knew she was going to change everything about herself.

That McIntosh would help.

Amelia turned in her belongings. She knew she couldn’t have brought them with her, but she tried anyways. She turned in her phone, and wallet. In those moments, she felt some relief however, as if she was getting rid of who she was.

After that, she was shown to her room by one of the orderlies, named Jeffrey. He had thick glasses and wild hair. She was sort of jealous of his hair. She sat in her room, feeling more home there than she had ever felt anywhere else, be it in Boston or New York, being with her actual family or a foster family. She lied on the bed, pressing her head into the soft pillow, feeling like she could just disappear, when she heard a knock on the door. When she sat up, there was McIntosh.

“How are you this morning, young Amelia?” he asked, looking and sounding as pleasant as always. As she had always wanted someone to be when in her presence.

She cleared her throat, “I’m fine.”

He took a few steps into her room, “You seem nervous. Are you sure you’re fine?”

She glanced nod, slowly nodding her head, strands of her strawberry blonde hair dangled in her face. Her fingers touched it, and she smiled. Her hair, among other things, made her feel safe.

“Amelia?”

His voice brought her back to reality, as their eyes met.

“Yes?” she asked.

“I asked if you were sure that you’re fine.”

“It is different being here, but I feel safer here than I have anywhere else. It gives off the feeling of home. Something I’ve never had,” she said, looking away from him as her eyes traced an outline of the room.

He replied, seeming pleased, “That is what we want, Amelia.”

She nodded, giving a half grin, “That’s what Jeffrey told me as he walked me inside,” she had been picked up from the train station, getting to ride in a limousine. That was something she had only dreamed of when she was younger, like getting picked up in a limo before being taken to prom with the hot high-school quarterback. But it had only been a dream until McIntosh came into her life.

“Good. Very good,” he said, “Well, would you like to know what we plan to do here?” She nodded as he said, “Follow me young lady.”

She did was she was asked, trying to ignore any thoughts or feelings she had for him, which all stemmed from what happened between Amelia and her foster father. She had grown accustomed to a yearning for older men. McIntosh was going to save her, and that made her want him even more.

And yet, all that want, led to nothing short of a nightmare.

A nightmare she could never forget. Or outrun. It followed her even after she left Trinity. She stuck to herself, refraining from ever engaging with anyone out in society. She no longer felt safe anywhere. Not even in her own apartment. She’d go to clubs like Scream. She’d listen to music and watch everyone dance from a distance, just so she could feel like a part of the world, somewhat.

She didn’t talk to anyone, until the night she ran into her old friend. From one of her foster homes. His name was Donald. She hugged him, feeling safe again, and that was why she left with him.

She blinked a few times. Her head pounded, and it hurt worse each time she blinked, but she continued, until everything unraveled and revealed itself. She didn’t know where she was, and that scared Amelia more than a lot of things she had endured in her life. Where she was, was cold. The ground was solid concrete. She looked down at her knees, which both stung. Her pants were ripped, like her skin. She touched the dried blood, and imagined herself being thrown to the ground, or falling. She couldn’t help but think it was the former rather than the latter.

She questioned where she was, as she tried to climb to her feet, but she fell back to the ground. She tried once again, this time successfully, although barely. Her bones began to pop, while it began to feel as if someone was grinding gravel on the inside of her head. She leaned over, as she tried to piece the fragments together, failing miserably in the process. She couldn’t remember a damn thing really from the night before.

She was at Club Scream.

She stared down at the floor, doing her absolute best to keep herself held up as all a rather miserable feeling began to rise from her stomach, beginning to burn her throat and tongue before becoming a disgusting addition to the floor. Amelia felt herself grow weak as her arms gave out, just as her legs did. She fell face first into her own thick sickness. She lifted her head, weakly calling out for help, hoping that someone would come save her from drowning in her own vomit.

She turned her head to the side as the gravel grinding escalated. She opened her mouth, begging for help, feeling paralyzed all over. She search for anyone and everyone, even a god, asking why this was happening to her, and then she remembered something.

Or someone.

Donnie.

But…but he wasn’t Donnie.

Was he?

They had left Scream, and they went for a walk. They talked for what felt like hours. He seemed dreamy. She got thirsty and he asked her out to a drink. They went to bar. It was crowded, she remembered as other memories came rushing back to her, and they got a table. They talked before he ordered drinks for them. She wanted a Vodka tonic. She excused herself to the bathroom. She remembered staring at herself in the mirror. There was a glimmer of a smile.

She should have known it was too good to be true.

When she returned to the table, their drinks were there. They drank, and they talked, and soon the room began to spin. She remembered telling Donnie she didn’t feel so good. He helped her out of the bar and walked with her through the night. The more the memories returned, the sicker she felt.

She recalled his vehicle, and how he helped her inside. She remembered saying, “Thank you Donnie…”

And what did he say, she asked herself.

Then she remembered.

“My name’s not Donnie,” and then he slammed the door to his vehicle, before she slumped over, everything fading to black.

As black as the room she was in. Except the glimmer of light shining in from the under the door. Her surroundings were becoming clearer. The light showed her the peeled flesh of her knees. She wanted to know where she was, and why. She wanted to know who the man was, too.

She knew he was a liar.

All thoughts of him disappeared when she heard the sound of a lock being undone. The door opened, more light filled the room, as two other men stood in the doorway. They were dressed in all white. They were orderlies as far as she could tell.

And a rush of fear like she had never felt before, coursed through her like blood in her veins. That was when she saw him.

She hated it, but Amelia couldn’t help but say his name, “McIntosh…”

“Good evening my dear. It is so good to see you,” he said, stepping into the room with her.

“Why…why…how…?”

He shook his head, “No need to worry, dear Amelia.” She had heard him say that before, and she knew she didn’t need to believe him. That she would be a fool if she did. Just as she was a fool for believing the man who more than likely brought her here, to be Donnie. She cursed herself, before shaking her head, knowing she had been cursed her entire life.

______________________________________

November 2019

Chris Lawrence sat in an interrogation room, one of the many that littered the New York Police Department. He was still trying to wrap his mind around what had happened. He saw James. At least, he thought he saw him. Spoke to him. His world unraveled before his very eyes, when James tossed his cell phone down on the table as they stood in the coffee shop.

His lie became truth. An exposed truth that he couldn’t run from. When he saw the blue lights circling around and around outside the shop, he knew there was nowhere he could go. He had been caught. He was going to lose everything, but most importantly, he was going to lose his family. He knew he’d no longer see his wife, or his two daughters. He would make a lot of enemies within his little network of child porn loving freaks. Something told him McIntosh wasn’t going to be happy, either.

He released a deep sigh before Chris looked around the room. His eyes grazed the walls. Everything was gray. There was no black and white, unlike his situation. He knew right from wrong. There was going to be no middle ground. He was stuck and Chris fucking knew it.

Chris rested his head down on the table he had been placed at, his hands bound to the table, as shackles wrapped around his wrists. He was a caged animal, trapped, and that wasn’t any different than what his life had been for quite some time. Ever since he came onboard with whatever pie Isaac had his fingers in.

As he rested his head down, he didn’t pray. He just stared. On the outside of the room stood Detective Bram Theron. He stared at the man who was around his age. Chris Lawrence. Bram watched, studying how nervous Chris looked. He wanted him to feel just that, if not so much more. He wanted Chris to feel far worse. Bram felt the man deserved that. The reason the Department had been looking into him was bad enough, but what was found on his phone placed him into the category of a piece of fucking shit. A piece of fucking shit Bram didn’t feel an ounce of sympathy for.

He stepped inside the interrogation room. Chris lifted his head up from the table and they locked eyes immediately. “Comfortable?” Bram asked, tossing a file down on the table.

Chris cleared his throat of something rather nasty sounding. “Does it matter.”

“Not fucking really if I’m being honest.” Bram stated before taking a seat. He kept his eyes on the man hand delivered to him by none other than James Evans. Thinking of James, Bram couldn’t help but think of their conversation not that long ago.

“Hello?”

“Bram?”

His eyes back and forth, his mind trying to figure out the voice. “Yes. Who is this?”

The person at the other end cleared their throat, probably as unsure as he was. “This is James. James Evans.”

Hearing the name caused a small weight to slowly lift off him. He exhaled deeply. “Hello, James.”

“Didn’t catch you at a bad time, did I?”

“Not at all. I can’t sleep.”

He heard a small chuckle on the other end as James said. “I know the feeling, trust me.”

“Well, what can I do for you?”

He heard James sigh. “I’m ready to talk.”

Bram released a heavy sigh, stepping off the treadmill he had been on at the time of the call. “I’m ready to listen.”

“Before I tell you anything, I need to know if you have any real leads on the case of Amelia Jenkins.”

“Why should I tell you?”

“Because I think we can help each other out, quite a bit.”

“Alright. I’ll bite. Let’s say we do have a lead. How are you going to help me?”

He heard James sigh. “I think we’re looking at the same person. I just need to be sure. And if we are, I can get you closer to him. And not only him but finding out where Amelia is.”

“Fair enough, but you didn’t hear this from me.”

“Not a problem.”

“We’re looking at someone named Chris Lawrence. He was the last person seen with Amelia the night of her disappearance.” Silence fell between them. Bram wasn’t going to let it last. He was too eager. “Do you know something, James? I need to know.”

“I’ll say we are looking in the same direction.”

“How can you get me closer?”

“I’m not sure, but I’m willing to try, if you’re willing to work together.”

“This isn’t some movie, James.”

“I never said it was.”

“Do you think this has something to do with Trinity?”

James sighed again. “I’ve not had a doubt since I found out what was going on.”

“So, I need to know how you’re going to get me closer.”

“Do you have an address for this guy?”

“I do.”

“Then we can start there.”

Bram went to give the information, before stopping himself. He couldn’t believe what he was doing. He took a deep breath, taking a minute to himself. “How do you know, Chris.”

“I know him because it seems he’s coming after me.”

The memory faded as Bram refocused his mind and attention on Chris, who sat before him in the flesh.

“So, where do we get to the point that you offer me a deal?” Chris asked.

Bram shook his head. “That’s not what I do. At least, not at this point in time.”

“Why is that?”

“I’ve not decided if I like you yet, Chris.”

Chris sighed as he leaned back in his seat, as far as the chains would allow, “What can I do to get you to like me?”

“You can tell me where Amelia Jenkins is.”

“Not sure I follow.”

“Sure, you do.” Bram stated, before opening the file, pulling out photos he had pulled from security cameras. “These photos show you and a missing person leaving Club Scream together. Based on the information my Department has received, you were the last person to see her. So…” Bram smirked and shrugged. “Tell me where she is.”

Bram could see a shift in Chris’ eyes. He was trying to stay confident, but whatever cocky façade he had been presenting thus far, it was crumbling around him. Bram figured he saw the walls closing in, and he was grasping to whatever straw he could to stay afloat.

“You really don’t have any options here, Chris.”

“I don’t know?”

Bram removed the cell phone found with Chris at the coffee shop after James’ tip. Bram looked into Chris’ eyes and everything went flatline. “This right here is your damnation.”

“I…” Chris’ voice broke. “I don’t know what that is.”

“Oh yes you do. It has your fingerprints all over it, my man.” Bram said, taking another look at the phone as it rested in a plastic baggie. “And the contents of it…” he sighed as he shook his head. “Could send you away for a long, long time. Add your fetish for child porn to Amelia’s case, and you might as well call yourself fucked up beyond all recognition.”

“I don’t like child porn!” Chris said, a mixture of anger and sad desperation in his voice.

“That’s not the way it looks on your phone.”

“I get paid a lot of money to sell that stuff. I don’t enjoy it.”

“Oh, so you’re just in it for the money?”

Chris looked down, shaking his head. That desperation seemed to grow. “Yes.”

“So, there’s more people involved?”

“Yes.”

Bram leaned back in his chair and grinned, letting out a mocking chuckle. “Now, this is where we could talk about a deal, but you’re not telling me what I want to know.”

“You don’t understand. You could get rid of so many people. Get them off the streets.”

“You don’t understand, Chris. Perverts…sick fucks who get into this shit…. they are a dime a dozen. They show up every single day. Not matter how many I stop, there will be more. I’m not saying I wouldn’t mind putting them behind bars, but right now, I need to know about Amelia Jenkins.”

“I don’t know anything.”

“Yes, you do.”

“No, I don’t.” Chris said, basically pleading.

“I know you do.”

“No, I….”

Bram slammed his fist down on the table, causing Chris to jump a bit. He wondered if James would have liked that. He seemed like the kind of guy who enjoyed putting fear into the so-called bad guys of the world. If he didn’t, then why would he have offered to help in the first place. “Yes…you do.” He said with a hiss, as he stared at Chris coldly.

Chris exhaled deeply, cupping his hands together, avoiding eye contact as he replied. “What sort of deal can you get me?”

Before anything else could be said, the door opened. A hefty looking man stepped inside, glaring at Bram. “Have you been harassing my client?”

Bram knew the score. “Not at all. Your client was asking me about a deal.” He didn’t know who the attorney was, but he could already tell he didn’t like him. He could just sense the sleaze within. He looked at Chris, speaking before he stepped out of the room. “If you do want to talk without this apparent asshole…” he paused, removing a card from his wallet and sliding it across the table. “Call me.” He walked out of the room, knowing exactly what was about to happen, and there was nothing he could do about it. He told himself he wasn’t going to go easy on Chris.

Bram felt he owed it to Amelia.

That he owed it to James.

______________________________________

December 1st, 2019

Clarity

I failed again. Goddamnit, I failed again. James Evans thought to himself, as he lied, practically motionless in the ring. He heard boos and chants of “Bullshit.” He wanted to smile at that, knowing he had the full support of the SCW universe, but it hurt to move. He felt like he had been hit with everything that everyone else had, before Sienna sealed his fate with the Kiss of An Angel.

“James, don’t think that way. You were robbed. Not only did you get jumped by a majority of the fucking roster.” He heard Abel say, as the head they shared throbbed. The pain only grew when he heard “The Authority Song” blaring through the sound system. It was Kellen Jeffries, and all James could do was sigh.

“…It was all fair game.” He told Abel as he slowly began to open his eyes. Everything started to spin and continued to do so, until he managed to focus his eyes on the ceiling and arena lights.

“Doesn’t matter, James. You were robbed. You were jumped by a majority of the roster. And then that piece of human shit, Cannon came out of nowhere, attacking you from behind like the coward that he is. And let’s not forget that Syren came back just to distract you. You add all that up, James. It shows you were screwed. You probably have more reason to bitch than Sienna does.” Abel fired back. His anger and frustrated only caused James to feel more like a failure, something he didn’t enjoy in the least.

“…It was all fair game, Abel.” He repeated, as he felt his body beginning to slowly stir. “Doesn’t matter if I was robbed or not. Doesn’t matter if a huge chunk of the roster got their shots in. It doesn’t matter if Cannon showed up when he wasn’t supposed to be there. Syren coming back in, distracting me…in a way, I deserved it.” He said, as he heard Kellen talking about his Trios contract. He could hear Sienna whining and bitching as usual. He wanted to let Abel loose to break her jaw, but instead…

“You…wait…what?” Abel questioned, and James could sense the confusion, telling him that Abel wasn’t in the mindset to cause any harm.

“I deserved it.” He repeated.

“Why do you think you deserve it?” Abel asked. James looked over and saw him lying to his left, a worn look on his scarred face.

“I paid for the crime you committed. When you tampered with the Chamber. I had to pay for that, Abel. Not you. Me.” He said, feeling exhausted and worn like Abel’s face.

“I told you why I did that.”

“And I get it. I really do. I made mention of it when I cut my promo. I spoke your thoughts and feelings into existence, letting the world know.” James said, slowly rolling over. Abel followed suit. Everyone else was making their way to the back. They were just the last in the ring, as the crowd began to make their way out of the stands.

As they made their way to the back, Abel who had been silent as they walked up the ramp, started to speak once again, frustration burning within his words, “And the world believed you were robbed! Did you not hear that crowd? They booed the shit out of Sienna. They booed the fact you didn’t win. That arena rocked with that “Bullshit” chant. If Sienna continues as Champion, I have no doubt this place will shut the fuck down.”

“It doesn’t matter, Abel. It really doesn’t. I failed. I couldn’t beat her. You couldn’t beat her. We…we couldn’t beat her. That is the end all, be all.” James said with a disappointing sigh.

Abel shook his head, “James, you have another chance though. We have another chance. Did you not hear that fucker Kellen make his announcement? The end of the year show. Anyone and everyone can get a shot.”

He sighed again. “Yeah, I heard it despite having my fucking head rocked, Abel. But, it doesn’t matter. I don’t see the point.”

“The point is becoming SCW World Champion. The thing you’ve wanted to do since you returned. I know you have. We share the same brain, and there are some thoughts and feelings that are just too strong to be kept a secret.”

James said nothing.

“James…”

Nothing.

“James…”

Still nothing.

“Are you not going to say anything?” Abel bellowed.

James groaned. “I just want to get the fuck out of here and away from this goddamn ring. I failed. That feeling makes me sick to my stomach.”

“You have a chance coming up in a few weeks to make things right.”

“Feels like it’d be a waste of time.” James said, his own words filling with frustration.

“Why?”

They drew closer to the locker room. The frustration remained, growing the longer the conversation continued. “Just look at it. Sasha is doing all she can to ensure Sienna remains strong. On paper, she outlasted three of the top superstars in the company. On paper, if she wins at the End of the Year special, then she is the very best this company has to offer and there is no one who can stand up to her. There is no one who can dethrone her. She put you and I in a situation where half the roster wanted our head. They got their pound of flesh. Sasha didn’t have to let that happen. Cannon showing up…she could have put a stop to it, but she didn’t. For all the bitching Sienna does, Sasha seems to be on her side, even if neither of them realize it, or want to admit it.”

“And maybe you’re right James but that doesn’t mean we give up. We have to keep fighting. We can do this. We can topple Sienna and even Sasha if necessary.”

“I’m not giving up. It’s called acceptance.” James said as they stepped inside the locker room.

“I refuse to believe that is how you really feel, James.”

And he grew silent once more.

“James.” Abel did not however.

And the silence remained.

“James! James! James!” He heard Abel yell, scream, and roar over and over, until he too, became silent. He felt bad, but he was also tired. Not worn down from the matches, though those were exhausting as well. There was something else that had him feel worn down. He wasn’t sure what it was at the moment, but something told him that whatever it was, it’d rear its ugly head sooner rather than later.

With everything going on, the feud with Sienna and Syren. The fight against Trinity. The mind games it seemed McIntosh was trying to play. Abel taking matters into his own hands. Things seemed to be a bit too much for James, and all he wanted right then was to find peace, something he felt in the arms of his wife, who met him in the middle of the locker room, as she wrapped herself around him. He hugged her back, pulling her in as close as he could, as he didn’t want to squeeze too tightly, as she was pregnant with their first child.

“Are you okay, babe?”

“I am now.” He said, removing his head from her shoulder and pressing his lips to her forehead, then to her own lips. “Sorry you had to see me get my ass kicked.”

“Don’t say that, James. Give yourself some credit. You were fighting an army if you ask me. And you handled yourself pretty damn well.” His wife said, full of fire and vigor. He told himself he should have known better than to sell himself short. She wouldn’t stand for it.

“I appreciate it babe.” He said, pulling away as he began to remove his gear. His body ached and muscles felt like they had been ripped apart as he did so.

“You’re going to need to relax for a few days babe. You look beat up.”

“I am beat up.” He said, with a slight wince as he sat down to remove his boots. “I don’t think a few days will cover me. I need to rest for months I think.” He had been going for over a full year. Something he knew no one would give him credit for due to his past. He also knew that was how the SCW roster was. You do one thing and they would cling to that notion, to milk it well past its expiration date. He couldn’t help but think of Sienna, Syren, and Sasha for a few moments after that thought, before he sighed and shook his head. “Let me grab a shower and we will get out of here.”

“Okay babe. Take your time. I’ll just sit here with the baby.” Braelynn said, rubbing her stomach. He helped her sit as he slowly stood up. He went to the locker room door and made it was securely locked. He took another look at his wife and smiled, knowing she loved him as much as he loved her. That love was something he would die to protect.

And with the way Infamous, and Beauty Factory were, he wasn’t about to take any chances. If either side did anything to hurt her, James knew he wouldn’t give a shit about rules, or laws. He knew Abel would have to talk him down instead of vice versa.

He also knew that was a line he had never crossed, but he would if need be. As he turned the water on, he couldn’t help but shudder at how badly that thought frightened him.

______________________________________

December 1st, 2019

New York City, New York

Chris Lawrence sat in his house. A home he once felt to be beautiful, but as he sat there, there was no beauty to it. It was completely dark and empty. His family was gone. Only his wife waited for him for when he returned from the NYPD.

He sat in a chair, a gift from his father, as Chris drank what was left of a bottle of gin. He wanted to do anything and everything to get rid of the pain as well as the embarrassment he felt. The failure that flowed through him. The memory of what he knew to be the last time he’d see his wife, began to play through his mind as I put the bottle to his lips.

She was already packing a bag when he stepped into the house. He saw luggage in the foyer. He could hear her crying and slamming dresser drawers as he made his way to their upstairs bedroom. Mascara covered tears stained his wife’s face. He knew he had done so much more than let her down. Chris didn’t think there was any way to truly define what he had done to her. To their family. He repeated those words in his mind as he took another drink.

It took her a few minutes to finally realize he was there. She happened to look to her right, catching him as Chris stood in the doorway.

“Hi.” He said. He went to take a step forward, but she stood straight up. He could see her entire body as it trembled, so he stopped, remaining outside the room.

Victoria wiped her eyes and her cheeks, but it was no use. The tears continued. She spoke between sobs. “Is that all you can honestly say? Hi? That’s all you can fucking muster?”

He looked down, but she wasn’t finished. “No!” She shouted, causing him to look back up. “You don’t get to look down and have a goddamn pity party! You did this! To us! To our family!”

“I know.” He managed to say. “I know. Just as I know there is nothing, I can do to fix this.”

“You’re fucking right about that, Chris!” Victoria screamed before returning to packing. He could tell she was beginning to struggle, and for some stupid reason, he felt a glimmer of hope. That maybe she would give him another chance. She threw more clothes into the suitcase she had placed down on the bed, before she stopped. It seemed she grew weak. She began to sob more. Chris just stood there, not sure of what to do. Not sure if there was anything that he could do.

“Can you tell me why you did this, at least? And don’t you dare say you did it for our family…” She said, with a hiss in between her sadness.

“But that’s exactly why I did it, Victoria.” He said, finding the strength to slowly step into the room. She glanced at him sideways. It was a wild, vicious look so he kept his distance. “I wasn’t making shit at my regular job. And we all have to live such luxurious lifestyles.” Chris stated, feeling an anger rising within.

“Don’t you put any sort of blame on us.” She said, pushing herself up from her suitcase. “I have told you to stay home with us. I have told you that we didn’t have to live here in this neighborhood. In this overly fucking expensive house. You wanted it! You asked for it! This…” She said as she spun around with her arms up, as if she was putting everything on display. “It has been for you.”

“I can’t believe you’d say that after all I did for you. For our girls. I wanted you all to have all you ever wanted. Just as I wanted the same for myself.”

“Yeah and look how you fucking achieved that.” Victoria stated, rolling her eyes. “You sold child pornography, Chris! We have children of our own! And now, our children have to go to school, with the world knowing what you did! You have no idea the damage you have fucking caused! You are beyond a selfish asshole.” She said, grinding her teeth, before closing her suitcase. She jerked it off the bed and stormed passed him. He followed as they went downstairs.

“Where are you going to go?” He asked.

“It doesn’t matter. You’re not going.” She fired back.

“I deserve to know where my children are going!” he shouted as they reached the floor.

She turned to him, nothing but disgust in her eyes. “The minute you chose doing what you did over spending time with your family…they were no longer your children.”

“You don’t get to say that.” He said, trying to hold it together. “You don’t get to say that!” Chris shouted once again, driving his fist into the wall.

“I can say whatever the hell I want, Chris. You don’t get to tell me what to do anymore. You ruined this. You did this to us. Remember that!” He went to speak once again, but couldn’t find the strength, nor the words. He sat on the bottom step and watched as she went in and out of the house, carrying the luggage. And then, she stood before him one last time. They locked eyes. He remembered the exact moment he fell in love with her. He wanted to smile, but couldn’t, as he knew he was losing it. She finally broke eye contact, looking down. She fumbled with her keys for a few moments. She sniffled and wiped snot from her nose as well as tears from her eyes, before she uttered her last words. “I hope it was worth it.”

Once again, he went to speak, but there were no words. He found no strength. All he could do was watch her leave. He wanted to tell her it wasn’t worth it. That he wished he would have said no to Isaac. That he would have said no to McIntosh. He wanted to go back, but he knew he couldn’t.

Chris went back upstairs, entering each bedroom. He’d flip on each light, half expecting his daughters to be in their rooms, listening to music or reading, but they weren’t there. He remembered how excited they were when they first moved into the house. They came from a small place, so the idea of having their own room made them ecstatic. He watched them grow up in the house. Memories flooded his mind, before he left and went into the room he shared with Victoria. He rested his head on her pillow as he lied down on her side of the bed. He breathed in her familiar smell, telling himself that if he didn’t go to jail which he knew to be highly unlikely, he’d never wash the sheets, so he never lost her scent. He pressed his face into her pillow and that was when he began to cry.

He screamed and he cried.

He blamed himself.

He blamed McIntosh.

He blamed Isaac.

He blamed James Evans.

He hated them, just as he hated himself. He told himself they needed to pay. They had to pay. He pushed himself up from the pillow, gasping for a deep breath, as he told himself that he’d kill them. And then himself, because without his family, his life had no purpose.

He didn’t want to go to prison, even though he knew he deserved far worse.

“No!” He shouted, as he pushed himself up from the bed. “They deserve it!” He no longer blamed himself. Only them.

Only them.

They pushed him to do those things. They preyed upon his weaknesses, knowing he needed money. Yes, Chris’ brain screamed. It is their fault! The thoughts thundered in his mind, before he dropped to his knees, and began to violently wail.

He wasn’t sure when he finally made his way back downstairs, but when he did, he found the bottle of gin and the chair. He had not moved from his seat. All he did was drink and think. He thought of his family, and he thought of ways to make everyone pay.

And then he heard a knock at his front door. His mind switched from thoughts of vengeance, to thoughts of fear. He didn’t budge, but the second knock caused him to jump and all most drop the bottle. He managed to get his feet and took another swig or two before slowly making his way to the door, as another knock came. He took a few deep breaths before opening before a fourth knock occurred.

Chris locked eyes with the person on the other side, and he couldn’t help but feel his thoughts of vengeance were for naught. But there was a reason to feel fear.

“Lance…” He said, the name barely escaping his lips.

Lance, his scarred face illuminated by the light of the moon, nodded. “Chris.”

“Is everything alright?”

“McIntosh sent me over. Says we needed to talk and get things going for the next job.” Chris didn’t know how to act, but before he knew it, Lance made his way into the house. “Well since you’re not going to say anything. McIntosh wants to know where you are in the job pertaining to James Evans.”

Chris took another sip of gin. No, not a sip. A gulp. “Are you serious? There is no job, man.”

They had walked into the living room by then. Lance turned and faced him. “What do you mean?”

“Have you not heard? I was arrested a few days ago. Because of the shit with that Amelia bitch.”

“How were you caught?”

Chris shook his head. “James fucking Evans.” He said, exasperated. “He ratted me out. And let’s not leave out the fact that they found my phone with evidence connected to my old job before McIntosh showed up in my life.”

“I see.” Lance nodded. “I can see how that would put a damper on things.”

“How did you not know? Its been all over the fucking news.”

Lance sighed. “We have other things to attend to than having to babysit our employees.” Silence fell between them for a few moments. “What did you say about Amelia?”

“I couldn’t say shit. They had pictures of me walking out of Club Scream with her. According to their narrative, I was the last person to be seen with her.”

“Did you make any mention of McIntosh?”

“No. A lawyer showed up before I could really say anything.”

“A lawyer?” Lance asked, sounding slightly puzzled.

“Yeah a lawyer. Which I found funny because I didn’t…” Chris knew before he finished the statement. He didn’t see it the night at the precinct. He was too rattled, just as he had been rattled up until that point. He said nothing else. He took another swig of gin. He knew there’d be no vengeance. There’d be nothing else.

There was no other reason to be rattled.

All he could do was find acceptance.

______________________________________

December 5th, 2019

New York City, New York

James looked around. He was home, but not his home with Braelynn. Home where he grew up. It was warm and welcoming. Just the way he always wanted it to be. He made his way up the front steps and knocked on the door. It wasn’t long before he heard footsteps edging closer. The blinds on the other side moved, before the door opened.

“Hi, Mom.” He said, with a smile appearing across his face.

“Good morning, baby boy.” His mother said, one hand on the doorknob, the other on her hip as her fingers clutched a dishrag. She used to always have something in her hand when she was healthy, because she was always busy cleaning up the chaos created by James and his siblings. “What brings you by?”

He nodded. “Can’t a guy just want to see his mother?”

“I didn’t say anything was wrong with it. I just remember the last time you were around, you ended up embracing Abel.”

“How did you know that?”

She cackled and shook her head, playfully. “Son, this is all for you. This is your head. The pockets of your mind…all those memories…they interact. We know all.” She said, making a mocking face at him.

He nodded again. “Well, can you be more than a memory? Can’t you just be my mom for a little bit?” She pulled him in close as they hugged. She didn’t feel like a memory. She felt real. She felt like the home he always wanted to know as a kid. “I missed you.” He found himself saying, as he hugged her just a little tighter.

“You know you don’t have to ask that. I’ll always be your mom. As long as you keep me around.” She said, hugging him a little tighter as well. “And I missed you too, son.” Once their embrace ended, she smiled at him before motioning over her shoulder with the dishrag. “Come on in. I will make you something to eat. I was just cooking breakfast. I’m making pancakes.”

“I’d love to.” James said as he followed her inside. They ended up in the kitchen, where he sat at the kitchen table, he’d spend the first part of his morning when things were okay at the house. That was typically when his father wasn’t around. She made him a cup of coffee, and he listened to his mother sing like she used to before drugs took control.

Then they ate breakfast, exchanging stories of good memories from his childhood. They even made jokes about some of his father’s drunken escapades, which left James sort of wishing he and his mother had been able to do that in person instead of in his head. He felt they could have saved her by finding humor in the darkness of their situation.

And then silence fell between them for a few moments, as they finished up their meals. He helped her wash dishes, something he used to always do while growing up. Once they finished, they returned to the table, both nursing a fresh cup of coffee.

“So.” His mother said when silence showed up once again. “As your mother, I know there’s a reason you’re here. Its not like you to come around. Now,” She said, as she leaned forward in her seat. “Don’t get me wrong. I love the visits. I wish we had more of them, but your visits usually have a purpose. What’s the purpose of this one?”

He sighed. “You’re the way I remember you. You know that. The way I’ve always wanted you to be.” She smiled and nodded, as he continued. “I wish you could this way…not in here…” He said, pointing to the side of his head. “But in real life. Like I’d love to go see you in person, face to face, so I could look you in the eye and share something with you.”

“Why can’t you go see your mother outside of here? Outside of this world you’ve built to be perfect?” She asked.

James shrugged, as he didn’t think he had actually thought about it. “I don’t know. I’d say the only real answer is that I’m afraid of the way my mother would look. I don’t believe she’d look the way you do right now.”

“And why is that a problem? I know we said I wouldn’t be a memory, but at the end of the day James…that is all I am. I am what your mind wants your mother to be. You’ve always come to this place, or others like it, because you don’t want to face the harsh realities of the real world. Of your life.”

“I know. I know.” He said, nodding as he took a quick look down, repeating her words in his head. “I just don’t know…” James took a deep breath to clear his mind before continuing. “I just don’t know if I could handle seeing her in any condition other than this.” He said moving his hand up and down in front of his mother’s memory, as if he were showing her off.

She went to speak but he cut her off. “I just want her…” His voice broke for a few moments. He took another deep breath, once again to clear his mind and collect himself. “I just want her…” He looked up at her, locking eyes with her as he finished his statement. “To be you.”

She nodded. Grinning once again. “I will always be here. Just as I said I would. Even if the day comes that you want to go see your actual mother, I will still be here.”

“I know. I know.”

“So, you said there was something you’d want to share with your mother. What was it?”

James grinned, chuckling a little bit as he recalled the night Braelynn informed him of something, he felt had changed his whole outlook on life.

“Come on! I can tell by that smile it’s something big.” He heard her say, sounding as excited as he would want her to be.

“I’m going to be a father.” He said, as his lips formed a smile. Saying it out loud felt better than he could have imagined, and even sharing it with her, made it feel that much more.

He watched as tears welled up in his eyes. Her face grew red, as she began to fan her hand in front of her face. She laughed. It all felt so real. So perfect. “Oh, baby boy…” She said, before wiping tears from her cheeks. “I’m so proud of you. So happy for you both.”

She leaned forward and they hugged once again. James didn’t want it to end. He wanted it to be real. To be oh so real. “Thank you, Mom. I appreciate that more than you’ll ever know.”

Their embrace ended once again. She wiped her eyes a few more times, before smiling from ear to ear, like she was trying to keep herself from crying even more. She finally laughed. “Oh, I’m so happy. I always wanted to be a grandmother. What do you want her to call me? Maw Maw? Granny? Oh…” She said, making a sick face by sticking her tongue and playfully gagging. “That made me sound so old. And I’m not old.”

He shook his head as they shared a laugh. “No, you’re not Mom. You look as youthful as ever.” He said, as he remembered the days where he’d come home from school, and she’d be there happy as one could be in their situation, with freshly baked cookies or some other kind of treat. “How about Nana?”

“Nana?” She questioned, sounding as if she didn’t like it.

“Yeah, Nana.” He replied, with a nod.

She sighed, before moving her head from side to side, and shrugging. “It definitely beats Maw Maw or Granny. I think Nana is good. Yeah.” She said with a nod. “Nana is good. I’m sure it will grow on me. It has that potential.”

“Then it is settled.” He said, before a slight buzzing interrupted them.

She looked at him and sighed heavily. “I guess its almost time to go.”

He looked down, suddenly saddened. He cherished the moments with her, this way, and he always hated when they ended. “I believe so.” He said, as he locked up and they locked eyes once more. “I don’t like it.”

She shook her head. “Me either, son but from the sound of it…you have a lot going on in your life. You have a wife. You have a new baby to attend to, not to mention my other grand-baby…” She smiled at the thought before she continued. “You have to take care of what you have out there, away from all this.”

He nodded before climbing to his feet. “I know, I know. I just enjoy these moments.”

“As do I, son. Come back more often.”

“I will.” He said, before they hugged once more. He turned as the buzzing continued, growing louder with each passing moment. He exited the kitchen, and grabbed the front door, opening and stepping through. The light blinded him, so he blinked a few times, hoping to clear things up. As he did, the light dimmed, and he could open his eyes more. He continued to blink, as everything came into focus. He was no longer at his mother’s.

He was in Dr. Williamson’s office. She sat before him, arms crossed with a smile on her face. “Good afternoon, James.”

“Doc.” He said, with a nod.

“I see you were elsewhere.”

He nodded. “I was.”

Their eyes locked. “And why is that?”

“What do you mean?” He said, still trying to get adjusted to where he was. He didn’t even know he had an appointment today. He figured Abel made it or dragged them there at least.

She sighed. “I thought you had embraced Abel. Now it seems you’ve cut back on that, going back on your word to him.”

He looked down, knowing he had let Abel down, knowing Abel had told Williamson the same thing. He looked up and sighed as well. “I know what I said, and I have cut back on it. But Abel has done the same thing.”

“Oh.” She said, sounding slightly surprised. He figured Abel kept that detail out of his narrative. “Is that a fact?”

“It is actually.” He replied.

“Do tell.”

James cleared his throat. “He’s been taking over the driver’s seat, forcing me out of it, doing things we’ve not agreed on. Like this whole fucking mess with Trinity, McIntosh, and Amelia.”

“He is very passionate about that based on what he’s told me.”

“What else has he told you?”

“Not important, right now.” She said, placing her chin in the palm of her hand as her elbow rested on the armchair. “Tell me more.”

He scoffed. “Alright. A guy came up to us at the gym I train at. He talked about being a big wrestling fan. It was weird, but I can appreciate someone being a wrestling fan and asking to be trained. It happened to me.” He stated in reference to his relationship with wrestling legend, Josh Hudson. “Turns out this guy was the last person to be seen with Amelia. Abel believes the guy is working for McIntosh in some way.”

“And was he?”

“Yes. According to Abel, at least.”

“Have you told the police? What about Detective Bram?”

James shrugged. “I don’t know what Abel has told that guy. I’ve not had any part of it. Something tells me…Abel being Abel…he’s not said a word. He has this idea in his mind that he is going to take McIntosh down by himself. And he wants me to come along for the ride.”

“Are you going to do so?”

James exhaled deeply and shook his head slightly. “I don’t know to be honest. There’s a lot I’m not sure about. That is why I took some time to myself I guess you could say.”

“Sounds like Abel’s been pretty head strong about a lot of things, while you just want to relax more or less.” She said. James nodded, and Williamson made some notes. “Have you shared this with Abel by chance?”

James couldn’t help but shake his head again, letting out a little chuckle. “I don’t think it honestly makes a difference. He followed the guy to a coffee shop. Confronted him and everything. He even talked to Bram, letting him know where they were going to be. When I came to, Abel and I were across the street. I watched this guy get arrested and tossed into the back of a cop car. Abel said he was doing the right thing.”

“Do you feel he was?”

“In a way, yes. But,” James added. “It doesn’t mean I want to be part of it.”

“You were very adamant about going against McIntosh. About going against Trinity. Why the sudden change?” Williamson asked, as James noticed a slight hint of confusion on her face.

“It was before people…former patients…started to go missing. It was before…” He looked down for a few moments. Thoughts of worst-case scenarios ran through his mind. Thoughts he shook his head to get rid of. “It was before I found out my wife was pregnant.”

“First off.” Williamson stated. “Let me say congratulations. That is fantastic news. And.” She continued. “In saying that, I have to agree that type of news would change the entire dynamic of it.”

“I just wish Abel would see it the same way.”

“Does Abel know your wife is pregnant?”

He nodded. “Yes, he does.”

“Have you ever considered that this may be the only thing he feels is his. Or that you two can share? I mean, wouldn’t that make sense?”

“I get that but if something happens to me in his pursuit of Trinity, of McIntosh then that means something happens to me. It seems he’s flirting with danger and isn’t really paying attention to the bigger picture in that regard.” He fired back, before looking down and releasing another sigh. “This was supposed to be a mutual thing between Abel and I. But, because one doesn’t agree with the other, we take the driver’s seat from one another. Old habits truly die hard, I guess.”

“It seems you two share a common theme with most relationships during an argument.”

“What do you mean?”

She grinned. “Take my brother and I for example.” She began. “We got along great for the most part, like you and Abel seemed to have been doing. At least in the beginning of this. But like my brother and I, when one didn’t see the other’s side on a certain matter, we stood divide. Just like you and Abel.”

“You’re right. We do get along great when we agree on things. But when we do not, well…” James shrugged. “You can see what happens. We’re divided, even if we want the same thing. We just want to go about it in different ways.”

“So, you do want to see Trinity fall?”

“Yes, I do. But I don’t want to go around, coordinating with cops and confronting people. I’d rather handle all this in the courts if possible. I’d rather it be done in a legitimate way.”

“And Abel doesn’t see it that way.”

“No, he doesn’t. He would rather go off and take matters into his own hands. Like he is some sort of damned vigilante.” James said, shaking his head. “Hell, his attitude…our little quarrel has carried over into my wrestling career?”

“Oh?” She asked.

“Yes. I don’t expect you to know what I’m talking about…”

“I’ll do my best.”

“Fair enough. Abel tampered with a cage, and during the match, the cage came open and one of my opponents got injured. It could have been worse.”

“Why do you think Abel did that?”

“I know why he did it. Neither of us can stand the opponent who fell out of the cage. Or the other person he intended to injure. We can’t stand them, but I don’t agree with his methods.”

“Does Abel know this?”

“Yes.” He said with a heavy sigh. “But like I said, I don’t think it makes a difference. And honestly, there is a part of me that could care less to fight him on this or that. I’m just tired.”

“Tired of Abel?”

He shook his head. “No. I’m just tired of fighting with him. I want to keep him around. Hell, I’m tired of trying to get rid of him. He always comes back. But, I’m just tired of fighting him about every fucking thing. Be it in wrestling or be it with dealing with Trinity.”

She looked at James for a few moments, like she was trying to get a read on him. She nodded before speaking. “I want to ask you something, James and please be as honest as possible. Okay?”

“I’ve been honest.”

“Just promise me.”

He sighed. “I promise.”

“Have you told Abel about this whole ‘I’m tired’ mentality?”

James paused for a few moments. He recalled how he wanted to tell Abel the night of Clarity. How he wasn’t sure he wanted to continue wrestling anymore. How he wasn’t sure if he wanted them to continue going after McIntosh. How he just wanted some sort of peace and quiet. But he didn’t say a word. James exhaled deeply once again. “No. I haven’t.”

“Don’t you think it would be worth a conversation, James?”

James just stared at her, not sure of what to say. Or if he wanted to say anything else at all, because deep down, he felt he knew what he had to do. He also knew Williamson had a soft spot in her heart for he and Abel, but more for Abel. In the end, he let out a soft sigh. “Time’s up.”

______________________________________

December 16th, 2019

New York City, New York

Abel paced back and forth in the basement of James’ home, his fingers clutching the phone, trying to squeeze it until it broke, but he maintained his composure. “So, what are you telling me, Bram?”

He heard Bram Theron sigh, before the young detective managed to reply. “It means we are going to have to start from ground zero, James. I hate to be the one to break this to you, but it is what it is. I’m not fucking happy about it, either.”

Abel looked down, growing silent for a few moments. He repeated the news to himself, images flashing in his mind. Chris Lawrence had gone missing. At the moment, there looked to be no sign of foul play. The man’s family had left him after they discovered his dark secrets. Police were stating he fled the country to avoid any sort of prison time based on his crimes.

“So, you weren’t able to keep him after everything I told you? The stuff he mentioned in regard to Amelia?” he asked.

The detective sighed again. “I should have met up with you to get you to wear a wire, James. I have to own up to that. It was my fuck-up. Had we done that, we may be having a different conversation.”

“And what about the child porn on that fucker’s phone?” Abel said, raising his voice. He took a deep breath, hoping to calm himself. He felt he was so close to a victory against McIntosh, but based on the phone conversation, it seemed it was all being ripped from him.

“I was in the process of talking to him about cutting a deal, but his lawyer showed up. I got kicked out of the room. Rules and laws are just that. Rules and laws. I must abide by them as much as possible.”

“But you use me to get to Chris?”

“I was out of line, James. I’m sorry. I know my apology means dick to you. I know you want to bring this place, Trinity the fuck down. I do too, especially if they have any involvement with Amelia’s disappearance. But right now,” Bram sighed again. Abel pictured him sitting in his office, paperwork stacked to the ceiling, as the young detective buried his face in his free hand. “My hands are fucking tied.” Abel looked down, finding himself squeezing the phone once again. “Are you there, James?”

Abel sighed. “Yeah, I’m here. Just…um…” He paused, recalling a conversation with James from earlier before he continued. “Just let me know if there is anything else that I can do to help, alright?”

“I will do. Hey James…”

“Yeah?”

“Be careful out there, okay?”

“Will do.” Abel said before ending the call. He stood there, wanting to curse out loud, wanting to punch anything and everything that he could find in the basement, but instead, he did nothing. Braelynn was pregnant. He didn’t want to cause her any stress. Kelly was also upstairs. Katelyn had allowed her to come over. She seemed to be over the little fiasco from Kelly’s daycare during the summer when Abel attacked one of the other dads.

At least one of us gets what they want, James…Abel thought to himself.

And then, James reclaimed the driver’s seat. Abel watched him look at his hand, slightly puzzled as he saw the phone. He heard him sigh before James put the phone in his back pocket and made his way upstairs, leaving Abel behind in the basement.

Abel remembered the night Giovanni Aries returned. Aries attacked he and James as they stood in the ring, challenging Syren along with the rest of Infamous to fight him in the ring. Aries took James’ weapon and struck him with it over and over. He recalled how livid he was when he returned to the locker room with James. James seemed indifferent.

“I cannot believe that son of a bitch is back!” Abel recalled shouting once the locker room door was closed. “I thought he was dead and gone after his little rah-rah speech after I mopped the floor with Damian Angel.”

James winced in pain as he took a seat next to the locker. “I knew he’d be back, Abel. We both did.” He groaned as he moved a little bit, trying to adjust himself on the seat. “And I know what you’re going to say. You’re going to say that I should have let you in the driver’s seat. That I should have let you handle things, and Abel…” James took a deep breath. “They are going to send some of the medics in here any minute now, so I want to get this out.”

“Get what out?” Abel asked, puzzled.

“Let me finish.” James took another deep breath, looking like he was doing his best to fight through the pain. “I know you’re going to tell me I should have done. Just save your breath, because I will go ahead, and fucking say it.” They locked eyes before he continued. “You were right, okay? You were fucking right.”

“We will know next time.” Abel said. “No worries.”

James shook his head, and his next words had not left Abel ever since he heard them. “There’s not going to be a next time.”

He recalled just standing there, feeling frozen in time. James slowly rose to his feet, before they stood nose to nose. “Don’t look at me like that, man.”

“What do you mean there won’t be a next time.”

James shrugged. “I’m tired, Abel. I’m tired of fighting. I truly am. That is why…all this…” He said, motioning towards the locker room, and his wrestling gear. “I want you to have it.”

“Have it?”

“Yes. I want you to have it. I want you to be able to wrestle. That match with Damian that you just mentioned…You did one hell of a job with it. I wasn’t there to hold you back. You were able to handle yourself quite well. And I know that you can do it again. Hell…we could have done even better at Clarity if I wasn’t there to fight with you over the driver’s seat. I knew there were things you wanted to, but I stopped them from happening. So, have this…You won’t have to worry about me interfering anymore.”

“And what do you get out of this, James?”

James sighed, looking down and nodding, before he replied. “I just want to be with my family.” He looked up and they locked eyes once more. “Just let me spend time with my family. That is all I want anymore, Abel. You can have this. This…this is all yours.”

“And what about the shit with Trinity? Have you forgotten that?”

James shook his head. “No, I haven’t. All I can say to that is…” There was a knock at the locker room door. “All I can say to that is that we will cross that bridge when, and if, we come to it.” He watched as James opened the door, allowing the medical team to enter the room, as the memory faded.

______________________________________

“Something smells good.” James said as he entered the kitchen from the basement. Braelynn was at the stove cooking. “What’s on the menu?”

She grinned. “Whatever craving me and the little one want.” She stated, rubbing her stomach. It was already beginning to grow, or as the doctors said…she was starting to show.

He leaned down, pressing his lips to his wife’s stomach, James couldn’t help but feel a sense of peace. Like there was happiness in the air, and he was able to breathe it in for the first time in a long time. He stood up and looked her in the eyes.  “Then I’m sure it’ll be great. As long as its not pickles and ice cream. My mother craved that when she was pregnant with my brother and sister.”

Braelynn laughed. “It definitely isn’t that. I’m making pasta.”

“I can handle that. I love pasta.”

“Plus.” She began with a smile. “We are going to have a guest.”

“We are?” He questioned.

She nodded, before looking at the time on her phone. “Yep, and they should be here any minute now.”

“Not going to tell me who it is?”

“That would ruin the surprise.”

He chuckled and shook his head. A few minutes went by before the doorbell rang. They locked eyes and she grinned once more, showing off the smile that had always warmed him. James made his way to the door, and looked through the peephole. A smile formed from his lips as he opened it. “Well, hello little miss. And hello to you too, Katelyn.”

Katelyn stood with their daughter, Kelly. “Good evening, James.” He invited them but all he got was a hug from Kelly. He scooped her up into his arms as they entered his home. “She’s been so excited today. Seeing you and Braelynn has been all she’s talked about.” Katelyn said as they made their way through the foyer and into the kitchen.

“Had I known you were coming little lady.” James began, as he and Kelly locked eyes. “I would have gotten a little more dressed up. I look like a slob.” He said, making a playful face.

Kelly rolled her eyes. “Daddy, you don’t look like a slob.”

“Well, that makes me feel better.”

“Hey Katelyn.” Braelynn stated as she turned away from the stove. “And how is my best friend?” She asked as Kelly wiggled free from James’ arms and ran over to Braelynn. They hugged. James watched as Kelly rubbed and kissed Braelynn’s belly.

“Hey, Brae. How are you?”

His wife exhaled. “I can already tell I’m losing my energy. I’m surprised I’m cooking right now. I usually want to lay on the couch all day.”

“I remember those days.” Katelyn stated with a slight chuckle.

James wanted to make a joke, but he didn’t. He wasn’t around for Katelyn when she was pregnant. He wished he had been, but he was absent more often than not, which was something he would never forgive himself for.

“Would you like to stay for dinner?” Braelynn asked of Katelyn, bringing him back into the room.

“Oh, I’d love to but I can’t. I promised Keira that I’d have some mommy-daughter time tonight. Thank you though.” She stepped forward, hugging Braelynn, then kneeling down and kissing Kelly. “You be good for Braelynn. You can do whatever when it comes to your dad.” She said, shooting James a mischievous grin. He gave her the middle finger, before she climbed to her feet, and asked James to walk her out. He followed her to the door when she turned to him. “Have you heard from Ace?”

“No. Why would I?”

“He’s been coming around a lot more. He’s even mentioned entering the battle royal.”

“That’s good. It’d be nice of him to actually wrestle.”

“I’m only saying so because from what I saw of the pay per view, things haven’t exactly changed between you two.”

He sighed. “That is one way to put it. But trust me when I say that I’d love nothing more than for the two of us to get along, at least for the girls.”

“I’d like that, too.” She said, before looking down. “Are you going to enter the battle royal?”

“Who knows?”

“I think you should. You’ve been so close and you’ve been robbed each time. I think you could get it this time.”

He smiled. “I appreciate it. I might. I might not. I’m not sure what will happen. Who knows where my mind will be at.” He said, as he glanced quickly to the left as he made eye contact with Abel, before looking down.

“Well if you do and if Ace does…try to play nice.”

“No promises.” He said, before they hugged and James opened the door for her. Once she was gone, he made his way back into the kitchen where Kelly was helping Braelynn make plates. He came in and helped as well. They had a nice dinner at the kitchen table, before they settled into the living room after cleaning up a bit. They watched a movie that Kelly picked out, before they just sat around, talking and laughing.

“I think its going to be a boy.” Kelly said, as she sat beside Braelynn, rubbing her belly.

“You do?” his wife asked.

His daughter nodded, excitedly. “Yes. There are too many girls. There’s my mom. There’s you, then me and my sisters. Its time for another boy.” She said, giving a slight giggle.

“I’d be alright with that.” James said, before pulling Kelly into his arms and tickling her, before kissing her on the forehead. “I am totally outnumbered.”

“You know you wouldn’t have it any either way.” Braelynn said, shooting him a grin. He grinned back, before going back to tickling Kelly, as he told himself his wife was right. He had enjoyed the evening, and not having to worry about anything related to wrestling, to Trinity, or even Abel. He was with his family, and he wouldn’t have it any other way.

______________________________________

Abel stood on the back deck of James’ home. He watched from the window as James ran around in circles with Kelly. He saw their smiles. Heard their laughter. It reminded him of the day he was able to spend with her for her birthday, when they played Batman and Robin before the buzzing in his head arrived, taking from him one of the few moments he had felt human up to that point.

He remembered how disappointed Kelly was that day, after Braelynn was able to calm her down. The whole ordeal terrified her at first. Looking at her now, Abel could tell she was far from disappointed. She had her father, and her father had her. Abel nodded, telling himself there was no real place in that world for him. It pained him to admit that James was right. He gave Abel the freedom to do whatever he wanted when it came to the wrestling. Giving James his family was more than a fair trade.

Besides, Abel told himself, as he looked away, he had more important things to attend to. He was good at wrestling. A lot better than he would have ever imagined. He was able to harness James’ violent nature, the reason for his birth, and he was able to control it in a way. He wasn’t as violent as he had been in 2016, but he hadn’t lost that killer instinct. He told himself that with the freedom James had gifted him, there was also a mission. A mission he had started leading up to Under Attack. A mission that would continue.

His train of thought was broken at the clicking sound coming from his right. The world outside had become gray, meaning James had shut him off completely, leaving Abel in the world he had built for him many, many years ago.

Looking to his right, Abel saw a face he didn’t expect to see. “Charles.”

James’ father grinned after pulling a cigarette from his face. His skin appeared to be cracked and torn in certain spots. “Hello, Abel.” He then looked over, peering through the window. “He really does have it all, doesn’t he?”

Abel replied, though hesitantly. “Yes, he does.”

Charles scoffed before taking another puff from his cigarette, as he turned to face Abel. “He never realized he had always had something good. It’s taken him his whole life to realize that.”

“What good did he have?” Abel asked, feeling himself growing defensive. “You took any bit of good from him, you fucking bastard.”

“He had you, didn’t he?”

“I was born because of you.”

“That you were.”

“Then why the fuck are you here, Charles?”

Charles took another puff of his cigarette. Some of the smoke filtered through the cracks and tears along the skin of his face. “I’m here because of you.” He pointing at Abel.

“And what do you want with me?”

“James has shut you out. He’s letting you run free as the wrestler, right?” Abel nodded, trying not to show how curious he was. “The mind you share with James, it has pockets. Those pockets are filled with memories. Those memories interact, like the rest of your mind, even when neither of you know it. And I happened to pick up something from your frequency so to speak.”

“And what was that?”

“That you have freedom. That you’re on a mission. I know all about missions. I used to be a soldier. Way before James was born. Had to kill some people, too. Fuck it was a lot of fun.” Abel knew their mind was pulling things that James had only heard about his father, but that didn’t mean it was any less tempting. “Shall I go on?”

“Why should I listen?”

“Seems you want to go to war. Hell, seems like you’ve been hungry for that opportunity, but James has kept you from it.”

“He has, but James has had good reason to do so. I’ve not always been the best when it comes to having certain freedoms.” Abel said, recalling the night he broke into Katelyn’s apartment. The things he had done to Amy. To Kennedy.

“I don’t believe that.”

“I’m not sure I should care what you believe, Charles.”

“I’m just letting you know I’m here. That’s all. Hell, maybe I can make some sort of fucking positive impact.” Charles said, taking another puff off his cigarette. He shrugged and walked away. Abel watched him as he ventured out into the grey, before turning to watch James continue playing with Kelly. They were taking turns kissing Braelynn’s stomach, and talking to the baby.

“You have your world, James. And now, I have mine.” Abel said, before turning away, going into the grey, going after Charles, not thinking about any sort of consequence or repercussions at the time. He told himself it was the beauty of freedom.

______________________________________

Promo

The view was black as the recording began to play. A dim light suddenly appeared in the center, just as suddenly as a figure showed up as well. The figure stood sideways for a moment, before turning and walking ahead, appearing as if it was going to walk out of the screen. As it edged closer, a voice could be heard. “You know, after two back to back pay per view losses for the SCW World Championship, some would question things. They would begin to question things, asking themselves questions such as…where do I go from here? I mean, I’ve been here before. I’ve spent a lot of my time questioning things. Questioning this and that. Wondering if I needed to continue doing this. But I’m not going to do that now. No. Just as I am sick of Beauty Factory and Infamous, I’ve grown sick and tired of the questions.”

The figure stopped speaking for a moment, as it stepped forward, the light shining down, revealing the figure to be none other than James Evans. Abel knew that was who the world would see. They would not know it to be him. They would see only James Evans, and now that he had been given the freedom to step into the role, Abel wanted to be as true to James as he could, while also being true to himself. “I know the story. I’ve heard it so many fucking times since I’ve been back. Hell, I’ve heard it since 2011. James Evans can’t handle a loss. James Evans is going to lose, and then he is going to leave. He will return in two weeks, but he will leave after such a loss. When I came back last year, I wanted to come back and erase every single stigma attached to my name. I wanted to get rid of every single negative thing that seemed to haunt myself, and my career. I busted my ass, no less, as I have always done when it comes to lacing up the boots and stepping between those ropes.”

Abel recalled James when he first decided he wanted to become a professional wrestler. He pictured James at Hudson’s school. He couldn’t help but shake his head as he remembered Sienna’s words the past two months about how James had been trained by Hudson, a so-called luxury she didn’t have. “I started out at the bottom, as I always have. I have scratched, clawed, and fucking fought my way back to the SCW World Championship. I have fought my way to earn the respect of the SCW universe. As far as the locker room goes, I’ve fought for something else. I wanted to fight and earn respect, but I got something else instead. It’s finally dawned on me that I have fought for a moment of a clarity. Like an epiphany, a premonition, it is simply something that I cannot ignore, and that is why I can say with a breath of fresh air, that I don’t have to prove a damn thing to the SCW locker room.” Abel grinned, at that last statement, feeling like a weight had been lifted off him, just as he felt James would have experienced the same feeling had he been the one uttering those words. Abel felt that they had done more than their fair share in regard to earning a spot for James in the SCW locker room.

“I show up every day for work, no matter if I’m sick or dying. I’m the first one to show up, and I am the last one to leave. Yeah, that sounds cliché, but it’s something else as well. It’s the truth. I do what I do because I give a damn about this company, even if it doesn’t always seem to give a damn about me. I give a damn because its right. It is why I have offered advice to those who have come to me. It is why I don’t approach things with this mentality of “me.” I approach things as I keep everyone on my mind. The SCW universe, those who want to get better, those who get overlooked and thrown away. I keep them on my mind, as I carry that cross.” Clips were shown of James talking to fans, as well as doing promotional work for the SCW. Clips are then shown of James going to various wrestling schools such as Josh Hudson’s and speaking with the students, before transitioning to James doing Make-A-Wish visits with sick children. The clips end, before focusing back on Abel, as he continues to speak.

“I may not have to prove anything, but I do give a damn. Because I want to. Because I feel someone has to give a damn.”

“I know people are used to someone like Owen Cruze, who takes just as much shit as he gives, but somehow finds it in his heart to respect someone like Sienna Swann. I’m not wired like that. I don’t believe I ever will be when it comes to someone like her. Just as I will never be a face like Owen Cruze. I know he and I fight for the same side, but we do things a little bit differently. I told you this Owen, and you still want to get in my face? I told you that I did what I did because I felt I needed to. So, you wouldn’t have to, because I know deep down, you cannot stand Infamous or the Beauty Factory. I’m willing to go farther than you in the effort to bring them down, because it needs to be done. You can get in my face all you want, but I won’t back down because of the family you come from, or who you’re connected with. You can judge me all you wish and tell me to try you. I gave you a warning, Owen. There will not be another. Next time, we can come to blows, and see who is left standing. Trust me when I say you do not want to make me your enemy.” The view switched from Abel to the confrontation between he, depicted as James, and Owen Cruze from a few weeks prior. The clip, like the rest, was inaudible, but focused on the intensity between the two, before returning to Abel once again.

“But I’m used to having enemies. There may be those in the locker room who may have a sliver of respect for me want to see me grow and achieve success, but you never really hear about it. I’m not like you, Owen. I’m not like the countless superstars who try to look good in pictures for Twitter. My life isn’t broadcasted all over the internet. I make enemies a lot better than I make friends, it seems and that’s just another narrative for the commentary team to push on Breakdown.”

“I mean, should I be surprised that Ace and his wife attacked me at Clarity when I got dumped to the floor? Not in the least. And while that may be heartbreaking for some, I’m not one of them. Hell, the only person I know with a broken heart may be Alex? There’s no telling how long he stayed in the hospital after I drove his sorry ass head first into the floor.” Another clip was shown, this time of Abel, once again depicted as James, fighting with CHBK.

“As they say, all is fair in love and war, but there is no love lost between Infamous and I. And this most certainly is a war.” The view switched to Abel, as fire filled the black screen behind him.

“Some will sing that song, asking the question of war…what is it good for? And they will see absolutely nothing. But in this case, it is good for everything.”

“It is necessary, like having eyes in the back of my head, to always mind my surroundings. Something Syren didn’t do the other night, and it cost her, her little heartbreak kid.”

“It was only fair. I let Syren have my full attention, and it allowed Aries the perfect opportunity to take me out. Yeah, congrats Gio. You got one up on me. Feel proud of yourself. I knew you’d be back. I didn’t know when, and I didn’t know where, but I knew you’d make your return.” The view switched again, showing a clip of Giovanni Aries as he made his return, attacking James, which Abel knew to be the last time James himself stepped foot inside of the SCW ring. It was the moment that broke the camel’s back so to speak. Abel understood his reasoning, even if he didn’t necessarily agree with it. Watching the clip, Abel knew he had to make Aries pay.

“It has become all so clear. The masked pricks. You’ve sent them after me. Something told me…maybe the little voice in the back of my head…the attacks had your fingerprints all over. And now you’re trying to put your fingerprints all over this war brewing Syren and I. You’re doing all you can to ensure you can weasel your way into the midst of everything. Its funny though, isn’t it?”

“We’ve both talked about ridding the SCW of corruption. We’ve both talked about how greed and ego have tarnished this place. You speak more in riddles, while I take the more blunt and upfront approach. But, in some ways, we’ve been on the same page. We’ve had the same mindset. And no, I’m not talking about how people have labeled as psychotics or any of that bullshit. I’m talking about how we’ve wanted the same thing.” A clip showed James standing side by side with Aries, as well as Angelica Jones from earlier in the year.

“A better SCW. Our visions may be different, but that is what we want.”

“We should be brothers in arms. We should be standing side by side, ready to take on the corruption of this place, so we could burn it to the ground, letting it become nothing but floating ash, before letting it fade into nothingness.” The clip was then set ablaze, as Abel spoke, before the clip was burned away, returning the focus to just Abel.

“That’s not the way it is however. Is it, Gio? You will push this narrative that I am like Ace, or Judas. That I didn’t see the light. That I didn’t believe in the Wonderland. That I didn’t see things your way. And that’s just it. You tried to push your ideals onto me, and when I didn’t believe what you preached, or at the least you delivered the sermon despite getting the underlying message, you took matters into your hands. You tried to play God, instead of the messenger. You wanted to create and mold me into YOUR image.”

“That is not something you do to people.”

“That is not something I was going to allow you to do.”

“I put you down, and watched the Wonderland burn down with you. Now, you’re back. You want to pick up where we left off. That’s fine. Like I said, I’m used to having enemies. You can become part of this war, and you will become another casuality, because as we pick up where we left off, I will leave you where I left you last time, in the middle of the ring. You won’t ask me to thank you. You will be begging me to stop.”

“And when this happens, and you’re lying motionless on the mat, I will look down at you and tell you that I don’t hear you laughing.”

“Just as I don’t hear you laughing now, Syren. It seems that after all these years, I have your full fucking attention, don’t I? Its funny, instead of wanting to face me based purely on skill, you want to face me because I grew tired of your shit and decided to take you out one way or another. And now, you can’t stop talking about me.” Footage of Syren falling at Under Attack was shown, before going into the various fights between her and James, while Abel continued to speak.

“You see me as a threat. You see me as someone who can put you down. Just as I did at Clarity. It was a match you were supposed to win. You were going to reclaim the SCW World Championship, and then you wanted to dismiss everything Sasha said about starting at the back of the line for those who lost in the main event. You wanted to meet me, for the SCW World Championship, at the January pay per view, so we could dish it out and settle things once and for all.”

“Hell, I would have been fine with that. I mean, we don’t need all the bells and whistles. We don’t need the gimmicks of Double Jeopardy, or lumberjacks. You may still need Infamous, because you’ve sent them after me, to play the numbers game, in order to establish dominance. I find that funny. Even after I called you out on that, reminding you that I have stood on my own, and continue to do so in this fight, you continue to prove me right.”

“And I have no doubt in my mind that will be evident at the End of the Year Special. We both know we want the SCW World Championship. Not only to get it away from your somewhat anorexic twin, Sienna, but because it is the most prestigious championship in this business. I know you’re going to be in this match, and I am sure you’ll have either convinced your Infamous cronies to enter as well, to help make things easier on yourself, or to have them at ringside, to still make sure things are made easier for you. You used to love a challenge. Now you show up to play only when you want to, and I don’t mean physically. I’m talking mentally. You can tell when you’re not into a match, or when you simply don’t care. That’s a quality I’ve never had, because every match is important.”

“But you can tell when you’re not into a match. If a title is on the line, or if you’ve taken some hard losses, you’ll get your head in the game to re-establish dominance. That is one of many reasons, you have to be taken out. Why you have to be stopped.”

“And if I have to continue to use violent tactics to do so, I will. I feel I am battling for the soul of this company, and for that, there are no depths I will not sink to in order to ensure the SCW remains the best in this industry.”

“And you, you think you’re bigger than the SCW. That is why you must be removed. By any means necessary. I will maintain that mentality for when our paths cross as the year comes to a close. And maybe, just maybe, I will get a late Christmas gift, in getting the satisfaction of your career coming to a close by my hand.”

“A hand that may also clutch the SCW World Championship in the process.” A clip was shown of James standing with the SCW World Championship high above his head. The clip was from Rise to Greatness 2016. Abel couldn’t help but feel proud as the clip played, before bringing his attention to Sienna as it ended.

“Yes, the SCW World Championship. The reason everyone will come out of the woodwork to get one shot at glory. The reason Sienna Swann has spent countless days bitching and whining about the odds being stacked against her. Thanks, Kellen. She didn’t need another reason to do so.”

“But Sienna knows what’s coming. She knows competitors such as myself and Syren, are entering this match. She will use that. She will say how we were supposed to go back to the end of the line, and she will call Sasha a liar. Well, first off. I never said I’d go back to the end of the line. I’ve crawled, and fought, my way to the head of the pack. I don’t plan on looking back. And second… if you’ve not realized it by now…I don’t always play by the rules made by others. I like to march to the beat of my own drum. I like to walk my own path.”

“And third, enough with your war against Sasha. Blake Mason put it best when he said you control the narrative, Sienna. You really do. If you win, you get to claim you’re the Best in the Universe. If you lose, you get to cry foul, and say you weren’t beaten one on one for the World Championship. It is a win-win for you. Sasha practically hands you the fucking narrative every time you have a match. It even comes with a fucking bow on it.”

“At Under Attack, you won the SCW World title after Chris Cannon and Aries’ masked friends interfered and attacked me. You were able to talk about how there were no rules or disqualifications. Sasha announced the Elimination Chamber, knowing what it entailed. At Clarity, she made the Double Jeopardy match. She added the lumberjacks. I fought half the goddamn roster, including your fiancé who wasn’t supposed to be there. I had everything thrown at me during my match with Syren, and afterwards as well. I got hit by everything including the kitchen sink, before being hit with your little running knee to seal the deal.” A clip played, showing the ending of the Clarity main event where James was attacked by anyone and everyone, before Sienna hit the Kiss of the Angel. The clip ended after James was pinned, and Abel continued to speak, feeling himself grow a little more than agitated the longer he spoke.

“Did Sasha have to let that happen? No. Did she have to announce lumberjacks? No. She practically fed you the words to use in order to gloat. She could have come out. Stopped out match, before getting rid of Cannon a lot sooner than she did, as well as the lumberjacks. She could have given us the ring and let us beat the shit out of each other to have a clear winner. But no, like it seems to be with Syren, despite the on-air horse shit that plays out between you and Sasha, you are her little pet project. Despite how badly you insult her and call her a liar, and try to intimidate her, she does nothing. You talk about me getting a slap on the wrist for what I did? How are you not rewarded? You take up the most TV time. Sasha punishes you, by ensuring that most of the focus remains on you.”

“Hell, Kelcey Wallace’s return was overshadowed by your typical weekly bullshit.”

“You? Punished? Give me a break.” Abel said, rolling his eyes and shaking his head.

“I’m sorry you have to wrestle. You know the job you get paid to do? You know the job that gives you a platform in a company where you are presented as the end-all, be-all while the rest of us are shown as little fish who get to come up for air every so often.”

“But we should feel sorry for you, because you have to defend your championship in an open battle royal. I don’t get it. I mean, I know you weren’t trained by Josh Hudson, or a member of the AnteUp Academy, and yet you’ve managed to survive matches against myself, Owen, and Syren in back to back months.”

“Oh wait. I forgot. We are supposed to ignore that. We are supposed to focus only on things when you come off like some badass. How you will overcome the odds and stand tall. How you will remain the SCW World Champion.”

“You don’t know who the fuck you are, Sienna. The only thing you know is that you have a nickname of the Iron Angel. You know you’re the SCW World Champion.”

“I know you’re insecure. I’m sure Sasha does too, which is why she hands you these narratives. She allowed the cash-in to give you something to bitch about. To add more the TV show, in order to maintain or boost ratings. I don’t know why you’re complaining. If you had a cash-in, you would do whatever you could in order to make sure the narrative fit your story, to make sure the odds were in your favor, just so you could win the SCW World Championship. You would create a situation where you couldn’t lose. You’d ensure it was a win-win, just as your current situation is.”

“You seem to think that you need to be treated like royalty. But the fact of the matter is. You don’t deserve shit. None of us do. You get treated better than most. You just choose to ignore that, so you can play victim until the timing is right. That’s when you revert back to the dominant side of yourself. You want to play Champion. You don’t want to be Champion. You want to play. You want to wear the title and go on talk shows and get photo shoots.”

“That’s playing.”

“Being champion means shutting the fuck up and doing what a champion does. That involves accepting every challenge without complaint. Hell, you’ve been champion three times and the only person I’ve known you to really call out and challenge has been Syren. What about Bree? She’s not been pinned in over a year. Why haven’t you agreed to defend the title against her? That was the match everyone wanted to see, right? You can come up with whatever excuse you wish, but the fact of the matter is that when she beats you, you will lose your shit. You will no longer be best friends, and we all know how you have to more friends than you can keep track of, due to the insecurity you try to hide.”

“You can tell me I’m unfit to be champion. When you fight, sometimes you have to dig a little deeper. You have to get a little dirty. I know I’m not what Sasha wants as a Champion. I know I’m not seen as “a face of SCW.”

“And that doesn’t bother me in the least.”

“I know I can be champion. I know I don’t want to play the role. I don’t want to just wear those shoes. I want to walk in them. I want to endure the grind you complain about. So, step aside, Sienna. I will carry that title. I will carry the burden of being champion, even if its for a short while. I will carry it, kicking and screaming, through the injuries I’ll sustain thanks to the newly drawn target on my back. I’ll win it for the people, those seen as broken outcasts, much like myself. I’ll win it for those you’ve only recently claimed to have opened up to anyone and everyone, only after being called out for your shit. I will not only win it for them, because I have the people and they have me, I will win it for the SCW.”

“I say that because the SCW needs a change. The SCW universe needs a change. Hell, both sides WANT a change. You and Syren have built this monopoly around this company, especially its upper echelon. No one has truly been brave enough to rise up, to fight, and do all that is necessary, to take it all from you, in order to give it back to those who give a damn about this place, to the fans.”

“But here I am, declaring war. War, I know, changes people. For better or worse. It’s too early to tell what the outcome will be once this over, but all I know is that come Hell or high water, the SCW will experience a much-needed revolution.”

“A war is brewing. A change is coming. And I’m just getting started.” Abel stopped speaking, as he leaned forward, glaring into the camera, before slowly turning to the right and walking out of the view, leaving nothing but the flames on the black screen, until everything faded.