What Year is it?

[The Cobra Viper]

A Month After Prestige

“Well Roy seems like you’re back at one hundred percent. Too bad you had to miss the big event.” The doctor sitting in front of me spoke. Morgan and I were sitting on my bed as the asscock doctor, that side lined me for the biggest pay-per-view the Asylum hosts, was on a chair leaning over my shoulder removing my cast.

“You don’t say doc. Maybe I’ll stretch the limb with your face if you keep being such a cheeky optimist.” I respond with a smirk. His reaction was all I wanted and he didn’t disappoint. As he looked up, he gulped, and I could see his eyes quake as a shiver ran down his back. Softly I could feel Morgan tracing the tattoos on my back.

“That won’t be necessary Mr. Viper I’ll just remove this and be on my way.” He replied in a shaky voice as his scissors cut through the cast he had put on me weeks ago. As the plaster was removed from my skin I could feel the cool air touch the hairs that had been held prisoner since I went through that table at Sunday Night Vengeance. Once completely free of the cast I rolled my shoulder and moaned in delight and watched with a sick smile as the doc quickly packed up his bag doing his best to look calm when wanting nothing more than to bolt out of the door. While this went on Morgan continued her absentminded tracing until the doc handed her the bill. At that point her nails began to dig into my skin.

“Thanks Doc we’ll send you a check.” was all she said as she stared at the bill and he left the room. I turned to her surprised since we always dealt in cash. Only then did she look up at me and I could see the worry. Something was wrong and since I was stuck in my room for the last few weeks to speed up the recovery I had no clue what it was. “Roy we don’t have the money for this.” She whispered to me since the doctor’s footsteps could still be heard in the hallway.

“What do you mean” I ask Morgan shock written all over my face. “Sure, I’ve been out for a few weeks and the Asylum’s on holiday but we can’t be that bad off.” I reason more to myself than Morgan hoping she is just messing with me. Instead she shakes her head and puts her hands on my legs.

“With Mary getting married, your injuries, and food for seven we haven’t been able to out earn our expenses. We’re broke and with the mortgage coming up and cell bills to pay we have to come up with some cash quick.” Morgan said looking defeated and upset. This wasn’t normal, the money that should have been fine, her mood was not right, and the way things sounded we were in deep shit.

“Fuck. Why haven’t I heard any of this?” I asked her standing up in frustration and to make sure I keep my cool. I run my newly freed hand through my hair. “What’s the damage that I have to fix and the timeline to fix it?” I ask taking a deep breath and looking back at Morgan for answers and comfort.

“Twenty k, American by the sixteenth of January.” She answered softly as she slowly stood up and wrapped herself around me. Her head rested on my chest as she listened to my heart and provided a physical barrier against my movement. Another weird action from her, sure she had gotten rather touchy since I got injured but never like this.

I let out a deep sigh as I hold her close. I start to stroke her hair without much thought. “That’s a lot of money, but we’ll be alright. I always get us out of the mess don’t I love?” I ask hoping to get through to her that I was picking up on the differences. Her answer wasn’t helpful at all. It was a simple nod.

Sniffling she looked up at me with half a smile and puffy eyes. “Yes you do, might be a good idea if you get started now. I’ll clean up the room. You go make some money and support our family.” Morgan said as she pushed away from me before turning around and picking up the remains of my cast.

Anger filled my body as I watched Morgan create a barrier between us. ‘What is she hiding from me?’ I wonder as I unball my fist without noticing they had curled. Letting out I short burst of air I grab my leather jacket off the chair next to me. ‘Whatever, time to work. Only one way to save this family’ I think to myself as I storm out of my own room slamming the door behind me.

‘Roy are you okay?’ Tai asks, speaking for the first time today. ‘You seem off’ he adds as I see Peter and Leo lean around the corner to see what caused the noise.

“Anarchy, Insanity strap up we’re going to church” I shout out the both of them. AS I storm closer I see their eyes go wide as I call them by their club names before they instantly start looking for their visions of the same jacket I was pulling over my shoulders as I walked down the hall. ‘Tai I’m pissed because Morgan is hiding something in front of me and not bothering to tell me. I’m pissed because I’m not out my cast for ten minutes before I have issues to deal with. So no I’m not alright and if you don’t shut your mouth ‘til I’m on the road I’ll kick your mental ass to a pulp.’ I retort my eyes focused on the back door of the house.

As I push open the door I hear Leo’s and Peter’s hurried footsteps behind me. i sigh and shake my head as the fall into step. The club that their names came from was the local Motorcycle Club, The Devil’s Luck, and our jackets were our cuts. We had been moved to the nomad chapter due to our lack of free time to help out the local group because of EUW, but sometimes you have to make time.

“Anarchy, call ahead let them know we’re coming, I’ve got to work out a deal with Hetfield and, Insanity,” I pause as I stop to look straight into Leo’s eyes. “When this is done work on that loose end of yours. Xplode might have kept your trail clean but we don’t deal with might’s” as I finish I continue walking and hear Peter start to dial the pub that the Devil’s Luck called home in Dublin.

As Peter is talking to Murphy I decide I might as well put a big dent in the debt. Quickly I pullout my phone and call a number I never thought I would have to. Luckily it went to voicemail s I didn’t have to deal with his personality. “Oi, Hetfield, its Roy. I need to double our offer due to hardship on the Sins. I will owe you if you can match that figure. If not I guess Mark will continue to run things. Sorry it has to be this way but I need a roof if I’m gonna wrestle for you. Keep in touch.” I shut the phone and cancel out the looks from Peter and Leo with a stern look before I sit down on my Rocker C and slide my phone into my jacket pocket. “Means to ends boys. We have to make ends meet so I’ll use any means necessary” I tell them as I put the key into the ignition

“How exactly are the club and Hetfield going to help us with our problems Roy? How exactly do you plan on bailing us out of the hole caused by your injury? What does the great leader have in mind?” Peter mouthed off as he sat down and started his bike next to mine. I roll my eyes at his comment but know he deserves an answer. As my eyes roll though I notice the lead pipe on the group and smile.

‘Roy? What are you doing?’ Tai asks warily as I turn on my bike to face Peter, and pick up the pipe in my right hand as I do so.

‘Silencing all doubt.’ I rebut as the pipe slices through the air and stops right in front of Peter’s nose causing him to jump back onto his bitch seat. Leo laughed before I started to speak. “The club will help because we will manage the pub and take some fights for money, and Hetfield will help by paying me what he owes me for burying Mark and allowing us to continue our reign of dominance in the EUW. Now you can either get in line or be left behind but you’re father has trusted me to lead this group so it can become something no one has ever managed. I will not let him down so you can either get in line or out of my sight Peter. You might be the obvious second but I will beat you within an inch of your life if you keep opposing me.” I bark at him making sure to keep eye contact the entire time.

Peter looks at the pipe and back at me a few times before nodding and moving back to the riding seat on his bike. Leo’s silence and then engine cue his acceptance of my motives and position. “Now boys let’s go make some money.” I finish before tossing the pipe aimlessly behind me and turning around to rev my baby to life. As I hear their engines follow suit I kick my stand up and pull out of the garage and take point.

‘It’s a new year. A new company. And already I’m having to be the man of Ireland well might as well have some fun and kick some ass while I do it. Morgan will tell me what’s up eventually and with Mary getting married I sure it’s just stress. Hetfield will come through and I will once again be the main reason for change in the EUW. Whatever is needed to be in the papers. That’s what I can be because money, power, and fame get you everything. Titles mean nothing when the GM calls on someone else and when you are outnumbered. So Tai think I’m ready for the New Year?’ I ask my mental companion as I race down the pavement, enjoying the wind and freedom of the road.

‘I think it’s gonna be one hell of a ride. Might be the year of the dragon for the Chinese but with your mindset I’m predicting the year of the cobra in the EUW.’