Where was Marcus Gaines?

[Yes, I'm sure the questions were asked in abundance after Sean Fury made the announcement. Some people were interested, others probably could have cared less. People in the audience and those in back involved in the whole Gladiator title business must have been interested as to the whereabouts of Marcus Gaines. ]

Did he chicken out?

[Hell no he didn't chicken out. Marcus wanted nothing more than a shot at that title. He wanted to have the oppurtunity to either cram Johnny Viscous' words right back down his blow job giving throat just to spite him. He wanted to be able to show the Himagaji bimbo just where it was she should be, and where she shouldn't.]

Did he get ill?

[I think just about everyone knows, that only a serious illness could keep any wrestler from going out in the ring and performing, plus the promoter just wouldn't allow someone to sit out just because of a headache. And Marcus surely wouldn't let anything short of the ebola virus stop him from competing. And even if Gaines were sick, there is no way that could account for no one hearing from him.]

So then what the hell happened?

[Now hold your horses there. Let's not blurt out obscenities till the cows come home. There is a perfectly logical, and very good reason why Marcus Gaines never showed up for the pay per view on Sunday. For those unbeknownst, or unfamiliar with Marcus Gaines, allow me to fill you in on any gaps that may be missing from your knowledge of the man, no matter how limited that may be.]

Okay, cut to the chase.

[All right, all right. Marcus Gaines, is quite frankly a nut. I see no need to go over his long and very storied past, but needless to say. Marcus Gaines was going to a psychiatrist to help diagnose and cure a myriad of problems plagueing the man. His psychiatrist, doctor Debra Coleman, was a breathtakingly beautiful woman, whom Marcus callously fell in love with. He seemed to believe he may very well have a chance at having her heart, and in turn giving his own to her. But to make a long story short, doctor Coleman didn't have the same feelings. Marcus disgusted her, to the extent where she'd almost do anything to dump his case onto some other unsuspecting head shrinker.]

[Along the way, Gaines joined the GWA, and started his career as a proffesional wrestler. But the long road trips away from psychotherapy began to take it's toll on Marcus' mental condition. Lack of treatment and exposure to a medical environment intensified his condition. Nothing could be more evident than when he paid a visit to his old martial arts instructor when he was a boy, Tetsuo Kagutagaki. Needless to say, Marcus was set off, and brutally murdered the man without thinking a single thought. Pure action, no emotion behind it, no motive other than Kagutagaki was in the wrong place at the wrong time.]

[Marcus probably never even remembered doing it after the fact. He left blocking the whole experience from his mind, or perhaps it was merely erased, like chalk on a chalkboard. The police found the body a week later, and soon sought out the murderer. But with no witnesses, no forensic evidence at the crime scene, and no trace of any forced entry left the police with no leads, and nothing to go on other than the body itself. This was all seen through the crystal ball of a fortune teller. Marcus was shown it all, and had knowledge that out of some bizarre coincidence, two policemen on the case were in fact going to be at the Pay Per View on Sunday night.]

[Coincidental or no, Marcus shrugged the experience off, thinking absolutely nothing more of it. What are the odds, that in a big city, these cops could somehow pin the murder on Marcus Gaines, let alone just coincidentally happen to run into him? And so he forgot about what the fortune teller said. Except for the idea that the one woman who could affect him more deeply than even the cells in his own body, Debra Coleman was dangerous for him, and to stay away from her. Seeing as he was out of her area code he didn't have much choice to stay away from her, now did he?]

[The second murder was more brutal than the first. A journalist, out to make a buck used Marcus to get himself somewhere other than writing small column stories that got printed on the twelfth page of a newspaper. And with one too many slips of the tongue by the brash reporter, sent him keeling over in pain as Marcus rained blows down upon him. Marcus didn't stop until the man neither moved nor breathed. This time however, forces beyond anyone's control happened. Don't ask me how, or what I believe actually happened, because it's my duty to be unbiased.]

[But as it turns out, the entire story was written out on the computer screen that was read by Debra Coleman herself. How it happened for her to read it is completely unknown. You can never explain coincidences, you just have to understand that they can happen; The whole idea of synchronicity (Refer to Freud and Jung.). Debra sought out the police, she finally had evidence to get Marcus away from her forever, I'm sure there were times when she feared for her own life being around Gaines. If you're wondering why Debra was in fact in town to watch the pay per view with her new boyfriend, whom was indirectly involved in wrestling.]

"And the nightmare rides on..."

!-----------------!

Half a day before the End of Innocence Pay Per View

[I don't think the criminal process has ever moved as quickly, or as smoothly. In a single day, Marcus found himself in jail, with half a day remaining before the Innocence Lost pay per view. Here he sat, on the termite infested county jail, merely awaiting transportation to a maximum security prison, without due process, without a trial. There was evidence, and eye witness reports finally. It had sunk in completely and totally now. Marcus was disallowed any privileges, no phone calls, no lawyers, nothing. How had he gotten himself into this? If only he had listened to her, the gypsy woman wasn't bad at all.]

[Marcus watched as Barret glided grinning toward his cell. A slight gash had made it's way on his cheek from the scuffle earlier, but he was smiling from ear to ear, mainly at the prospect of seeing Marcus in a position far worse than he himself could place the man in. Gaines sneered at Barret as he stood up moving towards the tightly crafted steel bars. Barret took a moment to inspect the bars' perimeter, then with his smile, ever growing, began to speak.]

Barret: You know, Marcus. Seeing you behind bars, for what could be a long time, well it makes my heart weep. I mean, tomorrow is the big day isn't it? Gladiator title up for grabs. And look where you are. You can't even make a damn phone call to tell them you won't be showing up.

[In an instant, Marcus remembered the Gladiator title, in a surge of anger, Marcus rushed the bars only to grab at air, as Barret pulled his fluidic body away from Marcus' grasp.]

Barret: I would have much rather beat you down in the ring, you know. But I find it much more satisfying to know, that I have what you want more than anything in the world, and there isn't a thing you can do about it.

[Marcus rested, breathing heavily as Barret took a moment to savor the situation.]

Barret: And, you know what else? And this might eat you up even more. The odds, are, within a few weeks, I'll be getting my crack at that very Gladiator title. I joined the GWA. Isn't that a shot in the arm? I finally have everything I've ever wanted, and look at you. Standing behind bars, about to be shipped off for life, It's pathetic really. Honestly, you had a legitimate shot at that title, I mean just look at who your competition is. A purple haired b*tch, a womanizing prick who couldn't hit the broadisde of a barn with a volleyball, and some guy who got a bye in his first two rounds of competition. You would have had a clear shot for that title. Pity.

[Barret took a final breath, one that was rife with confidence and satisfaction, and turned his back to Marcus and walked out of sight.]

"I shot it now, it don't come back no more."

!-----------------!

An hour and a half earlier

[Barret paced, practically burning a hole in the often-trodden ceramic tile. Medical technicians as they'd like to be called worked at getting Debra to wake up. After alerting Barret, she had lapsed into unconciousness. Here he now stood outside of a hospital room, they had been rushed so quickly to a hospital. Images and words flashed through Barret's mind like a torrential downpour in the Amazon rainforest, one after another anger built up inside of him. Marcus Gaines had caused this to Debra, and not only that, Marcus had killed a close friend of her's.]

[Through clenched fists and angry grunts and snorts, Barret approached from behind by one Marcus Gaines, here he had followed them in fact. Marcus wasn't thinking rationally, the only answer he could possibly have was to hurt Barret, and remove him from the picture. And as he saw Barret pacing, the anger increased to a boiling point, and rushed towards him, slamming him face first into a wall. Barret quickly turned and finally looked upon the smug face of Marcus. Anger took control, and Barret pushed Marcus back into the opposite wall.]

Gaines: [Through clenched teeth.] You little f*cker. She's mine.

Barret: B#stard! You did this to her. I'll kill you, you rat b#stard.

[Hospital staff heard the commotion, running towards it. Security rushed towards the two men who seemed to be at each other's throats in the most literal sense. And as security pulled the two away from each other, Barret put the final nail in Marcus' metaphoric coffin. It wasn't even intentional, Barret wanted nothing more than to take the fight outside where no one could rightfully stop these two from tearing each other limb from limb, simply over a woman. But the words came out on their own volition, almost like they were meant to be said, intentionally or not.]

Barret: Security, this man is a murderer, and I have proof.

[Even Barret was shocked at the words, Marcus stood dumbstruck, struggling in the grip of a rather large security officer. It was bewildering how easily the guards believed it. As if they knew it was the truth the second the words were uttered. The realization of the trouble he was in fact in had begun to set into Marcus' brain. Nothing could finally save him from his fate. He had simply come for Debra, and here he was, basically caught red-handed.]

"It falls apart, in little pieces on the floor."

!-----------------!

Half an hour earlier

[Debra Coleman walked calmly through the halls of the sterile looking newspaper building, gliding gracefully around the corners. The light ahead marked her destination. It had been so long since she had had a face to face meeting with her old college friend, Sam Gretchen. A smile coursed over her scarlet red lips as she entered into the quiet newsroom. It seemed to be completely deserted, a fact that only slightly chilled Debra. It had been preordained that they were to meet here.]

[She looked over the room, a spacious set up filled with rows of desks all perfectly aligned, with a computer resting atop each. Several rather large offices lined the far wall, separated from the newsroom by slightly tinted glass partitions. She marched forward thinking she might be the victim of a prank on Sam's part. She glanced from side to side as she slowly made her way down an aisle of desks. She walked down to the very end of the row, when out of nowhere a chilly feeling brushed over her, like cold icy fingers raking their way over her skin, she shuddered at the thought, and turned down a second aisle of desks.]

[Maybe she failed to notice the computer's on light when she first looked at it, there are so many explanations for why things happen, there is always the possibility that our conclusion isn't the right one. But, in Debra's mind, this was the only rational explantion for suddenly hearing the monitor for the computer suddenly switch on, revealing a white screen, with words typed. She figured in her head that it had already been on, and she stepped forward out of curiosity. She skimmed over the first page, then slid down more, her eyes began to widen as the subject matter soon began to hit home.]

[Her mouth dropped open as she read the final lines. Her heart pounded for a moment, and it seemed as if it would just burst if were to beat as powerfully as it had just then. A tear traced down her cheek, as she keeled over onto her back, hitting her head off the edge of the desk on the way. It must have made a rather loud slamming sound, or something must have made a noise, for almost instantaneously, Barret Whistler rushed into the room. He had been waiting for Debra near the elevator, he and Debra were to go out for lunch with Debra's friend.]

[As he came over to her, a shocked look came over his face as he saw this beautiful creature lying dazedly on the ground, wailing like a banshee, either in pain or in shock. He crouched over and investigated her like a mother would a baby. She made an effort to point at the desk, and Barret noticed. He stood up and looked at the monitor. Reading for a moment, the muscles in his jaw flexed several times, clenching his teeth together tightly in rage. And quickly, he rushed over to a phone dialing for the police.]

"We ride the waves, and don't ask where they go."

!-----------------!

Several minutes before

[It was almost too coincidental, he had been walking across the street, simply to get to a newstand to buy a paper, and a momentary glance in the other direction yielded pain, and heartache all in one breath. The cold air wheezed out of Marcus' lungs as he watched his beloved therapist, Debra walk hand in hand across the other side of the street with a man he vaguely recognized. It was... it was that man he had talked to only a month or two ago; Barret Whistler. Gaines stopped in the middle of the cross walk and turned and watched the couple walk across the street, looking into one another's eyes wistfully, with nothing but love for one another.]

[Had it not been for the cacophonous horn honk of a taxi cab, Marcus would have watched the pair even after they had disappeared completely from his line of sight. He got out of the car's way after the third honk, and the dismay at seeing what he had just seen had left, leaving anger and pain in it's wake. He finally made his way to the sidewalk, and bent over to hold his stomach, as if the whole thing was about to up and fall from his gut.]

[A passerby, one out of oh so many stopped, and stood concerned about Marcus' health. Possibly the last good samaritan, an old man at that wearing a hat and overcoat with matching cane put his hand on the small of Marcus' back causing Marcus to reel in surprise, looking at the man trying his best to cover up any pain that might shine through his usually calm exterior.]

Samaritan: I'm terribly sorry to startle you, young man, but I wasn't sure if you were going to throw up or just drop dead there.

[He smiled a kind smile at Marcus, which Marcus could only return with a fake chuckle, trying to get this old man to leave him be.]

Gaines: Yeah, I'm fine. I just... had a bit of a stomach pain for a second there.

[The man smiled warmly at Marcus, and patted him on the shoulder.]

Samaritan: Not to tell you your business. But when I get a pain I try and deal with it through ignoring it. If you ignore anything long enough and it goes away, am I right?

[As Marcus smiled, he took a closer look at this old man's face. It seemed to resemble something he had seen before, maybe in a dream? He couldn't quite put his finger on it.]

Samaritan: Yep, just stay away from anything that causes you pain, and it'll go away. You'll lead a happy life that way, my friend.

[The man smiled, but his face seemed to be changing, transforming almost. Marcus peered at him ruefully, as the man's face continued to change into something more and more recognizable.]

[As the face became more and more focused, and took the familiar shape of the old fortune telling woman, Marcus cringed, but wasn't particularly fearful. And as the transformation finally completed itself, the old woman flashed a knowing glance at Marcus as she walked off in the opposite direction, calling to him.]

Gypsy Woman: Just forget what you saw, mister Gaines. Stay away from her. Ignorance is bliss.

[Marcus looked after her, even after she had turned a corner. He gasped a sigh of both relief and fear. The pain once again eased it's way into his stomach. He sighed as the recollection of Debra clutching onto Barret Whistler's hand re-entered his memory. The idea of the gypsy woman floated wraithlike from his mind, and all that was left was anger.]

"And what you never knew, can never get to you."

!-----------------!

[Barret Whistler had been in a severe depression ever since his hopes and dreams were dashed after the collapse of the Phoenix Wrestling Alliance. It seemed like death laced it's icy grip around Barret's heart everytime something else went wrong. He was transferred to a psychiatrist after his original therapist had to move his practice to another city. Debra Coleman became his new therapist, ironically, Barret's first session with the beautiful brunette came right on the heels of Marcus' where he tried to ask the doctor out on a date.]

[Debra fell instantly in love with Barret, hearing about his problems and how much heartache he had been through, it was so similar to the Florence Nightingale syndrome. As she began to instill self confidence into the emotionally broken man, a romance began to kindle. Where once Barret had vowed to keep pure the memory of his departed wife, Kate, he felt warmth within him he hadn't felt in so many years. Debra was exactly what he needed, and she herself needed someone to love her.]

[Debra convinced Barret to get back into wrestling, and so Barret decided to interfere in several prominent, and not so prominent matchups. He figured it would be a sure-fire way for the fed heads to take notice and ask him to sign a contract. They did, and unseen to the camera's he also began to see more of miss Coleman. She cast off her inhibitions about dating a patient, she had just fallen into love with one, and as the song says "love can move mountains". Barret now readies himself to rekindle the competive spark he once had in abundance. With the aid of Debra giving him that bit of emotional support, maybe now, he can achieve far more than the sum of his history.]

"Blink, and you miss a beat."