Chapter 8
I get hit with the damn focus pad again. "Hands up," Chris yells again. "I did keep my damn hands up," I say "No you dropped them on that hook. Look Jake I want to get the basics down with you than we can work back in your wrestling. Come on man Mo expects just the same old Jake Reed if you can strike with him it will throw him off," Hero says. "Fine lets do it again," I say. "Right double jab go to the body with a hook slip up cross hook cross," Hero tells me the drill. I go for it. "Good your hands stayed up now come on cross hook and than rear hook," Hero yells. I do it again as the bell rings. "Ok sparing," Hero says. Madison is at my gym bag and hands me a mouth piece and puts my head gear at my feet. I put in the piece and she helps me with the head gear. "Madison reset the timer," Hero says.
She does and when it goes off Hero and I move towards the center of the ring. "Come on Jake," Madison encourages. I move foreword and Hero catches me with a jab. I go for a cross but he avoids it and gets me with a another stiffer jab. "Fire back Jake," Chris says. I go for a jab than a lead hook that catches him. Hero tries goes for a cross but I block and hit him good cross of my own. I drive him into the ropes. "Keep it up Jake," Madison says. But than Hero hits with a good uppercut. Hero drives me back with Jabs and hooks. I go back to the ropes. "Fight back Jake," Hero says. I go for a haymaker but get caught and dropped. Hero backs off and I get up. Hero motions for me to come foreword. I can't I just stand there. Hero throws a jab and I just take it and than a huge cross that catches me and sends me down again. "Get up," Hero yells. I try but than get hit with a body shot just like I did against King Mo and I drop again I look at Chris and than roll out of the ring. I'm short on breath and my heart is thumbing. "Let just call it day," Hero says. "Yeah sure," I say.
#Break#
It a very mild winter this year so Chris wants me to run sprints and with AJ who came to Omaha since he has the week off. We are at Lake Zorinsky My family use to come here all the time when I was younger. "Alright AJ I want you to push him this all out," Chris says. "You ready for this man?" AJ asks. "Sure," I say. "Ten sprints down and back is one," Hero says. AJ and I get set. "GO!" Hero yells. AJ and I start to run this damn spot is 50 yards and AJ is always going to be quicker than me just like Mo is always going be a better striker than me. Why am I doing all this and I stop running. AJ reaches the end and passes me heading back. "Jake get moving!" Hero yells. I just stop.
I stood looking at the water as Madison walked over to me. "What the hell is wrong with you?" AJ yells again. "So this is it?" Madison ask. "Yeah this is it," I say not looking at her. "You really want to just walk away have that be the end of your run in TNA," Madison. "Its how it has to be," I say. "If want to walk away that one thing but you being run out," Madison. "Just drop it Madison," I say trying not to yell. "Why?" She asks. "Because I'm afraid Madison. I was hurt like I've never been before and you when you get scared like this your done," I say. "Than face you damn fear," Madison says.
"I can't!" I yell. "You only can't because you don't want to," Madison tells me. "You don't get it Madison, Sting was right I lost my edge the fire what ever and I can't get it back," I say. "Why not?" "Because I'm to happy. I got you and Hope and I don't want to lose that," I say. "I got news for you idiot your not about to lose me and Hope. If you really so screwed up to think your life has to suck to win wrestling matches than you don't know how life works," Madison yells. "What if I get back in there and I get my ass kicked even worse," I say. "Than you took a risk. But it will better than this the fear I see in you right now," She says. "I can't live like this can?" I ask "No you can't," Madison says. I take a deep breath and than take off running. I reach the point where I started and than start on another sprint. "Well get going Styles," Hero yells. It takes a little while but we finish. " You ready to start training for real?" Hero asks me. "Yeah I'm ready," I say. "Good lets get this done," Hero says. "One second," I say. I go up to Madison and giver her a kiss. "I love you thank you for giving me the kick in the ass I needed," I say. "Any time," She says before kissing me.
#Break#
Back in the gym a few days later I was ready to spar again. It had been a week and things seemed to be going better. "Jake put on those MMA sparing gloves," Hero says. "You finally going to let me start working a wrestler again," I say. "Sort of and your not sparing me again," he says. "Chris I know I hit hard but you pretty ugly already," I joke. Madison and AJ who are watching both laugh. "Your not that funny," Hero says. "So am I sparing with?" I ask. "Me!" A voice says booming out as the door open. "What the hell is this?" Madison asks. "He needs to be ready," Chris says. "He is a monster," Madison. "Madison it's alright," I say. "Alright that is Josh Barnett," AJ says. "Thanks but I already know who I am," Josh says getting in the ring. "King Mo is a top level MMA fighter Jake's not going to be ready to face him again work with just me," Hero says. "It's fine," I say again calmly. "Look this is just sparing you go hard but not so hared you get hurt," Josh says. "He doesn't need to get hurt again. This guy has been a UFC champion and he's wrestled in Japan," Madison says. "Hey no fear. Madison I'll be fine," I say sticking my head through the ropes to face her. "Five minute rounds lets treat this like a fight submit ends it I can stop it and pins count," Hero says.
I finish getting ready MMA gloves and shin guards with a mouth piece. Hero comes up to my corner. "Look he's coming at you here use the jab to back him off. He's got good wrestling you hit the ground get your Irish ass moving. Don't show fear. Keep your hands up and when you have a chance work in some of your moves the things you do best," Chris says. I just nod. He goes over and talks to Barnett I can't hear him. AJ starts the timer and I hear it go off. Barnett and I move out and circle one another. "Go first," I think and throw two jabs that catch him he backs off. "Keep the pressure one when you catch him," Hero yells. I go for a jab cross but answers back with one of his own that catches me but I get with a hook. We tie up and gets a take down. "Scramble Jake," Hero yells. I do and am able to get out. Barnett has a smile on his face. I am back on my feet and for some answers back and I see him shifting downward. "Body shot," I think and block it and catch him with an uppercut. That stunned him I go for a head lock and make it a down. His shoulders are on the mat. Hero gets in and counts one but Josh rolls his shoulders up. Josh gets back to his feet but I still have the hold he than just shoves me off into the corner. I turn around and he swarms. "Fire back Jake," Hero yells.
I'm just trying to cover up but I go for a cross this just gives him a chance to take me down. This time he's one me before I can move. He goes for a shot to my body with a knee. He goes for arm to start working a chain of submissions he is just about to get an arm triangle on me but I get my foot on the rope. "Break," Hero yells pulling Josh off. I get up and and charge at Josh with a clothesline that catches him and than I hit a bell to bell suplex. He gets up and I start to throw jabs and than a kick to his body. The bell rings. I head for my corner. "Good job keep it up but your not going to out strike him keep wrestling him be Jake Reed," Hero says. The bell rings. Time to be Jake Reed. I charge he goes for a punch but I side step and hit the ropes and hit they flying lariat that knocks him down. I drop an elbow and cover he kicks at two. I don't let up and go for a sleeper but Josh pulls my arm off and than just throws me to the ground. I scramble and get up. I get the cravat on him and get him in the hangman's clutch but Josh get to the ropes. I let him up. He comes at me and tries to tie me up but than I get a small package. "One two three" Hero yells as Josh fails to kick out. "yes you did it," Madison yells jumping in the ring. "Damn good job man," Hero says. "I'm back," I say.
