Post by Shadow on Sept 7, 2013 12:51:27 GMT -4
**KNOCK KNOCK**
It was a hot day. Shadow was sweating as he stood on the outside of the Orchilands Estates house, not far from Kilaeu. Estates were not much out here. He was wearing his F.B.I. monkey suit; it didn’t help with the heat. Nevertheless, there was only one reason Shadow could be here. The imposing giant offered a friendly smile as a young man opened the door.
"Mr. Lau?" Shadow looked at his notepad. The man nodded. "Agent Johnson, F.B.I."
Shadow flashed the badge, the guy bought it. Lau's eyes grew wide as his jaw dropped.
"What you want?"
"Local law enforcement informed me that you have some video footage of the man known as Slade Craven "walking out of a lake of lava." I'd like to see that footage." Shadow got to the point as fast and polite as he could. He knew this had to be bullshit. .
"It's, it’s” Lau stammered as he opened the door and lower his head ushering the behemoth sized man into the close quarters home. Lau’s arm was extended toward a room in the back.
Shadow scrunched his shoulders to squeeze through the doorway. Lau had no pictures on his wall, and very little in the way of furniture The man kept trying to explain what happened, stammering and speaking in broken English. He was afraid, but what for? As they entered what was considered the office, Shadow saw Lau’s laptop sitting on a small desk. This did not seem like someone’s home. It was so hollow, ready to pack up and go at any time. The againk it made sense seeing as Lau lived near an active volcano. Mr. Lau sat at the desk and cued up the video. Shadow watched over his shoulders.
“What the hell is this?” Shadow’s voice grew terse.
This was not what people claimed it to be. The video footage Lau possessed just showed him walking around the Volcano National Park. He couldn’t deny that how hauntingly beautiful the lava lake was. Suddenly, Shadow caught sight of something, more specifically someone. Someone with pale skin, dark hair and green power ranger shirt. Shadow’s mouth started to form a question but he quickly realized something.
“That’s not Slade Craven.”
"Who is Slade Cra-fun?"
Lau looked up confused. It was at that moment Shadow realize that Lau had no clue who Slade Craven was. While Shadow hadn't been paying attention, Lau had kept asking Shadow he was being bugged by people about Slade Craven. All he did was post a video on his Facebook. Shadow looked a little embarrassed as he realized this.
"I'm sorry to trouble you Mr. Lau. I guess I was mistaken.
Back at the front door, the big man thanked Mr. Lau while he walked down the steps. Turning his gaze to the street Shadow spots someone approaching. Without any hesitation, Shadow reaches his hand forward and says.
"Mr. Lau, this is partner on the case, Special Agent Johnson. no relation."
Assassin's smirks and clasps Shadow and shakes. He goes along with it and does not even flash his badge. Behind him, his taxi drives off.
"Hello"
He shakes Lau's hand after Shadow's. That poor Hawaiian man looked so diminutive between the two men. Mr. Lau just wanted them gone.
"So, Mr. Lau," Thank you for all your help. Agent Johnson, looks like this was all a big hoax. Let's roll."
Assassin nods as Shadow reached the street. Lau shakes his head walking back up the steps of his porch. Nevertheless, he'd bought it. The two old acquaintances walk down the road until they were out of ear shot and dropped the act.
"Die Hard?" Assassin asked sarcastically.
"I had to improvise. What the hell are you doing here?"
"In APW? I wanted to whip some ass."
"No I mean here! Are you looking for Slade too"
"Yeah, of course." Something in Assassin's voice... "Just a hoax?"
"Yeah, guy doesn't even know what the hell is going on he just keeps getting bugged by people looking for Slade. Someone else started that rumor. Come on I'll give you a ride." Shadow motioned to his white Firebird parked just up the road.
"How the hell could you afford to ship your '77 Pontiac Firebird to Hawaii?"
"And from island to island," Shadow added with a smirk. "Oh, I hit big in Vegas."
"When were you in Vegas?"
"Before last Asylum," Shadow laughed as he got in the car. As Assassin sat down on the passenger side, Shadow continued. "I was going to Topeka early. But seeing as I had a little time, I swung north to see Bobby. We got to talking and he told me the odds of what I was going up against and then had this idea to play Vegas. So I swung down to Vegas and I'd bet that I'd lose the gauntlet match. The odds were not bad either. Odds of them beating me was ten to one. That's why I called Bobby and him place a twenty five grand bet against me."
"Dude, what the hell?" Assassin raised his voice interrupting. "You guy's bet that you would lose?"
"Oh don't worry, I put $25,000 of my own that I would win." Shadow's seat belt clicked. He checked the rearview mirror nonchalantly.
"At ten to one?" Assassin as anything but dismissive. His voice was higher. "That doesn't make any sense."
"No, thirty to one." The big man was completely calm.
"Isn't that illegal?" Shadow looked at Assassin
"We pretend to be a federal agent investigating supernatural cases. Do you think I really care?" Shadow turned his sarcastic gaze from his friend and to the road cranks the ignition as the engine roars to life.
"Fair enough." Assassin countered. "Nice payout, I just can believe you didn't invite me."
"Oh shit," Shadow laughed but he still was sincere. "Yeah, sorry Bro. It was a spur of the moment thing. I barely got to Asylum on time. But yeah, I've got a little money to splurge. Got this sweet new cell phone too!"
Shadow flashes his I-Phone 5. It's brand new, Shadow hasn't even taken the film off.
"You're going to blow it all quick." Assassin warned.
"Don't get you panties in a bunch," Shadow said. "I know I'm being a little frivolous with the dough now, but I think I earned my nice Hawaiian Vacation. I did get my ass whipped with a steel chair."
"Good point."
"Assassin, I knew going into that match they had something planned." Shadow said honestly. "So when Bobby gave me those odds, I just couldn't pass up the chance. I gave myself a fifty-fifty shot."
"What would you have done had you won?"
"Oh let's just say, Raab wouldn't be Suicide Champion."
Both men laugh real quick.
"But then Reaver wouldn't have gotten his glorious win at Shockwave. So I let it slide."
"Okay dude just stop." Assassin held up his hand as he shook his head. "All pretenses aside, you're crazy. You should have just called me"
"Hey, I said I was sorry about Vegas-"
"No Shadow; not about that. It's about this insane war against the general managers. First it was Alexander Duvall, now Stefan Raab? Look at what you're doing to yourself." Assassin was pissed.
"My leg is fine, the wound has healed up and my shoulder is doing better" It was true, Shadow looked very refreshed.
"It's not about that, you need help Shadow. It's why I came back."
"I don't need any help."
"Really?" Assassin raised an eyebrow. "Why else would you be looking for Slade? How the hell did I know you'd be here?"
"Wait?!" Shadow realized. "You?"
"Yeah," Assassin nodded. "I'm the one who leaked that rumor. Someone who liked my Facebook page knows this guy and commented on his video. I spotted it and spread the rumor. I figured sooner or later it would get you here and I could talk some sense into you. I've been following you since you arrived. Let me help you."
"I said I don't need your help. And I wasn't looking for Slade for back up, either. I can handle this myself." Shadow's anger churned through the Firebird's engine as he accelerated. His grip tightened on the steering wheel.
"You really think that?"
"I don't want you out there with me Assassin, you or Slade. I plan to unleash unrivaled power and devastation this week. Do yourself a favor and stay out of my crosshairs. You'll only wide up getting hurt." .
"Then why are you looking for Slade?" Assassin yelled. Shadow's comment was almost below the belt.
"Because I buried him!" Shadow's eyes were red. "He was our brother and he turned on me! I don't know why! He blames me for something. And at Rasslemania I buried him, ALIVE! I wanted to help him. I wanted to save him and I had to bury him! I have to know he's okay, to help him and tell him I'm sorry."
"For what?" Assassin asked. "You said it yourself, you don't know why he turned. Let me tell you Shadow; Slade had no reason for what he did. He just lost it. Let it go. Deep down, I believe he's alive. But I'm not out there wasting my life looking for somebody who doesn't want to be found. If Slade ever decides to, he'll find you."
Shadow blinked. He didn't want to admit it, but Assassin was right. Not about going it alone. No Stefan Raab just lost control of Asylum, he wasn't as well protected. That's why he'd hired the Black Hand. Shadow could handle all that. Plus, he only had the Unforgiven in his path this week. Shadow could take Sentinel. Deep down, he knew why too.
The thing that pierced Shadow, was the truth about letting Slade go. He lowered his head slightly. And then Shadow remembered being hit with the steel chair. He got pissed again as the car barreled down the road. Revenge is not a motive, it 's an emotional response. What Shadow had in store for Sentinel wasn't vengeance, it was punishment.
Oh... Hell... Yeah!
Let me get something off my chest. I made a promise before Asylum; I said that Unforgiven and Aubrey J. Parker would NOT look like winners after that match was over. I said I would leave them in rubble and I did not deliver. Now, I'd offer and apology, but why should? From my perspective, I was keeping that promise and then some knuckle-dragging, gorilla-cunt hit me with a chair. Let me make a different promise right now. Asylum is going to open with an ass whipping!
You don't believe me? Let me tell you last Asylum, from my perspective. I get to Topeka, I've had a rough week and am still pissed at Zachariah Blood's smart-ass comments. I've got one hour before the gauntlet match. I'm sitting there in my locker room; got the TV playing one promo, my laptop cued up with another and Aubrey J. Parker's streaming on my sweet new cell phone.
I wanted her on my cell phone because I smashed the shit out of it when she was finished. Anyway, so the promos end and match finally starts. I know walking into this you three have something planned. You're too big of pussies not to. I tear through Blood and get to Sentinel. Then you had it, your little pre-match pow-wow. I'm sure you didn't care about secrecy; Hell, you were about to beat me with a chair. So Sentinel gets in the ring. We duke it out for a moment, asshole spears me then proceeds to rage-quit our match because he "had to."
Let me make one thing perfectly clear. Sentinel did NOT go for that chair because Aubrey J. Parker ordered him too! He went because it was all he had left! I saw it in his eyes. When he hit me with that spear he knew at that moment: He'd thrown EVERYTHING at me and it wasn't enough; I was coming back! I was about to LEVEL him! Parker told him to tear me part. He couldn't do it. A real "monster" would have fought first He saw what I did to Zachariah Blood. He couldn't follow that, even with all of his might. I was going to destroy Sentinel the moment I got up. So he grabbed the chair early and quit!
I don't remember much after that. I was pretty pissed off and I kind of blacked out for a moment. I don't remember standing up, but I do remember stumbling. After being molly-whopped by a steel chair, walking apparently becomes difficult. Parker took advantage of this. However, I'm not mad at Parker. No she had to win. Imagine the hell in store for her if she'd failed Raab. I was coming for him that night. You three, were in my way. AJP was already scared enough I planned to curb stomp her for that lovely bouquet of chair shots just two week's earlier. But you just can't fail the boss. She ordered Sentinel's Morse code chair shot message to make it easy on herself because she couldn't do it alone.
But as for Sentinel? I'm going to punish him for not being a man about it first. He's brave enough to assault Terry Marvin but he is too afraid of me? This week, I am taking on the man who destroyed the champion at Shockwave. Awesome! I will unleash on his ass and show Sentinel what real power is. That son of a bitch better bring that chair with him because I am coming after him. You hear me Sentinel; I will annihilate you!
And I will deliver on that promise. Because that is exactly what I did on Meltdown. Hell, that was fun, let's talk about that for a moment. I always make a statement there. For Jace Savage, I wanted him to prove himself and he did. He never gave up. I still laid him to waste but I raised his hand after the match. "the Mumfster" pissed me off. I tried to be civil, well civil-ish, but he rejected and insulted me. He wanted to be a bad guy. He wanted to be a monster. I made my statement: "I'm still here!" Because, I've had a lot of people telling me to back off. I got doctors, opponents and even my best friends telling me I should just give up on my crusade. But I'm still here.
And you think that by throwing Sentinel at me again after what he did to Terry Marvin, I'd be afraid? Bring it, bitch! I know he can't take me. Because he's no monster. Sentinel is just an enforcer. Granted, he's a damn good one. But he does just does everyone’s dirty work: Blood, Talon, Parker, Raab. And an enforcer is just a job. Sentinel, monsters cannot have jobs. That's because monsters cannot be controlled. This makes them superior as they are unequal in power. Sentinel is always under someone's control. He's a mindless meat Muppet with someone's hand up his ass. Me? I cannot be controlled. I am a monster and my monster is an Ass Kicker!
This island isn't big enough for the two of us, Sentinel. Tonight, I'm voting your ass off the island!
