Post by Stormm on Mar 12, 2018 22:49:55 GMT -5
It had already been a long day, and it was about to get longer...
Every Spring for nearly the last decade, Justin was invited back to Kansas State University to throw out the first pitch for the Wildcats. The last few years, he was there for the home opener, but due to scheduling conflicts, he wasn’t able to do that this year. They managed to fit him in for the third game of a weekend series against Mercer.
It actually turned out to be a coincidence, considering Mercer is just short drive down I-75 from Atlanta, where Havoc Entertainment is headquartered. Given Justin’s celebrity, K-State being his alma mater, and the amount of money that the Michael’s donate to the college, Justin and Lindsay were very recognizable in Manhattan. The Havoc Entertainment recognition, however, made him equally so to the die-hards that traveled to Kansas from Macon, Georgia for the series.
Of course, Justin wasn’t the only Michaels on campus who either had or was making a name for himself, with his younger brother Aaron coming into his own, becoming the starting quarterback for the Wildcats this past season. The three of them had met up earlier that morning at one of the best places in Manhattan, if not the state of Kansas, to grab breakfast, The Chef.
Having to be up early enough to drop the twins off with the grandparents in Topeka, and still make it to Manhattan earlier enough for breakfast, and to be to Tointon Family Stadium to prepare, Justin and Lindsay’s long day started early. The sun hadn’t even begun to kiss the horizon yet, and the couple were already making plans for their bed.
Justin had been on the road promoting Mass Destruction for Pure Class Wrestling for the last week and a half, and Lindsay was at home with the kids, preparing for some much needed time alone. They hadn’t been more than an even away from the twins since they were born, and with Justin’s success since returning to the squared circle, it had been hard for him to make it back to Kansas when Lindsay would stay behind. Even when she and the kids would go to Greenville with him, he hadn’t been able to spend much time with them.
To say the least, Lindsay was in need of a break, and wanted to spend some time with her husband without the rugrats running around and screaming constantly.
Her left hand rested on the back of Justin’s neck as he concentrated on the road from the driver’s seat of their granite metallic Durango Citadel. The hum of the engine and the roar of the road was all that could be heard, and it was relaxing. Gene and Michelle, Justin’s parents, were on the road behind them a ways back, with the twins in tow. They were planning on staying at Michaels Manor for the next week with the kids while Justin and Lindsay made their way to Greenville for some time to themselves before the Mass Destruction weekend.
While it wasn’t always announced or seen, Lindsay had rarely missed being with Justin at a pay-per-view, and she wasn’t going to make that mistake again. The last time she was unable to make it, Justin lost the North American title to Michael Wryght, just two days short of the record for longest reign.
That record was not even anywhere on Justin’s mind this time, the title itself was only just barely something he concerned himself with. It was an excuse for him to carry around the defunct International title that had merged with it the previous year, like the condescending asshole he tended to be.
His sights were set much higher than where he’d landed, but he also wasn’t going to just lie down and lose just because he hadn’t gotten his way since returning. On the contrary, he’d managed to accomplish quite a bit, despite missing out on that World title shot, and continued to help raise the ratings with his Notorious partner in the process.
No, Lindsay was not worried about Justin losing to Tyler Scott at Mass Destruction, but she wasn’t about to jinx it either. She was very proud at the impact he’d made since signing the dotted line with the company again, especially given his involvement with her brother again. Something that didn’t quite end well when they tried it the first time several years in the past.
In fact, the only good that came of Justin and Johnny’s partnership back then was bringing Justin and Lindsay together finally.
There had been moments with Johnny back in the business the time around too, and the two would voice their issues with him amongst each other, but given more recent events, they’d figured it best to just let him keep himself preoccupied with entertaining again, despite his methods. They both hoped his real life wouldn’t affect him inside of the ring, though, as becoming the Underground King would be a much needed accomplishment for him right now.
Similar words could be said for Justin and retaining the North American title as well. While his second reign with the belt might not be as important as that first one was for him, holding onto it for a little while longer would only advance his cause. Sure, Tyler Scott had won that worthless number one contenders tournament to get his shot, and he’d be looking to prove something, but Stormm never made it a habit of losing to someone he’d never lost to in the past.
The two hadn’t actually squared off that many times in PCW days-gone-by, but the fact remained that Tyler was in the losers column every time they’d met. Mass Destruction was going to be no different, and that’s exactly what Justin had been telling the media at every appearance he’d been to since Trauma Two Twenty-Seven went off the air just two weeks prior.
A smaller, slightly younger, and quicker Tyler Scott would have to step up his game more than he’d done in his entire PCW career if he truly intended in walking out of the Pure Class Arena as the North American Champion. But, if Stormm has anything to say about it, any thoughts of being the “Great Britain” Champion when Mass Destruction goes off the air will be sucked out of him with clinic the Force of Nature intended on putting on in the squared circle that night.
Lindsay’s hands and fingers scratched Justin’s neck, massaging it, and then three words that she hadn’t uttered in several months came out.
“Tell me something.”
Her blond hair and smile were easily visible with his peripheral vision, but he looked over at her with a grin and locked onto her baby blues for just a moment before turning his attention back to the raid. “Sometimes I wonder how different things would have been had I asked you out back when I was wrestling for IAWF.”
It was a game Lindsay started after the couple had finally gotten together years ago. While laying in bed, either in the evening or first thing in the morning, she’d ask Justin the same thing, and the only requirement from him would be to tell her something different each time she asked.
It’s not an uncommon thing for couples to talk about, the what if’s on getting together sooner and if it would have still worked out. More of a playful conversation than anything, but the two hadn’t really talked about their past, given the history they had together. Justin had been thinking about it a lot lately, especially given the note left for him when his car was returned several weeks back.
“If this has anything to do with that crazy old bit...“
He laughed, nervously, as that wasn’t necessarily why he’d brought it up, despite it being the reason he’d been thinking about it. “No, I’m just saying, we’d known each other a long time before,” Using the pointer finger on his right hand to quickly point back and forth between the two of them to add emphasis, Justin continued, “this hot mess happened.”
“Uh huh.” Lindsay continued to rub his neck, the smile on her face hadn’t waned.
“Would you have said yes if I asked you out sooner? Would we have made it this long? Would it have fucked with both our careers too soon?” Glancing over at his wife, Justin shrugged with a smirk.
“Do you not like how things have turned out?”
Even though he knew she was just joking with him, he still defended himself. “See?!” He exclaimed. “This is why I don’t like this game anymore. You find ways of making me self-conscious about telling you some of this stuff.”
Removing her hand from the back of his had, Lindsay playfully pushed on his shoulder. In response, Justin jerked the wheel about, causing it to swerve just over the centerline in the highway before settling back into the proper lane.
Sharing a laugh, the couple went back to enjoying the silence, but it wouldn’t last.
Over the next hill, a rusted out nineteen eighties style junker appeared out of nowhere, and the truck was coming right at the Michaels head-on. Slamming on the brakes and veering onto the shoulder and just into the grass, the Durango finally came to a stop at a forty-five degree angle to the direction they should have been facing. The junker had swerved back into the correct lane in the process as well, but continued to speed off.
Both their heart rates had skyrocketed, and in normal circumstances, both would have questioned if the other was okay, or at the very least, Justin would have normally. But when Lindsay looked his way, his face had gone pale white.
“Justin?”
His head jerked towards his wife. “Do you have Dad’s number?”
“Yes?”
“Call it now!”
Jerking the wheel and hitting the gas, the Dodge SUV kicked up gravel from the shoulder, and laid down strips up black as he whipped the vehicle around and made chase for the truck that had vanished into the distance in the little amount of time it took Justin and Lindsay to gather their composure.
“What’s wrong?”
No response, just a deadset stare on the road as their vehicle continued to reach speeds they’d never pushed it to since buying it.
“Justin?”
Lindsay had her cell up to her ear, and the call to Gene was ringing, but she was more worried about what was going on than anything, and the longer she didn’t get a response, the worse the thoughts in her head got.
Over hills and around turns, Justin continued to make chase, but wasn’t making much progress. The truck he was chasing after was surprisingly quick, and was holding together well despite the remnants of white smoke left behind by it.
“He’s not answering.”
“Try Mom!” Justin barked the order to her as his gaze remained on the road.
She put in the call, not paying attention to what was going on around them, as she had become too scared to look, but this time, it went straight to voicemail.
“I just got her...“
Coming over a hill and slamming on the brakes one more time, this time in the middle of the highway less traveled the couple liked to take on the way back to Kansas City from Justin’s parent’s place, Lindsay’s heart sunk.
“Call 9-1-1!!”
She froze.
“Lindsay! Now!”
Justin fumbled with his seatbelt for a moment before it finally clicked, and barely putting the vehicle into park before hopping out, he left it running.
The scene was one that nobody should ever have to see. The junker, covered in so much rust, it was hard to tell where it ended, and the old school brown paint began, was in the middle of the road, stopped, and nearly on fire. Its driver sit motionless, bloodied, and pressed up against the steering wheel. Or, rather, the steering wheel pressed into his chest.
There were two other passengers in the cab of the truck, from what Justin could remember when they drove by, but now there was only one. He didn’t look to have fared much better, and was motionless, leaned up against the dash, blood dripping to the floor.
But that third passenger's fate was even worse, as the missing windshield made way to his final moments several feet from where the truck came to its stop. A puddle of blood had pooled up underneath where he lay.
It only got worse from there when considering the other vehicle that the truck had collided with, as Justin made his way straight for it. Children screaming bloody murder was the only thing echoing in his ear as he approached. The driver’s window had been busted out along with the front end that had smashed into the front seat of the tan Lincoln MKX.
Gene Michaels sat bloodied, and awake, just barely, in the driver’s seat. Michelle was unconscious in the passenger seat, bloodied as well. In the back, screaming, but seemingly unphased in their car seats, Joseph and Remi were startled beyond belief.
“Hey kid.” Gene said in a weak voice. “I don’t think we’re going to be able to watch the twins this week.” His sarcasm wasn’t appreciated by Justin, who had started to rip the door off its hinges to get to his father.
“Dad, no!”
Not knowing what to do, his hands shook as the gap in the opened door was wide enough for him to squeeze in. “Are the kiddo’s alright? Get them out of here, your Mom and I...” Gene lost his breath as he struggled to hold onto life. Neither he or his son were sure if Michelle was still alive or not. “Just get your kids, we’ll be fine.”
In the distance, in the wide open plains of the Kansas evening air, sirens could be heard rushing toward their location. Lindsay had yet to move, seeing the ghastly sight, and Justin did exactly what his Dad had told him to do. Checking on the twins, and pulling their car seats from the wreckage, they appeared to be fine, but the real worry was on his parents, and if they would make it through the night.
It had already been a long year, and it was about to get longer...
Every Spring for nearly the last decade, Justin was invited back to Kansas State University to throw out the first pitch for the Wildcats. The last few years, he was there for the home opener, but due to scheduling conflicts, he wasn’t able to do that this year. They managed to fit him in for the third game of a weekend series against Mercer.
It actually turned out to be a coincidence, considering Mercer is just short drive down I-75 from Atlanta, where Havoc Entertainment is headquartered. Given Justin’s celebrity, K-State being his alma mater, and the amount of money that the Michael’s donate to the college, Justin and Lindsay were very recognizable in Manhattan. The Havoc Entertainment recognition, however, made him equally so to the die-hards that traveled to Kansas from Macon, Georgia for the series.
Of course, Justin wasn’t the only Michaels on campus who either had or was making a name for himself, with his younger brother Aaron coming into his own, becoming the starting quarterback for the Wildcats this past season. The three of them had met up earlier that morning at one of the best places in Manhattan, if not the state of Kansas, to grab breakfast, The Chef.
Having to be up early enough to drop the twins off with the grandparents in Topeka, and still make it to Manhattan earlier enough for breakfast, and to be to Tointon Family Stadium to prepare, Justin and Lindsay’s long day started early. The sun hadn’t even begun to kiss the horizon yet, and the couple were already making plans for their bed.
Justin had been on the road promoting Mass Destruction for Pure Class Wrestling for the last week and a half, and Lindsay was at home with the kids, preparing for some much needed time alone. They hadn’t been more than an even away from the twins since they were born, and with Justin’s success since returning to the squared circle, it had been hard for him to make it back to Kansas when Lindsay would stay behind. Even when she and the kids would go to Greenville with him, he hadn’t been able to spend much time with them.
To say the least, Lindsay was in need of a break, and wanted to spend some time with her husband without the rugrats running around and screaming constantly.
Her left hand rested on the back of Justin’s neck as he concentrated on the road from the driver’s seat of their granite metallic Durango Citadel. The hum of the engine and the roar of the road was all that could be heard, and it was relaxing. Gene and Michelle, Justin’s parents, were on the road behind them a ways back, with the twins in tow. They were planning on staying at Michaels Manor for the next week with the kids while Justin and Lindsay made their way to Greenville for some time to themselves before the Mass Destruction weekend.
While it wasn’t always announced or seen, Lindsay had rarely missed being with Justin at a pay-per-view, and she wasn’t going to make that mistake again. The last time she was unable to make it, Justin lost the North American title to Michael Wryght, just two days short of the record for longest reign.
That record was not even anywhere on Justin’s mind this time, the title itself was only just barely something he concerned himself with. It was an excuse for him to carry around the defunct International title that had merged with it the previous year, like the condescending asshole he tended to be.
His sights were set much higher than where he’d landed, but he also wasn’t going to just lie down and lose just because he hadn’t gotten his way since returning. On the contrary, he’d managed to accomplish quite a bit, despite missing out on that World title shot, and continued to help raise the ratings with his Notorious partner in the process.
No, Lindsay was not worried about Justin losing to Tyler Scott at Mass Destruction, but she wasn’t about to jinx it either. She was very proud at the impact he’d made since signing the dotted line with the company again, especially given his involvement with her brother again. Something that didn’t quite end well when they tried it the first time several years in the past.
In fact, the only good that came of Justin and Johnny’s partnership back then was bringing Justin and Lindsay together finally.
There had been moments with Johnny back in the business the time around too, and the two would voice their issues with him amongst each other, but given more recent events, they’d figured it best to just let him keep himself preoccupied with entertaining again, despite his methods. They both hoped his real life wouldn’t affect him inside of the ring, though, as becoming the Underground King would be a much needed accomplishment for him right now.
Similar words could be said for Justin and retaining the North American title as well. While his second reign with the belt might not be as important as that first one was for him, holding onto it for a little while longer would only advance his cause. Sure, Tyler Scott had won that worthless number one contenders tournament to get his shot, and he’d be looking to prove something, but Stormm never made it a habit of losing to someone he’d never lost to in the past.
The two hadn’t actually squared off that many times in PCW days-gone-by, but the fact remained that Tyler was in the losers column every time they’d met. Mass Destruction was going to be no different, and that’s exactly what Justin had been telling the media at every appearance he’d been to since Trauma Two Twenty-Seven went off the air just two weeks prior.
A smaller, slightly younger, and quicker Tyler Scott would have to step up his game more than he’d done in his entire PCW career if he truly intended in walking out of the Pure Class Arena as the North American Champion. But, if Stormm has anything to say about it, any thoughts of being the “Great Britain” Champion when Mass Destruction goes off the air will be sucked out of him with clinic the Force of Nature intended on putting on in the squared circle that night.
Lindsay’s hands and fingers scratched Justin’s neck, massaging it, and then three words that she hadn’t uttered in several months came out.
“Tell me something.”
Her blond hair and smile were easily visible with his peripheral vision, but he looked over at her with a grin and locked onto her baby blues for just a moment before turning his attention back to the raid. “Sometimes I wonder how different things would have been had I asked you out back when I was wrestling for IAWF.”
It was a game Lindsay started after the couple had finally gotten together years ago. While laying in bed, either in the evening or first thing in the morning, she’d ask Justin the same thing, and the only requirement from him would be to tell her something different each time she asked.
It’s not an uncommon thing for couples to talk about, the what if’s on getting together sooner and if it would have still worked out. More of a playful conversation than anything, but the two hadn’t really talked about their past, given the history they had together. Justin had been thinking about it a lot lately, especially given the note left for him when his car was returned several weeks back.
“If this has anything to do with that crazy old bit...“
He laughed, nervously, as that wasn’t necessarily why he’d brought it up, despite it being the reason he’d been thinking about it. “No, I’m just saying, we’d known each other a long time before,” Using the pointer finger on his right hand to quickly point back and forth between the two of them to add emphasis, Justin continued, “this hot mess happened.”
“Uh huh.” Lindsay continued to rub his neck, the smile on her face hadn’t waned.
“Would you have said yes if I asked you out sooner? Would we have made it this long? Would it have fucked with both our careers too soon?” Glancing over at his wife, Justin shrugged with a smirk.
“Do you not like how things have turned out?”
Even though he knew she was just joking with him, he still defended himself. “See?!” He exclaimed. “This is why I don’t like this game anymore. You find ways of making me self-conscious about telling you some of this stuff.”
Removing her hand from the back of his had, Lindsay playfully pushed on his shoulder. In response, Justin jerked the wheel about, causing it to swerve just over the centerline in the highway before settling back into the proper lane.
Sharing a laugh, the couple went back to enjoying the silence, but it wouldn’t last.
Over the next hill, a rusted out nineteen eighties style junker appeared out of nowhere, and the truck was coming right at the Michaels head-on. Slamming on the brakes and veering onto the shoulder and just into the grass, the Durango finally came to a stop at a forty-five degree angle to the direction they should have been facing. The junker had swerved back into the correct lane in the process as well, but continued to speed off.
Both their heart rates had skyrocketed, and in normal circumstances, both would have questioned if the other was okay, or at the very least, Justin would have normally. But when Lindsay looked his way, his face had gone pale white.
“Justin?”
His head jerked towards his wife. “Do you have Dad’s number?”
“Yes?”
“Call it now!”
Jerking the wheel and hitting the gas, the Dodge SUV kicked up gravel from the shoulder, and laid down strips up black as he whipped the vehicle around and made chase for the truck that had vanished into the distance in the little amount of time it took Justin and Lindsay to gather their composure.
“What’s wrong?”
No response, just a deadset stare on the road as their vehicle continued to reach speeds they’d never pushed it to since buying it.
“Justin?”
Lindsay had her cell up to her ear, and the call to Gene was ringing, but she was more worried about what was going on than anything, and the longer she didn’t get a response, the worse the thoughts in her head got.
Over hills and around turns, Justin continued to make chase, but wasn’t making much progress. The truck he was chasing after was surprisingly quick, and was holding together well despite the remnants of white smoke left behind by it.
“He’s not answering.”
“Try Mom!” Justin barked the order to her as his gaze remained on the road.
She put in the call, not paying attention to what was going on around them, as she had become too scared to look, but this time, it went straight to voicemail.
“I just got her...“
Coming over a hill and slamming on the brakes one more time, this time in the middle of the highway less traveled the couple liked to take on the way back to Kansas City from Justin’s parent’s place, Lindsay’s heart sunk.
“Call 9-1-1!!”
She froze.
“Lindsay! Now!”
Justin fumbled with his seatbelt for a moment before it finally clicked, and barely putting the vehicle into park before hopping out, he left it running.
The scene was one that nobody should ever have to see. The junker, covered in so much rust, it was hard to tell where it ended, and the old school brown paint began, was in the middle of the road, stopped, and nearly on fire. Its driver sit motionless, bloodied, and pressed up against the steering wheel. Or, rather, the steering wheel pressed into his chest.
There were two other passengers in the cab of the truck, from what Justin could remember when they drove by, but now there was only one. He didn’t look to have fared much better, and was motionless, leaned up against the dash, blood dripping to the floor.
But that third passenger's fate was even worse, as the missing windshield made way to his final moments several feet from where the truck came to its stop. A puddle of blood had pooled up underneath where he lay.
It only got worse from there when considering the other vehicle that the truck had collided with, as Justin made his way straight for it. Children screaming bloody murder was the only thing echoing in his ear as he approached. The driver’s window had been busted out along with the front end that had smashed into the front seat of the tan Lincoln MKX.
Gene Michaels sat bloodied, and awake, just barely, in the driver’s seat. Michelle was unconscious in the passenger seat, bloodied as well. In the back, screaming, but seemingly unphased in their car seats, Joseph and Remi were startled beyond belief.
“Hey kid.” Gene said in a weak voice. “I don’t think we’re going to be able to watch the twins this week.” His sarcasm wasn’t appreciated by Justin, who had started to rip the door off its hinges to get to his father.
“Dad, no!”
Not knowing what to do, his hands shook as the gap in the opened door was wide enough for him to squeeze in. “Are the kiddo’s alright? Get them out of here, your Mom and I...” Gene lost his breath as he struggled to hold onto life. Neither he or his son were sure if Michelle was still alive or not. “Just get your kids, we’ll be fine.”
In the distance, in the wide open plains of the Kansas evening air, sirens could be heard rushing toward their location. Lindsay had yet to move, seeing the ghastly sight, and Justin did exactly what his Dad had told him to do. Checking on the twins, and pulling their car seats from the wreckage, they appeared to be fine, but the real worry was on his parents, and if they would make it through the night.
It had already been a long year, and it was about to get longer...
