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**Doctor Louis D'Ville** · (02-06-2017)

001

P O W E R L E S S
Tracing Lines

Unknown Highway
Dusk
Present Day

A staggering pair of footprints leave us a trail in the snow along side a dark, lonesome highway. After what seemed hours, as daylight slowly faded away, the snowfall finally ceased and the horizon managed to wink just before the sun said goodbye and disappeared.

The staggering trail of footprints ends with a staggering man. His clothes are torn and he is beaten, bloodied, and frostbitten. He struggles with every step he takes as he slowly trudges up the highway. For what seemed like a popular route, not a single vehicle passed. What sort of nightmare is this? What sort of hell is he stranded in?

You would have thought the sun was creeping back up over the horizon. It warmed his body with assurance and something he has no idea what it is, hope. A pair of headlights crawl up over the hill in the distance and slowly barrel towards him. The roads are still barely conditioned to drive, as the service trucks probably haven't manged to reach wherever the blazes we are right now. It seems like we're smack-dab in a national forest.

The two lights continue to head down the road and our traveler stops and waits along the opposite side of the road. It's a semi-truck hauling a trailer in the back. The driver notices the freezing traveler pretty far up the road and manages to stop next to him.

"What the HELL are you doing, stranger?!"

The driver says after he rolls his window down. Our traveler barely manages to look up at the man in his truck. He kicks open the door, jumps out, and approaches the stranger.

"Hey man! You alright?! Here! Lemme help ya!"

The truck driver grabs the traveler by the shoulders and guides him to the passenger side of the truck. He's a big, burley fellow with arms about the size of our traveler's thighs so he easily moves him where he needs him. He opens up the door and pushes him up and into the seat. After he slams the door, he rushes around the front and jumps back in the driver's seat.

"What are you doing, buddy? It's freezing out there!"

He's yelling across the cab as he's turning up the heat while searching behind his seat pulling out coats and blankets and throwing them at the stranger.

"Here! Here! Here!"

He says.

The traveler throws the coat on and wraps himself up in the blankets as the driver throws the truck in gear and they start moving.

"You kinda freakin' me out, buddy... Say somethin'!"

The traveler rubs his hands together and warms them up in front of the vent.

"Thank you, my friend."

He smiles and looks over to his savior.

"That's more like it! What the hell were you doing out there?!"

"Car's off the road up ahead. Roads are shit, ya know?"

"Life story, brother. Care for a smoke?"

"Kill for one."

The traveler laughs and the driver laughs with him.

"No need. Take as many as you like. There's a town coming up here. I'm sure there's something up there to give your a hand with your car and all..."

He pulls a pack of cigarettes from his visor and throws them at his passenger, who gladly obliges immediately shoving one into his mouth and lighting it.

"The names Rick, by the way, everyone calls me Rocko though."

"You look like a Rocko."

The two share a laugh again.

"You got a name, stranger?"

"Louis. Everyone calls me Doc."

Car? Everyone knows Doc doesn't drive. Except for that fellow apparently. If only he knew what Doc's really doing half-naked, out in the middle of the damn wilderness, during a snow storm. It all goes back to mistakes being made. Placing trust in people and untested theories and rolling the dice on pretty much everything.

SOME TIME AGO

With everything that's happened, Doc didn't have too many choices on ways to regain his stranglehold on his precious UNIVERSE. The man in black did everything in his ultimate power to prevent the doctor's games to exceed any further by removing the doctor's main artery. Without Trevor Dedntik alive, he was banished back to his own inner circle. There were no problems until the doc did everything in HIS power to prevent Trevor's demise... At any cost.

This basically breached the agreement Doc had with the man in black to begin with, which angered him, which led to Doc's current situation. Banished didn't leave the doctor without his empire, however. His engineers and experts worked nonstop to find a way for the doctor to break the rules again, and walk with us once more. Which leads back to the witch and that book.

The doctor's team made it possible for him to 'backdoor' one of her spells and speak with her directly. Almost directly, he appeared as a statue before her and told her of the location and what is necessary to locate the book. If she would return it to him, he would grant her a power greater than any she could imagine. When actually, the book contained a spell which would allow the doctor to roam our realm freely... Without his much needed anchor.

It all sounded too good to be true, but the doctor trusted his team and everything seemed to be lining up perfectly. The fateful day finally came and the doctor prepared to freely re-enter his most favorite UNIVERSE.

A small group of men congregate with one another around the doctor. They're all standing in the same room they were when Doc communicated with the witch before, high above the bottom levels where the hundred of computer terminals were.

"As much hocus pocus that's involved, if everything is in place, it should be a flawless transition."

One said.

"But how can we trust 'magic'? The book is an ancient myth! Whether it exists or not doesn't mean it's worth anything!"

Another argued. The doctor stood amongst them silent.

"If it fails we're only at a loss from the time spared for the witch."

The commander speaks up.

"How many other options are there at this point?"

They all stand in silence.

"Anything?"

"Nothing certain enough. We're definitely furthest along relying on the book."

The commander stands with his chest puffed out.

"That's what I thought."

He looks to the doctor who's still standing, silent, with a smile from ear to ear.

"Any thoughts, sir?"

Doc shrugs.

"The way I see it, just like this gentleman here said, it's our clearest option at the time. The pieces are all together and we're just awaiting her arrival with this 'book'. Has she retrieved it yet?"

"She has, sir."

"Splendid! I don't see what all the hub bub is about then? Hm? What are we waiting for?!"

They all look at each other for moment before one speaks up.

"Well, we're not exactly certain what this is going to do."

"I understand that. The idea is to get me there, will it do that?"

"We're certain it will do that, however, the location... or even condition of your arrival isn't clear. For all we know you could wake up in a ditch somewhere. Or worse."

Doc laughs.

"Like the bottom of the ocean?"

"That's a possibility, actually..."

Doc laughs even harder and the gentlemen just look around at each other.

"We are out for your best interests, sir."

The commander reassures the doctor as they lead him over to a similiar pod he used to communicate with the witch before.

"Are you ready, sir?"

The doctor sits in a seat within a similar pod he used to communicate with the witch before. He looks up and nods at the commander outside as a few others around take the other necessary steps for his departure.

"As ready as I'll ever be, right?"

The commander gives his boss a stern nod.

"We'll be in contact once you reach the other side. If there's any issues, we'll know."

The engineers leave the pod and the doctor alone inside.

"Good luck sir."

"See you on the other side!"

The doctor smiles the the door to the pod closes. The doctor sits inside and ponders to himself... Ponders about Lethal Lottery... Ponders about his beloved, most precious, dearly missed UNIVERSE.....

"You know for as many things that some folks get excited for around here, Lethal Lottery is probably the most popular. There's fellows out of the damned wood work coming to compete in this tournament."

"Game Girl, Barney Green, Maverick, Hero Xtreme, Loverboy Vinnie Lane...?! Oh my! I just had a flashback from 2015! And I can't forget whatever the hell Shane

has going on with his hand-picked replacement. Along with the mystery opponent that I have in MY match."

"First thing is first though! If there is one thing about Lethal Lottery that is MOST important of all... It is your partner! Now aside from my TRUE partner in life and co-holder of the XWF Tag Team Titles, Unknown Soldier... Who is MY partner in the first round? Quick answer? Michael Graves. Long answer? Somebody who DEFINITELY needed a partner like your's truly. This guy has more friends in his head than he has saved in his phone. First, my dearest friend, let me congratulate you on your free ride to the next round. You knew it from the start, right? You knew that there was NO way that this team would fail. That's the point of the lottery, my friend. You could say I struck gold, too. I don't have the best history with this tournament, myself, but I had other, more important, things going on at the time anyway. Things most of you wouldn't understand. It was still disappointing to have someone in my corner that didn't realize the advantage they had if they JUST TOOK THAT ADVANTAGE. That's all well and done though."

"Look at you go, Mister Graves. So unsure of yourself but at the same time so sure of yourself. Sitting around tripping on LSD now? That's certainly a way to prepare to win Lethal Lottery. While you're dropping acid, hallucinating that you're worth a damn, I'll handle the two first round opponents that have the unfortunate draw to face us. Cancelling yourself out, indeed. You seem confident enough in this first round, Mister Graves. I doubt you'll be as confident afterwards however... Better cross your fingers and pray that you draw just as lucky as you did in the first round."

"Speaking of praying. SOMEONE didn't pray hard enough apparently. Nate Higgers drew a mystery opponent to face myself and Mister Graves. Not so lucky. I mean, comme-ci comme-ca? I suppose mystery opponents ARE like a box a chocolates right, Mister Higgers?"

"Would someone tell this guy the election is over already? You have to rememer that there is still a large portion of the population that doesn't give a damn about that kind of stuff to begin with, especially weeks after the new president finally takes office? I suppose that's the problem right? I think it's less of the not giving a damn and more of the giving a damn that's the problem... I'm not sure who you think you're impressing with your killcount over in the sand dunes. Maybe the brainless veterans that hang at your womenless Veteran's Club down the street where all you do is sit around and watch softcore pornography, drink fifty cent drafts, and hate on anything off-white."

"You do realize one of the most unpatriotic things to do is salute that rebel flag of your's? I'm sure education was a bit limited back in the day since daddy had daddy things to do and mumma worked nights right? That close-knit trailer park just didn't show the world for what it really was besides FOX NEWS, right? I hate to break the NEWS, but there was a civil war a couple hundred years ago to kinda put all of that shit to shame. Slavery was abolished. Women can vote. And you can't sleep with your cousin, blood or not. Waving that thing around just makes you look like a disrespectful idiot behind on the times. Hey, if the shoe fits though, right? Even without the stupid flag, you'll look like the fool come Wednesday. Why are you even here, Mister Higgers? Are they taking away your WIC Checks? I mean, it's only the 6th of the month... That EBT card should be stacked, am I right? What brings you to Lethal Lottery? The only thing the doc is handing out for free is ass beatings so... Step right up I guess?"

"It doesn't seem like you're going to have much of a say in this whole matter regardless, anyway. I'll tell you though, I always hated the mystery partner thing. I don't think I would ever want to pull something like that off. I think I would strike more fear in my opponent with them knowing that it's me across the ring from them. See, right now, while Michel Graves is probably huddled in a corner somewhere scaring himself into an episode, I don't CARE who this mystery fellow is. Why would I? I've proven myself time and time and time again, over and over. Whoever it may be? Should regret even stepping up to the occasion, because the lottery was most definitely not in their favor this time. If you were looking for a free ride into the second round like most of these shmucks here? Sorry about your luck, my friend. The briefcase at the end of this tournament belongs to me and there isn't a single fellow in this FINE federation that can stop me. The writing's on the wall, my friends. Sit in the corner, look in awe, and know that you're all fucked."

Beeps and buzzes nearly interrupt the doctor during his tiny speech.

"Alright I think we're ready! Sir? Are you----"

Doc smiles and the commanders voice fades away. Before he can answer he's zipped up into nothingness.

Doc witnesses a flash and is flown into hyperspace! What just happened?! Did she do it? Did she do it right?! He flies through nothingness until the space rips before his eyes and the night sky is in his face. He floats in midair and looks all around him... He sees a highway in the distance, but a dense, snow covered forest separates him from it. The doctor seems to levitate in the air for a moment before gravity kicks in and he falls through the trees down to the ground.

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