Come Back...

The crowd is on their feet cheering at the top of their lungs as The Bickering Duo celebrate their hard-fought victory over Police Squad in their own way.

That being Cage standing alone in the center of the ring with his arms raised high, while Suraci sarcastically claps and cheers him on from the outside despite being the one who picked up the pinfall.

Such is their dynamic.

It shouldn’t work. They shouldn’t be winning as much as they do. They shouldn’t be heading to Ascendance to challenge for the Tag Team Championships in the state that they’re in—yet here they are, one match away from securing the titles that have been eluding them since they reluctantly form. And the crowd is enjoying it as they were able to set their difference aside, in a way, to redeem one of their losses against the once undefeated Police Squad.

All that’s left is Desolation.

Perhaps one last chance to redeem another loss.

One last chance to capture the tag team championships.

Tenuous doesn’t even begin to describe how these two are barely holding on. Another loss, the third strike could snap the string holding them together and then we’ll see the bickering devolve into something so much more violent and dangerous.

But for now, for tonight, they’re winners. Cage continues to soak in the moment, completely unaware that the perpetually annoyed Suraci has begun making his way up the ramp.

The masked man is only half way up before Desolation step onto the stage freezing him in his tracks. Desolation begin walking down the ramp and toward the ring, both of these monstrous men brushing shoulders with Suraci as they completely ignore him otherwise.

As Cage stands on the middle turnbuckle with his arms stretched out wide, he’s completely oblivious to the presence of the tag team champions inside of the ring. He hops down and turns around, and that’s when he finds out.

When it’s much too late.

When his back is pressed against the proverbial wall, Cage knows what this is about. He knows where this is going.

He knows what he has to do next.

Cage spits in Trauma’s face then turns on his heels and nails Bludgeon with a stiff right hand. He continues to battle until Desolation decide enough is enough and use their combined size and strength to immediately overwhelm Cage to the dismay of the crowd.

Frozen in fear, or perhaps in a lack of empathy, is Suraci who watches this all unfold with his back turned to the ring, his eyes locked on the titantron. Suraci watches as Cage gets the living hell beat out of him— his screams and cries of agony filling Suraci’s ears.

Suraci shakes his head, and begins to head to the back. He leaves the stage, the crowd in shock that Suraci would leave his partner, even tho they don't get along, to take the per-verbial bullet.

Finally, Suraci walks back on to the stage to a ruckus ovation, and he stares down at the ring. Seeing this unfold in the flesh and on the screen gives it a whole new emotional depth. He takes in a deep breath to silence the voices in his head telling him he’s about to do something stupid, then he charges down the ramp. Suraci leaps onto the apron, and doesn’t even wait for Desolation to turn around before launching himself into the air with a springboard, using the momentum to knock down both giants with a huge front dropkick. Suraci knee walks over to Cage and tries to roll his tag partner out of the ring to safety, but that proves to be a fatal decision as Desolation pounce.

In seconds that feel like hours, Desolation finish what they started and leave Suraci in a broken heap next to Cage.

Closer together than they ever have been before.

With the crowds boos nearing deafening audible levels, Desolation exit the ring.

Their hunger for destruction satiated.

Their thirst for violence quenched.

Their message sent.