Training and a Message From Old Friends

The scene opens at a gym located in Washington DC. It is full of people, so trying to drop weight, others trying to get muscles they have always dreamt of and even more that just go in order to see friends that they haven’t seen in a week. Tucked away in the back corner sat on a sat man dressed in an old t-shirt and MMA shorts curling weights. His Black hair was a mess as sweat dripped from the ends of the strands and down his face. He had been at the gym already for about six hours. His muscles screamed and his lungs strained as the man pushed himself farther along in his training than he knew he should. Occasionally, someone else would stroll over and try to start conversation with him but quickly realized that he wanted to be left alone to finish his training.

The man dropped the dumbbell back on the rack and spun around to move over to one of the all in one machines. As he did a sharp pain shot through his jaw. He could remember the moment as he spun around and got hit in the face. After that everything went dark the next thing he could remember was having ring medical technicians standing over him as he could hear music playing in the background. The ring was empty except for him and the medics. He sat up and walked out of the ring on his own despite the medical staff’s pleading. As he did though he could see numerous figures standing at the top of the entrance ramp together they looked out of place but to the man they were all too familiar.

As he sat down on the all in one machine he placed his desired weight and straightened his back up against the seat. He grabbed the bar hanging above him and pulled down with an exhale. His muscles continued to scream at him for overdoing it but he ignored it and worked through the pain. The grey haired man did not notice but a man in a full sweat suit had somehow appeared next to him while jumping rope. His hair was spike in the front and had a chin strap beard while wearing a pair of sunglasses which appeared more out of place than he did.

Man- Hey Angel how are you doing?

Death Angel continued on with his training while trying to put the pain that was plaguing him out of his mind. The man’s face that was jumping rope sank a bit at Death Angel’s complete dismissal of his comment.

Man- Muscles stop screaming yet?

Death Angel continued to ignore the man as his muscles screamed from another rep. This time the man’s face did not reflect disappointment but rather anger. The man in the sweat suit stopped jumping and let the rope fall to the side. With a snap of his fingers Death Angel felt a new pain beginning to spread throughout his arms. Instead of feeling like his body was overheating from the exercise his skin felt ice cold and deep in his muscles it felt like someone had lit a fire. Death Angel tried to breathe through it but with another snap of his fingers the pain became too much. He let go of the bar and the weights crashed down as Death Angel curled into a ball before he shot the man a dirty look from the corner of his eye. With a final snap of his fingers the pain disappeared completely. Death Angel slowly sat up as the strange pain he had been experiencing disappeared and was replaced with his muscles screaming once again.

DA- What do you want Andrew?

Andrew’s face let a wide arrogant smile grow which caused Death Angel to roll his eyes. Death Angel had formed a hatred for the man that was almost bar none it was just something about the arrogance that irked him like few others. A list which had grown by a couple of people in the last few weeks.

Andrew- I wanted to talk with you about your recent loss. And I also wanted express the concerns of the others. We have stayed out of your affairs for a while now but we…are not enjoying what we have been seeing lately.

Death Angel got up from the bench and began walking across the gym. Andrew began to follow keeping the distance of about a stride behind the former world champion.

DA- And what have you seen lately that leaves you concerned?

Andrew- Oh you know…the last two weeks and your last match.

DA- You mean the match that I lost to Mike Adams? Or the match where I beat John Jackson senseless before getting screwed?

Andrew let out a laugh as Death Angel finally reached his destination. He reached down into his dufflebag and pulled out a pair of MMA gloves. He quickly wrapped his hands before slipping the gloves on and began to walk over to the punching bags hanging from the ceiling.

Andrew- You have been played by this fool. And frankly we have about had enough of it. You saw the Mike Adams interference coming, you knew you would give John more of a match than he could handle and yet you did nothing to make sure that Adams was not swayed by John in one way or another. You have seized three other World Championships from men with more talent than that fool but yet you continue to let him walk around just spreading his lies over and over again. The men in the past were taken out, put on their heels and even if they did not say it they feared you. So why don’t you embrace our style of fighting, the style that put you on path of destruction?

DA- Because I do not need to resort to my old tactics to get things done. I proved that when I won the title.

Andrew- And yet you proved to yourself when you wrapped that chain around Crysis’ throat several weeks back that you actually enjoyed doing that. You proved that you are willing to give into our old methods.

Death Angel positioned himself in front of the punching bag and raised his fists while he dropped backwards into a fighting stance.

Andrew- So this week are you going to take John’s head off and put it on a platter?

Death Angel snapped a couple of jabs and then threw a strong right hand.

DA- No. I am going to go out there this week and win back a title that I was cheated out of. John has ruffled enough feathers that I don’t need to solely focus on him. I have eight other very capable wrestlers to keep an eye on that I don’t have time to waste on that eight year old. I mean take for example the conversation I had earlier this week. I made an ally in a match that I am going to take advantage of having. John certainly isn’t able to do anything on his own anyways he needs people at his back telling him that he is great because they make sure the match is rigged in his favor.

Andrew let out a laugh again as he watched Death Angel let loose a flurry of blows.

Andrew- And who in this match actually poses a threat?

DA- Brian Smith used to be a threat. He tried to make an impact by attempting to screw me out of the title and holding that Advantage contract. But his best days are far behind him. Aaron Johnson made him look like a fool. He is actually a man that could be an underdog that could come out of nowhere to steal this match. I also have two members of YPD which for some reason had a beef with me a couple of weeks back and tried to steal my title by making matches three on one handicap instead of one on one. But they couldn’t get the job done and no doubt that they are looking for some justice on my slightly weakened carcass. Then there is one of the members to 25-to-life which is big as hell and that in an over the top rope battle royal is a factor that is very hard to over look. We have Perry Jackson who has a beef with john from the past and no doubt would like some measure of justice but I have seen him in the ring and he could be another underdog to come out of nowhere and steal this thing. Of course I can’t forget my favorite member of this match being Mack himself, a manager, a suit, a man I would love to get my hands on. He is a non factor in this match the only thing he will be useful for is when John throws him in the way to make sure his pretty little face doesn’t get hurt. The man that is going to pose a true danger is Andrew Carter. He is a big man that proved that he can be very dominate against an opponent that is not ready for him. He is one I am going to have to eye on.

Andrew laughed even harder as Death Angel began throwing punches harder and at a faster pace than he had originally. Andrew looked over the man with a delightful eye.

Andrew- Focused?

DA- On getting my title back. But if John happens to get in my way I wouldn’t mind hurting him some more. Obviously I proved myself the better in the ring. I mean I am not the one who got lit on fire in the ring and no doubt had to pay off the referee in order to make sure he didn’t look too much like a bitch. But like I said if he gets in my way I wouldn’t mind taking that title off of his waist. He can keep the drugs, he can keep the whores, he can even keep that girl he claims I am sleeping with which is apparently his kid’s mom. I have no fucking idea on what the hell he is talking about but if he was to slander that woman’s name by saying that she slept with him go ahead. I don’t give two shits.

Andrew- And you said you weren’t open to taking up our old techniques. I see how committed you are to that statement.

Andrew laughed as Death Angel unleashed another flurry of punches. When he finished Andrew was gone nowhere to be seen. Death Angel let out a sigh of relief at the disappearance of the man.

The scene fades to black as Death Angel returns to his training routine.