Chapter 3

RIP Brodie Lee hope you all had a Merry Christmas and here is to a happy new year.

I was in the garage working on my motorcycle. The kids were at school, Madison was doing her own school work now that she was back at college. Besides my role as an agent and commentator for Impact Wrestling I also had a pod cast that was growing at a decent rate. It used to be wrestling was my escape. Now more and more it was riding my bike. As a result it meant a lot of work to keep the old Harley running. "Please tell me that is not warped," I think looking at a nut I need to remove to get at the spark plugs. Sure enough the damn thing was warped and hard to get to turn. There are few options try and get it out. I decided a first to just use force.

Huge mistake the wrench slips and I slip my hand up on some metal. "SON OF A BITCH!" I yell. Its a really bad cut. I head into the kitchen wrap my hand in a towel and than try to fish out the first aid kit with my good hand. Its not where is supposed to be. I am getting frustrated looking around the kitchen to see if I can find the damn thing. On top of that I am pissed about my hand which is only hurting worse and worse. "Madison!" I yell. No response. At this stage I am at the point to start tossing things out of the cabinet the kit is supposed in. "Madison where is the first aid kit?" I yell once more. Finally I hear the door to her office open. "What are you… Oh my god your hand," Madison says running in. "Where is the first aid kit? What is the point of having a first aid kit if we can't find it," I rant. "Its under the sink," Madison says concerned but also mad about me yelling at her.

She gets it out and takes a look at the bad cut on my hand. "Wow this is really bad we might have to go to the hospital," she says. "I t will be fine just get the kit so I can clean and bandage it," I say. She gets out the kit. "Let me do it. It will be easier," Madison says. She takes my hand and tends to my wound. "Man I hope that closes if not we are going to the hospital," Madison tells me. I'm still ticked off and snipe, "Oh I know you are the boss." "Enough with snapping at me. I'm trying to help," She tells me. I just walk off back to the garage.

Impact Taping

I was back in the broadcast booth with Josh and Madison. The opening match had just finished. "Let's go back to last week. Jake you were attacked by Kenny Omega not once but twice," Josh says. "Yeah I was. I wound up with ten stitches in my head," I say. "Jake how do you respond to those comments by Kenny Omega?" Josh asks. "It was a long time ago. I was a wrestler I had nothing to do with talent relations at the time. If he couldn't get a tryout that reflects on the mistakes of the people running this company at this time. Or," I say before stopping. "Or what?" Josh asks. "Or maybe at the at the time Kenny Omega wasn't that good. Maybe Kenny at the time you needed some work. And well it worked out real good for you. Or," I stop again. "Not again," Madison says. "Or maybe you know aren't good enough to beat Rich Swann so you want to target me," I finish.

Josh is getting a message in his headpiece. "Wait we are going to this now?" He says who ever is talking to him answers. "Jake you as well our fans will want to see this. We have yet another paid message from All Elite Wrestling," Josh says. "What is this?" Madison asks. The video starts to play and we see Tony Khan and Tony Schiavone. Khan starts, "hello once again Impact Wrestling fans. But there is one I person I really want to speak to one person." "I am very interested to hear this," Schiavone says. "I've had some fun mocking Impact Wrestling ever since the AEW world champion Kenny Omega started showing up. But than I see that attack last week on the retired Jake Reed," Khan explains.

Madison and just watch and stay silent waiting to see where this is going. "What does Kenny even want? He was ranting about some tryout from years ago. He should be happy he ever worked for TNA," Schiavone says. "Well never the less Tony I have respect for guys like Jake Reed. Jake a few weeks ago I made an open invitation to any Impact Wrestling wrestler to show up on AEW Dynamite. So far no one has taken me up on that offer. Well Jake I am not extending that offer to you. Come to AEW Dynamite tomorrow live on TNT from Daily's Place. Confront Kenny on his home turf. If you want get in contact with me and I will fly you out on a private jet. Since Don Callis says I let inmates run the asylum I have another idea," Khan says. "What's that?" Schiavone asks.

"Jake I invite you do what you want. Want to jump on commentary do it, you want try to fight with Kenny he's annoyed me so much lately it might be fun. And if you want to come out of retirement great I got a rating war to win," Khan says. At that point Tony Schiavone goes into hyping the card for Dynamite. After that the shot returns to the three of us in the broadcast booth. "What are you going to do Jake?" Josh asks. "Don't we have a match to get to?" I say trying to change the subject.

Later that same night

"You should have given me a heads up about that," Callis yells at D'Amore in there office. "I did try to give you a heads up. You exact words were "Scott I am far to busy to worry about anything some money mark."" Scott reminds his booking partner. "You need to do something about Reed," Don claims. "Jake is calling the show right now. Maybe if you didn't want to worry about Jake Reed you shouldn't have attacked Jake Reed again. I warned you came back to this company what he can be like. I told you about the guy that nearly tried to beat me into a coma with a damn tire iron," Scott responded. "I knew this was a bad idea. Kenny is overplaying his hand. We don't need Reed showing up on Dynamite and working with guys like Moxley," Don says getting a headache.

Out in the ring that same night

Rich Swann was on his way to the squared circle the Impact Wrestling World Title was on his shoulder. Rich got a microphone and looked into the hard camera. "Its been a rough couple of weeks. I was unable to wrestle at Hard to Kill and to his credit Jake Reed stepped up. And Jake man I respect you for doing that. But I should have been there. See this title belt makes me the leader of this company," Rich says before taking a pause. At that moment Moose's music hits. Moose storms to the ring clearly upset. "Rich you are wrong on all accounts! That belt makes you the second in line. The leader of this company is me the real world champion! And that washed up redneck had no business jumping the line on me," Moose yells. "You know what I am getting awfully sick of this pretender calling me out," Rich says right to Moose. "Who is the guy calling old," I say on commentary.

Suddenly Kenny Omega appears on the big screen. Kenny is in his bus with the AEW title on the table in front of him. "Guys guys guys you need to chill. Take it easy. No need to get so upset. There is enough of me to go around. Rich I can beat you take that belt you got and Elk I can beat you and that thing. I mean white really isn't my color but I can take that as well. Now personally I think you two should just wrestle each other. I mean because I still have hope that Jake Reed will take that yellow streak off his back. He will stop crying "Oh my back it hurts I'm retired my poor kids and wife don't want me."" Kenny mocks. "Why are you worried about Reed. I could kick Reed's ass with one hand tied behind my back," Moose claims. "Do you not watch your own show? I explained this all last week just before I broke a chair over his head," Omega says. "Both of you leave Jake out of this," Rich says.

"I've had it!" I say tearing off my headset and leaving the booth. Madison follows me. "Jake where are you going?" She asks. I ignore her just power walking to that exit to get to the side Omega parks his bus on. That idiot guard is standing there and speaks. "You aren't on the list." I kick him in the gut knocking him down and than throw open the door. "Jake don't," I hear Madison plead. Something is blinding me just driving me forward. "Hey Kenny come on out," I yell before picking up a rock and breaking a window on the bus with it. At the last second I turn and land a punch on Anderson and than toss him into Gallows. They used the exact same hiding place when they jumped Rich and I caught of glimpse of them around that corner when I came out. The door opens and Omega steps out thinking his back up has taken me out. Omega's eyes get real big and he turns to run back to the bus.

I give chase and I almost catch him when Moose comes out and grabs me. "Deal with me old man!" Moose yells. I chop him in the throat. Moose is stunned and this lets me toss him head first into the side of the bus. Omega has gotten back onboard and I hear the engine start up. I run for the door but its locked or someone is holding it closed. The bus starts to pull away and I'm forced to let go. I turn around and see Moose is still down. Gallows has gotten back up and is helping Anderson away. "What the hell was that?" Madison asks in shock. "I don't know but it felt good," I say heading back inside. This whole time a camera has been following us. "Get away from us," Madison orders. The cameraman backs off as she leads me to the set for her show locker room talk.

I sit in one of the chairs and take some deep breaths. "You are starting to scare me," Madison says suddenly. That snaps me back to realty and makes me feel like an asshole. I look at her and speak. "I'm sorry. I just snapped again." "You have been snapping a lot lately," She reminds me. "I know. And I'm sorry. I love you I shouldn't be doing that," I say. She takes the seat on the sofa next to me. "What is going on? This is more than just the attacks. Jake I'm worried about you getting hurt in the ring. But I am also getting to the point where I worry about you keeping it together mentally. I thought you fine with being retired," Madison says. "I'm sorry about the whole your the boss stuff. Its just I felt so powerless after that attack. And even tonight hearing Rich act like I was some invalid," I says. "Jake he didn't mean it like that. Everyone knows why your retired. Your back was falling apart," She reminds me.

I feel myself getting mad again but stop myself from snapping again. "I know why I can't wrestle. Doesn't mean I don't miss it. Doesn't mean I don't wish I could handle things like the old days. Doesn't mean I don't wish I could test myself vs. Omega," I say. "Test yourself? You would want to face him?" Madison asks. "Look the guy is a SOB but he's damn good. And it would be nice to remind people how good I was," I say. "You are worried about being forgotten aren't you?" Madison finally asks. "Yeah I guess I am. Guess hearing old washed up getting jumped all stirred that in me," I say. Madison makes this noise I have learned over the years means she is thinking.