Had you not been aware of the recent events, the group of men emerging together could be mistaken for friends. Instead they were barely allies.
With that being said, the future of Vis Imperium will be built on what we took into the Lethal Lottery, not what came out of it.
If these men were on the same page, then this had been written, rewritten and put through a shredder. But all the same,
Constantine leads the group front and centre as they leave the limousine. Still proudly carrying a full glass of wine, the stem between his thumb and forefinger, he turns around and continues brashly.
There will be an improvement His arrogant airs and grace turns quickly into a menacing sneer.
Or there will be consequences because I am fed up of carrying those who are getting out less than what Vis Imperium has put into them.
Emerging slowly,
Austin gets out just in time to receive the full force of Constantines glare. Any hint that Austin may become more than the withered shadow of his former self are dismissed when he turns to look at the floor and shuts the door softly. Sporting a swollen black eye, he lags behind allowing Abel to wander ahead with Constantine guiding his charge as he would if they were alone.
They may as well have been alone, for Constantine was absolutely engrossed.
Austin had been left to deal with the news, dished out like cold leftovers, that he would be facing Flex Mussel. With that in mind as well as the hard-to-stomach loss to Stormrage playing weightily, he had no issue being alone. It was a state of mind that he was used to.
He had been sent out alone for the match with Stormrage, just to compound his status. Was there any place for him at the table with Constantine and Hunnicutt anymore? Abel had taken a back seat with Holmes absence but Constantine has been keen to put himself at the side of the giant. Austin, both championship-less and on a winless streak was not able to bring anything to the table. He didnt have the money or nous that Constantine could offer and there was no comparison between himself and Hunnicutt. The Texan was an impressive physical specimen and one that Austin was content to be on the same side.
Yet there was something deeply concerning about seeing him being so closely managed by Constantine. Austin thought; is this what Abel thought when Austin was brought into the fold by Holmes and lauded by him and Constantine?
Austin! Constantine barks
Come here. Austin looks up, broken from his thoughts and stares.
Please. The placid request follows shortly after the demand. Austin slowly walks over, fully aware that the request was meaningless.
You will improve. Theres a hesitation as Austin considers a smart retort but thinks better.
Austin, your recent results have brought shame upon Vis Imperium. A worldwide force such as ourselves demands an immediate development. Where is the passion that you had? The determination that you had to prove everyone appears to have just seeped away. As if your performance at the Lethal Lottery wasnt bad enough, you had to lose with a whimper to that pleb! Constantine spits out the insult with as much disdain as he can stir up.
Do you think I like losing, John?
The reply draws out The Power Trip.
Its something youre used to isnt it? Another dirty habit which you just arent strong enough to break?
The confrontation draws both men out. Austin is baited forward and the Power Trip just grins. Abel glares at Austin, who backs off under the watchful stare of the giant.
Thats it Austin. Back off like you always do. Cower away, its exactly what Ive come to expect. I should have known the Ratings Winner that was so nearly on his back out was going to break before it could make a dent. Youre just too damaged.
But not too damaged to take on Flex Mussel?
Oh dont get me wrong, Flex is someone that you should be able to take, even in this sorry state. He doesnt know if hes coming or going. He is a marker of sorts. Have you already been drained of your usefulness or are you able to scrape the barrel once more?
Oh I get it. Flex is hardly Justin Cooper or Eve Taylor. Hes not even Theron is he? You know, is he even on the level of Mark bloody Keaton? That lot have a whole bunch of things in common you know. Theyve beaten everyone on the roster at some point yet Ive beaten them all in the name of Vis Imperium.
And yes, I get that Flex is a pitiful excuse for a genetic freak. All muscles that look like theyd pop if you were to poke him with a needle and hes utterly lacking for anything between the ears. Maybe hes smarter than we give him credit for because even he couldnt stomach Matt Tastic last week. But hes better than youre giving him credit for. Hes done the stable thing and done it better than you John. Heck, hes even had to deal with taking a loss at Kingdom Come.
That last sentence gets Constantine riled up. Nostrils flared, he pushes Austin away but Reynolds barely flinches.
Yeah, hes taking that as well as either of you two. Good stuff fellas; way to fight back.
Abels glare deepens. Austin really feels like he is truly studying him, beyond the surface but its impossible to read or discern if his comments made any impact. Constantine couldnt be more focussed on the man in front of him.
John, Ill play your game because I appreciate the end game. The means, they have their advantages. But Im not the only one who is damaged.
What are you trying to say?
What Im saying is, you invented the game, now start playing it. You cant get over what happened at Lethal Lottery. Get your head back into it.
Austin does it look like Im in the mood for your piss poor attempt at psychology?
No John, as always, no. I guess as Ive got something to prepare for, Id better leave you two alone. He walks away and just as he shuts the door, he calls through.
Ill guess Ill see you at Meltdown.
Austin walks out the building and feels relief wash over him, as he enters fresh air. Suddenly, a vibration tingles through his pocket. Curiosity gnaws at him immediately and on sight of the message on his phone, a smile unlike we have seen from him recently
Would you like to see the girls? You can come for dinner.
