Posting for Infinity as he's stuck at work:
"...aint somethin’ I’m proud of, just a necessary evil of survival sometimes. You’re all about that, aint you?" -Tyrone Blades
July 25th, 2018...
We start exactly where we ended last time, with Vega standing near the entrance of his penthouse apartment bewildered as he stares at Alexis donned in complete tactical gear and a small Kevlar backpack. He is able to relax just the slightest bit now that Alexis has lowered her weapon.
Talk?
Yeah, talk.
Vega looks around his apartment, the very apartment Alexis is currently breaking into and trespassing in.
This is how you initiate a conversation?
Alexis shrugs innocently, attempting to break the tension by playing coy.
You know me, always one for the flare. I did get your attention before Kingdom Come with a note attached to an arrow I shot at your window from the building across the street.
A note asking to meet at the World Trade Center. This is different. You’re violating my privacy.
Since when did we respect other people’s privacy?
We didn’t.
So then?
I’m not other people.
The stern tone Vega uses to deliver his latest point creates a not in Alexis throat. One she tries to nervously swallow, but before she can offer a reply, Vega continues his assessment of the situation.
And that?
Vega motions with his face towards the weapon in Alexis’ hand.
You need a gun… to talk?
I just-
You’re standing in my living room, dressed in tactical gear and holding a gun… but you wanna talk?
Just let me explain.
Vega scoffs subtly while looking away. Looking into Alexis eyes brings a new discomfort he hasn’t felt form her before. She reaches for her backpack, but Vega casually begins walking away from her and towards his couch.
What are you doing?
Vega responds while never turning back towards her, raising his voice so she can hear him across the distance he’s created.
If you’re gonna shoot me, then shoot me.
I’m not gonna shoot you with your back turned.
Vega stops in his tracks. His eyes narrow. Anger quickly envelops his face before he turns back to face Alexis once again.
I’m facing forward now.
Alexis shakes her head, regretting her poor choice of words.
No. I mean I’m not going to shoot you at all.
She holsters her weapon and raises her hands in an attempt to de-escalate the situation. Vega shakes his head, seemingly disappointed in Alexis.
What is all this, kiddo?
Alexis is taken back by Vega’s use of the nickname.
You haven’t called me that in years.
I haven’t seen you in years.
I’d always say, “I’m not a kid!” but it never mattered.
It always seemed to annoy you.
Alexis is able to smile, albeit for the briefest of moments.
Is that why you left?
She laughs to hide the sadness the question brings.
No, that’s not why. I-… I just had to leave. I had to separate myself from everything I cared about in my life. It was for your own good, Will.
Vega sits down on his couch, continuing to look towards Alexis, but it’s as if he’s looking for something he can’t find.
For my own good…
He shakes his head, still confused.
So, the arrow lodged in my window? The midnight meeting on the roof of One World Trade? And now this time in my own home with you pointing a gun to my head. Is this all for my own good, too?
Alexis looks around the apartment as she mentally explores every corner of her mind trying to find the correct combination of words to convince Vega of her intentions. She looks down, shaking her head understanding the optics of her recent behavior.
Everything I have done and everything I do involving you has always been with the best intentions.
Slowly, she walks over towards Vega. She takes her backpack off and places it down before sitting on the couch next to him. Both look towards the ground. Both are finding it difficult to maintain eye contact at the moment.
Best intentions? And what exactly are your best intentions, Alexis?
She breaks her concentration from the ground and looks over towards Vega. He, however, continues looking towards his over-priced carpet instead of his former partner in crime.
To keep you alive, Will.
Finally, Vega looks towards Alexis.
What?
This whole thing, Will… you and me, living life off the grid and on the run… it was all because you refused to complete your mission. It was all because you refused to kill me. You sacrificed your life and your freedom to keep me alive, and you did it without ever asking me for anything in return. They were after me, Will… not you. Agent Fields may have stopped chasing you for the past 5 years, but I’ve been spending every day still on the run… just like you and I used to. I just do it alone now.
I never wanted you to run alone, Alexis.
I know, but sometimes you have to run alone, Will.
Vega looks away for a moment while shaking his head, unhappy with the answer, but accepting it regardless.
And now? Is this you running alone?
No. This is me running back.
Why now?
I ran away to protect you. But things have changed.
What has changed?
I have reason to believe that Agent Fields has made you a target once again.
Alexis reaches down and grabs her Kevlar backpack. She opens it up and pulls out a handful of tiny electrical devices.
This is why I broke into your penthouse. Electronic surveillance transmitters. I found them all over your place, Will. The Agency has been bugging your apartment.
Vega stares at the devices in Alexis’ hand with bewilderment. She motions them closer to him for further examination.
Here, take them. You can analyze them later and see for yourself. You’ll be ale to trace the signals yourself.
Vega slowly grabs the devices from Alexis’ hand and looks at them, uncertain of what to think.
Why would the Agency do this?
Fields has been chasing me for years with nothing to show for it. He knew the one way to get me to come out of hiding was if I knew you were in danger… so that’s what Fields is going to do. He’s going to put you in danger, Will. I know it. I can’t let that happen. Whatever he tells you is a lie.
Vega closes his fist, squeezing the electronic devices in his hand. Alexis grabs her backpack and gets up off the couch.
Agent Fields is not to be trusted.
She removes her weapon, holster and all, from her side and places it inside the Kevlar backpack. She then slings it over her shoulders before making her way towards the door.
Be careful, William.
Those words strike a familiar chord with Vega. It was just a mere hours ago that he was hearing the same exact advice from Agent Fields about Alexis. His mind is too busy trying to decipher the situation to verbalize a reply. Alexis reaches for the door, but pauses. She turns back towards Vega with a hopeful look in her eyes.
I was only pretending to be annoyed.
The seemingly random statement jars Vega out of his moment of unclarity. He looks over towards Alexis with an inquisitive look on his face.
What are you talking about?
When you’d call me "kiddo"… You said I always looked annoyed when you’d call me that.
She looks off in the distance as if she were trying to see the distant memories of happier times.
I was only pretending to be annoyed.
A reminiscent smile appears on Alexis’ face as she looks back towards Vega.
I always liked that nickname.
Vega smiles back.
Good to know... kiddo.
The two stare into each other’s eyes, still smiling, both wanting to believe that the other is being genuine. Alexis opens the door and exits the penthouse. She closes the door behind her, leaving Vega alone in his home to try and make sense of the situation.
--------------------
Present Day
Lincoln’s Road House
Interstate 25
The weathered awning had seen better days, but Vega stood there standing wearing a black V-neck with black denim and black boots. Continuing his “all black everything” look, his eyes remain hidden behind black Ray Ban sunglasses, but they remain fixated on the bar sign on this sunny day. He canvases the front, slowly lowering his glasses to get an unshaded look at the array of motorcycles lining the establishment’s parking area. One after the other he surveys American bike after bike, somewhat impressed, but at the same time uninterested in the machines.
Vega reaches into his pocket and pulls out his iPhone to check something. He looks back towards the awning, and then the bikes, and then his phone once again before putting it back in his pocket.
Well, this is definitely the place.
After talking to himself out loud, almost as if trying to motivate himself to move, Vega walks passed the motorcycles and towards the door. It creaks as he opens it. The door hits a brass bell located near the top corner as he walk in, letting the entire establishment know someone has arrived. Regardless, the sound doesn’t garner much attention from the patrons in the bar. They all continue upon their business, enjoying their drinks and the company of their fellow leather clad motorcycle enthusiast brethren. Vega seems to be the only person in the bar not wearing a leather motorcycle vest, a detail that doesn’t go unnoticed. Undeterred, Vega continues into the bar looking around for someone specific.
Yo!
A voice that is quickly becoming familiar to Vega pierces through the crowd noise. There at the bar sits the WZCW World Champion, Tyrone Blades, wearing faded blue denim jeans, worn in biker boots, and a black leather biker vest over his white shirt. His black bandana keeps his long hair neatly pulled back as he rests his sunglasses on his forehead. Blades is lifting a glass in the air while seated at the stool, motioning towards Vega with a welcoming gesture. Vega subtly acknowledges Tyrone and slowly makes his way over to him.
Aw shit, there he is!
Tyrone motions with his hand towards the empty bar stool next to him.
Take a seat, man. I'm glad you decided to come.
Vega looks around the bar while obliging Tyrone and sitting down next to him. Although Vega doesn’t seem too phased by the setting, it’s easy to tell he’s a little out of his element.
I know this probably aint the type place you normally find yourself in… person like you gotta be into the high class kinda shit, right? I aint mad at it, man. But this?
Tyrone surveys the area with Vega, donning a proud smile in the process.
This is my kinda place, you feel me?
This’ll do just fine.
With a simple nod of the head, Tyrone calls the burly bartender with a handlebar mustache over.
‘nother water, Ty?
Yeah man, and a…
Blades looks over towards Vega, giving him the floor to order.
What kinda bourbon ya got?
Beam and Crow.
The short and blunt list brings a half smile to Vega’s face.
Old Crow, it is. Neat.
As the bartender serves up the drink, Tyrone looks over towards Vega somewhat taken back by his order.
Didn’t peg you for a bourbon guy… sure as hell not a Crow guy.
Vega lifts the glass up and studies his drink.
I’m normally a Scotch guy…
He looks around the rugged biker bar before motioning his cup towards Tyrone politely.
…but, when in Rome…
Blades lifts his water and touches glasses with Vega before the two both take a sip of their drinks.
You know, I told you we could have a drink if we won our match on Meltdown this weekend. So, when you invited me to some biker bar just minutes away from the Pepsi Center before our match, I was a little confused.
True, I did mention a post-match celebratory drink, but I been doin’ a lotta thinkin’ since Meltdown in Cleveland. There’s somethin’ about you, man. I ain’t sure what it is yet, exactly… but there’s somethin’. You remind me of myself in a lotta ways, ya’ know? I think that’s why I reached out to you, asked you to roll with me against Flex and Eve this week.
You see yourself in me. That’s what this is?
That’s what I’m sayin’.
Vega removes his Ray Bans and hangs them from his V-Neck collar. He looks away from Ty and towards his drink with skepticism oozing from his eyes.
On some level, I take this as a compliment.
It’s all respect, brotha.
But, on another level… I find it a bit insulting.
Look man, I told ya in the locker room at the end of the night last time… this aint no charity shit, man.
It’s not about charity. I’m just seeing the dots, Tyrone, and doing my best to connect them. See, your girl Batti leaves you-
That’s just temporary, man.
And Jones is as incapable as they come.
He means well, though.
So, your first night as champion again, back in your hometown… and the night ends with Eve Taylor cracking you in the back of the head while you were staring down Flex Mussel, your next challenger. Sounds like you have your hands full, and with nobody to watch your back. You and Titus are no longer on the same page, so you start searching for somebody capable. Enter, Vega.
It aint like that man. This aint about you watchin’ my back, homie.
Then what’s it about?
It’s about you standing by my side. Next to me, brotha. Not behind me. Looking across the ring at Flex and Eve… the two baddest mo’fuckas in the game today. I know what it takes to stand across from people like them and not blink. It takes somethin’ wicked in your eyes to be able to do that. Yeah, last Meltdown I had my eyes on Flex and Eve took me out. Moments before that I wasn’t standing in the ring across from Flex or from Eve… but I still saw that wicked look necessary to survive the deepest waters of WZCW. I saw that look in you, Vega.
That look…
Vega stifles a laugh as if Blades’ words were a punchline to a bad joke.
I get it. You think this could be an honor amongst thieves kind of thing?
Kinda, yeah. Now look, I aint finna sit here and say we both cut from the same cloth. All I’ve done is posted on corners sellin’ whatever it took make ends meet, nah mean? At times I had to stand my ground against rivals tryin’ to take over my territory. I aint a stranger to lettin’ the bullets fly… aint somethin’ I’m proud of, just a necessary evil of survival sometimes. You’re all about that, aint you?
What?
Necessary evils.
Is that what I am, then? A necessary evil?
Nah, homie. We are necessary evils. And right now, we both might be necessary for the other to survive.
You think being a street thug makes you comparable to me?
I don’t know if I’d-
You think turf wars and motorcycle gangs even make a blip on my radar?
Vega scoffs at the notion before taking another sip of his bourbon.
Look, homie… I get it. I aint on your level, not in the world of the criminal underground at least. I even tried being a burglar once. You’re out there stealin’ from museums and government buildings… meanwhile I can’t even ransack an abandoned house without havin’ one of my day one homies bite the dust. That miserable failure ended up changing my entire life. It’s what started this crazy ass chain reaction that led me to where I am now.
Well, you’re the champ… so I guess it all worked out in the end.
Life is ight, sure… but that don’t mean I enjoyed every mile of the road. Last Meltdown, that was a bumpy road.
It’s about to get a lot bumpier.
You know all about bumpy roads, don’t you?
Vega realizes he doesn’t need to answer the obvious question.
That’s something else I see in your eyes, brotha. There’s a struggle going on behind them eyes, man. The struggle of a man trying to find his own light in a world of darkness. A struggle he aint sure he can win.
Vega reaches into his pants pocket and pulls out a pack of Camel Menthol No. 9 cigarettes. He holds one between his lips, but before he can pull a lighter out of his other pocket, Ty has already flipped open a metal lighter and flicked a flame. Vega leans the cigarette into the fire before Blades flings the lighter shut.
Those’ll kill ya, y’know.
So I’ve heard.
The drinkin’, the smokin’, the drugs… those were all struggles for me too.
Vega looks over to Tyrone’s glass of water.
Not anymore, it seems.
Blades holds up his glass of water before setting it down and lighting up a cigarette of his own.
Trust me, homie… it’s still a struggle. Can't help but have one vice in my life at least. Aint nothin’ I’d like more sometimes than throwback a cold one and wash away the nerves, ya know? But that just aint me no more. To each his own though, brotha. Do you, y’know?
For a second there I thought you were gonna give me a speech about sobriety.
I mean, it wouldn’t hurt… but I aint ya daddy, Vega.
Vega chuckles at the comment but looks over towards Tyrone’s glass of water with hesitation.
You know, last month someone re-entered my life who also quit drinking.
Yeah?
I never liked him.
Oh.
He once told me “Never trust someone who doesn’t drink.”
And now?
He’s like you… living sober… trying to recruit me. Sometimes it feels like the faster I run away from my past, the faster my past chases me down.
Well you and me? We aint never had no past… not together at least.
I’m starting to think that’s a good thing.
Me too, homie. Me too. But, are you ready for our immediate future?
You mean Meltdown?
Hell yeah I mean Meltdown. You and me versus Flex and Eve. I know you may not personally have any beef with them, but-
That won’t matter. I used to live every day eliminating people I had no prior history with. People whom I wanted nothing from. That’s not the case this time.
Whatch y'all mean?
Meaning Flex and Eve have something I want. They have the recognition, they have the position, they have the spotlight. Shit, if I’m being honest-
Please do.
-you have something I want. Everyone I’ll be in the ring with come this weekend has something I want, dammit. Last Meltdown, I was a God damn afterthought… and a big reason why that happened was because of you. Now here we are in this tag team match… the World Champ, the former champ, and the number 1 contender. Suddenly it seems like Vega becomes another afterthought once again… right?
Blades knows not to answer the rhetorical question. Instead he watches somewhat encouraged by the bass in Vega’s voice while his partner for Meltdown angrily inhales on his cigarette. Vega immediately takes another sip of his Old Crow before exhaling the smoke into the air.
Fuck that. Meltdown, your hometown of Cleveland? That was the first and the last time Vega will have ever been considered an “afterthought” in this company.
Vega looks over towards Tyrone, who is still enjoying seeing his emboldened partner take a stand.
You might be right. Maybe to get to where I want to be in this company, I need to do it next to someone like you. Fuck it.
Vega downs the rest of his bourbon down like a shot and grimaces while slamming the glass back down on the table.
Necessary evils, right? Maybe that’s what we are to each other. I don’t know if I trust you, Tyrone… but I can’t fight the feeling that for some reason, right now… I need you. And maybe, just maybe… you need me. Maybe we’re both hollow… who knows?
Vega takes another hit of his Camel as he gets up off his seat. He holds the cigarette with his lips while grabbing his sunglasses from his V-neck collar. He speaks with the cigarette still in his mouth as Tyrone takes a long drag off his cigarette.
Meltdown 153… we take out Flex Mussel and Eve Taylor.
Click…
Clack…
Vega places the shades over his eyes before grabbing the cigarette from his lips and throwing it down to the bar room floor. He steps on it while exhaling smoke into the air. He holds his hand in the shape of a gun and points it at Tyrone while donning a sinister smile across his face.
Killshot.
Tyrone Blades sits there staring into the shaded eyes of his future partner, unsure of how to react. Just then, Vega changes the shape of his hand from a gun to an open palm.
With Love…
A similar smile begins creeping across the champion’s face as he gets up from his stool as well. He reaches out with his own hand and accepts Vega’s gesture and the two shake hands confidently.
The Hollowed Ones.
Vega simply nods his head. Soon, Blades does the same as the two seem to be on the same wavelength, if only for moment. Vega throws some cash down on the bar before turning around and heading towards the door. He opens it, causing the brass bell to start ringing again. Vega looks at it briefly, then back towards Tyrone one last time before exiting the biker bar. Tyrone Blades sits back down at the bar and looks over towards the cash. He notices Vega left a hundred dollar bill, and chuckles to himself as the scene comes to an end.