Well it's time to stretch the muscles again and get back in a wrestling ring, feels like a bloody eternity since I had the chance to walk on down to the ring. I've never hid the fact that wrestling ain't exactly my top priority, it was a means to an ends which has pretty much been forfilled already but I keep doing it anyway. It's more fun than work, gives ya a bit of pocket money, something to break you away from the daily grind of real work. What a return back too, that gobby little keyboard warrior being the one I get to face. I guess SCW really do keep an eye on social media and use it in a way to book their shows. It's smart, we're doing their jobs for them. Still, it's actually can make certain wrestlers look like bellends. Well, more about Lachlan later, but first, some real work, something I've dedicated my life to and that putting down a solid foundation so when all is said and done after wrestling, I don't end up a cripple...
*******
Wednesday 22nd January 2020
A crowd gathers outside the SCW Shop in The Golden Ring Casino, in Las Vegas, Nevada, the neon sign lit and ribbon waiting to be cut for the grand opening. The crowd wait patiently while the camera moves inside where people are doing their last minute setting up. Daniel stands to one side with Osbourne behind him and Charlotte and Mackenzie standing by. Christina Rose can be seen running around talking to people before standing in front of them.
"Ok, gather round, listen up everybody." Christina yells above the noise.
Mackenzie leans in to Daniel, her voice slightly hushed.
"Who died and made her Queen of Sheba?" Mackenzie asks.
"Events Coordinator." Daniel reminds her. "This is an event, so figured let her handle the set up and all that. This shop is a small part of what we do. Even with Nick running the casino floor and Dani running the bar, we got other things to worry about so as not a lot can go wrong with this with Os setting up security measures here, thought I'd see what she could do."
"We are opening in just a few minutes." Christina reminds them. "Everything needs to be perfect here. You, guitarist."
She points to a man with an acoustic guitar.
"As soon as people start coming in, play SCW themes." She tells him. "We've gone over the play list, we want people to know what this is all about."
"Well, she's speaking the right language at least." Charlotte comments.
"We've got Ariana, Bobbie and Kelli in the personalized sales booths, so a lot will head in that direction, so security, make sure no one steps out of line." Christina says.
Daniel looks over to Kelli Torres, Ariana Angelos and Bobbie Dahl sitting behind tables with their own merchandise to sell. A way of drawing fans in to the store and to meet SCW and SCU stars.
"Not sure why you got SCU people in here." Mackenzie says to Daniel.
"Well, Ari is one of us." Charlotte says. "And he probably fancies the pants of Kelli Torres."
Daniel looks at the two smiling women.
"Tell me one man that would say no to her?" Daniel says with a calm shrug.
From a side door, Dani Weston walks in, a look of anger on her face as she stares directly at Bobbie.
"I'm gonna rip her head off." She mutters under her breath.
As Dani steps forward, Daniel quickly moves in front of her and puts his hand up defensively to stop her passing.
"Get out of my way Daniel." Dani says through gritted teeth.
"First off Dani, remember where you are." Daniel say, trying to keep his calm. "Secondly, remember who I am."
Dani grabs hold of Daniel suit, gripping it tight.
"I don't care!" She tells him, her voice getting louder "I'm going to hurt her like she hurt me."
Daniel shakes his head and clicks his finger and Osbourne steps behind Dani. Osbourne taps her on the shoulder and Daniel releases Daniel's suit and turns around.
"What!?" She says firmly before looking up and seeing who is standing in front of him. "Ummm, hi?"
Osbourne reaches down and lifts Dani up and over his shoulder, turning around and walking away as Dani struggles, unable to break Osbourne's powerful grip. Daniel looks towards Charlotte as he straightens his suit jacket.
"Have a word with her and tell her I'll be having a word with her later." Daniel tells her.
Charlotte nods her head and walks away, walking towards the exit door while Daniel's eyes fall upon the smirking Bobbie Dahl, her eyes not moving away from the area as soon as Dani walked in the room till the second she was carried out.
"Can I go smack her in the smug chops?" Mackenzie asks but Daniel shakes his head.
"Not right now." Daniel says with a thoughtful look on his face "Well, not in front of people anyway. I better go say hello to the special guests."
Daniel walks towards the guest booths, first stopping at Bobbie's, a smirk on her face.
"You need to know how to keep your staff under control." Bobbie says with an air of arrogance.
"And you need to pick and choose your comments wisely." Daniel says with a smirk. "Then one day you might actually have staff to boss around, and I don't mean that Artie fella, I mean real staff."
"Real staff like Christina?" Bobbie replies with a roll of her eyes.
"Yeah, staff like that who thought it was a great idea to have you here today." Daniel tells her. "Real staff that makes all that you see possible."
"Well maybe I need to go and see some of your staff after I'm done here." Bobbie says with another smirk towards Daniel.
"I wouldn't recommend you do anything here other than smile for the cameras, sign ya pictures, send people on their merry little way all happy they've met someone who's gonna be the match before the main event."
"Please!" Bobbie says with a huff. "Everyone wants to see Roxi lose her title to me in the main event."
"I think everyone wants to see Ben Jordan and Fenris have a match that has been about six months in the making rather than you coming back to pick on a champion." Daniel tells her. "But no trouble while you're here, no putting anyone else out of action for three to six months."
"And why not?" Bobbie says in a tone showing that she really didn't care.
"Because you see her over there?" Daniel says with a thumb towards Mackenzie. "her and Charlotte will get ya by your wig there and take ya behind the woodshed as we like to say back home, and you won't be coming back the same way you left."
"What's that mean?" She asks, slightly confused.
"It means they're take ya round the back and kick the living daylights out of you to the point that match with Roxi won't be happening unless you somehow can manage to wrestle with four broken bones. Now those bones will be determined as and when you're there, but I get the feeling it won't be a couple of baby toes that end up needing a splint." Daniel says with an air of firmness, yet calm. "This ain't SCW sweetheart, different set of rules here."
Bobbie leans back in her chair, thinking over what Daniel has said, but Daniel flashes an innocent smile in her direction.
"Have a good un!" He says before moving on to Ariana Angelos.
Ariana sits behind the table arranging her new shirts. She sees Daniel and jumps up, putting her arms around him briefly and stands to talk to him.
"Hey Daniel, thanks for getting me out here." Ari says in a sweet tone.
"It's no problem, thought you needed a break from our kitchens, get some use out of the other skills Gabriel and Odette showed ya, like smoozing the fans." Daniel tells her. "It's great practice for when you pick up a belt in SCU."
"I hope to pick up a belt in SCU." Ariana says unsure. "But it is still early in my career."
"Early or not, you gave us lot a right run for our money for our belts." Daniel tells her with a warm smile, knowing how to handle Ariana in a much different way from say talking to Evie Jordan or Fenris. "I don't think it will be too long before you become the face of that place. The whole G.R.I.M.E and their eight hundred members who constantly ruin matches will get boring soon, already kinda is, so they'll be looking for new faces to be at the top, fresh faces, good guys and that's where people like you and Carter come in. At some point, companies need to focus on wholesome people, SCW is doing it now, look who our World Champs are, a good guy and a superhero."
"I guess so." Ariana replies. "I know this is off subject, but how am I doing in the kitchen here? Am I at least improving?"
"You are, the chef said he could see signs of improvement." Daniel tells her honestly. "He wants to work with you on some simple dishes next week rather than the over the top crazy ones. Simple ones that we wanna get on the menu."
Daniel looks at Ariana.
"But don't worry about that now." Daniel tells her. "Just remember what Gabriel and Odette taught ya when it comes to being around the fans, how to deal with them, how to shift that stuff and smile. We'll all come out of today a little bit richer."
Daniel nods at her before moving on towards Kelli Torres, lining out Real Killaz hoodies and beach towels on her table. She looks up at Daniel with a warm smile.
"Kelli." Daniel says with a smile.
"Hey Daniel." She quickly replies.
"Before the doors open and you get flooded with people, and you will." Daniel says confidently "I wanna thank you for taking the time to be here. I know you, like Ari, have a ton of SCU stuff to do and I know how much you like to train with no off days, so I wanna thank ya for ya time."
Kelli smiles at Daniel.
"It's no problem." She tells him. "I'm sorry I can't stick around too long after, I need to be in Trenton tonight for Underground."
"Completely understand, we're heading roughly in the same direction ourselves later." Daniel tells her. "Over to Port Charlotte, few hours away from where you are."
"Well if you're only a few hours away, why not come and take in the show?" Kelli asks.
"Could do." Daniel says with a tilt of his head. "Not really been to many shows as a fan, so could give it a whack."
Before Daniel can continue, Christina walks towards him, tapping him on his shoulder and taking his attention away from Kelli.
"Sorry to interrupt boss, but it's time to open." Christina reminds him.
Daniel nods his head and looks back towards Kelli.
"Save me one of those hoodies." Daniel says to her. "I get the feeling this tour is gonna get cold in places."
Daniel gives Kelli a quick nod and turns around, looking at the staff in place.
"Look alive people." Daniel tells them as he looks around. "Time for kick off."
Daniel walks towards the main door as Christina follows. He stops at the door as Christina hands him a microphone headset. Daniel stops to put it on, sliding the arm over his ear and looks at the security guard on the door. He quickly reaches for the lock and turns it before opening the door. Daniel walks through the door, quickly followed by Mackenzie, having caught up as soon as she saw the mic going on to Daniel, and Christina. The crowd clap as the three walk through the door and Mackenzie and Christina move to one side. Daniel moves to stand behind the ribbon and waits for the clapping to stop.
"Ladies and Gentlemen, welcome to The Golden Ring Casino. Home of everything you could want from Las Vegas." Daniel says, ever the salesman. "Today, you've all come out to witness our latest addition to the Golden Ring Casino, our next link to wrestling. As you know, we've had a couple of Sin City Underground shows here, we've had wrestlers past and present speak in our theatre, but never have we had a dedicated store just for SCW and soon SCU merchandise to be bought from. There's is not another physical SCW store in the world, this is the first."
Daniel points behind him at the store front.
"After speaking to both Christian and Mark, we're all hoping this is the first of many SCW stores around the World, and I have already been speaking to both about helping them establish a store back in my hometown of London, England." Daniel tells the crowd. "But you all will be part of history by stepping through the doors of SCW's first ever store."
Daniel looks back at the store and turns back to the crowd.
"You'll find everything you'll find on the SCW Shop online store here and a few exclusive little items. We also have a few ladies in there willing to meet you and sign a few things for you." Daniel says as he looks around at the crowd. "So I won't hold you up any longer."
Daniel looks towards Christina who steps up to him with very oversized scissors. Daniel holds them across the ribbon before quickly cutting it.
"The SCW Shop is officially open." He tells the crowd.
Daniel steps back as the security opens the doors behind him. Allowing the people to file through. Daniel moves to the side towards Christina and Mackenzie.
"With that done, we move on to our next addition to this place." Daniel says to them.
"How about a comic book store?" Christina suggests.
"Do people even buy comics anymore?" Mackenzie asks her, her face with a frown.
"Lots of people buy comics." She tells Mackenzie and Daniel with excitement in her eyes.
Daniel shrugs his shoulders as he looks at Mackenzie.
"Run some numbers." He tells Mackenzie with a shrug of his shoulders, always looking to make more from the Casino building.
"I think we should get in a Taco Bell." Mackenzie says with a smirk. "From what Dani mentioned earlier, seems like a certain SCW wrestler has gone a bit potty and you do like hiring SCW wrestlers to work here."
Daniel smiles, knowing what Mackenzie means by that and looks at her.
"Sod it, why not, run some numbers for that too." He says to Mackenzie before looking at Christina. "Make sure this goes off without a hitch, give me a yell if anything happens."
"On it boss." Christina says with a salute before moving in to the store.
Mackenzie looks at Daniel with a slow shake of her head.
"She really is a nerd." Mackenzie says with a sharp exhale. "Fucking comic book store."
"If it makes money, it's worth looking in to, we have tons of units in this place still open, so would make sense to keep ticking it over. Before today, SCW wasn't paying us rent for that huge unit or giving us twenty percent sales." Daniel tells her. "Now they are, and we're making more cash, so always gonna look out for the next business opportunity Kenz."
Daniel straightens his suit jacket.
"And speaking of taking care of business. Before you run those numbers." Daniel says as he looks in Mackenzie's eyes. "Send Dani to my office in fifteen. I think me and her need to have a little chat."
Mackenzie nods as she walks away.
*******
Fifteen minutes had past and Daniel sits behind his desk in the main office, his eyes on a laptop in front of him, his jacket now hung up on a nearby wall. Daniel taps away at the keys but a weak knock rattles his door, causing him to look up.
"Come in." Daniel calls out.
The door slowly opens to see a sheepish looking Dani Weston peaks her head around the door. Daniel lifts his hand, just waving his forefinger and middle finger towards him, indicating for Dani to walk towards him. She slowly walks in the room, a look of regret on her face.
"I'm really..." She stutters out.
"Sit down." Daniel orders in a very solid tone, an unusual tone to take when dealing with employees.
Dani freezes in her tracks, but Daniel points to the seat on the other side of the desk, with one firm finger movement.
"I..." She starts again but Daniel puts his finger to his lips sharply, stopping her in her tracks.
He point to the chair again with another firm point and Dani bows her head, slowly walking towards Daniel. She reaches out for the chair, her hand slightly shaking as she grabs the top and moves around it and sits. She looks across at Daniel, her head moving away a little, just peering at him from the corner of her eye.
"I'm so..." She tries to stumble out.
Again, Daniel puts his finger to his lips, stopping her from talking and just stares across the desk at her. He presses his hands together as he looks across the desk at Dani, his eyes trying to look in to hers but her nervousness causes her to turn her head away from her boss. Daniel inhales sharply through his nose, making Dani look towards him out of curiosity.
"A little while ago, I'm kinda curious on something, Dani." Daniel starts with, lowering his eyebrows. "In the SCW Shop, did you actually see a wrestling ring?"
Dani looks at Daniel, just slowly shaking her head.
"Now, you've been here long enough to know that kicking the daylights out of other wrestlers only happens when SCU are here and it's all sanctioned." Daniel tells her. "Yet we could have seen two wrestlers kick the daylights out of each other right there and then, without a ring, which to me is not on for so many reasons."
"It wouldn't have been two wrestlers." Daniel says softly.
Daniel raises his eyebrows at Dani and Dani looks down at his desk.
"No, it would have been two people having a punch up under my roof and you know I don't stand for that, you know those people get thrown, literally thrown as far as the lads can throw them out of here." Daniel tells her. "What you would have done by putting your hands on her would have brought a lot of unwanted attention on this place. It would have brought bad news for SCW, they wouldn't be making any deals with us again, and they'll be looking at you wondering if ya alright in the nut."
"I'm sorry, it's just her." Dani says through gritted teeth. "She ruined my comeback."
"I get that, but that's the other job." Daniel explains. "The other job is one thing, this is completely different. You could have got yourself in a ton of trouble today. It would have took a whole twenty seconds for that to be all over Twitter and what if she would have got the upper hand? What if she would have thrown ya through one of those glass cases? You'd be adding more time on being injured. No one wants to see that."
"She just makes my blood boil." Dani replies, growing more comfortable with the conversation.
"I know." Daniel admits. "But you can't pull that pony in here. You can't sit and piss about like than under this roof, because then the old Bill look at the place, and our job of running it becomes harder."
"So are you gonna fire me?" Dani asks, looking disappointed.
"I should do for putting your hands on me, bloody like that suit jacket." Daniel tells her firmly. "But nah, I'm not gonna show you the door. Kenz is."
Dani's eyes widen as she looks up at Daniel, but a wide smile breaks out on his face.
"I'm kidding." He says with a laugh. "Couldn't resist that one, but if you're gonna batter her in future, either do it in a ring, or take her round the back by the bins and give her a pasting there."
A look of relief crosses Dani's faces as she sighs.
"I really thought you was gonna fire me." She says, a much more relaxed tone.
"Other than creasing my jacket for a few seconds, you didn't actually do anything." Daniel tells her.
A slight look of embarrassment passes over Dani's face as she winces.
"I'm sorry about that." She starts regretfully. "If there's any damage..."
Daniel waves his hand, waving off the suggestion.
"Nah, nothing wrong with it." Daniel tells her. "But I ain't gonna lie, starting to think something is wrong with you."
Dani's head jolts back, surprised at what Daniel just said.
"What do you mean?" She asks him.
Daniel leans forward in his chair, leaning a little over his desk as he pushes his hands together.
"Well you ain't been yourself lately, have ya?" Daniel says, putting his palms out flat. "In fact you've been angry all the time."
"Kenz is angry all the time." Dani says with a slight smile.
"Yeah, but you don't wanna be Kenz, trust me." Daniel tells her seriously. "And no one here wants to see you become her and do the things she's done. I understand the Bobbie thing, I get the fact that you have other issues along with the injury, but it ain't you to be like that. It's time to get this sorted and I think I know how."
Dani looks towards her boss curiously.
"Oh?" She mutters with a curious tone to match her face.
"Well, later tonight, we're off to Florida." Daniel tells her. "I got a match, the girls and Os will be around, Evie will be knocking about cause of her old man, Fenris and Aron will be there cause the tour, even Odette is gonna be there to catch up with everyone, and heard Melody Grace is gonna go there. I reckon Carter and Ari will pop down being as they ain't too far away. Be a little bit of a GO Gym reunion. Should lift your spirits well."
An excited look crosses her face for a few seconds but quickly fades.
"I can't leave Nick in charge of this place on his own." She says sadly.
"Nick don't even have to be here, he can come on down if he really wants to." Daniel explains. "There's a reason you two have assistant managers. There's a reason I have a lot of very trusted people working security. There's a reason, you and Nick have trained five or six people under the assistant's to possibly be assistants in the future. I'm sure you'll be fine to have a few days off and catch up with some old faces."
A wide smile crosses Dani's face.
"Really?" She says with a more excited tone in her voice.
"Absolutely." Daniel says returning her smile. "Go on, go pack ya bags, we're leaving in a few hours."
Dani stands up, quickly moving towards the door as Daniel leans back in his chair and the camera switches to Port Charlotte, Florida, filmed a couple of days later.
*******
Port Charlotte was indeed a nice place, a place very much set for locals and not too many tourists. SCW coming in to town had caused a stir with everyone in town and people stood outside hotels waiting to see a glimpse of their favourite stars.
Daniel Morgan was one observing the fans outside the Days Inn by Wyndham, looking at fans with phones in their hand, hoping to get a picture with one of the stars. Daniel smiles as he's spotted, screamed at by a group of fans as Osbourne joins him, looking at the crowd then back at Daniel.
"I know what ya thinking." Daniel says without even looking at him. "Which one of those lot are gonna ask you for a picture. I'm reckoning the older bird on the right there."
Daniel points to a woman in her fifties and looks at Osbourne, the woman waving frantically at the two. Osbourne shakes his head.
"You know what they say." Daniel says with a slight laugh. "Many a fine tune played on an old fiddle."
"Are we picking an old bird for Os?" Mackenzie says as she approaches the group. Followed by Charlotte.
"This is Florida." Charlotte adds. "The big man would be spoilt for choice."
Osbourne just looks at the two women, his head moving between the pair of them, but slowly shakes it as he breathes deeply.
"I read up on this place." Charlotte says looking at him. "One of the best places to retire in America."
"So there's bound to be a lot of bingo halls you can trawl for arse." Mackenzie adds.
Osbourne chooses to ignore that comment, but Charlotte looks at Daniel.
"So what's the plan for today?" She asks.
Daniel looks around the group and simply shrugs his shoulders.
"There is no plan." He tells them. "Ladies, hang out with Dani, Os, go to retirement homes, anything you lot want today. Treat this one like a holiday day. Go see some sights, go get plastered by a pool. Whatever you need to do."
It was rare Daniel would give anyone a day off that randomly, even though they knew the casino was in safe hands and there wasn't really a lot of work for them to do on this tour, there was no plans to expand in to Florida, there was no plans for anything like that at all.
"Sorry, say that again?" Mackenzie says, looking around at the other two.
"Have a day off." Daniel tells them.
"What are you gonna do?" Charlotte asks with a genuinely curious tone.
"I got a little bit of business to take care of." Daniel tells them. "Something to drag in a few more high rollers, something to give our friends on two wheels something to do."
They knew not to question Daniel's wisdom when it came to things like this. Many times they've seen him take a gamble like this and it's paid off, sometimes, not so much, but overall they trusted their leader to make decisions.
"Well, do you need to take anyone with you." Mackenzie asks, her thumb pointing towards Osbourne.
Daniel shook his head.
"Nah, it's only a little chat." Daniel tells the group. "Ain't nothing gonna go wrong."
"How do you plan on getting out of here?" Charlotte says with a point to the door.
Daniel turns his head towards the receptionist, a man in his forties, slightly balding and calls to him.
"Ere mush." Daniel says with a wave of his hand. "Is there a back way out of this place?"
"Certainly sir." The man says, clearly knowing who Daniel was and maybe even slightly caught up in SCW fever. "I will send someone to show you the way."
"Blinding mate, you're a star." Daniel says with a thumbs up.
Daniel turns back to the group and looks around them once more.
"Go on then, on ya way." He tells them. "Go feel those melons with tour memories."
Osbourne, Charlotte and Mackenzie look around each other and walk away from Daniel, pulling out phones to presumably make arrangements for the day. Daniel looks around, waiting for the hotel employee but the familiar face of Christian Underwood approaches him.
"Daniel, do you have a minute?" Christian asks.
Daniel looks down at his watch for a second and looks up at Christian.
"Yeah, I got a few minutes." Daniel says. "Didn't know you was staying here."
"Me and half the roster." Christian tells Daniel, slowly shaking his head.
"Thought I saw a few familiar faces knocking around." Daniel says with a nod. "What's on your mind?"
"Well I spoke to the liaisons between SCW and the new shop at the casino, see how the first couple of days have gone." Christian starts. "Tried to get an early indication on how things are going."
"And?" Daniel asks.
"And it's fantastic." Christian says with a beaming smile. "Incredible sales so far and a small profit right now, by the end of the month, it should be a good number money wise."
Daniel slightly smiles.
"Never in doubt." Daniel tells him. "Small profit now works for me, that twenty percent we're getting out of it is better than nothing. Can't take a percentage of zero. When we get a full month of it being open, we'll be quids in, massive profits."
Christian just looks at Daniel, a blank expression on his face.
"It means we're gonna make loads of money." Daniel tells him.
Christian rolls his head in acceptance and looks at Daniel.
"After years of working with Mark, I should have known that." Christian admits.
Daniel looks beyond Christian to see the receptionist nod towards him.
"I gotta run, bit of business, but popping back to Vegas on Sunday after the show, so I'll give ya updated numbers then." Daniel says before moving away from Christian.
Business can come in many shapes and forms but doesn't always take place in the boardroom. Sometimes, you wanna be in plain sight, under people noses and that's a style Daniel loves to employ, that was a style he was employing in Florida. He knew any of his alleged misdemeanours were not following him to Florida, he was simply a wrestler here, partaking in his hobby. Still, best time to get things done, when someone was looking at your right hand, your left hand was doing something else.
Port Charlotte Beach Park was a beautiful place, a nice little secluded beach with palm trees dotted along the shoreline, a slice of paradise so to speak. The sun had barely began to ascend to it's highest point, but the beach was full of people, enjoying rare January sunshine. Daniel sits on a bench just a few feet from the golden sands, his jacket on the bench next to him, and his top two buttons opened, far from the usual business like Daniel. He breathes in the sea air, waiting but a man in white shorts and a white and blue Bermuda shirt sits next to him. The man has tanned skin, and a neatly trimmed black moustache.
"I was surprised to hear from you Daniel." The man say, looking in front, not looking at Daniel. "I haven't heard from you since London, many years ago."
"I don't know why." Daniel replies, his eyes also forward. "I presumed you kept an eye on me, your crew tends to know their onions."
"No." The man says correcting Daniel. "I'm surprised I didn't hear from you last week when your travelling circus was in Miami."
"It's a wrestling company pal, not a travelling circus." Daniel tells him. "But I appreciate you making the trip from Miami for a little sit down."
"Wrestling company, travelling circus." The man says, flicking his wrist. "Stunt men in sparkling spandex falling over. Same thing."
Daniel smiles, still not looking at the man.
"So why not do this is Miami?" The man asks. "Why drag me all the way to this place?"
"Because you've probably got more eyes on you in Miami than a ref does at a football match." Daniel tells him. "It's just safer this way."
"So why am I here, Daniel?" The man asks.
"I presume that you, like many in your.... Organization, keep an eye on what's going on up and down the country with others in your line of business." Daniel says.
"Of course." The man responds. "I see the waves you have been making in Las Vegas and I sincerely hope this is not a meeting to tell me you want to take over Miami too."
"Not exactly, although sometime in the future, I wouldn't mind a part of Miami, a beach bar maybe." Daniel says "But that would be to work along side you, not to take over. I'm actually interested in certain imports."
"White?" The man questions.
Daniel shakes his head.
"Don't be silly." Daniel tells him without his eyes looking at him. "If I wanted it to snow, I'll have a little chat with a few people in South America, I wouldn't come to a bloke who deals with Cubans."
"Women?" The man asks
"Piss off mate, It's Vegas, women are a dime a dozen." Daniel says with a shake of his head. "See the casino has one of two private rooms, the expensive drinks where a shot will cost you one hundred dollars there and then. But I'm after Cuban cigars."
The man tries not to laugh.
"They're legal here now, you know that right?" The man says.
"Of course I know that, they're legal for personal use." Daniel tells him. "Now I can hardly pop over to Havana and bring back the thousands I need, not a big enough suitcase."
"Thousands?" The man says surprised.
"Thousands." Daniel responds seriously. "I need them in bulk, I need them in a non taxing way if you get my drift and I have also done my homework on movers around the country and I know you ship in thousands every week by means that are not as legal as the cigars themselves. No duty, no tax, customs don't know a thing."
"You are well informed." He tells Daniel.
"So you've got the numbers." Daniel starts. "But I doubt you've got the means to sell them all in Miami, which as we know is illegal. So here's what I'm willing to do. I cover the costs of whatever they cost you to get here, I'll cover transport to me in Vegas. I knock them out, take the cost out, lump you half the profits. It's basically money for nothing, cause you ain't laying a single penny out. Now I can sell them for serious cash to these people with more money than sense. All you've gotta do is count your half of the profits, plus it gives you a foot in Vegas for future business."
"To do this, we will want sixty percent." The man say, not looking at Daniel. "If it make as much as you think it will, forty percent is more than enough money. We buy at two dollars a cigar, you sell at one hundred, that should be more than enough profit to see you though."
Daniel takes it all in, thinking about it as he looks at the ground.
"Well I'm not a greedy man." Daniel says. "We can make that happen."
"How are you going to get them across country?" He asks Daniel.
"Oh, I already got that set up." Daniel tells him. "I know a biker gang in Vegas, we helped pay for their clubhouse when there was a fire there. They go and get their hands dirty for us as and when we need. So it doesn't look like a weird one with bikers coming to and from Miami, we'll use other chapters of their club. The local chapter here will pick it up, take it to the chapter over the boarder, then they take it to the next one and so on and so forth. One drops it off, next immediately take it out, and so on and so forth. Less than two days by road."
"And you don't think people will find that odd?" The man asks.
"No." Daniel starts "Bikers go with a van, put in a lot of good false panels, keep the same van, switch out the plates. What copper is gonna stop twenty bikers and a biker van to see if they're carrying. The police will bottle it, for those guys to be stopped, they'd want fifty police officers. Highway patrol are not gonna stop them and they'll be more of them then there will be police if they go through small towns."
The man shakes his head slowly.
"I'll give them a kick back for doing it, till I can find a small airport with some people with a love of bribes." Daniel tells him. "And we'll go a different route."
"Ok." The man says. "Let's talk about the cost."
I'm gonna leave it right there, I mean there's got to be some mystery surrounding Daniel after all...
*******
Daniel Morgan stands looking over the port in Port Charlotte, Florida, countless boats in his eyesight as the late afternoon sun, although not completely over the top warm, shines down on the water. The camera moves towards Daniel's face as he turns his head slightly to look at it.
"I've always been the respectful one." Daniel says to the camera. "Always been the fella who has sat there and thought to myself you have nothing in this world if you don't have respect. You're not doing it right if you don't know how to show respect at the right times, and use the anger and firmness in the right places. To me, that's what gets you far in this world, that's what gets people to look up to you and even if they'll be happy to see a headline in a paper that you've been found dismembered, that they will still respect all you done. Usually I'm a good judge of character with people like that, and I thought my opponent on Sunday was one of those people. One of those fella's people could look up to with silence respect. Turns out, I was wrong."
Daniel sucks on his teeth for a second before continue.
"Let me take you back to a few weeks ago, when after not saying a word about his big supercard match, Lachlan Kane took a little offence to something I said at a show." Daniel reminisces. "Which prompted a question, well a few questions from every woman's favourite six pack, but he asked where was everyone when he and Sierra had the tag belts."
Daniel taps his chin in thought.
"Well, considering we were here before you reared your head in SCW, being the last men's and Bombshell tag team champions, I found that a stupid question." Daniel says raising a finger. "More to the point, we were original members of that mixed tag team division, so ummmm, we were here. It took Sierra to explain your ramblings, because I had to come to you, because you didn't have the bollocks to do anything but subtweet. We were always there, just cause we wasn't chasing gold, just cause we had other things to occupy our time, just because we know how this damn business works, others were going for the championship, but that didn't stop Lachlan from living up to the stereotype that all paddy's were as thick as two short planks. You asked something else didn't you Lachlan, remember what that was?"
Daniel taps his head.
"I do." Daniel says confidently. "What's the point of being in this business if you don't wanna be the best? And this is where all my respect I ever had for you disappeared."
Daniel shrugs his shoulders.
"That's where everything I thought I liked about you when down the swanny." He says firmly. "Cause you came across as a man who already thought he was something special, that he thought was hot shit and here's the truth Lachlan, and this is where I ain't even gonna pull punches. You're actually a pretty shit all round wrestler. People in glass houses shouldn't throw stones, and that's why I don't live in a glass house so I'm gonna throw bricks at ya now, because you are one of the laziest wrestlers I think I've ever seen, and the more I think about it, the more you live up to that paddy stereotype."
Daniel waves a finger.
"Newsflash for you pal." Daniel says with a smile. "You wasn't the reason you was Mixed Tag Team Champions. Sierra was."
A smile crosses Daniel's face.
"Now I ain't saying that to cause friction, I actually respect Sierra for her hard work, for the fact that when she didn't win the Bombshell championship, she didn't cry, or complain or considered walking away, like you." Daniel says with a smile. "She sat there and said that she will win that Bombshell title by the end of 2020 and I believe her because your only title run in SCW, has come because of Sierra, it's come because she is the driving force of your team, not because you're anywhere near the best. For my money, she's top five in her division, you mate, you don't break the top 15."
A confident look crosses Daniel's face.
"I'd be more worried facing her than you, because she puts in the effort, you're a choke artist." He says firmly. "You sat and mentioned Tony Thorn the other day, asking look where you are, look where he is. Mate, you choked then, ninety percent of your matches, you choke. You can sit there and say it's cause he ain't active as much, but where have you been, just a couple of matches in about five months. Pull the other one cause you are that man in the glass house throwing stones. Huffing and puffing with less than fuck all to back it up. Biggest match of your life at the end of last year, the biggest chance you've ever had in SCW and the cat had ya tongue, cause ya bottle went. Your bollocks disappeared in to nowhere knowing that out of the six in the ring, you were the weakest and you have the nuts to sit there and talk about being in the business to be the best?"
Daniel shakes his head.
"Nah mate, I ain't buying that." Daniel says casually. "You're nothing but hot air, you're not even the best in your own household, not even the best in your own family and you wanna sit there and talk all that bollocks? I ain't buying it, no one is buying it, you're basically bang average with everything you do, carried to your successes and choke when it comes to rise to the occasion. If I was in your boots at December 2 Dismember, I'd be talking about that match constantly, I'd be excited as all hell, but you couldn't even open your mouth, yet I still had slight respect for you for trying to help us rebuild the tag division. That's out the window now."
Daniel points a thumb behind him.
"That's behind me and now I'm seeing you for what you really are." Daniel says firmly. "A whiny little girl who didn't even have the bollocks to tag me in anything, you had to subtweet and I bet your old April was going, hoping that I didn't see that, hoping that I didn't respond in case it lead to this. Well it's here Lachlan, and you are facing me here and I ain't one to talk about what horrors could happen in this match, I think everyone knows that I'm better than you in every way, it doesn't matter if it's in the ring, it doesn't matter if it's on the mic as they say, it doesn't matter if it's about hyping and selling, people know I am all round better now than you'll ever be and if I wanted to push myself to the top, I could easily win that World Championship before you. Wanna know the kicker?"
Daniel smirks.
"I don't even take this business seriously." Daniel says with a slight smile. "I've made it clear that my interests lie outside of the ring, yet you have dedicated your life to this, made it your full time profession, for me, something to do at weekends. Some people like paint balling, some people like the nightclubs, me, I like wrestling at the weekends and yet I'm still more thought of and highly respected in this business now than you'll ever be."
He smirks again, knowing he is speaking nothing but truth.
"And that must eat you up inside." Daniel says with a firm nod. "It must get right under your skin knowing someone like me, someone who got in to this business not for the love of it, but for a way to boost my other interests, is still better than you'll ever be. I guess I was just a natural when it came down to it, because the whole world can see how much better I am at it then you, but if I walked away from the ring tomorrow, I'm walking back to a million dollar business empire spreading over two continents. What happens when people see that you're not good enough anymore? Or that body breaks down and falls away? What do you step back to Lachlan? Nightclub bouncer maybe? Somewhere where you live hand to mouth, one paycheck to the next? See I don't need to do that. Answer your question about why get in to this business if not to be the best?"
Daniel shrugs.
"Because I don't have to. I got in to wrestling, my casino host SCU shows, it has an SCW Shop." Daniel reminds the world. "Wouldn't have had that if I didn't get in to wrestling, would I?"
Daniel tilts his head as he looks down the camera.
"But you wanna sit there and prove your the best, and the truth is, you're not, you never will be." Daniel says confidently. "When I leave wrestling, I'm leaving a hobby, you're leaving a career, but people are gonna look at you and see you couldn't sell ice to a fat bloke on a hot day, that you couldn't wrestle your way out of a paper bag and that you've been carried by others to the finishing line. When I leave my hobby, people are gonna see just how much I, and the rest of the group has done, when the time is right and we break out and start targeting singles gold, that will be more than you'll ever achieve in your career here. My hobby will surpass your career by the time you quit wrestling, and I know that won't be long off."
Daniel looks deep in to the camera.
"We know that won't be long off, I mean after Sunday and I've beat you, you'll be back on Twitter, no congrats for being beaten by a better man, but considering your future while looking at smaller ponds to swim in." Daniel says wagging his finger at the camera. "You could have walked to the ring and accepted Ben Jordan's call out, proved that you belonged in that match, but no, you decided to not show up to an SCW event, just sit behind a keyboard and mock people who do show up. People know you've gone one foot out of the door and on Sunday, I'm gonna be the one who shuts the door behind you. You're fast becoming a waste of a roster spot and I intend to show everyone that. I intend to show everyone you'll never be the best for as long as you've got a hole in ya arse. On Sunday, the thing you spent your whole life trying to perfect, is gonna get beat by a hobbyist."
Daniel smirks.
"You're gonna be eating any word you've ever said to me, any motivation you might have, any fire that might be running though your body to shut me up, it's gonna disappear when you look in my eyes in that ring and know instantly who the better man is." Daniel says, full of calming confidence. "You're gonna know that you ain't the man you claim to be and the fans will see that too. Sunday's about putting you back in ya box, locking it up and sending you away to an easier place with worse wrestlers than you, so you can actually look like a half decent wrestler, because while I'm here, doesn't matter if it's in the Mixed Tag division or if it's one on one, you will always be in my shadow. You don't walk out here with a win Lachlan. You don't get to sit there and prove a man who has spent his life bouncing off these ropes, is better than a man who is just naturally gifted."
Daniel looks deep down the camera.
"Come Sunday Lachlan, you go back to being irrelevant and forgotten and I'll keep doing what good wrestlers are meant to do, and actually keep showing up on shows, booked or not. Go on then son, run off to Twitter, sub tweet and pick what I've said apart. It's pretty much all you're good for and you ain't much cop at that either." Daniel says with a wink. "That's the truth, and like people know, I only deal in facts."
With that, Daniel nods his head and walks away as the camera fades out.
