OOC: Continued from the Zombie Marcus storyline.

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It is a few nights after the last IIW Super Show ever, where Xavier captured his third championship, the Television title, thus becoming the first, and sadly the last, Triple Crown Champion. Such a bittersweet moment, defeating a very tough opponent, raising 3 titles at the same time, something he has never done before, not even when he was the tag champions with Marcus Ka’Derrion and he was in a helluva run in GCWA… Now Xavier must decide if he is willing to start all over again, or if he does what he was planning to do at the beginning of the year: retire.

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Xavier is laying on his royal king size bed inside his luxurious home in Miami, Florida. After his father burnt down the one in California, he decided to make this one the epitome of luxury not only to ‘show him’ but also because most of his career, he has made millions, but never really been a big spender… Hell, he still drives his 2000 Hummer, the OG, planet earth be damned. His ‘bedroom’ is big enough to be considered a small ballroom in some places, but you can clearly tell he is out of his element because as big as the room is, he hasn’t really furnished it but with the basics… A big ass TV screen hanging from the wall that he probably has watched, maybe twice, a lazy boy in front of it, a gray futon here, 2-night tables there, but that’s about it. He has a massive walk-in closet and that’s where all his junk is. He rolls to his right, where normally there would be a lady ‘of the night’, but instead, his three championships lay there all bunched up.

Xavier: Was it good for you? Because it was damn good for me.

He snickers and then stops, shuddering at the thought.

Xavier: That’s just sick.

He lays back on his back and just stares at the ceiling until he gets a notification on his phone, which he grabs from a nightstand and sees it’s a calendar reminder.

Xavier: The Grand Awakening is happening this weekend?! I had completely forgotten about it! Why wasn’t Denzel Porter blowing up my twitter about this?! Damn it all to hell!

He jumps out of his bed, revealing nothing but yellow Terry Marshall boxers, fucking hypocrite. He then goes into his closet and comes out a few minutes later wearing black Nike shorts and a white Mecca tank top. He then goes into the bathroom and does his usual routine off-camera and when he comes out, he is looking fresher and more awake. As he looks for his socks and shoes to wear, he begins talking to himself.

Xavier: How can you forget one of the biggest matches of the year was happening this weekend against one of the very few people you call friends? He’s a fellow Exile man, he’s a fellow CCPE brotha, he deserves a lot more r.e.s.p.e.c.t. than that! I know, I know, my bad… It’s just between IIW closing, defending my titles and challenging for TV title, a title I never held anywhere before, mind you! Then being the surprise tag team at WGWF’s Summer Madness with Marcus, I completely- OH SHIT, Marcus!

Xavier puts on one shoe and then hops around as he tries to put the second one on before he stumbles into the lazy boy, flipping over it and landing hard on the uncarpeted floor.

Xavier: Ow.

He gets up and leaves his master bedroom, into a small hallway that leads into two sets of marble-stone stairs, choosing one of them to slide down the guard rail on. As soon as he lands, superhero style, he stands up and is surprised to find the double glass doors leading into his home wide open.

Xavier: Shit…. Yo Marcus! You here?

He goes to the garage, where he left him chained to the wall because where else do you leave your former tag team partner who is now a zombie? Not inside the house, that’s for fucking sure. But much to his dismay, he finds that the chain was ripped off its walls. He comes back inside and investigates the living room, the family room, the movie room, his office, the multiple spare bedrooms on this floor but doesn’t see him. He then makes his way across the home into the kitchen. Here he finds a huge mess, plates, cups all thrown about, shattered, the fridge is wide open and empty, but nothing really eaten, as if whatever Marcus was looking for, he couldn’t find. He then notices that the patio door is shattered, clearly done with the chain that was meant to hold Marcus in place, as he sees it laying on the deck. There, he also sees…

Xavier: Holy shit Marcus…

Dead deer, probably a family of about five or six, all completely mutilated…

Xavier: This has gotten way out of control, fucking Terry Marshall. 

He comes back inside and walks past the dinner table where he stops dead in his tracks as he sees a single sheet of paper and written in what appears to be deer blood, the words: “GONE” and “GYM” followed by a scribble that Xavier assumes means Marcus. 

Xavier: What the hell you need to go to the gym for? Your muscles are decaying!

Xavier rushes upstairs to get his phone, wallet and keys and then comes back down and heads out of the house. You hear a car engine started followed by the open and close of a door; the car pulls away fast. The view is changed, to inside his H1, and as Xavier drives towards the gym where they used to go train when they were the tag team known as Sins of the Fathers, he begins talking.

Xavier: How far does our friendship go Petey? GCWA? Nah, I don’t think we were friends yet when Marcus and I were running the tag team division and you were being forced into matches you wanted nothing to do with… Was it in OCW? Nah, I think there what we had was a mutual respect, but we were competitors, always on the opposite side as we went after the OCW World Title… Nah, it must have been that purge event that brought us closer… While everyone else was shoved out the door, we were the only two that decided to walk away from it all… Yeah, that was it wasn’t it? The birth of our friendship, the birth of The Exiles. We joined forces not only in XWF but in TPW, and while we both wanted that international championship, it was you that ended up walking away with it while I helped you defeat Drew Archyle… Not that you needed it, neither of us needed it, but it was to prove a point and so you won it that night and I was happy for you…

He pauses for a moment, seeming hesitant.

Xavier: I am still happy for you… I am happy to see how far you have come from those GCWA days, from being a “J” bird to becoming a legend in Outsiders Championship Wrestling, much like our friends The Malvados, to winning so many world championships that I have lost count… You’ve done well for yourself my friend, and I will always look to our time in TPW as to where it all started… Things for me didn’t go as well unfortunately, I mean I haven’t even smelled a world title shot since, but I have won some titles recently and well, all I can say is that I am glad I’m still getting it done in 2023, even if it’s not at the world title level.

He pauses again, seeming more hesitant.

Xavier: But I’ve always wondered, what if that one and only time you and I faced off 1 on 1…

More hesitation.

Xavier: What if we had wrestled, properly, instead of just sticking it to Terry Marshall by having it end in a no-contest? You and I have been in the ring together in 4 separate occasions, already mentioned the three-way with Drew, the other we were on the same team as we took on Genesis and the very first time we shared the ring was in that prison yard match I won, but I didn’t beat you now did I? We were in there with 6 other competitors, but you and I barely crossed paths… What if that 1 time we tried to find out who was the better man? What if, I had won that match? Would I have gone on to have the career you have had since? What if instead of helping you beat Archyle, you helped me? Would I be the multi-world champion you are now? Chris Page’s right-hand man? The leader of The Cabal? A hall of fame wrestler many times over? What if huh?

He grips the steering wheel tighter as he thinks on this, but before he can continue, he has arrived at the gym’s parking lot where everything has been blocked off by police vehicles. He tries to get around it but a cop there is telling him to back up and turn it around. Xavier rolls down his window to talk to him.

Xavier: Hey there officer, what’s happening?

Cop: Don’t you worry about it sir, just turn the tank around and go…

Xavier: No, you don’t understand, I need to get to that gym.

Cop: No one is getting into that gym sir, it’s a mess, a bloody mess.

Xavier: What happened?

Cop: Sir, I can’t explain it, please just turn this vehicle that is killing our planet around and go.

Xavier scoffs at the tree-hugger’s comment but reluctantly does, but just parking it nearby where the cop can still see him and shakes his head. Xavier, gets out and make a dash for the gym behind some of the other cop cars… he then crouches behind one as he assesses the situation. There are cops, firefighters and medics helping people, some who just seem shook by what’s going on inside while others are visibly hurt, bloodied and some well, appear to be dead with white sheets covering their bodies on the ground. The scene is very chaotic so Xavier realizes no one will probably notice him so he makes his way to the double doors leading into the gym, one of which has been shattered. There are two officers standing by it, looking in, hands in their guns which are still holstered, but ready to draw. Xavier casually walks past them.

Cop 1: Sir, you can’t be here!

Cop 2: Get back, it’s for your own good!

They hear a growl inside and duck as Xavier rushes in, recognizing the growl. Inside, there are more bodies, blood splattered everywhere, and the gym is simply a mess. As Xavier looks for Marcus, he hears what he thought was a growl, but instead is someone’s cry for help. He turns and sees a gym employee, leaning against a stationary bike that has been turned over. His arm is missing and right where it was ripped off, he is bleeding terribly.

Man: Help me please.

Xavier: Hey man, sure, I’ll help. What’s your name?

Man: Roger…

Xavier: Okay Roger, let’s get you outside… but before I do, is the man who did this still here?

Roger: Man? He is no man, he’s a monster.

Xavier: Fair point, but is he still here?

Roger: Nah, he left after terrorizing this place… He saw the poster about the wrestling show in town tonight and he said he was going to go look for his partner there.

Xavier: His partner? But I’m his partner!

Roger: So… this is all your fault?!

Xavier: shh-shh-shh, save your energy, you’re hallucinating right now.

Xavier gets up and takes a picture of the wrestling poster then begins to walk out.

Roger: Hey! I thought you were gonna help me!

Xavier: Sorry, I gotta go, but I will get you help!

He exits the gym, telling the cops that it’s all clear and that someone needs help inside. As they rush in, he gets to his Hummer, plugs in the details of the address where the wrestling show is being held and drives over.

Xavier: Nothing we can do about the past now Petey, all we can do is focus on the now and the now is this match between us… For you, this is just another event in your busy schedule which probably usually looks like this: world title defense, make an appearance, win another world title, Custodial Coalition Meeting, defend one of my world titles… THAT IS THE LIFE PETE! Again, I am SOOOO happy for you…

As he says these last six words, he emphasizes each one by slamming his hand against the steering wheel. Clearly there is more going on here that he is letting on.

Xavier: But for me, this is it Peter… I have nothing left, no events, no matches, no title shots or defenses, nothing in the horizon but a decision that must be made… This match is potentially my last match ever, and what better way to go, then by settling once and for all the question in my mind, and probably in yours, of who is the better Exile… “The Mechanic” Peter Vaughn… Or “The Man with Venom in his Veins” Xavier Lux. No alliances this time Peter, no schemes, or plans… No Johnathan Barrows, Chris Page or Alexander Marshall by your side… Just you and me, one on one, kicking off The Grand Awakening and wrestling until one of us can’t go any more. Our friendship is getting thrown out the window from the moment that bell rings until it rings again, signaling it’s all over. I’m willing to go all out and leave it all in the ring Peter, because hey, I got nothing left to lose. You in the other hand, do, plenty. But I hope that doesn’t mean you will hold back. I want to fight against the Peter that beat all those world champions… Why? I just gotta know man… Could that have been me if only….

He arrives at the arena, and is relieved to see there are no flashing lights of any kind. He parks not too far from the entrance, but when he sees which promotion is holding the event, he groans as he realizes this is a TPW House Show. He walks up to the entrance where a TPW official sees him and rushes out to greet him.

TPW Official: Oh, thank God you’re here! Come with me… now!

Xavier: Why, what happened?!

TPW Official: Thankfully nothing yet, do you still have your same number?

Xavier: Yeah, why?

TPW Official: We tried contacting you a dozen times!

Xavier: Oh, I have all TPW numbers blocked off.

TPW Official: That’s just rude, brother.

Xavier: Whatever…

They are now inside the arena, running down the hallway, past catering, the locker rooms and finally reaching the gorilla position. He points to one of the monitors and Xavier sees Marcus, still wearing the same wrestling gear from Summer Madness, his bare chest and face covered in dried up blood, though there is some fresh blood too. He is in the middle of the ring, pacing back and forth, looking towards the entrance.

Xavier: Has he eaten anyone?

TPW Official: No, but he refuses to leave the ring unless someone answers his open challenge.

Xavier: and let me guess, no one wants to fight a zombie?

TPW Official: Nope! Can you please handle this?

Xavier: Yeah, okay fine. Give me a microphone.

The TPW official rushes off and then comes back seconds later, with a wireless microphone.

Xavier: Alright, I’m going out there, sound guy, hit my music!

TPW Official: We don’t have your music any more Xavier!

Xavier: Fine, hit Peter Vaughn’s music!

TPW Official: What, why?

Xavier: I’m just working through some… things…

TPW Official: What th-

Xavier: Just do it!

The TPW official grabs a headset and sends the request. Inside the arena, the lights go out and the crowd wonders what’s going on but only after a few seconds, Peter Vaughn's face appears on the Terry-Tron, darkly smirking down at the fans.


This time IS different, as it is not Peter who comes out but Xavier Lux… The crowd boos equally as hard and Xavier asks for the music to be cut off and it fades right away.

Xavier: You know, I thought coming out to Peter’s music I would feel something… but I’ve felt nothing… Maybe being “The Mechanic” is not all that is “cranked” up to be huh?

The crowd look at each other confused as well as Marcus who is just starving for a fight, literally.

Xavier: Yeah, I know you Thunder-morons don’t get it, and I’m not surprised… but speaking of things that don’t feel anything… Marcus, get your butt out of that ring!

Marcus growls an answer, and while the translator around his neck translates what he said, without a microphone no one hears a thing.

Xavier: You already cost me the WGWF tag team titles, so I am in no mood mister! Let’s fudging go!

Marcus hangs his head in shame and reluctantly gets out of the ring. The crowd boos as they were hoping to see Marcus in action again after such an entertaining match at the Bohemian Bash Rumble. He walks up the ramp and growls softly as he walks past Xavier…

Xavier: Your mother, butthole. Alright, thanks for nothing Thundermorons, back to your regularly schedule snoozefest.

Xavier catches up to Marcus, and stops briefly in front of the big screen as Peter’s face is still there, laughing down at him… He sighs deeply, realizing how fitting this moment is… Him down here, and Peter being a larger-than-life opponent… Marcus growls something else that snaps Xavier back to reality and together they disappear behind the curtain.

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Disclaimer: had permission from Peter and TPW