(Lyrics are from Scenes From An Italian Restaurant by Billy Joel)
Shane's ears pounded, how could Vince talk to him like that? The ratings for at least the last half hour must have been through the roof. Shane knew that he wasn't heading in any particular direction and he didn't really care. He had no idea what he was going to do. In one night he'd managed to get an FBI agent shot, his sort of secret employers to more than likely fire him, his entire family mad (understatement of the century), the entire population of the world confused, and managed to get his wife back only to lose her again.
"One things for sure McMahon, you sure know how to screw things up." he muttered to himself as he pulled up to a red light. His mind raced, the members of the syndicate had warned him about Alex but he couldn't believe what had happened. Alex was a traitor to the world but somehow someway he made sense. Maybe, what he was doing was wrong, maybe he should just go back to being the perfect son, the heir apparent. The radio, which had gone ignored, penetrated his mind as he pulled away. Playing was an old Billy Joel song; the lyrics hit chords in not only his mind, but in Shane's heart.
"...they got a divorce as a matter of course..." Shane pulled the car into the curb and sat motionless listening to the words. "...and they parted the closest of friends. Then the King and the Queen went back to the green but you can never go back there again..." Shane felt a painful tear slip down his cheek, every word made the boy wonder think of his wife and himself. "...the best they could do was pick up their pieces..." But would they be able to? Shane knew that his wife didn't forgive easily; she could never just forgive and forget. Could he convince her that he was remorseful, that he'd never do it again? But deep down Shane knew that this could never happen, too much damage had been caused, and the syndicate wouldn't let Shane leave... alive. Shane gently pressed his finger to the power button and killed the radio. Harshly drawing his hand across his face he wiped away some of the wetness caused by the tears. He couldn't be seen to have been crying, however inside his heart cried tears of pain, regret and hatred, hatred at himself.
Shane opened the door and felt the cool air hit him. Shutting the door to the machine he began to walk, but soon the walk became a jog and eventually a run. He felt that by running away from the vehicle he was running away from the past. You can try to take yourself away from the past, but the past will always remain with you. Shane ran into a park and stopped by a large pond. He gazed at his reflection, and saw a hollow man dressed in an Armani suit.
"What have I done?" he asked himself gazing into the water as if it were a window to the past. His cell phone rang and pulled him back to the present. He removed the source of the loud ringing and gazed blankly at the called ID, 'Dad' glared back at him. He contemplated answering it, but knew that a lecture and a summons awaited him on the other end. It's incessant droning bore into his scull. He looked at it, and then threw the offending object across the water the noise became muffled and then ceased as the object sank into a watery grave.
Shane slumped onto the grassy bank. He felt alone, for the first time in eight long years he felt entirely alone. He had been alone before, but this time, this time it wasn't due to endless meetings, the lack of his parents but due to his own mistakes. He had few options left, he could abandon everything and everyone and start fresh, or he could attempt to make peace with his family and wait for Marissa to send through the divorce papers, or he could continue being a hired gun for the syndicate. Shane knew that the last option would only lead to more heartache; he also knew that even though he could probably make peace with Vince, Linda and Steph, Marissa would be nearly impossible to win back.
But he had to try.
If he could get home before Marissa left he could try to explain his motivations, his reasons. But then there was Alex. Shane had tried to get rid of Alex, dispose of him; he was a risk to the whole project. Maybe to him this was a simple act of revenge. But what if Marissa fell for it? What if she decided that she married the wrong McMahon? What if she fell in love with Alex the same way that she once fell for him? Shane's world was on the edge of collapse. He got up and ran in the direction of his car.
As he approached it he observed a tall muscular figure leaning against he door. His first thought was that someone had broken into it, but as he got closer he realised that the figure was that of Joanie.
'Great, Pops sent Joanie to give me a lecture instead.' he thought.
"Shane, you really shouldn't leave your car unlocked in a neighborhood like this one." she said as a greeting. "Are you OK?"
"Absolutely peachy." he replied, the sarcasm dripping.
"Gimme the keys." she requested.
"Why, so you can drive me into Vince's wide open jaws?"
"Look I'm coming with you whether you like it or not, and having seen your state of mind I'd rather drive 'cos I don't want to be twisted around a lamppost."
"Go to hell Joanie." Shane snapped.
"Look Shane, I care for you and I know that if I were in the frame of mind you are, you'd insist on driving." she replied honestly. "Gimme the keys and get in. I'm not here for Vince." Shane knew she was right and obeyed.
"I need to talk to 'Rissa." he explained once they were both settled in the car.
"That's not a good idea." she responded driving the Corvette towards Greenwich
"Shit, Joanie. I need to talk to her, to explain. Anyway, what'll Vince do? Disown me, congratulate me for the best ratings in weeks or break every bone in my body?"
"I'd go with the latter." Joanie turned her head away from the road to smile at the young man seated next to her. "Even if you find her, which I doubt, what'll you say? I just hope she understands this more than the rest of us"
"She must understand." Joanie wanted to ask more questions, but as his friend she knew not to press him for answers.
Shane's ears pounded, how could Vince talk to him like that? The ratings for at least the last half hour must have been through the roof. Shane knew that he wasn't heading in any particular direction and he didn't really care. He had no idea what he was going to do. In one night he'd managed to get an FBI agent shot, his sort of secret employers to more than likely fire him, his entire family mad (understatement of the century), the entire population of the world confused, and managed to get his wife back only to lose her again.
"One things for sure McMahon, you sure know how to screw things up." he muttered to himself as he pulled up to a red light. His mind raced, the members of the syndicate had warned him about Alex but he couldn't believe what had happened. Alex was a traitor to the world but somehow someway he made sense. Maybe, what he was doing was wrong, maybe he should just go back to being the perfect son, the heir apparent. The radio, which had gone ignored, penetrated his mind as he pulled away. Playing was an old Billy Joel song; the lyrics hit chords in not only his mind, but in Shane's heart.
"...they got a divorce as a matter of course..." Shane pulled the car into the curb and sat motionless listening to the words. "...and they parted the closest of friends. Then the King and the Queen went back to the green but you can never go back there again..." Shane felt a painful tear slip down his cheek, every word made the boy wonder think of his wife and himself. "...the best they could do was pick up their pieces..." But would they be able to? Shane knew that his wife didn't forgive easily; she could never just forgive and forget. Could he convince her that he was remorseful, that he'd never do it again? But deep down Shane knew that this could never happen, too much damage had been caused, and the syndicate wouldn't let Shane leave... alive. Shane gently pressed his finger to the power button and killed the radio. Harshly drawing his hand across his face he wiped away some of the wetness caused by the tears. He couldn't be seen to have been crying, however inside his heart cried tears of pain, regret and hatred, hatred at himself.
Shane opened the door and felt the cool air hit him. Shutting the door to the machine he began to walk, but soon the walk became a jog and eventually a run. He felt that by running away from the vehicle he was running away from the past. You can try to take yourself away from the past, but the past will always remain with you. Shane ran into a park and stopped by a large pond. He gazed at his reflection, and saw a hollow man dressed in an Armani suit.
"What have I done?" he asked himself gazing into the water as if it were a window to the past. His cell phone rang and pulled him back to the present. He removed the source of the loud ringing and gazed blankly at the called ID, 'Dad' glared back at him. He contemplated answering it, but knew that a lecture and a summons awaited him on the other end. It's incessant droning bore into his scull. He looked at it, and then threw the offending object across the water the noise became muffled and then ceased as the object sank into a watery grave.
Shane slumped onto the grassy bank. He felt alone, for the first time in eight long years he felt entirely alone. He had been alone before, but this time, this time it wasn't due to endless meetings, the lack of his parents but due to his own mistakes. He had few options left, he could abandon everything and everyone and start fresh, or he could attempt to make peace with his family and wait for Marissa to send through the divorce papers, or he could continue being a hired gun for the syndicate. Shane knew that the last option would only lead to more heartache; he also knew that even though he could probably make peace with Vince, Linda and Steph, Marissa would be nearly impossible to win back.
But he had to try.
If he could get home before Marissa left he could try to explain his motivations, his reasons. But then there was Alex. Shane had tried to get rid of Alex, dispose of him; he was a risk to the whole project. Maybe to him this was a simple act of revenge. But what if Marissa fell for it? What if she decided that she married the wrong McMahon? What if she fell in love with Alex the same way that she once fell for him? Shane's world was on the edge of collapse. He got up and ran in the direction of his car.
As he approached it he observed a tall muscular figure leaning against he door. His first thought was that someone had broken into it, but as he got closer he realised that the figure was that of Joanie.
'Great, Pops sent Joanie to give me a lecture instead.' he thought.
"Shane, you really shouldn't leave your car unlocked in a neighborhood like this one." she said as a greeting. "Are you OK?"
"Absolutely peachy." he replied, the sarcasm dripping.
"Gimme the keys." she requested.
"Why, so you can drive me into Vince's wide open jaws?"
"Look I'm coming with you whether you like it or not, and having seen your state of mind I'd rather drive 'cos I don't want to be twisted around a lamppost."
"Go to hell Joanie." Shane snapped.
"Look Shane, I care for you and I know that if I were in the frame of mind you are, you'd insist on driving." she replied honestly. "Gimme the keys and get in. I'm not here for Vince." Shane knew she was right and obeyed.
"I need to talk to 'Rissa." he explained once they were both settled in the car.
"That's not a good idea." she responded driving the Corvette towards Greenwich
"Shit, Joanie. I need to talk to her, to explain. Anyway, what'll Vince do? Disown me, congratulate me for the best ratings in weeks or break every bone in my body?"
"I'd go with the latter." Joanie turned her head away from the road to smile at the young man seated next to her. "Even if you find her, which I doubt, what'll you say? I just hope she understands this more than the rest of us"
"She must understand." Joanie wanted to ask more questions, but as his friend she knew not to press him for answers.