Bowen is sitting in a doctors office, pulling a large rubber band. He's sitting across, once again, from his hired help, Dr. Lufi. Bowen, pulling the bands, lets out a deep breath, and pulls one back in. Trying to synch up his breaths with each pull.
Lufi- So you're one for one now, Alexander. Not a terrible start, I've never watched wrestling. But, I've got to admit, I saw both of your matches and they were quite fun.
Lufi smiles, and cocks her head looking up at Bowen.
Lufi- I'm glad you came to me for help again. You seem rather mad, Alexander... let's talk.
Alex- I'm the best there was, but I always play second fiddle. It's never Alex Bowen anymore when you talk about that division. It's about how cool Ace or Vega is, or about how many times Matt held the title. I took the beating last week, and he gets to reap the rewards. He got the "win" for our team.
Bowen holds up the quotation fingers with a sour look on his face.
Alex- That's the second time we've teamed up and he's done that shit, doc. He gets all the credit, all the support, and didn't do anything but hit his finisher. I'm the workhorse here, dammit.
Lufi looks at Bowen and raises her hand.
Lufi- We aren't here to yell and scream, Alexander. I understand that you're upset, but yelling at me won't help you win your match. Get mad at Matt, not a little old lady!
Bowen just shakes his head, waving off his last statement.
Alex- Look, I'm sorry. This past year has been nothing but a train wreck for me. I'm sick of the back burner, I put in just as much effort as he does. But all week all I've heard is "Alex you took one hell of a beating. Bet you`re glad Matt Tastic was there?" You want to know what I think, doc?
Lufi shakes her head after writing something down.
Alex- Fuck Matt Tastic, this isn't a joke to me anymore. People want to talk about our past? We have no past, he took the credit for two tag team wins, and beat me once. He did what only three men have been able to do in WZCW. Beat Alex Bowen in a Mayhem match, who really cares though. All four of his title reigns are nothing. The new breed I created in this division has fully surpassed anything he ever did. When I beat Steamboat Ricky, the father of mayhem, I cemented my legacy in this company. Vega can beat my title reign length, I'm retired from Mayhem. So he can have that accolade, but I have one thing no man but Alex Bowen will ever hold. I won the sceptre of Mayhem because I'm the toughest son of a bitch to ever step foot in a WZCW ring. That's a fact, ask any man who's ever faced me. You can beat me, it happens, but you will not walk out of my ring without a war story. But that won't happen this week, Matt will not beat me.
Lufi- Why do you think that Alexander? I was watching, and Lumberjacks? I had to google that one, a bunch of enforcers stand around the ring. What about your past? You've made quite a few people mad in that company. What's to say they won't gang up on you?
Bowen cracks the knuckles on his right hand and balls it up into a tight fist. Scars, discoloration, permanent bruises are all front and center on his wrecking ball of a hand. Holding it up he looks at it.
Alex- Every last one of them can gang up on me, but that'll be their mistake. I'll tag them one by one, and I'll never forget. And when they decide to show their face, I'll make sure its the last time anyone sees it like that again. Be it the lumberjacks, or Mr. Tastic himself, I'm going to hurt someone. They are going to pick someone's teeth out of the canvas after one of my curb stomps. You wanted me to talk Doc? That's my feelings, I hate playing second string to someone who's never been as good as me. His place on the card is cemented because he can sell t-shirts... not because he's a good wrestler.
Bowen points to his head, and follows down to his heart.
Alex- I've lived, breathed, dreamed about wrestling since I was eighteen years old. I've crushed people's dreams in front of fifty people, I'll be glad to do it in front of a monster crowd. He's never bled for the business , he's never struggled to get over, he's never held shit down when it needed to be held down. I'm going to show him just how long he's been riding his past to stay relevant.
Lufi- Well that sure was eye-opening, I hope talking here today has helped you out. We're almost out of time, but you can keep the rubber bands. Hopefully they'll help you in the future. But don't get too worked up over all this Alex.
Alex- Worked up?
Bowen shoots his doctor a sharp glare
Alex- You've yet to see me worked up, let alone pissed off. Matt will be seeing the latter very soon. Thanks for talking doc. This really helped me get a bunch off my chest.
Bowen gets up and puts his large rubber bands down on the chair. Turning around he goes to shake the good doctor's hand. With a smile he gives her a small hug, only to turn around and leave. Looking down Lufi notices he's forgotten his stress help tool. But almost as soon as Bowen leaves, a small woman opens the door for her appointment.
- -------------------------
A few hours have passed and Alex Bowen is now setting down on a pull machine. Four fifty pound weights line each side, and leaning forward he continues to just hammer out reps, after about twenty pulls he drops the weight forward. Sweat drips from his face, and a glossy sheen. A few men are around him mulling around on the machines at the gym. But two men catch Bowen's eye on the other side of the room. A large guy with a mowhalk is just destroying someone on the ground. They are grappling on a set of mats dedicated to the MMA portion of the gym.
This isn't Bowen's normal work out spot, but he got a free 3 month stay here from the Gym owner. Nothing wrong with saving a bit of cash. But the man with the mowhalk has been playing with his much smaller opponent for about five minutes now. He has him on his elbows and knees and slips both legs in. Slowly working his arm around his neck, wriggling it into the tight spot to lock in a rear naked choke, leaning back he rolls on his hip. Flipping over to his back the man he's choking out taps franticly. But Captain Tough Guy let's his arm sink in, and cranks the choke in. Bowen twitches his head, he's had enough. Getting up, he quickly makes his way over to the tough guy. Slapping him on the back on the head does the trick, the younger man let's go of the choke.
Tough Guy- Who do you think you are old man? I was just messing around, I'm trying to make him tougher.
Alex- So looking like an asshole and grappling a dude who's a buck fifty when your what 210 is making him tougher? I just watched you mess with him for like five minutes. I'm not gonna sit here and lecture you, but don't be doing that kid. He's not trained, and I'm not trying to see some kid die today because some asshole wanted to look tough in front of twelve dudes.
Tough Guy- Who are you calling an asshole, bub. You best watch your tone, he's the only one that would grapple me.
Alex gets a slick grin across his face, and snorts.
Alex- You never asked me...
Tough guy- well take your shoes off old man, let's get this over with.
Bowen just smiles, he quickly takes off his shoes and steps on the mat with Mr. Tough guy. They both get into crouched wrestling positions, and feel each other out. Bowen quickly jerks down on his opponents right arm, and gets him into a side Russians tie. Holding down his arm, he grabs under his arm pit and drops to his hip. Throwing the kid down to his side, quickly making ground Bowen works into side control and overpowers the young man, quickly jerking his arm back into a kimura lock. The tough guy squeals in pain and tries to push Bowen off. But being a smart ass Bowen just leans back and applies a bit more pressure to his arm. Still franticly tapping, Bowen slowly let's go. Nothing is broken, but the young mans actions could win him an Oscar.
Maybe he's been taking acting lessons from Titus, but still he rolls around on the ground clutching his arm. Bowen walks over to the man who was choked out earlier, he's now smiling. He enjoyed every second of punishment Bowen put on the guy who was seconds away from making him pass out.
Alex- That was for you, guy.
Bowen reaches down to help the guy up, but all has gone quiet. Bowen notices a group of guys looking at him. And starts to turn around, he's met by a stiff left hand from the tough guy. Bowen rubs his cheek and smiles.
Alex- That wasn't the smartest thing you've done today.
Bowen turns to the kid, and he spits in the Mayhem vets face. The small crowd of men watching wait for the scene to implode. Bowen gets in the kids face, nose to nose.
Alex- You had best leave, or have full medical coverage...
Bowen isn't able to finish his last statement, the kid cocks back and headbutts him right in the nose. Blood instantly runs down into Bowen's mouth, his eyes get large, and returns a headbutt right back. The young man bends over and clutches his shattered nose. Blood pours from his hands, but Bowen just smiles. He lays into the kid, drilling him with a right, and a left in the temple.
Alex- RUN....
The kid tries to run away but falls over his feet, Bowen backs him up against a wall. Quick thinking prevails today though, he kicks Bowen in the knee and the former mayhem champ buckles. It was a good idea for about a second, but Bowen falls on top of the kid. They trade punches, but Bowen gains the upper hand. The young man is starting to lose consciousness, his eyes are glassed, and isn't even trying to defend himself. Three men drag Bowen off the kid, and a fourth goes to work Bowen over. He hits him in the gut, but Bowen breaks free after swinging his leg backwards and putting an end to any dreams he had about having children.
A man opens up a door and runs outside right by the scuffle, but no one blinks an eye. Bowen is trading fists with three different men. Two more lay on the ground, one clutching his manhood, and the other probably trying to find his teeth. Slowly the fight heats up, Bowen drops one guy with a stiff jab right in the chin, only to be knocked for a loop with a sucker shot the the back of his head.
He falls over and the one man goes to kick him in the gut. But Bowen catches his foot, skill is the name of the game. And Bowen has just outclassed everyone here today. Bowen gets up with the leg and goes to drop the man with a punch.
A pop is heard along with the sickening sound of electricity, and Bowen's scream of agony. The man who ran outside didn't run to phone the cops, he was along with this group. He's got a tazer in his hand and is lighting Bowen up. Bowen drops to one knee, and shakes his head. Trying to power up he screams, his body shakes right before one of the men drop him with a kick to the skull. His body drops to the mat, joining the other men laying on it.
- ----------------
Bowen wakes up a few hours later to a strange sound. Maybe wood, or plastic hitting metal. His head is pounding, blood is caked on the side of his face, and all the way down his shirt. Opening his eyes he sees the facts, steel bars, a cot, a toilet, and concrete. Bowen is laying in a holding cell. An officer is tapping his night stick on the bars to wake Bowen up. He looks up and groans at the officer.
Cop- Get your crap together, Bowen, you've got your ticket out of here. She paid you out.
The cop motions behind, and Dr. Lufi smiles a big grin and waves. Bowen groggily makes his way up and out of the cell following the officer, and doctor.
A few minutes pass, and Bowen is exiting the jail. Lufi just shakes her head.
Lufi- You didn't even go six hours without losing control. You'd still be rotting in there Alexander if you hadn't forgot your rubber bands.
The tiny Indian woman reaches in her pocket and hands Bowen his tools.
Lufi- Keep them with you, being angry for no reason isn't worth your time. Just take it all out in the ring. Take what's built up, and show Matt just how tough you are.
Alex- I'm not even sure how I got there.
Lufi- Well you put a kid in the hospital, and fought off a small group of men. I think if you can do that, and almost power through being tazed...
Bowen cuts off the doctor.
Alex- WHAT!!?
Lufi- Yes, the little man at the gym told the law everything. You'll still be down for assault charges. But he saved you, now how about go out a prove something.
Alex- I do plan on it.
Lufi- Use that anger to prove just like today, no amount of lumberjacks, no amount of pain will stop you from reaching your goal. Go ahead tell me, what's that, Alex.
Alex just grins, his eyes are puffy, and black circles are formed under.
Alex- I'm going to tear Matt Tastic limb from limb. I dare any lumberjack to stand in my way...
Bowen runs his hand over the top of his head, gritting his teeth as the camera fades out.
