06-30-2025, 02:28 PM
1 of 2
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June 26th, 2025
Cleveland, Ohio
Off Camera
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The final echoes of the crowd were fading into memory as the night descended upon Cleveland. The Rocket Mortgage FieldHouse, still glowing faintly with the remnants of spotlight flare and pyrotechnics, loomed in the background. Thousands upon thousands of fans once filled this place and filled it with the sounds of their cheers and jeers, but now, only the distant clatter of dismantled ring equipment, the occasional shrill burst of a walkie-talkie, and the sharp hiss of a departing bus broke the silence of the massive arena’s exterior. The parking structure, built like a concrete labyrinth beneath the adjacent plaza, was bathed in cold industrial light. Fluorescent fixtures flickered overhead, casting ghostly shadows against stained concrete pillars marked with faded alphanumeric identifiers, each one smudged with years of exhaust and weather. Oil stains glistened underfoot in small rainbow patches, and the lingering scent of gasoline, burnt rubber, and stale pretzels from the concession stands clung to the air. Somewhere deeper in the garage, a car door slammed and a low-pitched engine rumbled to life before sputtering off into the night.
Clyde Sutter’s boots echoed heavily as he walked, every step striking with a deliberate rhythm. The tall man, every inch of him carved like marble from relentless training and decades of brutal matches, towered over most. His long black hair, still damp with sweat, fell past his shoulders in uneven strands. Stray locks clung to the sharp angles of his jaw. He wore a sleeveless black shirt and black denim jeans. His expression was unreadable. Impassive. He wore the same look he always had. Nothing bothered him, for he was but Fate’s Chosen Assassin. Beside him, Melinda Braddock’s heels clicked with brisk precision, an elegant counterpoint to Clyde’s heavy gait. She moved like someone who knew exactly how much space she occupied and how to command it without saying a word. She wasn’t just accompanying him; she was escorting him, like a queen beside her king. Melinda was much shorter than Clyde, but her posture and aura made her seem just as imposing. Her blonde hair, curled and sleek, shimmered under the garage’s sterile light. Not a strand out of place. She wore a fitted white blazer over a champagne-hued satin blouse, her pencil skirt matching the hue of fresh pearl. A slim designer clutch was tucked under one arm, while her free hand swung with quiet confidence at her side. Everything about her, from the crisp line of her eyeliner to the red-bottomed stilettos that tapped across the pavement, screamed polish and power.
“You are tense.” Clyde says, breaking the silence between him and his lovely fiance as they continue their trek through the parking area. “What is bothering you, my beloved?”
“The same things that should be bothering you.” Melinda snaps back quickly. “Chris Lawler got a rematch to win back the Television Title. How many Television Title opportunities has Polly had and now she’s getting another? But you? What about you?”
“I received a rematch.”
“Thanks to Fans Choice.” She rolls her eyes. “But let’s be real, sweetie, if it had been left up to that dinosaur, you wouldn’t have received a rematch. That fool is showing obvious, blatant favoritism towards certain people, namely Syren, while giving hard working guys like you nothing.”
“Forcing her to battle me in an Underground Match is hardly favoritism, my love.”
“Yeah?” Skepticism drips from her voice. “Well why is it that Syren’s cronies were allowed to interfere in her matches to help her but when the Straders wanted to get involved in your match with Syren, suddenly SCW and CHBK gives a damn about a fair fight?”
“You are worry yourself over things that you have little control over, my love.” Sutter stops briefly to turn and plant a loving kiss on her lips. “Mr. Desoubrais will do whatever he wishes but even he cannot control Fate.”
“I know.” Melinda sighs as she leans into her man’s loving, strong grasp. “I just love you and want you to achieve your dreams. I want the very best for you and I hate to see people abuse you, people like him…people like Chance Owens.”
“Mr. Owens,” Fate’s Chosen Assassin chuckles with a sinister hint of mischief “yes, Mr. Owens will get what is coming to him in due course. All I want is you. Everything else, the materialistic possessions, the championships and accolades that blind the sheep on this roster, all of it is insignificant to you. As long as I have you, I am a happy man.”
“Then you can be happy knowing that we will be together for the rest of our lives.” Melinda says, grinning playfully.
“Excellent. And as far as championships are concerned, I am content to accept the opportunities awarded to me by Fate. Everything is designed by Fate. People like Mr. Desoubrais and Mr. Owens may think that they have control but they are sorely mistaken. Fate is in control and I will have my reward when Fate sees fit to give it to me and no one on this roster will stop me, because they cannot stop Fate.”
“Did you hear Chance tonight?” Melinda snickers nastily. “He actually threatened you.”
“Oh I did hear from Mr. Owens.” Fate’s Chosen Assassin smirks knowingly. “It is rather amusing for him to think that he could threaten me. He is upset that I injured his girl, Ms. Adamson. He shouldn’t blame me. Blame Fate. Better yet, blame Ms. Adamson herself for tempting Fate. She put herself in harm’s way by taunting Fate itself. What happened was a mere consequence of that.” He shakes his head. “So let Mr. Owens howl. It is of no concern to me.”
“And what about next week?” Melinda asks curiously.
“The triple threat?” Sutter sighs. “Mr. Striker, a temperamental hot head with a violent streak; I see a lot of myself in him. I actually respect and appreciate him. Doing battle with him will be a genuine honor and privilege.”
“What about Sal?”
“Mr. Darius is a fool and a pathetic worm who has no business being on this roster.” The Assassin growls. “I will do SCW and this entire profession a favor by eliminating him from the sport permanently.”
“Oh I love it when you get intense like that.” Melinda purrs lovingly. She guides his head down so that she can plant a kiss on his lips. “Save that intensity for next week. Break him and Striker in half. Make an example out of them. Illustrate to CHBK and the rest of SCW what happens when you are overlooked and ignored. Bad things happen.”
“There you go again.” He laughs and then touches her nose. “Worrying too much over my career.”
“I’m about to be your wife, it’s my job to worry about you, babe.”
“Of course, it is human nature to worry about loved ones. Just try and remember that we are under the control of Fate. Whatever Fate has in store for us, whether it is in our private lives or in our public lives within the hallowed halls of Supreme Championship Wrestling, we will meet it head on. Together. As Fate intended.” He takes her by the hands. “Now come, let’s go, the car is just up ahead.”
Melinda nods her head and, arm in arm, the loving couple continue their walk through the now near empty parking area. The Assassin wasn’t lying when he said that the car was close. Just a few more feet and the two are practically on top of it. The rental car was parked in one of the premium spots near the elevator, an all-black Dodge Charger with dark-tinted windows and gleaming chrome rims. Clyde reached into his pocket, pulled out the key fob, and pressed the unlock button. The car gave a short beep and its lights flashed twice. Neither of them broke stride. A gust of warm, stagnant summer air swept through the garage, ruffling Melinda’s blazer and lifting strands of Clyde’s hair as they reached the car. She paused beside the passenger door, her gaze lingering on the horizon just past the ramp that led out into the Cleveland night.
“Allow me.” Ever the gentleman, Sutter walks over to the passenger’s side and opens the door for Melinda. She smiles sweetly at him. It is the picture of traditional romance. But this picturesque scene is instantly ended when a loud, unexpected, but not unfamiliar voice breaks the silence of the night.
“Clyde! “Yo, Clyde!"
The Assassin growls. His temper is beginning to flare because he knows this voice all too well. It is his friend from back home in Birmingham, England, his running buddy from when they were both just street thugs, the man who helped him find out the truth about his sister Lilith Sutter’s involvement in the murder of Archie Van Stanton. Yes, this is Joey. He has been bothering Clyde over and over again ever since they returned from Birmingham after learning that Lilith had fled to Russia to avoid prosecution for Archie’s murder. Sutter felt that Joey has been overly paranoid about Lilith’s criminal organization possibly trying to kill him now. To get Joey off his back, Clyde offered to let Joey stay in his apartment in Charlotte, North Carolina. He had hoped that allowing Joey to have the apartment as a ‘safe house’ of sorts would calm Joey down and, for awhile, it did. Apparently his paranoia is rearing its ugly head again. Joey is back and, by the shakiness of the short, wiry thin man’s frame, it appears to be worse than ever.
Melinda, for her part, can sense that her man is growing angry with the presence of Joey. The closer Joey gets, the angrier Clyde becomes, and Braddock can sense it. She leans in to whisper into his ear. “Calm down, Clyde. Don’t lose your temper.”
“I know.”
“Remember that he’s your friend.”
“I understand.” He nods his head. “Now please, get in the car. This will not last long.”
“Ok, fine,” she nods her head “just don’t hurt the poor sap.”
“I promise.”
Melinda reluctantly gets into the passenger’s seat. Sutter shuts the door. He approaches Joey, who is visibly shaking like a leaf. The thin wiry man is clearly bothered and yet his friend, Sutter, does not seem to care. The frustrated look of angst upon the face of The Assassin speaks volumes.
“What are you doing here, Joseph?”
“Look, Clyde, I’m sorry but I need your help!”
“You always need my help. What is different about today?”
“I helped you once!” Joey exclaims. “I helped you with your sister!”
“Yes, you did one favor for me. One. And ever since then you have been like a leech, or a cockroach, perhaps, vermin I cannot get rid of. I even gave you a safe place to stay, my apartment in Charlotte. If you want to be safe from whatever troubles you then you should be there. Yet instead you traveled all the way to Cleveland, at my place of work, to continue to agitate and annoy me?”
“Yeah…” Joey’s voice trails off. As scared as he is, Sutter is equally as intimidating and scary, perhaps even more so. Clyde gets up in his face imposing his presence.
“What, then, my dear friend, is so problematic that it would make you tempt Fate by coming all the way here to trouble me? To trouble my beloved?”
“Look, I get it, I know I’m not the person you want to see right now, and I know I can be a pain in the ass.” Joey sighs. “But that little safe house of yours in Charlotte, well, it isn’t as safe as you claimed it would be.”
“You’re paranoid, Joseph.” Clyde states. “Go home. Sleep. Better yet, get drunk.”
“This isn’t a problem I can just drink away.” Joey shakes his head emphatically. “I am being followed. I just know it!”
“This is even better.” Clyde sneers. “You believe you are being followed? By dangerous people?”
“Yes!” He points a finger at Clyde. “Probably your sister’s goons!”
“Yet you followed me here and, if you are correct, you led them to me.”
Joey’s face instantly goes pale as he realizes the enormity of what Sutter just implied. Joey shakes his head quickly. “Uh, I didn’t mean it…I just…”
“Shut up!” Sutter shouts angrily.
“Look, I’m afraid ok! You may not believe it, but I am being followed and it isn’t just paranoia!”
“What nonsense are you going on about?” The Assassin asks quickly and sternly with an annoyed tone of voice. “The only people who know of you are still in Europe. They know you from Birmingham, England. No one would have any idea, no one would even begin to think to search for you in a dump like Charlotte, North Carolina.”
“You’d think so wouldn’t you? But the joke’s on you!” Joey exclaims poking his finger on Clyde’s chest. “The apartment was broken into.”
“Get your finger off me.” Sutter swats Joey’s hand away. “What are you talking about?”
“The apartment, your place that you set me up with, it was broken into. I came home and the place was trashed. It was ransacked.”
Ever since he saw Joey’s arrival, Fate’s Chosen Assassin had been angry and frustrated, annoyed with having to deal with him again. But now that he has heard this news he is intrigued. Perhaps there is more to this story than he had initially thought? Sutter arches a brow out of curiosity.
“Was anything stolen?”
“I don’t think so.” Joey shrugs his shoulders. “But, uh, it does look like they were looking for something.”
“Did you go to the police?”
“Seriously?” Joey snickers. “Do I look like the kinda guy who go to the feds?”
“I’m being serious.” Clyde grabs Joey by the collar of his shirt and holds him up. “Did you go to the police?”
“No!” Joey shakes his head. “I wouldn’t get the police involved! Ever!”
“Good.” He gently lets Joey back down. “Because I need to see the scene for myself before we get the authorities involved.”
“Do you really think it is your sister?”
“It is possible.” He shakes his head. “She may still have connections to her people, but I would be shocked if she made such a move right now when she has so much heat on her, even if she is safe in Russia.”
“I wouldn’t think Russia is very safe, if you ask me.”
“Lilith is a unique individual, Joseph.”
“So are you, my man.” Joey smirks. “I mean that as a compliment, by the way.”
“Of course.” He nods his head. “Now if you will excuse me, my beloved and I are going to leave.”
“Wait, before you go…” Joey starts, Clyde turns around and faces Joey, he looks even more annoyed.
“Now what?”
“Uh…” Joey gulps “...since, uh, obviously it isn’t very safe to stay in your Charlotte apartment, do you have any other place I can stay?”
“No.”
“What?!” Joey exclaims. “After all I did for you? After putting myself in danger for you?! You’re going to leave a friend high and dry?”
“It isn’t my concern.”
“Oh come on, Clyde!” Joey drops to his knees and folds his hands, almost like his praying. He isn’t praying but he is begging. “Please, man! Let me stay with you! You have a place in Miami, right?”
“You really are delusional, aren’t you?” Clyde retorts. “You think I would let you stay with me and my beloved? If you are being targeted, putting you in the same home as my beloved puts her in just as much danger.”
“But what about me?! Your oldest friend!”
“What about you?”
“I’m begging you, man! Please let me stay!” Joey cries. “I promise not to be a bother! I promise I won’t be any trouble!”
“Ugh,” Sutter grows more and more frustrated by the second and finally he relents and nods his head “fine.”
“Really?”
“Yes. Just get up, you are embarrassing yourself.” Clyde states emphatically.
“Thank you! Thank you!” Joey stands up and starts to hug The Assassin but is pushed away.
“Just know this. You cannot stay long.”
“I’m only going to stay until I can find another place to stay.”
“Good. And there’s one other thing you should know.”
“Yeah?”
“If you so much as offend Melinda…I will break you in half.”
“Heh, funny guy.” Joey laughs. “I may be scum but you know me, I wouldn’t hit a lady.”
“I never said anything about hitting her. Even touching her. I know you wouldn’t do that because that would be a death sentence for you. If you so much as say something offensive around her, if you even annoy her, I will break you in half. Are we perfectly clear?”
Joey gulps and looks even more nervous than before. “Crystal.”
“Excellent. Now get in. We’re leaving.”
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June 26th, 2025
Cleveland, Ohio
Off Camera
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The final echoes of the crowd were fading into memory as the night descended upon Cleveland. The Rocket Mortgage FieldHouse, still glowing faintly with the remnants of spotlight flare and pyrotechnics, loomed in the background. Thousands upon thousands of fans once filled this place and filled it with the sounds of their cheers and jeers, but now, only the distant clatter of dismantled ring equipment, the occasional shrill burst of a walkie-talkie, and the sharp hiss of a departing bus broke the silence of the massive arena’s exterior. The parking structure, built like a concrete labyrinth beneath the adjacent plaza, was bathed in cold industrial light. Fluorescent fixtures flickered overhead, casting ghostly shadows against stained concrete pillars marked with faded alphanumeric identifiers, each one smudged with years of exhaust and weather. Oil stains glistened underfoot in small rainbow patches, and the lingering scent of gasoline, burnt rubber, and stale pretzels from the concession stands clung to the air. Somewhere deeper in the garage, a car door slammed and a low-pitched engine rumbled to life before sputtering off into the night.
Clyde Sutter’s boots echoed heavily as he walked, every step striking with a deliberate rhythm. The tall man, every inch of him carved like marble from relentless training and decades of brutal matches, towered over most. His long black hair, still damp with sweat, fell past his shoulders in uneven strands. Stray locks clung to the sharp angles of his jaw. He wore a sleeveless black shirt and black denim jeans. His expression was unreadable. Impassive. He wore the same look he always had. Nothing bothered him, for he was but Fate’s Chosen Assassin. Beside him, Melinda Braddock’s heels clicked with brisk precision, an elegant counterpoint to Clyde’s heavy gait. She moved like someone who knew exactly how much space she occupied and how to command it without saying a word. She wasn’t just accompanying him; she was escorting him, like a queen beside her king. Melinda was much shorter than Clyde, but her posture and aura made her seem just as imposing. Her blonde hair, curled and sleek, shimmered under the garage’s sterile light. Not a strand out of place. She wore a fitted white blazer over a champagne-hued satin blouse, her pencil skirt matching the hue of fresh pearl. A slim designer clutch was tucked under one arm, while her free hand swung with quiet confidence at her side. Everything about her, from the crisp line of her eyeliner to the red-bottomed stilettos that tapped across the pavement, screamed polish and power.
“You are tense.” Clyde says, breaking the silence between him and his lovely fiance as they continue their trek through the parking area. “What is bothering you, my beloved?”
“The same things that should be bothering you.” Melinda snaps back quickly. “Chris Lawler got a rematch to win back the Television Title. How many Television Title opportunities has Polly had and now she’s getting another? But you? What about you?”
“I received a rematch.”
“Thanks to Fans Choice.” She rolls her eyes. “But let’s be real, sweetie, if it had been left up to that dinosaur, you wouldn’t have received a rematch. That fool is showing obvious, blatant favoritism towards certain people, namely Syren, while giving hard working guys like you nothing.”
“Forcing her to battle me in an Underground Match is hardly favoritism, my love.”
“Yeah?” Skepticism drips from her voice. “Well why is it that Syren’s cronies were allowed to interfere in her matches to help her but when the Straders wanted to get involved in your match with Syren, suddenly SCW and CHBK gives a damn about a fair fight?”
“You are worry yourself over things that you have little control over, my love.” Sutter stops briefly to turn and plant a loving kiss on her lips. “Mr. Desoubrais will do whatever he wishes but even he cannot control Fate.”
“I know.” Melinda sighs as she leans into her man’s loving, strong grasp. “I just love you and want you to achieve your dreams. I want the very best for you and I hate to see people abuse you, people like him…people like Chance Owens.”
“Mr. Owens,” Fate’s Chosen Assassin chuckles with a sinister hint of mischief “yes, Mr. Owens will get what is coming to him in due course. All I want is you. Everything else, the materialistic possessions, the championships and accolades that blind the sheep on this roster, all of it is insignificant to you. As long as I have you, I am a happy man.”
“Then you can be happy knowing that we will be together for the rest of our lives.” Melinda says, grinning playfully.
“Excellent. And as far as championships are concerned, I am content to accept the opportunities awarded to me by Fate. Everything is designed by Fate. People like Mr. Desoubrais and Mr. Owens may think that they have control but they are sorely mistaken. Fate is in control and I will have my reward when Fate sees fit to give it to me and no one on this roster will stop me, because they cannot stop Fate.”
“Did you hear Chance tonight?” Melinda snickers nastily. “He actually threatened you.”
“Oh I did hear from Mr. Owens.” Fate’s Chosen Assassin smirks knowingly. “It is rather amusing for him to think that he could threaten me. He is upset that I injured his girl, Ms. Adamson. He shouldn’t blame me. Blame Fate. Better yet, blame Ms. Adamson herself for tempting Fate. She put herself in harm’s way by taunting Fate itself. What happened was a mere consequence of that.” He shakes his head. “So let Mr. Owens howl. It is of no concern to me.”
“And what about next week?” Melinda asks curiously.
“The triple threat?” Sutter sighs. “Mr. Striker, a temperamental hot head with a violent streak; I see a lot of myself in him. I actually respect and appreciate him. Doing battle with him will be a genuine honor and privilege.”
“What about Sal?”
“Mr. Darius is a fool and a pathetic worm who has no business being on this roster.” The Assassin growls. “I will do SCW and this entire profession a favor by eliminating him from the sport permanently.”
“Oh I love it when you get intense like that.” Melinda purrs lovingly. She guides his head down so that she can plant a kiss on his lips. “Save that intensity for next week. Break him and Striker in half. Make an example out of them. Illustrate to CHBK and the rest of SCW what happens when you are overlooked and ignored. Bad things happen.”
“There you go again.” He laughs and then touches her nose. “Worrying too much over my career.”
“I’m about to be your wife, it’s my job to worry about you, babe.”
“Of course, it is human nature to worry about loved ones. Just try and remember that we are under the control of Fate. Whatever Fate has in store for us, whether it is in our private lives or in our public lives within the hallowed halls of Supreme Championship Wrestling, we will meet it head on. Together. As Fate intended.” He takes her by the hands. “Now come, let’s go, the car is just up ahead.”
Melinda nods her head and, arm in arm, the loving couple continue their walk through the now near empty parking area. The Assassin wasn’t lying when he said that the car was close. Just a few more feet and the two are practically on top of it. The rental car was parked in one of the premium spots near the elevator, an all-black Dodge Charger with dark-tinted windows and gleaming chrome rims. Clyde reached into his pocket, pulled out the key fob, and pressed the unlock button. The car gave a short beep and its lights flashed twice. Neither of them broke stride. A gust of warm, stagnant summer air swept through the garage, ruffling Melinda’s blazer and lifting strands of Clyde’s hair as they reached the car. She paused beside the passenger door, her gaze lingering on the horizon just past the ramp that led out into the Cleveland night.
“Allow me.” Ever the gentleman, Sutter walks over to the passenger’s side and opens the door for Melinda. She smiles sweetly at him. It is the picture of traditional romance. But this picturesque scene is instantly ended when a loud, unexpected, but not unfamiliar voice breaks the silence of the night.
“Clyde! “Yo, Clyde!"
The Assassin growls. His temper is beginning to flare because he knows this voice all too well. It is his friend from back home in Birmingham, England, his running buddy from when they were both just street thugs, the man who helped him find out the truth about his sister Lilith Sutter’s involvement in the murder of Archie Van Stanton. Yes, this is Joey. He has been bothering Clyde over and over again ever since they returned from Birmingham after learning that Lilith had fled to Russia to avoid prosecution for Archie’s murder. Sutter felt that Joey has been overly paranoid about Lilith’s criminal organization possibly trying to kill him now. To get Joey off his back, Clyde offered to let Joey stay in his apartment in Charlotte, North Carolina. He had hoped that allowing Joey to have the apartment as a ‘safe house’ of sorts would calm Joey down and, for awhile, it did. Apparently his paranoia is rearing its ugly head again. Joey is back and, by the shakiness of the short, wiry thin man’s frame, it appears to be worse than ever.
Melinda, for her part, can sense that her man is growing angry with the presence of Joey. The closer Joey gets, the angrier Clyde becomes, and Braddock can sense it. She leans in to whisper into his ear. “Calm down, Clyde. Don’t lose your temper.”
“I know.”
“Remember that he’s your friend.”
“I understand.” He nods his head. “Now please, get in the car. This will not last long.”
“Ok, fine,” she nods her head “just don’t hurt the poor sap.”
“I promise.”
Melinda reluctantly gets into the passenger’s seat. Sutter shuts the door. He approaches Joey, who is visibly shaking like a leaf. The thin wiry man is clearly bothered and yet his friend, Sutter, does not seem to care. The frustrated look of angst upon the face of The Assassin speaks volumes.
“What are you doing here, Joseph?”
“Look, Clyde, I’m sorry but I need your help!”
“You always need my help. What is different about today?”
“I helped you once!” Joey exclaims. “I helped you with your sister!”
“Yes, you did one favor for me. One. And ever since then you have been like a leech, or a cockroach, perhaps, vermin I cannot get rid of. I even gave you a safe place to stay, my apartment in Charlotte. If you want to be safe from whatever troubles you then you should be there. Yet instead you traveled all the way to Cleveland, at my place of work, to continue to agitate and annoy me?”
“Yeah…” Joey’s voice trails off. As scared as he is, Sutter is equally as intimidating and scary, perhaps even more so. Clyde gets up in his face imposing his presence.
“What, then, my dear friend, is so problematic that it would make you tempt Fate by coming all the way here to trouble me? To trouble my beloved?”
“Look, I get it, I know I’m not the person you want to see right now, and I know I can be a pain in the ass.” Joey sighs. “But that little safe house of yours in Charlotte, well, it isn’t as safe as you claimed it would be.”
“You’re paranoid, Joseph.” Clyde states. “Go home. Sleep. Better yet, get drunk.”
“This isn’t a problem I can just drink away.” Joey shakes his head emphatically. “I am being followed. I just know it!”
“This is even better.” Clyde sneers. “You believe you are being followed? By dangerous people?”
“Yes!” He points a finger at Clyde. “Probably your sister’s goons!”
“Yet you followed me here and, if you are correct, you led them to me.”
Joey’s face instantly goes pale as he realizes the enormity of what Sutter just implied. Joey shakes his head quickly. “Uh, I didn’t mean it…I just…”
“Shut up!” Sutter shouts angrily.
“Look, I’m afraid ok! You may not believe it, but I am being followed and it isn’t just paranoia!”
“What nonsense are you going on about?” The Assassin asks quickly and sternly with an annoyed tone of voice. “The only people who know of you are still in Europe. They know you from Birmingham, England. No one would have any idea, no one would even begin to think to search for you in a dump like Charlotte, North Carolina.”
“You’d think so wouldn’t you? But the joke’s on you!” Joey exclaims poking his finger on Clyde’s chest. “The apartment was broken into.”
“Get your finger off me.” Sutter swats Joey’s hand away. “What are you talking about?”
“The apartment, your place that you set me up with, it was broken into. I came home and the place was trashed. It was ransacked.”
Ever since he saw Joey’s arrival, Fate’s Chosen Assassin had been angry and frustrated, annoyed with having to deal with him again. But now that he has heard this news he is intrigued. Perhaps there is more to this story than he had initially thought? Sutter arches a brow out of curiosity.
“Was anything stolen?”
“I don’t think so.” Joey shrugs his shoulders. “But, uh, it does look like they were looking for something.”
“Did you go to the police?”
“Seriously?” Joey snickers. “Do I look like the kinda guy who go to the feds?”
“I’m being serious.” Clyde grabs Joey by the collar of his shirt and holds him up. “Did you go to the police?”
“No!” Joey shakes his head. “I wouldn’t get the police involved! Ever!”
“Good.” He gently lets Joey back down. “Because I need to see the scene for myself before we get the authorities involved.”
“Do you really think it is your sister?”
“It is possible.” He shakes his head. “She may still have connections to her people, but I would be shocked if she made such a move right now when she has so much heat on her, even if she is safe in Russia.”
“I wouldn’t think Russia is very safe, if you ask me.”
“Lilith is a unique individual, Joseph.”
“So are you, my man.” Joey smirks. “I mean that as a compliment, by the way.”
“Of course.” He nods his head. “Now if you will excuse me, my beloved and I are going to leave.”
“Wait, before you go…” Joey starts, Clyde turns around and faces Joey, he looks even more annoyed.
“Now what?”
“Uh…” Joey gulps “...since, uh, obviously it isn’t very safe to stay in your Charlotte apartment, do you have any other place I can stay?”
“No.”
“What?!” Joey exclaims. “After all I did for you? After putting myself in danger for you?! You’re going to leave a friend high and dry?”
“It isn’t my concern.”
“Oh come on, Clyde!” Joey drops to his knees and folds his hands, almost like his praying. He isn’t praying but he is begging. “Please, man! Let me stay with you! You have a place in Miami, right?”
“You really are delusional, aren’t you?” Clyde retorts. “You think I would let you stay with me and my beloved? If you are being targeted, putting you in the same home as my beloved puts her in just as much danger.”
“But what about me?! Your oldest friend!”
“What about you?”
“I’m begging you, man! Please let me stay!” Joey cries. “I promise not to be a bother! I promise I won’t be any trouble!”
“Ugh,” Sutter grows more and more frustrated by the second and finally he relents and nods his head “fine.”
“Really?”
“Yes. Just get up, you are embarrassing yourself.” Clyde states emphatically.
“Thank you! Thank you!” Joey stands up and starts to hug The Assassin but is pushed away.
“Just know this. You cannot stay long.”
“I’m only going to stay until I can find another place to stay.”
“Good. And there’s one other thing you should know.”
“Yeah?”
“If you so much as offend Melinda…I will break you in half.”
“Heh, funny guy.” Joey laughs. “I may be scum but you know me, I wouldn’t hit a lady.”
“I never said anything about hitting her. Even touching her. I know you wouldn’t do that because that would be a death sentence for you. If you so much as say something offensive around her, if you even annoy her, I will break you in half. Are we perfectly clear?”
Joey gulps and looks even more nervous than before. “Crystal.”
“Excellent. Now get in. We’re leaving.”
![[Image: XJiTNy0.png]](https://i.imgur.com/XJiTNy0.png)
Career Achievements
MWE Television Champion 2x
MWE Riot Champion 1x
GCW World Tag Team Champion 1x
SCW Television Champion 1x