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Thaddeus Duke · (03-16-2021)

601 Lexington Avenue || Midtown Manhattan – New York City || 6:42 PM

I know how it looks. I sent the mother of my future children back home to North Carolina. By appearance alone, it might have seemed cold, callous and every adjective in between. What it truly was, is mercy. Those that follow my story whether it be from the news, the Twitter world, the XWF world, the fans, whomever and however… they have a right to their opinion of me and of that situation. But they can also keep them to themselves. What I did was what was best for the both of us. At least for the time being. I’m not a fortune teller and I don’t pretend to be, so I don’t know if that will change a month from now, or a year.

Frankie being taken from me, while it’s no doubt an Earth shattering event in both his life and my own, all it did was unplug the leak in the vessel in which I sail upon in my voyage of life. The things I keep hidden from public view, the dark things, the sadder things, the more heart wrenching things. The things that answer a lot of questions about my character as a man. All of them are now bubbling to the surface and Francis Robert Rickle being taken from me was a catalyst. Everything else may now leak from that void created in his absence.

When my luck has run dry and my back is against the wall, I have a tendency to become a little self-destructive. Or when I’m hurt, or angry. Despite my own recent doubts as to whether or not I was the right fit to be a father to Frankie, I know that I can’t continue to be so destructive. At least not in my life. I mean, I can certainly destroy others.

One small step for Thad...

The first step in this new process is hiring a new attorney. After that? Well… I guess we’ll see. So I now find myself ascending in an elevator up a New York skyscraper. During my solitude over the last few days I did a lot of research to try and determine just who the best damn attorney in New York City is. Percival Fletcher allowed Frankie and I both to get blindsided by a judge with an agenda. Big city lawyers don’t get blindsided. Big city lawyers don’t allow themselves or their clients to get railroaded by a small town judge.

I need a stone cold killer.

DING

The elevator doors open and I step into the hallway of this hustling and bustling law firm. Retrospectively, I should have made some kind of appointment, but clearly I’ve been a little distracted. There’s no time for formalities and this man will need time to get licensed in Connecticut.

The sooner, the better.

Bobbing and weaving my way through a sea of paralegals and legal associates, I scan the names on the glass doors that I pass by searching for the one in question. Finally, I find it tucked off in a corner. Peering through the glass, I can see the man standing and looking out over the city as he gabs away on his phone and sips a coffee. Reaching for his door handle, a bony, elderly dark skinned hand gently grabs my wrist.

”Sir, do you have an appointment with Mr. Zane?” she asks. She seems the strong, gate keeper type of secretary. Not totally unlike Janet at Veneras International. She too, a weathered woman in the late stages of her career.

”I don’t… Miss?” I answer her, asking for her name.

”Just Gretchen,” she answers.

”Thaddeus Duke,” I offer her my own name.

”Mr. Zane doesn’t take walk-ins Sugar,” she says as she peers up at me over the rim of her bifocals.

”With all due respect ma’am, I don’t care,” I fire back at her. ”I have a case that needs to be won and I’m not leaving until Mr. Zane gives me what I want.”

”And what might that be Sugar?” she asks of me kindly as she unhands me.

”His services… and nothing but victory.”

Gretchen peeks over her shoulder into the office of her superior. He’s rather animated as he talks on the phone with his back still to us.

”I have to go use the copier,” she says as she gathers some things and stands up. ”He’s gonna hate you right before he decides he loves you,” she states as she briskly walks down the hall and out of view.

Looking through the glass I take a deep breath before stepping into his office. Being an uninvited guest, I choose to stay back near the door.

”I don’t give a damn what it takes!” he shouts into his phone. ”Just get the god damn thing done!”

Yep. I’m in the right place.

Robert Zane hangs up his phone and turns around. Obviously he’s a bit put off by my presence.

”Who the hell are you?” he asks with implied annoyance. ”And where the hell is Gretchen?”

”Robert Zane, I’m Thaddeus Duke,” I respond quickly. ”And I don’t know who Gretchen is.” (I lied. There’s nothing good about getting a woman in trouble with her boss when she just helped me out.)

”Well Thaddeus Duke, do you mind tellin’ me why the hell you’re in my office?” he asks as he takes a seat behind his desk. Approaching his desk, I stretch out my hand and he looks at me with even more annoyance. Reluctantly he accepts the gesture and motions for me to have a seat.

”I’d apologize for this rude impromptu meeting, but I’m not at all sorry,” I say to him as I take a seat.

”You got a lot of nerve bargin’ into my office, boy!” he fires back and it instantly strikes a nerve within me. I don’t particularly like being referred to as “boy” or “young Duke” like Doc calls me.

”And you got a lotta nerve calling a man that’s about to make you rich, ‘boy.’”

”I’m already rich.”

”True enough, but I got a case I need won and there’s no better lawyer in the city than the one I’m lookin’ at right now.”

”How much money we talkin’?” he asks with his interest piqued.

”Quarter billion plus,” I answer.

He scoffs and laughs at me. That’s not a first, honestly. How many times in a lifetime does a man like Robert meet a 22 year old with my… means? It’s hardly believable.

”Nice fancy suit,” he says as he eyeballs me up and down. ”What kinda snake oil you sellin’?”

Anticipating this question, or something like it, I casually lay my phone down in front of him with my bank accounts and my stock portfolio loaded up.

His demeanor changes almost instantly. ”Okay I’ll bite,” he says as he starts flipping through the different pages. ”What are you trying to acquire?”

”A boy,” I reply a little too quickly and he darts his eyes right up at me and cocks his head to the side. ”He’s my foster son. I’m trying to adopt him and he and I both got railroaded by the judge.

“They took him from me and now I want him back. I want the adoption completed. I want his last name to be Duke, come hell or high water Mr. Zane.”

”That’s sweet,” he says as he slides my phone across the table at me. ”Two things wrong with this scenario you’re pitching. One is my firm doesn’t do probate and two, I’m not licensed in Connecticut.

“Even if I were, I wouldn’t take it.”

”Why not?”

”Adoptions aren’t sexy,” he replies as he leans back in his chair. ”No one makes the news by completing adoptions, Mr. Duke.”

”Just Thaddeus,” I reply. ”To be entirely honest Mr. Zane, I don’t care if you make the news or not. The result is all that matters to me. Win this god damn thing and put it to fucking bed once and for all and you get a quarter billion dollars.

“Clearly,” I pause as I slide my phone back to him. ”I’m good for it. You’re worried about your bottom line so look at the dividend payments. I inherited all of this and I don’t know shit about investing. What I know is I have roughly 100 million in dividend checks coming in quarterly.”

He holds his hand up, asking me to stop for a moment as he verifies what I’m telling him, then waves his fingers for me to continue.

”You win this case Robert, I’ll give you 50% of those checks to line your pockets, reinvest somewhere else, or put them in the bank for your firm. I don’t really care. Money is no object...”

”Obviously,” he interrupts.

”I’d give it all away right now if it meant Frankie was coming home. Win this god damn case and Robert, I’m not taking no for an answer. I don’t know how it all works but I know you can get a temporary license to practice in my state.”

”I can,” he answers back. ”Look Thaddeus,” he begins, and I know he’s about to try and let me down easy. ”The money is nice and my firm can certainly use the influx of cash on hand, but...”

”But nothing,” I interrupt him and stand up. Staring him down for a moment I decide to utilize my strengths in this negotiation. ”Do you have any children, Robert?” I ask him.

”My daughter Rachel,” he says as he reaches behind him and grabs a picture, placing it in front of me. ”She and her husband Mike started a firm of their own in Seattle.”

”She’s beautiful,” I reply to him. ”Could you imagine your life without her?”

He just smirks as legitimate tears start to fall from my eyes.

”There’s been times recently when I’ve doubted that at 22 years old if I’m really the right person to raise a ten year old boy.”

”I can imagine the complications,” he interjects.

”Now that he’s been taken from me Robert, I...” my voice trails off for a second. ”Life just isn’t worth living without him.”

Robert sighs.

”How did you come to even know this boy?”

”By accident,” I answer him honestly. ”I was on a job and he wasn’t supposed to be home, but he was.”

”What kind of job?”

”The illegal kind.”

”That explains the bank account,” he says a little flippantly.

”No,” I reply quickly. ”I never took a penny for that work.”

”Why not just wait out the process? Do what the judge told you to do and pacify the son of a bitch.”

”The judge has already decided he doesn’t like me Robert,” I begin to explain. ”I can’t afford to take the chance that he’ll decided to keep Frankie in the system. That’s way more risk than I’m willing to take.”

”Let’s say I take this case,” he prefaces. ”Money aside, what benefit do I get from all of this?”

”The officer at the jail said something that raised the hair on my neck a little bit,” I begin to explain to him. ”He said Judge Lightoller throws the book at anyone he can, justifiable or not.

“Does a simple run in with police sound like a justifiable reason to take a ten year old child who inside of a year had his mother murdered by his father and his father in prison as a result, from the only love and comfort he’s known in the interim? Should that mans agenda dictate the happiness of an innocent child?

“Because Robert, if he saw fit to railroad me and a child simultaneously, what else do you think he’s done to others? I’m positive there’s more to his story than meets the eye and I want you to find it. When this case is decided and Frankie is legally my son and no one can take it back,” I pause for a brief moment. ”I want the mother fucker ruined. I want him removed from his bench. I want his law license in my fucking hand, Robert. I want him to regret for the rest of his miserable life the day that I walked into his courtroom and he decided to punish an innocent child.

“Take him down by any legal means necessary Mr. Zane and you will get your headlines.”

Robert smirks at me and shakes his head a little. He stands up and extends his hand across his desk toward me. I return the gesture before trying to pull away. Zane keeps my hand so that I can’t.

”I’ll take this case,” he says. ”Partly because I decided I like you. But mostly because I’m kind of afraid what’ll happen if I don’t.”

”That’s as good a reason as any,” I say to him stoically as he releases my hand and I start for the door. At the doorway I stop and turn toward him, holding up two fingers. ”I want updates twice a week. I don’t care about the money but I need to know that my sizable investment is moving in the direction it needs to be.”

”I’ll assume Lightoller ordered you to psychiatric evaluations and anger management courses?”

I nod.

”Do them,” he advises. ”Don’t miss an appointment for any reason if you want to win this case Thaddeus. You go in there, you put on your best smile and you tell the sons of bitches exactly what they need to hear in order for them to sign off.

“You understand what I’m saying?”

Again I nod.

”Leave your details with Gretchen on your way out,” he instructs of me.

After talking with Gretchen for a few minutes, I realize it’s starting to get late and Dolly and Corey are due in any time. Hastily I exit the building with the intent being to beat my friends to my house. For the first time though since this bomb has exploded in my face, I can smile knowing that I’m doing the right thing. Frankie is a child, he’s a genuinely good boy and doesn’t deserve to be treated the way he has been by life.

Before going to New York, I finally returned the calls to Corey and Dolly. Admittedly it took me too long, but as soon as I did so, they were on the first flight to Connecticut. They’re busy with their own lives and they don’t need my problems heaped upon their shoulders along with their own. But, as Dolly put it on the phone, ”this is what friends do, Thad.” It’s honestly uncharted territory for me. When I have problems, I don’t seek help from my friends. I much prefer to be the rock, not the leaner.

Them coming up for this last day and a half was pretty amazing and it means a lot to me. I don’t know how they did it but they managed to stop me from focusing on what’s missing and all the broken pieces and instead got me to focus on fixing those pieces rather than sweeping them under the rug and just leaving the gaping holes wherever they lie.

I have far better friends than I deserve.

”I’m sorry I had to cut this visit short,” I say as I throw my arms on both Dolly and Corey’s shoulders as we walk down the main hallway toward the front doors.

”Just tell me you’re not doing anything stupid,” Corey offers in response.

”I can make no promises,” I joke back.

”No I’m serious,” Corey says as he dead stops and throws my arm off his shoulder. ”Anytime you get beat up like this, your instinct is to go full on Sebastian Duke and destroy stuff.”

”He’s kinda right,” Dolly offers in support of Corey’s stance.

”I can’t talk about the specifics of the mission guys, but...”

”Are there civilians nearby?”

I shake my head in response. ”I wouldn’t engage with an assault on or near civilian targets man, I don’t know why you would think that.”

”Because you’re angry.”

Unintentionally I roll my eyes.

”Well it’s true,” Dolly says, again agreeing with Corey.

”I don’t put my people in danger for no good reason,” I say back to them. It’s hard when I can’t give specifics. ”But I’m not gonna apologize for killing people that want me dead. I’m just not.”

”How do you do it?” Corey asks as we resume making our way toward the entrance.

”I want to say it’s easy, but it isn’t,” I offer. ”It gets to me a lot though I’m not sure I ever really show it. I don’t want to be at war,” I pause. ”But they chose me as a target so I kind of don’t have a choice in the matter.”

”So what’s next for Frankie?”

”I had a lot of thoughts in my head when I was laying around in that jail cell. I wanted to murder Alister, I wanted to destroy that judge, I wanted to kill everyone and anyone including myself if need be.”

”But you’re not doing any of that right?” Dolly asks as we near the door.

”No I am absolutely having that judge destroyed,” I answer her honestly. ”After Frankie comes home though, not before.”

”That’s just it...”

”I know what you’re thinking Cor,” I interrupt him. ”It was something the cop told me when I was in there. If there’s more to his story and he’s done this sort of thing to others, then I’m gonna make sure he can’t ever do it again.

“Children do not deserve to be pawns in his little game Corey. If there’s something to find, we’ll find it and he’ll be dealt with legally.”

”What if he’s clean?”

”Then he’s clean and he gets to keep his professional life intact.”

”I gotta ask,” Dolly says as we step outside. ”What the fuck are you doin’ with that Lycana chick?”

”That’s actually a really good question,” Corey chimes in.

I sigh deeply.

”Do y’all trust me?”

Dolly and Corey look at each other, then back at me and nod… somewhat unconvincingly.

”Then I’m gonna ask you both to trust me on that too.”

Corey emits a sigh. I give that boy a lot of angst. I say and do a lot of things that he has to run and defend me over anytime someone mentions me or his association with me. Sometimes I wish I was a different person and he didn’t have to jump to my defense so often. Don’t misunderstand though, a lot of things that people think and say are very much misguided and they’re off the mark. They see and attack the surface but Thaddeus Duke doesn’t live on the surface. They’d know that too, if they cared to get beneath the surface.

”Do you have Jenkins’ dog tags?” he asks of me. I pull them from inside my shirt and show him. Corey knows the significance behind these tags and my refusal to take them from my neck.

Often though, I wonder what it’d be like to live Corey’s care free life and just go about my days thinking about what shenanigans I can get into or decide on a whim to go on some crazy fun adventure somewhere. My life dictates otherwise. Despite being the head mother fucker in charge, I really don’t have a lot of choice in the daily goings on. In spite of the terrible things that have happened to Corey, I really am kind of envious of the life he leads.

In contrast to me, my best friends really aren’t the affectionate touchy-feely types. Yet today is a little different. I’m going into battle and there’s never a guarantee that I make it back home in one piece. Before their departure, we engage in a group hug. In that moment, I decide that when this battle is over and assuming I’m not killed… that’s exactly what I’m gonna do. I’m gonna take a little break from my normal everyday life and just get into some dumb shit with my brother from another mother.

Since Shawn Wylde has decided on his own accord not to be the least bit interesting, decided on his own not to say one real word of substance to me, decided on his own to barely hype this match at all... I’ve enlisted the aid of my own manager, you know, the guy that doesn’t provide me with perks like limo’s and chartered jets in order to stay in my good graces… you know his name… Paul Heyman.

He’ll be assisting me today in a little lesson I’d like to call “Hashtag Better Than You 101.”

The rules of the game are real simple.

Paul?

Heyman saunters into camera view wearing a white powder wig and carrying a large scroll of parchment paper. Paul lets the scroll unfurl and the other end rolls down his legs, hits the floor and just keeps on rolling… and rolling… and rolling.

Hear ye, hear ye! Paul begins as the camera slowly zooms in on the large heading of the parchment scroll: 1,000,001 ways Thaddeus Duke is better than Shawn Wylde.

Paul get on with it will ya?

Straight away, Sire.

Paul.

Heyman looks over at Thad who’s shaking his head. Paul nods.

Reason number one that Thaddeus Duke is better than Shawn Wylde.

Thaddeus does drama!

Thad cockily rests his foot on the edge of the seat of his directors chair.

Honestly it’s just a gift that I have. I was thrust into this life by my father being a dumbass and I never really wanted it so much so like, I’m always filming shit and drama just seems to find me no matter where I go. But you know, drama attracts eyeballs. Drama gets people emotionally invested into you because they either decide they love you or decide they hate you but the common thread there is that no matter how they feel about you, they gotta see what happens next.

Does Thad get it figured out? Does Thad do something stupid? Does Thad blow shit up? Does Thad go batshit crazy on some group of enemy soldiers?

Drama matters.

Reason number two that Thaddeus...

They know our names bro.

Thaddeus has a better sidekick.

Thad sighs.

He’s on a hiatus due to some cunt judge but yeah, Frankie is a hell of a sidekick and I really can’t wait until he’s back. He might be just ten years old but even he cuts a better promo than Shawn Wylde. Ask Chris Page, even he would agree.

He even has his own XWF t-shirt and wouldn’t you know that kid sells a lot of shirts.

Thaddeus has a better manager!

I thought I told you not include yourself.

You did, but it’s still true!

Fair point.

I mentioned it previously but I guess I’ll say it again. People will say what they want about Paul. They’ll say he’s a loud mouth and out of his element here in the XWF. What they fail to realize is that whether they love him or hate him, Paul Heyman is the best manager in the history of the business.

All he’s done is tap into previously untouched potential and create new stars along the way. Shawn, when I hired Paul, did you know I was on a three match skid? I don’t do skids man. But clearly if you’re oh and three in three matches then something’s missing right? Paul knew what was missing and in the eight months that he’s been in my corner, do you know how many matches I’ve lost?

One!

Thad looks at Paul.

That question was for Shawn dumbass.

Anyway, once. That’s how many times I have failed to visit the pay window since that man has been in my corner. And not even once has he attempted to interfere on my behalf.

So much for the “heel manager.”

Thaddeus has better entrance music!

Which one?

Doesn’t matter, the answer is the same!

Yeah that’s true. Y’know I was iffy on using that Hitman theme, but it kind of fits if you think about it. He was pretty flawless in the ring just like I am.

Become a big time star and sell out arenas Shawn, put more asses in seats and maybe they’ll let you have two themes too.

Thaddeus has better ring attire!

I wanna go on record and say that’s not a shot at the white spider suit, because that’s actually pretty awesome. But the fact is, I don’t need to cover my body with two inches of stuffing to make myself look better than average because...

Thad whips his Dean Rose t-shirt off and looks down at himself.

As you can see rather clearly, I don’t need to. I’m way better than average.

Is… is that euphemism for…?

No Paul!

Okayyy… Thad’s mask is better!

I don’t wear a mask.

That’s the fucking point! That face sells tickets by itself! Neither the fans nor management… and I’d dare to say the roster… wouldn’t want you covering up that mug!

You make me out to be very egotistical.

You’re the one that came up with ‘better than you’ five years ago.

I was 17 dammit! And contrary to some opinions, that was long before that generic whatever his name is on TNT started using my shit. I’d sue but… more people equate it with me than with him so Thad wins.

I still can’t believe you didn’t trademark it.

That’s the other reason I don’t sue.

Next reason: Thaddeus has better hair!

Paul, I’m starting to think you’re hitting on me.

That’s ridiculous! I’m a happily married man!

How is Luca anyway?

He’s fine. Had the Covid but he overcame it. Still doesn’t have taste though.

Clearly man, look who he married.

It was Vegas and we were drunk!

THAT WAS 3 YEARS AGO!

It works for us!

How many more we got?

Paul looks at him incredulously.

What?

You specifically said that you wanted me to list one million and one reasons you were better than Shawn Wylde!

THAT WAS MOSTLY A JOKE!

Silence.

You really came up with that many reasons?

Paul nods.

Uggghhh.

Here’s the point. Thaddeus Duke is better than Shawn Wylde in every conceivable way and that’s not a knock on Shawn. It’s just facts. I’m just really frickin’ good at what I do. I have the wins, the titles in my trophy case, the accolades, the views on my promos, the sold out merchandise, the increased viewership during my matches and the pay per view buyrates to prove it all.

So here’s what’s gonna happen, Shawn.

Tomorrow night on Warfare, I’mma walk into Casa De Thaddeus, I’mma do what I do better than anyone, and I’mma lay your ass down on the mat and you’re gonna thank me for giving you the very best match of your career simply because I frickin’ can.

On a bad day Shawn, I’m really freakin’ hard to beat. And tomorrow’s not gonna be a bad day for me. It won’t be for you either because I’m just that kind of competitor. Real stars of this business help grow more stars and that’s exactly what I intend to do with you Shawn. I’mma give you the rub that you need. Whether it’ll make you a star though is on you entirely. You can take what I’m teaching you and mold it into your craft, or you can continue to suck the big suck.

If nothing else Shawn, you can take a little bump in pay you’ll receive from facing me, and maybe buy yourself a personality.

Thad steps off the directors chair and starts to walk off camera.

Wait! What the hell am I supposed to do with this list!?

Who cares Paul? Thad asks as his voice trails off in the distance.

God dammit. Heyman mutters under his breath as he rips off the powder wig and throws it to the ground before sitting in the directors chair.

The next reason Thaddeus Duke is better than Shawn Wylde...

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