Post by jamesradford on Mar 24, 2017 9:06:21 GMT -5
CCCUCC
Des Moines, Iowa
3/19/2017 – Directly after Massacre #10
James hung his head low letting the hot water from the showerhead above stream down over his neck and shoulders. Every part of him ached, and there were new bruises and abrasions to go with the ones he had earned from Gen Now at Massacre #8. The water that pooled at the bottom of the drain was pink, a mixture of his blood and Anastasia Hayden’s blood being rinsed from his body.
He and Anastasia Hayden had made good on round two of their dispute with one another. Damn near killed each other, in fact. He slightly recalled having put her head through a car window, but couldn’t be completely sure as everything about the match was a haze. It was almost as if his body had taken on a mind of its own, allowing him to do things that he would probably regret after watching the replay. All he really knew for sure was that he had just barely won, and it had taken everything he had to pull that out of his hat.
Matter of fact, he was almost positive that Anastasia had gotten her shoulder off the floor before the count of three, but was relieved when Theo Refano said otherwise. Of course, Anastasia Hayden would run with this controversy all the way to the bank. One more conspiracy that she could add to her mounting offenses with the AWE. But it didn’t really matter that he just barely won, but that he won. A win was a win.
James’ head snapped up at that thought, and his hands shakily reached for the knobs to turn the shower off. He snatched his towel from the peg outside the curtain, and stepped into the main part of the bathroom to towel off in front of the mirror. He stared hard at the man looking back at him in the reflection.
A win is a win.
That was a Bobby Benson line if he had ever heard one, but Bobby was nowhere around, and that thought had cropped up all on its own. He brought his hand up to his bruised eye and pulled down against the skin so he could see the underside of his eyelid. Who or what was he becoming? Would he find in the end that Anastasia Hayden and all of his other opponents were right? That he was living in a self-induced delusion, and that he was really the bad guy?
He shook his head and wrapped the towel around his bottom half before moving into the dressing room. No sooner had he taken a seat on the bench when the locker room door burst open from the outside.
Standing in the frame was Bobby Benson, shirtless, wiry, wild-eyed, and all together looking ridiculous. His midsection had been wrapped, which only seemed to accentuate how out of shape he really was, looking more and more like a potbellied pig the longer he stood there. He zeroed in on James, who pulled a bottle of Jack Daniels out of his bag, and unscrewed the top. He held the bottle out in Bobby’s direction as the beleaguered manager crossed the threshold and slammed the door.
“Have a drink.”
“I don’t want a fucking drink!” Bobby snapped, coming to stand right in front of James. “I want you to get your ass out there and do to the Zombies what you did to Cosmo Cooper and Trevor Miller!”
“Shows over, Bobby.”
Benson’s eyebrows shot up, and his eyes nearly bulged out of his skull. His hands went wildly over his head like a wacky inflatable tube man, and his shrill voice echoed off the walls.
“I don’t give a good God damn if the show is over! I want you to take those bastards out!”
James stared at the man in amusement, and took a sip from the bottle before leaning back with a smirk across his face.
“C’mon, Bobby. You had that coming, and you know it. I’m just surprised that it took them this long to retaliate. The Zombies are a different breed of animal. They are all about honor, and repaying their debts. They owed you, and you got what you deserved.”
Bobby shook his head in disgust, snatching up the bottle and taking a long drag before continuing.
“What I deserved? All I’ve done so far has been in your best interest, James. It’s what I do, literally the definition of my job functions. Make sure James Radford wins. Now I’ve lived up to my end of the contract, and I expect you to…..”
The locker room door burst open once again suddenly cutting Bobby off. This time it was Austin Gale who sauntered into the room, a look of disgust clearly on his face at the site of a shirtless Bobby Benson. He turned his attention to James, who rubbed the back of his neck warily.
“Howdy, Austin.”
Gale’s eyes narrowed as he stepped further into the room and slammed the door behind him.
“Don’t try that aw shucks shit with me. Where were you?”
“When?”
A look of frustration and anger flashed over Gale’s face before answering.
“Tonight! You obviously weren’t paying attention, or you would have saw me get my head kicked in by that idiot, Dexter Severin!”
“Oh, that. Yeah, I saw it, but I sort of had my hands full tonight with Anastasia Hayden, and then Bobby got his ass kicked by Aokiga….Aokiga….uh…one of the Zombies.”
Bobby propped his fists onto his hips, and puffed his chest out in a ludicrous attempt at looking imposing.
“Yeah, so get in line jack. We’ve got our own problems to deal with.”
Austin chuckled darkly, shaking his head before stepping towards Benson threateningly.
“I don’t give a shit about your problems, and I don’t wait in line for anyone. I have enough money to exclude me from the mundane, like waiting in lines, and money has been exchanged here.”
He indicated James and himself with a flick of his finger between the two. He then turned his gaze back onto Radford, who sighed heavily under the scrutiny.
“Now, next show I have business with Benny Stevens and Dexter Severin, and I expect you to take care of it as per our agreement.”
Even though it was a statement, Austin stood there expectantly awaiting an answer until finally James looked him in the eye and gave him a nod. Gale appraised the two men for a moment longer, shrugged arrogantly, and then exited the locker room.
Bobby watched him go resentfully, and as soon as the door was closed, he whipped around to face James once more.
“What did I tell you about that son of a bitch? Did I not say he was going to get in the way of our plans!”
“And what plans were those, exactly?”
Bobby sputtered, hands waving out in front of him, as James watched on amused. Finally, he allowed his body to come to a rest, and took a seat beside his client on the bench, placing his face in his palms.
“I don’t even know why I try?”
“Because, Bobby,” James replied, slapping the man on the back which caused Bobby to cry out painfully. “You’re all about the money, and if you didn’t try you wouldn’t be you. Now if you’ll excuse me, I’m going to get dressed and head back to the hotel cause I’ve had a rough night.”
James stood, slipping his jeans on underneath the towel, and tossing a t-shirt over his body. Bobby watched as he took the towel and stuffed it into his bag, and then the bottle of jack, before scooping the strap onto his shoulder and making his way towards the door. He paused long enough to look back at Bobby who looked miserable.
“Bobby, everything is going to be fine. It’s just another day at the office.”
Bobby looked up and gave James a snort as he ran his fingers through his thinning dark hair.
“I’m getting too old for this shit.”
James smirked and nodded before leaving the wily manager with his thoughts. He needed his rest so that he could face the next few days to come.
RANDOM PARK
LOCATION UNKNOWN
3/24/2017
The scene opens up to a shot of James leaning up against a tree, familiar Stetson hat pulled down low. The sound of children and dogs in the background indicates a park somewhere, but none of them are in view. Only James, who tips his hat back so that the camera can see his eyes.
“We all waited with bated breath as the Gen Now studio interruptions continued to play throughout the show, just positive that the group was going to take over the broadcast at any moment. I for one figured I’d get double or triple teamed, If for nothing else because I took another victory away from Anastasia Hayden. Yet at the end of the night, much to everyone’s surprise, there was nothing. That suits me fine, but I know better than to let my guard down. I mean, hell, it’s been several shows back now since Kimitsu Zombie got bashed over the head by my manager, but she finally got some measure of revenge through her uncle Aoki’s attack. Of course, I say what’s done is done. I guess we’re even, though I doubt Kimitsu will see it that way.”
James shrugs.
“Quite frankly, it doesn’t matter. I have other business on my plate this week, and a new partnership to cultivate. I know the burning question on everyone’s mind is why did I sell my Alpha Cup Contract, and what else do I owe Austin Gale. I’m not going to get into my personal business, but what I can tell you is that I don’t have a problem with Benny Stevens or Dexter Severin. Austin Gale, on the other hand, DOES, and that means that I’m going to have to take care of that problem for him. I think you can get the jest from that statement alone of exactly how our relationship works now. It isn’t something that I wanted, or something that I went into lightly, but let’s face facts. When you need money, and you need it quickly with little to no questions asked, Austin Gale is the kind of man that can make it happen.”
James looks down at the ground.
“Of course, any agreement comes with conditions. I gave up my Alpha Cup Contract, and I agreed to do Mr. Gale a certain amount of favors. Now the time has come to collect on one of those, and it looks like it very well could be an easy task. I mean, from an outsider looking in, these three guys hate each other, and that gives me and Gale the advantage. You see, you two have some bad blood going on between you, and I don’t believe you’ll be able to get past that long enough to try and claim a victory over us. Austin has his mind centered on taking you out, and I’m just along for the ride to gain another notch on my belt.”
James smirks.
“I mean, if you really think about it, my only real motivation in this match is to ensure that I pay off one of my debts, and Mr. Benson, Mr. Severin…”
James moves in close to the camera with a grin.
“You’re going to find out the hard way that ‘Country Fine’ James Radford always pays his debts.”
James winks before slipping out of view of the camera, and the scene fades to black.