Grassroots Revival Part 5(The Final Chapter)

{Carnage Arena - Baltimore, MD - Post Chaos}

As my match ended with Calvin tapping out, I rise slowly to my feet. The cheering of the crowd, the sweat running down my torso. The goosebumps the reaction created to his destruction, still bleeding from my mouth and still smiling about it. I make my way out of the ring and up the ramp with the cheering of the Legion slowly dying down as I make my way past the gorilla position. As I round the corner, I see Belle Silva approaching, I smile as she stops and brings the microphone up to speak.

Belle Silva: Mr. Bane. May we get a word with you?

Mac Bane: Mr. Bane? Why so formal? Of course, I’m not a hard person to approach or talk to.

She nods, smiling she signals the camera man to begin.

Belle Silva: We can’t help but notice a change in you since you first came to Carnage. In the beginning you were very respectful of everyone and now, it’s like a different person we’re seeing. You know, like you…

I cut her off in mid-sentence.

Mac Bane: Like I belong here? I’ve had a long and storied career Belle. The ups and downs, peaks and valleys. The hard times and the good times, but the one thing that’s never changed about me is who I am as a person.

Now it’s her turn to cut me off.

Belle Silva: I think everyone would agree that you have become more aggressive of late.

Mac Bane: That’s always been there, and I’ve shown that since day one, as you well know. I’ve been aggressive with everyone I’ve been in the ring with. I think perhaps you’re looking for something that doesn’t exist. You know, like Calvin Harris’ belief that he’s actually a contender for the heavyweight title.

She frowns and pauses as if searching for something else to say.

Belle Silva: He did earn his previous title shot. Why so negative towards Calvin?

I chuckled at the question and hold up my hand and then extending my index finger I begin.

Mac Bane: So people keep telling me. I came to the company not long before he lost his match with Jack Michaels. I didn’t go back and research who he beat to get that shot. As badly as he performed in that match I thought it must be a case of even a blind squirrel finds a nut from time to time. War was declared, Paragon doesn’t fight for Carnage and the Legion knows that.

She frowns at me once again, obviously a fan of Harris. I smile and begin to walk away.

Mac Bane: Sorry kiddo, that’s all I have time for.

Fade.

{Crooked M Ranch - Midweek}

{Off-Camera}

Another cold front has moved into the area, the light breeze feels amazing as I sip from my coffee cup. Ordinarily the ranch would be quiet but my son Jimmy had come in the night before, I swear that boy couldn’t sneak up on a corpse. Like me, he's not a morning person, we are about half way through our first cup of coffee before we look at each other and laugh.

Mac Bane: Did Mags get in touch with you?

Jimmy smiles and nods his head.

Jimmy Allen: Yeah, she’s a natural pop, I don’t know why she’s wanting to learn from so many people but it does speak well of her.

Mac Bane: When you’re a student of the game, learning from as many people as possible is the smart thing to do.

He seems to consider this before responding.

Jimmy Allen: I can’t argue with that.

Mac Bane: Nor should you kiddo.

Again we laugh, I study my son and for the first time I have to admit that he’s way too much like me. He doesn’t have the PTSD issues that I have but other than that, he’s very much a young version of me. My heart swells with pride at the man he’s become.

Jimmy Allen: It was fun to watch the season of Rishel get canceled before it could even get the pilot episode produced.

He quips as I take a sip of coffee, causing me to nearly choke.

Mac Bane: Your Uncle Ken made sure that shit didn’t happen.

Jimmy Allen: How is he doing, he’s been through a lot.

Mac Bane: Ken is Ken, if he’s hurting you won’t know it. I will but most won’t. He’s okay physically. How’s Jules doing in Dallas.

He chuckles and smirks.

Jimmy Allen: She’s doing great, she’s so much like Mom. So smart, it’s like she never missed a beat. You saw the progress the teachers sent out. She’s in the top three of her class there. National Honor Society now and just really kicking ass.

I smile, my eyes welling with prideful tears.

Mac Bane: I should probably call her more often, just so she knows.

He cuts me off in mid-sentence.

Jimmy Allen: Dad, look, you already call her three times a week. She knows that you love her more than anything. She’s worried about you though, she realized the same thing that I had. You’re not taking your meds for the PTSD. She knows this and it bothers her a great deal.

Before I speak, I swallow hard, this is tough to explain to my kids. I take a deep breath and then begin.

Mac Bane: I don’t expect you to understand Jimmy, you’ve never gone through what I’ve been through. The medication that the VA gives me for PTSD, the side effects are pretty bad but worse is that it changes who I am as a person. I’ve never liked the feeling of being trapped inside of myself if that makes any sense.

Jimmy Allen: It does but…

I cut him off in mid-sentence.

Mac Bane: I’m not done yet, yes the nightmares have come back and so I don’t sleep as well as I used to. The therapy that I’ve had over the years helps though. I don’t wake up screaming and I don’t wake up trying to punch whoever is close by.

He seems to consider that, and when I don’t say more, he takes that as his cue to continue.

Jimmy Allen: I had no idea….

Mac Bane: I know, your mom and I decided that if we could, we would shield that from all of you kids. This works in my favor now that you are all grown and can understand what I go through and why. You’ve watched my old tapes from my first couple of years in the business?

Jimmy Allen: I have, I didn’t really learn much from them, not a lot of technique involved in trying to cave someones skull in with a baseball bat.

I chuckle at his quip and continue.

Mac Bane: No, no there’s not. However the circumstances around those matches.

Jimmy Allen: The war to settle the score.

Mac Bane: Exactly so. War had been declared against myself and my friends. Does this have a familiar ring to it?

Jimmy Allen: It does.

Mac Bane: good, then you’re still teachable. If you go back through the history of Carnage, what you’ll learn is that Paragon declared war against the roster a long time before I arrived.

Jimmy Allen: You’re not wrong, and I did.

Mac Bane: I know I’m not wrong and you should always start with that premise.

He rolls his eyes at an old joke from his childhood. I would always tell him that he should assume I’m right in all things, unless his mother told him otherwise.

Fade

{Some hours later…}

{Off-Camera}

The cool breeze from this morning has continued throughout the day, Jimmy and I had been busting our asses in the practice ring. Now, the coolness of the breeze dries the sweat and brings relief to us both. In stereo we both light cigarettes and exhale deeply. I look around our makeshift dojo at the banners that hang there. A banner for every world title I’ve held, there weren’t so many that it appeared tacky or gaudy. There were however enough to make the statement that I belong in this match.

Mac Bane: Still thinking about coming to Carnage?

Jimmy Allen: I am, I’m just not sure I’m a fit there to be honest.

Mac Bane: I saw that one of your friends had joined the company, not that it’s been announced or anything.

Jimmy Allen: Yeah, I know. She’ll do well, of that I have no doubts. You hear anything from Uncle Myke lately?

I shake my head.

Mac Bane: No, I think he’s pretty happy being retired. He has a lot going on these days from what he’s told me. To be honest kid, I think you would kick some major ass in Carnage. I know you remember JC from the CWF tourneys.

He nods and stares off in the distance, obviously still thinking about it.

Jimmy Allen: He’s challenging for the world title, he’s quite the challenge in the ring. Michaels has his hands full.

Mac Bane: There’s another reason I think you should come to Carnage.

He looks at me in askance.

Jimmy Allen: Why’s that?

Mac Bane: Paragon has declared war on JC, Lucy, Trent and anyone that supports their cause.

Jimmy arches an eyebrow and then it clicks in his head.

Jimmy Allen: Chaos creates cash.

Mac Bane: You coming would elevate our brand and the Carnage brand as well. Everyone wins but in the end, having you there will also be good for your career. There’s a lot of opportunity to be claimed in Carnage.

I watch his and see the gears turning, he hasn’t been excited about the business in a while but I can see that fire begins to take light in his eyes for the first time in a long time.

Mac Bane: Ready for some lunch?

He smiles and nods his head.

Jimmy Allen: Not your cooking though.

Mac Bane: Norma’s?

Jimmy Allen: Now you’re talking!

Fade.

{Later that night….}

{Off Camera}

Jimmy had gone back to Dallas after lunch and I had the rest of the day to myself. I love my kids but I’m glad for the quiet. I had spent the afternoon studying tape of my opponents. Now it was time to study tape on myself. I start by watching my own collection that I jokingly refer to as “The Path to Glory”. I had gone back and put together tapes of my path to each world title reign. Some were simply bloody documentaries of who I was at the time, and the evolution or de-evolution if you will of “The One Man Wrecking Crew”.

“Jimmy Zane”

“The Punisher”

“The Xtreme One”

“Adam Knight”

“Noah Hansen”

“Bob Pooler”

“Chris Andrews”

“Davy Boone”

“ Tytus Rost”

I think about those names, mostly good men, some not so much. They all have one thing in common, they all pushed me to be better. They all knew how to push my buttons. It’s been a long time since someone could flip that switch and cause me to go “there”. I continued to watch match after match. Match after bloody match, then came the dossil years. I hated these, they made me angry. They were part of my past. The years that I wasn’t myself.

“Boardwalk”

“OCW”

Just to name a few of the places I’d been where the medication was part of the contract. The industry had changed and everyone’s well being was of paramount importance. Those companies had worked with the VA to make sure that I was okay to compete. They got regular updates from my doctors each week to make sure I was still taking that medication and going to therapy.

“Carnage”

The opportunity to return to who I am as a person, as a man, as a warrior.

“Jazmyn Cordova”

“Brian Crucifix”

“Calvin Harris”

“Melody Lennox”

“Ken Davison”

Half of them know what I’m like in the ring, only one knows who the real Mac Bane is. Only one of them knows for sure what’s coming for them and he won’t tell a soul. He does love the shock value of the first time experience. All told, I ended up with about thirty full pages of notes. I smile at that, I was always a good student.

Fade

{Carnage Arena, Baltimore MD}

The camera starts at my feet, black boots

Coming up….ripped jeans

Leather belt

Bare chested

Black duster

Feral smile

Black stetson

The shot pans out to show all of me at once. The boom mic is in place and they begin recording.

Mac Bane: A six person elimination match to see who becomes the number one contender for the world title.

I pause for a moment to let the brevity of the match sink in for the viewers.

Mac Bane: Cordova, Crucifix, Hill, Lennox, Davison and myself. Two people in this match have faced Michaels before.

Dramatic Pause

Mac Bane: They failed.

Pause for emphasis.

Mac Bane: Miserably.

I pause, allowing the smile to slide from my face, eyebrows furrowing as I focus on what I have to say.

Mac Bane: Calvin Hill, the most recent victim of Jack Michaels. You earned that title shot or so people would be led to believe. The end result is that, it wasn’t even close. Michaels beat your ass. Oh, you put up a valiant fight but in the end it was just another day at the office for the champion. You became so obsessed with the loss that you started manufacturing things to explain away your own incompetence. Never once did you give credit to the man who kicked your ass. Then you had the balls to take to twitter and complain there, then again in your promo the following week. What did you call it? One foot out the door? Allow myself and The Legion to help you pack. The fans, they know who you are. I didn’t even have to convince them when we faced one another. Did you hear the cheers when you tapped out?

I begin to settle into a rhythm now, knowing what I want to say and what needs to be said.

Mac Bane: Brian Crucifix. He shares a similar fate to Hill, another pup trying to take the old dogs bone away. Another failed attempt at greatness. Why should anyone think for even a moment that you have what it takes to take that title away from Michaels. You’ve had your shots, you’ve been in Carnage for a long time. Like many others around here, you have a hatred for Paragon or so it would seem. You made your return against Eli Goode, and an impressive one it was. A brutal affair to be sure. I’m a fan of brutal affairs, but not of you. How many times do you have to fail before you give up and leave again. You couldn’t save your friend from Paragon. You have no name value, no brand, so who is Brian Crucifix anymore? After Season of the Witch, just another victim of his own pride.

Mac Bane: Speaking of victims of pride. Jazmyn Cordova; how in the actual fuck did you get passed Raab? At least it shows some potential, unlike the last time we were in the ring together. Did you enjoy my abject lesson in humility? Jazmyn “Don’t call me guardian angel” Cordova, the young lady who gets spun up so quick any time anyone calls her out on her bullshit. So worried, all the time worried about the perception of others. You care what Myra thinks about the things you do, you care about what the fans think. Through it all your biggest problem is your over inflated opinion of yourself. Did you really think this change in philosophy would gain you anything at all? You’re a bigger fool than I thought.

Mac Bane: Fools are a plenty around here, Melody Lennox. The problem for you is that you’re not fooling anyone, except for Jack Michaels that is. A very young and talented woman, there is not a single doubt in my mind. You’ve been a world champion before, you earned it and yet couldn’t cope with the fact that Trent Steel took it all away. He enjoyed that, you knew that right? Taking the one thing that mean anything to you away from you. I was actually in the crowd that night. He wasn’t careless like you claim. Trent is many things to many people but no one would call him careless or inept. You’re twenty four fucking years old kid, quit acting like you know more about this business than the rest of us. You know nothing, you proved that by aligning yourself with Paragon. War was declared on Override and all who support them. Guess what princess? There’s more than one person in this match who support them. Oh, by the way, the next time you talk to Johnny Vegas, ask him how his jaw is feeling.

Mac Bane: Ken Davison; brothers to the bone, many in Carnage don’t know our history. The trials that we helped each other through. The tribulations we helped each other survive. So much history, friendship that was created by conflict. A bond that no person can drive a wedge through. The only person I have any respect for whatsoever in this match. A man that I have traveled many roads with. We’ve tried to help each other and kill each other on more than one occasion. Our sons basically grew up together in this business we love so much. To have people like those in Paragon try to destroy the industry in general and Carnage specifically. It makes my blood boil. You’re the only person here who’s seen me and the way I fight when things get like this. They have no idea what’s coming for them but you do. I know who the final two people in this match will be.

Mac Bane: That being said, only one can stand at the end of the night as the number one contender to the world title. At the end when the final bell tolls, there will be me and my desire to be a champion again. My willingness to do whatever it takes to help Override destroy Paragon. Many believe I have no emotional investment in this company. They would be wrong. Carnage is my adopted home now. Override and The Saints want the same thing. We all fight for Carnage.

Fade.