Land of Shadows (1.01) Pilot

[Stormm]

“Whoever it is, if they call again, just answer it.” Placing the napkin back into her lap, Lindsay smiled.

The light from the flickering candle in the center of the table made her eyes look like ice cubes wreathed in flame. “Excuse me?” Justin responded, but he should have known better. He couldn’t keep anything from her anymore, even if he tried, and he’d been had by not fully silencing his phone before sitting down to dinner.

“I can hear it vibrating in your coat pocket, and you’ve glanced down at it the last three times its gone off.” She winked. “It’s cute that you are trying to ignore it, but half a dozen times now, something could be wrong.”

He shook his head. “Izzy knows to call you if something is wrong with the kids.” He reached into his dark gray suit jacket, and ignored the incoming call. “It’s probably just Aaron being a little asshole.”

“And if it is, you can answer it, let him have his fun, and be done with it so he’ll leave us alone.” She reached her right hand across the table, and grabbed onto Justin’s left. “Whoever it is, just get them to leave us alone, for just a while longer.”

Justin nodded with a smirk, hoping the would-be distraction would just go away. That was not the case, and the seventh time was the charm. Almost immediately after the previous call had ended, and his phone started vibrating again.

Pulling his hand away from Lindsay’s, he used it to open his jacket, and with his other hand, reached in and grabbed his phone. “Brian?” He questioned out loud, while also informing his wife of who was bothering them. “Hello?”

“Seven times! Seven fucking times! Why did it take you so long to answer? I know it’s your guys weird anti-Valentine’s dinner night and all that, but after the first couple of times, you’d think you’d answer! Things are a mess here right now, and I don’t know where it all went wrong. Half of our fourth-quarter is gone. Just gone.”

Brian had been talking so frantically that Justin could hardly make out anything his was saying, except the last bit. “Wait, what the fuck do you mean, half of if it gone?”

“Half of one hundred and eighty-four million dollars. So, ninety-two million dollars. It’s gone!”

...Pilot…
(The Land of Shadows)

Tomorrow is a big day for the both of you, and your mother and I couldn’t be more proud of you two. But before you walk across that stage and start the rest of your lives, I think it’s time for me to answer some of those questions that you’ve both been asking about for years now.

Taking their seats across from one another, at a small, square table inside of a dimly lit restaurant, somewhere in downtown Kansas City, the Michaels were each handed a menu, and informed of the day’s specials. “Shy is finishing up with another table, but she will be with you shortly.”

The couple smiled at the young woman who escorted them to the table as she walked away. “What kind of name is Shy, anyway?” Justin joked about the name of their waitress that would be on her way shortly. They had been to that particular place several times before, but hadn’t been waited on by a Shy before. “Parents these days.”

“Stop it.” Lindsay retorted. “How would you feel if people talked about our kids like that?”

“If we would have named our kids something stupid like that, I would expect people to make fun of us too. Nothing against her, it’s not her fault those hippy parents or her’s gave her that name.” He smiled.

“I’m sure Joey will be fine, but I’m afraid kids are going to be little assholes like you’re being when they find out what Remi is short for.” She winked, but there was seriousness in her voice.

“I’m not worried at all, look at who her parents are, I think she’ll be able to take care of herself if that ever happens.” Winking back to his wife, she nodded and smiled back.

“This coming from a guy who goes by an incorrect spelling of storm, I’m not sure how I feel about that.” Giggling, she playfully nudged his leg under the table with her foot.

Biting his tongue, Justin nods his head, and he knows he’s been beat. “Whoa, now!” He jokingly exclaims, holding an open hand up towards her like a white flag. “But, fine, I’ll leave it be.”

You’ve heard all about your grandparents, and my great-uncle Wayne. My wrestling career, both inside of the ring, and behind a desk with a suit and tie on. But what we’ve been keeping from you is everything we’ve gone through the last eighteen years to keep you both safe. No matter how selfish our decisions may have seemed to you all this time, you two have been the reason behind everything your mom and I have done.

They both glance over the menu while they wait for their server to arrive. However, they have eaten at that establishment enough, and have gotten to know the head chef enough, that they just let her cook them whatever she wants. So looking at the menu is more out of habit for the situation than anything.

“Good evening Mr. and Mrs. Michaels, how are we tonight?” The phrasing was familiar, but the voice sounded different. “Is it ‘F-V-Day’ time already?”

Justin and Lindsay glanced up at at their waitress, who did looked familiar, but for the life of them, couldn’t tell why. That, on top of the realization that, while they had frequented that place a lot in the past, the only time they’ve been able to make it there in the last 4 to 5 years was for their annual Valentine’s Day dinner. A dinner they always did a few days before the actual “holiday”, as neither of them really believed in celebrating the Hallmark Holiday in its current traditional form.

“We’re doing well, thanks. How about yourself?” Justin responded, while he and Lindsay continued to blankly stare at the young woman.

“I’m doing very well, thank you.” Shy responded, with a moment of silence that followed. “I guess it has been a while since we’ve seen you. I only get to wait on you two every year around this time; I’m still sorry I missed you guys last year.”

“Shad?” Justin asked, and immediately he and Lindsay got wide-eyed, and started to feel terrible. They remember hearing about him, now her, being out last year due to complications with surgery, and it all clicked.

She nodded at the Michaels with a smile. “I’m Shy now, but yes, I used to be Shad.” Sensing the tension, she moved on from the pleasantries and right into her duties, as anyone waiting on the Michaels when they dine in get their full attention. “What can I get you started with?”

I think the best place to start this is back in 2019. You both were about to turn 4, I had just gotten into the PCW Hall of Fame, and your mom was working on getting the Havoc Foundation up and running. Honestly, it was probably the best time in our lives to that point, it was just a shame we didn’t have any of your grandparents around to share it with… but you know all about that already.

“Uh, yeah.” Justin paused “Do you still have any of the Johnnie Walker Label left?” He asked.

“You’re the only one who ever orders it.” A grin appeared on Shy’s face. ”On the rocks?” She asked, and he nodded.

“I’ll have whatever wine pairs best with what Cheryl is going to make us tonight.” Lindsay answered quickly, her usual request, trusting the chef’s decision.

Nodding, the waitress grabbed the menus, and was off. Drinks were the only thing she ever needed to ask about, and even after all this time, could probably wait on the Michaels without ever needing to talk to them, as they were very predictable. Same drinks, and same request for Cheryl to make them whatever she wanted.

The couple stared at each other uncomfortably in silence for what seemed like eternity. “Oh my God.” Justin lipped to Lindsay.

“I know.” She lipped back.

“I kind of feel bad.” His response came after looking over both shoulders, and was spoken just loud enough for Lindsay to hear.

Kicking him under the table once more, with her black high heels, Lindsay joked with him again. “You should feel real bad!”

Trying to shake the nerves, Justin downed nearly the whole glass of water that had already been placed on the table for him. “I mean, good for him… her ...damn it!” He took a deep breath with his eyes closed, and tried to move past it.

“You going to be alright?” Lindsay questioned.

“Yeah, we just need.. We just need to, yeah.” Justin fumbled on his words, and it was the first time in a while that Lindsay had seen him that visibly shaken up. More so out of embarrassment than anything, it seemed.

“We just need Dominator to knock the cobwebs loose?” Knowing the mention of Pure Class Wrestling’s monster would bring her husband back, she didn’t hesitate to say his name. As was tradition, their Antitine’s Date conversation was more about their everyday lives and work than gushing over one another.

“Fuck that guy!” Snapping back to reality, he shouted, and drew looks from people at other tables near them, which he ignored, just like the vibrations from the phone in his jacket pocket. “This guerilla warfare nonsense may have worked for him in the Underground, but he’s playing on a whole ‘nother level right now, and if he thinks he can just brute force the North American title away from me, he’s dead wrong.”

Lindsay smiled and nodded in agreement. Shy had returned with the couple’s drinks, and refilling Justin’s water glass. “She’s preparing the appetizers now, and I’ll have those out to you shortly.”

“Thank you.” They both said in unison.

Giving the waitress time to walk away, Lindsay continued their conversation. “So, how do you keep the peace?”

Running a hand over his beard, Justin shook his head. “Honestly, I’m not about to.” He admitted with a heavy sigh. “I’m completely over these strange bedfellows matches they keep tossing us all in!” Sneering at the thought of being forced into a tag team with the number one contender for his title, again, Justin took a sip from his scotch on the rocks. “What do you know, another champion and contender versus champion and contender match. Big, effing, surprise!”

Having ignored the vibrations from the first phone call, Justin was forcing himself to ignore it a second time. “What do you think will happen at 247?” Lindsay asked. While she didn’t always enjoy hearing about how poorly booked his matches were, or how poorly he thought they were booked, she knew he needed to vent, as Justin, about his successes, failures, heartache, and contentment, as Stormm.

“The only match left to book before the pay-per-view.” He conceded. “Kyle Shane and Dominator versus Stormm and Gerard Angelo.” He took another drink, bigger than the first, from his beverage. “I’m sure Dominator and his puppet master will continue to try and break me beforehand too, especially after they see what I’ve got planned for them this week!”

Things had been going really well, despite having just lost my parents, and almost you two, less than a year beforehand. Little did we know, things were about to drastically change for all of us.

His phone vibrated a third time, and it took everything he could do not to acknowledge it, despite the small bit of fear that something had gone wrong with Izzy and the kids. It had gone off a fourth and fifth time while Shy was placing their food on the table for them as well, and he still didn’t reach for his phone, but he could feel his eyes wander in wonder.

After the fifth time, it didn’t go off again for some time, and the couple were able to enjoy their meal, the start of it anyway. Justin had finished griping about the booking at PCW, and had gone over his plans to even the playing field with Dominator going into Mass Destruction in a month. Lindsay had gone over some final details about her starting up a charity division at Havoc Entertainment, and how, with their and the kid’s trust in Izzy, she would be able to get back to doing what she was meant to be doing.

Sure, they both feared that having help raise their kids would cause problems later, but the more they and the kids spent around Izzy, the more she started to become part of the family, and not just an extension of it to help them out when they weren’t around. Things were starting to look up for the Michaels, and really go their way.

But, for date night, things were getting ready to take a turn as Justin’s phone began to vibrate for the sixth time.

“Whoever it is, if they call again, just answer it.” Placing the napkin back into her lap, Lindsay smiled.

The light from the flickering candle in the center of the table made her eyes look like ice cubes wreathed in flame. “Excuse me?” Justin responded, but he should have known better. He couldn’t keep anything from her anymore, even if he tried, and he’d been had by not fully silencing his phone before sitting down to dinner.

“I can hear it vibrating in your coat pocket, and you’ve glanced down at it the last three times its gone off.” She winked. “It’s cute that you are trying to ignore it, but half a dozen times now, something could be wrong.”

He shook his head. “Izzy knows to call you if something is wrong with the kids.” He reached into his dark gray suit jacket, and ignored the incoming call. “It’s probably just Aaron being a little asshole.”

“And if it is, you can answer it, let him have his fun, and be done with it so he’ll leave us alone.” She reached her right hand across the table, and grabbed onto Justin’s left. “Whoever it is, just get them to leave us alone, for just a while longer.”

Justin nodded with a smirk, hoping the would-be distraction would just go away. That was not the case, and the seventh time was the charm. Almost immediately after the previous call had ended, and his phone started vibrating again.

Pulling his hand away from Lindsay’s, he used it to open his jacket, and with his other hand, reached in and grabbed his phone. “Brian?” He questioned out loud, while also informing his wife of who was bothering them. “Hello?”

“Seven times! Seven fucking times! Why did it take you so long to answer? I know it’s your guys weird anti-Valentine’s dinner night and all that, but after the first couple of times, you’d think you’d answer! Things are a mess here right now, and I don’t know where it all went wrong. Half of our fourth-quarter is gone. Just gone.”

Brian had been talking so frantically that Justin could hardly make out anything his was saying, except the last bit. “Wait, what the fuck do you mean, half of if it gone?”

“Half of one hundred and eighty-four million dollars. So, ninety-two million dollars. It’s gone!”

Lindsay raised an eyebrow at Justin, a concerned look coming across her face as she could only hear about sixty-five percent of the conversation. “Is everything okay?” She asked under her breath.

Justin shook his head. “How does that much money just disappear Brian?!” It was now becoming a conversation that didn’t need to be had in the middle of a restaurant, let alone one that should be had over the phone at all, and Justin stood up from the table. “We need to go.” He mouthed to Lindsay, as he began to fumble for his wallet.

Shy made her way back over to the table in a hurry, seeing the commotion. “Is everything alright?” She asked. Given the new, though, Justin just shook his head, and handed her a fist full of cash, and took off.

“Business, and it doesn’t sound good. Everything was so good, please tell Cheryl, and that we’re sorry we had to leave before getting to talk with her. You look great by the way!” Lindsay complimented Shy with a hand on her shoulder, but then grabbed her coat to catch up with her husband.

“Have you talked to Ted?” Justin, still trying to make sense of the situation, questioned about Havoc Entertainment’s Chief Financial Officer.

“Jesus, Justin, because that wasn’t the first person I tried to talk to. I haven’t heard from him in a couple days, which wasn’t anything new, but when I tried to get into his office earlier, it was locked. We’ve got maintenance up here now unlocking it so we can get in.”

The conversation wasn’t over, but that’s when the talking stopped. It wouldn’t be much longer before he heard nothing but screaming and disgust coming from the other end of the conversation. The only other thing that he could make out before hanging up the phone, was “His throat’s been cut!” and “Oh my God, is he dead?!”

A detour to Atlanta was going to need to be made on the way to Greenville that week for the Michaels, and it was going to be a very unpleasant visit.

We were living in the land of shadows, and things were going to get a whole lot worse before they got better.