Trouble

FIVE

FIVE

Three days later, I stood in a cemetery with several indy guys as well as nearly everyone from TNA. Team Good and Team Baddie have to keep up appearances, so that means when one of us dies, we all pay our respects. It's not easy living a double life, one public and one trapped in an unending psychic battle, but we're all very good at it.

The smug looks on the faces of MVP, Brandon, and Kenny told me the truth. This was no accident. I could see Nelson had the same expression, but his thoughts gave him away. He was as devastated as the rest of us. Luckily, Nelson's blocks were strong. Most people couldn't read his mind the way I can.

Storm stood near the coffin with a somber expression on his face. His thoughts said he was celebrating the win for Team Baddie, but I sensed something else there. I was only hearing what he wanted me to hear.

Bobby Lashley was bawling his eyes out. It was rare to see emotion from him, but he couldn't hide it. Frankie loved to heckle Lashley, and he always went right back at him. He'd loved the kid. We all had.

James was crying quietly beside me. I squeezed his shoulder. Emily stood nearby, holding Abigail in her arms. The creature showed no emotion whatsoever.

Jeff wore his emotions on his sleeve as usual. He was crying almost as hard as Lashley. Matt was trying to keep a calm exterior, but his thoughts were devastated. Bobby Roode was holding Dixie, who cried harder than anyone else.

It was hard to watch everyone in so much pain. Eric Young was shaking. I suspected he was trying to hold his emotions back, but that little ball of energy couldn't handle this alone. Eric was literally a source of energy. He was having a nervous breakdown after a brutal, unthinkable attack from Team Baddie that left him fried and unable to function. (That heel turn? Yeah, he was being controlled at the time.) A magical double (see: doppelgänger) had fought his matches ever since because Eric couldn't function, but he was here now. Bobby pulled Eric into the hug with Dixie as he apparently realized how close to breaking his friend was.

Many of the Knockouts had formed a circle. Christy was trying to smile, but her eyes were sad. Next to her, Tanea stood. She had Mike Knux behind her, holding her with strong arms. The big teddybear was sobbing loudly as he did this. Ashley wept openly, unable to hide her emotions. I spotted Jessie, or ODB, and was surprised to see her. Then again, she'd loved Frankie. She wasn't on our roster anymore, but she was mourning with us. Santana, better known as Brittany, had not returned, but she was off winning titles and staying as far away from Team Baddie as possible. She'd run for her life after quitting their side. Mickie James had come out for the funeral and Nick stood over her protectively as she went back and forth between chatting with the girls and crying. Gail Kim stood strong and emotionless as she held the girls together. Gail Kim was the ultimate badass.

Jess (Havok, not Jessie) was standing with Kia. I noticed Sami Callihan beside Jess, his arm wrapped protectively around her waist. I wasn't shocked, because the NXT guys knew Frankie as well as we did, but no one else had dared show up to the funeral. Then again, Sami was Jess's boyfriend, and he was a rebel.

Away from the Circle of Knockouts, Lauren was sobbing in her wolf's arms. Wes radiated calm, trying to soothe her and to keep his beast in check. Eddie was by his side. He radiated rage. I suspected his wolf was having a harder time staying calm. Oh, did I forget to mention that the wolves actually are werewolves? If you see them wrestle live, it's kind of obvious. They try to hide it, though, because lycanthropy is taboo in wrestling. People think that lycanthropes are too dangerous in the ring. I had no issue with either of them because I knew they had it under control. In fact, the two of them had recently started reaching out to other wrestlers who were trying to hide their lycanthropy to see if they could help them learn to control it better. They wanted to work toward a world where the discrimination ended.