CON•jec•ture

con·jec·ture
noun
•An opinion or conclusion formed on the basis of incomplete information

———

I am awoken by the sounds of birds chirping in the distance. I reach over and grab my phone to check the time. “It’s only fudgin’ seven…” I grumble to myself as I pull the cover over my head.

I am gently nudged. Then again. The third and final time was essentially full on heel kick. “Get up Shawn.” Kasey says while pulling the blankets from my head.

“Thanks for the rib kick. You do realize I was just in a match against a literal Demigod and a man the size of a small car right?” I said while nursing my ribs.

“Yeah and I was just in a tag team match in Japan and flew all the way over here because I knew you were about to get into some trouble.” Kasey replies while smiling. “And these phantom injuries of yours didn’t stop you from trying…”

“Nothing in this world, short of an apocalypse, is going to stop me from shooting my shot.” I smile coyly and give her a wink. “What can I say, shooters shoot.”

“Yeah well, you missed Kobe.” She smiles back at me. “And you’ll shoot again, I’m sure.” Kasey rolls out of bed in her shorts and tee shirt. She stretches and lets out a relieved sigh. “So what are your plans today in the Big Apple?”

That’s right I forgot that I prematurely made my way to the Brownstone in preparation for Triad, only for me to fly across the county to San Jose for the S.E.X. cup. “Well honestly I may have jumped the shark a bit but I’ll make the best of a bad situation.” By this time I’ve rolled my ass out of bed and have walked behind Kasey. I grab her by the waist and rest my chin on her shoulder. “I mean I can’t get into too much trouble here.”

I couldn’t see her eyes but I for sure felt the massive eye roll. “Shawn, all you do is cause trouble. Hell you and Sloane started the #StayInTroubleGang. It’s the damn header on your Twitter page.”

“That’s true.” I spin Kasey around so we are face to face. “But even you’ve got to admit, I’ve slowed down on getting myself into trouble. Whether it’s warranted or not.”

This time I see the eye roll. How does she put up with me? I’ll never know. “Shawn since Arcadia, you’re right you’ve been good, but I can sense something is about to happen.” Kasey pulls my face down and gives me a kiss on the cheek. “Just give ya girl a warning before you set a fire, okay?”

“Now where’s the fun in that?” I say with a smile and half shrug.

“Fun for you, yes.” Kasey reaches up and gives me a playful smack on the cheek. “Fun for the people that have to clean up the mess you leave behind, not so much.”

“Okay. Fine, I'll give you a warning.” I grab her hand from my cheek and kiss the back of her hand. “By the way. This is the warning.”

———

“So here we are once again TPW. Somehow me and my ‘partner’ managed to take the Oath of Blood and yadda yadda yadda.”

“This go round we get the great honor of facing off against one of the most formidable teams in the entire S.E.X. cup.”

“Oh I’m sorry. I read the team members wrong. I thought it was a different Raven.”

“Okay so we are facing off against walking gonorrhea and the woman who allows this Petri dish of STDs follow her around.”

“Correct me if I’m wrong but don’t you have a significant other? I mean I know I wouldn’t go around teaming with someone who had their nose so far up my ass that when I farted they would know what I had for breakfast that day.”

“Surely you could do better than Matt Knox or Matt Meyhu, the latter is a man whom I’m teammates with in the Triad….”

“Ope, I was wrong you jumped down about fifteen rungs on the ladder and somehow ended up with Mac Bane? Okay. Trash begets trash. Noted.”

“I want you to understand this Amber, I don’t give a flying fudge if Cashe was legitimately your brother or not. I don’t care that you and him are thick as thieves. I have come here with one mission in mind.”

“Win.”

“Unfortunately for you, that means going through me. I know, the luck of the draw and all that, but the facts are simple. When it comes to myself and what I want, ask Vhodka Black.”

“When I set my eyes on something, there’s nothing short of an act of god that will derail me from my goal. You and Knox are not that. You two are abominations that need to be reaped from the S.E.X. cup.”

“Just know, anything you have to say about me at this point is simply conjecture. I know more about you than you know about me. You can thank lil bro for that.”

“Just remember.”

“Less is More.”

———

After Kasey and I went our separate ways for the day, I made my way to a small Italian restaurant in Queens. I made my order and waited for Derek McCallum. For those not in the know, Derek is my half brother. Same Dad, different Mom.

He’s thirteen years younger than I am, but he has a special skill set that he picked up from our father. I was the one taught the militaristic nuances of battle, he was taught the long game strategy of warfare. Together we make a formidable duo, even if we don’t always see eye to eye.

Derek walks in and as always he’s dressed in his suit. I flag him down and he gives me a quick wave. He takes his seat across from me. “You really know how to pick the dive spots don’t you?” Derek says with a smirk.

“Well when you’re as known and visible as I am, you’ve gotta go to where people don’t know you.” I wave over the waitress who refills my coffee and pours one for Derek.

“So S.E.X. cup and Triad this week.” Derek cautiously takes a sip of the piping hot coffee. He sucks in air quickly to ease the burn. “Don’t you think you’re setting yourself a little thin? I mean it was okay when you were doing one or the other…”

“I know what I’m doing Derek.” I glance out of the window and notice a man in a hood looking at me and then quickly escape my sight. I shake my head. “I’ve done it before and I can do it again. I was a champion in multiple places at the same time and never faltered.”

“Yeah, I know this.” Derek looks out of the window and just nods. “But that was years ago. You jumped off the bench and started sprinting right off the get. We can’t have you pulling a hammy before we get out of the first inning.”

“Trust me Derek, I’m fine.” Both Derek and I look around the restaurant and both make the same observation. We share a quick head nod before I continue. “As long as you hold up your end, I’ll hold up mine.”

“Speaking of, the trio are doing exactly as you have asked.” Derek shifts his weight towards the edge of his seat. “The big guy is following Sloane, and the other two are looking into Kasey’s mysteriously returned brother.”

“Sloane?” I ask while now shifting my weight.

“She’s good. If anyone gets out of line the big guy will let us know who they are and more importantly, where.” Derek calmly stands up from the table and pats his suit jacket. “As for Kasey’s little problem, the boys are digging into all the records they can find. They will let us know when they find anything, and if you want to present it to Kasey.”

I stand up from the table and pull out my wallet. I flip through some bills and toss them on the table. “Perfect. Just make sure Sloane doesn’t know she’s being followed. Even if it’s for altruistic reasons she’s not going to like it one bit.”

Derek nods as we both make our way towards the door. As I reach for the handle the door doesn’t move. Derek holds his head down and sighs. “Just couldn’t meet at the Brownstone could we?”

I rest my head on the door and laugh.

Derek looks at me and has a confused look on his face. “What’s so funny?”

I sigh and turn around. “I should’ve taken Cashe up on his acting gig.”

“That’s what you're laughing about? A parody movie? Dammit Shawn! How are we going to get out of this?” Derek looks around and sees that there isn’t anyone in the building. “Where exactly did everyone go?”

“I dunno. I assume hooded guy outside.” I say while walking over to the bar. “When I saw him everyone left. That’s what you noticed with the sudden influx of people on the street.”

“And you didn’t say anything?” Derek flaps his arms at his side.

“Nah.” I reach over the counter of the bar and pull off one of the leg taps and walk back over to the door. I begin hammering away at the glass. In short fashion the glass shatters and Derek and I are freed from the restaurant. I toss the keg tap to the ground as we both stand on the sidewalk. I elbow Derek in the ribs. “Besides, what’s life without a little bit of trouble?”

“Hey dummy, you’re bleeding.” Derek points to my hand. He’s right there’s a large gash on my palm.

“Huh look at that.” I lick my palm and rub it on my pant leg. Just then my phone buzzes and I quickly answer it. “Hello?”

“SHAWN HELP!”

Fade