Damien Drake [vs] Frank Finelli

" Home sweet home"

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< Sunday , August 11th, late afternoon/early evening >

It had been a couple months  since I had been in Pittsburgh  to visit my parents, but this was not a “pleasure trip “  for sure.  Flying in  after the last Battlegrounds  show instead of going   back  to Miami too care of two issues. I could “check in”  with my father  about construction company events  and on certain “family”  things   that were going on that I was  charged with looking into  and reporting back on to him Even though I was “officially” “The Don” of the family, I still kept him apprised of things as a  matter of proper “respect”.   He and I had gone over most of  the “family” stuff early in the week and I had already   started taking ”action” on  those  matters.   Although there was one “family” matter  we needed  to render a decision on  and how to proceed with it. As  I sat across from him on the sofa , he looked at me from his  recliner shaking his head as he spoke.
Carmine:  How Frank, how did that stunad get the idea he could try  and “rat us out” to save his own ass?
Looking at the hurt in my father’s  eyes, I  slowly shake my own head as I answer him quietly and with more sadness  than he could imagine.
Frank: I have no clue Pop. I mean,  Tommy has always been a ”good soldier” but to do  this thing to s hs even surprised the hell out of me.  I see no other option but to “eliminate” him.
My father  slowly nods his head  and lets out a sigh  as he looks at me again, tears welling up in his eyes as he speaks again.
Carmine:  I just wish, we had the opportunity to  give him  another chance. But  what he did  was the unthinkable. To blatantly dis regard the Omerta Code is not  forgivable. For anyone.
He looks  at the floor as he wipes his eyes  and says the words he and I  both dreaded hearing, but knew had to be said  and carried out.
Carmine: Give the “order” Frank. Tommy is to forfeit his life  for  what he has done.  Put “our best  problem solvers” on it  too.   I don’t  want  any mess ups. I want it done and  done the right way Frank.
[I Begrudgingly, I nod my head , knowing  this was the only true solution  to the current problem.[/i]
Frank: Consider it taken care of Pop. It  will be clean and swift. I know exactly  who to  handle it also. He won’t mess up  either.
Carmine: You don’t mean…
He stops in mid sentence as he sees me nod my head, and he nods his in agreement.
Carmine: So be it, may God  have some mercy on Tommy’s soul.  
He  shakes his head  again and slumps back in the recliner, knowing   that Tommy will pay the ultimate price  for violating one of the  most sacred  oaths there could ever be in “our” way of “business”.   He raises his head up slowly and fakes a smile at me. I try not to let on  that I know it is fake. But he knows me all too well.
Carmine:  We can discuss the construction items after dinner tonight my son. I know you have your IWF match  to prepare  for along with  everything else we have already discussed .  Who is this man you are facing  this week again?
Frank: His name is Damien Drake Pop. He’s pretty good, but he  likes to prey on people  who really can’t defend themselves against him. Sort o like  a glorified bully. He picks on the weak, a bit too much  also.
Carmine:  So  he has not faced you as of yet then?
Frank: No Pop,  this will be  the first time we are in the ring against each other. He has very little idea who “The Executioner” truly is Pop. All he knows  is what  he has seen from my match videos. He has no “hands on” knowledge of me otherwise. Still, I expect  a rough match with him
Carmine:  If last week was any indication , he has more than just you to worry  about son. Mr. Fury appears to want  a “piece” of Drake also.
I chuckle  as he says  this. He normally does not watch  every IWF  telecast.
Frank: So you saw the show last week? Glad you caught it on a “good night” for me, ha, ha.
Carmine: Yes it was  wasn’t it? But  we can discuss  that and  this week’s show before you leave on Tuesday.  If I know your mother , and I do. Dinner should be on the table in a couple more minutes.
Just as he says this we both hear her voice.
“ Carmine, Frank! Dinner on the table in two minutes. Shut your pie holes and come fill them with it. Or I’ll …..”
Carmine: See  that son?   We better go, we both know she means it too ha, ha.
 We  leave our seats and head out of the office and  go down the hall  to the dining room  for my mother’s fresh “homemade”  Antipasto and Lasagna.
< Monday late afternoon, Consol Energy Arena >
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As I step out of the limo, I am flanked by a group  of EoB  and my own bodyguards.  You can tel my “personal” guards, they are dressed in suits, the EoB men in fatigues. Aftr last week, Thor  and I decided to take “no chances” or “ I’ll advised “ risks.  They follow me to the arena entrance, flanking  me on  all sides. As I enter  my dressing room, I am met by  a cameraman from IWF . wanting a statement from me  about my upcoming match with Damien Drake  this evening.  Setting my gear bag  down  on a chair,  I  wait as he readies his camera and once he has , I begin to address my opponent .
Frank:  Damien Drake, you  have made a name around here preying on the weak  members of the IWF  roster. I am NOT one of those weaklings.  We are both strong  and veterans of this business. And I have faced men like you many times before Drake. You thrive on intimidating  weaker opponents  when they enter the ring with you. Well tonight, you may just  have met you match Damien.   I can take  all the punishment you could ever  dish out and give you back  as much or MORE than you can handle.  Whatever you have DONE around here before  does not really concern me. You may ask  me why I say that. It is because YOU HAVEN’T faced “The Executioner”. That is a simple fact.  I’m not some “run of the mill” competitor Damien.  I am a champion , MANY times over.  Hell, I have victories over Thor himself  during my career. He is one very SCARY dude and he  wasn’t able to make me “flinch”.  That man is a MASTER of psyching an opponent out before, during  and after a match. But he was not so lucky against me.  That is the main reason, I say you have met your match  facing me Drake.   You can’t and won’t over power me. And you DAMN sure will not  out think me once that bell rings. That is a cold hard fact  of life.  Especially in my “home town” of Pittsburgh.
Pausing   for a few moments, I  walk over  and grab a bottle of water from the cooler , open it and take a few gulps. I look  back into the camera smacking my lips  and speak once again.
Frank:  Damien, you’re times of running “roughshod” over people who could not  withstand  your “onslaught”.   I have faced WAY BETTER than you inside a wrestling ring . And most of them failed  against me as YOU will do Damien.  People and opponents look at me and think ,” power only”. That  works to my advantage because they neglect to factor in my actual wrestling skill  as a technician in that  ring.  I’m a MASTER at countering  ANY kind of attack. Be it  grappling, high flying or straight power moves.  Yes Damien, it is a fact that tonight you  are facing a man who is well versed  in ALL aspects  ingrained in wrestling. I can flat out power you or simply give you a true wrestling lesson  and tie you into a damn pretzel if I so choose.
I take another pause  and drink down  more of the water and then stare back into the camera as an evil grin crawls across my lips before I speak again.
Frank:  Damien Drake, it is  almost time  for you to step into that ring with a man who  has little fear or trepidation about facing you.  My experience in this business  prevents that  from entering my mind at any point.  The problem  and question you  must take on and answer is this one. “ How do I avoid  and possibly take down “The Executioner”?   The answer is  simple Damien. YOU WON’T , AND CAN’T !  I’ll see you in the ring in a couple hours Damien.  I hope you are prepared, if not.  You’ll  be EXECUTED.
The scene fades to black as I smirk evilly into the camera.

How does it feel to look down at your brother, lying there, lifeless? All of those wires and tubes, running into his body, just to keep him breathing. You warned him, told him not to do it, but did he listen? Of course he didn't, he did exactly what he thought his big brother would have done.

Roman looks up to you so much, and look where that got him. He tried so hard, put up the fight of his life, trying to take down a monster. Now, he is in a hospital bed, a vegetable.

This was your fight Axle, but you sent a child instead. What happened to your brother, as a result, is your fault. You are to blame for every once of pain he feels.

HIS BLOOD IS ON YOUR HANDS!

So many people have said to me, about how much HFF did for me and my so called career.

What a fucking joke!

People tell me that without Ace or Axle, Damien Drake would be nobody. Without those two, I would probably be dead or worse.

BULLSHIT!

Without me, Hollywood’s Fucking Finest would have been nothing more then a skid mark in the record books. Axle and Ace did nothing more then hold me back. Even Krystal Meth and Hunter Sullivan. All of them, anyone that ever joined HFF. They all held me back and used me to get themselves to the top.

Go back, look at the tapes. Read the record books, they won’t lie. It was Damien Drake, each and every time, doing the dirty work. It was me beating the champions and the other top dogs so that the rest of them could have gold around their waist.

It’s your fault Axle. You were the one that said you’d take me to the top. You pretended to be my friend, my brother, all so you could get what you wanted. You were a midget, standing on the shoulders of a giant. I carried you to every accomplishment you ever received.
It was me that bailed you and Ace out of jail when you got caught doing something because you were dumb. Ace disappeared so many times, never to be heard of. Then, all of the sudden, when he needed something Ace was there again. Always there when it suited him.

Was he there with you when you went to rehab? Was he the one standing by your side in all of those bar fights? No Axle, it wasn’t Ace, your so called brother. It was me, Damien Drake. I was the one that had your back through thick or thin.

What thanks do I get? I get my head beat in by you. Axle Vengeance chose Ace Static, a worthless and pathetic excuse of a human being and he beat down the one man that had his back no matter what. Everything that happens now, because of that night, is your fault Axle. I will have my revenge on you, I promise you that. You will regret the night you woke a nightmare.

For every action there is an equal, yet opposite reaction. Gordon, your actions Monday night have caused a reaction you aren't prepared to handle.

There has never been any kind of beef between you and me. It was my intention to not even worry about you out your title. Not yet, at least.

All of that has been changed. You put your nose in my business, and I can't let that go. You think just because you have a glorified piece of jewelry around your waist, you can come out to the rescue?

That was a mistake. The instant you laid your hands on me and kept me from completing my task, you became another victim.

Ever since I came back to IWF, I have ran wild over everything that was put in my path, and now Gordon, you are standing directly in my way. I will get my hands on you Gordon Fury, and you will regret ever getting my attention.

Frank Finelli, apparently, you believe you are something special. I guess you are some tough guy that knows his way around a wrestling mat.

I don’t really give a fuck about that. I don’t care what you did in high school, or college. All of your wealth and knowledge and blah blah blah, I could care less.
Once I get my hands on you, there will be nothing you can do. I will strike at a moments notice and I will not stop till I have had my fill.

Do you think being in the Empire of Blood makes you any safer? It doesn’t matter how big you are what you know or how many friends you have. I promise you Frank, I am going to steam roll my way over you. I will leave you in the ring, nothing more then a bloody smear.

I will rip your arms off, and club you to death with your stumps. None of your fancy moves or alleged power will be able to stop the storm that is coming at you. I am going to hurt you in ways that you are not used to. You will experience pain in a whole new way.

I am the nightmare you had as a child Frankie. I am the monster that hid under your bed. There is nothing sopping me from beating you to a pulp.

I will be the man that puts you in your true place. I will be the one to show you that you are nothing. Anything you have done up until this point will be nothing compared to the violence I am about to unleash on you.

You have never seen anything like me, Frank Finelli. You have never encountered a monster of my nature. You are about to be caught in a hurricane of chaos and destruction. You will be uprooted from the ground and slammed back to the earth with more force then you have ever felt.

The pain will be glorious. The blood, oh the sweet blood, running crimson from your skull. I can see it now. Shining in the bright lights of the arena, calling me too it. I will make that vision a reality Frank.

I will make your bones crack and splinter. I will be the man that drives your face into my knee. And I will be the one that watches your blood flow from your face as you lie on the floor.

While your eyes try to focus on anything and you pray to whatever it is that you believe in hoping that something will end the torture, I will be there, standing over you laughing.

I will taste your blood. I will devour your soul. Your very existence will be snuffed from existence under my boot. Frank Finelli, This Monday, at Battlegrounds, your life is mine. I am coming to collect and I will take what I come for.

None of your friends will be able to save you from me. Thor, Imanov, these names mean nothing. These men will not be there to stop what I have in store for you.

I don’t care what your plan was. Everyone has a plan until they get punched in the mouth. That’s what I am going to do to you Frankey. I am going to put my fist right into your boner sucker and I am going to stop any strategy you may have thought up.

I am ready for you Frank. I know who you are; I know what you are capable of. One thing is for certain, you are not capable of withstanding the monster, Damien Drake.

I will break you Frank. This Monday, we will make with the violence.



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It isn’t easy. None of this has been. Taking a man and pulling him up from the filth and muck. Helping him to clean himself up and start the day fresh. A new man.

Is it wrong to clutch onto a drowning man, sinking into the depths of Satan’s fiery lair? Is it wrong to reach out and grab a hold of that broken child and pull him back to the living?

I didn’t think so, and I still don’t. Damien is capable of so much. All that boy needs is some focus and guidance. Somebody that can help set him on the path.

I am that man, me, Vincent Jarrod. Right this moment in fact, I am headed to see Damien and get his opinion on some thoughts I have been having, that may further our cause.

Damien has been a remarkable choice to be the first subject for me to change from a large unfocused creature with no future and mold him into so much more. It’s amazing the way he has been able to work and push his way to cleaning the toxins that once polluted his body out of his system.

Damien is more focused now, able to see more clearly. I was able to show him the ways that people in his past used drugs to control his actions and hold him back from the greatness he is capable of attaining.

As I approach his room, I can hear the straining grunts coming from within. More then likely, just some more of his training regimen.

I knock on the door as I enter the room. Damien is on the floor doing crunches. He stops when he hears his door open and looks up at me.

VJ:

Damien, may I speak to you for a second?

Damien get’s up from the floor and grabs a towel to wipe the sweat from his face. Laying the towel back down he turns and looks at me.

DD:

What’s up, Vincent?

VJ:

After last week’s interference from the newly crowned champion, Gordon Fury, it appears we may have overlooked an important factor.

I see a look of fleeting confusion pass over Damien’s face. He looks me in the eye hard, as if he is looking for answers in my eyes.

DD:

What are you trying to get at here? Just say what you have to say already.

VJ:

Damien, I believe that it may be time for us to consider adding new members to our little group. There are strength in numbers, Damien, and with someone to back you up, we can ensure that there will not be another incident like there was the other night.

DD:

Gordon Fury is nothing to worry about, he will be dealt with.

VJ:

I know he will Damien, but that doesn’t change the fact that some insurance would be a nice thing to have right now. You are building a reputation for yourself and people are going to start coming after you as well. Having someone to watch your back in case that happens can only help.

DD:

Who do you have in mind?

VJ:

Right now, there isn’t anyone in particular, but I have been looking at some special cases that could fit the bill, so to speak. I’ll look into this more and I will be back to go over it more. I will leave you now to get back to your training.

I head to the door and as I am almost out, Damien stands and looks at me.

DD:

Going out to find yourself another freak, like me, huh?

I look back at him and smile.

VJ:

No Damien, there isn’t anyone out there quite like you.