Thirsty For Blood

[Tommy Knox]

- Thirsty For Blood, Chapter 6 -

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Saturday 11:46 PM [Mar. 19th, 2011]
San Francisco, California

It’s crowded, more than usual on this beautiful night. Downtown usually is this time of year, but things are a bit more crowded than ever tonight. The streets and sidewalks are packed with people on foot fighting through one another. As a matter of fact, it’s college night… that explains it. The night is full of energy and excitement. For most that’s how it seems but for one man, it’s the total opposite.

A little ways from the action of the nightlife two cars are parked in front of an abandoned building. Signs are posted to the sides of the building, “Keep Out For Renovations”. All of the windows are dark and pitch black except for one on the third floor. A dim, yellowish light glows behind a white, dirty curtain. It seems a little late to be renovating. Electricity is in the air.

Something isn’t right here, there’s something fishy going on inside. A silhouette walks by the window with a blunt object in hand. Glass is heard breaking on the side of the building. “Wait!” yells a voice in pain as the sound echoes off of the building across the street.

Inside the room upstairs we find Knoxville in a slight pickle. Two gentlemen hold him by his feet as the rest of his body hangs out of the window. The man with the blunt object is nothing more than an older fella with a wooden baseball bat in hand watching as the two scare the life out of Knoxville.

Desperately yelling, Knoxville cries for the men to stop. “Wait a second! I’ll get you your money! I just need a couple of weeks.”

The two men look back at the older man waiting for a response. “Pull him up.” says the man as the grips the bat in his hand tightly. “I can’t wait to hear this story.”

As the two men bring him back inside Knoxville replies with relief “Thank you! I thought Tony had straightened everything out?”

Bringing him to his feet the two release his arms and let him stand on his free will. Glass falls to the floor from Knoxville's back distracting the two. Out of nowhere Knoxville elbows one in the nose and then turns to kick the other one below the belt. Falling to his knees he doesn’t make a sound but the other cries in pain as Knoxville focuses his attention back towards him and runs with full speed.

“You son of a bitch!” Knoxville yells as he runs towards the man and wraps him up at full speed and drives him back towards the window of the adjacent wall. Hitting the glass with impact Knoxville pushes him away and sends him flying on his way to the hard, concrete ground. “Crack” his neck sounds as he hits the ground head first.

“What the fuck?” the older man says as he tightly squeezes around the handle of the bat. He then walks towards Knoxville quickly as he draws the bat back ready to take a giant swing.

“You’ve got to be kidding me old man.” Knoxville says turns his back to the broken window and notices what’s coming his way.

The old man swings with all his might as he connects the bat to the left shoulder of Knoxville. “Ah! He releases in pain as it knocks him back a few steps. The old man then draws back again as he looks at Knoxville with disbelief. “I can’t believe you threw Joseph out of the window.”

“Do you honestly think I care one bit about Joseph?” Knoxville then throws a fake punch to draw the attention from the old man causing him to swing the bat. Knoxville jumps back and then grabs it with both hands and rips it apart from his grasp. “It’s my turn Jack!” He then swings the bat and catches the old man, Jack, in the side with it knocking him to the ground. “You’ve fucked up now.”

Knoxville walks over to the other man who is still on the ground from the pain of being kicked below the belt earlier. “It’s not your lucky night.” Knoxville says in a deep, low voice as he carries the bat over his shoulder and looks down with aggression in his eyes. He pulls it behind his head in the air and then in the blink of an eye he strikes him in the face with the bat over and over again until there’s nothing but a puddle of blood surrounding his head.

“Stop!” yells Jack as he sits up reaching forward. Knoxville then turns his attention toward him and raises the bat to his shoulder. Blood runs down the wood staining it just as the pain and disfigurement that now stains the man who rests in his own bloody mess.

“I told you over and over again that I was going to get you your money. Week after week I have been busting my ass to get it. I only needed another week or two and I would have settled up for good.” Knoxville circles Jack preying on him in the floor helpless. “You had to be a prick. Look what you’re getting now.” Knoxville says with a sinister smile on his face.

Knoxville then draws the bat back once more as he stares into the eyes of the man who was calling the shots only a few moments earlier. He blinks as sweat rolls down his face and drips to the floor. He then pulls the bat back a little more and goes to swing forward just as the door to the room busts open. “Hold on Tommy!” Pausing for a moment he looks over his shoulder at the door and sees a familiar face.

“Why should I, Michael?”

Walking through the door Michael enters the room by himself as two others stand in the hallway. “Tony said so, that’s why. He and Jack are business partners.”

As the door closes behind him Knoxville drops the bat. It smacks the floor with a thud as he steps back. “You’ve done it now.” says Jack as he pushes himself across the floor and over to the wall to lean against. “You’re a dead man!”

“Calm down Jack. That isn’t how this is goin’ to go down.” Michael says looking over at Jack.

“If you’re not goin’ to do it and Tony's not then I’ll do it myself.” Jack climbs to his feet using the wall as a crutch.

Michael moves in closer to Jack and helps him up. “No you’re not, no one is. Those are Tony’s orders. He’s more helpful to us alive.”

Trying to understand what is going on Jack blinks his eyes a few times stares back at Michael. “What about the money he owes me?”

“I told you, I’ll get you your money!” Knoxville says in a loud voice.

Michael then looks at Knoxville and shakes his head and stares back at Jack. “You’ll receive payment in full tomorrow. It will be delivered personally by Tony.”

“I really appreciate the offer but someone has to teach this asshole a lesson.” Jack glances over at Knoxville with hatred in his eyes. “One of my guys is dead and the other is seriously fucked up.”

Michael rubs his face for a moment and then responds. “I’m sorry to hear that. We will handle the situation. Just go home, and Tony will visit you tomorrow.”

“But…”

“All I ask is for you to please leave right now so we can handle this whole problem with Tommy. Please.”

Jack grabs his jacket hanging on the wall and then walks towards the door. Walking by the puddle of blood he looks down with regret written all over his face. “I’m sorry.” He then leaves the room and walks down the hall as the door closes behind him and Michael puts his arm around Knoxville and looks him in the eye.

“You fucked up big time here. We told you to walk away from Jack when you broke even a few weeks ago.”

Knoxville shakes his head back and forth realizing what Michael said is true. “I know, I only wish I would have listened. So, what does Tony want now? Another thrown fight?”

“Just go to the hotel and get some rest. I’ll pick you up tomorrow for lunch and we’ll go meet with Tony. He has a big job for you. This involves some serious cash in your pocket, plus he’s paying the twelve grand you owe Jack”

Knoxville nods his head and replies “Consider it done. Let him know though, I’m not throwing anymore fights.”

"You don't have to. You make more when you win." Michael replies in a softer tone.

The two then leave the room together and walk down the hallway into the darkness. The men from outside the room come in and begin to clean the bloody mess in the middle of the room. It’s going to be a long night for these two guys. It’s easy to get rid of one body in a single night but two… this is going to be fun.

- AMERICAN HIGHLIFE -

"Well it seems that my past has caught up with me once and for all. I was hoping to avoid this day but I knew it would come knocking at my door sooner or later. It was inevitable. This game of cat and mouse had to end sometime. I only wish that I could have been the cat in this fucked up situation. Instead, I'm the disease infested mouse that just happens to be on the menu tonight. Too bad this cat that's been after me doesn't know what he's in for once he eats the main course. I'm not just going to sit here and take this on the chin. There's a war here that's just brewing in the pot. I'm not looking back. I'm still going forward stronger than ever. I didn't make this comeback just to get sidetracked by past demons. I'm going to fight with every ounce in my body, both in the ring and out of the ring.

Kash, you've gotten all wrong mother fucker. I'm not here to hold your hand or stand in your shadow. I'm here to kick you in the mouth and prove a point. I've been around you ever since I broke through to the professional level. You seem to think it's all about you. I find that funny old friend. You've always pretended to lead great individuals into battle when in reality all you've done is hog the spotlight. Dangertainment... seriously? All I see is another defunct Influential Minds ripoff. When will you get it through your head Kash? Influential Minds has been dead since the original formation. Back then you would hog all the spotlight with these so called big fueds with jokes like Johnny Knuckles. Remember calling him that? He was nothing but a joke to you then and now you rely on him more than ever as a partner. Who the fuck has it twisted?

Dangergayment has been nothing but a horrible attempt at recreating the most influential wrestling establishment to ever grace the business. That's all this charade has been old friend. You can't control the sport like you could with me by your side. Face the facts. I'm the best thing to ever happen to your career. That just doesn't sit well with me. I've been in your rearview for too fuckin' long. You've held me back for the last time. Next week we will meet across the ring from each other inside the cage. There's no escape. Only one of us will walk out with their head held high. It's goin' to be me. You've stood in front long enough, step aside.

Before you go and get upset with what I've said bite your tongue. I've sat back quietly as you pranced around pretending to lead the pack. The pills are behind me. I've gotten my head straight over the past few weeks. California has been good to me. From town to town I have become reacquainted with my long lost friend. I have rediscovered who I am beneath these scars. It's always been about you and I Kash. I wake up screaming out as I relive those painful moments of pretending that I could be half as good as you. I was wrong, I"m better. It's only taken me this long to realize so. That's how hard you fight to make sure your name is above everyone elses. Even when there's someone better standing beside you, you somehow manage to drown them out with your bullshit theatrics.

I've stood in your shadows long enough. Did you forget to mention? All those times you refer to me falling to my weaknesses who was it who didn't complain about the publicity? You were there every second of it like a whore. You've mooched off of me for the last time. Yea, maybe I did some mooching myself but all the spotlight and headline time I earned for myself. All you could do is ride on the coat tails of Demon in TcW as he reigned world champion. And in WCF, you wouldn't have even had a shot at the tag team titles if it wasn't for me. Well the time has come for me to prove myself and reveal to the world just how big of a phony you really are. You're not "The Bad Influence", you're just influenced badly by those you entertain yourself with these days.

Please tell me that you didn't think I hadn't noticed? I've seen the scum you align yourself with these days. Bishop isn't too bad. He's a young up and comer in the sport. He could do a hell of a lot better if you'd quit poisoning his mind. Let the kid make a name for himself, not live by the joke you portray him to be. Knuckles though... Kash I never thought I'd see the day. Not only did this has been get his ass kicked by everyone in TcW, he was made a bitch to you month by month. Why would you go as low as you have? Why would you align yourself with Johnny "Douchebag" Knuckles? You must be goin' for jobber group of the year with those bullets in your gun. Kash, if you want to get under my skin and bring an ounce of worry to this mind, you're goin' to need a better group of individuals standing behind you. They're not Demon and myself. One of your boys only wish he could be Demon and the other wishes he were half as good as me.

Guys, there's still a little more time to step the fuck back and rethink signing your death certificates. You don't owe Kash anything. He'd turn his back on you Bishop the second you start attracting all the attention. If you all just tucked your dicks between your legs and backed out of the match we would completely understand. I wouldn't lose any respect for you either, not that I have any to begin with. I'd see you doing this as the smartest thing you've done in your entire career. Step aside and point us in the direction of the one that can give us a run for our money. While you're at it, why don't you all get the fuck out of the ring and leave Kash and I together. Knoxville is coming to the ring on a serious note. There's a time and place for everything and there's no room for joking in the ring. I'm back for good whether you like it or not!

I know you've all heard these words before. I've said them numerous times over the past couple years. Only now is it that these words actually mean something to me. The past is behind me, along with all the bullshit that it brings. Kash, we've had our moments but now it's time for me to step in front of you and take this show. You've been behind the curtains pulling the strings for too long. I'm not a fuckin' puppet of yours like those idiots, Bishop and Knuckles. One more thing... Knuckles, don't even think about comin' to interfere in my match. I swear, if I even see your face at ringside I'll end your long overdue career again for the second time since Plex did so back in 09'. Don't think anyone has forgotten sunshine. Your time in the spotlight is comin' to an end as well. You and Kash have been suckin' each others dicks in the center of attention for too long. You two need to step aside and let me through. The world is ready for a different so called "influence". I am that influence. Make way Kash..."