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**"Loverboy" Vinnie Lane** · (09-04-2021)

Welcome back, XWF…
It’s been a minute, hasn’t it? I wanted to continue gracing you all with my presence after December, but I had other priorities that took me away from this place.
I wanted to stand before you the XWF Universal Champion. That goal is still mine, but right now, I’m here back to find my footing in the company. Finding my footing, if I’m able to stay due to other promotion priorities, will not be some slippery slope. I’ll climb and I’ll climb quickly.
I have that much faith and belief in my abilities.
That’s why I’m United States Champion in another promotion. They decided to have an interim Champion crowned due to an energy I suffered a few months back. I’m all healed and ready to go, but I’m getting nothing but static on their end. That’s not surprising, if I’m being honest.
Speaking of being honest, I’ve been looking forward to this match against Betsy. I’ve gone old school and studied tape. That’s how I do things. I prefer to know as much about my opponent as possible. To learn the things that make them tick when the bell rings. Betsy likes to stay busy. She likes to keep going no matter, all thanks to a never say die attitude.
A never say die attitude that so many wrestlers seem to adopt into their personas.
I say this because I once had it. It was that attitude that made a name for me in this business. But it wasn’t until I switched my styles that I gained true success. I became more methodical, playing the game on my terms, on my time, that I became a World Champion. I plan on doing that be it here, or elsewhere. The name, the brand of James Evans will continue to be built, as I continue to grow into becoming one of the absolute best to ever do this.
So, Betsy looks like you’re the unfortunate soul that has to be placed before me. You can chuckle and laugh and come up with quip after quip. Your man James Raven has always been the same way, but that’s fine. To each their own. I’m not much of a joker. I say what I mean, and I mean what I say. I don’t take this sport as a joke. You may not either, but just the little bit that I’ve seen of you on social media, says otherwise.
Speaking of social media, it looks like you’re always on the move. Competing in various promotions, and that gives me a sense of your hunger. Hunger is necessary in this sport. You have to have it, otherwise you will become nothing more than food, to the predators that lurk at every single turn, or on each rung of the ladder of success. But you seem to manage pretty well at keeping your head above water.
For now.
Because I’m not your biggest problem right now.
You are.
You’re doing all that you can to ensure your star stays on the rise. I remember those days. Working each and every night, back when I was single and no kids. I lived and breathed this business. Hell, I slept with it, because I wanted to be one of the top stars to keep one’s eye on. And I was, but just as my star rose, it crashed and burned, too. Fading out.
That’s what you have an issue with.
You could very well fade out. Your star could shine bright, but it dies out, becoming nothing, before you know it. And if that’s already happening, then Heavens to Betsy, I’m going to destroy you before the bell even rings. I’m sure that’s not what you want, but as the Stones said, you can’t always get what you want.
Getting into the habit of losing matches before they even start, isn’t something you feel you need, I’m sure. But there’s not a bad thing, either. Maybe it could open your eyes to all these things I’m pointing out.
It reminds me of the old story my father once told me.
It was the story of two bulls.
A father and a son.
They were looking down at a herd of cows. The son said, “Hey dad. Let’s run down there and fuck some of those cows.”
The father shook his head and replied, “No son. Let’s walk down and fuck them all.”
What I’m saying is that it’s all about time, and when that bell rings, I’m going to take mine. I’ll go ahead and give you my strategy. I will let you waste all your energy because that is what you will do. You’ll run out swinging, and guns blazing when this match starts. I will let you waste yourself, before I pick you apart.
I’m sure you’ll talk a big game. Sort of like Mike Tyson did, going into his fight against Lennox Lewis. All the hype was surrounding Mike, and people felt he was going to pull off the win. Yet after two or three rounds, he was spent. Lennox took his time, punishing him the way the champ wanted.
So I suggest you don’t come into this, where you’re already worn thin. I suggest you rest up. Stay off social media. Stop going out with James Raven. Give yourself time to breathe, because once I get my hands on you, you won’t get the chance to do so, again. Not until I’m done beating you down, and taking you down to the mat.
Hell, I always said I wanted to leave a message, make a mark in the XWF, and Betsy seems to be beloved. What better way to do something like that than be coming close to crippling one of the beloved stars in this company. Hell, in this industry?
I can’t think of a better way, because when that bell rings, I could care less about the well-being of my opponent. That won’t change when I’m standing across from you, Betsy. Hell, maybe I can get Mr. Raven to face me as I’ve wanted for quite some time. Maybe I can get him to throw in the towel for you.

______________________________________

“So,” Dr. McIntosh began, as he and James sat across from each other, still the basement of the NYPD, “how did you manage to come back?”
James knew he was referring to how Abel had been in the driver’s seat upon what was supposed to be his hospital discharge. James came back however shortly after that.
“It was revenge.”
“What do you mean?” the doctor asked, looking slightly perplexed.
McIntosh’s former patient, his former prisoner smirked, “I had this image, or hallucination where Abel lived through me and he kidnapped your daughter. He drugged her, the point she was the epitome of violence you always wanted, and then Abel kidnapped you, too.”
His smirk faded as James continued, “Once you woke up…because you were drugged just as well,” the image came alive in his head, as the story unraveled, “The two of you were bound to chairs. Abel felt it was appropriate to do you,” they locked eyes, “what you did to Lance and I. You remember, don’t you?”
“I helped you see who and what you truly are, James. That’s it. Nothing more.”
“I’d say if that’s what you need to tell yourself to help you sleep at night, but I don’t want you to sleep well. You don’t deserve it,” James growled.
“Where does revenge fit into bringing you back?” McIntosh interjected.
“Abel set your daughter free, then taking a page from your book, he threw a pipe into the room that two of you were left in. Abel left the building, just as you began to scream. It was a sense of closure, and when that happened,” James exhaled, “I came back. I knew I had to stop you.”
“And seeing how things are, it looks like you did.”
“Sadly, it was too late.”
“How do you mean?”
“You know exactly what I mean,” James hissed, before taking a deep breath to calm himself.
“Why don’t you tell me?”
“You were experimenting on Abel, my body, the mind he and I share. I had to travel to get to him, as I was growing stronger…”
“And he was getting weaker, wasn’t he?”
James nodded, “He was.”
“It’s like the two of you don’t do well together, wouldn’t you say?”
“I’m not agreeing with you about a damn thing, McIntosh,” James replied, maintaining his calm state, “You wanted to bring Abel to the forefront. You wanted to get rid of me, and implement this idea that violence is the way.”
“It is James,” the Good Doctor fired back, “And by the time this is all over,” he continued, “You will know that full and well.”
“What that hell does that mean?”
“Only time will tell, James. Have you called to check in on your family, yet?”
James shoved away from the table, officers racing towards them once again, telling James the doctor was indeed done for the night. Their superior, Harkin, may have given an order to do so, should things get ugly like they had earlier.
Once McIntosh was out of sight, James pulled out his cell, calling wife, trying to swallow away any and all panic.
“Hello?” Braelynn’s voice came in on the other line. She sounded serene, like she was getting a good night’s sleep for the first time since their son was born.
“Hey babe,” he said, his panic struggling to subside, “I just wanted to check in on you and Sawyer.” Saying his son’s name brought a picture into his head, where he’d held the baby for the last time. He hadn’t been home in what felt like weeks.
“We’re good. When are you coming home?”
He sighed, “I’m not sure, but hopefully soon.”
“Have you seen that bastard?”
James chuckled, “Yeah, nearly the entire time I’ve been gone.”
“I guess the most question, and it’s the most important, is are you ok?”
James looked down, at his free hand only noticing then that it was shaking, and he sighed, “I don’t know.”

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