Momento Mori

[Ghost Spike]

Survival of the Fittest.

Anyone else remember when that became Roberto Verona’s rallying call? Only the strong survive, the weak will be cut loose. Many people took that invitation to do what they wanted, to wreak havoc, and yours truly was one of them. I took those words to heart and proceeded to go on the greatest championship reign in the history of this company. I broke the record for longest reigning Man of Steel, and the outright longest reigning champion…..I did, what I do better than everyone else….I took that darwinian approach, I evolved, and proved that I truly am the fittest…

But the Extinction Event?

You know there’s only one of these I haven’t been involved in, in some way or form, in the entire history of the match? Twice I’ve entered as a champion, and twice I’ve walked away with my title still around my waist, but this time? Well, being on the team of challengers is new to me, it’s something I haven’t done before, and if I’m truly honest? I never expected it to happen. You see, I had my chance against Andrew Jacobsen, in fact, I had three, which is more Imperial Title shots than I’d ever had in the space of two months…..I came up short, and expected to be heading to the back of the line, but Cable Arcane? Well, he saw that the challengers team needed some strength, needed some depth, and he gave me the CHANCE to EARN my spot, and I did…..tough break Card, Brooks, and Mason…..but I told you all it was going to happen.

I always follow through on my promises.

So, in some roundabout way, this is another chance for me to try and take that Imperial Championship from the one man who has managed to put me down twice. Twice. Nobody else has done that, especially not in the last year and a half. So credit where it is due Andrew, you’re one hell of a performer, one hell of a wrestler, and I now know the lengths you’re willing to go to keep that title. Don’t worry, I’m not here to complain and moan about how you broke my fingers, not at all, what sort of hypocrite would I be? All I’m saying, is that you showed a side of you that most of these people have never seen, but a side that I knew was there all along. You see, there’s a long running thread in my career, that for people to truly beat me?

They have to become me.

So tell me who really wins?

I don’t question you Andrew, not anymore, you’ve proven yourself time and time again. You deserve to be Imperial Champion, and I’m not taking that away from you, what I am doing? Is pushing you…..one. Last. time. You see, you’re on a team with The Pack, and we all know how pack tactics works, the problem is….you’re not a part of the pack, and what would make things easier for them? Well if you were to lose your belt, that would mean one of the contenders is out of the match also, pushing the numbers game ever more in their favour. Now, I know you’ll be thinking, “well it works the same if I retain” but does it? Do you see Dean Harper putting in the effort so that you can retain? Or do you see him hanging back and letting you take the brunt of the punishment? We all know that Jayson Matthews is willing to die on his sword, so I don’t count him out….but in all honesty? We know who’s pulling the strings in this match.

The strength of the pack is the wolf.

As they say.

We’ve been so focused on each other that we haven’t given The Pack the attention they rightfully deserve. So intent on beating ten shades of shit out of each other, that they have grown in power in the shadows. I know you can’t let that happen Andrew, I know you couldn’t possibly want a repeat of the things that have happened in IWF’s past, The Empire, The Age of X, The House of Howlett….so how about we put our grievances to one side, and take care of business?

We take down The Pack.

For what it’s worth Andrew? I’m looking forward to it, because nobody has pushed me like you have, and if we actually get to go one on one in this match? Well we’ll continue to do what we’ve been doing all year…

Steal the fucking show.

~~~

“There were stories, passed on and told through neighbouring clans, scattered bunches of civilians, and almost like warnings within their ranks too. Stories of a man they feared, a man who had lost everything, and thus had nothing to lose. A man who fought with as much brutality as the regime they had brought into this world. A man who took no prisoners, and took out his vengeance on his enemies. They claimed that he was once a good man, or at least tried to be, despite his tragic past, but when they took his wife? When they took his family?

He lost it.”

We open up on a small group of people, clearly some time of army, others more well equipped than some….scavengers perhaps. They’re sitting around a campfire, as one of the older men stands amongst the group, clearly the one telling the story. The men and women gathered, their clothes are all tattered, almost torn, bits and pieces put back together, still….the old man carries on amongst his fellow men and women, in this apocalyptic wasteland.

“This one time, a convoy was bringing supplies from one of the villages under our control. Food, clothes, water….y’know the drill. They were taking it right to the alpha herself, and then all of a sudden, out of nowhere….they started to drop. One. By. One! Til there was nobody left…..they say, the last thing they saw before they shuffled off this mortal coil, was the laser sight of his gun…”

He stands there for a few moments, letting the story sink in. The group are dead quiet, and the howling winds can be heard behind them, when one of the younger members speaks up.

“If he killed everyone, how do you know what happened?”

A few of the younger members chuckle, each of them in their early twenties, covered in battle scars, blood, and war paint. The elder turns to smack the kid for questioning him, when all of a sudden he spots a red dot laser sight pointing right at him.

“Oh shit! He’s her-”

His voice is cut off as a bullet hits him right in the chest, knocking him back to the ground, landing in a thud. The assembled group immediately begin to panic as they reach for their weaponry, but before they have a chance to fire back two smoke grenades roll into the camp and begin filling the area rapidly.

“Get him! Fucking get him! The wolf will pay whoever kills him handsomely!”

Almost as if from nowhere bullets begin to fly into the group, they begin to drop, one by one, when suddenly one of the assembled group crouches down, amongst the bodies and hides. As the bullets begin to die down, footsteps can be heard. Slow, determined, military boot fitted footsteps, begin to step into the camp. We see the combat fatigues on the figure before the crouched enemy begins to rise, they pull out a large machete and rush the man, screaming out loud. The man turns to defend himself when a bullet comes from out of nowhere and drops the attacker, the smoke begins to clear and a teenage girl steps through, chewing gum in her mouth, random bits of military gear on her, and one really big gun.

“I had him Hope. I didn’t need your help.”

The man turns to face her, his gun, a semi automatic rifle now lowered. He looks once more, real quick at the bodies, to make sure nobody is moving.

“Yeeeah, well. Pops sent me out to find you. He’s hearing some stories, and he’s pretty worried Spike.”

Spike begins to search through the supplies the group had in the camp, picking up clips of ammo as he does, before stopping in front of a small box. He smirks to himself as he opens it, and inside is a small pink teddy bear. His fist clenches tight around it and closes his eyes for a second.

“Yeah, well….Rob ain’t gotta worry about me. One way or another, I’m taking that bitch and her whole crew down.”

Hope moves closer to Spike, as he crouches over the box, clearly remembering something hurtful. Hope places a hand on his shoulder, and softly talks to him.

“No….Uncle Spike. We know where she is….we know where Pandora is.”

Spike rounds on her, shrugging her arm off of his shoulder, his temper seeming to rise.

“I know exactly where she is Hope. THEY took her…..THEY turned her against us, against me!”

Now Hope stands there with a cocky grin, as he hoists her rifle up onto her shoulder.

“You’re not hearing me old man. I said we know where she is, right now!”

Spike’s eyes go wide, as he looks at Hope with her self assured confidence, and cocky grin. A look of happiness spreads across his face, briefly, before it’s replaced with nothing but sheer anger.

“Take me there…..”

~~~

The Man of Steel. Oh boy, how far my championship has fallen. It’s funny though Dean, did you realise that the last three men to hold that belt before you are all in this match? Devlin, Ryan, and myself. Four men now, with a claim to being the greatest Man of Steel. Ryan Shane took the belt from Devlin in swift fashion, in such that nobody thought it would happen, then of course he had to give the title up after winning the Heir to the Throne, impressive, right? Shane will have you believe he was the greatest champion ever, even though he only defend the belt once. Devlin, of course had a much more grandiose story to tell. He won the joker in the pack, and cashed it in that very night to join my own match, and finally, put an end to my historic Man of Steel championship reign. That night, Devlin would have you believe he slayed a god, but that just isn’t true, is it? Because here I stand, once again, in the thick of it. The point I’m trying, and probably failing, to make is that my partners, they made great claims to the Man of Steel throne, but ultimately failed so miserably.

They ruined the Man of Steel.

Harsh, I know. The thing is, I don’t harbour any ill feelings towards Devlin Raine. He did what he thought was right, and he capitalised on a great opportunity. Was I bummed that he lost the title so quickly? You betcha, but then….when you look in the history of this championship, it happens a lot. Which is why, Mr Harper, you find yourself as the Man of Steel. As for Ryan Shane, and the Garden Shed of Howlett? Well they can get fucked for all I care. Now, the thing is….I don’t know much about you, and there are very, very, few people in this company that I can say that to. I’m the kind of man who does his homework, I study my opponents, find their flaws, and expose them….and the thing is Dean? Apart from being a little green your main flaw?

Is loyalty.

I get that, I really do. In my time I’ve led some big named factions, I’ve also been a follower, but my loyalty? It only stretches as far as my own goals do, and I’m not ashamed to admit it. Blind allegiance leads to your own demise, I’ve seen it first hand and I’ll never allow myself to be in that position ever again. The funny thing is, you could easily spin this as a positive, but truly? Do you think your championship is anywhere near as important to Rowan as her own? Let’s be brutally honest here Dean…..you’re cannon fodder, a meat shield, someone to take the focus off your psychotic leader….and I swear, after seeing what Eternity did to my son? I won’t let you do the same thing to Xavier Cross. Oh, we’re not exactly friends, truth be told I crucified him once….but that was another time, when nobody had the balls to stand up to me and my Empire….just like last year in the Extinction Event nobody had the balls to stand up to the House of Howlett, but one things for sure Dean, you’ll learn about me…

I most certainly have the balls.

I’ll be pretty clear with you here Dean, aside from our little custody battle over little Xavier? I don’t want your title. I’ve been there, done that, got the t-shirt. My reign is solidified, and I’ll be damned if it is ever beaten…..I’m more than prepared to let you try, but if I have no other choice? If Jayson and Andrew are already out of the match, or already safe? You bet your sweet ass I’m taking that gold.

Like I promised last week, Spike Kane is leaving with gold.

One way, or another.

You might be Rowan’s “most loyal” Dean, you might enjoy flirting with darkness, but I’ve lived it….my entire life. I’ve done things you couldn’t even imagine, and yes….while I’m trying to be a better person outside of the ring? Trying to be a man that Pandora can love, it doesn’t change who I am when I step between those ropes. I am Spike Kane, a fucking force to be reckoned with, and if you think you and your little pups have what it takes to stop me? Step right up kid. Many, much bigger, much stronger, and much scarier than you have tried.

I am all that remains.

I’ll make you hail, the God of Xtreme.

~~~

“How did it happen?”

The two of them had been making progress through the ruined city, the bombed out buildings, the burned out cars, and the bodies that litter the streets. Everywhere you look there were posters, graffiti. Wolf heads, Pack posters, “Join the Hunt” slogans, but one consistent one was “All Heroes Die!”. Spike wasn’t paying too much attention to Hope, but her question pulled him out of his head just enough.

“We were at home….I’d told her I was going to retire, she told me that she was pregnant, we didn't even think that could happen…..we were happy….then they came. Dean fucking Harper, and Xavier fucking Cross….armed to the teeth. They took her, held a knife to her throat, then to her stomach…..I wanted to fight back, I wanted to fight…...but I couldn’t let them do anything to her. Pax came and shoved her in a van…..I don’t think I’ll ever forget the screams….then Harper and Cross beat the absolute shit out of me…..they left me for dead…”

Spike holds up his rifle now, several check marks on the barrel and the stock.

“That was their second biggest mistake….but I can’t help but wonder, every day, all the time. Would things have gone differently if I’d gotten Xavier out of their prison? If he hadn’t gotten brainwashed?”

Hope, listens intently, almost slightly skipping along the rumble as Spike, the man she called uncle talks, before she stops and pulls him in.

“We’re here Uncle Spike…..the intel we got says they’re holing up in that building.”

“Intel, from who? From where!?”

Hope smirks, as she blows a bubble with her gum.

“Viv, she’s pretty solid at recon.”

Spike sighs as he wipes his head, clearly not believing that either Vivian or Hope are taking things as seriously as he does. He turns and punches the wall, further down the alley we can see an old, blue phone box….but nobody pays it much attention.

“Fine then, I’ll blow the whole thing….”

Hope looks horrified as Spike begins to pull C4 explosive from his back pack. She shakes her head vigerously, before reaching in and trying to pull it out of his hands. Behind them, as they struggle we see a man in a long brown coat, a woman with her hood up, and a flash of orange hair disappear into the blue box.

“No! No Spike! This isn’t how we do things!”

Spike rounds on her, fire in his eyes, his arms straining before his eyes suddenly turn to shock.

“HOPE! GET DO-”

A laser sight is aimed right at Hopes head, tears fall from her face as she knows what’s coming from Spike’s reaction before a single bullet hits her face and she drops down. On the half destroyed building to the right stands Xavier Cross, a wicked grin on his face and a twinkle in his eye.

“Well fuck me dead! I thought you’d be trying to con the reaper right now dickhead!”

Spike roars as he turns to lift his rifle at Xavier and empties the entire clip into him. Xavie’s body rocks like mad, as he drops to his knees. He looks up at Spike, sadness in his eyes.

“Spike...I…..I-I-I….I’m so sor-”

He doesn’t get to finish however as a rather armoured leg kicks him off the building and to the ground, hard. The armoured figure steps out, almost some bizzare mix of plate armour and some kind of mech suit, the blue hair however, gives away who it is.

“Yay! Daddies here!”

Spike’s eyes open wide, as he drops his rifle, his hands shaking, his jaw slacked. Pandora turns ever so slightly to show some kind of makeshift baby carrier, with a young toddler in the pouch. Pandora chuckles loudly as she pulls from her side a ridiculously oversized rocket launcher.

“Least you get to say goodbye sugar!”

Spike weeps openly, as Pandora aims the rocket launcher at him, he eyes their child, the child he’d never seen til this day, covered in war paint, and laughing. He closes his eyes and lowers his head, all the while Pandora is laughing away….

Before she fires….

The boom never hits, but Spike jerks awake, laying in the bed next to Pandora Freeman, who is sound asleep. Spike is absolutely drenched in sweat, breathing deeply. He turns to look at Pandora and runs a hand across her back, and to her stomach, feeling that scar there…..the scar they’d talked about briefly. He sighed, a sad, yet happy sigh, before climbing out of the bed, a wet patch left around where his torso was. He slowly walks to the bathroom and flicks on the light, a grim look of determination on his face as he looks at his reflection.

“I’m gonna get you out of there Cross…..I’m coming….”

We finally fade.

~~~

Poor Jayson….

I look at you in this match up Jayson, and I see a deer in the headlights. On your team you have a bunch of people who couldn’t care any less about you….and Andrew Jacobsen. A team that could quite happily throw you to the wolves, for lack of a better choice of words, just to ensure they all walk out with their titles. I know you and Andy are tight, but can you honestly say he’d defend you and lose his title? After the lengths he went to against me last time? I wouldn’t count on it. 

Everyone talks about what a great year Andrew has had, he won the Roulette, and then went on to win the Imperial Championship at Night of the Immortals and has held it since. People even talk about myself, having held the Man of Steel for so long, in such a way that the championship overshadowed the Imperial title, runner up in the Roulette, but nobody….nobody is talking about the year you’ve had, have they Jayson?

And they really should be.

This time last year? You were nowhere Jayson. You’d had your ass handed to you by Cable Arcane in the Heir to the Throne slash Imperial Title match and pretty much disappeared off the face of the earth. At last year's Survival of the Fittest, you weren’t even on the card, and now here you are in the Extinction Event itself. You pulled yourself up from obscurity to becoming one of, if not the, best Invictus champions we’ve ever had. Everything for you has been an uphill battle Jay, from coming back from a humiliating beat down, to standing up face to face to a fucker like Jason Sandman.

That took balls.

That, or maybe you’re missing a few brain cells.

You can’t be that dense though Jayson, because you came to me for training. Admittedly, Pandora probably helped you more on the mental side of things, but the fact that we trained together, that I tried to show you how I do things means simply one thing Jay…..I know you. I know what your limits are, I know what you’re capable of, and as a byproduct of that? I know what you’re not. My point being, I know exactly what to do to beat you….and if I’m brutally honest with you Jayson? The lure of the Invictus Championship is a lot higher than most people would think, or expect. I mean, you’re probably sitting there thing “these three dudes are all former Men of Steel, they more than likely want to step up for the Imperial title” and in 99.99% of cases, you’d be right, there’s just one problem Jayson….I’ve been Imperial Champion, and I set the standard for the rest to come, and I’ve been Man of Steel Champion, and I set that standard too….

I’ve never been Invictus Champion.

Somewhere, deep down inside, I know you want to kick my head in. For everything I’ve done, for what happened with Warren, for what went down with Nighthawk….and I don’t blame you, not for a single second. I know that you need to deal with that, and what better way than clashing inside the Extinction Event? What better way than laying it all out on the ring. Forget everyone else, forget The Pack, forget Shane and Devlin….just you and me Matthews, InFamous and InFamous Lite. Here’s your chance to prove yourself, here’s your chance to stick it to Steve, Rob, and myself…..let’s see if your desire to break that record is better than my desire to go down as the only man to hold all the championships available in this company. I’m told week in, and week out, that my unbeaten tag reign means nothing, that I haven’t been Imperial champion in forever, and that my Man of Steel reign is all but forgotten….but if I were to walk out of Survival of the Fittest as the Invictus champion?

I would be the biggest legend this company has ever produced.

Nobody would come close.

That sounds pretty inviting to me.

Oh….and don’t think I’ve forgotten about Mr Arcane as the special guest referee, or even Shea and Vivian as our teammates. Cable hasn’t done wrong by me so far, in fact I think he’s coping very well….I just hope he doesn’t get involved, because I swear on whatever you want me to….if he puts a hand on me? I’ll show him the man he’s wanted to see since we butted heads a few months ago. Shea and Vivian? I’ve got your backs, regardless of if you have mine, but we’re stronger together, and you two need help going up against the Pack. You want mine?

You can count on it.

Let’s make history.