Traveling. There is nothing Like it.

Shadow's Anger

Not the Music You Would Expect Though

The loud revving engine of the A.K.A. truck fills the air. It’s Wednesday, November 18, 2009, the day of Overdrive. Slade and Shadow are tearing ass I-880 heading from San Francisco to San Jose. They have been driving all over this entire week in order to get the attention of everyone who will look. The fake donkey in the back shakes as the truck roars down the highway past other cars all the while, inside the car Slade and Shadow blare some Motley Crue, the Dr. Feelgood CD. The song is on “Kick Start my Heart” as Slade pushes the gas pedal down and the engine fires down the concrete. Shadow is leaning back in his custom bucket seat that Slade installed. It was a whole lot better than the single bench seat that came with the model. Slade made several modifications to the truck, new CD player and sound system, not to mention the all new lighting system for the interior. It was a hell of a job Craven did to do all this work. Shadow actually was not involved in the remodeling at all. The Truck has been Slade’s pet project ever since he went on the wagon. As Shadow leans back in his chair he remembers Slade’s words when he showed up at the arena for the first time in the truck.

Slade- Hey, if I’m going to be on ‘On the Wagon’ I am going to be on one hell of a wagon.

Shadow listens to the song as he replays the events that transpired last week on Overdrive in his head, the attack from Victor Hades weighing heavily in his mind. Despite the recent change in outcomes, Slade and Shadow are still getting attacked. While they get the wins in the record books, the people who have it out for them are doing everything they can to make them seem like losers. Slade’s victory over Chris Cyrus was a nail in the coffin to half of the A.K.A/Axis feud. Now the only thing left for Shadow was to prove he could defeat Biggs, again. This was what awaited Shadow inside that dilapidated barn in Hayward California at the end of the month. Biggs and Shadow on the Experts stage. The last time Shadow took part in one of their matches he was working for ECFW, he walked away a victor after taking on Jack Killa. It was in June of last year, Crimson’s Quest. Jack Killa was someone Shadow fought again in DUW and decimated. That was an annoyance. Biggs was something different; he was a problem, one that had to be dealt with. Not because of who he was, but because of what he represented. Biggs was an example a wrestler who catapulted himself to superstardom without ever earning it. Shadow worked for years to get a singles title shot, and he fought hard to retain it. Biggs felt his defenses against meaningless imitators were the same as what Shadow stood against. No, instead they tarnished the gold around his waist. Even Shadow’s official rematch on Overdrive was a stain on the belt. It was time to finish what Shadow started at Shockwave. Rival Factions would be end of this war. However while Biggs alone is what awaited Shadow at Rival Factions, Biggs and Victor Hades awaited him tonight. That was not a problem either; it was Shadow’s tag partner who would be a problem. Last time Pence and Shadow teamed up, Pence failed to watch Shadow’s back and the match went to hell. But maybe thing would be different. It was something worth hoping for. While Shadow would love to trample Biggs and Hades in a handicap match, even Shadow knew the difference between bravery and suicide. If Pence successfully watched Shadow’s back tonight, he would do the same for the self proclaimed Reaper.

Slade- Hey Shadow, you asleep, man?

Craven cranks the volume on the stereo up, the song shaking the walls as Slade plows down the highway. He begins to sing along with the music as they sadly see traffic up ahead. Luckily they are only twenty miles out of San Jose and its not even noon yet. Shadow keeps thinking about Hades attack. The man was a sore loser. After all that boasting about being indestructible all it took was Shadow to wake Hades up. With his little fantasy world shatter, Hades could only sit in his corner and hope the razor blades would cut deep enough. After crushing Hades dreams of beating him, Shadow felt a true sense of accomplishment. That was gone though when Hades attacked Shadow from behind last week. With every swing, gave Shadow a reason to put him in his place, and that’s what would have to happen tonight. As much as Shadow longed to brutalize Biggs in front of the crowd, he would have to put that aside to split his focus between the two. The moment he shifts his full wrath upon one of them, the other will be able to cut him down. If that were to happen though, Pence would be the cavalry. His job tonight would be to protect Shadow, and vice versa. After the huge eight man tag match, it seemed like Pence and Shadow could Co-Exist, combined with last week’s save, perhaps Shadow could put some trust in Pence. After all, they shared a common enemy, Victor Hades.

Slade- Whoa! Yeah! Baby!

Shadow loved the song, and while Slade could sing somewhat, he wasn’t in the mood. He had to get his mind right for tonight. But, sadly, Slade would have none of it. “The Main Man’s” approach to fighting was to relax, not stress about anything and go out there and have a good time. While Shadow usually felt the same way, tonight was different, tonight was going to be ground zero. The song was coming to a close and Craven was flipping through the CD holder looking for a new CD.

Slade- Oasis or Bee Gees?

Shadow: What?

He turns to Craven who is rifling through the CDs as they are now sitting in traffic.

Slade- Take you pick, Oasis or Bee Gees?

Shadow: How long till we get there?

Slade- No idea.

Shadow: I don’t know dude. You pick.

Slade- Alright.

He pops in a CD that looks like a record and suddenly the opening to Staying Alive begins. Craven hits the power windows and cranks up the stereo to a level just short of blowing out the speakers. Everyone around them can hear the beat coming from this monstrous truck. Craven is smiling as he begins to sing.

Slade- Well, you can tell by the way I use my walk; I'm a woman's man, no time to talk. Music loud and women warm. I've been kicked around since I was born. And now it's all right, it's O.K. And you may look the other way. We can try to understand, The New York Times' effect on man.

Suddenly Shadow begins to sing as well, hell the song is a classic.

Slade and Shadow: Whether you're a brother, or whether you're a mother, You're stayin alive, stayin alive. Feel the city breaking and everybody shaking and we're stayin alive, stayin alive. Ah, ha, ha, ha, Stayin alive. Stayin alive. Ah, ha, ha, ha! Stayin alive!

People all around them can look up and see both the driver and passenger sort of bobbing their heads to the music. It’s a strange sight to see to hardcore ass kicking guys in a decked out diesel pick up truck rocking the Bee Gees. But that’s what is happening. As they sit there in traffic moving their necks to the Shadow thinks about Overdrive. Hades was so certain he would beat Shadow, he just couldn’t take the fact he lost. Same with Biggs, so sure of himself that he would win the ladder match. When Shadow’s arm was being raised Biggs could not live with the fact he lost. Defeat, its word people like Victor and Biggs cannot comprehend. They don’t realize that they are weaker, slower, or just plain less than Shadow. As they continue to listen to the song, Shadow’s nerves start to calm. It’s therapeutic and Slade is right. Over thinking, heavy debating and fretting over a match can hinder a person’s performance. The song draws to a close as Slade pops out the CD. They haven’t moved very far so Craven is switching things up.

Shadow: Oasis?

Slade- You bet your ass.

Shadow: Don’t you think that’s a little strange?

Slade- Not anymore than Bee Gees. Lets hit it!

Before Shadow can say another word the intro for Champagne Supernova begins to play. It’s a nostalgic song for him. There are stories that Slade used to tell about a friend who would drive faster and faster on the Dallas highways if you didn’t scream the lyrics at the top of your lungs. As Shadow remembers this Slade passes the police officer on the highway that has been slowing up traffic. He is busy writing a ticket and everyone else panicked thinking they were next. Slade begins to rev the engine as they drive, the roar telling Shadow that Craven is going to continue the tradition, he didn’t usually. The beginning lines of the song are heard as the truck his eighty miles an hour. Shadow knows it’s pointless to argue, celebrities get away with a lot in California. Instead, he decided to go along with it.

Shadow: Slowly walking down the hall! Faster than a cannonball!

Shadow begins to yell the lyrics, off key, at the top of his lungs. The wind whips through the windows of the truck blowing Slade and Shadow’s hair back. He lets his mind rest for a few minutes, well seven actually, as the song fills their ears. As Slade remains at eighty miles an hour, Shadow keeps screaming the lyrics. Finally, just before the song ends Shadow sees the sign for San Jose, and the exit for the arena. He points to the exit as Slade swerves, just for the hell of it, and cuts someone off. Finally the song comes to a close and Shadow reaches out to pause the stereo. He looks over at Slade who seems a little displeased with the music.

Shadow: So, been meaning to ask man, what’s with the donkey?

Slade- You mean Kelly?

Shadow pauses then turns around, looking out the rear window at the fake donkey in the back of the pick up truck. Slade keeps driving as Shadow just stares at the donkey in silence. Slade made the donkey’s gender slightly obvious.

Shadow: Dude, that donkey is a dude.

Slade- Kelly can be a guy’s name too, hey!

He gives a thumb’s up as Shadow looks at him in disbelief.

Shadow: What the hell?

Craven cuts him off.

Slade- The original slogan was not supposed to be “Hauling Ass” and all that stuff back there. It was supposed to just say, “Level One Sucks Ass.” But, Noooo! Jeff said I couldn’t use that one.

Shadow’s jaw drops. Craven didn’t just say that, did he? Horrible images of Slade driving a truck like that a across the country comes to mind. Then the real thought. What the hell stopped Jeff? Was it the idea Slade might have used a double sided cardboard cutout of Level One? Was it the possible lawsuits? Or would it have been the possibility of Slade getting arrested? Shadow: You’re kidding right?

Slade- Nope. Come on, you never thought about doing something like that? Maybe something about Biggs and his little bitch?

Shadow: The Beast?

Slade- I said ‘little.’

Shadow: No, I didn’t think about broadcasting something implying Biggs and Chris Cyrus were jousters. They do enough of that on their own.

Slade- Well what about Victor and Biggs? You don’t sense a Pulp Fiction like Gimp and Zed relationship there?

Shadow: I really don’t want to think about that. Hades is weird enough as is.

Slade- How many times you need to be told? His name is Victor, it ain’t Hades. It will never be Hades. He’s just plain old emo Victor. That man has no Greek legacy running through his veins. He is no different than John Green, piss and wind. Some bad ass he turned out to me. Pinned one, two, and three, just like everyone suspected. He has not earned any title like a former Greek god, or even earned a reference to raising hell.

Shadow: Okay, on that note, Pence. What do you think about him being called “The Reaper?”

Slade- Sure, the man is a former World Champion. He beat Level One, he can kick some ass. Let him call himself “The Reaper.” But you’re still worried about what happened before Test for the Best, the tag match between you two and Level One and Strange.

Shadow: A little, but the thing I am really wondering about is why in the hell he showed up. You were on your way to the ring, why is Pence jumping into this?

Slade- No idea.

Shadow stops the conversation there just nodding. There is something more going on here. He doesn’t know what. Slade senses Shadow is starting to brood again so he hits the pause button on the CD player once more and Wonderwall begins. Craven revs the engine loudly as they “Haul Ass” towards the arena. After a few seconds Shadow begins to sing, not because its ‘tradition,’ but because he doesn’t want to go to jail. Because if he goes to jail he will miss what’s going to happen tonight.