One Step Closer

[Tommy Knox]

///One Step Closer\\\
Chapter XXII

"There's only what you go out and get for yourself. Our fates are in the palms of our own hands."
- Knoxville -

Tuesday 4:24 PM [March 19th, 2013]
Toronto, Canada

The cold northern air blows through the streets of the city, chilling everything in its path. And to think, it was supposed to start getting warmer this time of year. The city is dull today, more so than usual. On the outskirts of town is where we find ourselves. In the depths of the cities roughest streets, the Nomads Toronto charter has a clubhouse like no other.

Spread throughout the United States and surrounding countries, the Nomads have established a network of associations working together for the same purpose. From running illegal firearms to drugs or offering protection and muscle, they do it all. Today, things are all quiet on the western front, a day off from the everyday hustle outside of the clubhouse walls, on the blood soaked streets.

A small repair shop is set up in front of the clubhouse. Inside, Knoxville and a few unknown faces along with Mikey from the New York chapter, stand in a circle above a filthy, oil covered floor and discuss business.

"Our boys from Fresno are in route with the first package for you guys." Mikey says as he leans against his motorcycle with a cigar in hand.

One of the unknown faces clear their throat and interact. "Where, here or do we have to meet them?"

Mikey takes a puff from his cigar and answers. "Jesse, they're not crossing the border. They'll meet you miles from the line and make the exchange. Until then, get with your people at border control and set up a clear pass."

"That's not going to be cheap." Jesse interupts.

"No shit, you think? With the price I'm throwin' your way and the quality of the product, you can find the means to make it happen. This ain't no bullshit swag or the all mighty "BC", it's better. This product will pay for these nickels and dimes you're whinin' about spendin' on a free pass to cross an international line." Taking a drag from his cigarette, Knoxville enters the conversation with a look of cockiness painted across his face.

Jesse takes a step back and goes silent for a moment before responding. "Who the fuck are you?"

"He's our partner and supplier, Knox." Mikey stands beside Knoxville as he replies.

"Partner or not, he's not one of us. Why the fuck is he sitting in on this conversation of ours?" Jesse asks.

Mikey begins to look irritated as he shakes his head for a brief moment before replying. "First of all, this ain't fucking church. If I want him to stand in on this talk outside of church walls then so be it. For all I'm concerned, we can just keep this business opportunity in the states and leave you all up here with your dicks in your hands."

Jesse steps in closer to Mikey as the two look each other eye to eye. "Brother, what the fu..."

"Hold on guys, calm down. Look it, this is big money for all of us. Lets just take a few steps back and start from the beginning. "Knoxville says as he steps in between the two.

Jesse looks at Knoxville with anger in his eyes and clinches his fists. Mikey see's his reaction and steps back in front of Knoxville and gets in Jesse's face. "Step off, kid. That's no way to treat a prospect. Don't forget, we made you guys up here. We can burn that bridge and go our separate ways if this is the way it's going to be. "

Knoxville looks at Mikey, confused by the words that just came out of his mouth. He then takes a drag from his cigarette as Jesse steps up to him and extends his hand for a shake, a sign of respect.

"Sorry, Knox." Jesse says.

Knoxville waits for a second before replying. "No problem. I shouldn't have stepped out of line and interrupted."

The two then shake hands and Mikey looks on and nods his head in agreement. "Now that we have that settled, can we get back to business?"

"Lets discuss all these details at church. I don't want to do it in the shop. Knox, you're more than welcome to join us, brother." Jesse says as he steps back.

"Thanks, Jesse." Knoxville replies as he takes a drag from his cigarette and then drops it to the floor to squash with his shoe.

Jesse and Mikey walk towards the clubhouse together leaving Knoxville and two other members behind. One of the unknowns, leaves the shop and makes a phone call out in the open as the other hangs back with Knoxville.

"I recognize you from somewhere." The unknown member says to Knoxville.

Knoxville looks puzzled for a moment and thinks to himself before answering. "From where?"

"I don't know, exactly. You sure you're not a cop? I've seen your face around a lot lately." He asks as Knoxville becomes entertained.

"Do you watch wrestlin'?" Knoxville asks.

"That's it, APW! I knew I recognized you from somewhere. You were in that rumble the other night."

Knoxville extends his hand for a shake. "I'm Tommy Knoxville. You can just call me Knox."

"The name's Ashley." He extends his hand as the two shake and show respect.

Knoxville pulls his hand back and grabs a joint another cigarette from the pack and place it in his mouth. He then lights it up and offers Ashley one. Ashley pulls out a cigar and lights it up. Knoxville then leans against the post to an automobile lift. "So, you watch wrestlin' much?"

Ashley takes a puff from his cigar before replying. "Not really. I recognized you from the rumble the other night because I had some business to attend to at the arena. Up here, people love to gamble on that shit. That rumble wasn't nothing but a cash cow for us because with twenty or so people involved, there's only one person to bet on and people were betting big."

"That's cool. How much did my name bring in?" Knoxville asks.

"You did alright, bro." Ashley answers.

Knoxville looks disappointed as he responds. "Oh..."

"Don't let it get you down. Only one person can win it and you lasted for almost a whole fuckin' hour. You're a goddamn warrior, dude!"

Knoxville takes a drag from his cigarette as his facial expression looks relieved somewhat. "Thank, I guess. It's over now anyway. I have bigger fish to fry this Sunday night at Rasslemania."

Ashley appears to look clueless as he asks. "Sorry, dude. What's Rasslemania? We just got into this wrestling gig."

"It's only APW's biggest show of the year. It's takin' place right here, in Toronto. I've been partnerin' up with a good ole' country boy who goes by Buckson Gooch. We've been in a little tournament for the tag team championships and at Rasslemania, we're fighting for the number one contendership to that gold. It's been a long road but Gooch and I aren't ready to stop until those titles are around our waists." Knoxville takes another drag from his cigarette as he takes a moment.

"Oh, that's the big show coming up, the big money maker Jesse's calling it. Well, congrats on making it this far. I wish you nothing but the best of luck." Ashley says with a smile on his face.

Knoxville laughs to himself for a moment as those last words sink in. "Best of luck? Get the fuck out of here. There's no good or bad luck, bro. There's only what you go out and get for yourself. Our fates are in the palm of our own hands."

As those words roll off his tongue, Knoxville walks out of the shop and towards the clubhouse. Ashley then follows and closes up the shop, turning the lights out, leaving us in darkness.

AMERICAN HIGHLIFE
March 23rd, 2013 [•REC]

This is Rasslemania.

This is the event where champions are made. This is the event where legends are born. This is the event that some have been waitin' for all year. Not me, I've been focused on this for just a few short weeks. After it's all said and done, this will be the event next year that those tag titles are defended by yours truly.

This is Rasslemania.

Now that the Meltdown Rumble has come and gone, we can finally focus on more important things. For weeks now, Gooch and myself have been a thought in the back of their minds. The more they try to forget us, the more the image of us victorious over them appears in their minds. These last few weeks have been nothing more than a build up to one of the most epic tag matches in all of Rasslemania history. When it's all said and done, only one team can walk out with their hands raised and a title shot waitin' for them ahead. It sure as fuck won't be the Natural Born Killaz. Gooch and I have this thing in the bag. It's been fun, makin' you two think you have the slightest chance at gettin' the title shot. It must come to an end. Gooch and I have to step forward and leave you two little bitches behind. This moment has been gettin' closer and closer with each passin' week. It's inevitable.

Weeks ago, you two could barely beat me with no one standin' in my corner. Then, you guys had your asses handed to you when I met a good ole' friend, Buckson Gooch. We all know the story and how you two barely got out of that match in one piece. Since then, I knew this day would come when we meet in the ring again with the same prize on the line. This time is goin' to be different. This time, there's nothin' in this world that can save you from your fate of failure and defeat. We've dragged this story out for too long now. Lets just give the fans what they want and put this thing to rest. Guys, you're startin' to become a pest to not only Gooch and I but all the APW fans watching from around the world.

Leon, for someone who seems so confident about winnin' this match at Rasslemania, you're startin' to make excuses a little too soon aren't you? You can call it what you want but the win Gooch and I are gettin' over you and Jake will be anything but a goddamn fluke. You can take that to the bank, son. If anyone on your team has the talent to look out for, it's you. I'll give credit where credit is due but don't take it as praise. The moment you decide to let my respect fill that big head of yours will be the moment your entire world comes crashin down on you. As for your partner, don't get jealous that he appeared to work better with me in that rumble than he ever has with you. If you gave the guy a little more credit, maybe he would step up and carry an equal load instead of makin' you do all the heavy lifting. Then again, what do I know? I do know this, I out lasted you and your partner in that rumble and I entered the ring a lot earlier than both of you. When you stop and think about it, there's a slight hint of proof that you two just can't cut the mustard when it comes to steppin' in the ring with The Iron Man himself.

As for you Jake, where do I begin? There's an old sayin' that goes, keep your friends close and your enemies closer. What does that have to do with anything, you ask? At the rumble, you seemed to wrestle better with me by your side than you ever have standin' in Leon's shadow. I let you last as long as you did and fought with you instead of against you. If your head didn't smack the concrete below too hard when I eliminated your ass, you may remember that I actually helped you during the match. Instead of wastin' my energy goin' after you and everyone else in the ring, I let you do the dirty work for me. Then after I was through with you, I shit all over you and sent you home cryin' to that bitch of a mother you have back home. How are the ovaries feelin', buddy? I think you left some of your menstrual juices on the toe of my foot when I finished you off once and for all.

Guys, we can sit here and go back and forth all night about who is the better wrestler and who's goin' to do what to who. We truly can but come on, honestly, does anyone seriously have time for all that? I know I don't. I'm hopin' you two don't as well and are more focused on preparin' for this match. The last thing I want is an easy win at Rasslemania. I want you two to bring a level of competition that you have never reached before. I want the best that you have to offer. I know it's not goin' to be much but I'll take whatever I can get. Who am I kiddin'? I'll take a win any way that I can get it, easy or hard. At the end of the day a win is a win. You can try to argue that all you want but you know deep inside that winnin' is all any of us care about. Winnin' gets you name recognized. Gettin' recognized gets you contendership. And getting contendership leads to winnin' championships. Anyone can stand there and say that they do this for the passion of the sport and I'll call them a liar to their face. We all do this to win, that's all we care about, we're human. I will stand here before you and own up to that. And with winnin' comes losin'. Someone has to lose, we can't all be winners like the kids in the slow classes with Knuckles growin' up. I'm a goddamn winner! What are you two, Jake and Leon?

As I said, someone has to lose. You can be sure as fuck it's not goin' to big Gooch and Der Eiserne Mann. We've come too far to just walk away empty handed now. I'm sorry, but I'm not leavin' the ring Sunday night unless a title shot is waitin' for us shortly after. I didn't get back into the sport to lose big. Shit, I didn't get back in this sport to lose at all. Losses are goin' to come and go, there's no gettin' around that. Waitin' for the time a loss comes is like waitin' for the sun to come up. I ain't about to lose no sleep over it, it's goin' to happen. One thing I can promise both of you, Jake and Leon, it's not goin' to happen at Rasslemania. I refure to lose on APW's biggest stage. I have too much pride for that. How you expect to run with the wolves come night, when you spend all day sparrin' with the puppies? I'm hungry for gold, so is Gooch. More than that, we're ready to knock the champions off of their throne. It's not about what you're takin', it's who you're takin' it from. Let that sink in a little bit as the clock ticks closer and closer to Rasslemania. Don't let your mouth write checks that your ass can't cash.