New Business Ventures

[Tommy Knox]

///New Business Ventures\\\
Chapter XVII

"It ain't going to be cheap, bro. What do you need?"
- Wallace -

Wednesday 10:11 AM [February 13th, 2013]
Long Beach, California

A slight breeze carries the smell of the ocean throughout the air. The sun dwindles in the blue sky above. Not a single cloud can be seen for miles. It's beautiful as a matter of fact. The scenery here stands above and beyond compared to the depths of hell we found ourselves face to face with last week. Below, a sign hangs above a building at a local hot spot, "Southside Johnny's".

It's a small privately owned gym on the south side of town near the docks. A few other local business surround the place but none stand out nearly as much. The parking lot to the side is empty for the most part except for four cars scattered amongst the spaces. Things must be slow today. Wait a second, what is that? In the far corner of the lot, the infamous black Charger from earlier sleeps in a small bit of shade cast from a bundle of palm trees.

Inside, the place is a ghost town. A pair of men work out in the back corner of the gym but other than that, it's dead. In the distance, two other voices can be heard coming from a back office in the opposite corner from the men working out. Quickly changing views, we see that it's Knoxville and a latin man with greasy black hair.

"So Rico, it's all there?" Knoxville asks.

"Oh yea hombre', it's all there. You know you can count on me." the mysterious gentlemen replies.

Looking inside a black duffle bag, Knoxville smiles and nods his head. "Rico, you've been a huge help with gettin' my cash across the border and evading the man wantin' to dip his hands in my pockets."

"Senoir, it was my pleasure. I told you from the start, my fee is less than half of what your government is goin' to charge you. Hell, half of the money you bring back, you can't even account for." Rico says as he rubs his dark skinned chin.

Knoxville extends his hand out as his mouth opens; "What did you think of the gifts?"

Rico laughs aloud as he extends his hands and two shake. "You're loss. Those belts were plated in gold, not to mention the prestige you just walked away with leaving them with their dicks in their hands."

"It's my gift to you. It's the least I could have done after all you've done for me." Knoxville says.

"So... senoir, I take it everything went well with our friends south of the border?" Rico asks.

Shaking his head up and down Knoxville replies. "Oh yes, couldn't have went better. They fell in love with the new strain and want to put it into production over the next few months. They bought it. That's also why I called you here today instead of just sending your normal driver."

"Yes?" Rico says under his breath.

"Well, it's goin' to take a little bit before they can get things up and goin' To be honest, they're used to growing mass amounts of garbage down there. You're the only person I know who can come anywhere close to my technique. I need you to work with them for the first cycle to teach them the ropes. After that, they're on their own." Knoxville then reaches and grabs his pack of cigarettes from the desk. He places one between his lips and looks Rico in the eyes.

Thinking to himself for a moment Rico replies. "That's a tough choice hombre'. Nothing against you, I just don't trust those sneaky fucks down there. These guys are snakes in the grass. One move to piss them off, one look they don't like, one fart they don't want to smell and it's over. I've heard the stories of the heads buried in the desert. I don't want to become one."

"No worries, bro. I have some big things in motion right now. I mean, shit that's goin' to put money in the bank for me while I'm out touring with APW. Those guys down there, they know this is for real. If they want to do business with me that deep, they're goin' to need to do business through you." Knoxville reassures Rico.

Thinking to himself and shaking his head back and forth Rico paces the room. He then stops in his tracks and looks up at Knoxville in the eyes with a stone cold look of despair. "I cannot do it, I will not. These people are bad, Tommy. If you're going to continue business with them on that level, you must do it alone."

Knoxville looks disappointed as he takes a step back and breathes. "I don't know if I can. You're my main guy down there. We can figure somethin' out later. I may be able to offer you some protection."

"You can offer all you like but I don't think it's a good idea for me to get involved on that level with those people. I don't think you should either to be honest." Rico says.

"I'll think about it. They just need someone to show them how to use a system this sophisticated." Pausing for a moment Knoxville thinks to himself. "You know what, fuck it. Don't worry about it. Lets just stick to what we have goin' on now with the laundering. I have a plan to send a lot more business your way and put us both on the map."

Rico laughs briefly as he shakes Knoxville's hand once more. "On the map isn't always the best place to be, especially when it involves this mess."

The two laugh with each other as Knoxville takes a seat and pulls a lighter from his pocket. He then lights his cigarette and takes a few drags as we slowly fade out.

Later that day...

Wednesday 2:42 PM [February 13th, 2013]
Long Beach, California

The doors swing open to the half dead gym as rays of sunlight penetrate inside. Two silhouettes stand in the doorway as the brightness blinds from outside. Coming inside, two bikers enter in tattered jeans and black vests, patched in Nomad. These are members of California's most ruthless, notorious motorcycle club, one of many chapters across the country. To say the least, people you don't want to get involved with.

In the back, Knoxville pops his head out of the office and smiles as he realizes who just walked through the doors. Waving them to come to the back, he kicks the office door open and pulls out a cigarette from the pack resting on the desk. As he lights up, the two men walk in the office as Knoxville quickly closes the door behind them and slaps hands with the two.

"What's up guys, Wallace... Jared?" Knoxville asks as the three all take a seat and stare across at each other.

The larger individual, Wallace, leans back in his seat and kicks his feet up on the desk and takes a load off. Looking across at Knoxville, he folds his arms and smirks. "You called for us? I don't have you on schedule until next Friday. Cut the bullshit."

Knoxville takes a drag from the cigarette and exhales straight into the air as he reaches to his side and grabs a black duffle bag. Tossing it across the room, it lands at Wallace's feet as he takes another slow drag. "That should get me square with New York."

Laughing, Jared interrupts. "This couldn't wait until next week?"

Looking at Jared with a huge grin on his face, Wallace cuts in. "Fuck no, this fuckin' guy! I guess it's better we collect now before this degenerate piece of shit gambles it away."

After just taking another drag, Knoxville exhales with a look of disappointment written all over his face. "Come on guys, really? It's goin' to be like that?"

"You know we're just busting your balls, Knox." Wallace says.

Jared picks up the duffle bag and slowly begins to unzip. "We've known you for a while now bro. Besides your business with New York, we like you."

"Good, because that gets me flush with New York. And for your time, I threw in an extra fifteen to make sure it makes its way there promptly. Once that's handled, maybe we can go into business for ourselves without New York influence. Consider that extra taste a gesture of good faith in future business endevours." Knoxville replies as he exhales from his last drag.

"It depends on what you're offering." Wallace asks.

Knoxville then leans back in the chair and takes one last drag before putting the cigarette out and exhaling. "You guys know what I do here in Cali. All that's legit as far as the state's concerned. I have so much production goin' on at the moment, I need to move some underground and out of state."

Closing the duffle bag, Jared places it beside him as he shakes his head. "You know there's no money in that for us. Unless it's guns or crank, something we can make some real money off of, we steer clear."

Knoxville begins to chuckle as he rubs his chin. "That's where you're wrong. This shit I have goin' on isn't your average dirt. This is above and beyond medicinal. I am the source, there's no middle man. I know you can move it. I deal direct with you guys, strictly wholesale. After that, you do whatever you want with it. I just need something to bank on while I'm back on the road touring with APW."

"I saw that you're back in the wrestling game." Jared says.

Quickly cutting him off, Wallace replies. "We'll think about it. Lets just get New York straightened out first and then we'll decide how to proceed. We're meeting with our brothers in Denver three days from now. We'll get this to them and in route to New York."

Knoxville smiles and stands up to slap hands with the men once again. "No doubt, we'll talk later. Be sure to tell New York that we're finished here too. My hands are clean."

Wallace stands to his feet as Jared quickly follows grabbing the bag from the floor. The three then leave the office and walk towards the door hiding that blinding light from outside.

A few yards away from the door, Knoxville places a hand on each of the Nomads shoulder and steps in between them. "You guys have time to talk about building a custom bike?" Knoxville inquires.

"Come by the shop and talk to Riley." Wallace replies.

"Come on man, I want a bike built by you. I have specific needs and specs. I know you're the best." says Knoxville.

Laughing for a moment, Wallace wipes the grin from his face and looks to his right, dead in the eyes of Knoxville. "It ain't going to be cheap, bro. What do you need?"

Thinking to himself for a moment, Knoxville replies. "I want a chopper that can haul ass and turn heads. I'm back in the wrestlin' game and as soon as a stretch of shows head this way, I'm burnin' rubber and goin' for a long road trip."

"Is that so?" Jared asks.

Nodding his head, Wallace replies. "You think you're one of us?"

Pausing for a moment, Knoxville thinks to himself before responding. "Well... I have thought about comin' to you guys for an opportunity to patch in. I'd like to bring that proposition to the table."

"You sure as fuck talk a big game, Knox. Do you seriously think you're ready for this lifestyle?" Jared questions.

Knoxville takes another moment to think to himself. "I'll let you guys be the judge of that. Keep an eye out for me in APW whenever you get a chance. The three of us know I can handle myself fairly well. I need to get on board with you guys to make this work back here. The club won't turn down the income, I'm pretty sure. I don't know man, I've been on the road longer than I can remember now. I was made for this shit."

Shaking his head, Wallace stops in his path and looks straight into Knoxville's soul. "Lets talk about it after we handle New York. If anything, you're going to prospect for a long time before earning your patch. We'll discuss it at church. For now, that's the end of the road for us, bro. Until next time..."

Wallace and Jared open the doors, setting free a solar flare of light into the dark gym. As the two walk toward their motorcycles, Knoxville stands at the door watching as they get further and further away. He then pulls out his pack of cigarettes and grabs one to place between his lips as he stands and thinks to himself.

///AMERICAN HIGHLIFE\\\
February 15th, 2013 [•REC]

"Earlier this week, I made my return to a professional wrestlin' ring in the states. I made my return to a professional wrestlin' promotion worth mentioning. I had been away from this level of competition for far too long. It feels good to be back. It feels good to return to this level of competition. As a matter of fact, earlier this week, I began my climb to the top of APW. Not one, not two, not three, not four but five men. I made my return to a match with five men involved and walked away with my hand raised above the fallen four. Not only did I make my return to wrestlin' back in the states, I made it clear to everyone else on Meltdown that I'm here for business. I'm here for the North American championship!"

"Who isn't though? Out of everyone on the Meltdown roster, who doesn't have their eye on that championship? We all want that championship to ourselves. My time will come, sooner rather than later. But for now, lets just focus on what was accomplished earlier this week when four men kissed the toe of my boot. With that win, I get to choose my opponents for this Monday night on Meltdown. Yea, I could have challenged Mannie for the title but his time will come, eventually. For the time bein', I want to create chaos in the locker room and strike fear in the hearts of all men and women in APW. Next monday it's the Natural Born Kilaz, the followin' it could sure as shit be anyone else on the roster. I'm just gettin' started, this is goin' to be fun."

"Why did I decide to throw myself in a handicap match? I'm sure that's the question runnin' through those tiny brains of yours, Titan and Roberts. Although you may be the so called, "quickest risin' tag team in APW", what does that make me when I beat you senseless and into a pool of your own blood? I chose you two because you are in fact a new force in APW to be dealt with. Like yourselves, so am I. I've been out of this level of talent for a long while now, too long in fact. I look at you two and see one hell of a warm up for my conquest to glory in APW. I'm not leavin' with anything less than victory Monday night, you two should at least let that settle in your hearts before wasting both of our times."

"I saw you both in action earlier this week. I'll give credit where credit is due, you guys are goin' places here. For the time bein' though, just step aside and let me through. You guys will eventually get to where you're headed in your time with APW, after me of course. I don't mean to be rude as I cut in line. I'm just so eager to get further and further ahead to achieve what it is that I sought after upon returning. You guys are nothing more than a mere speed bump along my course of travels across the states. Like the many girls that I will encounter on the road, our time will be special but I must move on and leave nothing but small memories of you behind. And to be honest, I do mean to be rude, bitches!"

"Let me just do us all a favor and stop with the bullshit theatrics. Last week I walked over four other men after the same outcome as myself. Unlike our little match, no one was on the same team. We each had to fight for ourselves and watch our backs at the same time. You two have it easy at Meltdown, at least you think. I've never been one to back down from a fight, whether it be against one or ten men. You can best believe that I'll be on top of my game considering it was me that put this whole match in motion. You guys can come at me however you please, seperate or both at once. It doesn't matter to me. The harder you come, the harder you're goin' to fall. At the end of the day, it's goin' to be both of you helpin' each other climb to your feet. While you two hold each other up with that last ounce of energy in your body, I'll be walkin' up the aisle with another win as my music drowns out your sorrows and the fans parade you with garbage in the center of that stage, the center of the ring."

"With that said, I leave you with these final words. I'm not traveling all the way to New York to pussy foot with you both in that ring. I'm comin' to take care of business and then attend to some more important business I have in the city. I've been bustin' my ass all week preparing for this match between us three. Don't think for one second that I'm goin' to let my guard down and allow you two the opportunity to pull one over me. I know just about every trick in the book, I've perfected them all. If you're goin' to beat me then it's goin' to have to be with talent. I just don't see that happenin'. I'll see you two Monday night. Don't let your mouth write checks that your ass can't cash."