Final Act Of Desperation

Sunday, July 19th, 2015
Las Vegas, Nevada
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The sounds of famed Japanese pop singer Ayumi Hamasaki softly float from the stereo speakers and fill the living room with sound. The angelic-sounding vocals make for a relaxing environment as the sun sets in the Nevada sky. The only light that is shown in the living room is a small lamp placed on a side table next to the large gray couch. Perched on the couch is the owner of this particular townhouse, Las Vegas native Savannah Taylor. Seated cross-legged with a large yellow throw pillow on her lap, Savannah is bent over slightly, writing in her favorite multi colored journal. She pauses her writing for a second to reach for a half consumed glass of wine that is resting on the side table next to the lamp. Taking a sip of the red liquid, Savannah lets it swirl in her mouth a bit before swallowing, setting the glass down in the process. She tucks a strand of hair behind her ear as she goes back to furiously writing.


“One week. Seven days. One hundred sixty eight hours. It doesn’t matter how it is broken down. The point is that in one week’s time, I get a much awaited rematch for the International title. To be honest, I’m surprised the front office is even giving me a second opportunity at Justin Brooks. Given the way things have been going ever since I came here almost two years ago, you would think that they would have seen the last match and moved onto the next contender in line. I wouldn’t have been the least bit surprised if they did that. But they didn’t and here I am, once again set to face someone with whom I have something of a growing rivalry. While I’m appreciative of this chance, which is a fact that seems to escape certain people, I can’t help but feel that this is them throwing me a bone. I can’t help but wonder if they feel sorry for me because I failed to win the International title the first time that they are granting me this second shot. “


She stops for a second before taking another, longer, sip of her wine glass. It is quite clear by her facial expressions and body language just how much the loss to Justin Brooks back at The War Isn’t Over Yet stung her. She went into the match knowing in her heart that she was going to win. When she failed to win, coming up JUST short of winning the International title, she suffered one of the worst injuries in her career. It wasn’t a physical injury that she sustained. Her pride took a massive blow. It was her first championship match since losing the San Diego Bay title, and she failed to live up to expectations.


“I let people down the last time. I let the office down. I let the people who paid money to see the previous match. But most importantly, I let myself down. I thought I had everything planned out. I was going to beat Justin and become International champion. I was going to be the one to break Lexy Chapel’s record as longest champion. I was going to finally prove to people that I was above the championship I held before and that I belonged in EXODUS. I sure screwed that one up. Then again, this isn’t the first time I’ve royally screwed something up in my life. So really, why should this screw up be any different? I’m not going to let this chance blow up in my face. This isn’t going to be a repeat of last time. This time I am going to do everything in my power to slay the Monster. I don’t care what I have to do or how I have to do it. I am going to walk out of MY hometown with the International championship. I know I’m running out of chances and opportunities. I can sense that from the oh-so-awesome EXODUS staff on social media and in halls. That is why this title shot means a hell of a lot more to me than the last one. I am determined to not let myself down again. Not this time.”


Sighing, Savannah puts the cap on her pen and closes her journal. Setting it down on the side table, she tosses the pillow to the side and stands up. Stretching her arms above her head, she picks up her wineglass and downs the remaining wine and heads towards the kitchen. Her bare feet hit the cool tile floor as she reaches the kitchen, briefly shaking her from her never ending thoughts. To say her thoughts have been all over the place as of late would be the understatement of the year. Her professional life wasn’t going the way that she had envisioned it ever since coming back from the beat down that she received at The Autumn Effect Two. Every plan she had in her head had gone by the wayside. She didn’t even want to talk about how horrible her personal life was at the moment. Shaking her head, she rinses out the glass and is about to reach for a towel to dry it when she hears the tri-tone sound coming from her iPhone 6. Walking over to the table where her phone was, she picks it up and glances down at the text message she just received. Upon reading said message, a smile begins to creep onto her face as she begins to type out a reply. She doesn’t have to wait too long for a reply as the tri-tone sound rings out once again. Her slight grin grows even wider as she glances at the screen for a few seconds before replying once more.


Savannah Taylor: California, here I come.


She says to herself as she walks off towards the stairs leading up to her bedroom, a slight skip in her step for the first time in God knows how long. Maybe it was the fact that she was getting out of the hustle and bustle of Las Vegas for a few days to sort of clear her head. Maybe it was the fact that she was excited to be around a couple of newly acquired friends who wanted to help her with her match as much as she wanted to help them. Whatever the case was, this was a sign that maybe things were starting to turn around in Savannah’s favor. If she could keep this momentum going into Battle Without Honor Or Humanity, then she just might walk out of the Hard Rock with the International title in her possession.



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Friday, July 24th, 2015
Hard Rock Hotel & Casino
Las Vegas, Nevada
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EXODUS Pro and Las Vegas. If ever there were two things that belonged together, it would be these two. To many loyalists, EXODUS was not unlike a travelling circus troupe, going from town to town entertaining the masses. It seemed only logical that they had set up shop in Sin City for the week leading up to the second biggest event of the year. Because this was EXODUS’ second biggest show, it seemed only fitting that the EXODUS Experience was brought back as a way to say thank you. It was a way to say thank you to the loyal fans who came from San Diego for the show, and to Las Vegas for basically putting up with them. The Fan Experience kicked off Wednesday with the now legendary Warehouse Wednesday with Carey Caldwell playing host to his usual brand of drunken debauchery. Yesterdays was the always popular meet and greet sessions with several of the EXODUS and (R) Evolution superstars. Tonight was something completely different. Tonight was the night of the first ever Lip Sync Battle, which was the EXODUS answer to the popular television show. Watching several of the stars from both rosters was sure to be just one of many memorable nights during EXODUS’ stay in Las Vegas.


The battle was about half an hour from starting and the throngs of fans were filing into the venue within the Hard Rock that would play host to the sure-to-be madness. Those wrestlers who were not participating were also filing in, because who wouldn’t want to see co-workers embarrass themselves? One wrestler in particular was Savannah Taylor. Wearing a chic black sleeveless fitted shirt, black fitted dress pants and a pair of black suede heeled sandals, she carries a simple black clutch in her left hand as she holds her gold iPhone 6 in her right. She absently scrolls through her Twitter, seeing what the hype levels were looking to be heading into the Lip Sync battle. Her amused demeanor changes when she looks farther on her timeline. She stops in her tracks and glances at her phone, her blue eyes narrowing slightly as she reads. She could feel the irritation level growing as she all but shuts her phone off and practically slams it into her clutch. A muffled, frustrated scream escapes into the din of the lobby as she pauses for a second to calm herself down somewhat before continuing on her trek to the venue interior. Her pace is quicker as she rounds the corner, her head bent slightly and her eyes almost glued to the floor. She barely has time to look up as she almost crashes into someone coming up the opposite way. She looks up in time to see a plastic water bottle dropped to the floor and splash onto Savannah’s suede sandals.


Mystery Person: OHMIGOSH! I’m so sorry!

The voice from the other person is the first to break the tense silence as Savannah looks down at her shoes first and then at the other person. The other person turns out to be a young female, younger than Savannah, dressed in a burnt orange satin dress with a black beaded belt cinched around her waist. Her long blonde hair is curled and falls well past her shoulders as her own blue eyes widen as she looks at Savannah.


Savannah Taylor: It…..it’s ok.


The girl is taken aback, mainly because she wasn’t even expecting any sort of response from Savannah.


Mystery Person: No, it really isn’t. I should have been more careful.


Savannah Taylor: I was just as guilty as you are. I wasn’t paying attention to where I was going.


Mystery Person: Let me at least help you clean up.


Savannah Taylor: I really don’t think….


Mystery Person: No really, I insist.


The younger woman stoops down and picks up the water bottle. Both she and Savannah move out of the major flow of traffic as the younger girl fishes through her purse and pulls out a small packet of tissues. She quickly hands it to Savannah.


Mystery Person: It’s all I have.


Savannah reaches out and takes the tissues, nodding her head as she opens the package and takes one out.


Savannah Taylor: Thank you…..I’m sorry. What is your name?


The young woman tucks a strand of hair behind her ear as she clears her throat a bit.


Mystery Person: It’s Harper.


Savannah Taylor: Nice to meet you.


Harper: Likewise. I….I can’t actually believe I’m meeting you. Well, not like this, but you know what I mean.


Savannah can’t help but laugh to herself as she senses Harper’s nervousness. She wouldn’t really blame her. If she were in Harper’s shoes and nearly knocked over a celebrity, she would be nervous too. But what shocked Savannah more was how calm she was being. Normally if someone knocked into her, Savannah wouldn’t hesitate to wind back and slug them into next month. But whether it was the fact that she was set to wrestle in front of her hometown crowd or the fact that she was in a great mood after a week in Santa Monica training with Kerry Windsor and Cordelia Stevenson, she was calm about this whole situation.


Savannah Taylor: It’s fine, really.


Harper: I really wanted to be at the meet and greets yesterday, but I was visiting someone in the hospital.


Savannah Taylor: It’s not a problem. That should take priority over anything else.


She says as she dabs at her sandals with the tissue, taking out a second one and continuing to soak up as much excess water as she could. Harper offers Savannah a halfhearted smile as she stands there, growing increasingly nervous, almost as if she has something bigger going on.


Harper: My mom was in a car accident on Tuesday and this is the first time I’ve really been anywhere but the hospital since then.


Savannah Taylor: I’m sorry to hear about your mother.


She said in a somewhat gentle tone of voice, her mind going towards thoughts about her own mother and how it had been just about one year since she last saw or spoke to her. There was a great deal of anger, frustration and still unanswered questions that she would love to get answered and out in the open. But she pushed that to the side as she looked at Harper. Seeing the young woman standing there, she could almost feel what she must be going through.


Savannah Taylor: How is she doing?


Harper: She has a couple of broken ribs and her leg is pretty messed up. But she’s alive and that is what matters.


Savannah Taylor: Good to hear that.


Harper: Thank you. That means a lot.


Savannah Taylor: Your mother is at least still around. You should treasure the time you have with her.


Harper: What happened to your mother?


Savannah Taylor: I haven’t seen or heard from my mother in…God, a little over a year now. Things weren’t exactly copacetic the last time we talked. Same thing with my father for that matter.


Harper looks at Savannah, who had finished cleaning up her shoes the best that she could, with her head cocked slightly to the side. Savannah takes the two now wet tissues and throws the out in a nearby trashcan. She hands the package of tissues back to Harper, who puts them safely back in her purse.


Harper: What happened? I mean, well, you don’t have to say anything. I’m sorry for being so bold and out there.


Savannah Taylor: It’s fine. All I will tell you is that the relationship between my mother, father and I hasn’t been the best. It got worse in a way after I joined EXODUS. There was, and still is, a great deal of anger that I have towards my parents for stuff that went on when I was growing up.


Harper: Would you want to see them again?


Savannah Taylor: Possibly. I don’t know.


Savannah looks at Harper and cocks an eyebrow slightly.


Savannah Taylor: Where is this coming from?


Harper feels her cheeks flush slightly as she looks down at the floor, then back at Savannah.


Harper: I just….well, I thought……ummmm…..


Savannah Taylor: You thought what?


Harper: What I was really meaning was……well…..


Harper’s breath was starting to hitch in her throat as Savannah looked at her curiously, not understanding why she was appearing to be extremely nervous.


Savannah Taylor: Are you OK? Do you need to sit down for a second?


Harper: N…no. I’m….I’m fine.


Savannah could tell that Harper clearly was NOT fine. She could see Harper wringing her hands together and chewing on her bottom lip a bit, both clear signs that she was pretty nervous about something.


Savannah Taylor: I can tell you clearly are not fi…..


Harper: I’m your sister.


Harper blurted out, her hand immediately going to her mouth to cover it. Savannah looks at her, her blue eyes narrowing slightly as she shakes her head.


Savannah Taylor: You’re joking, right? I mean there is no way I have a sibling. How did you even come up with this….this crazy idea?


Harper Taylor: When my mom was taken to the hospital after her accident, I spent time talking about a lot of things with my dad. We talked as a way to pass the time while waiting for Mom to wake up. He told me that, despite me thinking I was an only child, I had a sister out there. An older sister.


Savannah shakes her head, still not ready to believe what she is hearing.


Savannah Taylor: So? What makes you think I’m the sister that your father was telling you about?


Harper Taylor: I didn’t think you would believe me.


Savannah Taylor: You think?!?


She states, the sarcasm dripping from her voice as she waits for the girl who claims she is her sister to speak.


Savannah Taylor: Look, I have somewhere I need to be right now, so it you aren’t going to tell me, just let me be on my way.


She says as she turns around and starts to make her way back on her original path. She doesn’t make it more than six steps before she hears Harper’s voice behind her.


Harper Taylor: My parents’ names are Martin and Carla. I was born April tenth, nineteen ninety eight at University Medical Center.


Savannah froze in her tracks as she turned back around.


Savannah Taylor: Th…those are the names of my mother and father.


Harper Taylor: I know.


Savannah Taylor: I was born in that hospital. What….what else were you told?


Harper Taylor: That my maternal grandmother’s name was Genevieve and that she died last year.


Time seemed to stop at that exact moment for Savannah as she stands there. The din of the hallway was failing to register for her as she forced herself to sit down on the bench next to the trashcan, Harper following suit. Neither said anything as people filed past them, paying them no mind. Time seems to crawl by before Savannah finds her voice again.


Savannah Taylor: She….she did.


Savannah sets her clutch down next to her on the bench as she places her palms on her knees.


Savannah Taylor: So when you say your…..I mean, our mother is in the hospital, when do they expect her to be released?


Harper Taylor: Not until next week at least. I’m going back tomorrow as soon as I can.


Savannah Taylor: I’ll join you.


Harper’s eyes seem to twinkle as Savannah says that.


Harper Taylor: Really? You mean that?


Savannah Taylor: I’ve got things that need to be answered, so no time like the present, right?


She says with the slightest trace of a laugh in her voice as she clears her throat. Looking down at her watch, Savannah notes that the Lip Sync Battle had just started. It wasn’t like she was going to be attending now, not with the shock she received. The two now-determined siblings sit there in silence for a few minutes as they begin to make small talk between each other. Everything that Harper told her so far checked out and was registering as the truth. However, for final confirmation, Savannah had to talk with her estranged mother and father. With her International title match coming up in mere days, something this major was the last thing she needed to have dropped on her. She wanted every bit of her focus to be on Justin Brooks and her second chance at the International championship. But in order for her to go into the match with a clear focus, Savannah knows she was going to have to confront her past. She was going to have to have a serious and legit face to face sit down with her parents. Everyone always talks about necessary evils. For Savannah, this was one of the major ones. But that was tomorrow, and tomorrow was another day.


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There is an old saying that goes the only two things in life are guaranteed, that being death and taxes. While it’s a clever adage, I don’t hold it to be true at all. I think there are more things in life that are guaranteed. I believe that things happen for a reason, that certain events happen to shape us into the people that we will become until the day we are no longer on this Earth. I also believe that people are going to disappoint you no matter what, so you’d better get used to it. I also believe that second chances aren’t always a bad thing.


I’m not going to lie, losing to Justin Brooks back at the War Isn’t Over Yet sucked. It sucked because the more I look back, the more I realize that I let someone very important down. I let someone down who has always been there for me no matter how dark it has appeared to be. I let myself down. I let myself down because I had every intention of walking out of there with the International title. The fact that I didn’t win is something that has been eating away at me ever since I walked back through the curtains. I figured that was it. That was my one and only chance at something other than the San Diego Bay championship. I stewed for a couple of days and then I had a revelation. I figured that if, in my mind at least, no one was going to grant me another shot, I was going to take matters into my own hands. That is exactly what I did. That is why I laid Justin Brooks out and forced EXODUS’ hand into giving me this second chance. I consider it to be a job well done on that end.


We just can’t seem to stay away from each other, can we Justin? When you think about it, we both have something the other one wants. I have the distinct honor of being one of about three people that Jonathan Collins would rather jump off of a cliff than see as champion here in EXODUS. You want to see people like myself, Aries Reed and Zack Lifer erased from the annals of history. You, on the other hand, have about fifteen pounds of gold that I desperately want to have with me. Whether you want to admit this or not Justin, I have become the one person that you can’t seem to get rid of, no matter how hard you try. I am that splinter that you get in your finger that has somehow lodged itself just deep enough that you can’t get it out with a needle, so it is sort of stuck there. Every time you move your finger, you feel a slight, almost dull jab of pain. That is me. I am that jab of pain that keeps you in check. I am the reminder that no matter how hard you try and no matter how many sharp objects you use, there is no getting rid of me. I am your five foot eight one hundred and fifteen pound reality check. On Monday, reality is going to bite and it is going to bite hard.


Let me take you back to the last time that we faced off one on one. Remember how just before the match was made, I kicked your head so far off that it was field goal worthy? Remember how sore you were and how pissed off you were? Would you like to know a little secret? That was me being nice. Shocking, I know. Imagine how much worse it would have been if I wasn’t holding back. If I wasn’t holding back, then I would have kicked you so hard, you would have woken up in the hospital and instead of this tough guy, you would have become as intimidating as a twenty year old woman who cried after spilling her Pumpkin Spice Latte on her way to Planet Fitness. But the reason why I held back was because I wanted you at your best. I wanted The Monster to be fully unleashed. I got exactly what I wanted. Whether you want to admit it or not, I was probably the one person who gave you the biggest scare in your career thus far. I am the one who gave you your best match in months. Forget about Christian Kane. Forget about Lexy Chapel. Forget about Zack Lifer. If you were to look back at every person who has ever posed anything close to a threat to you, you need to look no further than me. I am the one who took you to your limit more than anyone else. I am the one who gave you the biggest scare. I will give you credit though, Justin. You actually admitted that I was your biggest challenge to date. Come Monday, the worst is yet to come.


Getting back to my point about things happening for a reason, I believe that certain events have taken place that have led us to where we are right now, Justin. While it took you beating Christian Kane to get here, my path took a more downward turn. It took a series of unfortunate events, events that I am still dealing with, to get me here. It took losing a lot to come as close to this title as I have been. I have lost far more than you could possibly imagine, Justin. Everything that has happened to me in my life thus far has shaped the woman that I am today and has shaped the woman who will end everything for you on Monday. It took certain things for me to realize that the only person who I should be looking out for is me. That is why I kicked your head clean off of your shoulders. That is why I dropped you in the middle of the ring a few weeks ago. This is me taking matters into my own hands for probably the first time in my career. Don’t blame me if people don’t like it. I’m not out here to please everyone. I’m here to look out for number one. In this case Justin, looking out for number one is going to make you into number two. Get used to it.


I’m well aware that the EXODUS front office didn’t want to give me this second chance. Hell, getting a second chance out of Jonathan Collins is about as successful as baptizing a cat. That is why I did what I did to you, Justin. I forced their hand into giving me this second chance. People aren’t willing to openly admit this, but I make this company money. Our last little go around? We are the ones who got people talking. We are the ones who put this title feud on the map. Outside of Strike and Kane, no one else can lay claim to that. That is why on Monday, we are going to be the ones to steal the show. We are going to be the ones that people are going to be left talking about. Don’t let me down this time, Justin. You may look at me and look at just some of my actions and think that I am scared of you. I am far from scared of you. The only thing that scares me is if the unfortunate incident occurs and I fail to beat you. Let me set a future scenario for you. Let’s say that I beat you and become the new International champion. What is the next step for you? You will be immediately rewarded for your failure by getting put in line for the World Heavyweight championship. You will be told that because of your hard work and dedication to this company, despite losing your International championship, you are still being rewarded. I guess that is something that comes along with being in the very good graces of the front office. Not only that, but it must be because of the size of your freakishly huge arms. Who is going to deny you anything with arms like those?


Allow me to tell you what awaits me should I lose on Monday. I am done. There are no more chances. Any thoughts I may have been entertaining of future shots at the International Title? They will be tossed out the window. I know the score. I know what is up and what is going on. I’m aware that my time here, chasing this goal, is coming to a close. If I fail to win this time Justin, then I get the “pleasure” of getting shoved to the back of the line behind everyone clamoring to become the San Diego Bay champion. I get to go right back where I started at the bottom of the card and at the bottom of everyone’s pecking order. This is why this match means more to me than anyone could possibly imagine. This is basically a do or die situation, Justin. Call it a final act of desperation from a woman who is grasping at straws at this point. Call it the actions of a crazed outcast looking for one final chance to fit it, one final act of redemption. I want this win more than you. I NEED this win more than you. I’m backed into a corner here, Justin. I’ve got nowhere else to go and nothing else to do. You’ve seen firsthand what I am capable of when I see a chance to make my point. Imagine what I am going to do when I have this sliver of hope staring me right in the face and I have just enough room to reach out and grab it. The most dangerous animal on the planet isn’t the Great White Shark or the Anaconda. It is the animal who has been backed into the corner and provoked long enough until one day it just snaps and goes ham on every one within its line of sight. You will find out, more than likely the hard way, how dangerous I am when my back is against the wall and time is running out.


Monday is the day where everything changes. Monday we find out just who the best of the best are. Monday is also the day that you find yourself in unfamiliar territory. You aren’t stepping into the RIMAC and this isn’t San Diego. You are stepping into MY city and MY house. The fans that are going to be filling the Hard Rock on Monday? Those are MY people. They came to see changes and they are going to get their money’s worth. Only one title will be changing hands on Monday, and it just so happens to be the International title match. I refuse to give up on this cause, despite everything around me telling otherwise. I refuse to bow or bend a knee before those that would rather see me fail miserably than give me the credit and the respect that I have long since coveted. Everything is tipping the scales in my favor, Justin. All that is left is for you to play your part and walk away a gracious loser. It’s the only way to get out of this one relatively unscathed.


Auf Wiedersehen.