Step One

You don’t just get to walk away from me after the things that you’ve done. I’ve been telling people since I was sixteen years old. Things said to me have consequences, make sure you can accept them. Step One was completed without much effort. It was far more simple than I thought it might be. I mean all I really had to do was bait them, and the rest took care of itself by the end of the night. Like I told some friends earlier in the week when I was asked where do we go from here. I told them we handle our business, and that’s exactly what we did. The methods might be questionable in the eyes of some. People can think what they want, I did what I had to do to make sure the message was clear. That message is this Paragon, this is far from over.

The Saints as we are called these days, we have gone by many different names throughout the years, most of the things we’ve been called are not fit for polite company. The name at one time when we were in Boardwalk was The Suicide Saints. Why were we called that? It sure as hell ain't because we were up for sainthood, I can tell you that straight away. No, it was something that three men thought up. Three men that were like brothers separated at birth. Sometimes in this business people sit together and talk, that leads to alliances, allegiances...brotherhood. We are brothers to the bone and that’s how The Suicide Saints were founded. Myke Adams is the third part of this extremely complex equation that is the saints. He’s retired and we wish him well, now we move forward as only we know how to do. History lesson is now over but the class has not been dismissed. There are more lessons to be taught.

Well Paragon, did you enjoy your first lesson? The first lesson is always an abject lesson in humility. Are you starting to realize that you’re in over your head? Did you really believe that just because Joe and Jack nearly killed each other that this was over? I wonder how it felt to be laid low by some guy who was called, “nothing more than main event fodder”? I wouldn’t know, but I guess we could ask Amber Ryan that question. I mean she had such nice things to say to and about me prior to Season of the Witch qualifiers right? Those things obviously jaded my perception of a former world champion, a person whom I had shown respect for prior to that match. Someone who didn’t return the respect that had been given to her. Not a big deal, I handled it the same way I always do. I handled my business.

How does that feel missy? Eli, don’t worry princess, I’m not leaving you out. The heir apparent to the crown, or is that TJ? It simply does not matter, you’ve thrown your lot in with Jackoff. Now you get to be his proxy, everything that he’ll eventually get from me, you get to experience it first. He’ll be so proud of you. Hey, you think he’ll hold another gathering in the ring after I’ve put you out of the business? I told him at Chaos and I want there to be no misunderstandings here kid. You hurt one of ours, that’s expected, not acceptable but expected. I never leave a bill unpaid. There’s a receipt due. You two may not be Jack but you’ll do for now.

We are taking out the family, whether it’s one at a time in an isolation style attack. It could be that the lights go out and we take you all out at the same time. Regardless of what happens from here, I wanted you to know that when you start thinking about who’s to blame, all you have to do is look in the mirror.

Anyone and everyone who’s been a part of Paragon could have stopped this from coming. Jason Bridges could have put a stop to this long ago. He chose to side with Paragon instead of doing the right thing, he chose his own ego and pocketbook. That’s the funny thing about ego and money, one can be destroyed and the other can be taken away. Men like “Godly” Ken Davison and myself, we’ve been busting up factions for over a decade. We don’t enjoy that kind of work, we live for it. Do you know why? Of course you don’t, you don’t pay attention to history. The members of Paragon have a bond, or at least they say they do. They may even believe that they do. What is their bond exactly? I couldn’t say for sure, they claim it’s about family and about being the best. I can tell you what the fans see, what we see, is that you stroke each others egos. You protect Michaels so he doesn’t lose that meal ticket.

What we do is a bit different. That’s because we’ve caused each other to be taken out on a stretcher. We’ve fought wars against each other and side by side against factions just like Paragon. You don’t scare or impress us in the least. You’re just another bump in the road on our way to yet another hall of fame induction that we so rightfully deserve. I’ve been inducted into the hall of fame in six different companies and I quit counting his inductions a long time ago. They are too many to name off the top of my head. I could literally spend the rest of the day talking about our accolades in this business, instead though, just know that this is not business, it’s fucking personal.

Jack, their blood is on your hands as well as ours. You reap what you sow, and the reaper is ready to collect. It doesn’t matter if you’re ready to pay Jack. The clock is ticking Jack, whether you beat Crucifix or not, your ass belongs to me.

Tick Tock Bitch

{Crooked M Ranch, Port Arthur, Texas - The following day}

[Off-Camera]

I knelt by the headstone, silently giving my thanks for the days that Melissa and I had together, and hating the fact that she wasn’t here anymore. Each exhale producing a cloud of frosty smoke. An early season cold front had pushed through the area and covered everything in frost, like you’d see in commercials where it looks like everything is covered in powdered sugar. I continued to kneel by her graveside, pulling the weeds from around it and placing fresh flowers near the headstone. Her favorites of course, she loved purple roses, and they were becoming increasingly harder to find. This was the extent of my predictability, if you wanted to find me, you would know where on this day of the week any way. “How do I even know that it’s okay to move on?” I asked no one in particular. “I guess I could google it.” I chuckle to myself, knowing full well that it’s all crap.

The other thing I know for certain right now, is that this is in part what fuels my rage. Not the feeling of abandonment or survivors guilt. It was the three years that brought me to this point, to this day. From the time we found out that Melissa had cancer, I was by her side, as were our children. They never wavered, they never faltered in the things they were asked to do. My boys were my rocks during that time, as were my brothers. Not my brothers by blood, my brothers by deed. Myke and Ken were constantly at the ranch to check on us. Making sure that everything was as it should be. They were always there when I needed them, and they truly have no idea how grateful I am to this day for that. None of that is what fuels me, no, it’s the not knowing. Not knowing if a different doctor could have made a difference. The not knowing that the chemo and radiation treatments weren’t going to buy us more time.

“The not knowing what to do next.”, I remark to myself as I finish cleaning her grave site. “In Baltimore, in that ring, I always know what to do next. It’s my personal life that’s a train wreck.” I stand up and begin making the 3 mile walk back to the house. “What flipped my switch then? Joe? Lucy? Trent? Sebastian? Ken?”. “No, no it was not them. It was the hypocrisy that Paragon represents. That is what fuels my rage. They actually expect the fans and the locker room to believe that crap.”. I laugh to myself as I think about them, shaking my head to clear them from my thoughts. Knowing full well that if I don’t then my blood pressure will begin pumping again and cause me more problems than I have solutions for at the moment. My phone begins to buzz and I pull it out of my pocket and see the twitter notification. “Looks like Will is going to visit Lucy, that’s good, she could use all the company she can get right now. That way she doesn’t end up like me.”.

“Three years, three years of solitude. Three years of grieving. Three years of dreading and praying for the day when she would pass and her suffering would end.”. The shrinks had all told me the same thing. “Mr. Bane, you started grieving the day you got the news that she had cancer. It’s nothing to be ashamed of Mr. Bane, this happens to a lot of spouses.” I shake my head as the tears flow once more. I stopped by the gate that leads to the side entrance to my home. “Sure, you can cry now, but you didn’t shed a fucking tear the day she died.”. I open the gate and step up and into the house.

I stop in the mud room and kick my boots off and hang my jacket where it belongs. The warmth of the house brings a smile to my face, just as it always has since the day it was built. Brick, mortar, shingles, nails, none of that matters. What makes a home is the people inside it. I smile as I look above the fireplace where a, “I love you more” sign still hangs. Melissa had hung that there many years ago. She and I made this a home, when the kids came, it became more so. I can’t help but smile openly at the memories made in this house. My phone buzzes again. Pulling it out I see a message that makes me smile more. “You are far too kind.” a direct message from Lucy. I start to respond but then don’t. Instead I say it out loud. “I wonder if Amber and Jack would agree with that?”.

Fade.

{Family Intervention - Dallas, Texas - two days later}

[Off-Camera]

“It was only a matter of time before it came to this.”, “You do realize that right Dad?”, said my youngest Jules. I glared at her and then the image on the flat screen television. “Plenty of Fish?”, I stared at her incredulously. “Are you fucking kidding me right now?!”, this was almost more than I can take. She smiled at me sweetly and then pats my hand like you see nurses in old folks homes do. “I’m not kidding, and yes this is for the best.”she says in a matter of fact tone. I can hear the laughter from the end of the table. My oldest James is laughing so hard right now he’s about to fall out of his chair. He sees the look on my face and it doesn’t help quiet his laughter. He finally catches his breath, “For fucks sake Dad, you need to get laid worse than any man I’ve seen in my life.”.

“Say’s the guy with relationship, and commitment issues,'' I remark in a scathing retort. Jules starts to say something and I hold up my finger cutting her off, “Don’t you dare young lady.”. She clamps her mouth shut at my fatherly tone. “Dad, this is just step one though. Honestly, we, as your children want you to be happy. It’s been more than long enough.”. I glare at my oldest, “Has it? Maybe I don’t think it’s been long enough.”. “Daddy, I think we all know that it’s been long enough. A year is more than long enough to grieve. You don’t have to use the website, that was really just a joke. We do want you to know that we are okay with it.”. With that, here comes the water works, both from myself and my daughter. I give her one of my papa bear hugs and she laughs. I let her go, “I hate to even ask but what’s step 2?”. When my daughter laughs, I think that must be what angels sound like when they do the same. “Change your fucking entrance music Dad!”.

“Hey now! Language!”, I laugh at her. She looks as shocked as I do that she just dropped an “F” bomb in front of me. I glare at my oldest son, “This is your fault.”. He doesn’t deny it, he only shrugs. “Says the guys who uses the “F” bomb like an oxford comma in his promos.”. Jules is quick to respond, “I’m impressed Jimmy, I didn’t know you knew what an oxford comma was.”. With that, there is more laughter, more than this family has had in a long time. It felt good and wrong all at the same time. I’d forgotten what joy felt like. Hell, maybe I could move forward. Maybe an old set in his ways widow could even find love again. I had my doubts I would ever have again what I had with Melissa, but an old fool could hope right?

Fade

{The Carnage Arena - Baltimore - Hours before show time}

[Off-Camera]

“Going old school Mac?”, the production assistant asked with a smile. I nod my head returning the smile, “Yeah, I think it’s time.”. He nods and gives me the thumbs up. I was not going to use that damn website for dating but I could agree to step two. My children were right about that much at least. Going back to something that is from a time when I was one of the most dominant world champions this business had ever seen. That was going to be fun. That might be the last piece of the puzzle. Once everything clicked into place, whether together or individually Ken and I would be hard to beat.

I continued down the hallway, passing the usual offices and production meetings on my way to the gorilla position. We were still several hours away from showtime so I walk down the ramp to the ring. I walk up the ring steps, making sure to wipe my feet prior to entering the ring. I may not give respect to a lot of people in this business but I always show respect for the ring crews work. I respect the business and this is what pisses me off about Paragon. I lean into the ropes testing them to make sure they are tight. One of the ring crew looks up as he slides a toolbox under the ring, “Good?” he asks. “Damn good son”, I respond with a smile. He returns the smile and makes his way back up the ramp. I walk around the ring and then I start to leave but I see Bridges coming down to the ring.

His attempt at a power walk makes me chuckle. I shake my head as he walks up the ringsteps and approaches me. “We need to talk Bane.”. I look at him, “Do we?! Do we really?! I think you’ve made your intentions clear Bridges.”. I poke him in the chest, “You’ve made your bed little man and now you have to live with that mistake.”. He glares at me as I withdraw my hand. “You’re fighting for the losing side Bane, there’s no way you can win. No way they can win. That match that Joe agreed to will signal the end of an era and the end of my problems.”. He smirks at me and I laugh in his face. “Do you remember what Trent told you right before you signed me?.”. He begins to pace back and forth and then stops just inches from me. I smile as lean down a little bit so he can feel my breath on his neck. He takes a step back and with my hands I imply an explosion. “The fuse is lit shit for brains, tonight is just step one. Tonight, the fans of Carnage, the legion gets to see what a real fucking tag team looks like. By the end of the night, Jack and Paragon are going to realize that it’s too late for any of them. By the time the pay per view is over there won't be a Paragon.”. With that I take my leave, behind me I can hear the heavy breathing of a very angry man.

Fade.