The Time I Saw Vickie Hall Peg JCH: A treatise on why Max Kael should win the Almasy.

“Only a human mind could create something as insipid as love.” - Smith, The Matrix Revolutions

☠️☠️☠️☠️

…The Kael Estate, Arkham, Massachusetts…

…A few days after UltraViolence…

“Whew! How many days has it been?”

Max’s voice echoes up the lonely driveway of the Kael Estate covered in brown, bloodstained bandages, his clothing in disarray. Mincing along beside him is Snark Darkly, his clothing suspiciously unblemished.

“Has it been since when, Max? Since UltraViolence or since you snorted uber-cocaine?” Darkly cooed with a voice both calming and anxiety inducing.

Kael scoffs incredulously, “That doesn’t sound like me. For the sake of avoiding an ugly argument, let’s say since UltraViolence 2024.”

Darkly strokes his chin thoughtfully, “It’s been a few days, possibly five?”

“Whew! I gotta stop snorting uber-cocaine. Still, them Green-Vale Gang boys are fun!”

“Also ruthless, arrogant and treacherous to boot.”

“As I said, they’re a lot of fun, heh-heh. Hugo’s father could also be useful.”

Reaching the front door Max swings the double wooden doors open. The aged musk of the Kael Estate blows past Kael as though the house itself is discontent with his return.

“You hear that, Snark? Silence. No Russian propaganda music, no soldier’s boots. Leaving the Red Army was the best decision of my life!”

“Weren’t you kicked out?” Snark remarks as he follows the Black Heart of PRIME through the Estate’s threshold.

“What!? Kicked out? That doesn’t sound like -”

“YOU MOTHERFUCKER!”

It’s Max’s turn to twist his face up, only it’s not confusion registering on his face. The exact opposite: Recognition.

“... Sutler?” Max whispers to himself, slowly turning toward the sound of his son’s voice.

And there he was.

Sutler Reynolds-Kael, the twenty-five year old adopted son of Max Kael, biological son of Shane Reynolds(Deceased?). Standing next to him like her own little maelstrom is Chloe Sektor-Kael, fourteen year old adopted daughter of Max Kael, biological daughter of John Sektor(Very Deceased).

“... Technically speaking, it was Shane who’s the motherfuc-”

Before he can finish, Sutler dashes forward, grabbing his father by the collar before shoving him up against the nearby wall.

“Shut. The. Fuck. Up.” The words are hissed between tightly clenched teeth and eyes filled with a righteous rage.

“Oh, this must be the children you’ve talked about!” coos Snark Darkly, his hands clasping together as joy filled his barely human visage.

“You left me in Argentina with a fucking HEAD INJURY after you abandoned Chloe with her druggy, absentee father. You tortured me for YEARS, man, for fuckin’ YEARS! I was just a kid, you fuck! You killed my aunt and uncle, you left me in the care of a sexual predator! Do you know how much is WRONG with me because of you? Do you even know how much is FUCKING wrong with you? Who the fuck does this kind of shit to KIDS?!”

There is a desperation in Sutler’s words, like he isn’t intending to reveal this much but the words crawl their way past his lips. Tears well up in his eyes though they aren’t of pain or sadness but of pure hatred for his adopted father. .

Swallowing hard, Max’s expression becomes surprisingly apologetic while taking inventory of Sutler’s accusations, “It’s true… No, you’re right, Sulter, I was a bad father. Though if Graystone had ever touched you, I would ha-.”

Sutler’s knuckles connect with Max’s temple, the sound cracking like a gunshot. Kael’s head snaps to the side, a fresh gash tearing open where Sutler’s hand struck.

“FUCK…” Kael snarls, “...that stings.”

Before Sutler can inflict further harm on Max he feels a cold hand touch his shoulder. There is something deeply unsettling about the brief contact, the chilling effect squelching all the rage and hatred in young Sutler’s heart.

His body makes the decision to recoil before Sutler’s brain can even fully register what had just touched him. Snark Darkly’s face is uncomfortably close to the young man, the scent of ozone and Old Spice filling SRK’s nose.

“Who ar-”

“Snark Darkly, your father’s Business Manager.” Interjects the pleasantly unpleasant Snark Darkly, the curves and colors of his flesh altering when Sulter focuses elsewhere. And yet Sutler doesn’t remember anything actually changing, just a discordant sensation.

“You never came to see me! Why?!”

The estranged voice of Chloe Sektor-Kael levies a new accusation against Max.

Everyone turns to look toward the fourteen year old, an accusatory finger extended towards her adopted father. After a few moments all attention returns to Max, his expression pallid. Kael’s brain, unable to churn out any story, real or true, that might answer the young girl.

“Uh… uh…”

He stammers hoping something clever will come out instead of another damning uh. His eyes dash from Darkly to Sutler and then, with a gulp, to Chloe.

“Well, you see…” his eyes flicker to Sutler who only answers Max’s stare with a puckering, trout-like expression of bitterness. “I… was… HAD to stay away. See your father, rest his soul, really wanted to spend more time with you and I would have gotten in the way of that, my sweet little Chloe!”

The smile returns to Max's face as he commits to his half-truth. Chloe’s expression melts from icy indignance back into that warm, radiance he saves for the people she cared about.

“I knew it! I told you, Sutler, he wanted to see me but he couldn’t!” she exclaims, rushing forward and hugging Max.

Sutler is less inclined to forgive his adopted father quite as quickly as his sister. He crosses his arms and glares at Max who simply returns the stare with an audacious wink.

“Oh Chloe, I’d never willingly abandon you! No-no, it was all your father's idea and look what happened to him. John was the father who left you but death itself couldn’t keep me away from my children!”

For Chloe, Max spoke nothing but truth. For Sutler nothing could be farther from the truth.

“Remember little Chloe” Max coos into her ear as he gently strokes her hair.

“I’m the father who stayed.”

☠️☠️☠️☠️

…Fish Street, Arkham, Massachusetts…

…Sometime after ReVival 70…

The first thing you notice when you head down Fish Street is the smell. Refuse mixed with rotting fish permeates from every inch of the poorest district in Arkham. Dilapidated buildings that should be abandoned still house the penniless citizens of Arkham, relegated mostly along the South-East banks of the Miskatonic River.

The largest of the four Arkham Founding Families calls this area home.

It is here that Maximillian Kael and Snark Darkly have come..

“We need to get this done as quickly as possible,” Max whispers to Darkly as the two make their way down Fish Street. “I have to call ole feast-face, Vickie Hall, later to work out my strategy versus that simp, Jonathan-Christopher Hall. I can’t lose in the first round of the Almasy. Again.”

“Simp?” Snark asks as he gingerly steps over a rotting, half-eaten fish. “I’m not familiar with the word.”

“I don’t know, simpleton I think?”

Ahead of the two is the only building on Fish Street that looks comparable to the rest of Arkham, a stately red and green building that stood three stories tall built in the Federal style. Littering the front of the building is a gaggle of Marsh family members: disheveled, dirty and sporting their own unique deformities often associated with the Marsh clan.

Some speculated inbreeding as the cause of these irregularities, others spoke of a curse laid down upon the family. Max didn’t care, what he needed was their support, regardless of how bizarre and destitute the family appeared.

With a hand on Darkly’s shoulder, Max gestures toward the building as they approach. “The Arkham Port Authority! That’s where we’ll find the Marsh Twins and hopefully some support for my mayoral campaign.”

As the two reach the front steps the oozy-faced gang mass like a school of fish drawing together.

“Easy-easy, gentle… folks? I’m just here to see Garwood and Gallea. I’m Max Kael, this is my associate Snark Darkly.” with a flash of his silver toothed smile, Max offers a slight bow which is mimicked by Darkly. “We’re expected.”

One of the toadyish malcontents steps forward, watery eyes that look disproportionate to his head wobble up and down. Seemingly satisfied he waves them in, the school of Marsh’s parting to allow them inside.

The interior of the Arkham Port Authority was as stately as the exterior, its halls clean and formal. Despite appearances, however, a suffocating stench clung to every surface of the grand structure. Following the directions on the wall, the two navigated the Port Authority until they arrived at the shared office of Garwood and Gallea Marsh.

Taking a deep breath, and fighting the urge to gag, Max wraps his knuckles against the door.

“Enter!” Croaks a burbling voice.

Pushing the door open Max is struck in the face by a wave of smoke, the smell of something sickly sweet mixing with tobacco. His eyes water, squinting through the burning air, adjusting to the low light of the office until he finally sees them.

The Marsh Twins.

Until this moment Max has never laid eyes upon them and now he immediately regretted that decision.

“Sit.”

The word falls out of Gallea Marsh’s mouth with a wet slap. Max quickly navigates his way to a chair opposite the double wide desk the Twins occupy. Darkly glides into his seat with a look of genuine enjoyment on his perturbing face.

“Max Kael, happy to finally me-”

Interrupting Max, Garwood groans, “We know who you are.”

“We know why you’re here.” Gallea wheezes after her brother.

Clearing his throat, Max struggles to keep that practiced smile latched onto his face, ”So we can move straight to negotiations then?”

Cha-chunk.

A shotgun appears in what Max guesses are Gallea’s arms though in earnest, he’s trying his best not to notice any real details from the two grotesqueries.

The elephantine Garwood greases his teeth, “We heard how you negotiated with d’Erlette.”

“The Marsh’s don’t take threats well.” belches Gallea, green spittle dripping from the horizontal slit that represented her mouth.

Lifting both of his hands, Max tries to look as innocent as a man like Max can.

“I would never think of threatening two… uh… fellow outcasts in such a way.” Kael carefully navigates his words trying his best not to look at the Twins directly. “I’ve come to make a deal… or an alliance, if you will. After all, we've all gotta stick together.”

He is met with silence from across the desk, only the sounds of gastral activity filling the void between the two parties.

Garwood leans forward, his bulk roiling like a fleshy wave, ”We’ve already got a deal with Millicent Armitage and her family. Backing you would cost us millions.”

“Millicent would sic her dog, the Sheriff, on us. Unlike you Kaels, we don’t see our family as disposable.” burbles Gallea, a hint of something cruel in her voice as she mentions the Sheriff.

Clasping his hands together, Max’s smile stretches wide, breaking past that fake grin into something real.

“You don’t think I’d come to you without a bargain, do you? No-no, two resplendent citizens of Arkham deserve the very best. Millicent Armitage is a quaint bitch and her family is living on borrowed time. I’m the future, kiddos, and I want you at my side! I’m currently working on a deal that will bring industry back to Arkham, not just millions but BILLIONS of dollars.”

Max oozes with unsettling confidence, leaning forward as he forces himself to look at the deformed creatures he was dealing with.

“However you and I both know that money is temporal. I know what Sheriff Mason did to your father,” hisses the Mayoral hopeful, his eyes narrowing with malicious joy. ”And I know Millicent Armitage wouldn’t let you take revenge. I could change that for you.”

Another silence falls over the room. The sound of the shotgun thumping down is quickly punctuated by Garwood’s guttural voice. “Go on then...”

“... What's your deal?” gags Gallea, her eyes full of avarice.

“Oh friends, you’re gonna love this.” Kael replies, a Cheshire smile severing his expression.

“...heh-heh…”

☠️☠️☠️☠️

…The Kael Estate, Arkham, Massachusetts…

…A few hours later…

Max’s voice is hollow and lacking the usual chaotic energy.

Had the meetings with the Marsh’s a few hours earlier ended poorly?

Did Max run into some kind of energy vampire on the way home that stole his soul and dreams?

“...yes. I- Yeah, I gotta. Uh-huh, well I gotta… IT’S A TUNNEL, GOTTA GO VICKIE HALL! PSSSH! TALK PSSSSHHH BYE!”

Oh. So kind of an energy vampire.

Hanging up the phone, color immediately begins to return to his face as he takes in a deep breath.

“Jesus. FUCKING. Christ. That woman is as ugly on the inside as the Marsh’s are on the outside.”

Max shudders, tucking his phone into his pocket, continuing his march through the Kael Estate.

“Excuse me!”

Kael nearly jumps out of his skin as the Herald comes running past, his phone held above his head like some kind of a prize. Little Herald feet scamper across the floor and as quick as he’s there, he’s gone.

“Stop running in the halls, you’re gonna scuff the floor!” Max screams at the shadow of the long gone Herald. “I need to hang a warning sign on that idiot not to feed him sugar.”

Max grumbles to himself before barging his way through a thick, wooden door.

“You wouldn’t believe the fucking call I just had!” Max continues to vociferate, storming into a lavish bedroom. He stomps his way to the bed like a petulant child dramatically throwing himself onto it. Snatching one of the plush feather pillows, Max unleashes a muffled scream into it.

“It can't have been that bad.”

Kai Makana sits in the corner of the room on a red satin love chair, a manacle around her left ankle keeping her chained to the wall. A bowl of popcorn sits in her lap which she lazily picks at while staring daggers into her kidnapper.

More muffled screams from Max before he looks up from the pillow.

“You don’t fucking know the half of it. I’m trying to prepare to face Johnathan-Christopher Hall, the man who defeated Cecilworth Farthington in the last Almasy, the man who went on to win the Universal Title, the man who had the most famous love story in PRIME, and-and-and I’m running for Mayor and having to make deals and I’m-I’m trying to find allies in PRIME and it’s just all overwhelming!”

At first she hated Max. He had stolen her away from her son, from her life, dragging her across the globe before imprisoning her in this room. Exposure to Max had dulled that flame of hatred into an ember of dislike, the fire squelched by pity.

So with a sigh she stands up and moves to sit on the bed near him.

“Sorry to hear that.”

Of course pity doesn’t mean she won’t stab a bitch.

Her hand quickly dashes into the popcorn, yanking free a wooden shank before driving it down toward Max’s back. She strikes with all the hope and fear and desperation she can muster, a killer blow meant to end both their suffering.

Unfortunately this isn’t Max’s first kidnapping.

With almost comical ease Kael snatches her wrist and twists. Kai lets out a cry releasing the weapon as it clatters harmlessly onto the floor. Immediately upon disarming her, Max releases her wrist, clamouring up to his feet.

“Thanks, I appreciate your support.” he says in a genuine tone, apparently glossing over the attempted murder. “On top of all this, my two kids have come back into my life. Oh… sorry. I know you must miss your… daughter?”

“Son.”

“Son, right-right.” Max flinches at his mistake, beginning to pace around the room. “I have a daughter and a son. The girl is wonderful, loves me unconditionally but the boy? It’s complicated.”

Kai snorts at Max’s words, that ember of dislike flickering back into hatred though she does her best to hide it. Nobody is coming to rescue her, the only person who’s going to save her… is her. So she continues to indulge Max.

“Why do you put so much on yourself?”

Stopping in his tracks, Max turns Kai with a tired smile fighting through his frown.

“I’ve got to prove myself to someone.”

He sighs, the smile vanishing, his expression hardening into stone cold seriousness.

“I’ve got to prove myself to him.”

☠️☠️☠️☠️

To Love’s First Victim,

I’ve been wondering what I was going to say to you, Jonathan. 

I’ve been agonizing over how to address you, Christopher.

Heard you might be having some differences of opinion, Hall. 

Jonathan. Christopher. Hall. 

You were the symbol of Love in PRIME, both the Toxic and Pathetic kind. Your epic love story with Vickie Hall helped carry you through the Almasy and into Universal greatness, vaulting you into the history books of PRIME. 

Most important, however, was you defeating Cecilworth Farthington. 

Something I couldn’t do.

But who are you now, JCH? 

Who are you compared to me? 

When I was in my first Almasy, I was a shattered man, pulled from oblivion. I was still putting myself back together, still crawling my way from the abyss.

From the Madness. 

Look at the two of us now, kid!

Behind your sad eyes I see the lunacy that once filled my own. I see the man I once was.

Desperate. 

And when I turn a mirror on my own soul I see a man driven by love, a man made whole. A Damascus blade forged in blood and violence poised to cut through the Almasy. 

Virtuous. 

You don’t deserve this victory.

You aren’t strong enough to defeat me.

You gave in to love and it betrayed you.

You gave almost everything to Vickie Hall and she abandoned you.

So I shall walk into ReVival 71, into the Almasy, into the Fiserv Center and destroy what little love is left in you.

Not out of Mercy.

Or Kindness.

Or even Pity, though you are pathetic. 

I will destroy you because I MUST.

Because I deserve victory.

Because I am strong enough to defeat you.

Because I destroy love and so it can never betray me. 

I will take everything you have left and leave you to fill your empty carcass with all the Jonathans, Christophers and Halls you can. 

I can’t lose in the first round of the Almasy.

Again.

Love and Peace, Maximillian Wilhelm Kael

☠️☠️☠️☠️

…The Kael Estate, Arkham, Massachusetts…

…Sometime before ReVival 71…

Chloe’s cheerful voice mixes with sunlight and warmth within the courtyard of the Kael Estate. Max’s face is cast in shadows beneath a large white sun hat though his silver teeth glitter like stars from within.

“... wasn’t Father’s Day a few weeks ago?”

“Yeah but we weren’t here to celebrate it so we’re gonna celebrate it now!”

“Oh that’s perfect! Say, you wanna help your best Dad out on this belated Father’s Day?”

“Uh… sure, so long as we can do it together?”

“Of course, Chloe, my dearest! Daddy’s got a big-big match coming up and you’re gonna help me get ready for it. Sounds exciting, does it?” queries Kael, shoving a folder full of papers into the young girl's arms.

“Yes!” she answers excitedly, looking down at the folder Max has given her.

“So those are all of Johnathan-Christopher Hall’s promos from PRIME. I had them all printed out. You’re gonna look through them all and find any mentions of your wonderful father, Maximillian Wilhelm Kael! Compile them all together for me, won’t you sweetie?”

She stares at the folder for a moment before looking back up at her adopted father with an elated expression.

“Yes! What are you gonna do?”

With a snap of his fingers, Max summons two Russian thugs carry in a large screen TV and a small table to set it on.

“I’m going to watch all of JCH’s matches from 2023 Almasy to UltraViolence 25. Between you and me, we’ll formulate a winning strategy… Daddy can’t lose in the first round of the Almasy. Again.”

The two settle into their respective missions in the sun-drenched courtyard.

Standing in the shadows of a doorway watching is Sutler-Reynolds Kael, his phone to his ear, a smug look on his face.

“Yeah, we’re in. He’s none the wiser, you know my father.” Sutler whispers into the phone.

A cruel corruption boils through the receiver.

“...H̷͓͉̳̼̣̰̲̳̣͓̪̜͇͔͎̘̪̃̎̍̌̌̐͂̈̈́e̵̞̺̟̖͉̙̝̒͝h̵̡̧̛̻̺̙̩͇̓̔͆̉̑̀͋͊̃-̵̨̨̩̣͖͖͎̺̳͉͙̑͛͗̍͋̽̉̒̂̉̀͒́̋͘͠h̸̢̡̥̱̟̪͚͈̼̄̐̀̽̾͛̎͂͗̚͜͜ȩ̷̧̮̭̳̱̋̾ẖ̶͚̦̤̤̗̠̕…”

But wait!

Onyx inhuman eyes sparkle from the darkest places of the Kael Estate.

Watching Max.

Watching Chloe.

… Watching Sutler.

Snark Darkly’s round moon-face hangs like a plump spider at the center of a shadowy web of glittering eyes. A cheerful leer filled with too many teeth opens up where his mouth should be.

“... I can’t lose...”