Building

[Lex Sense]

Maniac...

Brad Kane...

Angel...

Falcon.

Tell me, Rob.

Are these the "real stars" that you speak of?

The ones I wasn't able to defeat?

Because as far as I can remember, I ended three of their careers in NCW and defeated the other to become Honor Champion.

I consider that to be a major title as well as the Tag Team belts I proudly wore around my waist after defeating Knitely Bangs, which consisted of two more notable names, Adam Knite and Curtis Kanyon.

Now here's the shocker, the thing that should shut you up but I know it wont.

I have defeated you.

It's easy to forget that which you don't want to remember but if you look back and search for my first successful title defense as part of the Young Bloods you will find your name as part of the team that we beat.

I could go on and on and refute every single word you rewrote about my history to make your point but I wont. Unlike you, I live looking to the future, completely disregarding my past. I have won and I have lost and I am well aware that your name is not on the list of those I have vanquished in a one on one setting but there is plenty of time to make up for past mistakes. While you sit there and assume that you are my white whale I must inform you that you are not that special to me. My life is not defined by wins and losses and I am definitely not a slave to a need to best you.

I know that is hard for you to understand but it's something you must live with.

I can admire your foolish bravery in times such as these when you are faced against an immovable object and an unstoppable force. Xander and myself have joined forces to bring about a new age of gladiatorial competition. The scope of IWF has been too plain, too vanilla and we've come to inject some color into this place. While you scramble to wrap your head around the idea, spewing off ridiculous insults in a futile effort to stand against that which cannot be defeated regardless of the outcome of this match, we are sculpting a masterpiece out of a slab of unidentifiable marble.

You are running on fumes, Rob.

Yes, you are scratching and clawing, fighting until the very end because your spirit dictates that you do as such. Not because you are a good man fighting the evils of the oppressive grip slowly wrapping around your throat, but because you cannot allow the possibility that two men stand as your equals if not betters in your world. The sad fact is you are grasping at straws, hoping to keep your bloated ego in check long enough to withstand the power that will soon be ripping your flesh from your bone. If all you have to say to me is "ha, ha you lost to Joe" than you are slipping, mate. Your words have no bearing on what I will do this week or the week that follows. They are simply wasted time as you continue to reach for something significant in order to tear me down.

Who is the one being creative in recycling material now, Rob?

I wont sit here and claim victory this weekend. You have proven time and time again just how resilient you can be. However, this weekend is not about victories for Xander and I. This week is about a slow build up into a brewing war. You can see it in the distance if you squint your eyes, Rob. A darkness that will blanket over everything you know and change your entire outlook on this profession. Until then, though, I will have to settle with kicking your teeth down your throat.

You can defeat me, Rob, but you will never break my spirit.

{Bloody Assizes. A birthplace of sorts that saw the return of one Lex Sense. The behemoth sat in a dark corner somewhere in backstage IWF. A towel covered his head as his hands rested on his knees. His thoughts were a jumbled mess as that nervousness wrestlers live for before a huge match set into the pit of his stomach. He hadn't been sure then how good he'd do and he definitely hadn't expected a visitor.}

Xander Famularo: I heard you were back. Had to see it for myself.

{The impressive physique of Xander stood over Sense who didn't respond or even acknowledge the man whose career he secretly followed.}

Xander Famularo: Sad to see NCW close its doors but man is it good to be a part of something fresh. IWF is looking to be...

Lex Sense: I didn't return to shoot the shit with you, Xander. We are not friends.

{Sense's interruption didn't appear to get under Xander's skin. Instead, Famularo seemed to appreciate it. As if it made things easier for him to say what he had to say.}

Xander Famularo: Good. Cause I didn't come here for pleasantries. I came here for business. A business you and I can take by the throat and force the world to witness something new. If one man like Verona can change things imagine what two beasts like you and I can do.

Lex Sense: I would be lying if I said that I hadn't. It seems fate has deemed this time worthy for restructure.

{Sense rose to his feet, standing over Xander as he removed the towel from his head. They stared into each others eyes with fiery intensity and Xander appeared a bit apprehensive, not intimidated but unsure of where Sense was going. Famularo readied himself to fight if he had to.}

Xander Famularo: I don't know about all that but I do know you and I can kick some ass and show this company a thing or two about competition.

Lex Sense: Why stop there?

{Xander thinks for a moment before clicking mentally with Sense. There is a silent understanding and bond that immediately formed between the two and no more words had to be said. Actions would be the next course.}

Now, Spike, I feel I owe you an apology.

If I ever made it sound like I don't respect you that is simply not the case.

I respect your accomplishments plenty.

I admire how far you've come in this business.

I have never thought of you as beneath me.

In that same token, I will never be envious of anything you have done.

Nor will I ever praise or worship the "God of Xtreme".

There will come a day when I will come knocking on your door. I have said this before and will continue to do so until the moment comes when you and I will share a ring and shed blood. My career has become a road map of Hall of Famers and great wrestlers, each stop I learn more about myself while losing what little I have left. I enjoy the heat of battle immensely. That's something you have to understand. Titles are cherries on top of a waged war that claims countless souls in this business every year. It's really all about survivability and I know you feel me on that.

With that being said, you obviously don't know a thing about what Xander and I aim to do.

The attack on Joe Everyman was not for my sake. It was not because I threw a tantrum. Rather it was to show the world that united, Xander and I could take on all comers. As was evident by the complete annihilation of InFamous. When the show ended, we were standing tall while you and Rob had a fun time of writhing around in KO land. Now you and Rob can overlook that all you'd like, spin it in whatever direction you'd like but we know exactly where we are headed. Titles are secondary in our mission statement. If you think for one second this was about me getting payback, than you are growing more and more like your buffoon partner every week.

I expected more from you, Spike.

I expected you to understand that in this business it's all about making the right statement at the right time. Here I had hope that maybe you could be swayed to look at things through our point of view, that we could possibly work together in the near future to create something from nothing. Alas, Xander was right and you have allowed Rob to influence your perception. Now it seems you are his little bitch, following his lead in every idiotic scheme and that will only get you beaten down and thrown out like yesterday's trash. Then again, maybe you enjoy being tossed around like ragdolls and then unceremoniously excommunicated from our ring. Maybe you like being part of statements where you end up dizzied and confused on the floor, nearly concussed as you look up at imaginary stars.

Maybe you enjoy doing the sucking.

I never thought you'd be the one to come out and try to save your dear old friend. You are full of surprises. Unfortunately, not the very good kind. You have become one with the sheep that are trying to make the moment when good prospered over evil last when it is but fleeting. You know as I know as everyone knows that Joe is not going to last as champion. That somebody will come and pick the meat off his bones as soon as they get the chance. So I decided that it should be me. What occurred on Sacrifice really had no bearing on my future title shot against the champ.

That was just being in the right at the right time.

Unless your name was InFamous, of course.

Now you remain undefeated as a tag team and that is glorious. As a single's wrestler though, you can't say the same thing. All it takes is one man to end that undefeated streak and then it is gone. My consistency remains in tact no matter whose favor the match ends with. Consistency, mate, is eternal. One day you will lose and on that day what will you have left to claim? It seems your whole argument is "na, na we're undefeated and you lost to Joe". You disrespect Joe's prowess by believing you are superior than him. As if him beating me is something I should be ashamed of.

I'm not.

You blame me for looking down my nose at you when clearly, subconsciously, you are doing the exact same thing.

What's that say about you?

{A new alliance had been formed and a partnership forged that could go down in history as one of the most brutal IWF will ever see. Only time would tell their story but today, Xander and Lex find themselves roaming the halls of some torn down, probably abandoned building. The walls are cracked and trash is littered everywhere. Lex appears to know where they are headed as Xander follows, taking in the decrepit sights this hollow building has to offer.}

Xander Famularo: Are you sure about this?

Lex Sense: Trust goes both ways. You have your methods and I have mine. You have your picks and I have mine.

Xander Famularo: This one isn't necessarily known for being stable.

Lex Sense: Neither am I and neither are you. She fits the mold. That is all that matters.

{They come upon a door but unlike the rest of the building, the door is decorated in girly things. It gives off an eery vibe as the rest of the building looks nothing like the wall of a thirteen year old's bedrom. Sense smiles as he slowly pushes open the door. Inside, in the middle of the room there is a haggard and very distressed woman tied down to a chair, her face covered in a black sack.}

Xander Famularo: What the hell, man?

Lex Sense: Don't tell me this doesn't bring back old feelings? Ones buried deep down.

{Sense steps into the room and waits for Xander who seems a tad bit conflicted about the scenario. He thinks about it for a second until Sense chimes in.}

Lex Sense: If we are going to do this together then we must understand one another and I know you have it in you to do what must be done. It is your choice but you know as well as I do that you're going to come in.

{Xander continues to think until a second voice pops from inside the room.}

Voice: Come on, sweetie. I promise you'll have fun.

{Female in nature, hidden and familiar, sultry and seductive with a darkness that would compel any man. Xander comes to the decision as a cold blank slate washes over his face.}

Xander Famularo: Okay, but only for a second.

Lex Sense: Of course.

{Sense closes the door behind his new found pal as the woman wriggles from her chair. The scene fades as the silhouette of a woman stands beside Xander as they study their prisoner.} 

I meant every word I said to you, Joe.

I sincerely congratulated you, my old friend.

I don't want you to think that I lied to you in order to get in your good graces only to hurt you further.

I take great joy that that's what happened but I also know that you were better at Lineage.

You beat me cleanly in the middle of that ring.

Nobody could ever take that away from you.

Unfortunately, the same can't be said about that Imperial Title.

I am coming, Joe.

And not you or your pals InFamous will prevent the inevitable.

Times are changing for the better...

For us.