Where are we going?
Were almost there, replied Justin.
The car shifted as it drove on the rough dirt road. Tires tearing at the ground below, pulling the dirt close and holding tight as the wheel spun over and over again. The black truck wasnt anything special. It was plain with large tires for off-road travelling and tinted windows to protect from the intensity of the Australian sun. Pushing through the dirt road they were surrounded by a thick collection of trees on either side. Some were dried out, a shade of brown to their broken leaves which crumble to the floor below. Others remained green; those that were lucky enough to be shielded from the direct gaze of the sun still had life and colour about them.
Justin Cooper sat in the drivers seat. His hair neatly combed to one side, a golden watch on his right wrist, his suit a sharp grey with dark brown shoes. He kept a slow speed through the back path, the trees twisting the path suddenly, and the unstable dirt road remaining as a hazard lurking in the back of his mind. In the passengers seat Mark Keaton twisted and turned just like the trees around them. His clothes were the opposite of Justins, they werent ironed, they were of all sorts of colours like a childs colouring book and he had an ever present odour about him.
I wouldve packed snacks if youd said it was going to take hours for this trip. I bet Vis Imperium arent going on long trips as they prepare for a rematch against us. Mark said, his fingers flicking the sun visor up and down as he complained.
Justin chuckled.
I told you to clear the day of any appointments or plans you had. What part of that made you think this was going to be a quick trip?
Oh, so youre blaming me? Youre the one who didnt tell me details and its somehow my fault. Just go and call me up out of the blue and tell me to meet you out the front at six in the morning. Totally my fault.
Its been a long trip. I get it. Were here though, look just ahead.
The drive had taken several hours to get to the remote bushland in the heart of Australia. The sun was beating down and instantly grabbed hold of Mark as he jumped out of the car. The thick leather jacket came flying off, the leather pants replaced by a spare pair of shorts in the back of the car and water soon came pouring over his head as he emptied a bottle of water over himself. Mark shock his head, the water splashing over onto Justin.
Dude, come on. Why you got to do that? Justin said, wiping at the spots left by the water with a tissue as best he could.
Sorry, brother. Mark answered. Its hot as hell, up in ere! Mark Keaton isnt made for the hot weather, baby. Keaton ripped off his shirt and threw it on the ground. A second bottle of water graced his hand and he dumped it over his head once again. Thats more like it. Feel the cool!
Justin was far from immune to the heat. He wiped his forehead as drops of sweat snuck down into his eyes. He had grown up in the heat and was much more suited to dealing with it than Mark. Justin proceeded to lead his tag partner on foot the rest of the way. They squeezed through a small gate with a sign hanging next to it reading, Entrance.
Entrance? Do they expect dwarfs or something to walk through here? The hell are we doing in this heeeeaaaat?
Justin didnt respond.
At the end of the path they reached a small building. The porch was large, stained timber covering the floor, a big blue door in the middle of the front entrance, two windows and a garden out the front. The garden had several small gates and as they approached, Justin ran his hand along the top of the metal. They climbed the steps to the building and Mark huffed and puffed as he usually did, leaning up against the outside frame once both men were standing on the porch.
Youre kidding right? A cottage? Mark yelled. He then pulled a third bottle of water, tossed the cap into the garden and chugged it down his throat. Its hot! And you made us come to some stupid cottage? I swear, I shouldve just listened to you and let you stay in bed with your busted knee. No, I had to do the right thing and help you out of bed. Stupid past Mark! Why does he never think about future Mark?
Justin paid no attention to his partner for the moment. He climbed down the steps slowly, flicked open one of the small gates and stepped into the garden. His shoes seeped into the wet dirt, his socks became stained as his weight let him sink even further. From afar Mark watched in confusion as Justin leant down and picked up the bottle cap he had thrown earlier. Justin stepped out of the garden and kicked his shoes against the step, knocking off some of the dirt. He approached Mark and handed him the cap.
You dropped this.
Mark said nothing as he took the cap into his hand. He screwed it back onto his bottle, small bits of dirt dropping into the cool water. Lifting the bottle up to see the damage, Mark grimaced and shook his head. The big blue door opened a few moments later, Justin stood up straight while Mark leant back against the frame of the porch, his dirty water bottle dangling from his hand.
Mr. Cooper, so glad you could be here, said an older woman who answered the door. The children will be glad to see you.
Huh. Children, you got kids?
The older woman looked at Mark Keaton with a distasteful glare. He stood before her in shorts, no shirt and a mix of wet and dry depending on where the sun had touched his body. Nevertheless all three entered the building and made their way through the front office. They checked in, signing names and dates and thats when Mark realised where he was.
A school. Man, I didnt even go to school when I was a kid. Why you got to bring me back to one now Im an adult? Im Mark Keaton, I dont have time for school activities. Plus, in case you didnt know, its HOT AS HELL!
Ssssh! said the old woman.
For the next hour they travelled around the school going in and out of classrooms and greeting teachers and children. It was a small school that was made up of just over one hundred students no older than thirteen. The school was small from the front but towards the back it opened up into a large farm land that for kids never seemed to end. A large football field was constructed out the back as was a basketball court. The garden out the front was only a mere imitation of the one out the back, a full greenhouse stood proudly and a seating area with umbrellas as shade was placed fairly close to the centre of it all.
Anything else youd like to see Mr. Cooper?
No, thatll be all. Thank you. Well find our own way out in a few minutes.
Okay, have a nice day.
Justin smiled politely as he took a seat under the umbrella and out of the sun. He unbuttoned his suit jacket and placed it over his knee. It was lunch by now and the children were running around the back area of the school. They werent many in number but the sound of them all playing echoed through the trees so it sounded like an army approaching. Meanwhile Mark stood, his dirty bottle of water replaced by another, the fourth of the day, and he sipped at it still shirtless. His golden hair dripping but he was unsure whether it was the water or just sweat.
Well, that was fun. Bunch of kids and the heat. What a way to spend a Thursday.
Sit down.
I want to go home like right now. Come on.
Do you why I made you come here today? asked Justin. His eyes turned towards Mark, his fist on the table clenched.
I dunno. I suppose youre going to tell me.
Justin almost smirked. His head lowered for a moment as he gathered himself, the fist on the table slowly relaxing.
I owned this. Everything you see around this place was mine at one point. Only a couple of years ago actually and now its a school for the kids in the local area. Out here in the bush its hard to find good schools so I put this place together and now its a whole community.
Mark walked back and forth, the water leaking into his mouth from the water bottle. Youre a real hero, mate.
Justin looked up at Mark and waved his hand over to the chair. The youngster grunted, pulling the chair out and taking a seat across from his mentor. They sat in silence for a minute, Justin tapping at the top of the table with his fingers.
You ever heard of the High Society? Justin muttered under his breath.
Say again, bud? Didnt catch that.
High Society. You ever heard of em?
Mark scrunched up his face and ran his fingers through his hair lightly. The sun eased off and the air became cooler. Mark leaned back in his chair delighted and smiled. He turned to Justin, his eyes turned away and aimed down. He scratched at the table and his voice croaked when he spoke.
A long time ago, I had a group and we lived here. A cult of sorts. I was young and alone so I drew in people like me who just wanted to be part of something. For a while I felt like a God. All this power, do this, do that and people would listen to me. For the first time in my life they listened and didnt question my authority. The power was sweet, it flowed through me and I loved it. I loved it more than anything or anyone but it didnt last. The ship began to sink, leaks opened up and soon I was left drowning by myself... again. I held onto the land not because I wanted to do something good but because I dreamt of building my empire here, Ill prove them all wrong I thought. From the deathbed of the old society I would lead the rise of a new world and everyone who left me would be the first to suffer.
Mark leaned forward, it was the first time he was hearing any of this. Justin sat up sharply, his lip quivering. The pain of a long forgotten life clawing at him once again.
Ive done things in this business Im not proud of. Things I cant hide, things I cant take back no matter how many times I apologize. I took people by hand and led them down a path of greed and selfishness. I wasted years of my life trying to act like some God when all I needed to do was be myself. Im no great leader. Im barely a leader at all. Im still learning how to be good. This is one of the few good things Ive done in my life. To see a place of despair be turned into a palace of hope, its truly made everything Ive gone through worth it. Im still trying to figure what Im supposed to do and what the right thing is not just for me but those I care about. Youre important, Mark. Yeah, you drive me crazy and you do stupid stuff but youve been by my side for a long time now. You joined me when nobody in the company wanted anything to do with me. Ill never forget that.
You know it, brother.
You may think that Ive taught a lot and maybe I have, I dont know. What I do know is that I didnt have a direction before you showed up. People say you joined me but it was much more me joining you. For everything Ive taught you, remember that youve taught me twice as much. You taught me what its like to have a friend, someone you can trust totally. Ive had partners before and it never worked out. Its why I turned to this cult leader life and threw everything else away. I needed constant gratification for every deed I did but now I dont. I dont seek the gratification of everyone, I dont need to be told Im great every five minutes.
Justin paused. He stood up and turned towards the open fields. Children running around and playing. He smiled, happy with the work hed done.
This place is a symbol of all the changes Ive made in my life. I wanted you to see not just who I am now but where I came from. When I saw the name Phoenix on the match cards for this week it reminded me of just how far Ive come. I shouted lies and vile threats from the top of a hill that I called a mountain. I spoke to hundreds that I called thousands. Phoenix plans to rise from the ashes as his namesake does but Ive already risen. Ive changed more in the last few months than Ive ever done in the last thirty one years. I wanted you to see how much Ive changed. To see what type of person youre standing beside when we go into battle together.
Mark stood up and placed his arm on Justins shoulder.
I know who you are. Youre my brother. No matter what you did in the past. We stand together, tag titles or no tag titles until we cant stand no more! You know how badly I want those titles back and it starts with us winning this week. You stand up against Phoenix and welcome him back with a closed fist. Ill show Tyrone Blades just how remarkable it is to step into the ring with Mark Keaton, and hopefully Vis Imperium will be watching. Mark said, laughing towards the end.
Theyll be watching and this week is our perfect opportunity to cement our status as the biggest threats to the tag titles but I cant get too focused on that. Phoenix is back and when I step into with him, he may very well see the old Justin Cooper. He may just look at and see that same confused little kid who had no clue about the world or what earning your spot truly meant. Hell be wrong. Hell be blind if he thinks for a second that Im still the same old kid. Ill prove not just to him but the world that Ive changed. Im a better man. I am man. Im not motivated by greed. I have no desire for fame or fortune anymore."
A slight breeze brushed against Justin's face. He smiled, looking out at the school he had helped create.
What motivates you now?"
"What motivates me? Family."
Justin smiled, patting Mark on the back.
"And that is the most powerful motivation anyone can have.