Levi: Nocturnal Pleasure

And sent it out to sea full of screaming, lovely, lonely girls.
- Jim Steinman

His hands were stuffed in his jacket pockets as he surveyed the scene. Was it almost three months ago now? Already? Incredible.

Before him lay the wreckage of the World Trade Center. It saddened him that so many had been lost. Sure, he was a cold calculating bastard, but he did have a heart. And those bastards who did this were getting theirs now. Vengeance. It was the only real word for it. Justice would be too easy. Vengeance was what we wanted. Vengeance is what we would get.

And Vengeance would be delivered to everyone, including Thomas.

It was almost surreal. The RWA was crumbling, much in the same way the RWF had crumbled so long ago. The powers that ran the federation saw it fit to shun those who made it great. Taylor Dawkins, Habachi, Cliff, Tommy, Nyte, the Keegans, all men who made the RWF what it was. And yes, even Boyce.

But Boyce saw what was going on before everyone else and instead of sticking in and staying with 'the boys' he bolted and started his own federation. Instead of helping the men that helped HIM, he bolted and let us die. He stole talent and forced Ric out of business, then expected us to be grateful to be offered employment by him.

"Fuckin' asshole."

He wandered forward, pressing against the wind, letting it blow his black hair backwards, revealing his scarred forehead. The deep rivets in his forehead that should have never been there. Those deep caverns that marred his 'movie star' look as the RWA photographer had told him. One too many goddamn barbed wire matches. One week too long in FMW. One day too long in IWA. Just one hour too long in Hell.

Now he was just another case of 'arrested development'. Just another case of a Wasted Youth.

But here, in the broken remains of the World Trade Center, Levi came to a mad conclusion. A theory so sick that some would find it offensive, but to he, it was just simple rationale. If they could not hack the reality they should get thee to a nunnery and forgive their lives to the simple life.

But if you've been the Devil's Advocate for so long, you must wonder what it is like to be The Devil.

And it was here that Levi made his promise. He spoke aloud, though no soul stood near him. He spoke not to the spirits who were lost in this site, not to any persons at all. He spoke directly to God. A direct call on Line One.

He looked to the sky, judging the stars as they aligned so far away. It was hard to see many of them for the smog that permeated the city, but a few were visible. He spoke to them, knowing that they would relay the message. If God was there, he could get a message aimed at a burning piece of rock.

"I don't like you and I know for a fact that you don't like me. That isn't the question here. That isn't the meaning of this. This is something much larger than if I like you or not. This is about me knowing that you have something planned. I know you. I know you better than any cleric that reads that book. I know you like the back of my hand. Because I was made in your image, and if I can be as FUCKED UP as I am, than you can't be a whole lot better.

"So listen up. You took me away from my home. You took my childhood. You took my mother early this year. And you took these people just three months ago. Tonight I offer you me. Take me. I will go out there from this day forth and I will bear your symbols if you show me ONCE that you give a SHIT about me. Give me the vengeance I so desire. Give me the strength to right these wrongs. Give me the power that you store like a mizer in your palace of gold.

In return, I will be a man of God from this day forth. A man who will never.."

"Bullshit."

Levi whipped around to see nothing. That voice. He KNEW that voice.

"You know for a fact that the minute you get your revenge, you will turn your back on that bastard as fast as you made up with Taylor for stealing your mothers ashes. You don't want him. You want me."

He saw it. A man, in the shadows sitting on a crate, smoking a cigarette. His face was covered by a long brimmed hat and hair that hung in his face. Long, blonde hair.

"Go on, make the choice. But, I gotta warn ya, you wont hear anything from Him."

He pointed skyward as he said 'Him'. This was weird, very very weird. Levi kinda liked it.

"Who the hell are you?"

A pause. The man took a deep drag of his cigarette before exhaling and answering in a throw away voice.

"Someone not to fuck with, that's who."

He grinned. Levi responded in kind. He knew who he was, without any formal introduction. He was the embodiment of everything everyone had always told him he was.

"See this? I had NOTHING to do with this. This was all people who were after His glory. I don't mix with zealots, they catch me too quick. But you see this, then you see me. This is the work of Him, and me? All I ever did was give a lady an apple. Fed the poor starving bitch. Adam was all over her about her weight you know."

A chuckle. Apparently he amused even himself.

"What do you want?"

More silence as It took another deep drag.

"My soul?"

"You watch too many bad movies, Thomas. All I want is some fun. These people, especially today, they're too tight. Too PC, too wishy-washy. I want some good old-fashioned Christian's on crusades massacring innocent villages FUN. I know who you are. I know what you do. I know who you associate with. Heh, a good friend of mine knows you quite well. But you, you always kept away from me. Which is fine, but sooner or later, you gotta make a stand. An apple or more starvation, Thomas?

You want Vengeance? I have it in SPADES my friend. You want women? Easy as pie. You want money? Please, that's just too simple. Fame? Fortune? A nice fitting suit? I can get you ANYTHING, and I ask NOTHING in return. I don't want you to worship me, I don't want you to make sacrifices, I don't want SHIT. All I want is a little fun, dammit, and that bastard is making it REALLY HARD around here."

The Shadow had grown as if the man himself was growing in anger. Not standing but literally growing like a monster from a B-film. Then, just as soon as the voice had grown to screaming levels, it dissipated and was back to the calm demeanor of before. The man stepped from the shadows, still his eyes covered by the dark long brimmed hat. He walked swiftly to Levi, barley taking three strides for twenty feet it seemed. He smiled. That grin, the one Levi knew so well as his own, here it was plastered on this other mans face.

"You remember that Indian a few weeks back?"

It startled him. Honestly, he had forgotten up to right now.

"Yeah..."

"That was Him. Now, are you gonna chill with a guy who demands the entire being of you, and sends you creepy Indian dudes to send you messages, or are you down with a guy who just wants a little fun, and in return can give you more than you ever wanted?"

He stuck out a gloved hand. His entire body was covered in a dark blue leathery substance. Even his hands, covered in a blue leather glove. Levi pondered for only a moment before taking his hand, shaking it firmly.

"So you're down with the Devil?"

"Yeah, Yeah. I'm down with the Devil"

He smiled and as he did, his eyes came into view. They were red. So, so Red.

"I think we are going to be good pals, Thomas. Good pals indeed."

And those eyes, those Red, Red eyes, danced merrily as he laughed. The Devil had arrived in New York and was fast at making friends.
*