Two Men and a Baby

[Ghost Spike]

The rhetoric is getting a little played out isn;t it? Week after week either Rob or myself comes out here and announces to the world once again that we were right, that we did exactly what we said we would do. We come out and tell the whole world….we told you so. Thing is, it gets a little annoying, because the fact that we have to say that it means that people still don’t believe in InFamous. They still don’t believe that Rob and I are trying to better ourselves as both in ring performers and as people in general.

We took a beating for Joe Everyman.

Lex and Xander wanted to make a statement, and when Rob and I went out there with the foolish idealogy of saving a friend from a certain beat down - we inadvertedly gave LEx and Xander their platform. We gave them their oppourtunity to reach out to the entire roster and show the world that they meant business. They took us down, shot us down, we crashed and burned, and Joe suffered because of it…..

But merely a week later we redeemed ourselves.

Lex and Xander had the upper hand against the tag team champions. The UNDEFEATED tag team champions, surely this was the moment when InFamous would fall and the new team of Lex Sense and Xander Famularo would rise to providence in the wake of the false champions, maybe even taking their gold in the process?

No…..we beat you, both of you. Clean. What happens?

You both get title shots and become champions in your own right,

I didn’t realise that losing to a team that you put down so much, who were the champions of a division that you put down so much would mean that you get the chance to become a champion again. So Xander finally defeated Cross, and LEx finally got revenge on Joe Everyman and won the match the vast majority of the world expected him to win in the first place, and for the second time in as many months the first show after a big pay per view event the Imperial Champion will be standing on the opposite side of the ring to me.

I guess I’ve become the standard for the champions to test themselves on?

Or maybe I’m in line for a shot at Lex myself?

Either way, I’ll bring it to you Lex just like I did last time we were in the ring together, and I will make my intentions known. Whilst I’m happy reigning as tag team champions with Rob Diamond….that belt around your waist is indeed in my future….and who knows Lex?

I may be the man who takes it from you.

~~~

We open up on the nice new Boston home of one Rob Diamond, upstairs in the spare room which is currently occupied by a half naked and passed out Spike Kane. Spike is laying half in and half out of the bed, and is only half covered by the sheet itself. There are beer bottles laying all over the place, as well as a half eaten pizza and a couple of bourbon whiskey bottles too. The door opens a little but not far because of the mess.

“Spike? Dude….what the hell?”

A barely human noise comes from the carcass of Spike Kane as the door is pushed further open, the light from the windows in the hallway spilling into the room, causing the barely conscious man to groan and move. The door it seems was being pushed open by Rob Diamond.

Rob: Mike….this isn't cool man. You can’t leave the room like this.

Spike barely moves, except for pulling the sheet up and over his head revealing the fact that he has one sock and boot on, and one that is bare. He mumbles back to Rob, with a hint of aggression.

Spike: I never told you what to do in my house.

Rob seems a little annoyed, but at the same time he understands what hell his best friend must be going through. He takes a deep breath and tries to crack a smile.

Rob: Actually you did man. Every time Freya came over I had to leave the room…..whenever Aly wanted a shower I had to go downstairs….

Spike throws the sheet from his head sitting up with a look of indignation on his face, causing Rob to smirk his trademark douchebag smirk.

Spike: That’s because you’re a friggin’ perv!

Rob bursts into laughter as Spike’s eyes start to adjust to the daylight. He takes in the sights around him and feels a wave of guilt crashing down on him. His head lowered in shame before he had the guts to look Rob in the eyes.

Spike: How long have I been in here?

With his arms folded and a slight grimace on his face Rob hesitated with his reply but decided to tell Spike the truth.

Rob: You’ve been in here since we got back from Legacy. We had a drink together but you carried on. I had to stop, because the babysitter left and I needed to look after Hope. I gave you some time to…..y’know deal, and I hoped you’d be out of it on your own terms, but this needs to stop Spike. I can’t have a drunk living here….not when they can take Hope off me at the drop of a hat. I know you need help man, but I need you too.

Spike sat through Rob’s little lecture with a stern face, Rob’s words obviously striking a chord with our hero. He slides to the side of the bed, swinging his legs around and catching a whiff of his own body odour, causing him to wrinkle his face.

Rob: Yeah….you smell.

Spike: I gathered.

Spike rolls his foot over one of the beer bottles, looking around and closing his eyes, so ashamed of himself. He takes a deep breath and turns to face Rob as he climbs to his feet.

Spike: OK man. I’m up, I’m back. What do you need me for?

Rob: We gotta do some shopping man. Hope needs some clothes, she needs some toys, she needs some food. I mean….what food do we even get her? I’m not cut out for this side of things…

Spike: Ugh….I don’t know...River and Aly did all that stuff, I just paid for it. It’s no big deal man, we’ve got this. We’ll just roll with the punches and Hope will appreciate it I’m sure. So….where we going?

Rob makes a “the fuck?” face at Spike, pointing at him and the mess in the room.

Rob: You’re going to the shower, and then taking this stuff out to the trash….then we’ll hit the mall….

Spike: Let’s go to the mall…..TODAY!

The two begin to laugh, as Rob shakes his head in disbelief. He pats Spike on the shoulder, as the God of Xtreme begins to dig out some clean clothes, seemingly dealing with everything remarkably well. It is when Spike catches a glimpse of himself in the mirror that he has that jolt of terror run through his body. Instead of the mess he is looking back at him, he see’s a face similar to his own with a huge sinister grin glaring back at him, and deep within the recesses of his mind he hears an echoing chilling laughter, just as we fade.

~~~

First things first, I have to congratulate you Lex. I’m not the kind of person who would ignore somebodies achievements or accomplishments - even if they do. You avenged the blemish on your record, and now that loss to Joe Everyman seems simply like a blip on the radar. Joe Everyman may have become the shortest reigning champion in IWF history, let alone Imperial Champion, and it was all at your hands. I can’t take anything away from you for that Lex…..despite your methods, despite your attitude, despite the company you keep.

You are the Imperial Champion.

I know how it feels to be the second person to hold the biggest championship in a federation. How you feel that you surpassed the first champion, how you are superior in them in every way. The thing is though that people won’t see that, they will always respect the first, numero uno, the guy who in so many peoples eyes fluked his way to a victory. To your Joe Everyman, I have a Lance Ryan - and as much of a friend as Joe is, he’ll agree with me here. He is no Lance Ryan.

Your prey was sub-par to mine.

You and I are a lot similar than we both think Lex, and when I stopped and realised that it actually shook me a little. You see, everybody looks at you as some unstoppable monster, some caged beast that just wants to tear people to pieces, and even I was guilty of this - untill I stopped and looked properly. I saw the intent in your mind, I saw the intelligence behind those eyes. Whereas some people will see a man being manipulated by Xander Famularo, I see the opposite. I see a man using any and every way possible to ensure that he rises to the top of this federation and more importantly that he stays there.

Like I did with my Empire.

Yeah, OK...it was Davey’s Empire, but that’s another story for another day, and we don’t really need to rehash anything do we. I mean we both stand here, champions in our own right. Dominant in our own right….hell, I wouldn’t be surprised if you asked for this match Lex as a way to prove you deserve to be where you are. To show the world that you were the right man to face Joe Everyman for that Imperial Title and of course legitimise your reign in the process. I know you won’t admit it, but I’m one of the toughest competitors you will ever face. I’m probably one of the few men who could take that title away from you, and trust me Lex…

It’s something that has been on my mind.

We lock up on Monday Night and both of us will be out to prove a point. Yeah, sure, Joe will be at ringside, and I wouldn’t be surprised if Xander makes himself known, or even that crazy bitch you’ve got walking around with you now. Thing is, I don’t care about them, I won’t be focusing on them. I’ll look you right in the eye Lex….I’ll look the Imperial Champion right in his eye, and spit in it. Because no matter what you have said, and no matter what you have done you do not deserve to hold that belt that is now around your waist. You do not deserve to represent this company, in any way shape or form. Whilst Roberto Verona has a point that Joe - in light of his alcohol abuse problems should also not be the face of this company, why is it ok to replace one monster with another?

Rings if hypocrisy.

Tell me what you did to earn your spot Lex. Tell me what you did to garner that Imperial Title shot after losing to Joe Everyman, after throwing the match against Rob, Ayla, and myself, and after losing to Rob and myself in our domain. Tell me, how such a losing streak puts you above the likes of myself in the hunt for said championship? Are you telling me that your slip ups don’t compare to my winning streak? Rob and I have been untouchable, and whilst I’ve personally lost two matches since I’ve been here - InFamous remain undefeated. We’ve taken on everyone and never backed down, we took on teams that don’t even exist anymore, and we ended another. We even took on the goliaths of Lex and Xander, but we’re still standing. I’m still here Lex, waiting for my chance, biding my time.

Waiting for your attention.

You can look past me if you like, dismiss me like you have in the past. I’m just a lowly tag team wrestler, right? My former glory and accolades mean nothing, I’ve fallen from grace, right? You couldn’t be further from the truth. In my last year alone I have beaten everyone who stepped in front of me, righting many wrongs, defeating those who had remained undefeated for so long…..Steve Awesome…...Alex Jones…...Xander Famularo…...even Angel. Oh, you remember that match? You interfered and cost me my retribution….so I took him on again, in a Dragon’s Den match. I ended his career, not out of malice, not out of rage, out of respect, out of mutual respect and desire to be the best. After so long the debate was finally over and my hand was raised victories in the flames of a federation.

That is the only reason why I am still here.

I’ve lost everything I worked so hard for. I have lost my wife, I have lost my son, I’ve lost the fortune I had amassed from this seventeen year long career. It isn’t the first time this has ever happened to be, but this time….it’s worse than before. I had my happy life Lex. I should have walked away, should have turned my back and left with my head held high…..but the lure of this business dragged me back in, it hooked me and it cost me everything I love. I’m a dangerous man now even more than before Lex, because I have nothing else left to lose. 

If you thought going to war with my brother was bad - you ain’t seen nothing yet.

I am the God of Xtreme for a reason Lex, I am a renown world wide mutliple time hall of famer for a reason, I am a household name…..for a reason, and it seems like it is finally time for us to go at it one on one. No more tag team matches, no bodies to hide behind….just you versus me. The Imperial Champion, versus one half of the tag team champions. It almost seems like a David versus Goliath deal….but I know that you are not blind enough to think that, not ignorant to believe that. I know who stands across from me this monday, I know the power that you hold, the skill and ability that you wield with such ease. You easily intimidate people Lex, and it’s perfectly understandable as to why…..with Xander at your side, and Eternity poking from behind…..lord knows what you are capable of, but trust me Lex when I stand here and say this….

I am not afraid of you.