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Thaddeus Duke · (06-12-2017)

[duke]Did you think I was done? Did you think I’d released my final words? Did you think I was ready to pack it in and wait for the carnage that’s no doubt coming at High Stakes?

If you did, then you thought wrong.

Entirely wrong.

Ladies and gentlemen, boys and girls, children of all ages. For my next trick, THIS is Chris Chaos talking shit. And this, is my response and its aftermath.[/duke]

Thaddeus holds his cell up to the camera.

[duke]I’m not saying Chris Chaos is a little girl but its hilariously obvious, she, just like he, bit off a little more than he could possibly chew. More than he ever bargained for. The ensuing result is dead silence from the Chaos camp.

Fact!

Chris Chaos and the star he used to be, is dead in the water.

Fact!

He’s just sitting idle in the water, hoping, maybe even praying to be scuttled and put out of his own misery.

Fact!

I’m growing very bored of talking about Chris Chaos.

Fact!

It’s like we’ve been attached at the hip for the last month.

Fact!

Beating him and his associate, is no longer all that fun.

Fact!

Jim Caedus? Now he’s fun.

Jim Caedus. Impressive specimen. Short statured yes, but built like a tank. With a paranoid personality that borders on Napoleonic, to boot. It’s a recipe for success. Sustained success. Jim obviously trusts very few people and in this business, it’s probably the best thing he can do. Never trust anybody. At least not fully.

To say that I’m not after my own best self interest would be a lie. So in that regard, I can fully understand WHY Jim Caedus feels the need to chastise me publicly for not refusing, or protesting my Uncle Theo’s ruling on Warfare of the all-AX3 main event for High Stakes. Here’s the thing: if you’re not in this business and thinking of yourself first, at least in the grand scheme of things, then you’re probably not long for this business. Jim Caedus says I protest the Dolly Waters situation too much yet didn’t protest the Pryce ruling at all. Here’s the facts Jimmy: I’ve spent as little time as possible talking about Dolly Waters and her tasting the sole of my boot. I did what I did, I said what needed to be said, and I’ve tried to leave it at that. That said, Jim, how can you sit, stand, or whatever it is you do when you talk on camera and tell me I protest too much then turn around and complain that I didn’t protest? What did you want me to do, Jim? Stand there and grab the mic and be like “No Uncle, don’t give me a Universal title match that I already earned… because AX3...” I was never gunna do that. And if you really expected me to, than you might be dumber Chris Chaos and let’s be real here, Jim. He’s pretty fuckin’ stupid.

I asked you Jim, what would happen if I did walk out of High Stakes with the title you currently wear. You said I’d be welcomed back and that I only needed to look at your loss to Trax as proof of that. There’s only one thing wrong with that logic, Jim. In this scenario, Trax didn’t take your title from you, but I did. That’s gonna change things. You can say all it changes is the nameplate on the front, but losing a non-title match to an ally is just a little different than losing your title to an ally.

Back to Theo Pryce being my uncle and not telling you. What does it matter? My uncle and I aren’t exactly friendly and I know I’m reiterating something I’ve said previously. The relationship you’re so worried about just doesn’t exist. We simply share a little blood and that’s as far as it goes. You can choose to believe me or not, I don’t particularly care one way or the other. That’s all I’m going to say on the subject so let’s consider that matter at a close.

Jim tells me not to get cute, but I really don’t have a choice. I mean, have you looked at me Jim? I’m pretty damn adorable. So what, you gonna reconfigure my face after you flay my fingers and bite them off? Which, by the way, you’re gonna do all that about as much as Chaos is going to break every bone in my body. It’s equally laughable.

There would be no Duke Nation if it weren’t for Jim Caedus and his invitation to me to join AX3. While there is a semblance of a point there, the logic is greatly flawed. Jim Caedus you did nickname my fan base Duke Nation and that’s about all you have had influence on as it pertains to me. While you were still fumbling around with that Television title, I was winning my fans by beating the likes of Micheal Graves, and Doctor D’Ville of the Kings™ - Ooooo there’s that trademark again. I won over my fans by having great fucking matches every time I was on the card. Is it braggadocios? Yeah maybe. Do I care? Not particularly. Jim, you taking credit for there being a Duke Nation is as insanely stupid and idiotic as Chris Chaos claiming he made me better by facing him. I’m all for giving the “rub,” to use the smark term for it, and while I have joked in the past about Micheal Graves and how he should be thanking me for bringing him back to the dance, I’m not vain enough to think that I’m the ONLY reason Graves has come along as far as he has since our meeting.

Jim Caedus thinks one unarmed man is more dangerous than staring down loaded gun barrels, or having to use your jet as a fucking missile and ejecting, or your location being fired at with tanks and just war in general. Just like I told Chaos, you can talk all you want and inflate your chest and be the big man, but you don’t know what it’s like to survive a war, unless you’ve done it. So no, nothing you do, nothing you say can or will ever intimidate me. And THEEEEEN, you compare me and my service to that of Bearded War Pig like it actually makes some kind of point. I never said my ability to survive a war was guaranteeing my victory over you, Jim. What I said, was that you can’t intimidate me. And you didn’t intimidate him. There goes that argument.

Jim Caedus thinks my shock and awe campaign of dropping promos like bombs for High Stakes means I’m scared. Naw hillbilly, not firing back doesn’t make you look any stronger, all it does is make your weak attempt at verbally assaulting me look even more pathetic than it already is. This is the biggest match of our careers Jim. To come out here all lackadaisical like it doesn’t even matter to you, while I’m out here hitting hard… fast… early… often... proves two things: One, I want it more than you.. and two, this match, and this opponent, meaning me, is just too big for you.

Don’t misunderstand me, I’m in no way saying that Jim Caedus is an inferior talent in the way that Chris Chaos is, but what I am saying, is that when the stakes are this high, you gotta be ready to fight. I got all the fight in the world and that’s what you’re seeing. I have all the desire to be the Universal Champion and that’s what you’re seeing. Don’t blame me because you can’t take the fight back to me. Don’t blame me because I’m willing to lay it all out and you’re not.

Go hard or go home, Jim Caedus. High Stakes is in the desert so… you should feel right at home.

Do I love the sound of my own voice? Yes. The fact is I love my own voice. I love to talk. I love to belittle the arrogant egotistical nature of Chris Chaos. I love to remind him that he’s a jackass clown with nothing creative to say. No real argument to spit. I’d say I love to remind him how stupid he really is, but he’s too stupid to realize just how stupid he is. Am I talking too much, or are you not talking enough? This is what we do right? We reveal our lives to the masses and debate points on camera. Don’t blame me, Jimmy, for doing this better than you.

My weak as fuck insults? Who have I insulted? I don’t do insults. I leave the insults to those that have less intelligence. What I do, is truths. I speak facts the way I see them and if you take them as insulting then obviously they’re holding some weight. No, Jim?

Let’s just call it like it is, Jim. Neither you, nor Chris had any idea what you were in for. I'm a big game, big time, prime time, main event player. You thinking otherwise, is hurting you badly.

See, there’s three corners to this four corner ring. You have the silver tongued insult generator in Jim Caedus in one corner. In the second corner, you have the gilded goose that just keeps laying eggs and can’t get out of his own way. That’s Chaos, like it really even needed to be said. And in the third and final corner, you have the blond haired, blue eyed Main Event Messiah.[/duke] Thaddeus does some math on his fingers, then points to himself. [duke]You both thought this "young kid" would get pushed around and made to look a fool. You both thought I’d roll over and while making a pretty good game of it, would just fold up his tent and go the hell home without the title. Without even threatening the title. What you got was the exact fucking opposite. What you got was me doing what I’ve done since the day I walked in here, stealing the show and proving unequivocally that I am, beyond a shadow of a doubt, better than you.[/duke]

Click.

Fade.

[duke]Present Day | 1:32 PM | Illuminatus Air Field | Connecticut [/duke]

Illuminatus One touches down on the runway with a screech of the enormous tires as they hit the blacktop surface. The Duke motorcade awaits just outside the hangar where the massive jumbo jet rests when not in use. After coming to a stop and taxiing into the hangar, the mobile stairs are placed and the Duke entourage exits the jet. Jim walks side by side with Thaddeus as Lincoln Tritter, the Church Intelligence operative lags behind, chatting on his cell phone.

Once they pile into the motorcade, Tritter ends his call and turns to Thaddeus. ”Senator McCain is at the Compound and growing impatient, Thaddeus.”

[duke]”What did you tell him?”[/duke]

”We’d be there in ten,” Tritter replies.

Thaddeus grows nervous. While technically a head of state, there is no official state. He’s met heads of state before but they were friendly visits. Senator John McCain of Arizona, Vietnam war veteran, while not a head of state, he is a highly ranked and respected person in power inside the American Government. And he has expressed particular interest in Thaddeus Duke’s Illuminatus. Those reasons why, will become clear in the coming minutes. Thaddeus has a gift for oratory occasions. He can have his men eating out of the palm of his hand as soon as he takes to a microphone. But this isn’t an occasion for a speech. It’s one veteran American politician, against an unprepared 18 year old kid.

At least that’s how it looks.

”You okay Thad?” Jim asks, cutting into the silence.

[duke]”Huh?”[/duke] Thaddeus replies, Jim’s question not initially registering. [duke]”Yeah, I’m fine. I’m just thinking.”[/duke]

”You’re nervous,” Jim states, capturing the obvious.

[duke]”No, not… well yeah. I have no idea what to tell him. And I do know what he wants.”[/duke]

”Just be your charming self. McCain’s an old cat, but he’s a war veteran,” Jim advises. ”There’s a rather tremendous age gap, but you two can see eye to eye on military experiences and leadership.”

Thaddeus doesn’t respond. Instead he falls back into his thoughts for the duration of the ride to the Compound. Once at the gates, he can see the McCain cars lined up along the right side of the driveway leading to the mansion, but on the outside looking in.

[duke]”Stop the car, Jeeves,”[/duke] Thaddeus instructs. After putting his window down, he points to an armed guard named George and waves him to the car. Once he approaches, Thaddeus asks the all important question, [duke]”George, why the hell is Senator McCain stuck on the outside?”[/duke]

”Sir, those were your orders. No one in, no one out without you present.”

Thaddeus’ face grows red with anger. [duke]”Are you fucking kidding me George? We’re at war here and you leave Senator McCain out here like a lame fucking duck!? Christ!”[/duke]

George doesn’t respond.

[duke]”He’s a foreign fucking dignitary, you fuckin’ asshole! One, I might add, that has particular interest in my god damn military!”[/duke]

”My apologies...”

[duke]”Save it!

“Just open the fucking gate!”[/duke]

George waves to the guard inside the guard house and the gates slowly swing open. Once opened, the McCain motorcade follows the Duke motorcade up the winding two mile long driveway toward the mansion. Rather than stopping at the mansion, they come to a stop outside the small house several hundred yards from the main house. The same house Thaddeus’ grandfather Asmodeus once resided in.

The vehicles empty and McCain is lead toward Thaddeus. McCain extends his hand the best he can and Thaddeus shakes. ”Mister Duke, I’m John McCain, Chairman of the Senate Armed Services Committee, its a pleasure to meet you son.”

[duke]”Likewise Senator,”[/duke] he says with a forced smile. [duke]”This is James Edwards, a Captain in my Air Force. He’s also my closes adviser, and my best friend,”[/duke] he says, introducing Jim to the Senator. [duke]”And this is Lincoln Tritter, my intell...”[/duke] he begins before being interrupted.

”Yeah, I know Lincoln Tritter,” the Senator says with a smile as he shakes Tritter’s hand. ”Lincoln and I have known each other a lot of years.”

”Good to see you again, Senator,” Tritter says, while shaking McCain’s hand.

Thaddeus is perturbed that he wasn’t aware of this connection previously. Putting it out of his mind for the moment, and with the pleasantries concluded, Thaddeus nears the Senator. [duke]”Let’s talk in here. It’s more secure.”[/duke]

Senator McCain looks at Thaddeus with a confused look. He wonders how this tiny, three room house could possibly be more secure and private than the gigantic mansion he’s staring at. At any rate, he humors the kid as they file into the small house.

”Well, Mister Duke, I guess I’ll start by...” McCain begins before being interrupted by Thaddeus holding his hand up.

[duke]”Not yet, Senator,”[/duke] Thaddeus says as Jim opens the hidden door in the floor of the small house. Again confused, John McCain follows the entourage down the narrow steps and finally figures out why all the silence and precaution. [duke]”Probably the most secure room on the continental United States,”[/duke] Thaddeus says to McCain. [duke]”Maybe the world.”[/duke]

”Why all the precaution?” McCain asks as the gigantic steel vault door is opened.

[duke]”If you haven’t noticed, I’m at war Senator,”[/duke] Thaddeus answers.

”We noticed,” McCain replies as he follows Thaddeus and the others into his grandfathers old laboratory.

Thaddeus clues in on the word ‘we.’ Once the vault is closed and locked, Thaddeus offers Senator McCain a seat. McCain though, has his attention elsewhere. Namely, a cage along the wall that houses hundreds of Nazi rabbits once a pet project, so to speak, of Thaddeus’ grandfather stemming from his fathers days in the XWF within the confines of the The Black Circle.

”Son,” McCain says, unable to take his eyes off the rabbits. ”Is that an army of Nazi bunnies?”

Thaddeus laughs uncomfortably. [duke]”A project my grandfather was working on before the wars,”[/duke] Thaddeus answers. [duke]”He never completed it. I’ve had them shaved numerous times to rid them of the Nazi insignia, but they just keep growing back.”[/duke]

With a lighthearted smile, McCain asks the all important question, ”Is that a little Hitler rabbit?”

[duke]”Yes?”[/duke]

”Strange but also intriguing,” he replies, still enamored with the rabbits. ”The Hitler one seems to be giving a rousing speech.”

[duke]”It’s pretty much all they do,”[/duke] Thaddeus informs him. [duke]”They listen to RabHitler, eat, sleep, shit and repeat. I’d have disposed of them already, but I can’t. I’m a friend to the animal kingdom, Senator.”[/duke]

Finally, McCain takes his eyes off the rabbits and takes a seat. ”Alright Mister Duke, let’s get down to business.”

[duke]”Could you just call me Thaddeus, Senator?”[/duke] he asks. [duke]”I’m not a fan of official titles. It just makes me uncomfortable.”[/duke]

”Okay, Thaddeus. You can call me John, I suppose.”

[duke]”If you don’t mind, I’ll stick to Senator, sir.”[/duke]

McCain cracks a smile. ”That’s very respectful of you,” McCain says as he snaps his fingers. One of his aides hands him a folder. After opening it, McCain lays out different photos of Thaddeus’ military equipment. ”Son, I’d like to talk about how… you have… this equipment.”

[duke]”I’d prefer not to mention names, Senator. I don’t actually know the particulars. I know the who, not the why or the how.”[/duke]

”Could I be frank?” McCain asks. To which Thaddeus nods. ”You have a great big ole spotlight shining on you, your military, everything. The official position of the United States government is neutral toward your Illuminatus State. Not an ally. Not an enemy.

“However privately, many are concerned that this obvious American military equipment that was used to tear up Germany. Tear up Poland. Tear up Italy. Conquer the Vatican. It could put the United States in hot water with our NATO allies and others.”

[duke]”I can appreciate that, Senator.”[/duke]

”Who gave you this equipment?”

Silence from Thaddeus as he leans back in his chair, staring across the table into the eyes of John McCain but does not drop the dime. McCain stares back and after waiting several seconds, gives an ‘I’m waiting,’ gesture with his hands. Lincoln Tritter, once leaning against the back wall, steps forward. ”Theo Pryce, Senator,” Tritter announces. ”This military was given to the Illuminatus by Theo Pryce.”

Thaddeus is stunned, but it doesn’t show on his face. He turns around slowly to look at Lincoln and that’s when his expression changes. If looks could kill, Lincoln Tritter would be dead three times over. Thaddeus rturns to facing the Senator, [duke]”The reality is, Senator, that my uncle Theo gave this military to my father and their father. Not to me. When I decided to go against my father, half the military came with me. And with it, the equipment.”[/duke]

”Theo Pryce is your uncle?” Senator McCain asks with a smile.

[duke]”Well… half-uncle. Turns out he’s my fathers brother from another mother.”[/duke]

”Theo and I go way back, son.

“Here’s the problem though. All of this equipment you find yourself in possession of, it doesn’t officially exist. There’s no record of it on any single piece of paper within the Government files. It’s like it doesn’t exist.”

[duke]”Then the way I see it,”[/duke] Thaddeus begins, almost kicking himself before he even finishes. [duke]”If it doesn’t exist and there’s no record of it, then we don’t have a problem.”[/duke]

Senator McCain leans back away from the table. His expression is tough to gauge. Thaddeus can’t tell if it heated him up or if he liked the brazen reply.

[duke]”I don’t know what it is you want from me, Senator. I have nothing to give you.”[/duke]

”I’m just doing my due diligence. I’m just getting some answers to appease some others,” McCain replies. ”If we thought you’d be a real problem we would have taken action against you when your people seized Germany.

“His name escapes me at the moment, but your first leader, the old man. We watched him with great interest. His gift for gab you no doubt inherited in your blood, we all see that. But you took over Germany and you kept to yourself until Poland started meddling. They instigated, you went to war and crushed them in under a month.

“We watched that with interest too. We wanted to see if you’d follow through on your promises to rebuild Poland after their surrender. And sure enough you did. We saw the news, like everybody else, with that assassination attempt. We knew who was behind it before you all did. Everything your people said about it, was the truth as far as we knew it, so we kept letting you go and let you do your thing.

“Then the war in Italy. Six months, give or take, to march south from Germany and into Italy, surrounding Vatican City by air, land and sea. We had special forces in the city, son. They were ready to move at a moments notice. They were ready to take you out on Christmas morning when you met with the Pope. You didn’t know it, but your head was in the sights of snipers all over the city.

“You let him leave. You let him live. Despite being your most bitter of enemies. So we pulled back and continued to watch. We were going to move on you again when your father staged that idiotic mission in Iraq that killed all those children. But then we saw your movements and waited. We watched as your forces moved from Germany to Italy. We watched as your forces entered the Basilica, son.

“Just because we were quiet, doesn’t mean we didn’t notice. We planned to make a move but at every turn, and at every turn, you told us not to by your actions. And just this week, we watched your fathers feeble attempt at invading Rome. And we watched as your planes… and I use that term loosely… swooped in to turn them away.

“You protected an enemy your people had fought for centuries. Kid...” Senator McCain stands up. Thaddeus does so also. ”You are one hell of a young man.”

[duke]”Am I?”[/duke] Thaddeus asks as he stands up.

”You’re a natural. If you were in our military, you’d shoot straight to the top. You’d have your fourth star before you turned 30. You’d advise Presidents. You’d chair the joint chiefs.”

[duke]”No, I could never do that. I don’t kiss ass.”[/duke]

McCain laughs. ”No you don’t seem the type.

“As I stated, officially, our position is neutral. Privately, and I need you to take this seriously son, you need to win this damn war.”

Thaddeus listens intently but the Senator gets interrupted by an aid whispering quietly in his ear. McCain stands up, obviously preparing to leave.

“The reason we let things go as long as we did was one, because you were an emerging star in your world and you gave us reason to wait. And two…. We really wanted to see what those planes could do. And my God is it impressive. I don’t know if you know this son, but I was a Navy pilot. The things you do with our planes… I can’t even begin to describe how we feel about it.

“You have the most elite Air Force in the world thanks to us. As the architects of your Air Force, we’re beyond proud of our accomplishments.

“And yours.”

[duke]”I will win this war, Senator.”[/duke] As the Senator and Thaddeus and all of their men begin to exit the bunker, Thaddeus asks a very important question: [duke]”Senator, what happens if my father tries something here on American soil?”[/duke]

”We’re not on American soil. Perhaps Mister Tritter can fill you in on that.

“It was a pleasure meeting you all and Thaddeus, I look forward to future conversations.”

[duke]”As do I Senator,”[/duke] he says as they shake hands. With the Senator and his entourage filing into their motorcade, Lincoln Tritter emerges beside Thaddeus.

”Thaddeus, we need to talk.”

[duke]”Yeah,”[/duke] he says before turning his head slowly to meet the gaze of Tritter. [duke]”I think we do.”[/duke]

...To Be Continued...

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