It had been a long time coming.

A lifetime had past him by since the last time he had stood under the bright lights glinting off of his mask as the spotlights swirled around the rabid XWF fans wildly cheering for the action of the night.

It had been a strife-filled, conflict riddled, battleground of night-after-night trial by fire in one company after another, testing his value and curing his determination to be the best in the business. An endless cavalcade of matches marched behind him, time and time again, faceless opponent after faceless opponent... wins and losses... Titles, dark matches, and Main Events... over and over again.

A long, illustrious career... both before and after the XWF... and everywhere he had been in his career, John had been heavily laden with golden trophies and belts galore... everywhere except here that is.

The XWF had been a a glaring blight on not only his career, but his reputation, and the time for rectification had been long overdue. The shadow of the past had fallen across his shoulders, lingering in his mind, and tearing at his subconsciousness like rabid locusts for ages now, and finally... all these years later... an opportunity had presented itself to right every wrong he had suffered... and not just recent transgressions, but every single time he had ever been slighted.

* * *

“That's what this is about, more than anything, Chris.” John's gravely voice churned the words out through gritted teeth.

“I know, John. Look... I know things in your life have been far from perfect. None of us has had a pristine run in this business, and I'm well aware you don't get along with anyone in this group I have forged, but I know what you really want, and I'm here, ready to hand you the revenge you want for EVERYTHING... piled high on silver platter and tossed right into your lap!” Chris Page's voice echoes in the darkened parking garage as his charming smile flashes on John's phone screen.

John knew that smile, and it made him sick to his stomach. The number of times he had seen the snake in the grass 'Adam and Eve' Superstars who fell into his trap of promised apples to find the Pandora's Box already open at their feet was astounding, and yet, here he was, entertaining the very same promises they had all heard before, knowing there was nothing but landmines all around... but as far as he was concerned, it was well worth the dance with the devil in the swirling spotlights for the opportunity he had at his disposal. He wouldn't be here without Page, and he knew it.

“Chris... lets cut the shit, shall we? I know what the deal is with you. You and I both know we're masters at this business angle, and play the game better than most. We have been on the same side of a ring and on opposite corners plenty of times now, and I know as well as anyone else that your interest in me only goes as far as your agenda does, and when I have filled my role and given you the keys to the castle... I'm just as expendable as anyone else in your eyes. That said... I know what the offer is, and I know what it means for me to take this chance to right my wrongs and make my life be what it was always meant to be. Don't get it twisted though, Chris... I know you... and I know what kind of man I'm crawling into bed with so to speak. Just remember, Page... I am NOT to be trifled with, so choose your deceit carefully, or you'll end up in the grave with the XWF at the end of the day just like the rest of them!” John gruffly grumbles before swiping the end call button and making his way to his slate gray Jeep Wrangler and climbing into the time-worn driver's seat before the scene fades to black.

* * *

THE Tristan Slater stands before him in the makeshift prison of this dressing room, rehashing the past grievances, and saying all the carefully planned out words to sooth the Beast's anger and salvage the team-up that he knows will carry him back into the limelight.

The history between us goes back to the days just after John Brown fell from grace and Shane took over the XWF. I was an XWF Rookie making waves and a name for myself around here, and Slater was working on becoming the hottest thing since the German ovens.

Was it perfect? No... not hardly.

Was it glorious? At one point, maybe.

Was it dominating? Definitely.

We had a lot of respect for each other. We saw how much work went into the craft we chose for our futures, and while we didn't always see eye to eye, there was at least a modicum of admiration on both sides for the other and the obvious effort we put into our trade.

Years went by before we would find ourselves across a ring from each other, and in those long minutes of brutality under the hot lights of our New York Street-fight, our shared respect for the other grew even stronger.

Later, we would team together and go on to fight the oppression of the WGWF just like we apparently do here, now, in the XWF.

It doesn't even do it justice now, to limply say that a lot of things happened that strained that respect from ages ago... but that's where we are today. His ego was too big to share a spotlight, and I'll be damned if I am about to stand in another man's shadow, no matter how far it reaches... and in that conundrum, we find ourselves here... in this room... his arms outstretched... waiting for the blow to ring true and for the Beast to finally get his one shot to bury it all in the past.

If only it were that easy to write off the betrayal...
to look past the lies...
to forgive the backstabbing...
after everything we have been through...
after everything I have done for him...
after everything I have sacrificed to succeed...
after all of the garbage that has poured from his mouth...
after everything he has done to shit on me and my career...

If only...

But... here we are, tricked into facing one another after a year apart... staring at one another across this room with the offer of a single shot for 'free'... like that would be all it takes to bury the hatchet... and yet, he thinks that it can all be swept under the rug and forgotten like a piece of ice left in the Florida sun melting on the burning asphalt of a Walmart parking lot.

It shows me even more than he thinks it does about how important I have been in his life, and how menial everything between us has been. It shows me my place in his eyes, and it confirms what I always thought about us as a real team... unfortunately for him...

Clenching his fists as he takes a step forward and gets a breath away from his former and now again partner, John grinds his teeth in his mouth behind the mask, and struggles to choke back the tears of frustration that push up from his eyes and threaten to break free to race down his cheeks. He takes a deep breath, fighting down the urge to pick this up where they left off last year... a bloody brawl of a mess that doesn't move his plans forward, and he knows... he has to bide his time and wait for the right moment to take his revenge, and today is just not that day.

“It's not worth the time...” is all he says as he stares holes through Slater, presses past him to the door, and kicks it off the hinges exploding into splinters of wood scattering across the hallway before him.

His arms and legs shaking with rage, Cable stalks heavily down the hallway lost in his mind, seething with fervent hatred and wanting nothing more than to start right here and now with his bloody trail of vengeance, but knowing far better to play the long game. One day... every single one of them will get exactly what they have coming to them, from the bottom to the top, and on that day... it will the Beast who has the last laugh.

“Everything good?” the voice of Chris Page shakes him from his mental acrobatics, and brings John back to the reality of the day at hand.

“Sure thing... and if you ever lock me in a room again... I swear to God... you won't have to spout off about crickets ever again.” John grumbles at Page leaning against the wall in the hallway before storming down the hall without even looking his way.

“Yeah... I hear you Cable. You just make sure you play your part and bring this company to it's knees. That's what I brought you in for, and you had better...” Page begins to threaten before John spins and stares at him, finally, standing there in the hallway.

“I know what my JOB here is, Page. You don't have to tell me how to beat the shit out of people, but you already know that, don't you? It's why you called me in the first place.” he gruffly says to him as he makes his way swiftly back down the hall towards Page, his fists balling up at his sides as the rage fuels him.

“John... I suggest you check yourself before you make a mistake you can't take back. I'm handing you the opportunity of your lifetime here, and if you screw this up...” Page rebuts, never flinching as John comes closer and closer, the moments passing by at a snails pace as the two men stare each other down.

“You don't have to worry about me screwing up anything, and you know it. The only thing you have to worry about is making sure the rest of misfits you've assembled in this little ragtag bunch of yours don't let their egos get the better of them and forget THEIR jobs here, and that they figure out how to get to the ring and snag those wins from the retirement line. I'm not a damn babysitter, and I didn't come here to stroke egos. I came here to take my vengeance on a company and the people here that deserve it. My lawyers made certain the last hurrah of the WGWF was a glorious one, and I'll personally make sure this XWF dumpster fire is a rager! Just stay out of my way, and keep your boys in check, and this should all work out just fine.” he grinds out through clenched teeth, seething in his anger before turning away from Page and stalking down the hall once more as the scene fades to black.

* * *



* * *

Well, what do we have here?

At long last, the Beast has returned to the halls of the XWF.

I can't say that I'm excited to be drawing yet another paycheck on this trashy ass brand, especially since they're STILL paying for the plane gave me all those years ago, but here I am.

What I AM excited about is opportunity, and here, today... that is exactly what we have... just 'laid out in my lap' as Page would have you believe.

I, for one, AM happy to finally get the chance to reap my revenge on everyone who has spent their careers tearing mine apart, and that's the truest statement I could even make right now.

I spent years here clawing my way to the top of the XWF, only to have office politics and cowards rip it all to shreds and humiliate me... and I have never forgotten their transgressions.

I see that the handling of the company hasn't been really all that much better since the revival, and to be perfectly honest, I'm not surprised. The talent level around this place reminds me of a Barney Green barbecue... all meat and boredom.

It's no wonder that Page and his lackeys have walked in here and caused such an uproar.

This is the kind of place they love to set up shop in and run rampant.

I mean, there's obviously no clear leadership in the locker room... there surely isn't World Class athletes running all over the place... and I tried to do some research on the Title histories of the company over the last year or so, but I literally lost interest the moment I heard that the Dongmaster himself, Peter fucking Gilmore, had been the ACTUAL Champ in this company.

Yeah... after that revelation, I realized the situation here was even worse than Chris led me to believe.

There is so little talent here, in fact, that the Page-squad felt like they had to bring in their own antagonist to spice up the locker room drama!

Now THAT... that is a plot twist I couldn't have imagined even Kyle Shane would dream up... not in a million years with a production staff at his beck and call around the clock.

I never would have guessed that Chris Page was so bored with a companies attempts to thwart his every move that he would go so far as to bring in more interesting competition for his guys to fight so that he could actually build traction by selling more tickets... but here we are.

What a day it is too.

But, honestly, what opportunity does Page have laid out before me really?

Well, for starters, in my match on XWF, I will be entering a tournament to earn the XWF Tag Team Titles with my lecherous partner of a day gone long by, but why? Why would Chris Page bring me here after all this time to enter into the Tag Tourney?

Well that's easy.

Chris Page is a betting man... and he only makes bets he knows he can win. It's the only way to be a winner when you bet, and Page prides himself on being a winner. We all know this.

Chronic Chris Page is, at this very moment, betting his last nickle and dime that Tristan Slater and I come out on top of his thing, and walk away with the Titles.

It's a smart bet, if you look at it honestly.

I have built a career on holding Tag Team Titles with some of the best fighters on the planet, and while I detest THE Tristan Slater's methods and attitude about himself, I cannot take away from his talents. I know... beyond a shadow of a doubt... when I step between those ropes with Slater in my corner... I have an able, talented partner. When I step through those ropes opposite of my tag partner... I come ready for war.

It's how I know how good he is... and how much damage he can do.

I've fought him... and I will do it again one day... but today is the day we step through those ropes as a tag team and take what has belonged to us from the very beginning.

But... John! Chris Page has two other teams in the mix too, and...

Yes... while he does have two other teams with eyes on the Tag Titles... but let's face the reality of things here, shall we?

MDK does not work well with others, and eventually, Blakk and MDK will murder death kill each other for shagging the others hooker. It's inevitable.

MDK has always only had eyes on World Championship Belts... seriously... he feels like it's owed to him if you ask him, or probably he will just tell you at some point if you talk to him long enough. I know what he's after, and it ain't sharing a spotlight with anyone at all, least of all Bill Blakk.

And as for our opponents this week, well, I am less than impressed with either of them to be honest, and have failed to see their luster for a while now.

Now... I know in their day Big Rigg and Famine of the Vile were top tier talents, but while I may be getting on in my years, I have stayed active and relevant, while they have continued to fade in both the limelight and the capability to make men quake in their boots over the last few years.

I don't see either of the men we face this week, who have both lost to me in our last showings together, some of which on massive stages, being serious threats to Tristan or I... and they have yet to step back up to the plate and face opponents as talented as the men I have been fighting for the last two years while they have wallowed in self misery and loathing.

Few of you know of the Beast Johnathan Cable... but the Breeders are out there... hungry to see their champion devour his next victims and earn the gold he has been denied for so long.

It has been their vehement wish for ages now to see me claim the XWF Gold for myself, and if this is the path to seeing their dreams finally manifest into reality, well... who am I to deny my adoring fans?

I have not forgotten our battles from recent years as it seems you may have... but when the smoke clears on Saturday night... The New Breed Foundation will be looking forward to round two and the first stages of vengeance on the XWF.