Come not between the dragon and his wrath.
~ Shakespeare, King Lear
{Baltimore MD, Carnage Arena - Post Match - “Who I am”}
[On-Camera]
As my music began to play, I was able to make it back to my feet, even though it felt like my legs were on fire. I watched Maggie Lockheart struggle to her feet, and then I watched her fall again. I moved as quickly as I could, sliding out of the ring and moved to where she laid, near the ring apron. My initial thought was one of terror, the thought of her neck being broken scared me more than anything had in years. I moved to her side, she looked over at me and screamed at me.
“Ungh...Ma...Mac, I am ffffine!”
As tired as I was, I still wasn’t taking any crap from her right now, not with her being in this condition. The way she was stammering and stuttering told a different story. So I yelled back at her.
“You’re hurt, shut your mouth and let me help you!”
I helped her out of the ring, finally getting her to let me pull her arm up and around my neck for support. We struggled together to start making our way up the ramp. I kept thinking, why weren’t the fucking medical team out here by now. The ref had been signalling injury to the back for what seemed like forever. Finally it was Lucy that appeared on the ramp to help us get to the back. Draping Maggie’s other arm around her neck to help me support her.
“Lucy, did you see what happened?”
I ask through labored breathing as we continued up the ramp.
“She landed in an awkward way, Mac, not your fault, we all know the risks.”
I grunt but kept moving as best I could. We soon made our way backstage passed the gorilla, people were just watching us. Talent and officials alike, just stood there like slack jawed assholes. We put her in a chair, I know Lucy knows what to do but I say it anyway.
“Don’t let her pass out Luce, I’m going to find the trainer.”
She doesn’t say anything, just nods as she holds Maggie’s head in both her hands. I run around the corner towards the trainers room. Spotting it, I don’t wait to carefully check for others on the other side of the door. I just slam through it like I’ve done through most of my life. I spin the guy wearing a labcoat around.
“You’re the trainer, yeah?”
He sputters and stumbles with his speech and so not waiting, I drag him along by his lapel. I explain on the way as we make our way back to where Maggie is sitting, now with the woman I know as her girlfriend. Lucy is gone, not unexpected though. Amber is there trying to keep Maggie awake. I shove the doc forward.
“Help her.”
I say it in a way that’s flat, yet pointed, I’m not taking any lip from anyone right now. I look at the young woman holding Maggie’s head in her hands.
“Amber?”
I ask her politely and with as much empathy as I can muster.
“Yeah, what happened exactly?”
I shake my head in disgust, exhaling forcefully through my nose.
“Lucy told me that Maggie landed awkwardly, I honestly didn’t see it, things were moving too fast. The ref did see it though, he was trying to get help for her.”.
My legs finally give out and I sink down to the floor on my knees. I was really thankful for the knee pads just then. Concrete can be rather unforgiving and cold. The doctor continues to check her as the emergency medical team finally arrives. I cringe as they put the neck brace on her. Maggie does finally speak again, indicating something is definitely wrong.
“M...my….head….som...something...is...v..very wrong.”
I feel the tingling in the bridge of my nose as Amber cries softly. The doctor looks over at us both.
“Precaution only, please don’t assume the worst.”
Fade.
***
{Baltimore MD - Bane House - “Empty Nest”}
[Off-Camera]
Pitch black, and then the audible, “snick” followed by the sounds of metal on metal of a zippo opening. The smell of “Ronson” lighter fluid and the violent reaction of flint on steel and the flame that erupted from that friction. Then it’s gone, only to be replaced by the ember of a freshly lit cigarette. I inhale deeply, and then exhale slowly to allow the nicotine to do its thing. I repeat the process as I roll my head back and forth, trying my damndest to ignore the burning pain in my legs. I had only just gotten home a short time ago, after spending an hour arguing with a hospital administrator about whether I could see Maggie or not. The audible pop echoes in the stillness as my neck finally pops.
“That didn’t fucking go well at all. Hospital administrators….just doing their job. Doesn’t mean I have to like it.”
I mutter to myself. I went to both side gates of the house checking them as I often do to make sure they are locked. This activity also sets off the motion alert on the mobile app on my phone, letting me know there is movement in the perimeter. At least I know my security cameras and sensors are working. I move back to the front porch and sit down heavily in the wicker chair. It groans in complaint of my two hundred and eighty pound frame being plopped onto it but it holds.
“Everyone’s a critic.”
I muse to myself as I lean back against the soft cushions and sigh noisily. I set the cigarette down in the ashtray and scrub my face with my hands.
“What a long fucking day.”
I say to myself as I replay that match in my head for probably the fortieth time since the show ended. Thinking to myself, everyone had said to me, “We know you weren’t trying to hurt her Mac, don’t beat yourself up over this.”. While I knew it was the truth, there was a part of me that still wondered if I could have done anything at all to prevent her from being injured. The answer to the question always came back as “no”. I’ve seen this happen a thousand times and the answer is always, “no”, it’s part of what we do. We all know the risks and accept them for what they are. We are all high risk heretics so to speak. Of course none of this would matter until I had gotten to talk to Maggie myself. I hope she wouldn’t blame me for what happened but if she did that would be one more thing I’d have to deal with going forward. I take one last drag from my cigarette before crushing it out in the ashtray. I carefully stand up, my legs still hurt like hell. It was time for some ibuprofen and some sleep. I turn and face the door. It would be quiet inside with the kids being back in Texas. The silence would be a relief of sorts I think, I wondered what Amber was doing just then. When my mind is quiet, it always goes to her and what life might look like with her by my side.
“Baby steps.”
I say as I open the front door to go inside.
Fade
***
{Dallas, Texas - Parkland Hospital - “The Call Part 1”}
The one thing that a parent fears more than death itself is to get a call that one of their children was dead or dying. My phone had rang at three in the morning, a Texas State Trooper had called me to inform me that my youngest son Aeric had been in a bad accident. Have I mentioned that I hate hospitals? I waited in the lobby to be admitted to see him. He was still in surgery. My anxiety was racing to the threshold that my medication could tolerate. I’d tried to get in touch with Amber and Ken, neither of those calls did anything but go to voicemail. Now I was pacing back and forth and my anger was growing.
“Mr. Bane?”
A voice said from a podium nearby. I looked over to see a man in a white lab coat, scrubs underneath. He looked like he hadn’t slept in days. I probably hadn’t, E.R. Doctors don’t typically get much sleep. Ordinarily I would attempt to shake the man's hand but with Covid, that was a no no these days.
“Yeah, I’m Aeric’s father.”
The surgeon looked me over, a nod and smile and he did extend his hand for me to shake. I do so and gladly.
“Aeric is still under, we are about half way through the procedure to repair the damage to his back. We’ll delay the surgery he needs on his knees and right ankle for now. We’ll keep him in a soft cast to immobilize everything.”
I didn’t realize I had been holding my breath and then I explosively exhale, I scrub my face, and then brush the hair away from my eyes.
“How badly was he injured, no one ever even told me what this surgery was for. It was already underway when I got here.”
He nods his head, acknowledging that they had begun before anyone from the family had gotten here.
“You certainly have our apologies, but we had to act quickly. The details of his accident are sketchy, I’ll leave that to law enforcement to fill you in on that. His injuries though and I have to run through this quickly so I can get back in there. His back was broken, L4 and L5. ACL in both knees are torn. His ankle was shattered and his foot badly mangled. His ankle and foot will require reconstructive surgery.”
He and I here the page over the hospital speaker calling him back to surgery.
“Thank you Doc, please do what you can for my boy.”
Fade
***
{Dallas, Tx - Parkland Hospital - “The Call Part 2”
Several hours later…
“Mr. Bane.”
I wake with a start as I see the same surgeon from before, he sits next to me in a nearby chair.
“Aeric’s surgery was successful, we’ll know more in the morning, once we’re able to test his reactions. He’s heavily sedated and won’t even know anyone is there. It looks like you’ve not slept in a while, so I’d suggest going home and getting some rest.”
I grunt in response, shaking my head indicating that I did not agree with him.
“No, I’ll stay until I can talk to him.”
We are interrupted by a Texas State Trooper, his uniform crisp and his manner polite.
“I apologize for the interruption, but Mr. Bane, we have some questions for you about your son.”
The name tag read “J. Tone” I noticed as he sat down with a tablet.
“Trooper Tone? Sure, what would you like to know?”
He digs something out of a bag he had carried in with him. Sliding gloves on he holds up a black mask.
“I’m not sure I understand…”
“It’s a wrestling mask.”
I say finally.
“If you notice the laces on the back of it, I mean.”
He does a cursory glance, nods and then puts it back in the bag. Suddenly, I knew where I’d seen that mask.
“Anything more you’d like to add about the mask?”
“No sir, that’s really all I know about it. It should probably be noted that we are a wrestling family. He may have been working elsewhere and I just didn’t realize it.”
He doesn’t nod or shake his head, he just studies me for a moment. Finally he speaks again.
“Do you know Lindsey Williams?”
I smile at the Trooper. He doesn’ return my smile, his gaze never wavers.
“Yes, she’s Aeric’s girlfriend. They’ve been seeing each other for about a year.”
“Do you know how to contact her family? She had no identification on her at the scene. The department of course is tracing the VIN to see what we can find.”
I feel the color drain from my face.
“Is she….”
He nods
“She died at the scene, she was the other driver Mr. Bane.”
I let my head fall into my hands, the shock is almost too much to bear. Then she is there, Amber wraps her arms around me. My mind and my body just feel numb, the trooper wasn’t finished however.
“There’s more, she was pregnant Mr. Bane.”
He lets it trail off as I feel the hot burn of tears break loose.
“Aeric Bane was involved in a hit and run earlier in the evening. Witnesses at the scene told us that his truck was running without headlights. He was a wrong way driver in this case sir. We’ll be in touch should we need anything else. His list of charges will be lengthy. Once he comes to and the doctor clears it we will proceed.”
It’s several long moments before I can even speak and by the time that does happen, there is no one there but myself and Amber. I don’t know what would have happened, had she not been there. I could feel something snap inside of me. I knew something important had just happened at that moment but at the time I could not put my finger on it. I could almost feel the shift that was occurring in my mind. It was a scary thought and at the same time reassuring that I was headed down the right path. People were going to learn, not my Amber though, she had done nothing wrong. Everyone else though, they were fair game. It was time to remind them of why they call me “Big Nasty”. It would all start with little Nate.
***
{Baltimore MD, Bane’s Home, “Rage Against it”}
Being back in Baltimore felt good, as I stood in front of the camera in the studio at home to record my thoughts on my title defense at “We Are Relentless”. My current mood with everything that happened in the last week, was nothing short of barely controlled rage. I knew I was a time bomb that was getting ready to go off. I just needed to hold it in check a little longer. I watched the angry red eye flashing at me indicating it was recording.
“We Are Relentless; go back three hundred and sixty five days and you know what you find? You find that I tossed Jazmyn Cordova from the top of a cage through a table that was wrapped in barbed wire and set on fire. This was my pay per view debut in Carnage. The Doomsday Massacre match is not a thing of beauty. It’s not a match designed to showcase skill or ability. Now, most people would use a match like that to settle a grudge or because they hate another person enough to inflict maximum damage. I neither liked or disliked Jazmyn Cordova at that time, I did however use her frustration and hatred for me to make a statement.”
I pause long enough to let that sink in, to allow the viewer to fully absorb what I’m saying.
“To prove a point if you will.”
I allow a little of the anger to seep through, my eyes harden and my look is steel.
“The point needed to be made that words spoken to me have consequences. So, you called me out after destroying J.D. Mohr. You issued a threat, a declaration of war if you will. You told me and the world that you were coming for….
My blood.
My life.
My title.”
I bark a laugh as I finish that statement.
“That’s all fine and good, saying it and doing it are two completely different things. You’ll figure that out soon enough. The other thing you’ll figure out in short order?
I am relentless.
Especially when someone speaks out of turn.”
I exhale slowly, making sure the set of my eyes leaves no doubt of my intent.
“You see, and I know you already know this. You could have simply challenged for my title. You could have been a professional instead of a showboat. You and your crew felt it necessary to declare war on the entire company. Why? Oh, that’s right, because you weren’t receiving the level of respect you feel is owed to you. Why would anyone respect your little group of thugs? They haven’t done a fucking thing since they’ve been here. You could have all worked a little harder to establish yourself before completely losing touch with reality.”
“See, that’s a problem.
Not for me, for you.”
I again pause, but this time, I allow the scowl to slide into a feral smile.
“I’m sure you are familiar with castle laws or stand my ground laws, like we have in Texas? If not, then I’ll provide you with a high level overview. This law states that should you enter my house without my permission to do harm to myself or my family, then I can use whatever level of force necessary to remove you. In case you missed the memo, Carnage Wrestling is my home. I know Knox would be highly discouraged, should I put you on the shelf permanently. He considers his problem with you, to supercede to my own. I don’t know what you did to push him so far, and frankly I don’t care. He can have whatever is left of you when I’m done. If y’all are both lucky there will be more than a greasy spot on the fucking floor where Thor once stood.”
I then allow a more genuine smile to replace the feral one as I continue.
“You have to understand, there are certain things in life you simply should not do. Fucking with me is one of those things. I think it’s time people around here relearned that. That was the reason that one year ago, I threw Cordova from the top of a cage through a burning table. It was about establishing how dominant I am. People just don’t learn, or because I’ve been nice to people they forgot my past. Especially one bald headed fucker who shall remain nameless. I walked in the darkness Nate, I’m no stranger to it. I quit fighting my demons long ago, we’re friends now and we like to beat the hell out of people together. Chaos ninety six woke something in me that I thought was long buried.”
I count them off on my hand, folding fingers down as I go.
“Hatred
Passion for Violence
A fire for those things burns white hot in my veins again for the first time in years.”
With only one finger left, extended is my middle finger.
“This is not some byproduct of you or your group, no this is about someone hurting my family.This is a product of being taken for granted by close friends, who should fucking know better. Friends who’ve been around me, my entire career. The same people who’ve seen me at my absolute best and my tragic worst. Why am I telling you this? To be perfectly honest, I think it important for you to know who and what you are getting in the ring with.
There was a time when I was the most feared man in any company I walked into. Rookies and veterans alike, they would see my name and beg the booker to change it. No one wanted to face me when I’m in this place. I didn’t give myself the nickname “The One Man Wrecking Crew”, that was just something people started calling me. They started calling me that because of what I do to factions in this business. Factions like yours.”
I raise my other hand, now having both hands up, middle fingers extended.
“That’s no threat, I’ll leave that to you, and your kind, I’ve fought men like you my whole life. I haven’t won them all but by God, I’m going to win this one. Once I’m done leaving you a bloody mess, I’m going to help Raven and Levi rid the company of people like you. I won’t be joining any faction that they might form, I’m just going to be there to help if they need it. You talk about respect like the self entitled little bitch that you are. You’ve done nothing to earn respect in Carnage, you think you can demand respect from us? I don’t think so, scooter. Do you know what earns you respect? Beating quality opponents, that’s what earns you respect. I’m about to do some name dropping here. What do Zephyr Quinn and Trent Steel have in common, I mean other than their association with me? “
“They both kicked your ass, that’s what. Another one for you. What Do Ken Davison and I have in common, other than our long friendship? In the last year, we are the only two people to hold a one on one victory over Amber Ryan in this company. That’s how you earn respect, you beat some of the best that this company and this industry have. You don’t do that by losing to rookies. It’s always about winning the matches you should and absolutely killin it in the matches you shouldn’t win. You’ve had multiple chances in Carnage to really shine, but the only thing you’ve done is drop the damn ball. The only reason we’re even having this conversation right now is because J.D. mailed it in. He didn’t take you seriously and why would he? Some old bastard that should be in a nursing home, not a wrestling ring, tries and succeeds in taking his spot. That was absolutely mind blowing to me. When J.D. is on his game he’s an absolute beast.”
“I don’t know what happened to him and frankly I don’t care. Maybe he got high from the pollen from the sunflower he was carrying back to Kyra. The whys of your being where you are and facing me for the Baltimore City Championship pale in comparison to what I’ve done as champion. I beat Zephyr Quinn and her sister to take this title. To restore honor and tradition to a belt that had been renamed. I defended this title against Zephyr and Trent. I then defended it against Joe War and then again against a kid that was on absolute fire. Angel was worthy of a shot at this title. You? Don’t make me laugh. You couldn’t lace that kids boots. Let alone compete with someone like Maggie Lockheart or Jenova as she’s called. Unfortunately for you, this is what we call in the wrong place at the wrong time. You’re not even who I want to hurt right now, but you’ll do for the time being. I would say don’t take this personally, but that would be a lie. I want you to take this ass whippin very personally. Beat me if you can old man.
Win.
Lose.
Or Draw
You will not survive what’s coming for you.
You will learn to fear my name.”
With that I punch the camera to accentuate my point and it stops recording.
Fin.
