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Thaddeus Duke · (08-04-2021)

War Games has come and gone and despite it being a non-traditional event, the type of event without regularly scheduled title matches, the landscape of the Xtreme Wrestling Federation has changed. Friendships and loyalties were put to the ultimate test. Some have survived. Some... have clearly died bloody, inglorious deaths.

Who didn’t want to see Jim Caedus and Robert Main chewing each others faces off?

Who didn’t want to see the often start and stop Dolly Waters carry what was left of Charlie’s Carnies into the main event?

Who didn’t want to see Corey Smith and Alias tangle with me and D’Ville?

First and foremost, I’m so damn proud of my sister from another mister. For years now she’d start, or restart as the case may be, her career. She’d have a modicum of success, then for her own reasons, she was gone again. To see her overcome the way she did, to watch her fight, kick, scratch and claw her way through the first match and into the main event… God that made me smile.

Did anyone expect the friendship between myself and Corey to just about self destruct in real time? Everything has been on full display for several months and if you didn’t expect Corey to pick Alias, knowing I never would have, you haven’t been paying attention. Corey made this bed when he hitched his horse to someone that has made no secret about wishing me dead.

Think about it. Take the names, the faces, the images away from the situation. Put yourself in my shoes. If your best friend was buddying up to someone that hates you, that openly stated more than once that they wanted you dead and your best friend just happily and readily ignored it, would that just continue to be okay with you?

Lines are drawn sometimes.

I’m not a saint. I’ve never, not once claimed that I was. Knowing what I know, I never once asked Corey to choose between us. To his credit, Alias hadn’t either. My hope was that he’d do it on his own. I hoped that he’d see Alias for the cancer that he is, but instead, they only grew closer.

Would you maintain a friendship with someone whose newest bestest buddy wants you dead? There’s only so much a man can take and I don’t have time anymore to associate myself with people like Corey who like to burn the proverbial candle at both ends… he wanted to have his cake and eat it too and I just… I just ran out of cake.

For what its worth, I do still love Corey Smith and despite everything, it does hurt that things are the way they are now. We were exactly what each of us needed for a real long time. I don’t know what our broken friendship is doing to him, but I know what its doing to me. Even still… I regret nothing.

He wants me in the ring one on one. And he’ll get it. What he’s not getting, is that match happening on free television. At least not if I can help it. That match up deserves to be witnessed in all of its beautifully awful glory…

...At sixty bucks a pop.

On Board ‘TRANQUILITY’ || Caribbean Sea || 1:12 AM

Standing by myself on the starboard side of the luxury super yacht, I lean against the railing, looking out over the ocean. Alone, I listen to the break as the liner cuts through the waves. July was a rough month schedule wise. Having five matches in 28 days and against the quality opponents I faced, beginning with the Captains Match on Savage and culminating on the first of August at War Games.

The virtually flawless record of top dog, Alias.

In one way or another, multiple time Universal champ Corey Smith – not once, but twice.

Two time world champion Mark Flynn.

One of the greatest champions in the history of the business - Robert Main.

Centurion – who despite the harassment he receives, really is one of the best.

Two time former Universal Champion Morbid Angel.

Betsy Granger whose world titles are yet to come.

Fury.

Charlie.

Ed Houston in OCW.

Out of all of those names, only one of them was good enough to put me down for a loss and that man just happens to be numero uno in the entire company and by rights: this entire industry. I feel no shame. If anything, I take a lot of pride in knowing it took a two on one advantage and the Universal Champion to keep me down. Despite he and I disliking one another as human beings, I think there’s a level of respect as competitors, as opponents, that has developed between us. Don’t misunderstand me, while there’s a level of professionalism and respect, there is zero like, love or respect from either of us to the other on a personal level.

That gauntlet of competitors though, phenomenal talents in their own rights. I’ve ran a literal Murderers Row last month and loved every fucking minute of it. Yet I’m entirely fucking exhausted as the calendar turns and we now head toward the biggest event of the year: Relentless.

And I’ll have my hands full there too when Mark Flynn comes to guest star on the Thaddeus Duke Show.

Last year I had a match all three nights of Relentless and I’m not doing that again this year. Having the pleasure of watching me do what I do in the squared circle better than anyone in the business is a privilege and should cost a premium. In the year since last years Relentless, I’ve become a brand, a merchandise machine, a top dollar hot ticket item and I won’t be having three matches for one small price of sixty bucks.

”Hey,” Adi Gold says as she wraps her arms around my waist and buries her head against my back. Her touch makes me smile from the inside out. ”What you doing out here?”

”Brooding,” I joke as she removes her arms and stands beside me. Pulling her in front of me and wrapping my arms around her shoulders, I lean my chin down on her right shoulder before giving her a light kiss on her neck. ”Just thinking is all,” I finally tell her.

”I felt you leave the bed like a half hour ago,” she says as I playfully nibble her ear.

For those living under a rock and unaware of just who Adi Gold is, she’s someone I had my eyes on for more than two years. She’s a jack of many trades including wrestling but her primary talents are in the entertainment industry. She’s an actress, a writer, a producer, and an all around amazingly incredible, beautiful and talented woman.

We met on the set of ‘Bad Date’ for CTN a couple years back and to be perfectly honest, at least in my case, it was love at first site. I craved her in every way imaginable. Life takes its course though and we lost touch for awhile so despite the obvious attraction and the sparks between us, we both went down different roads. I made a bunch of kids and she was just doin’ her thing.

Reconnecting several months ago when I was still with Elizabeth, I couldn’t help but find those old feelings all over again. Once I was single again, I got so frustrated that neither of us would make a move toward something we both so obviously wanted, I damn near sabotaged everything. Being the kind hearted, loving soul that she is, gave me a redo and I will NOT mess this up.

”Yeah I just got a lot on my mind is all,” I tell her as we stand on deck, looking out onto the moonlit rippling sea.

”I really need some...” she begins, and as she’s speaking, I reach into my pocket and pull out a Chapstick, holding it in front of her face. ”Frickin’ life saver,” she says as she takes the stick and goes to town on her lips.

”The fans… I think they’re starting to turn on me,” I tell her as she hands me back the Chapstick.

”Listen Stud, you can’t look the way you do, carry yourself the way you do, be as incredibly talented as you are,” she begins as she turns her back to the railing in order to face me. ”And not sew envy and jealousy from those that will never be what you are.”

”I do flaunt it a lot,” I say to her as I pull her back in close. ”Think I should stop that?”

”Hell no, that’s a major turn on,” she says with a sweet little peck on my chin. ”Charisma oozes from virtually every pore in your body. Whether they cheer you or not, they’ll still tune in and buy pay per views. When they’re cheering they buy because they want to see how you’ll overcome this obstacle or that one. When they’re not cheering you, they’ll be buying in hopes of seeing if someone can finally shut you down.”

”Oh I never shut up,” I say with a smile. ”Win or lose, my self confidence doesn’t waver. It never takes a day off.”

”That by itself is a turn on,” she says as she grabs me by the hand and begins pulling me toward a cushioned bench near the bow of the vessel. Throwing herself down on the bench she pulls me down with her.

Just as things start getting hot and heavy, like things usually do when we’re alone, my ass starts singing.

With our lips locked, I pull my phone from my back pocket.

”It’s,” kiss. ”Dolly,” kiss. Hitting ignore and putting the phone back in my pocket, Adi and I continue our activities. But again, Dolly calls.

”Mother fucker,” kiss. ”I’mma kick,” kiss. ”Her ass,” kiss.

Again, I pull the phone from my pocket then notice something off and lean off of Adi.

”Shit I grabbed your phone by mistake,” I tell her and she snatches her phone out of my hand.

”Hey girl,” Adi greets her. ”Can’t talk now, getting’ busy with yer’ brother from another mother,” she says and quickly ends the call. ”Now get back here,” she orders me and grabs me by my hair. Just as I lean, AGAIN, the lil spark plug calls.

”Can iPhone’s swim? I’m ‘bout to chuck it in the sea,” I say as she answers the call.

”I don’t care about yer’ damn sexcapades, I need to talk to Thad and he’s not answerin’ his phone!”

”I’m here,” I chime in. ”What’s up, and this better not be about...”

”Corey,” she interrupts me, inadvertently finishing my statement. ”Have you noticed anythin’ different ‘bout him?”

”Dolly, I’m on vacation on my frickin’ boat, the last thing I want to do is talk about Corey fuckin’ Smith,” I inform her with a bit more irritation in my tone than I intended.

”Shut up, Thad!” she yells through the phone. ”This ain’t about yer’ problems with Corey that I think yer’ wrong about. Have you seen him actin’ different or not?”

Audible sigh.

Deeply.

”THAD!”

”I know Corey better than just about anyone Dolly,” I relent. ”Yeah I noticed,” I finally give her the answer she’s looking for. Obvious sadness in my tone.

”And yer’ not gonna do nothin’ about it?”

”He made his choices, Dolly. I love you, I even love him, but I’m done with it. I’ve washed my hands of Corey Smith and all of his bullshit. I have a million other things to worry about and he can not and will not be any of them anymore.

“I’m sorry if you’re having trouble accepting that.”

”Really Thad!?” she yells at me angrily. ”Who was there for you when you lost Frankie? Who was there to stop you from taking out your anger and aggression on the wrong people?”

”You were,” I answer her.

”Me and who else?”

”Him,” I say with a sigh and a roll of my eyes.

”Don’t roll yer’ fuckin’ eyes at me!”

”How the fuck did you...”

”Like you know him, I know you,” she interrupts. True.

”Who was there for him after his stroke?” I ask, but don’t receive an answer. ”Who was there motivating him to keep pressing harder? Who was there pushing him to get better and better?

“That was me.

“Who was there for me, Dolly, when my house was bombed and destroyed last month? Not a single call nor text from either of you... because ‘War Games.’”

”Wait… yer’ mad at ME!?”

Another sigh.

”No. I will literally drop everything for either of you… or I would have, at least. It’d be nice though if my friends would return the favor more than just when it’s god damn convenient for them.”

Silence.

”Yer’ really not gonna help him?” she asks, almost as if she’s only now coming to the realization that maybe this isn’t just a temporary speed bump in the road for Corey and I.

Silence again.

”We all have choices to make in life Dolly,” I begin. ”He made his… so now I’ve made mine. I know it upsets you and you don’t get it...”

”Yer’ an ass,” she interrupts before abruptly ending the call.

People think this was easy for me. It wasn’t and still isn’t. To end the bromance of all bromances for all time hurts me deeply as I’m sure in his way, it hurts him too. I’m not going to defend my choices. People will make up their own minds as to who is right or who is wrong. Maybe we’re both right, maybe we’re both wrong. Regardless, what’s done is done and there’s no turning back now.

I don’t hate Corey Smith.

I’m just… done.

Watching on and listening in quietly during my heated conversation with Dolly, Adi notices a tear on my cheek and pulls my head down into her lap. Sitting quietly in the darkness and listening to the ship tear its way through the waves, she strokes my hair as I lay there, staring into space.

Reggie Estrada – long time wrestler, first time caller.

Tell me man, what’s it like to be a laughing stock failure of a man? What’s it like to fail time after time after time and never learn a god damn thing? I’m seriously curious to know how the other half lives. I was a lot like you once upon a time. True, I was always this fuckin’ pretty, but I was full of piss and vinegar and thought the world owed me something… anything… every thing.

Unlike you though, even in my leanest of times in the success department, I was always still pretty damn good.

I guess, Reggie, I was never anything like you. You are rebellious by nature though, that’s one similarity. I’m defiant as fuck. That right there is where our similarity dies it’s quick and sudden death. I do what I want, when I want and I do things on my terms. Tell me to do something, and I’ll do the opposite just to fuck the system. Tell me that Warfare has too much Thad? I’ll appear in one more segment. Tell me you want something right now? I’ll make you wait it out until I’m damn good and ready to give you what you want.

See Robert Main.

See Corey Smith.

Tell me I need to stand in line and wait my turn? Nahhhhh man, that ain’t for me. Tell me I’m an idiot and I’m wasting my time for spending valuable air time calling out Mark Flynn? I’mma prove you wrong by continuing to call him out and low and behold, the man makes his return to the company because when I talk, people listen. Maybe they don’t always like what I have to say but that’s really the nature of the beast.

I talk.

People listen.

Big things happen.

When you talk, no one listens and nothing happens.

Ever.

What are you rebelling against anyway?

Is it rebelling against speaking correct English?

Or is it more like rebelling against simple grade school education as a whole?

Maybe it’s deeper than that. Maybe you’re rebelling against being successful?

Ha! That’ll show us.

For what it’s worth, I do look forward to this match and only because in all our years together here, we’ve never had a single match together. Not in teams, not in singles. I’d say I’m looking forward to your response but… let’s be perfectly honest whatever drivel escapes your lips is usually scrambled brain word salad and I don’t have a stupid to English translator.

You needn’t worry though Reg. You’ll look like a million bucks in your losing effort on Warfare. Regardless of what people might think of me, it’s just one of those many different things I excel at: making shit sandwiches look like prime rib.

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