- Event: In GOD’s House
Winning the Tag Titles
2 years ago..
“Oh my God, I can’t believe it. High Octane Tag Team champions with John Sektor! This is the best night of my life!”
Adam Ellis and John Sektor had just successfully beaten Connor Fuse and David Noble for the Tag Team championships and Ellis was particularly elated. This was a hallmark in the early stages of his career under the guidance of his mentor John Sektor and he was understandably over the moon.
Sektor had been training hard for months leading up to this point. His no mercy approach to wrestling was finally showing signs of working off as Ellis had just contributed towards winning the Tag Team championships in a top tier wrestling company, which in Sektor’s eyes was the greatest and hardest company in the world to find success.
Ellis had honed his skills in MVW and now he was truly being tested, but under the protection and guidance of Sektor. He still didn’t have a solo contract in the company and would need to use this opportunity for further prove himself to Lee that he deserved one. Sektor vouching for Ellis was enough to convince Lee to allow him to team with him in HOW, but to get a proper contract he would need to prove it to God himself.
As Ellis beamed, Sektor remained reserved, carefully placing his half of the championships on the bench in front of his locker and turning to study his partner and apprentice.
“You’re still hesitating at times out there,” Sektor said bluntly.
This silenced Adam and caused his face to slowly transcend from glee to a state of confusion and concern. He just looked at his mentor, unsure how to respond.
“You allowed Fuse too much time to recover, that could have cost us had I not tagged myself and jumped on him,” he continued to explain.
“Seriously?” Adam gasped, almost laughing as though hoping that Sektor was just messing with him.
Sektor just stared at him calmly, waiting for a proper response.
“Can’t we just enjoy the moment? We just won the titles! Surely we can celebrate a little and then go over the match analysis another day?”
“Now is the perfect time for reflection, kid. Whilst its fresh in both of our minds. You know, that your performance was far from perfect tonight,” he continued.
“Yeah, sure I could have done better. But we got the job done. Isn’t that what matters?”
Sektor shook his head and sighed, rolling his eyes.
“No, kid. I, got the job done. I won the match. Sure, it was a team effort and you did your part. And on the whole the you did a pretty fucking good job and I’m proud of you. But there is still much to learn and we can’t waste time focussing on the good because that won’t you, or us as a team to get better.”
Adam nodded, hearing the sense in it but appearing like he just had the life sucked out of him. Sektor knew he was being a mood hoover, but he felt it was his duty as his mentor to keep him grounded.
“Hey, I’m not trying put a downer on this, Adam. You’re right, there is plenty to celebrate. You have achieved something great tonight and something that not many wrestlers at your stage in their career could ever hope to achieve. But if you want this HOW contract then you’re going to have to keep upping your game and that’s all I’m trying to do,” Sektor explained.
Adam forced a smile. “No, I understand, and you’re right. I want to keep getting better. So please, tell me.”
Sektor relaxed his posture and waved his hands before reaching for a towel.
“The same thing I keep telling you, Adam. You’re too honest in there. You need to be more ruthless and stop with this sportsmanship crap! You’re lucky those two are pussies who wrestle pretty honest themselves, but our next opponents will likely be savages. Remember, you control the pace of the match. You control your opponent. You’re the aggressor!”
Adam continued to nod, knowing full well what Sektor was saying was true.
“I know. I guess it’s just harder than I thought. It goes against my instincts at times and everything I’ve been taught to believe up until I met you,” he explained honestly.
“I know it is. You know the saying about teaching an old dog new tricks. My hope is that you’re still a puppy, because only by learning my way of doing things will you have a hope of making it hear. And I believe you can,” he explained.
Sektor walked over and picked up Adams title, placing it over Adams shoulder and laying his hand on the other.
“I will not fail you!”
Losing the Tag Titles..
“FUUUUUUUUCK!”
BANG! BANG! BANG! BANG!
Sektor’s fist worked on turning the front of his locker inside out as he repeatedly punched it. He and Ellis had just lost the Tag Team championships to JJR and Arthur Pleasant after a closely contested mat. In the end Adam was pinned and Sektor was unable to make the save. So once they both got backstage and in the locker room he let it all out in the only way he knew how.
Once he’d finished unloading on the locker he slumped down onto a bench and held his bruised and busted hand in front of him, bowing his head in disappointment.
“I’m sorry, John,” called the regretful voice of his apprentice Adam Ellis.
Sektor didn’t answer, he was still seething and going over every second of the match in his mind’s eye.
“I fucked up and cost us the titles. I’m so sorry, I don’t know what to say,” Adam continued, clearly upset with himself as well as the outcome.
Sektor eventually held up a hand to stop him but didn’t look up.
“No, Adam. We win as a team and we lose as a team. This isn’t just on you,” he admitted.
Adam didn’t take any comfort from this as he closed his eyes with further disappointment. Both men had experienced loss and they were both blaming themselves in their own way, such is the nature of losing.
“I could have done better, I know I could,” Adam continued. “Please, I know you want to tell me what I did wrong. Just get it over with.”
Sektor eventually looked up at Adam. His eyes had sadness in them. He knew the kid was hurting and he felt it. He also knew that he hadn’t been perfect that night, but he couldn’t hide the fact that he was holding Adam accountable.
“Adam, it’s the same shit I talk about every fucking day,” he began, letting out a deep sigh and shaking his head. “I’m sick to death of saying it. How may times do we need to go over this before you fucking get it?”
Adam looked at his mentor and swallowed hard, knowing full well what he was talking about.
“Tonight, we were facing a man who is a registered fucking sociopath. He has to be locked up in a secure facility between matches and his partner was just a fucking unhinged. If ever there was a time for you to show that you have learned to be ruthless, aggressive and merciless? It was tonight!”
Adam closed his eyes and bowed his head.
“I know-”
At this time in their lives Sektor had grown really fond of his apprentice. He treated him like he was the son he never had and only wanted what was best for him. But, he couldn’t hide his true feelings and he was still extremely angry.
“Thing is kid, you still surround yourselves with those dick heads from MVW. Fucking Joe Bergman, Ray MacVay, Bill Dickinson…they’re all giving you advice and polluting your mind, fucking confusing you! I’ve told you a hundred times to cut them all out of your life. No friends, no girlfriends, just you and me!”
“But that’s a lonely way to live,” Adam replied.
BANG!
Sektor’s hand swung backwards and crashed into the locker behind him.
“That’s the ONLY WAY TO LIVE!”
His yell was deafening as he gritted his teeth at Adam, appearing like a rabid dog.
“I sacrificed, everyone and everything to get to where I am today. Everyone around you is toxic. They are a
fucking mould that needs to be surgically removed because you chose to study under me! If you want to become like me then you need to only listen to ME!”
Adam stayed silent, unsure how to respond as Sektor eventually sighed and shook his head.
“You need to decide who you are and what you want, Adam. I can only guide you so far. You need to find the rest of the way there yourself..”
The House of God (Miami)
Present day..
The weather was near perfect in Miami, not too hot but pleasantly warm with a slight breeze. The Gold Standard was making the most of the last couple of days before the big event which would be taking place in God’s House. He was doing lengths of the swimming pool, just enough exercise to keep the muscles and joints warm and moving, but not enough to put any unnecessary strain before his title defence.
He’d done all the hard grafting in the early phases of his preparations. This wasn’t the time for tiring his arms or legs by lifting weights, nor was it the time for overly exhaustive cardio. This was the time to mentally prepare and focus before he settles matters with his former student, once and for all.
He stopped as he reached the side of the pool, noticing an EPU agent walking towards him. He waited, resting on the side of the pool on his arms.
“Sir, there’s a young woman who arrived at the gate. Say’s you asked her to come here? Say’ her names-”
“-Eve?” he interrupted. “Yeah, let her through,” he instructed, lifting himself out of the pool.
The EPU gave an affirmative nod and reached for his radio. “Yeah let her through.”
Sektor hoisted himself out of the pool and stood on the side, slicking back his wet black hair with his hands and turning his face towards the sun. He closed his eyes and enjoyed the feeling of the warmth on his skin as beads of water glistened on his tanned and toned body. He then picked up a bathrobe from the side of the pool and wrapped it around himself, sliding on a pair of havana thongs so as not to burn his feet on the tiled path that led up to some outside seating. He took a seat at a small round table which overlooked the gardens and pool area, pouring himself a glass of water from a pitcher that had ice, lemons and limes in it.
It took a while for Eve to make her way all the way up the long road from the bottom gate to the front door of Lee’s mansion, and then a little time to be frisked by the EPU agents before being escorted through the house. Eventually she appeared and Sektor could see her beijing gestured in his direction by one of the agents. She seemed to thank him before heading over towards the HOTV champion, a pleasant smile on her face as she greeted him.
“Hi,” she said nervously.
Sektor offered her a half smile as he motioned for her to take a seat.
“There’s some water if you would like a drink,” he offered, but not offering to pour her it for her.
“Thanks. Gee, security is tight around here, huh? You expecting a terrorist attack or something?” she laughed.
This made Sektor smile. “Lee doesn’t want the fans getting near the house. This is the first time he’s hosted a pay per view in one of his homes. We once watched the HOW fans tear down the Best arena. You can’t be took careful,” he explained.
“Shit, I remember that! War Games, right?”
Sektor nodded, looking impressed. “You know your history!”
It only felt like yesterday to Sektor, but this girl was only just twenty, and would have still been in braces when that event took place. She seemed awestruck as she looked around at the surroundings with wide eyes.
“Can’t believe I’m in Lee Best’s house, drinking water with John Sektor,” she marked.
Sektor smiled and took a sip of water whilst she blushed and quickly removed the smile from her own face with embarrassment.
“Fuck, listen to me, I sound like such a fucking fan girl. I’m so sorry, ignore me-”
“Relax!” he reassured her, shaking his head.
The two shared a silence for a moment. It was deliberate on Sektor’s part. When he offered her a spot as his new apprentice he had done so somewhat spontaneously and he was worried he had been too rash. Sure, she had impressed him and displayed all of the qualities he was looking for, but he didn’t know anything about her personality. The last thing he wanted was some talkative little bitch driving him crazy all the time.
To his relief she remained quiet and composed, waiting for him to move the conversation along.
“You are probably wondering why I asked you here today?” he began, not allowing her to answer. “As you know, the pay per view is only two days away now. As my new apprentice, I think it’s important that you start shadowing me immediately and see how I behave during this period.”
“Yeah, I’d love that. Just to be able to observe you would be so insightful-”
She stopped talking the second he raised his hand.
“As you also know, I will be defending my HOTv championship. But this match is so much more than that. This is about me, taking on my former apprentice.”
She nodded. She followed everything and was well aware of what this match entailed and what was on the line for both Sektor and Adam.
“I think it’s important that you see what happens between us.”
The colour drained from her face. She was a smart girl and she knew that this was some kind of warning from Sektor. It was one of those, ‘cross me and you’ll end up like Adam Ellis’ kind of statements.
“You want me to be at ringside?” she gasped, somewhat excitedly.
Sektor shook his head and sat back in his seat.
“No. At this point I don’t even know if there’s going to be a ring. Lee is keeping his cards close to his chest where this event is concerned. But it doesn’t matter where he and I compete or how we do it. What matters is the result and how we get there. You’ll be watching though, I’ll see to that.”
She smiled and took a nervous sip of water. Her lips moved as though she wanted to say or ask something but she resisted.
“What?”
“Hmm?” she replied.
“I know that look. What do you want to ask me?”
She hesitated but found the courage to ask. “Just, you and Adam. What happened between the two of you? What made you part ways?”
Sektor let out a deep sigh.
“Well-”
REFUELED XCVIII- May 15th, 2022
We had just lost a tag match against Darin Zion and Connor Fuse. Fuck, more like I lost it. I took the pin and unlike when we lost the Tag Team titles I couldn’t blame Adam. At least, I shouldn’t have blamed him. I wasn’t in the right frame of mind that night. I was elsewhere and I went into that ring knowing we were going to lose. I didn’t want to be there. I wanted to be as far away from there as possible. There will be times in your career when you feel like walking away. You either fight through it or you walk away and take a break. Burnout is real and sometimes you just need a rest. We’re all human after all.
The sad part about that night is that even though I lost us the match and took the pin? Adam still blamed himself..
“I’m sorry, John,” he said.
“The fuck you sorry for?”
“I should have made the save. It’s on me, I fucked up again..”
I didn’t correct him. Not because I wanted him to shoulder any blame or because it made me feel better or anything. I just didn’t care any more. That match meant nothing to me. Wrestling meant nothing to me any more and I just wanted out.
I can still remember the look on his face when I said the next sentence.
“I think it’s time we went our separate ways, kid.”
It was a look like when you pick up a kids favourite toy and break it in front of them.
“What? What do you mean?”
“You heard me. We’re done, Adam.”
“You don’t mean that, you aint thinking straight-”
“Fucking LISTEN TO ME!” I roared.
He looked so hurt, but I didn’t care.
“I can’t help you any more, Adam. I’ve taken you as far as I can take you. Your skills and technique have come a long way and you’ve got some great experience under your belt.”
“No,” he pleaded. “Don’t do this, John. Don’t you fucking do this!”
“Kid, I’ve tried for over a year to teach you to be like me. But no matter what I do or say you just cannot and will not change.”
“I can do better. Just-”
“NO! You aren’t listening to me. I’ve failed you Adam. I thought I could change who you are, what you believe in, how you think. But you are who you are Adam and this? You and me, it just doesn’t work any more.”
There was an awkward silence. I turned away from him because I couldn’t stand to see that look on his face any longer. Eventually he spoke.
“So what are you going to do now?”
“I’m going to go away for a while.”
“Will you come back?”
“I don’t know. The way I feel right now, no. But you’ll be fine..”
“The hell I will! Lee isn’t going to want me if you’re not around. You’re the only one who believes in me!”
“You believe in you. Lee has my endorsement. I’m sure it’s just a matter of time before he offers you that contract. If you’re smart you’ll sit tight, work hard and when that day comes you’ll say yes.”
He didn’t say anything else after that. The last words I said to him face to face, man to man were..
“Forget everything I ever said, Adam. Just be you..”
Present day..
“I was wrong in thinking that I could change him. You see, unlike you Adam was already a professional wrestler in MVW when he became my apprentice. He’d already had too much influence from other people during his development and his beliefs and ideologies were set in stone. Didn’t matter what I did, I was never going to change him.”
Sektor peered down at Eve, who hung on his every word.
“You, on the other hand, are a blank canvas. If you listen to me and do exactly what I say, when I say it, then perhaps you might just end up succeeding where Adam failed,” he explained, offering her an assuring smirk.
Her back straightened as a determined look came over her.
“I’ll do whatever it takes, sir,” she replied.
“Good. And stop it with the sir shit, I aint your fucking school teacher. John is fine.”
Sektor could tell she was still curious, so he decided to save her the effort of asking.
“Everything I was trying to teach Adam was to prepare him for survival. But really, everything was to prepare him for this moment.”
“You mean this match?”
“I knew this day would come. Originally I wanted this to be my retirement match. He was to be my prodigy and the one to take the torch from me and carry on my legacy. Now, it’s a good old fashioned grudge match.”
Eve pondered something and found the courage to ask.
“Do you think it will be hard for you? Competing against someone that you were once so close to?”
Sektor’s smile twisted and spread across his lips like wet paint dripping down the side of a window. He leaned in closer, his eyes narrowing like a serpent ready to spring.
“This is what you need to understand about me. Once that bell rings?”
SNAP!
Eve stared at his finger and thumb as they snapped together in front of her face.
“-It doesn’t matter who you are or what we’ve had. You are an enemy and I will rip your head off and wipe my feet in your blood without giving it a second thought.”
Surprisingly to Sektor he saw Eve smile and nod as though she understood.
“That is what I am trying to drill into all of you in the Academy. This is the mindset you need to have. And Adam?”
He raised his eyebrows and took a long controlled breath as he relaxed back into his seat.
“If he hopes to stand any chance against me then he’s going to have to remember my teachings. Because that is the only way he can beat me on Sunday.”
He stood up abruptly which startled Eve slightly. She watched from her seated position as he outstretched his arms and gestured around his surroundings.
“HERE, IN GOD’S HOUSE!” He yelled, smiling from ear to ear. “We will find out what Adam?”
He looked down at Eve with a blood hungry grin all over his face.
“-is really made of!”