The Power (2/3)

[Ghost Spike]

I’ve won a similar match to this in the past, and when I did it was quite the shock not only to the fans in attendance, but to the so called “boys in the back” at the same time. Not a single soul would have put their money on me walking out as the victor way back in the home of Xtreme and Hardcore. Yet I did, I broke out of the monotonous “mid-card limbo” so many of us seem to find ourselves in, and I solidified myself as a main event calibre wrestler, I solidified myself as a world champion.

To say that I don’t have the credentials to walk out of High Stakes as the Roulette winner, would be farcical. I am by no means claiming that I’ve already won, because that would just be ludicrous. I have a pretty low entry number, and it means that the deck is stacked against me. Going into this match, I do not have the protection of my Empire brothers anymore. I of course have an ally in Bob Pooler, but Bob doesn’t enter till quite some time after I do….and I know that the list of enemies I have inside this match up is probably greater than any other member of this match.

I am quite probably the biggest under dog in this match.

That sounds bizarre, doesn’t it? The longest reigning Imperial Champion, one half of the longest reigning (and undefeated) tag team champions, wrestler of the year…...match of the year….moment of the year….I could go on, I really could….yet I look at this match, and I see myself having less chance of surviving than anyone else in this match. I genuinely look at the men who want revenge on me, the men who want to finally give me my comeuppance, and of course…..shut my mouth once and for all.

Will it be Xander Famularo?

Will it be Xavier Cross?

Hell, could Rob Diamond be a surprise entrant!?

Nobody knows, but I know for a fact that I will have a target on my back, and every single member of this roster will be aiming at me, attempting to make a name for themselves. So yes, you might look at me as the rightful King of this company, the man who reigned with such an iron fist….but I see the truth, and I see a man marked for extinction. A man who has an uphill battle to fight, to earn once again his rightful seat at the top of this company.

The fallout of High Stakes will have some serious effects on the landscape of IWF, no matter who is the Imperial Champion, they will have a fight on their hands, because the winner of the roulette will have momentum on their side…….and nothing to lose. For the first time since I walked into IWF, I have nothing to lose….for the first time in IWF history, I’m going to spin the wheel.

I’m going to roll the dice.

~~~

Once more we open up on the office of Dr Riley Griffiths, the door swings open as Spike Kane slumps into the room. He’s dressed in pretty non descript clothing, some jogging shorts and a plain hooded jacket. This time Spike knew what was awaiting him in Rileys office, the last visit had opened his eyes to the evil inside of him, and where that evil came from. However, it was not “Michael” learning these things, but that very force of evil created so long ago in the orphanage basement.

“Thank you for coming back” the doctor said as he slid his chair forwards. “I feel like we made some really good progress last week, and I’d like to take it a step further, if you will?” he gestured towards the bed and Spike willingly sat himself down before swivelling his legs around and laying back. Drifting off once again, the last words we here are Riley Griffiths asking “Tell me why you feel you need to protect Michael so much then Spike?”

Almost instantly the scene shifts once more, and we’re transported to the former Boston loft home of Spike Kane. We see a younger Spike Kane on his knees sobbing, his face all twisted and contort with confusion. There is a woman standing over him, River Kane at the time, but we know her as River Maddison. There is no sound but we but we can see the twisted laughing face of River taunting Spike.

“His heart was breaking, more than ever before. He loved her, truly loved her, but all he could utter….was ‘why?’”

Just as the voiceover from Spike says the word, we see Spike on his knees mouth it, but instead of a reply from River, a man walks into the room from the door behind her. Without explanation the room grows darker, almost as if the warmth had been sucked out. We can see the eyes of Spike look almost like they are about to explode. We recognise the man from the previous session, the same man who ran the orphanage fighting ring, Spike’s father.

“I could feel his passion burning. The anger was flowing through his body, and aware of it or not….he was calling out for me to do something. He craved vengeance, revenge….or simply violence. He wanted them both to pay.”

The sobbing had stopped now as Spike rose to his feet, his fists balled with rage. River takes a step back, clearly frightened. The man steps forwards but Spike shoves him backwards, picking up a vase and smashing it off the wall on the other side of the room. We can’t hear the roar escaping from Spike’s mouth, put the rage is obvious. He grabs the coffee table, hefting it up and throwing it over, shattering glass everywhere. The man stumbles to get out of the way and falls as he does, and clutches at his heart. River moves forwards shouting at Spike, with her hands up. Spike reacts instantly and grabs her by the throat, before pinning her against the wall.

“So I gave it to him.”

The man is on the floor clutching at his chest and left arm. River manages to slide her phone out of her pocket, but Spike snatches it off her and throws it across the room, before he lets go of River and moves to stand over the man. River slumps to the floor crying, the man looks up at his son sadly, as he begins to fade, but Spike doesn’t flinch. He doesn’t move at all. The man quickly looks up at Spike and smirks at him, a gleam of happiness in his eyes before he falls back against the wall and goes limp.

“It was like he was saying that he had won. He had spent our entire life trying to create a monster…….and here I was. I made him watch as his own father died, despite his urge to help him. I had become everything he wanted Michael to be……”

Like that the scene reverts back to Rileys office. The doctor has a sombre look about him, he doesn’t make eye contact with Spike as he talks. “Thank you Mr Kane…..I’ll see you next time.” Spike doesn’t know what to say, but he climbs up off the seat and heads to the door. He pauses for a second before affixing a smile on his face before opening the door, but it drops when the woman he expected to be there isn’t. Instead. left to mull over the days session, Spike wanders off through the arena, alone.

~~~

Any one can walk out of High Stakes with the Imperial Title shot. Any single member of our proud and bursting roster can ascend to the upper echelon with a fluke victory, blind luck, or crafty skill. There are those amongst the throng, who have the element of surprise. Those who’s names have been kept back for that “shock factor” entrance. Nice, get your pop, move on…..peasants. However, they are not alone….there is fresh blood in the water…

Untested.

Do you know what kind of thrill that actually delivers? To share the ring with people I don’t have a sordid, bloody, and horrid past with? People who don’t know what to make of me. Oh, it makes me smile, both inside, and out. New souls to corrupt, new blood to be spilt, and what a theatre to put it all on display in? Can you not feel the drama behind it all? Do the theatrics mean nothing to you neanderthals? The King without a crown has his chance at redemption, at claiming that said crown he earned through blood, sweat, and the cries of his enemies…….and you all think that you have a chance of stopping me. It’s all everyone has thought of since I claimed the Imperial Championship for my own….stopping me.

From Xavier Cross to Roberto Verona.

One person managed to, with the flukiest victory in wrestling history…..and I am not allowed to correct that mistake. I have forcibly been kept out of the title picture, for fear of earning my gold back. For fear or ruling this company like I did before….but it’s time to prove to you all, prove to every single member of this roster….that I was just as dangerous as I am now before I had The Empire, I am in fact the most dangerous man in this business….and I’m unpredictable.

I’m a wild card.

So you can all posture, you can all make your claims to fame, but when the dust settles? When High Stakes comes to a close, only one name will be on peoples lips, the name of their new number one contender, and future two time Imperial Champion.

Spike Kane, the man who wields the power.