Breaking Bad: Finale

[Obi]

Breaking Bad: Finale

8.1
“Giving the Devil his Due.”

Pain.

Agony.

Torment.

None of these words describe the feelings that go through my body right now. I place my open palm against the tile shower wall, the hot water above blasting each finger and offering a form of comfort, and yet I feel nothing. I try to will my muscles to move one more time. Muscles that once obeyed my every whim now bark back at me defiantly, refusing to move one more inch. I cough a moment, as my long black hair falls loosely before my eyes. Here I am, standing nude in my own shower.. and I suddenly feel as if I am 100 years old. That’s twice my true age of 37. As the steam slowly envelopes me, I am left to ponder my thoughts. So many years have gone by, endless memories created, and not one time do I ever remember feeling this physically depleted. There has to be a reason for this. In all honesty, I have never bought into the myth that I was any type of a “gifted” human being. I just figured that life was playing a cruel joke on me all this time, leaving me to watch those around me to die of various reasons while I maintained perfect health.

Then things changed. About a three months ago, I was taken to my limit in a ring that I once considered home. My opponent, Maynard Hetfield, came at me with all that he had at the pay per view known lovingly as Scars and Stripes. It was during this match that my world took a change for the worse. I managed to dispatch Hetfield, albeit barely, to pick up the win. Somehow though, in the middle of it all, I suddenly became very mortal. Pain and exhaustion had never been an issue for me in the past when competing. I never questioned it out of superstition I guess. Yet, as that match waned on, I could feel every bone in my body breaking down. It was as if I was out of shape completely, whatever special abilities I once had now just a pleasant memory. Along with this new found handicap came a loss of strength as well. Standing there in the ring with Hetfield, I was reduced to using my years of ring experience to get the job done. Luckily, that was enough.

The next few days after, I found myself locked away. A few quality nights in the emergency room got me up and walking long enough for me to find a safe spot to recuperate, since my home was no longer an option. My “family”, the Devil’s Due motor club, now considered me an enemy and were looking to stop me from breathing. I was in no shape to worry over this and so I chose the one spot that I knew that no one would think of.. My late parent’s ranch. I was able to watch the happenings in the Asylum from there while my bones mended themselves. Where I could hardly get up off of the couch, I was now performing menial tasks around the ranch. In what took longer than normal, I was finally able to compete once again… sort of.

Reaching up to my shower caddy, I acquire a sponge and apply some liquid soap. Applying the suds to my torso, I begin to wash off the grime as a voice speaks out from just outside the shower. It is Skye, my girlfriend and only friend at this point. Having become my only connection to the outside world while I remained hidden, Skye had taken to checking up on me if I was gone too long. Pulling back the curtain, she smiled as she looked me up and down. I couldn’t help but notice that her perfect smile was quickly turning into a frown. “Hi… Toby. Baby, are you okay?”

“Yeah, Boo.” I stumbled out. “I am just trying to clean up a bit. I will be down in a minute.”

Removing her tight fitting shirt and sliding off her leather jeans, Skye steps into the shower with me and closes the curtain behind her. I can feel her large breasts push up against my spine as she hugs me, only for her to step back after and run her finger tips along my back. “So many scars… You have been through hell, haven’t you?”

“Supposedly.” I answer. “Half my life is just a memory at this point. It doesn’t matter. I just need to hang in there a bit longer.”

“Are you sure about this?” she asks. “The club is out there looking for you, Toby. Cole has called my cell phone repeatedly all week asking about you. I don’t want anything to happen to you! Can’t we just call off this match with Xplode? You guys have done this so many times now that nobody will care anyway. Everyone knows that he can’t beat you at your best. Right now-”

“-I am not at my best.” I finish her sentence for her. “You can say it. Look, I need to do this, Skye. It’s time that all of this shit comes to an end. Every last bit of it. You know, it’s funny. I have spent the last 3 years trying to remember my past due to amnesia and now that I can.. I want to forget it all. Once again, I can see my kid’s images in my mind. The feint smells of my family home going up in flames as real as it ever was… and that bastard Raviel is the root of it all. It’s time that I broke free of that man once and for all.”

Raviel. The very bane of my existence. For too long has that name haunted me.. Controlled me. Once my manager, it was this man that spent his lifetime making sure that my existence was a living hell. Raviel claimed to be the devil himself, a demon trapped in our reality. He lived up to this claim tenfold too, feeding me some crap that I was the soul that would tip the scales in his so called “Dark Holy War”. I dismissed that whack job, and tried to make a normal life for myself. I guess Raviel finally took the hint that I was not interested, because suddenly my world was turned upside down. Friends were now enemies, and my health suddenly was deteriorating fast. On the flip side, my memory loss was cured. Looking back now though, this may have been just another stab at me on Raviel’s behalf. Maybe he was the demon that he claimed to be? It didn’t matter though. I still was not going to give in and be his little puppet, regardless of what he put me through.

Turning around, I looked Skye in the eyes. Our bodies pressed against one another. Running my fingertips along her cheek bones, I kiss her softly and whisper. “Baby, it’s time. It’s time to let the Devil have his due.”

8.2
“Good friends make great enemies”

The smell of dry air and humid heat enters my nose as I drive on down highway 101. Surrounding me is California’s famous Death Valley Desert, or hell on earth so to speak. I welcome the heat with open arms as I head towards my destination, my motorcycle beneath me chewing up the highway eagerly. With my hair whipping behind my head, I look out in the horizon. How many times have I taken this ride? It almost feels as though I am heading home at this point. I try to stay aware of my surroundings and not get lost on memory lane though, as this trip was anything but a pleasure ride. The Devil’s Due motor club, my one time family, had fallen out of my life in a very bad way. We had an internal strife that involved me saving the life of Maynard Hetfield’s manager.. a man who was also responsible for my step mother getting kidnapped. Yeah, I know. It makes no sense to me either when I think about it but believe me, I only did what was right.

With that in mind, I was now driving out to meet up with those very men.. men who lived the life of an outlaw and wanted nothing better than to shoot me down in cold blood. Today was about something else though, a plan that was set in motion long ago. I could only hope that they remembered it too.. or things were going to get messy. Looking ahead down the road, I catch sight of the crew waiting for me on the side of the road. I swallow hard and pull off to meet them, and let my destiny play itself out. Coming to a stop, I shut down my bike as Cole Ritter approaches me. The rest of the boys hang back a moment, studying me. I am almost proud of them. As I dismount off of my bike, I find myself face to ace with Cole. There is a brief silence… until he suddenly embraces me?

“Toby… it’s good to see you.” speaks Cole as he lets me go. “Damn good.”

I try to not grit my teeth in pain too much as he let’s me go. He catches it though, and begins to question me instantly. “Damn, Son. So it’s true. You really are fucked up.”

“I will be fine.” I answer untruthfully. “So, is everything set up as we planned?”

“Sure is.” Cole continues as he lights up a cigar. “The boys are posted up all around the arena as we speak just waiting on the word. I just need you to explain something to me first though? Now I know that Raviel is an asshole, don’t get me wrong, but why are we going after him for what happened to Annette? Secondly, why are we being secretive about it? Last I heard, Raviel was a parole officer. He isn’t going to go anywhere out of fear.”

I look over his shoulder and stare at the boys. I can tell that they want to walk over and put me down for a dirt nap. Sadly, it was imperative that everyone but Cole thought that I was traitor to the club right now. This way, Raviel would never catch wind that the true focus was on him the whole time. I tried my best to explain all of this one more time to Cole. It was the least that I could do. “Cole, you’re going to have to trust me.”

“Do I?” he quipped as he puffed on his cigar. “If I didn’t know better, you are the man who let Zack Cornell go.. The very man who kidnapped and assault my wife.. Annette. You remember her, right? Why am I not killing you right now?”

“I let Zack go because he was not to blame.” I continue. “You can blame me if you wish and shoot me down now, I don’t give a fuck. I know you want to take out the REAL man in charge though, the one who masterminded the whole damn thing. It was Raviel that set the whole thing up. He called Annette and asked her to meet him at the arena, knowing the Las Vegas Commission would be there. It was him that drove the vehicle that killed my mother thirty years ago… and was him that set my house on fire, murdering my family in the process… all so he could have me under his control. I have dedicated my life to destroying him but I know now that I can not do it alone anymore. As you can tell, I am not doing so good. I don’t even know how much more time I have left.”

“What do you mean.. time left?” Asked Cole suddenly concerned.

“Every day that goes by, I feel like I am slowly aging. It’s like my body is shutting down. I am running out of time. Prestige will be where the countdown finally comes to an end. Raviel will be there, waiting for me. I am sure of it. That is where you guys come in. Minutes before the pay per view, I want you to fill the crew in on the truth.. but not until then. We can’t take a chance of Raviel finding out about this. What you do with him is up to you. Just make sure it is final. Then, the club gets pay back for what happened to Annette… and I am free of this curse. Until then though, I want you to put the word on the streets that you guys are after me. I will hide out until Prestige, don‘t worry.”

“Okay, but what about the rest of the night, Toby? Did you forget about Xplode? Judging from the shape you are in, it’s safe to say that things wont work out too well for you out there. Are you going to be okay?”

I think for a moment before answering. Xplode, my brother, had always had an issue with me for as long as I could remember. In the past, the two of us have had legendary battles inside of the ring, times that have left the both of us forever changed after. Up until this point, Xplode had searched me out in hopes of answering questions within himself. His desire to be the “Better” brother fueled his anger as he relentlessly hunted me down. This time though, the reasons were different.. Much different. This in fact was the second part of my plan, one that I could not reveal to Cole just now. Either way though, Cole was right. Xplode was dangerous. I would need to keep this very well in mind. Turning towards my bike once again, I reach for my helmet as I answer Cole. “I have Xplode covered. Just make sure you do your part. There can be no room for mistakes.”

“You’re damn right there isn’t.” answered Cole now. “Make sure you stay hidden, Toby. My boys want you dead right now. If they catch you on the streets, they will take you out. I don’t want that. I wish there was some other way to do this.”

“-but there isn’t” I answer.

“No, I guess there isn’t. Take care of yourself, Son.”

Kicking on the engine to my bike, I saddle up and pull away. In the distance, I can see the boys staring at me confused. Looking out at the road before me now, I try to focus. The last leg of this adventure was about to arrive… and time was running out quickly.

8.3
“Memory Lane”

I love the peace and quiet of my parent’s home. It’s a stark contrast to how it once was when I was a youth. No matter what way I turn, images of better times attack me, begging for me to dive into their emotional draw. As I sit upon an old dusty couch, I turn to my left to spot a hallway. It’s wooden floor boards still holding strong after all these years. Listening intently, I can almost hear the footsteps of my younger brother and I, racing out to the backyard to greet our Poppa. The rare times that he returned home from work, a prerequisite of being a pro wrestler, was always a special occasion. He would always greet Jaden and I with gifts from his roadside adventures, be it a simple shirt or a menu from a restaurant. We were grateful for anything really, as our father was really the center of our young lives. As I think all of this over, I find myself even now wondering how things went so bad between Jaden (Xplode) and I. We were so close at one time, him often acting like my very shadow on various occasions.

Standing up with a grunt, I make my way across the living room and glance at the family trophy case. Everything is as it should be. All four of my father’s World Titles sit patiently, slightly covered in dust from over the years. Below them are my own two straps, proudly displayed near his. Instantly, thoughts of my two World Title victories hit me. The first time, against a young Tom Roberts. I was a young up and comer then, poised to stand in the ring with a future hall of fame member. Tom had no idea what he was set to face on that fateful day. The amazing atmosphere that was the world that surrounded me took Tom Roberts by storm, overwhelming not just him but the critics. Some say even still that the responses that the fans offered me on that night have never been topped even to this day. Though I would argue that, I am thankful for the support they that gave me. Let me tell you, there is nothing like looking out into a sea of EUW fans, all of them pumping their fist and lending you their energies. I felt like Superman that night.. and for a moment I think I actually was.

My second title victory came against a man who would one day go down as probably the greatest champion of all time.. Chris Sabora. Here was a man who held all of the intangibles. Speed, strength, experience.. The world was his for the taking. Somehow though, I was able to put him down for the count and become a two time World Champion. I credit that victory to the fans once again. Every time I felt like I could go no further.. It was they who picked me up once again, pushing me to be better than I could be. Without the fans, there was no Oblivion. Make no mistake about that. Moving on now from my World Title straps, I notice that there are a few things missing. An empty spot is noticeable where Xplode’s World Title’s once were, leaving behind an imprint of lesser dust. I stare at the empty shelf and shake my head. Even now, Xplode seemed to walk his path alone, and he did so perfectly. I have never knocked his abilities and accomplishments, and anyone who ever does such a thing would be a fool in my eyes. Xplode was the most gifted man that I had ever seen inside of that ring, able to take an opponent out with his mind long before the bell had ever been rung to start the match. His skills were honed to a razor sharp edge, his move set performed flawlessly. Though I have received the most notice in our family for my exploits in the ring, I have always wondered why it was not him instead. He is the only triple crown champion in EUW history, and one of the all time greats.

Perhaps it was the fans reactions to him that held him back inside of his head, helping him to create this intense hatred for me. Perhaps it was our father, a man who seemed to only place his focus upon me and my studies in the ring as I grew up. Jaden was ignored a lot in the days of our youth, and what you see now is a man who is self made.. and self sufficient. The two of us have stood in the ring against and beside one another many times over the years. Together, we were unstoppable.. and to this day never defeated as a tag team. More often than not though, the two of us have been enemies. It was these times that I found myself performing actions that I was not proud of, as I faced him time and time again. From Hell in a Cell matches to hardcore affairs, the two of us have literally torn one another apart. On more than one occasion, I have found myself barely able to stand back up after facing him. Other times, I wondered if Jaden would ever breathe again when all was said and done. One thing that my father could be proud of is that the both of his sons have grown to become hardened warriors in the ring, even if we both had to take different roads to get there.

You would think, with me talking like this, that I was not about to face Xplode at all. The truth of the matter is though that I never hated him. I love my little brother, and often considered myself a failure as a brother to him if anything. I am proud of him for making a name for himself, despite his lack of family support. The anger that he feels within him was not placed their by his own fault. With my parents passed on, this has been my burden to bear, and I accept that. It is my job now to accept his challenges in the ring from him, and let him let go upon me. It’s the least that I could do. In the past, I have fought back and defeated him, due in part to never really understanding why he was always so intent on defeating me. I know now that all my brother wants is to feel accepted. Defeating me, in Xplode’s mind, makes him feel as if he proved to our father that he was worth the attention as well. Who am I to take that away from him?

No, this time at Prestige, I am facing Xplode for completely different reasons. I am going to offer him the chance to finally feel free of his guilt. To do so, I will have to give him my best out there and take him to the limit. There is no doubt that bones will be broken and spirits crushed. War will erupt inside those ropes. Neither Xplode nor myself would have it any other way though. We are both sons of the late, great, multi-time World Champion.. The Hunter. It is our destiny to collide like this until there is only one left standing. That time unfortunately.. is now.

Walking back across the living room, I find a seat in the recliner once more. I take a deep breath and lean my head back. The thought of finally removing these boots and never strapping them on again seems foreign to me. To not hear the fans scream my name as I defeat yet another foe has come upon me as I prepare to step away from the ring for good. It has been a damn good career, that’s for sure. I have no regrets nor would I change a thing. If I have influenced anyone to become better than what they were than I am happy enough. All I ever wanted from the start anyway was to make my Daddy proud. I always said that when I finally stepped away from the ring, I would go out big.. and there is nothing bigger than Prestige. There is also no one else that I would rather share the ring with on this last event… than my own brother, Xplode.

In two weeks, all the loose ends in my life will finally be wrapped up. Raviel will finally meet his maker, whoever that may be. All of his endless intrusions into my life will finally come to an end. The Devil’s Due motor club will hear that I was not the man to blame for their troubles too, and they will finally get revenge and make things right in the process. So the scales of Justice will finally tip in their favor. Xplode will get that last chance to defeat me in hopes of finally proving to the world that he truly is the Strategic Assassin. He will do this on the greatest stage in our industry.. Prestige. Lastly, I will finally have peace. 8 years of torment will see it’s final chapter play out. What comes next for me, I have no idea. Whatever it is, I look forward to it because as we all know..

You have to go through hell to get to heaven.