In celebration of my 150th story ...
Chapter One: The Manor
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| Howard Hill Manor |
“You said it, Cody. I've never been to a mansion like this before. It's like a castle or something. This is really a hotel? I didn't see any signs.”
“I guess Howard Hill Manor is just that exclusive. I mean, just imagine how much staying at place like this must cost, Jae. We couldn't afford it, that's for sure.”
“And this Noah guy really just gave you a weekend here? No strings attached?”
I smile, “Yeah. I guess I'm just that good.” My boyfriend just smirks at me. “Noah did say that it was some kind of wrestling theme weekend, so he thought we'd love it.”
We hold hands and just stare at the ornate details of the classic mansion. It's like something you'd see in Europe than up the California coast. I'm no expert, but I think they call the style Gothic. Huge. It just goes on and on. Stone. Elaborate carvings. Towers. Surrounded by forest for miles, it's beautiful and even a little spooky. Like we went back in time. The wind whistles off the ocean, whipping through the trees and around the intricate details. We can hear waves crash into the cliffs that must be behind the mansion. It all creates an almost eerie soundtrack as we struggle to take it all in.
Jae and I are both personal trainers and boyfriends. Dr. Noah Botti, our benefactor, is a private client of mine. We've been training together for only a few weeks, but we're already seeing success. This, however, is way more than I ever expected as a bonus. A romantic weekend with my man, just chilling, wrestling and fucking in a mansion. Everything else will be taken care of. We've already experienced the attention to detail. A valet took our car and another took our bags. And both of them refused a tip. Sweet.
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| Jae. My boyfriend. |
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| Me. Cody. |
The business Ryan and I co-own is The Cave, a gay-oriented, superhero-themed wrestling video company. Jae and I wrestle there, but we also wrestle for fun. We don't know who else would come to a weekend like this, but I'm sure they'll be richer, older and a lot less fit than us. It's okay, though. I wrestle all types of guys. I really just hope the other guests are actually into wrestling and not lying down for us hot young studs or worse, just watching. I love wrestling Jae, but it'd be great to face some new guys.
I actually asked Noah if this was really a gift or if we're being used as the bait to lure guys here - ‘wrestle The Cave’s The Bat and SuperStar’. We probably still would've come, but it'd be nice to know if we're really guests or just eye candy. He swore none of the other guests know we'll be here. I'm good at reading guys and I believe him. I'm sure our presence will be a nice surprise for everyone else.
Anyway, the wrestling theme is in full force. The valets were dressed in crisp Lucha Libre gear - white trunks over gold tights, white-gold mask and gold pro boots. The car guy was named Driver, based on what was written in gold across his big butt. He's a sexy fireplug, only 5’4”, but a solid muscleman. His bare arms and chest were thickly muscled, his torso smooth and his skin a sultry light brown. The bag guy’s butt said Porter and he was almost Driver's physical twin, only more tanned.
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| Driver took our car. |
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| Porter took our bags. |
We walk through the huge wooden doors. The minute we're in, we're greeted by a … concierge, maybe? No matter what you call him, he's hot. Just like the valets, he's a fireplug, dressed in the same white and gold Lucha gear. He introduces himself as Hopper. I check his ass. Yep, Hopper. Whoever runs this place knows how to hire. Fuck. Jae and me will have some company worth wrestling this weekend, even if it's just the staff.
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| Hopper's taking us to our room. |
We head up to our suite. A suite! Awesome. We follow him up the stairs then up another flight. He says that there are only three bedrooms on the entire third floor. We quiz Hopper about the place, but he's tight-lipped, saying he's not allowed to reveal those details to us. However, when Jae and I flirt a little, he at least seems open to wrestling at some point. Nice.
Oh. My. God. This third-floor suite is amazing. A private balcony. We look north and west, out over the ocean and sprawling grounds. I can't see any other places at all. A huge king-size, four-poster bed. A massive bathroom with a steam shower built for two. Or more, if we have company. Everything is incredible. Somehow, our bags beat us here. Our toiletries have been unpacked and laid out in the bathroom. Now that's service.
Jae mutters, “Noah was right. We won't have to do anything, except chill, wrestle and fuck.”
My boyfriend realizes that he said that out loud. He blushes. However, I smile and I see some teeth showing under Hopper's mask. Cool. I ask him if he's living here. He confirms that all the staff are staying in a guest house to the north. I can't see it. He points, saying that it's just hidden by the thick, lush trees, almost a mile away. I pull out some cash, but like Driver and Porter, he refuses, saying he can't take tips. He assures me his salary makes my five dollars appreciated, but unnecessary.
Alone at last, I tackle Jae onto the bed. We roll around, kissing and peeling our clothes off. It doesn't take long before I'm inside my boyfriend. Jae sits on my pelvis then bounces up and down on my monster cock. He moans as he fucks himself on my shaft. My sexy stud slides off me onto his stomach. I kiss his back then move up to mount him.
I drive my cock back inside his incredible ass. It's beautiful, just like he is. I pound him hard, just like he likes it. I ride him until I'm close then I pull out. He rolls over then I coat his body from abs to pecs with my seed. When I'm done, I wipe him down with the plushest white towel I've ever held. I promise him a weekend to remember. He tells me he loves me. I do the same.
Sweaty and spent, we toss our clothes in the hamper. Oh crap, it's actually a laundry shoot. They plummet down into oblivion. I know Hopper said they'll launder them for us. Hopefully he's right. I like those clothes. We move to the balcony, letting the warm wind caress our naked bodies as we just savor the view. I notice dark clouds. Damn. A storm is coming in fast. Less than five minutes later, we're being pelted by hard rain drops. At first, it's refreshing, but when the lightning starts, we head inside fast.
KRAKABOOM!
Jae pulls me into a deep kiss. I reach around, cupping his incredible ass. Between his heaving pecs and flawless bubble butt, my boyfriend is beautiful inside and out. I break away then move to the fireplace. I push a button and the gas fireplace ignites. Not as charming as wood, but the heat and the glow warm us. We stand in front of it, letting it dry us from the violent rain.
Lightning strikes close by. The thunder crashes threateningly outside, but we actually like it. KRAKABOOM! It's romantic, to be in this perfect place, safe and warm. The driving rain taps on the glass, threatening to break it. Jae pushes down on my shoulders and we collapse onto the bear skin rug. He climbs on top of me, using his hands and lips to explore every inch of me like we just met.
This time, Jae fucks me, breeding my ass as the flames dance, casting shadows over our muscular bodies. The rain picks up speed and so does Jae. I moan as the fuck matches the rhythm and intensity of the storm. It feels so good to have him inside me. I've been a top all my life, but somehow, I love bottoming for my lover just as much as I do topping him.
KRAKABOOM!
Jae gasps and I know he's getting close. I beg him to cum inside me. My lover groans as he unleashes his load and I feel the hot white seed fill me up. He pumps and thrusts, draining his balls before finally sliding free. I collapse back as he cleans up. When he returns, I cradle Jae in my arms. We watch the fire and enjoy the sound of the thunderstorm.
KRAKABOOM!
It's so dark outside from the storm. The only light in the room is the fire, but I can make out the bedside clock. It's after 6:00pm. Cocktails are at 7:00pm. We've sporadically heard the other guests arriving for the rooms down the hall. Jae and I wonder what they'll be like, but agree that no matter what, we will only look at the positive this weekend. We're in an amazing place without a care in the world.
Finally, we have to rise. We head to the shower together. I pause to check my phone. No reception. I guess the remote location and the weather are too much for it. No Wi-Fi networks, either. I know that can't be right. No hotel, especially to a wealthy clientele, wouldn't have Wi-Fi. Maybe the weather knocked it out?
KRAKABOOM!
As if reading my mind, my boyfriend says, “Cody. The power’s out.”
Jae flicks the bathroom light switch to show me. Great. I breathe in. Only positive thoughts. Fortunately, the bathroom light comes on. I turn on one of the bedside tables and we're good to go. We hop into the shower. We kiss and caress each other. As we clean up, we're overwhelmed with lust. I have to take him again, filling his ass with my freshly cleaned cock as he braces against the beautiful Italian tile wall.
The thick cloud of steam envelopes us, caressing our flesh like a third lover. Jae begs me to go faster. I thrust my huge cock in until he's screaming my name. As I look down at my shaft driving in between his perfect cheeks, I lose control. I explode inside him and he loves it. Jae moans, reaching down for his own cock. He jerks another load out before I slide out of him.
We lovingly wash down our sculpted bodies. They're sensitive to touch, covered in goosebumps in spite of the heat inside the shower. It takes half an hour, but we finally get clean. As we towel off, Jae finishes first thanks to his close-cropped hair. I have styling to do with mine, whereas he's a little more wash-and-go. He brushes his teeth, adds deodorant then exits so I can do the same.
As I'm brushing, Jae calls out to me, “Cody, where are our clothes?”
I pause, yelling out my reply, “CLOSET! Someone put the bags in the closet.”
Jae says, “Bags are here. Clothes aren't.”
Jae comes to the bathroom door, “Did you really only pack trunks, boots and masks? I love the idea, but what are we supposed to wear down to dinner?”
We walk to the closet together, “No, I packed clothes, too. Might need to iron -” I freeze as I look at my almost empty suitcase.
“See? There's nothing but gear.” I don't understand. He's right. I tell him that I know I packed stuff. He believes me, but that only means more questions. Did Porter really take our clothes when he brought the bags up? And the clothes we arrived in are gone to laundry. My boyfriend says, “I guess we are the meat this weekend, despite what Noah said.”
I frown then shrug, “They want us to only wear gear? I guess we're only wearing gear.”
KRAKABOOM!
Since we're obviously the main attraction, we decide on our classic, famous hero identities. I pull on a black thong then cover them with black trunks that have a red Bat symbol on the front. I add on black knee pads, pro boots and forearm gauntlets before finishing up with my black cowl and long flowing black cape. Jae aka SuperStar is attaching his red cape, looking amazingly heroic in his red briefs with the yellow belt, red pro boots and blue forearm gauntlets.
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| Me as The Bat. |
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| Jae getting into his SuperStar gear. |
“It's cool. No one will object to seeing your handsome face.” We kiss. “My cowl is part of my look, so I want the other guests to get the full Bat effect when we meet them. I'll take it off at dinner.”
As the echoes from the huge grandfather clock in the lobby announce that it's 7:00pm, we head out into the hall. We immediately hear a loud, angry voice from one of the other rooms on this floor. I pause at the top of the stairs, because I think that's a familiar voice yelling. Hopper is definitely getting berated by another guest. We decide to peek around the corner. Sure enough, I recognize the hairy, mature muscleman standing naked in the hallway, complaining about what he's expected to wear.
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| Javi. Owner of Rival Pro Wrestling. |
“Cody? What the fuck are you doing here?”
I shrug, “We're here for a wrestling weekend. What're you doing here?”
“I'm supposed to be here to meet with a potential investor to get me free of you and Ryan. He said there'd be wrestling. And we'd be wearing gear. But he didn't say I had to wear THIS shit! It's my stupid fucking Night gear! I'm not wearing that fucking garbage ever again.” Javi scowls at me, “Did you do this? You setting me up?”
Javi is a former Cave wrestler who was a star as part of the undefeated tag team Night and Day. He played Night until he was defeated in humiliating fashion in a ‘Loser Leaves The Cave’ match by his younger tag partner. His Night identity has a lot of baggage for him, so I get his point. It's pretty twisted to make him even think about wearing it.
Now, the hairy hunk is majority owner in Rival Pro Wrestling, an 80’s themed, gay-oriented wrestling video company. It's sort of competitive to The Cave, although we're currently kind of business partners. He couldn't figure out the e-commerce side, so we've ended up handling their distribution. It's a situation which Javi resents, especially since he was tricked into it by his minority business partner, Brody.
I hold up my hands, “Hey, we're just as confused as you are. All our clothes are actually missing. We knew it was a wrestling weekend, but we didn't know they wanted us as wrestlers all the time.”
My thoughtful boyfriend offers, “Javi, none of our gear was taken, so if you really want another look, you can borrow something of mine or Cody's. It'll fit you, no problem.”
Javi points at Hopper, “This isn't over.” He grabs black boots and socks then moves to join Jae. Just then, lightning crashes. Thunder booms fast, telling us it struck close to the mansion.
KRAKABOOM!
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| Who's there? |
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| Ramsay. One of Javi's boys. |
From the stairs, a cocky voice says, “What's wrong with that, big guy?”
KRAKABOOM!
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| Corey. Ryan's youngest playmate |
Jae takes Javi and Ramsay to see what they can find. Hopper looks at me, “Thanks for the help, man. I didn't take anyone’s stuff. I swear. I was told all the guests would be in wrestling gear, just like the staff. I didn't know there'd be trouble. You look amazing, by the way, Batman.”
I smile, acknowledging the compliment, “It's okay. Someone IS playing a game with us, though. It's not just the clothes. Javi sure as hell isn't paying to be here. And I assume you aren't either, Corey?”
The teen hunk smirks, “You know I don't have to pay for anything. No, I'm supposed to be here for a wrestling-themed photo shoot. My agent got the call, but I didn't know you'd be here.” Corey playfully adds, “Maybe they're doing before-and-after type stuff.”
Before I can reply, out of the third and final bedroom on this floor, another familiar face appears. “Coast clear? I heard Javi ranting.”
It's Buck, a new friend who’s visiting LA. I like Buck. If he's here, that means his buddy Brody is, too. Makes sense, as Brody is Javi’s business partner in Rival. The two 35-year old hunks are gorgeous and fun to wrestle. At 6’2”/230-lbs, Buck is a sexy, beefy brute. Like Javi, they knew there'd be wrestling and were prepared to wear gear all weekend. And what gear. He's smoking hot in packed denim-patterned trunks and cowboys boots.
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| Buck. Friend and stud. |
“Well, if Ramsay can't find anything in our stuff then we'll send him your way. Hopper, how many guests are expected?”
“Ten.”
“Huh. And seven of them are people we know, none of whom are paying?”
Jae reappears behind me, “More like nine.”
I turn to see him pointing down the stairs. Up comes Ryan, 6’4”/250-lbs of muscle in black trunks, boots and pads, holding his Bane character mask. Lumbering up behind him is his obnoxious 6’2”/300-lbs friend Pete in his Iceberg gear, which is blue and white trunks with a big snowflake on the front, white pro boots and a blue full-face mask. Unfortunately, he's not wearing the mask over his stupid, thickly bearded face.
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| Ryan. My best friend and business partner. |
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| Pete. Ryan's obnoxious friend. |
Brody joins us, so Buck explains everything. It sounds crazier every time I hear it. He takes it pretty well as he tries to process what's going on. And he looks great in his gear, so there's that. In fact, we all look great in our gear. Even Pete. I think we'd all be more upset, except that there's a feeling of safety in numbers. The mystery is kind of fun, actually. It suits the setting, that's for sure.
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| Brody. Buck's buddy. Javi's business partner. |
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| Luke. Ryan's ... newest guy. |
Javi and Ramsay return. The hairy hunk is in some basic black gear I picked up years ago, while the younger muscleman is looking great in Jae's shiny satin blue trunks. They're still small on him, but not too tight. Some might think they look just the right size. Javi's found himself another hot young stud, easily as gorgeous as the last one. Good for him.
KRAKABOOM!
Suddenly, the lights go out again as the storm rages outside. The darkness envelopes our nearly naked bodies. As we wait, I feel someone brush against me. I grab him by his thickly-muscled bicep. When the lights come back on, I find that I have hold of a flustered and frustrated Hopper.
Javi growls, “Good catch, Cody. Trying to get away, sport?”
KRAKABOOM!
Hopper says, “I just need to find Butler. I really don't know what's happening here.”
The confused escort leads us to Butler. At 5’8”/190-lbs, he's taller than Driver, Porter or Hopper, but still overwhelmed by the mass of muscle surrounding him. I'll give him credit, though. He remains calm, listening to each of us before responding. After we unleash our complaints and questions at him, he holds up his hands. We calm down and wait.
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| Does Butler have the answers? |
I shrug, “I guess. I mean, Jae and I were promised wrestling and relaxation. We can still get that.” Focus on the positive. Focus on the positive.
Pete's eyes narrow, “Pretty fishy you're so happy. You in on this, Cody? Whatever this is?”
I roll my eyes, “Like I'd really arrange a wrestling weekend that includes you. Besides, I don't have the money or the motivation to do any of this.” I think, “Ben and Micah are the only know two guys I really know who have those kinds of resources, but neither have the motivation to create something so mysterious.”
Brody shrugs, “Ram has some money, but I don't know if it's this much. And it's not his style. Like at all. He'd be out here facing us if he was here.” I agree with that.
Javi snarls, “If I knew someone with this kind of money, you guys sure as hell wouldn't be getting a cut off every video I sell. There's only one guy who'd screw with me like this, but he only plays a moneymaker. The guy’s got nothing in the bank or between the ears.”
Luke and Corey just shrug, confirming they've got no idea what's happening, either.
KRAKABOOM!
Butler says, “Please. I apologize if there was a lack of communication, but it's all true. The investor, the philanthropist and the vendor are the same person."
Several of us ask in unison, "Really?"
"Really. I assure you that he will meet with each of you. Corey, your modeling shoot will happen, starting first thing tomorrow. As will Luke's donation at a local VA hospital, also tomorrow morning. Javi and Brody, you will get an offer to invest. Ryan, an offer of new technology. And Cody, you will get plenty of wrestling, relaxation and sex.”
I smirk, “Wow, I'm the cheap one. That's never happened before.”
The guys fire off more questions. The answers are more of the same. As we go around in circles, I take a step back. If this is really all on the up-and-up, that'd be great, but it actually makes less sense to me the more I think about it.
What the fuck is going on?
BONG! BONG! BONG! BONG! BONG! BONG! BONG! BONG!
The clock strikes 8:00pm. In response, Butler simply suggests we sit down to dinner and relax. He's put candelabras on the dining table, in case the lights keep going out. I'm sure they're beautiful, but they'd only make the place spookier and the mood more tense with shadows flickering. We all stay in the hall, willing to endure a few short blackouts.
Butler pushes for us to move to the candlelit dining room. Given the current confusion, that seems like a reason not to go there. He swears that a fifth staff member named Cooker has prepared a wonderful meal. I wonder if he's a hot wrestling stud, too. Javi demands his car keys, refusing to stay. Butler explains that Driver and Porter retired for the evening as soon as the last guest arrived. The intercom is down. The manservant again advises us to at least wait out the storm. Lightning strikes, thunder crashes and the lights go out.
KRAKABOOM!
This is getting old, fast.
I hear Javi say, “You're going nowhere.” When the lights come back on, the hairy hunk has Butler by the bulge in his white trunks, “Gimme my keys, my car and my clothes. Or I'll rip these fuckers off. And I don't mean your trunks.”
None of us tell Javi to chill. I think we're all happy to see him use his temper for good for once. If he can intimidate us into an escape, more power to him. Butler orders an unhappy Hopper to go to Driver and get the keys for everyone. He apologizes again, saying he had nothing to do with any miscommunication or the weather. Javi releases his manhood, but hovers close by.
KRAKABOOM!
The lights go out again. Fifteen minutes later, they're still not back on. The glow from the dining room calls us, but no one moves towards it. Pete's had enough. He says he's going to find the can. Stay classy, Pete. The rest of us disperse into the shadows, killing time. I cross through the dark front hall to the big closed doors. I'm curious what's behind them, so I push one of them open a crack and slip inside.
KRAKABOOM!
In the darkness, I can make out a large 20’x20’ wrestling ring. Wow. I stumble into folding chairs around it. I walk slowly closer. I step on mats. I reach out and test the bottom rope. Tight. I walk all the way around the ring then slide inside. I test it. Having grown up in a ring, I don't need light to maneuver comfortably. Jae hears the noise and joins me. We bounce around for a while. Still no light. My boyfriend and I grapple a bit, getting sweaty. When we pause, I'm on top and we're breathing hard.
Jae says, “This isn't so bad. Wrestling in the dark.”
“Not like we haven't done it before.” We kiss passionately. I reach for the front of Jae's trunks. He stops me. We talk and I reluctantly agree that sex can wait. We should let everyone know where we are. Maybe it'll calm everyone to know the wrestling weekend part is real. I loudly announce, “Guys, I think you're all overreacting. Look what we found.”
Just then, the lights come on. Everyone except Pete gathers again to see the ring. It's even more cool in the light. There are mats on the floor all the way into the sunroom. It's all perfect. I hop around, “See, we wrestle, we fuck, we chill, you guys hold your meetings. Let's all relax.”
Everyone starts to chill when Ryan asks, “Where's Pete?”
KRAKABOOM!
The lights go out again. Jae and I hop out as Ryan calls Pete’s name. Even in the dark, he'll be impossible to miss. We head out into the hall. I lead the way to the candlelit dining room while some guys start up the stairs. I jump as the thunder crashes. That was a loud one. Fuck. No Pete, but the kitchen must be nearby. I walk carefully through a door into a hall.
KRAKABOOM!
The door closes behind me, taking away even the candlelight. I scuttle forward, seeing a dim light under a doorway. It's a ways away, but I move towards it. It must be the kitchen. This Cooker guy probably lit candles. Suddenly, I trip over something. I fall forward, just managing to brace myself. I still hit the hardwood floor hard. SPLAT! I curse, but I'm fine. The lights come on. Thank - oh my god.
Pete is lying on the floor. Unmoving. Crumpled on his side. I call out for everyone. As they enter the hall, I'm feeling for a pulse. I tell them, “I found him like this.”
Ryan pushes to the front, “Cody, he's not - he's okay, right?”
“Sorry, Ry. He's gone …”
Chapter Four: The First
“WHAT?”
I repeat, “He's gone …”
KRAKABOOM!
Everyone gasps.
I finish, “… to sleep.”
Everyone lets out a sigh of relief as Ryan smacks my head for scaring him. WHACK! I smile up at him, letting him know that the joke was worth the pain. I try to wipe Pete’s neck sweat off my fingers on the elaborate carpet runner then rise to my feet. Ryan gives me the stink eye then kneels beside his obnoxious friend. He asks for help lifting Pete off the floor and onto the sofa in the lounge. Most of the guys move in to help, but Corey, Luke and I hang back.
KRAKABOOM!
They set the 300+ lbs. beast on the beautiful fainting couch. It suits him, since he's always so dramatic. Ryan starts to wake Pete up. I ask if he really wants to do that, but Ryan just gives me a dirty look. With Jae's help, Pete finally wakes up. He asks what's going on. Ryan explains then the beefy beast remembers. He says that he was headed to the kitchen when a pair of legs came down onto his shoulders. They wrapped around his neck and tightened up. Before he could react, the legs actually knocked him out. He couldn't see who did it, but he has a theory.
To Ryan, Pete says, “I bet it was Corey. He's sneaky, plus he's light enough to hang from the ceiling and has the legs to do this. His signature move is the head scissors.”
KRAKABOOM!
Corey smirks, “I definitely could do it. But I didn't. Why would I attack you?”
Pete snarls, “To take out your competition.”
Corey laughs, “Competition? You? If I was taking out the competition, I'd take out Buck.”
The beefy farmer looks shocked, “What? Me? Why me?”
Ryan immediately changes the direction of the conversation, “It was dark. Everyone had the opportunity, but so did the staff. It was probably one of them.”
Pete shakes his head, “No, they were bare legs. Definitely bare. And strong.”
I interrupt, “Look, we all know Pete, so obviously we all have a reason to attack him. And we all have the skill and power to knock him out. But, tights can come off and the Lucha staff all have thick, powerful legs, too. Plus, we haven't seen this Cooker character. I don't believe any of us did anything wrong, but if one of us really did it, I can think of one way to tell quickly.”
Ryan asks, “How?”
“Smell everyone, Ry. Pete's got a really sweaty neck.” I hold my fingers out, “Here's the smell, although you probably know it. None of us have had time to take a shower, which is the only way you could rid of this combination of cheap cologne and his natural stench -”
“Cody, enough.” My best friend thinks, “It's weird. But it might actually work. At least to clear all of us.”
My compassionate boyfriend is sitting with Pete, comforting him. Jae points out, “MOST of us just took a turn carrying Pete all the way here. We're all covered in his stench.” Jae realizes how that sounded. He says, “Oh, sorry, Pete. Cody put the word in my head. You smell fine. Not cheap or sweaty at all.”
Brody says, “No offense, but this Pete thing is distracting us. While we've been focused on that, Butler has vanished. It's been an hour and Hopper hasn't returned with our clothes or our keys. We might actually be being kept here, in a creepy mansion, on a dark and stormy night. I'm much more worried about that than who may or may not have knocked out Pete.”
I nod, “Good point. Brody’s right, guys. Pete may not have even really been knocked out.”
Brody shakes his head, “That wasn't my point. At all.”
From the sofa beside Pete, Jae gives Brody and me a disapproving look, “That's not nice, guys. You know that he was genuinely unconscious. I'm sure it happened just like he said.”
Javi says, “Fuck. Now this is really becoming like that old movie, ‘Ten Little Indians’. Creepy house. Guests brought under false pretenses. And now, we're starting to get picked off one by one.”
Ramsay snaps his fingers, “Oh yeah, you showed me that movie one night, Javi. And a guy faked an attack there. Huh. The first guy attacked was actually the murderer.”
I say, “Hey, spoiler alert!” I add, “Family Guy did an episode like this, too.”
Buck says, “This reminds me of the Clue movie. Remember watching that on that crappy little TV in my bedroom, Bro?”
Ryan interrupts, “Guys, we're getting distracted again.”
“Hold up for a second, Ryan.” Jae asks, “Javi, is your movie the same as the book, ‘And Then There Were None’? I had to read it for a writing class. But, in that, it wasn't the first guy murdered.”
I snap my fingers, “A book? Oh, really? Interesting. Pete loves to read books. I bet you even read that one, too, didn't you? Is that where you got the idea to fake your own knocking out?”
Pete sneers at me, “It's one of the biggest bestsellers of all time. Only you could make reading it sound like a suspicious thing. Some people still like books, you ignorant ass.”
Ryan says, “GUYS! Stop it. Pete wouldn't fake this.” He looks at his buddy, “Right?”
Jae helps Pete stand up. He wobbles, but since he's shaped like a Weeble, he doesn't fall down. The big beast snarls, “No, I didn't fake this. Someone attacked me in the dark and knocked me out. But I can see NO ONE,” he looks directly at Ryan as he says that, “actually cares. Except for you, Jae. So, let's just get our keys and cars and get the hell out of here. Fuck the clothes, I'll buy new stuff.”
Brody claps his hands together, “Good. We're agreed. We need to find one of the staff and force him to help us, if necessary. Let's split up and search the house. Cody and Jae, since you're up on the third floor, search that and the attic, if there's one. Corey, Buck and me will take the second floor. Luke, Javi and Ramsay, take this floor. Ryan? Stay here with Pete. If we can't find them, we'll need to find these quarters of theirs.”
Jae says, “Cody and I know where they are. Hopper pointed it out to us.”
I walk over to the ring room. There. Folding chairs. Every wrestler’s best friend when you need some extra protection. I expertly kick under it. It collapses and smoothly rises right into my hand. Perfect. I do it again then return to the confused crowd. I hand my second chair to Jae. We test the weight, getting comfortable. Everyone is looking at me, questioning what I'm thinking.
I explain, “If you think I'm searching a dark, mysterious, creepy place like this unarmed, you're nuts. I'm not going down like I'm some kind of Pete. If anyone's going to come at me, they're going to get a fight.”
Javi nods, “Cody's right. I'm not going down like a Pete, either.”
Suddenly, the other searchers head out, returning with their own chairs, too. Luke brings two extras for Ryan and Pete. Hm, as I look at us, I smile. We're a formidable army of muscle and metal now. Anyone who wants to mess with us is in real trouble. Assuming that none of us are the alleged attacker, of course.
KRAKABOOM!
We spend the next hour fumbling around the mansion, looking signs of life. The lights keep going out, making it slow going. We lock windows and check for hidden passages. We also confirm that we still can't get cell phone reception. Damn. It's after 10:00pm by the time we all regroup. None of us found anyone. We agree that the house is empty, so we need to venture out into the storm and find the hidden house a mile away in the north woods. Great.
KRAKABOOM!
Just then, we hear jingling. We brace for an attack. FLUNG! We all raise our chairs to attack as Hopper bursts in through the front door. He's soaking wet in his white and gold Lucha gear, which is now see-through and clinging to his muscles. So sexy. I wonder if he wants to wrestle for The Cave? We lower our chairs as he opens his hands, holding six sets of keys.
The short stud says, “Sorry it took so long. It’s insane out there. I felt like I'd get blown away. Rain relentlessly pelting my body. Thunder crashing. I don't even know where we keep the flashlights.” As we gather our keys, Hopper continues, “I had to go all the way to the guest house to find Driver to get him to show me. He refused to go out in this weather. The lightning and all. He said you're all being babies. So, he had to explain where they were. I tried calling, but the phones are out. And the lights kept going out. I fished around, but I finally found them locked up. I had to go back for the key, but I did it. I finally did it. The keys! Phew. Okay, now I'll lead you to your cars.”
Corey doesn't take his, “You can hold onto mine. I'm staying.”
A shocked Ryan asks, “Why?”
“Why not? This whole thing sounds fun. Other than Pete maybe being knocked out -”
“I WAS!”
“- nothing bad has happened. It's kind of cool. A weekend of wrestling and sex. You guys can go. I'm sure the Lucha staff can keep me entertained when I'm not on the photo shoot.”
As Ryan tries to convince his young boytoy to leave, Jae whispers to me, “Let's stay, too.”
I'm surprised, “What?”
“Corey's right. I think the trouble’s all in our imagination. Other than the Pete thing, this is what we expected.” I nod and hand my car keys back, too.
Hopper sighs, “Really? Two hours of searching for nothing? I risked my life out there, you know. I mean, I'm glad you're all staying, but -”
KRAKABOOM!
No lights again. Brody says in the dark, “Not for nothing. We're going.” He warns, “If I don't hear from any of you by Monday night, I'll call the cops to come get your bodies.”
In addition to Brody and Buck, Ryan and Pete decide to leave, too. With Ryan going, Luke decides to follow. Javi wants to go, but Ramsay says he doesn't. Corey offers his beefcake buddy a ride back on Sunday. They have a friends with benefits thing happening, so Corey would love the big stud to stay. Even with the small amount of ambient light, I can see the hairy hunk is having none of that. He agrees to stay, too. So, half are leaving, half are remaining.
The leavers grab their stuff. We promise to bring the clothes they arrived in back to LA as Hopper has no idea where those are and isn't trudging through the rain again to find out. The fireplug in the transparent white trunks and clingy gold tights leads the five of them out into the vicious storm to their cars. He warns them that it's a bit of a hike, but none of them care.
I hug my best friend goodbye, “Good luck!” We go through a round of hugs all the way around, except Pete doesn't hug Corey or me, and Javi doesn't hug anyone. Another round of good luck’s and they head out into the blinding rain.
Chapter Five: The Awakening
We close the doors and I whisper one more, “Good luck to all of us.”
Javi locks the doors behind them and the five of us stand there. I ask Corey if he wants to take Buck and Brody’s room on the third floor so we're all closer together, but he shakes his head, completely confident there's nothing to fear. He asks who wants to fuck. I see Javi grip Ramsay’s ass in the satin blue trunks, reminding him who brought him. No one accepts.
A disappointed Corey heads to the ring, “Maybe Hopper will come back.”
Jae and I head to the kitchen. It's late and I'm starving. We search to see what's around and can be made with no power. We see tonight's dinner wrapped up, but decide to make our own food. Just in case. There are matches to light the gas stove and there's a fridge. 30 minutes later, we're enjoying a couple of omelets, salad and red wine by candlelight. We relax, surprised not to see Javi, Ramsay or Corey, but it's just as well. We clink glasses to toast our romantic evening in this crazy place.
We kiss as we eat, fondling each other. I feed a forkful to Jae and he returns the favor. By the time we're done, instead of hungry, we're just horny. Well after 11:00pm, we finally head upstairs, noticing that Corey's gone. Must've decided to hit the sack. As we enter our room, the power finally comes back on, but we know this place now. We leave the lights off.
We kiss vigorously until Jae asks me, “What the fuck do you really think is going on?”
“I have no idea.”
My boyfriend bites his bottom lip, “Was I wrong? Are we in danger?”
“No, of course not.”
“Then why are we still carrying chairs around?”
I shrug, “Better safe than sorry.”
Jae says, “Thanks for training me on how to use one. I just hope I don't freeze when the time comes. It's one thing to chair a dummy at the practice ring, but doing it to a real person in the heat of the moment? That's different. Have you ever had to chair a guy for real?”
“No. But if it's him or me, you better believe I'm unleashing hell.”
My boyfriend says, “You don't think we'll have to use them, do you?”
“No. I think Corey and you are right. We're just freaking ourselves out, but I don't want those to be famous last words.” I turn on the fireplace for the reliable light and heat. WHOOSH! The warmth feels comforting. We move onto opposite sides of the bed. I check my phone, “Still nothing. You?” Jae checks. No, we're still cut off from the world. Stupid storm.
KRAKABOOM!
We prop up our chairs beside our nightstands then sit to take off our boots, Jae says, “I keep thinking this is just a game. Like a murder mystery weekend, except someone forgot to tell us we're playing.”
I shrug, “Butler did kind of tell us we're playing. He just never said the rules. I'm trying to see what, if anything was a lie. We thought it'd be strangers, but Noah didn't say that. He said the other guests didn't know we'd be here. That was actually true. ”
Jae nods, “He didn't tell us no clothes, but he didn't say clothes. So, I guess that technically wasn't a lie, either?”
I point out, “And we don't actually know any of the other guys stuff was a lie. Maybe there really is a super-rich Cave fan who's also an IT expert, philanthropist, photographer guy.” I laugh, “It sounds stupid just saying it.” I crawl into bed, “We're fine. We made the right call not leaving. Rain’s even dying down.”
KRAKABOOM!
“Uh huh.” Jae slides under the covers with me. He lovingly caresses my body, sliding his hand onto my pouch. He asks, “Fine, huh? You keeping your trunks on because we're fine?”
I reach down and squeeze Jae's hand. I say, “Nothing is going to happen.” We lie in silence, Jae idly caressing my torso. I break the quiet, “It's the Ryan element that confuses me most.”
“What do you mean?”
“Why bring Ryan and all the men in his life together? It's not like they're all Cave stars, despite what Butler said. You'd include Xaq, Riddle and Moneymaker if you were doing that. Not a one-and-done guy like Buck or minor players like Brody, Luke and Pete.”
“Buck came with Brody, who came because of Rival. And Pete came with Ryan, so it's not like they were invited. And Luke is a hot bodybuilder jobber. Everyone loves those.”
I state bluntly, “No, I don't buy it. It's too perfect to be coincidental. I think they knew who the guests would be. Of course I'd invite you. Of course Ryan would invite Pete once me, Corey and Luke were locked down. Buck and Ramsay were the obvious choices, too.”
Jae thinks then agrees, “If you knew the players, you could've guessed this crowd. And now that you mention it, we've got Javi’s bitter intensity, plus the Corey-Ramsay dynamic. It's like a group guaranteed to create maximum drama. But who'd want to mess with Ryan?”
I sigh, “If it was a plot against me, I'd get it, but Ryan doesn't have any exes or enemies who'd want to manufacture trouble for him. One good thing about the chaos. We avoided the most uncomfortable dinner ever. Can you imagine the ten of us sitting around making small talk over a prime rib dinner?”
Jae snuggles into me, “It is weird. Maybe it's not malicious. Someone just thought it'd be the most entertaining group. Like casting a reality show.”
“But like you said, you'd need inside knowledge to know that. Someone who knows us all on a deeply personal level. We just don't know anyone that well who would arrange this.”
We cuddle in silence. Close to midnight, Jae whispers, “You awake?” I am. My boyfriend says, “I'm too wired to fall asleep.”
“Me too. My mind is racing. Want to tire each other out? How about we check out that ring?”
We put our boots back on then head downstairs, chairs in hand. The stairs are familiar to us now, making it easy to descend in the dark. No sound at all. The ring is clean. I guess Corey never did get a match. Too bad, kid. We head to the kitchen to grab bottles of water then the ring. I flick on the lights and miraculously, they work. Jae and I climb in then stretch out.
My boyfriend and I exchange holds. We're resting when we hear creeping footsteps. We slide out, grabbing our chairs. We wait on either side of the doorway. Two men creep in. Jae and I swing our chairs. WHOOSH! We stop just in time as we realize it's Javi and Ramsay. We lower them as the two hunks catch their breath.
“Don't sneak up on us, guys. You almost got chaired.”
Javi snarls, “Be glad we didn't or I'd have to beat the shit outta you.”
I laugh, “Yeah, right.”
“I've beaten you three times.”
“Never in singles.”
Javi says, “You think that makes a difference?”
My eyes narrow, “Let’s find out.”
KRAKABOOM!
We slide into the ring. It doesn't take long for us to lock up. The hairy hunk is actually better built for wrestling than me. He's compact muscle, carved from granite and capable of quick bursts. At 35, he's got a little more experience than me, but it's negligible. Either one of us can win, so it'll be about who has the better strategy and doesn't make mistakes.
I power Javi into a standing side headlock. I squeeze hard, working his head against my side. I feel his rough left hand caressing my leg, butt and back. It's not erotic. He's looking for a counter. I hip toss him onto his back, landing on him while maintaining the headlock. BAM! The older stud goes limp thanks to my 200-lbs of muscle crashing down on your chest.
The powerhouse grunts while stretch his neck and crush his head. I bear my weight down on him. It's a little thing, but position is key. It costs me no energy to lie on him while he has to fight to move me. This early stuff is all about wearing him down. I feel him grab the back of my trunks. He rolls, using his grip to move me off him and onto my shoulders.
ONE! Outside the ring, Ramsay counts.
I kick and release the headlock. I roll to a crouch before the young beefcake can even hit two. Javi's up fast. Like I said, quick bursts. Too bad it's a careless move. He leaves himself wide open for me to spring at him, spearing him in the stomach. My ex-football player boyfriend taught me how to make the most of a good tackle. THUD! OOF! I hit it right and we crash into the corner. CLANG! Javi's crushed between me and the turnbuckles.
I give him three stiff shoulder blocks. THUD! THUD! THUD! The hairy hunk falls forward, so I rise with him on my shoulder. I turn then flip him down hard onto his upper back and shoulders. BOOM! His legs are up, so I smoothly grab them, placing his boot under my armpits. I step and turn, putting him in a Boston crab. ARGH! I squat down bending him in half.
Javi pounds the canvas, cursing at me. BAM! BAM! BAM! I playfully tease, “Those taps? You tapping?”
“You wish!”
Javi growls as he plants his hands to push free. I shift my weight and he can't move us. He keeps trying to counter, but it's no use. He can't get free. Too bad I can't get a submission, either. Time to move on. I release his legs then drive my boot onto his back. STOMP! STOMP! STOMP! He rolls to the ropes, slowly rising.
I move in. He tries a surprise side kick, but I'm ready. I grab his boot then spin with a leg drag takedown. WHOA! CRASH! Javi rolls with my move, smoothly rising. He charges at me, but I dodge him. He sails past me, exposing his back to me. I grab him around the waist then throw him over with a belly-to-back suplex. BOOM! He lands hard on his shoulders, stunned.
The hairy hunk is resilient. As I rise, he's rolling onto hands and knees. I step over his head with his shoulders against the back of my knees. I palm his head with my big hands then pull him up higher between my legs. I squeeze hard, but I know you need bodybuilder legs to make a standing head scissors really work. Instead, I fall to the side then roll onto my butt. Much better position. Javi moans and his head turns red as I squeeze hard.
I work the scissors, making sure to squeeze and also occasionally lift up to strain his neck. My boots hover over his hairy torso as I extend them to up the force. Javi runs his hands up and down my legs, trying to pry them apart. That'll never happen. He growls and curses, but he also gasps and whimpers when I up the pressure for short, shocking bursts.
Javi moans. Ramsay tells him not to give. Jae asks Ramsay if he wants to wrestle when we're done. The young beefcake forgets all about encouraging his older lover, actually turning away from the action. I squeeze, hoping to give them the chance immediately. I'm so close to a submission. The hairy hunk knows it, which makes him desperate.
I don't see it coming until it's too late. A desperate Javi is a dangerous Javi. Suddenly, his hand is on my pouch, covering the red bat design. My manhood is so big, even while soft that it's easy to find. And to grab. The hairy hunk closes his rough right hand over my oversized bulge. He squeezes and I lose the scissors, seeing stars. I cry out as he turns around.
Javi never releases my bulge as he mounts me, putting his ass on my face and his boots on my shoulders. I feel him run his sandpaper palm across my abs as he continues to crush my manhood in his powerful claw. His blue collar hand is smaller than mine, but it's been honed by a lifetime of hard labor. Paralyzing pain spreads through my body as I fight for focus.
The hairy hunk laughs, “You had your chance. Now, it's my turn, Bat.”
Chapter Six: The Rage
Javi squeezes hard and my knees buckle.
KRAKABOOM!
“You're so proud of being the biggest cock around. Swingin’ this thing, lettin’ everyone know you're the boss.” Javi pulls me around by my package. I'm forced to follow. It keeps me off balance, unable to effectively counter while he monologues. “Well, you ain't my boss. Not anymore. But you've still got your dick up my ass, controllin’ my sales. Takin’ a cut.”
I'd reply, but, you know, the pain. I need to focus on fighting the pain. Javi pulls down hard on the crotch claw and I'm forced to squat. He suddenly lets go, but immediately clotheslines me down to the mat. WHACK! WHAM! I land hard on my shouters. I lie on my back, nursing my aching bulge as the hairy hunk poses over me. Let him, I really need this rest spot.
“All I fuckin’ wanted was my own fuckin’ thing! Because of you and Brody, I got so desperate I agreed to come up to this creepy place to listen to some magical rich guy who was gonna give me money to get free. Fuck, what an idiot.” Javi drives his boots into my abs. STOMP! STOMP! STOMP! “If I ain't gettin’ control back, at least I'll get some kind of victory over you.”
Damn, I can feel the anger behind every shot. STOMP! STOMP! STOMP! I'm flexing my abs, but I still feel the shots. My stomach is red as hell, his boot prints obvious. Javi reaches down and grabs my hair. He drags me up fast, not giving me time for a counter punch. He pulls me into a front facelock. He lifts up on it, cutting his forearm into my throat, choking me.
I feel him grab the side of my black trunks. He squats then pulls up. The hairy hunk snap suplexes me over. WHAM! I land hard on my back. Javi smoothly rolls back, spinning around. He plants his ass on my face as he pins my shoulders with his shins. Ramsay slaps the apron, ONE! I twist and lift my shoulder. I work my right arm out, getting my shoulder on top of the intense stud’s black boot. No more pins, but a pin was never his goal.
Javi unleashes a series of brutal body shots designed to wear me down. It starts with my abs. THUD! OOF! POW! OOF! THUD! OOF! I grunt into his firm butt cheeks as he rains down fire on me. He attacks my pecs, too, enjoying his dominant position. WHOMP! WHOMP! WHOMP! I feel like a punching bag, the outlet for his anger over being duped this weekend.
My body must be red as hell, but I'm managing to withstand it. Jae's encouragement from outside the ring helps. Still, I know I need to do more than just take the punishment. I need to get back on top. Otherwise, I'm just delaying the inevitable. I have a reputation for playing rope-a-dope with my opponents, but Javi's too good for me to just wait for a mistake.
I summon my strength and tighten my body. I plant my left boot. With a roar, I throw my body to the right, toppling him off me. Javi falls to the side. Phew. Uh oh. The hairy hunk saw the signs of my impending escape. He counters it by grabbing my right wrist. Suddenly, I'm dragged into an armbar, his legs around my bicep and boots resting on my chest.
I feel the intense pain immediately. I know this is no good, so I waste no time in pushing myself towards him. I roll and twist, taking the pressure off. I pull my arm free. The hairy hunk actually lets go, so my force propels me backwards. I land hard on the mat, rolling all the way to the corner. I reach for the middle turnbuckle, using it for support.
I rise smoothly, but too slowly. Javi is already sailing towards me with a flying shoulder block. KAPOW! He hits me in my aching midsection. My body collapses and I'm driven into the corner. CLANG! I try to regain my breath, but Javi grabs me around the waist. He lifts me up onto his shoulder. I hang helplessly as he turns and flips me down hard. BOOM!
My head and shoulders crash down, stunning me. I writhe on the mat, aching. I look up only to see the hairy hunk in the air. He's coming down fast with a leg drop that hits square on my chest and throat. CRUNCH! My body flops as he sits, enjoying his feeling of control. Javi slides his other leg under my head then pulls me into a head scissors.
The hairy hunk has strong legs, but I'm able to fight the pressure. I twist to avoid getting the worst of it, knowing this side scissors style isn't the best for submissions. Maybe a Corey or Brody could make it work, but I'm okay. It hurts, but not submission level. I moan and thrash, but more to keep him trying. My body needs time to recover. Javi senses it's not right, releasing me and growling.
Javi grabs me by my hair and drags me up. He pulls me into a front facelock. The hairy hunk again makes sure to pull up so his forearm cuts into my throat. I gag as he holds me firm. I feel him slap my back and I push hard against him, leaning all my weight backwards. I guess right, as he was going for a DDT finisher that would've knocked me out for sure. Instead, I slip free and Javi falls backwards onto his ass. PLOP!
I regroup, but Javi doesn't want to allow that. He scrambles up to his feet as fast as he can. The hairy hunk charges in. I've made sure to appear tired. As soon as he commits, I swing back, lifting my boot. Javi runs right into my raised sole. THUD! OOF! His abs are tough, but that's going to take the wind out of almost anyone.
As Javi bends forward from the impact, I reach out and grab his head. I waste no time, swinging around with a big swinging neckbreaker. WHOOSH! CRASH! We land on the canvas hard, but only Javi is hurting. He holds his head and kicks his feet as he tries to recover from the surprise move. I roll around then grab him by the head.
I pull the hairy hunk up into a standing head scissors. My legs are strong, but this isn't going to get me a win. I'm not Corey or Brody with insanely thick and hard thighs. Knowing this is nothing more than a control move for me, I bend forward and wrap my arms around Javi's waist. I set my feet and bend my knees to lift him up for a piledriver.
Javi senses it. He pushes up with all his strength, flipping me over with a back body drop. I anticipate it, holding tight around his waist as I sail over. I drag the hairy hunk with me. I land on my ass, rolling him over onto his shoulders, ass up. I put my legs over his arms to seal the pinning move. Outside the ring, Jae sees my move and starts to count.
ONE!
TWO!
Suddenly, Javi swings his leg into my head. It's enough to break the pin. I roll with the kick, somersaulting into a crouch. The hairy hunk rolls away from me. We lock eyes, but neither of us make a move.
We both climb to our feet. I wait, knowing Javi's a hothead. Sure enough, he charges at me. I feint backwards then spin, kicking out my legs and bringing him down with a drop toe hold. SPLAT! The hairy hunk falls flat on his face. The impact stuns him, allowing me to rollover and apply an ankle lock. I lift and twist his boot until he's crying out in pain.
I know Javi won't submit to it, so I drive his knee into the mat three times. WHACK! WHACK! WHACK! That has the stud crying out. He curses at me, but the pain is intense as I twist on his leg again. Javi pounds the mat furiously, fighting to withstand the hold. I rise up, using his injured leg to flip him over onto his back.
Javi tries to kick free, but I stomp the back of his leg. POW! I step over his leg and around. I wrap him up into a figure-four. He fights it, but I've got the advantage and I move fast. I fall back and put my leg over his ankle. The hairy hunk thrashes and curses. He tries to flip me over, but I counter him. I tell him, “Submit, Javi. It's not worth it to hold out.”
I hear him growl, but he realizes I'm right. A casual match like this isn't the place to risk serious injury. He curses then slaps the canvas, “Okay, okay. I give, I give!”
I release him immediately, “Feel better, Javi?” He growls at me. I tell him, “Look, if you find a way to handle your own IT, we'll void the contract. But until you do, be grateful. We saved your fucking site. Instead of being mad at us, be mad at yourself.” Jae helps me to my feet, while Ramsay checks on the hairy hunk.
Javi sneers, “I am mad at myself, Cody. More than anyone else, this is on me. I know that. I should've been able to figure it out. Make it work. Especially if you could.”
I shrug, “Is that what you're mad about? Because I couldn't make The Cave what it is. Not on my own. Thing is, I had Ryan. You didn't.” I offer him my hand, "But you do now. Like it or not, we're on your team now." Javi accepts my hand and I pull him up. We don't hug, but it's a start.
KRAKABOOM!
The lights go out. Our eyes adjust to the darkness. Suddenly, Ramsay gasps. “OUTSIDE! Someone’s out there! They're coming this way!” We all look, but it's too dark. The young beefcake swears he saw someone outside. Javi is up, walking off the pain. The four of us exit the ring and grab chairs. We move to the front windows, which overlook the front drive. Nothing. We relax.
A lightning strike illuminates everything. AAAAHHHHHH! We scream as two faces staring back at us in the flash. All four of us scream and jump back. The thunder follows quickly. KRAKABOOM! The lightning is so close. We try to calm down. It was such a shock, we couldn't see much. They weren't masked, so it's probably not the staff.
We hear banging on the window, demanding we open the front door. Fuck that! We move into a circle. We hear banging on the front door. Fuck. There are more than two. Maybe four or five. We might be outnumbered. Voices call out at us as they continue to knock at the windows. We grip our chairs tightly, our hearts racing. Why didn't we leave when we had the chance?
Chapter Seven: The Missing
Jae whispers, “Okay, Cody. Now, I'm scared. I wish Ryan and the guys were still here.”
“Are you kidding? I wish we'd left. I'd rather be wherever Ryan is than right here.”
Once again, a blinding flash of lightning strikes. I'm facing the window. I get a better look at the invaders. I try to calm myself. They look big, wet and angry. KRAKABOOM!
And familiar? I ask, “Was that Ry?” None of the other guys had time to see their faces well enough. I move closer to the window as Jae and Javi try to stop me. I pull free from them, calling out, “RYAN? RYAN?”
I hear the voice more clearly now. I think it is Ryan. He's calling for me, too. I race to the front door and open it wide, sure that it's my best friend. Javi tells me to wait, but I don't. I unlock the giant wooden doors and swing them open. Our four friends and Pete practically fall into the dark house. They're drenched and cold. Their muscles are pumped, but they look tired.
I help Ryan keep his feet, shocked to see him. I ask anxiously, “Are you okay?” He only nods. I send Jae and Ramsay upstairs for blankets. Javi and I lead the four studs and Pete into the parlor area. They collapse and catch their breath. Javi and I help them strip off their wet leather pro boots. We have to pull hard as leather and an hour of walking in the rain don't mix. Next, we help them peel down their trunks over their thick, muscular thighs.
Right on cue, Jae and Ramsay return with towels and blankets for the naked hunks and Pete. The two young bucks drop things off then head to the kitchen. Jae remembers seeing coffee and tea. Thank god for the gas stove and matches. Javi and I help the guys dry off, rubbing their muscles. They finally wrap themselves up in the blankets to warm up. The silence is killing me.
The lights pop back on. I say, “Ry, please. Details. What the hell happened? Are you okay?”
Ryan nods again, but finds his voice, “Better now.” He smiles, “You sound so worried.”
I admit, “Of course I'm worried. You're supposed to be halfway home by now. Instead, you're walking around in a lightning storm under giant wooden lightning rods. Do you know how dangerous that is?” My best friend gives me a ‘duh’ look. I settle down, “Of course you do. You're just lucky we couldn't sleep or you would've had to break in.”
Ryan breathes in, “I’ll explain.” Jae and Ramsay come out of the kitchen with the coffee, plus tea for Pete. They pass it around. The guys clutch their cups, using it for warmth as much as anything. My best friend explains, “It took forever to get to the garage, but we got there. We start down the drive, but visibility was nil. So we're going slow. Our three-car convoy inching along.”
The lights go out. We all tense up then settle down. We're getting used to it. Brody says, “I'm surprised you didn't see us. We passed in front.”
“Sorry, no. Jae and I went to the kitchen for dinner then to bed. Javi and Ramsay went to their room. Corey's the only one who stayed down here.”
Ryan says, “Corey. I should tell him we're back.”
I put my hand on his shoulder, “He can wait.”
Ramsay says, “I knocked on his door on the way by with the blankets.”
Ryan nods, “Okay. We're moving. You know how winding the drive is. And long. So it's been a long time. We're almost at the end, but a huge tree branch is blocking the drive. It takes all five of us to move it. But we do. We have to move three more along the way. Finally, we reach the end. But it's downhill from here. All the rain has flooded the road. Even my Jeep can't make it.”
“Wow, really?”
KRAKABOOM!
“Really. It's stuck down there, blocking the way. Pete and I have to wade back. We hop in Luke's car. We have to come back. The lightning, wind and rain keep coming. There's no room to turn around. So we have to reverse up the drive. No headlights. I volunteer to use my emergency flashlight to guide the way. Luke has one, too. Buck and Brody see me and get out of their car. To your point, Cody, we all know it's dangerous. Tree branches keep crashing down. Lightning strikes close. We argue about me risking my life. We decide that the cars will be slow and if a tree falls on the car, it'll still kill us. So we walk back. Slowly. Rain pelting us. Lightning scaring us.”
I ask, “Wait, where are the flashlights?”
“Didn't work.”
Jae shakes his head, “Geez, we just can't catch a break.”
“It's not bad luck. The batteries were removed.” We're all stunned. “Anyway, we climb back here. We can see you guys wrestling, but with the lights on in here, you can't see us. By the time we get close enough, the lights are out again. Of course, the door is locked. But we know you guys are wrestling. Having fun. Dry and safe. I won't lie. I was a little bitter that you make the stupid choice to stay, but it turns out to be the smart choice.”
The lights come back on.
I take it as a sign as I smile, “You should know by now that even my stupid decisions work out for me.”
“Ha, ha. Anyway, we get here. We call out, but the rain drowns us out. We bang the windows, but you guys can't see it's us. I'm just glad you figured it out before we had to smash our way in.”
KRAKABOOM!
I say, “Wow. Look, Jae and I had omelets, salad and an expensive merlot for dinner.” Everyone growls at us. “Yes, it was romantic and wonderful, but I'm telling you for another reason. Are you hungry? We could make you something while you guys put on dry clothes. Or, I guess I should say, dry gear. We have extra if you don't.”
Buck says, “Thanks, Cody. You're the best. Whatever you make will be great.” The rest agree, appreciating our effort.
We're plating food as the leavers return, dried and changed into new wrestling gear most of it ours. Luke’s in green, Pete's in red. Brody and Buck are in gold and silver, respectively. I ask about Ryan. Pete grunts something about him wanting to check on Corey after he gets changed. You can see the bitterness on his face. So dramatic. It makes me think about something Jae said.
I smirk to my boyfriend, “Well, if this really is a reality show, they're sure getting their money’s worth. This shit is nuts.”
KRAKABOOM!
The guys are shoveling the food in their mouths, but Brody pauses to ask, “Reality show? What're you talking about, Cody?”
“Huh? Oh, it's just something Jae pointed out. This group is full of hot guys, nudity and tension. It's Ryan and all his men. Javi-Ramsay-Corey have a triangle. Pete’s a jerk. Rival and Cave. It's like perfect casting for a reality show then you put us alone in a scary house, cut us off from the world, mess with the power, knock out Pete. I mean, it couldn't have been staged better to create drama.”
Everyone except Pete stops eating. Brody pounds the table, “Goddamn it. You're right, Jae.”
Jae says, “I am?”
“You are.” Brody starts looking around the room. Buck questions him. The country boy bodybuilder says to his buddy, “I'm looking for cameras. We're being watched. I feel it now.”
It's Luke who sees it. He points up at the ceiling, “There.”
Brody squints, “What are you pointing at?”
“See that black dot? It shines with a faint reflection. Fiber-optic camera. Military-grade. We used to use those on recon. Latest tech we had. If you didn't know what it was, you'd never see it.”
We all squint, barely able to make it out. I trust Luke, though. If he says that's a camera, I believe him. We spread out, not really knowing what we're looking for. Even with the lights on, there are shadows and marks everywhere. Luke goes to whoever thinks he sees something, confirming a couple, but rejecting a dozen more.
The military muscleman stops. He says, “Guys, stop looking. It's irrelevant. We know there are cameras. It doesn't matter if there are three or three hundred. Jae was right, even if he was kidding. This isn't a coincidence. We were assembled, like a cast. We've been under surveillance since we the moment we arrived.”
Ramsay points out, “Except when the power went out.”
Luke shakes his head, “Night vision and backup power. I guarantee you that those cameras have been working just fine in the dark. They've seen everything. Probably even in our rooms. We are not alone.”
We all stand in the cavernous chamber, confused and uncertain. Jae moves to me and I hug him from behind, comforting him. His joke isn't funny anymore. Even though we've all been on camera many times, wearing less and doing more, the feeling is remarkably unsettling. We can't get freaked out. I try to calm our frazzled nerves.
I ask, “Are we sure these aren't just regular security cameras? A place like this is bound to have the latest security. And as creepy as this is, this storm isn't fake. It's the only reason we're trapped and no one could've known it would happen when we were invited. We shouldn't freak out. It's late. We're tired and stressed. But all of us are fine. Maybe we're overreacting.”
Right on cue, Ryan comes back in, looking breathless. He asks, “Is Corey here?”
We look around. He's not. I explain that after the guys left, we separated. He wanted action, we wanted to eat, and Javi and Ramsay wanted to chill in their room. By the time we were done eating, Corey was gone. We assumed to bed. Ryan shakes his head, “I checked his room. He's not there. I called around the second and third floor, but no answer.”
Ramsay asks frantically, “What're you saying?”
“I'm saying that I can't find Corey. I think he's missing.”
Chapter Eight: The Fury
The next few minutes are a blur of questions and hypotheses and reassurances. But mostly questions. I throw out that Corey might've gone searching for the staff house. The guys who weathered the storm dismiss that immediately. They argue that no booty call was worth that, especially since Corey didn't really even know where he was going.
Brody states firmly, “Corey would've gone three steps and turned right back around. He's got to be here.”
I ask, “Ryan, did you check Brody and Buck’s room? We suggested he move up there to be close to Javi, Ramsay and us.”
“I didn't look in every room, but why wouldn't he answer me?”
Jae asks, “Is he a sound sleeper?”
Ryan answers, “Yes.” At the same time, Ramsay answers, “No.” They look at each other. Great, more tension. My best friend says, “He is with me. Maybe I tire him out more.”
Ramsay snipes, “Or bore him. With me, Corey's always ready for action. The minute I'm up, he's looking to get back at it.” He adds, “I'll go look. If he hears me, he'll wake up. Hard.”
“Don't bother. You lost him. I'll find him.”
The young muscleman puffs out his chest, “Excuse me? This from the guy who abandoned him here? At least I stayed.” I see Javi tense at that, but one problem at a time.
I suggest, “Enough, guys. We'll all look. Let's split up into pairs. We can each search a floor. Luke, you can go with whoever you want. Just stay close to them.” As we move into the foyer, Ryan and Ramsay are still staring each other down. Javi and Pete hover close behind them, with Luke moving from us to support Ryan. Damn it, nerves are strained.
Brody slides in behind Jae and me. He puts his hands on our shoulders as he whispers in our ears, “Guys, we gotta get control before this gets out of hand.” We nod. Brody's an experienced bouncer, so we listen to his instructions. “We need to separate them. Jae, Pete seems okay with you. See if you can coax him to the kitchen. Cody, you handle Ryan and Luke. We'll take Ramsay and Javi upstairs to start searching.” I nod again. It's a good plan.
It's also too little, too late.
I was listening to Brody, so I missed what exactly started it, but Ryan and Ramsay lock up. My best friend pushes Ramsay backwards into the wall. BANG! He drives in with a knee lift. THUD! OOF! The younger stud bends forward. Ryan grabs him around the neck. He holds Ramsay upright and gives him two more knees. THUD! OOF! THUD! OOF! My buddy grabs hold of his rival’s hair then drags him to the ring.
Like a mob at a street fight, the rest of us all follow. Javi, Brody and Buck go to one side of the ring, while Pete, Luke, Jae and me go to another. There's no point in getting involved. If they really want to fight, nothing we can. None of us, except maybe Pete or Brody, would stand a chance of stopping them without getting hurt in the process. And with us split pretty evenly in backing up each of them, it would only escalate an already tense situation.
Ryan runs Ramsay into the ring apron, stomach first, THUD! OOF! That knocks the wind out of the big boy. My buddy pushes on the young stud’s impressive ass. Damn, it's even bigger than Jae’s and like my boyfriend’s, it's perfectly shaped. Javi sure can pick them. Hopefully, this boytoy doesn't turn on him, like the last one did. Although it'd be funny if he lost a ‘loser leaves Rival’ match to Ramsay, considering he owns the place.
Anyway, Ryan follows Ramsay in under the bottom rope. The young buck is resilient. He springs up, coming down with a double axehandle across Ryan's back while the big man is entering. WHACK! Ramsay leaps up then drives his big right foot onto Ryan's back. STOMP! STOMP! STOMP! The shots are stiff, but since Ramsay never found boots that fit, the shots aren't as rough as they could be. STOMP! STOMP! STOMP!
Ramsay realizes his feet aren't doing much to my buddy's thick, muscular back. He turns, dropping an elbow to the back of Ryan's head. WHACK! The blow is hard, but it also drives Ryan's handsome face into the mat. CRUNCH! That stuns the big man. The young stud grabs an arm, locking it between his thick thighs. He pulls up on Ryan’s chin, locking on a crossface.
Javi is slapping the mat, telling Ramsay to crank harder. I can't resist, “Shut up, Javi. Stop egging them on just because you lost tonight. We should be finding Corey.”
The mention of the missing 19-year old energizes Ryan. He growls and pushes up, literally powering out of Ramsay’s hold. My buddy is an emotional guy. He's kind of like the Hulk. The madder he gets, the stronger he gets. They rise up. Ryan says, “Stand down, son.”
The young stud shoots Ryan the finger, “I'm not your son. And Corey's not your property.”
Sigh. They lock up again. This time, Ramsay slips behind Ryan with a controlling waistlock. He squeezes tight then tries to lift Ryan up for a takedown, but Ryan counters, breaking the hold and reversing it. He turns his waistlock into a reverse bearhug. ARGH! Ramsay cries out in the powerful grip as Ryan crushes his midsection. The powerful arms tighten up hard.
Ramsay plants his feet, trying to run them back into the corner, but Ryan's able to hold his position. They're already sweating, their big muscles pumped and shining. The young stud throws his elbow back. CRACK! The impact stuns Ryan. The big boy is able to break the reverse bearhug. He grabs an arm, forcing Ryan into a tight hammerlock.
The big man grunts as he's controlled by the younger hunk. Ramsay lifts the hand high up Ryan's back, but I'm sure he knows his control won't last. The big boy pushes my best friend into the corner, shoulder first. CLANG! Ryan bounces out, getting scooped up across the younger stud's chest. Wow, Ryan doesn't get picked up very often. Impressive.
Ramsay holds Ryan up, powerful enough to keep him suspended. He moves to the center of the ring. The big man starts fighting the hold, but the young buck manages to body slam Ryan down to the canvas. BOOM! He immediately leaps up, coming down with a leg drop across his big chest. WHOMP! Huh, I guess we know one move Javi and his new guy are working on.
Like Javi, Ramsay follows up by pull Ryan into a head scissors. Unlike Javi, he does a better version. He uses Ryan's hair to force my buddy to roll over until his face is buried in the young buck’s silver pouch. Ramsay’s thick, powerful legs close around the bigger man’s head. He locks his ankles then extends his legs, noticeably flexing.
Ryan grunts in the head scissors. The younger stud roars as he tightens the vice. I wonder if Ramsay is better at this thanks to Corey, who's a master of the head scissors. Just as I think that, my buddy starts to fight back. He rolls them a quarter turn. Ryan plants his feet and rises, lifting Ramsay's legs and forcing his shoulders down.
I remember how he counted for me. Turnabout is fair play. I slap the apron. ONE!
Javi, Brody and Buck all give me a look, but I just shrug, “Ramsay did the same in our match. He's a stickler for counting. By the way,” SLAP! “TWO!”
Ramsay releases the scissors and rolls his shoulder up. I could've counted faster to try to end this, but now I'm for this match. Win or lose, it'll be healthier for all of us. My buddy is great, but he usually bottles up his feelings until they explode. This is the kind of release he needs to be calmer later. If some young beefcake is volunteering to take the punishment, I'm all for it.
Since he was already on his feet, Ryan is in the perfect position to take control back. He leaps up, coming down with a splash across Ramsay's back. SPLAT! He rises then delivers a series of big knee drops to Ramsay’s back. THUD! THUD! THUD! He attacked the abs, now he's going after the back. It's a slow, consistent wear-down strategy. Yeah, Ryan's in no rush. Even he knows he needs this kind of action.
My buddy reaches down and grabs the young stud’s feet. He folds one under the other then draws it to Ramsay’s bubble butt. Ryan plants his knees on the young buck’s back. He uses his long wingspan to grab under the chin. Ryan rocks then the bigger stud throws himself backwards, dragging Ramsay up onto his knees in a bow and arrow backbreaker.
Ramsay moans loudly as he's bent backwards, his abs stretched out and his bulge aimed high at the ceiling. The young stud won't give. Ryan bounces his legs, adding to the pressure. Ramsay's voice rises a couple of octaves, but he holds out against the pain. The big man keeps the hold in place for a minute before letting go and kicking Ramsay off his shins.
The young stud rolls onto his stomach. He's moaning, obviously feeling the punishment. Ryan rises then moves in. He grabs Ramsay by the hair then drags him up to his feet. As he rises, the Javi's beefy boy shows he's desperate. He throws his arm up between Ryan's legs, taking this action to a dirtier place. SQUISH! Ryan grunts and bends over, reaching for his manhood.
Ramsay rises slowly. Pete, Luke and I boo the dirty tactic, but Javi claps for his man. Brody and Buck stay neutral. They like Ryan but seeing him in trouble has them getting noticeably hard in their trunks. Considering Buck has a big match with my buddy coming up, I'm sure he's for anything that wears Ryan down a little to make it more competitive.
Ryan is walking it off. He stands up, but Ramsay isn't waiting. He moves in, wrapping his arms around Ryan's head from behind. He locks the rear naked choke on, seizing control. My buddy's in trouble. Ramsay's powerful and clearly knows how to apply this hold. We could be seconds away from a knockout!
Chapter Nine: The Unrest
Ramsay squeezes tightly, but Ryan's tough, especially when angry. He thrusts his ass back into Ramsay's bulge. SQUISH! Simultaneously, the big man grabs the thick arm around his neck and bends forward. Ramsay flips over Ryan's back onto his amazing ass. PLOP! My best friend kicks him between the shoulder blades. WHACK! Ramsay grunts.
Ryan drops his knee down into the young stud's spine. WHACK! He grabs Ramsay by his thick biceps pulling his arms back. My buddy slides his hands to Ramsay's wrists then lifts. He forces the big boy’s head down, pushing until his victim’s wrists are pointing at the ceiling. Ryan uses his weight and power to control his opponent, holding him firmly in place.
Ramsay grunts as he's tested, but he doesn't submit. So far, Ryan's been focused on the young muscleman's core, so this shoulder attack isn't the best strategy. Ryan must be using it to recover from the sleeper. My buddy releases the wrists. Ramsay snaps up, right into a knee moving at the back of his head. CRACK! That stuns the young stud.
With the hot young stud lying on the mat moaning, Ryan is able to grab his hair and drag him up without resistance. The big man scoops Ramsay up then drops him across his leg in an over-the-knee backbreaker. CRACK! The impact is fierce. Ryan holds the big body in place, bending it over his leg. Ramsay was not built to bend and his groans confirm the pain.
Ryan adds in vicious ab punches. POW! POW! POW! The double punishment has Ramsay whimpering as he convulses weakly with every punch. It's impossible to flex your abs when stretched out like that, so there's no defense. Still, the hanging helpless hunk refuses to give. Ryan reaches for his bulge, gripping it. The younger muscleman moans, “No, no, no.”
My buddy laughs, “What? You started the low blows, kid. You don't like ‘em?”
Ramsay just repeats, “No, no, no.” Ryan pats the stuffed pouch, but moves his hand without doing major damage. I smile as my buddy sends the message he doesn't need to resort to cheap shots. He caresses the smooth, red abs then unleashes more punches. THUD! THUD! THUD! The core attacks are working. Ramsay's closets giving. I can tell.
Ryan pushes the aching hunk off his leg. Ramsay writhes on the mat, trying to regain focus. Too bad for him, the big man isn't going to let that happen. Ryan plants his boot on Ramsay's back then walks over him. He does it again. My buddy turns then splashes onto Ramsay again. SPLAT! The flattened muscleman groans under Ryan's 250-lbs of muscle.
Moving in for the kill, Ryan grabs the back of the trunks and a handful of hair. He forces Ramsay up then amazingly lifts him up onto his shoulders. My buddy secures the 230-lbs of beef in a torture rack like it was nothing. He bounces, making sure the younger stud feels every second of his hold. He growls, demanding Ramsay give.
The young stud flails in the hold. He whips his hand up, looking for Ryan's eyes. My buddy senses it. He twists, shaking Ramsay's arms away from his face. Ryan warns, “Rake my eyes and you'll regret it, kid. Trust. Me.”
The warning must work, because Ramsay finally decides this isn't worth it. He admits defeat, submitting to the bigger muscleman.
“I GIVE! I GIVE! I GIVE!”
Ryan drops Ramsay to the mat. He dusts his hands then turns back to Ramsay. The younger stud is on his back. My buddy kneels beside him. He grips the loser’s hand, shaking it. “You okay?” Ramsay nods. Ryan smiles, “Good match under not ideal circumstances. Any time you want a re-match, let me know, kid.”
Ramsay smiles, “You're on, old man.”
Javi, Pete and Luke all move into the ring, so I decide to stay outside with Jae. Ryan's men move in on either side of him. Luke gives him a hug, congratulating the big man on the win.
When Ryan turns to him, Pete says, “Congrats.” It's dripping with attitude.
A sweaty and pumped Ryan asks, “What's with the attitude?”
“I don't know. Maybe because you'll fight over Corey, but call me a liar? I was attacked, but no one’s tearing up the place to find who knocked me out. Maybe you should've just left me lying on the floor so you wouldn't have to deal with me.”
I roll my eyes, “THANK YOU! I said the exact same thing.”
The bearded beast sneers at me, “Fuck you, Cody. I don't give a shit what you think. Isn't there a mirror you should be looking into?”
Luke sighs, “Oh, for fuck’s sake.”
Pete whips around, “Excuse me?”
“You're exhausting, dude. We all made sure you were okay, including Cody. Now, we're trying to make sure Corey is okay, but you don't care. You're instigating fights between Ryan and Ramsay -” So that's what started it. I should've guessed. “- then having a fucking hissy fit about it. Maybe no one believed you because you're so fucking dramatic about everything.”
KRAKABOOM!
The 300-lbs monster roars then charges at Luke. The military muscleman isn't surprised, but Pete's a hard man to avoid. Luke gets swept up by the charge and run into the corner. SPLAT! CLANG! The handsome bodybuilder sags in the ropes as Pete backs up. The super-heavyweight unleashes a series of body blows, pummeling those perfect abs. THUD! THUD! THUD! I grab the middle rope to pull myself in the ring, but Ryan gets there first.
Ryan grabs Pete's shoulder, “Stop it.” Pete growls, but obeys.
Luke rises, “No, don't stop. Ryan, step back. Pete and I need to work off some tension.”
My best friend reluctantly clears the ring, leaving Pete and Luke to face off.
Chapter Ten: The Beast
Once Ryan is out of the ring, Luke and Pete circle. I put my arm around Ryan's waist and give him a squeeze. He puts his arm around my shoulder and falls into me a little. I know this is hard for him. It's what he never wanted to see. I'd hope for this to kick Pete out of his harem, but I know that's not happening. So, I'll just be quietly supportive to my best friend.
I've only faced Pete once and that was right after the most physically and emotionally draining match of my life. I never stood a chance, but even at my best, I know the big beast would be a challenge. He's strong, fast and smart in the ring. Luke's determined, but so far, I've only known him to lose to bigger men - Ryan, Ram and Josh all beat him.
Pete lumbers forward, but Luke dodges under his arms. The military muscleman comes up behind, throwing his arms under Pete's. Luke goes for a full nelson, getting Pete's arms up. Before the sexy bodybuilder can lock his hands, the big burly beast powers his arms down. He successfully blocks the full nelson attempt.
Showing off his surprising speed, Pete spins around for a clothesline. WHOOSH! Luke ducks. He grabs one of the big man’s legs and lifts. The big beast is unbalanced from the fast turn, allowing Luke to actually topple him down. CRASH! The bodybuilder keeps hold of the leg, falling back into a leglock. He twists the ankle, trying to hyperextend the knee.
Luke works the hold, but Pete's tough to keep down. The big beast rolls them over, dragging Luke with his momentum. He kicks his leg free then rises to hands and knees. As Pete starts to stand, the bodybuilder jumps on his back. He goes for the rear naked choke, but Pete pushes off the mat and flips them over. The monster's 300+ pounds of bulk squashes the military muscleman into the ring. SPLAT! Luke groans under the big man.
Pete sits up. Even that small action is punishing. His ass presses down on Luke's eight-pack abs. The big burly beast spins to mount Luke's waist. He starts pounding on the bodybuilder's perfect pecs. THUD! THUD! THUD! Luke throws a forearm up into Pete's thick gut, but it only bounces off harmlessly. Pete grabs Luke's wrists and forces them down to the canvas.
The weight and force are too much for Luke to power out of. His chiseled muscles flex, pump and strain, but Pete's immovable. The huge hulk simply drops his body down flat, driving the air and fight out of the handsome hunk under him. SPLAT! Pete pushes off, rolling to his feet. He looks down at the bodybuilder, demanding, “GET UP!”
Beside me, Ryan is tense. I wave Jae over. I ask him to start the search for Corey with Ryan, checking out the main floor. My best friend refuses to go, “What if this gets out of hand?” I remind him that Corey's missing, re-assuring him that I'll be here. I let him know that I'll call for him if I need help. My buddy nods, letting Jae lead him out of the room, away from the drama.
As Luke struggles to rise, Brody comes in behind me. He says Javi and Ramsay are taking the third floor and him and Buck the second. I nod, wishing them luck in finding the missing young stud. Buck squeezes my shoulder, wishing me luck, too. He's not wrong. I wanted to spare Ryan from watching this, but alone, I likely can't do much if things get crazy. Although, if I know Ryan, he's hovering nearby within earshot.
It's just me with Pete and Luke as the military muscleman fights to rise. The big hairy beast keeps using his boot to put him back down. STOMP! The handsome hunk stays down, trying to focus. With Luke not moving, Pete finally notices everyone is gone. He turns to me, “What's going on?” I tell him that everyone's looking for Corey, which is what we should be doing.
Before Pete can respond, Luke seizes the opportunity presented by the distraction. He dives at the big man’s knee. WHACK! The low shoulder block topples Pete down fast. BOOM! The fallen monster swears as he grabs for his knee. Luke's adrenaline surges. He grabs the injured leg and uses it to force the big beast onto his stomach then into a single leg crab.
Luke's sweaty muscles are pumped and hard as he tries to use his advantage to get a submission. He adds punches to the mix, hitting the inside of Pete's aching knee. WHACK! WHACK! WHACK! The burly beast growls, withstanding the pain. He pushes up and kicks back, easily toppling Luke's 215-lbs of muscle.
Pete rises, favoring his leg. Luke is back around, already diving in from behind. The military muscleman takes out the knee again, but this time, Pete controls his fall. He lands right on top of Luke, squashing him with over 300-lbs of beef. SPLAT! The muscleman moans under the bigger man, who stretches out his leg, clearly in no rush to move.
When the big behemoth sits up, he slides right onto Luke's head. The pressure has the bodybuilder flailing and crying out. I wince as I watch his handsome face wedged under the humongous bulk of the big beast. I tell Pete, “Get off him!” In response, I get the finger. As the military muscleman desperately tries to get free, I grab the bottom rope.
Just as I pull myself up onto the apron, Luke slides out behind Pete. He springs up fast, but then he falls into the ropes. The handsome hunk holds his head, his body limp as he tries to keep his feet. Even with the ropes, it's not easy. Pete rises, looking at me. He snarls, “This is the loser you want to replace me?” The big man slashes his hands in front of his crotch, “Suck it, Cody, you narcissistic asshole.”
I stand up, hoping to distract Pete, but he doesn't fall for it. He turns to Luke, grabbing the still stunned stud by the arm. The big beast whips the bodybuilder across the ring. Luke has no choice but to run into the opposite ropes. He bounces off into a charging Pete's clothesline. WHOMP! The impact flips the muscleman over and he crashes down on his stomach.
Pete runs into the ropes then runs off. He leaps into the air then splashes down on Luke's back. SPLAT! The bodybuilder coughs under the 300-lbs of bulk. Pete pushes up, shooting his middle finger at me. I just shrug then hop off the apron. The burly beast drags Luke up by his hair. He roughly shoves the helpless hunk into the corner. CLANG! Luke collapses onto his ass.
The military muscleman leans against the bottom turnbuckle, legs apart and hands gripping the ropes on either side. He shakes out his head, it's too late. Pete is stomping towards him. The massive monster turns at the last minute, slamming his ass into the hunk's handsome face. WHACK! The force drives Luke's head into the middle turnbuckle. He slumps to the side.
Pete struts in the ring. He flexes in front of me. I smirk, “I could help you build those -” I point at his flexing biceps then wag my finger at his ample midsection, “-and lose that.”
The beast says, “Why? So, I could be one of these all-show, no-go muscle bitches? I'd rather be me than him right about now.”
Pete struts over to Luke. He grabs his hair and forces the stunned hunk to his knees. He pulls the military muscleman's face into his thick gut. He gives Luke a sweaty face wash against his hairy stomach, enjoying his dominance. Pete pulls Luke up then scoops him up across his chest. The big beast takes two steps then leaps up, bodyslamming Luke down. BOOM!
Luke writhes on the mat. Pete walks back into the corner then climbs onto the middle turnbuckle. He leaps off, coming down with a huge splash onto the helpless musclehunk. SPLAT! Pete points at me, “COUNT IT!” I just raise an eyebrow. Pete snarls, “Count it or I'll just keep mauling him.”
I smirk, “RYAN!”
Pete's eyes go wide as my best friend rounds the corner almost immediately, obviously hanging out in the foyer. The burly beast sneers at me. He thinks then realizes the position I've put him in. The bearded brute has no choice. He slaps the mat. ONE! TWO! THREE!
As the big behemoth rises up off Luke, I reach in and pull the military muscleman out of the ring. I help Luke stand and regain his breath. Ryan silently looks back-and-forth at the devastated Luke outside the ring and the victorious Pete pacing inside the ring. The two sweaty studs look at Ryan, knowing they probably pissed him off.
KRAKABOOM!
Luke speaks first, “I'm sorry about this, Ryan. It's just something I needed to do.”
My buddy nods, calming down. He hugs the handsome bodybuilder, “It’s okay. I get it. Heck, I started the whole thing by going at Ramsay. I'm just glad it's over.”
Pete comes to the ring ropes, looking down. I know he's not sorry, but he apologizes for political reasons. I'm sure he's pissed that Luke took the high road so fast and got a hug and concession from Ryan. I think Luke lost the match, but won the real battle - Ryan's respect and understanding. Pete looks like a bully and I love it.
Jae whispers in my ear that they actually never left the foyer. I nod, having guessed as much. I still explain where everyone is, even though Ryan and Jae know. My buddy says we should split up and handle the main floor. After checking with my boyfriend, I decide that I'll do this side with Ryan, while Jae can do the other side with Pete.
I say, “Luke, if you're up to it, stick with us on the main floor. It's the biggest floor and we're starting later than everyone else.”
Luke shakes his head, “I appreciate you keeping an eye on me Cody, but I'm fine. I'll go to the second floor and join Brody and Buck. It's big, too, and there's only two of them.”
We reluctantly agree. Ryan and I watch him climb the stairs. He gives us a thumbs up, saying, “I see them. They went into Corey's room.” We start searching our side of the first floor. It's sprawling. The slowest part is feeling for secret passages. Nobody found any the first go around, but that's why I switched things up. Maybe the new teams will have better luck.
KRAKABOOM!
At least the power stays on. So many rooms. Ryan and I find a billiards room, a study, a library, and a conservatory. No Corey, though. We try pulling random objects - pool cues, books, statues - in an attempt to get secret panels to open. Nothing. We push on walls and pull on bookcases. Nothing. At the end of the hall, we do find a back staircase. Interesting. No sign of life, but we've been rummaging for a long while. Still, Corey's nowhere to be found.
When we regroup, we learn that none of us found anything. No trace of Corey. No secret passageways. In fact, there's nothing mysterious, except for Corey being missing. We're stumped. If he wouldn't have gone outside voluntarily then he's either here or was forced to leave. If he's here, he either can't answer us or doesn't want to. What a mystery.
Ryan asks Brody and Buck, “Where's Luke?”
Chapter Eleven: The Uninvited
“LUKE!”
If the military muscleman can hear us, he doesn't answer. Brody and Buck say they didn't see him. They didn't even know he was going to join them. They didn't hear anything unusual. We watched Luke go up the stairs, but he somehow didn't make it to them just two rooms away? Seems impossible. He must've gone searching on his own. Or maybe stopped to take a shower and get changed. Luke is a confident and capable man. I'm sure he's fine.
Ryan is tense as we stand there, trying to process the strange events of the evening. He calls out again, “LUKE!” No answer. We all call out, “LUKE!” “LUKE!” “LUKE!” Nothing. Our voices echo. There's no way he can't hear the combined power of our calls. Ryan runs up to the second floor. I'm right behind him. I follow Ryan into Luke’s room. His sweaty gear is on the floor. The shower tiles and two towels are wet, but he's not here.
Ryan pounds the wall. THUD! He looks enraged, “What the fuck happened to him?”
I try to calm him down, “I'm sure he's around here somewhere, Ry. We'll find him.”
“Like we found Corey, Cody?” I have no response to that. “Exactly. This is crazy. It ends now.”
Ryan marches down the stairs, fuming. We get to the foyer, realizing the guys are all gone. All six of them. We stand in the entrance foyer, stunned. Alone, just the two of us. What? How can six musclemen disappear? Are you kidding me?
KRAKABOOM!
I cry out, “JAE! JAE!”
Jae comes out of the ring room. He says, “Hey, that was quick. The guys are looking around some more for Corey and now Luke, I guess?” I nod. My boyfriend frowns, but explains, “Javi and Ramsay went looking for a basement, figuring we hadn't found one, but maybe there's one under that staircase you found? And Brody and Buck are braving the storm and circling outside. Pete went to the kitchen.”
I'm about to say something snarky about Pete's location, but Ryan anticipates it. His hand is in my face immediately, “Don't. I'm in no mood. I'm seeing three guys. One was attacked. Now, the other two are missing. I really need my best friend to keep being my supportive best friend right now.”
I give him a hug. “You know I'm here for you.” Ryan squeezes me hard. I apologize, “I'm sorry, Ry. I'm just trying to act normal. Like nothing is wrong. I don't know what else to do.”
Ryan squeezes me tighter, kissing my forehead. He says, “It's okay. I'm just tired and stressed. And you're right. You've been keeping me calm by being you.” We break and he says, “So, go ahead. Make your nasty comment about Pete. He makes enough about you.”
I wave my hand, “The moment has passed. It was hilarious, but you'll just have to wait for next time. On the positive side, Pete's such a total jerk that I'm sure another opportunity will come soon.” Ryan smiles. I squeeze his shoulder. As I do, I'm suddenly distracted as I have an epiphany.
Jae asks, “Okay. Should we start searching?”
Ryan shakes his head, “No.”
My boyfriend looks surprised, “No?”
“No. I'm tired of running around this stupid house. We're exhausting ourselves. It's almost dawn. I'm sure that Corey and Luke aren't here. Take me up to your room. Let's find where the staff are staying. That's where I need to go.”
KRAKABOOM!
I correct him, “Where WE need to go. I'm in this with you, Ry." I say, "But you're wrong. We need to go down, not up.”
“What do you mean?”
“I finally know who's behind all this. And I know why. I just can't figure out how, but I guess that's not important right now. It's not the staff, so there's no point in going there. We should gather, I explain it all and then he won't have any more power over us.”
“What? Who is it?”
I explain, “It's been bugging me for a while. Corey and now Luke vanishing threw me, but that was because I didn't get the ‘why’. It makes no sense for him to target them. But he didn't. And now that I realize that, it all makes sense.”
Ryan asks again, “Who? Quit stalling. You realize that this is what they do in horror movies then something happens and the person never gets to reveal what they know.”
“Hold on. I'll get there, but I want to lay out the facts then see if you come to the same conclusion. Think about what's happened. We're all invited here separately and secretly. Your three guys are all invited. Jae and me are the only ones whose clothes are stolen and not surrendered. But making us wear gear is no big deal. It's childish, but not harmful.”
“True.”
“Other minor annoyances are things like flashlight batteries being removed. It kept us in the dark, but only became serious because you guys got stuck. But when they were taken, I bet it wasn't a big deal. Someone wanted to mess with you and me, but none of it is serious.”
“But -”
“Hold on. I said none of it was serious against you and me. But Pete was attacked.”
Ryan asks, “So you believe him now.”
I shrug, “I always did. I knew he didn't fake it." My best friends snarls at me. I hold up my hands, "Relax. It was just some harmless fun.”
“Except for the trouble that you created between Pete and me.” Ryan looks at me. When I don't reply, he raises an eyebrow, “Well? Don't you have something to say to me? Maybe something that starts with 'sore' and ends with 'ee'.”
“Hm. See, I'm trying to think of a way that I can apologize that you might believe. Not easy.” My best friend growls at me. I snap my fingers, “Wait! I got it. I can honestly say that was not my intent when I did it. It was simply a lucky bonus. So, Ryan, I swear that I did not set out to cause trouble between you and Pete tonight. I hope you can forgive me. Ha, that's done.”
As I smile at him, Ryan just rolls his eyes at me. He sighs, “Just back to your theory. Someone wanted to mess with us, but hurt Pete. So it's someone who's only annoyed with you and me, but is angry at Pete.”
“Right. Now, remember Javi and Ramsay are the only ones who had their gear stolen. Someone wanted him to have to think about being Night.”
“That's his Cave character.”
“Like Corey and Luke, The Cave is a red herring. If it was about The Cave, Buck and Brody would've been made to be Marvels. They weren't. That's important, too. Someone wanted to make Javi be Night, but wasn't willing to cover his tracks by having Buck and Brody become the Marvels. So, Pete was physically attacked, but Javi was emotionally attacked.”
“What about Ramsay?”
“Collateral damage. See, Javi would also never wear pink. So Ramsay was given pink gear, knowing that Javi would be stuck. And the size was just a petty power play. Messing with Ramsay, like you and me were messed with. Pete and Javi were primary targets. You, me and Ramsay were secondary targets. And Corey and Luke weren't targets at all.”
Ryan's eyes narrow, “But they were kidnapped.”
“No, I doubt it. That's what confused me. But now I'm sure that they were only lured away to mess with you. So think about everything I've laid out and come up with a name.”
“Okay.” Ryan thinks.
I add, “Also throw in the staff. Visualize them.”
Ryan gives me a confused look then it hits him. His eyes go wide. “Oh. My. God. Really?” I nod. “You're right, Cody. It's him.” He looks at Jae, “Where's Buck?”
Jae looks surprised, “Outside. Wait, you think Buck did all this?”
I answer “No, babe, Buck’s not behind this -”
Ryan finishes, “- Buck’s the next target.”
Just then, we hear someone call out to everyone. It's Brody. Oh no, I hope we're not too late. We race back down the stairs. Halfway down the final flight, I stop short. I see a drenched Brody holding two chairs. Then I see Buck, his hard muscles glistening from the water on his skin. That's not why I stop, though.
Draped on Buck’s shoulder is an unconscious muscleman. Not just any muscleman. A muscleman I know. A muscleman we all know.
Bodybuilder. 6’1”/220-lbs. Smooth bronzed skin shining as water runs down his sculpted flesh.
Gold trunks clinging tightly, cupping his mountainous ass. There's a black dollar sign on it.
Gold pro boots. Black dollar signs.
It's Moneymaker. A Cave wrestler. And the man that I believe is responsible. Looks like I was right.
 |
| Moneymaker. When he's conscious. The bald head is courtesy of Buck. |
The big country boy unceremoniously drops the unconscious wrestler onto the floor in the puddle they've created. PLOP! Buck dusts his hands proudly then plants his boot on the unmoving bodybuilder. Pete, Javi and Ramsay appear, all equally stunned by the scene. We gather around, none of us speaking as we process what's happening.
Buck says, “When I went around the corner, I ran into this one. We fought. I won. Again. I had to knock him out, though. Thanks for the chair suggestion, Cody.” Brody holds one up and I see the deep dent.
I nod, “Damn. We just figured it out. It's why Pete was attacked. He humiliated Moneymaker. And so did you. But what I'm still missing is the how.”
Javi shakes his head, “No way could he do this. No money. No brains. I don't believe it. He might be the muscle, but he's not the leader.”
KRAKABOOM!
Suddenly, the front doors start to open, but we see no one. The wind? No, they're moving smoothly. They're automated. We brace for whoever or whatever is coming. Three figures appear in the shadows. They're getting soaked by the pelting rain as they approach the front porch. The eight of us instinctively move into a defensive formation with Ryan at point.
The mystery men close in. We can make out the white trunks and gold tights. I relax, lowering my chair. “It's Butler and crew.”
KRAKABOOM!
I break formation and step forward, but Ryan grabs my arm. He warns, “Cody, don't.”
I shrug him off, “Ryan, it's fine. I know they're not a threat.”
As they step onto the covered porch, my confidence grows. They're not looking like three guys who want to attack. And their soaked gear reveals that the guys are only packing muscle, soft but thick uncut cocks and big balls that weigh down the wet white pouches. I lower my chair to look non-threatening and close the gap to meet them just inside the door.
Behind me, Javi growls, “Three lucha wannabes against the eight of us? Even if Cody goes down, I still like our odds.”
I ignore that, trying to present an image of calm, cool and collected. Lightning flashes as I ask their leader, “Enough’s enough. What the hell is really going on here, Butler?”
Chapter Twelve: The Offering
“I asked you a question. What the hell is going on here, Butler?”
“Apologies. The weather. It is … distracting.” Butler asks the other staff to escort Moneymaker out of the house while he explains everything to us. Hopper grabs under the unconscious stud’s arms while Porter grabs his legs. They carry the 220-lbs of pure muscle up off into the ring room then who knows where. Butler asks us to follow him in the other direction. He walks away without waiting for an answer.
“All right, everyone. Things have gotten a little out of hand. There was meant to be some mystery and drama this weekend, but it has far exceeded what was intended. The weather. The power failures. The blocked road. And the unfortunate interference by one overly zealous young man. The one you know as Moneymaker. However, I can assure you that everything was planned out of respect for you, not malice towards you.”
I raise an eyebrow, “I find that hard to believe.”
Butler holds up a hand, “Please, try to imagine last night if it had been sunny. Calm. Electricity and proper mobile phone reception. Just ten attractive wrestlers enjoying a weekend where everything was done for them. A lovely dinner. A wrestling ring. Simple. Sexy. Fun. That was the plan. A reward that culminated with each of you getting something you want in return.”
We all have our arms folded across our chests. Butler can tell we're not buying it. He says, “My employer is a fan of The Cave. A year ago, he hired the young wrestler named Day for a private match and that led to more meetings. Moneymaker was born. And so was the desire to meet all of you. However, not all of you are easily available as wrestlers for hire. So, this became a way for my employer, a very wealthy man, to see you all in a more private setting.”
I shake my head, “Sorry, I thought of that. Jae and I are the only Cave stars here. Rival’s only just launched. Maybe Corey has fans. But why Luke? And Ryan's a behind the scenes guy. He's only had a small handful of matches and only his match against me was popular.”
Butler nods, “Admittedly, this particular roster was developed specifically by Moneymaker to create an entertaining weekend due to your unique group dynamics.”
Jae raises his hands up in victory, “HA! I called it!”
“And I will say that you have not disappointed. As Luke guessed, we have been watching. It did go a little further than planned, but the drama, the wrestling, the intrigue. All wonderful. Moneymaker never should have tried to interfere directly. The mischief with your emergency flashlights was both dangerous and unnecessary. The revenge attacks on Pete and Buck were unsanctioned.”
Pete points at us all, “I TOLD YOU! I TOLD YOU! I TOLD ALL OF YOU!”
Ryan puts his hand on his obnoxious buddy’s shoulder and pats it. He asks, “Just tell me where Corey and Luke are.”
“Receiving their promised rewards. Driver took Corey off site so he'd be fresh for a dawn beach shoot. Driver is now with Luke at a ceremony where he is giving a significant donation for injured veterans this morning. I got to him before he got to Brody and Buck. He cleaned up then was escorted out through a side exit.”
Pete says, “Wow, they both put themselves ahead of you, Ryan. Not surprised.”
Butler says, “To be fair -”
I snark, “Oh, But, the last thing Pete's trying to be is fair.”
Butler frowns, “Please don't call me 'But'. As I was saying, to be fair, Corey didn't know you'd be coming back. He was gone before you returned. Admittedly, your host enjoyed the drama his disappearance created. That's why Luke was given a choice as soon as we could get to him alone. Come with us immediately or his charity would lose the money. A bit of forced drama. But he did ask me to simply say to you, Ryan, that ‘the needs of the many.’ He felt that would be enough.”
Ryan smiles, “The needs of the many, outweigh the needs of the few.” He and Pete finish in unison, “Or the one.”
Butler nods, “How nice that you two share that reference.”
Pete rolls his eyes, “Everyone knows the reference.”
Jae looks at me, silently asking what reference. I shrug, “I don't know. Sophie’s Choice? That's a thing, right? I think Cher plays a factory worker who has to decide between curing her kid's cancer or saving a town that's getting polluted. One vs. many. It's something like that.”
Pete and Ryan look at me, mouths open. They're about to speak when Javi interrupts, “Fuck this. I'm not going through more fuckin’ movie trivia bullshit. Rain’s stopped. I want my shit.”
Butler nods, “As you wish. Porter and Hopper loaded your bags into your cars before we arrived. They are retrieving the cars from the garage then he and Porter will bring the stranded cars from the roadways. They can direct you to the other roadway, which is clear. But my employer is willing to invest in Rival. Don't you want to hear the -”
“You must be fuckin’ nuts if you think I'm doin’ business with you or your mystery boss. I don't like the company you keep and I don't like games. I let him in and watch him give his share to that asshole -” Javi stops, calming himself. He snarls, “I'm outta here. You comin’ Ramsay?” The young beefcake nods. “Then let’s go.” The hairy hunk looks at Ryan and me with a slight smile, “Looks like I'm stuck with you two a little longer.”
They stomp out. Brody says, “I guess we should go, too. We were here for Rival. Maybe we can help get our car up here faster.”
I grab Brody's arm, “Please stay. Don't you want to see what's next?”
Buck and Brody look at each other then Brody smiles, “Yeah, okay. Great.” We've just gotten over some tension. Ryan and I forgave Brody, but it's new. He's surprised and happy that I directly asked him, rather than Buck, to stay. He smiles, “As co-owner of Rival, I just want to say that I like the fact that we're still stuck with you two.” We shake hands and bro hug.
Butler hands Ryan an iPad, “New technology for The Cave. As promised.”
Ryan swipes through the electronic brochures with Pete looking over his shoulder. Pete blurts out, “Whoa. Those are amazing. Howard Technologies. Newest stuff. Can The Cave really afford them? I didn't know business was that good.”
My buddy snarls, “It's not. We just installed these at work. They're awesome, but they're way out of our league.” He hands the iPad back in disgust, “What a waste of my time. I told Noah our budget. These cost five times what we can afford.”
Butler smiles, “My employer is offering them at an 80% discount. Right on budget.”
Ryan's jaw drops then he scoffs, “Stolen servers?” Butler shakes his head. “Really? Who's your boss? Hubert Howard?”
Butler says nothing, but I think I see a tell. I blurt out, “Oh. My. God. It is!”
Hubert Howard is a reclusive billionaire. No one has seen him in decades, but apparently he's seen us. And become a fan. His reputation is that he's an eccentric nutjob. Maybe this insanity all makes sense in his brilliant brain. Wow. Hm, I remember seeing pics and he was doing the hot caveman thing in the 80’s. Nut or not, he's someone I'd like to meet.
The sexy servant smirks, “All I can say is that your host is a big fan of wrestling. He enjoys The Cave and wants it to continue and maybe even expand.”
I shake my head, “I'm sorry, but no deal. Maybe if we could talk about it face-to-face.”
Ryan grabs my shoulder, “Cody, are you kidding? These are amazing. We're stretched thin with our traffic, plus Ben’s eight federations and now Rival. You agreed to invest in an upgrade and these are the best. The best. So much better than what I planned at the same price. We'll be able to stream seamlessly. Take on even more hosting. This is absolutely the perfect solution.”
“I don't agree. Don't forget, Ry, even with an 80% discount, we're still paying 20% and I'm going to be responsible for 10% of that.”
Ryan grabs me by the shoulders. He looks at me with a serious look, “Cody. First, math has never been your strong suit. Second, you've already approved the budget. And most importantly, I want these machines. I really want them. Bad. You don't even know what they are or how much they should cost, so you can't say they're not worth it. I'm sure there's a brilliant scheme brewing in that brain of yours, but this is not the time.”
I turn to Butler and cross my arms over my chest. I'm about to refuse the deal, but Ryan puts his huge paw over my mouth and pulls me in close. I'm silenced against his big body.
Ryan confirms, “We've got a deal. Thank Mr. Howard, if it really is him, for his generosity. I hope he enjoys many more years of watching The Cave.” Ryan releases me with a look to say the decision is made. I shrug and he claps his hands, “This is awesome. I can't wait to set these puppies up. You won't regret this, buddy. They're so cool. They've got this new interface -” He reads my face, “You don't care, do you?”
I sigh, “My only care is that you're happy. If you are then I am, too, buddy. And you obviously are very happy. Congratulations.”
Ryan's a muscle god on the outside, but he's a total geek on the inside. I don't get it but seeing him beaming really does make me feel good. He's my best friend and I love him. With our business completed, I thank Butler and the invisible Mr. Howard, too, then move to sit down. Everyone else moves to the lobby, only stopping as they realize I'm not going with them.
I ask Butler, “What's for breakfast? After all the wrestling and running around, I need some serious carbs.”
Everyone looks around at each other, confused. Jae says, “Uh, I think it's time to go, Cody. Bags are packed. Cars are coming out front. We can change at the car and grab something to eat on the way home.”
I raise an eyebrow, “Uh no. I didn't come here for computer junk or money or a photo shoot. I came here because you and I were promised a weekend of wrestling, fucking and chilling in a resort where everything is done for us. A weekend. Not a night. Not a day. A weekend.”
“Well, yeah, okay. I guess that's true ...”
I state, “Everyone else got what they were promised. I want what we were promised. It's finally beautiful outside. The ring and mats are set up. I'm not going anywhere until Monday morning. Now, I'm going to eat then sleep for like six hours then eat again. And this afternoon, we're going to enjoy this place and each other. Fully and completely.”
Jae sits down beside me. He grabs my hand, “You're right.” We kiss then look at Butler.
I say, “I hope the staff is available for some fun later. I'd love to try out some fresh muscle. Oh, and Butler? Please keep our clothes in a safe place until tomorrow. I'm wearing gear or nothing for the next 48 hours.”
Ryan says, “Cody, you're really okay with this? You know you're being watched, right? It's like a lab experiment and you're the test subject.”
I shrug, “So? Wrestling. Nudity. Sex. Mr. Howard’s not seeing anything he can't download for $19.95. Now, I really am starving and exhausted.” I look back to Butler, “May we please get some breakfast? And ask Cooker to come out and introduce himself. I want to see if he's as hot as the rest of you.”
Butler smirks, “I think you will approve, sir.”
“Cool.” I ask, “Does Mr. Howard want to wrestle?” Butler hedges on the mysterious recluse’s behalf. “Huh, okay, we'll wait to see if he changes his mind. Still, there's five of you guys. Six when Moneymaker wakes up, if he's not too scared to show his big bald head. And there could be six of us. If all you guys choose to stay.”
“Looks like we're all in. How about you guys, Butler?”
Butler replies with a smile, “We are a … full service team, sir. The staff are at your complete disposal and will be more than pleased to meet any and all of you for activities throughout the remainder of the weekend. On behalf of your host, welcome, gentlemen.”
Mimosas are poured. As I look around the table, I realize that this is a great group of guys. My best friend. My boyfriend. And cool country boys Brody and Buck. It's really just a Pete away from perfect. To be fair, even he's fine. He's still sulking, giving us all the silent treatment. Works for me. We raise our glasses.
I say, “To us, my friends. We had an adventure. We weathered the storm. Now, let's make this the most memorable weekend of our lives for the right reasons.”
The End
Good story! You can tell a lot of thought and effort went into it.
ReplyDelete- JS
Thanks!
DeleteHalloween in June, I love it! You know, by coincidence (OR WAS IT??) I've been watching a lot of old movies hosted by Elvira recently, and I must say, this NEEDS to be a movie and Elvira NEEDS to host it!
ReplyDeleteOh, I loved the theme so much. I'm SO glad it wasn't "all a dream." In fact, big-picture story progressed, which I wasn't expecting in such a fun epic, but it was an appreciated bonus! Some positive strides (well, baby steps) in Javi's relationship with Cody!
That hot match with Ramsay, 'cause damn he's hot, but then Luke getting squashed...the wrestling was hot too. :)
And my favorite part might be when Pete accused Corey of attacking him to take out competition for Ryan, and Corey said if he wanted to take out competition for Ryan, he'd take out Buck. And Buck was all, "Wha?" And everyone else was all, "Huh?" But *I* was all, "OOH!" That Corey's pretty bright about some things, isn't he? (Oh, Ryan's love life. Buck's not even officially in the running, but I'm rooting for him.)
KRAKABOOM!
Ha ha! This was so much fun. I loved the text color change to keep it straight in your mind when the power's out. Oh, and I loved the lucha-employees! So hot, I'm glad they weren't evil. (In the same way I hope that Henry Cavill lives in the upcoming Mission Impossible movie, 'cause him with that moustache, DAMN, but I digress.)
Thanks for the story, and Happy 150th!
"Weebles wobble but they don't fall down!"
Thank you. Glad you liked it. Yeah, this wasn't a throwaway story. There are a few points that impact the broader plot, the relationships and character development.
DeleteCorey's intuitive brilliance when it comes to guys is a character trait that I enjoy. Cody is similar, but even he's not at Corey's level.
Awesome feature length story with a great cast of characters and in a fun setting! I was thinking "Dark Shadows" but love the Elvira reference. Spot on, and I can totally see her as the spider manipulating the web.
ReplyDeleteThere were far too many good lines to highlight here. But Sean, as usual, hit the high points. I loved that the good of the many reference went over the heads of exactly the ones I would have expected to miss it. Damned kids.
I give this five of five stars!
Wow, five stars! Thanks, I love that.
DeleteYeah, Jae and Cody aren't Trekkers, apparently. And Cody's not a fan of award-winning female-led dramas, either.
ok. So is there a secret AMU law in which we can only call comment once? Because a MEGA STORY like this, with so many consequences and so many chapters and so many characters can't be covered only with a single comment. The comment would be as long as the story itself! This was CRAAAAZZZYYY! This deserves comments galore!!
ReplyDeleteNever! If anything, the law would be the opposite. I love comments. The more, the merrier. LOL. Thanks for this one.
DeleteWhat an epic installment in the Cave Saga! So many long-delayed and much-anticipated encounters, and so many interesting plot twists and portentous reveals. It was great, Alex. A worthy milestone tale. Thanks! You know, since it all took place on a single night, perhaps each day of the weekend deserves its own "book," perhaps keyed to a different genre of literature or pop-culture that involves a mansion setting. You used Agatha Christie masterfully. Other possibilities that come to mind include Wuthering Heights/Downton Abbey/Pride and Prejudice or Dynasty/Dallas or even Fifty Shades of Grey. There is also some interesting and significant cross-over potential with your other storylines, since we have seen Mr. Howard face off against Danny Chase previously. Anyway, as always, I look forward to your next story...signed ButchAngel
ReplyDeleteAwesome! Epic? I love that description. Your ideas are really smart. However, I doubt we'll re-visit this weekend. Everyone will just have to use their imaginations to decide what all happened.
DeleteAnd congrats on remembering Mr. Howard's appearance in AWL: The Adventures of Danny Chase 5. That's a great memory. He'd be in his late 60's, but he's still in amazing shape. LOL.
So let's start with the length and girth of this story! I mean, oh my god it's a lot to take in and swallow! Then we continue with the whole murder mystery thing. Poor uneducated me I was totally lost. So questions. Are all the Luchadores going to be only on this story? Are we ever going to see them somewhere else in either the Cave or Rival or perhaps Claw? Who are they? Who is Mr Howard? Is he ever going to show himself? If so, when and how and to whom? Hey I know it's tons of questions, but hey if we can take it, i think you can take it back hahaha! This is just message one!
ReplyDeleteLOL. It is a little long. Mr. Howard has appeared before - AWL: The Adventures of Danny Chase 5. He was 35 back then, so just imagine a 65-year old version (assuming he's had a perfect diet and exercise regimen).
DeleteThe Luchas, I don't know yet.
Ha ha, not to sound TOO demanding, but my vote: More Luchas!
DeletePoor Alex. He adds more characters and boom now we want them! Plus all the guys that come to him all the time haha . The Luchabangle though would be interesting! Specially since you came out ofbit totally left field. Now who would be his opponents be. Maybe SPF has an opinion on that!
DeleteNo worries. I'm definitely open to it, I just need to figure it out at some point. I've also used two of the base models before, but people can look alike.
DeleteSo i got to be clear. I love the fact that it's a long story. I had requested Alex to give a shot at longer stories . Yes they are more difficult to read on electronic devices but I think it's cool that he gets the opportunity to stretch what he does. I think we all agree that it's just a matter of time until he creates his own long fantasy or novel based on something he invented. Anyways, that whole mystery was awesome, and MM being such a brat. Now my question is what would have happened for the next few days between all those guys in that house. Well there had to be some consequences specially to MM. Anyways, I loved seeing Pete battle Luke. And as petty as he is it was great to see him almost patch things with Cody. Now in regards to Ryan and his equipment. How is this going impact the Cave in the future. It seems that Mr Howard is about to even put more money and resources in attracting top talent and helping it expand more. Did Javi just miss a huge opportunity? Because it almost seems like he is going to be even more under Codys and Ryan's control. And of course there is CLAW and Ben. We haven't seen him personally in some time and something tells me that it's also going to benefit him. Because what's good for the CAve is good for CLAW. I personally want to see more CLAW. And camp grapple. Mr Howard invested very well! Haha. I have to say I'm still swallowing this story ok? Have patience!
ReplyDeleteThanks for this comment. Let's see. More CLAW is coming. The new Cave tech was a plot advancing device. It won't affect stories, other than allow for logical expansion and growth, as necessary.
DeleteThis story might actually be most significant for Moneymaker, even though he has no lines and only appears in an unconscious state.
I'd argue that Javi probably did the right thing. Mr. Howard only sold servers to The Cave at a significant discount, but he was going to invest in Rival. The Cave owes him nothing, while Javi would've been adding a business partner who is clearly aligned with his greatest enemy and possibly helped create Moneymaker. In this case, the devil he knows is a lot better than the alternative. Especially since he somewhat made peace with the situation. He still wants Ryan and Cody gone, but it's not as bad as he thought.
Love that bitter Javi. Poor guy. Glad things are working out for him, though. :)
DeleteSo much drama. SO MUCH DRAMA!!!!
DeleteOh yeah, there's never a shortage of drama in The Cave. And Javi is just one of those guys who's probably happiest being bitter. He's been a hardass since the beginning.
Delete