Time

“The two most powerful warriors are patience and time.” - Leo Tolstoy, War and Peace.

{Kandahar, Afghanistan 1994 - “Flash Point”}

Our fortifications had held, the enemy had been turned away. It all had been played out in slow motion for those involved. The smell though, that’s the kind of thing that gets burned into your memory and your senses. Feces mixed with urine, mixed with blood, the smell of death. When a person dies, the body simply quits trying to hold things in. To this day, it was the single most horrifying thing I had ever been a part of. Of a platoon, only four of us survived. We were still breathing, and in this place, that still counted. None of the enemy could say the same, they were killed, to the last man. Johnny Webb was a vicious man with no sense of honor or remorse as he guided his throat cutters through the mess to make sure that any Taliban soldier was dead. The Taliban soldiers hadn’t even been armed with conventional weapons. Most of them were wielding machetes as they tried to storm the fortifications.

As I drug another American Sailor to the designated spot for identification, I heard Maggie very clearly. “Jeff, this is easily the most fucked up thing I’ve ever seen.”. Robert “Jeff” Castello was weary, having very narrowly avoided death himself. “At ease Commander.”, he said weakly. I stopped what I was doing to watch the exchange, likely one that I shouldn’t be seeing or hearing. “Yes sir.”, was her simple reply. Likely she realized this wasn’t the time or place for any of this. It was time for me to mind my own business, so I went back to work dragging bodies. I flipped a Taliban soldier over and stopped. The cold, hard eyes of a trained killer stared blankly at nothing at all. We all were that, we were trained to kill the man or woman that stood against you, no matter what the reason or the theatre of operations. This was different though, it wasn’t a killer who had only been trained to defend his country. This guy wasn’t even from Afghanistan. The blonde hair and very distinctly European features gave it away, no matter how deeply brown his skin was.

“Admiring his tan?”, came the sarcastic remark from Johnny Webb. I looked over at him and responded, “No, the track marks.”, I said as I pointed down at the dead man's arms. “I’ve seen some crazy shit in this world Webb, but seeing your shipmates hacked to death with a machete, I don’t think anything will ever top that.”. I shake my head at the memory, “What the fuck are these people on?”. “They ain’t high on life Bane, that’s really all I can tell you. You’re not cleared for the rest.”. He stated flatly and turned away. I looked back down at the fallen warrior, who’s shirt had been ripped away, the man looked like he was chiseled from stone. I thought to myself, “That might explain the track marks.”. I turned my back and went back to work. “Leave it Bane, came the order from Castello.”, I looked up as my commanding officer was waving me over. I double timed it to where he, Maggie and Frank stood waiting.

“Leave everything Mac, we’re being ordered out of this theater.”, Jeff said flatly. “Yes sir.”, came my quick and respectful reply. I looked Jeff over and he had lost a good bit of blood from a bullet wound in his shoulder. “I’m fine Mac.”, I stated with a slight smile. “Tis but a flesh wound.”, mimicking his favorite bit from Python. I return the smile and nod, “Aye sir.”. Still a bit out, the reverberating sound of helicopter propellers catches my attention. “For us?”, I ask. Jeff nods his head, “The official report will say we were never here, we all know what we say today. We can never speak of this again after this moment, understood?.”. Myself, Maggie and Frank all agreed with a very tired and weak “yes sir.”. To say we were exhausted would be an understatement. Maggie’s jaw was set in a way that told me that she was first and foremost, mad as hell. Number two, she was spoiling for a fight right now. Castello saw it too, “Stand down commander. Now is not the fucking time.”. All she said in response was, “Understood Captain.”.

I sat in Jeff’s office in Bethesda, Maryland and we talked about that day. He sat there with his elbows resting on his desk, shaking his head in dismay. “You’ve got a good memory, Mac.”. I nod and then I take a folded up piece of poster. Unfolding it I lay it on his desk. He looked down at the circled image of Zane King and his eyes went wild. “Is...is this...real?”, he stammered in response. I lay a disc on his desk, “Watch a few of the matches he’s been in and then you can tell me.”.

Jeff studied my face for what seemed like an eternity. Finally he asked me, “That was the event that sent you down that dark path isn’t it?”. I grunted, “Part of it, yeah. What Frank and the others did to Maggie Fletcher was another piece of that puzzle.”. I let out a long and slow sigh and then continue, “That was my flash point for lack of a better term. I’ve never wanted to hurt a human being more than I did Webb. The consecutive “bad intel” missions we got sent on….Jeff….it’s amazing….even improbable that we survived that.”. He nodded, then he pulled open a drawer in his desk. He pulled out a bottle of Laphroig and two tumblers. He poured us each about three fingers worth of my favorite booze. “To old friends, both living and not.”, He said in a toast to the fallen and lost. We sat in awkward silence for a moment, each of us likely lost in our memories of the past. “You know he’s out of prison right?”, he asked me. “Webb?”, I asked. He nodded, “Yeah, he got out of prison a couple months ago. Last I heard, he was spotted in Atlantic City.”.

Fade

{Baltimore MD - Mac’s House - “Hurt and Nervous”}

Even several days later, my body screamed in agony from the beating I was given and the beating I gave to Kyra. No one had ever questioned her toughness and I think and hope that match went a long way towards shutting her detractors up. I also fervently hoped that what I did, well, I hoped it served as a wake up call. I hoped that she or Ken or even both of them would come to their senses. “They’re both fucking nuts.”, I mused to myself as I made my afternoon coffee. Just a touch of cream, because I love myself, and I’ve never liked black coffee. I walk towards the back door of the house. The weather in Maryland lately, called for long sleeves, not quite jacket weather yet. I opened the back door and a nice burst of cool air hit my face. It actually soothed the dull ache I felt in the lacerations on my face and forehead. I walked out to where the firepit was and with a touch it started. I sat down heavily in the patio chair. I took a long sip of my coffee. The combination of flavors eased my troubled mind. Folgers and a coconut based creamer, damn I love this stuff just a bit too much. I sat the cup down on the side table.

I leaned forward in my chair, reaching out with my hands so they could absorb some of the heat coming off the firepit. I distinctly felt the pinch of the ring box in my front pocket. A biting sensation in my upper thigh caused me to quickly lean back again. I dug the ring box out of my pocket and then my cell phone. I laid it on the table as well. No missed calls from Amber, that was a good thing today. She’d been working on a dirt bike she had bought second hand. She’d gotten it running earlier, so no calls meant that it was still running. I lit a cigarette and leaned back in my chair. “Sometimes, even when you win, lose. I wonder if she’s figured that out yet.”. I mused to myself. My baritone voice lightly echoed off the brick, which amused me more. Another sip of coffee and another drag from my cigarette. “No probably not, she’s gone from drinking the Jim Jones fruit punch to bathing in it.”. The ring box that was in my pocket, have you ever heard the term, it’s burning a hole in my pocket? That’s the way this felt. It was then that Amber made her way onto the back deck, cup of coffee in her hand and a triumphant smile on her face.

To me, at that moment, she appeared almost angelic. That smile and a setting sun behind her, it cast a glow about her. She just seemed to radiate fire at that moment in time. That’s when I knew that this would be the moment. The perfect moment. I returned her smile as she approached, her steps light and full of energy. She gives me a quick kiss before sitting down in the chair next to mine. “I heard you fire it up, mission accomplished? "I asked her, although a rhetorical question still important to point out accomplishments of your better half. Her smile had not faded yet as she says, “It runs, but there is still a rattle in it that I can’t quite figure out”. My smile broadens, “There was never any doubt that it would end up that way, love.”. I squeeze her hand, and she returns the gesture. I look up at the sky, “Such a beautiful night, it all seems so perfect right now.”, I say aloud. I stand up and with my back to her, I pull out the ring box. “Whatcha doin?” she asks playfully. “I’ve got a surprise for you.” I say as calmly as I can muster. This was it, one of the biggest moments of my life. I’d had countless title matches, and never had butterflies like this in my gut. Looking over my shoulder I see the suspicious look. That doesn’t really help my nerves much, makes it a lot worse. “Close your eyes Red.”, I say to her. Her suspicious look softens, but not by much. She does as I ask, “This better be good Bane.”. I laugh at her statement, “Well, I think you’ll be surprised I say as I kneel in front of her.

With a ring in hand, I take her left hand in mine. “Before you open your eyes, I want to say something. I’ve known countless women in my life. A lot of friends, and only one lover before I met you. None of them have ever given me the feeling that I get with you. You, darlin, are one of the few people on the face of this earth that gets me. You know who and what I am, and you never judge me either way for the things I do.” Her smile broadens as she listens to my words. “Please open your eyes.”, I say to her. She opens her eyes and sees me kneeling in front of her. Her smile blossoms as I continue, “Amber Ryan, would you do me the honor of being my wife?”. The look on her face, it confirms that I have indeed surprised her or maybe it was the glare from the ring, I’m not really quite sure. The ring itself, well, it was an amazing piece. It had taken me months to find what I felt was the perfect ring. The stone itself was a three carat oval cut diamond, with a halo of additional diamonds surrounding it. It was set in a white gold ring. Now the hard part, what would she say?

OOC - (#cliffhanger! #ImAshit, #ReadAmbersRPForTheAnswer)

Fade…

{In-Studio}

Here I was once again, in my studio in Baltimore. I watched as the red light began blinking. Knowing the footage was being recorded, I got ready to begin. I looked around at the sound proofing panels, the black and grey combination wasn’t really attractive but effective. As usual the silence in this room was deafening. It never bothered me but for some it was an obstacle they had to overcome. For recording audio and video, it was a problem as old as time. Maybe not quite that old but close. I lean back in the chair at first, rubbing the thighs of my ripped jeans, I stand up. The normal black stetson is gone, replaced by my trademark “Texan” skullcap. I slide that off the back of my head, slowly untangling the knot from my shoulder length hair. My hair falls free and I level my gaze on the camera.

“Tag team wrestling. A lost art in most promotions where they just throw people together for the hell of it to fill a hole between singles matches. These types of matches are shit on everywhere. Except in Carnage, the tag team titles actually mean something here. For a moment I want to pay respect to Catalina and her partner Chris Marlowe. They have elevated those titles to heights not seen since Amber Ryan and Eli Goode held them. I think you could say they’ve done more for them to be honest. Look at who they’ve beaten. They’ve literally beaten everyone there is to beat in Carnage. Until a team that just got thrown together...will make its debut. I’m not ready to talk about Jack and I quite yet though. Special consideration should be paid to our opponents first. Everyone in this match has a rich history here in Carnage, except for one person that is. Mitch Heart. He hasn’t been here long but what an impact he’s made. Up until Chaos number one hundred, he had been the only one to go the distance with Zane King and come out of it with anything less than a broken body. The man is absolutely phenomenal in the ring. A tough as nails guy, who is an absolute throw back to the old days. When I look at you Mitch, even though you’re teamed up with Raven’s bunch, I don’t see a guy who’s out there trying to be anyone but who he is as a person.”

I spread my arms out wide and take a more serious tone and my gaze softens slightly.

“What I see is a man, who can stand on his own but also compliments the team that he’s a part of. Not many in this sport can say that. Even fewer prove it each week. Who did they give him as a partner? Not Raven, not Silvio or Addy...no, they gave him Kyra Johnson as a partner for this match. Your problem is not with who your partner is.”

I shake my head no, to emphasize what I’m saying.

“Your problem is because she has something you want. I wanted it too, I failed in my effort to take the ultra violence title from her. I know you’ve challenged her. If I know her even a little, I’ve no doubt that she will accept your challenge.

My demeanor changes to match the subject matter. My gaze hardens and my tone becomes more level and deeper.

“See, I do know a lot about Kyra, she may think I don’t but she’d be wrong. I’ve experienced her resilience first hand. I know how tough she is, and no it’s not something you can measure by watching film. You can only measure it by hitting her with your best shot. If she stays down, you can count that as a miracle. She won’t give up or give in. I have a great deal of respect for her as a professional. We just got done kicking each other's asses at Chaos number one hundred. She had earned my respect a long time ago as a professional, for all the reasons I’ve laid out to this point. I do have utmost respect for her as a pro, but you see based on the promo she cut about me, that is where it ends.”

I bring my arms back by my sides, where I allow my fists to clench.

“She told the world that she was going to send me to my grave to join my deceased wife. She’s criticized my parenting skills. She’s blamed me for the tension between her and Amber. She has laid the problems of the world at my feet. The only thing that’s really my fault, is that I didn’t beat her and take that title away from her. That’s on me, I own that shit. That was literally the only way I had in front of me to shut her up. I dropped the ball and I freely admit that. She was tougher than me on that night. She got the job done. Period. End of story. That however is not where and how this ends Kyra. Do you want to know why I targetted you instead of Ken? It’s not for any of the reasons that you mentioned. You should probably make like facebook and fact check that shit before you say it on a recorded platform chica. The only thing that you said that actually had any factual value in it was the fact that the last time Ken and I faced each other, he beat me.”

Now with my arms folded across my chest, I continue to assault her verbally.

“You see, I fear him as much as I fear you little girl, not at fucking all. It should have been obvious to everyone involved, that you lacked the originality to come up with this material on your own. You were spoonfed that information by Ken. That was even his style of promo, he was there in everything but physical presence. That’s all fine. It was one battle in a war that will tear this place to the ground. Still feel like you won something? If you do then your not paying attention. Receipts are owed and will be delivered at Chaos one-oh-one. Tell him to be on standby kid, I want him to witness the message we are delivering in person. He tried to take something from me and Jack, and now we are going to repay that in fucking spades. What happens next is on him and you little girl. Poor Mitch is just collateral damage. I know you won’t Mitch but I’d suggest just staying on the ring apron for this one and let her take what she’s owed.”

I feel my brow furrow as I continue.

“The reason I targetted you Kyra. Oh, that’s the easy part. You see my “brother”, he hurt someone that I love. The high road won’t allow for me to challenge him directly. So, I chose to hurt someone that he loves. He may not have said it yet but I can tell by the look on his face and the way he acts. Now, it’s common knowledge that Jack and Kyra were engaged to be married. I won’t go out of my way to reopen those old wounds, because of my respect for Jack. There’s a lot of history there, and now because she chose to, there’s bad blood to go with it.”

I relax my hands and allow my arms to fall back to my sides, then I look at the camera and smile. A genuine smile.

“I call ‘em like I see ‘em kids, and what I see is a pair of strangers teaming for the first time. Both bad assed fighters with some wrestling knowledge. Jack and I though, we’ve nearly forty years of wrestling experience between us. He was the longest reigning world champion in the history of this company. Even if he doesn’t still hold that title, it matters, it’s something to respect. I think we have something like ten hall of fame inductions between us. Where am I going with this. I’ll tell you where I’m going with this. When I look at Jack and I as a team, what I see are two men who at certain points in their careers have dominated the landscapes of companies we’ve called home. In tag team matches, that wouldn’t ordinarily amount to much. The truly great tag teams have a certain chemistry. There’s a certain dynamic between them. Jack and I have that, even though we’ve never wrestled as a team before. We figured this out early on, the two of us have worked out quite a lot together and realize that most of the time, we know what the other is thinking. I know there’s a large difference between sparring one on one and being on the same side in a match. It does however provide a dynamic that you two do not possess.

When you spar with someone and you know each other so very well that you can counter each other in a chain wrestling clinic to anyone watching? That’s fucking magic kids. Here’s what we don’t know. We don’t know for sure, if our teaming together will be one off or a long term project. What we do know, is that we’ll be able to send a clear and concise message to the rest of the roster. Especially to Catalina and Marlowe, because if we do decide to make a run at those titles. We don’t miss and we don’t screw around.”