For Derek Jacobs, the thrill of hunting only comes second to the feeling of crushing a man in the ring.
Derek has been sitting in this tree stand in the south Texas desert for the last 3 hours now, waiting for the perfect time to strike. In his hand is his Remington 30.06 bolt action rifle fitted with a Leupold VX-2 scope. So far, he hasn't seen the first sign of an animal.
That's about to change.
As Derek sits perfectly still waiting for his target, his mind wanders to the events of the last several months. From reuniting with a man he thought was dead to coming back to WZCW, Derek wouldn't dare imagine that his life would be as insane as it has become. For the first time in a very long time, his nightmares have returned.
It's funny how having your world turned upside down will do that to someone.
From his return to the ring at Lethal Lottery to last week at Aftershock 37, Derek has struggled with shaking off the ring rust that has built up in his time off. Derek knows though, that to win a match you have to be more than physically prepared. That's why he's here, alone in the Texas heat hunting, away from James and the bullshit that he's brought back from the dead with him.
In the distance, a twig is broken by a hoof of an unsuspecting deer who doesn't know that he's about to meet his maker. Derek is snapped out of his silent deliberation by the sound and his heart rate spikes as he sees his prey.
He aims his weapon of choice, and thinking of the upcoming match against Mick Overlast at Aftershock 38, decides it's time to pull the trigger.
1100 miles away, James Parker is on his own mission.
Hes put off this meeting for weeks now, ever since he got the email from his estranged wife Alison, asking him to come to their house to talk with her. James honestly never wanted to lie to his family. If he couldve, he would have taken them with him when he went underground. If he was completely honest with himself though, he knew they wouldve been more of a hindrance to his plans.
A wife and two nineteen year old kids dont exactly make for good escape partners.
As he pulls into the driveway of his massive home overlooking Chicago, James thinks hes here to reconcile with his family. He is, but the news his daughter has for him is a bigger bombshell than he ever thought he would hear.
3 Days Later
The Webster Bank Arena in Bridgeport, Connecticut is deathly silent; the calm before a storm. In just a few short hours the fans of WZCW will be on hand to witness their favorite superstars compete against each other. For now though, Derek Jacobs is the only one in the building. He hasnt seen James since they went their separate ways following Aftershock 37, and he hasnt received even a text message from the man. This worries Derek, not because hes afraid James disappeared off the face of the earth again, but because hes afraid that James daughter Britney gives him the same news she just dropped on Derek backstage at Aftershock 37.
A week ago
After returning to his locker room after his loss to Bruce Irwin, Derek checked his phone to see a text that said only two words:
Im Pregnant
He immediately knew the only person that couldve sent him a text with that death sentence; his best friends daughter, Britney.
He called her back as soon as her dad was out of the room, and she told him about the doctors visit that confirmed what 4 positive home pregnancy tests had told her.
She was carrying Dereks child, and she was completely terrified.
She knew that Derek would support her, and she knew that her mom would be surprised and happy that her and Derek finally got their shit together, as shes said on an infinite amount of occasions. The only person she was afraid of telling was her father, and Derek had a sneaking suspicion when James didnt show up in Bridgeport that thats exactly what happened.
Back in the arena, Derek tries to clear his mind as he stands in front of a camera shooting a pre taped segment for the nights show. As the director gives him the cue to begin, Dereks intense eyes bore a hole into the camera.
Last week at Aftershock, myself and eight of my peers were informed by our esteemed owner, Mr. Banks that we were going to participate in a little tournament to qualify for the Super Ladder Match Melee at Kingdom Come 6 for the vacant Eurasian title. At least nine men and women qualifying for four spots. Those odds aint good ladies and gentlemen.
Am I worried? Hell no.
Ive been defying odds my whole life. Hell, my biggest successes in WZCW have come in matches that I had to play the numbers game in. The first ever relay match, the Mayhem Scramble match, and Lethal Lottery have all been matches that Ive made my name bigger in, and I guarantee that this one will be no different.
But before me lies a challenge that I cant just overlook.
Tonight at Aftershock I stand across the ring from a former Elite X champion, Mick Overlast. Now Mick has been involved in a little lovers quarrel over the past several weeks with his best buddy Blade, and thats fine by me. As long as Blade doesnt try to stick his little nose in my business at Aftershock, Ill be good to go. But if him or his bumbling, babbling band of baboons he likes to call the Men in Black try to stick their nose where it doesnt belong, Ill break it for them. You see, Mick Overlast is a man that has done something here in WZCW.
Like I said earlier, hes a former Elite X champion and a win over him would give me the momentum I need going in to Kingdom Come and a shot at the Eurasian title. Mick, I respect you, but I promise that you wont stand in my way. Youll be just another stepping stone on my path of glory, and Im not going to stop until Im the king of the mountain.
I dont care if its Blade, the men in black, Mick Overlast, Ty Burna, Backstage Bob or The Beard, this will be the year that Dr. Pain launches himself into the Stratosphere.
You can bank on that.
