Downtown Primm, Nevada
Earlier this week

“Do I have your attention now?”

Smirking confidently towards the camera, Lachlan Kane folded his arms across his chest and leaned up against the brick wall he was currently standing in front of. Dressed in his usual attire of a black T-shirt, dark jeans, black Vans sneakers and his well-worn leather jacket, he planted one foot against the wall with a dull thud that echoed down the alleyway.

“Over a year I’ve been in this company now. In that year, I’ve held gold, set a record, and become one-half of the most talked-about mixed tag team companies in the history of SCW. All things that I’m extremely proud of. But my singles career...that’s been my white whale, hasn’t it? The one blemish on my record. The fact that no matter how hard I work, how much I leave in that ring...I can’t seem to break that stigma that haunts me. I’m still branded with that moniker of ‘tag team specialist’. Don’t get me wrong, I’m not looking down my nose at it...but I’m out to prove that I’m more than just a one-trick pony.”

“Two weeks ago, I did what many people thought I’d never be able to do. I went toe to toe with arguably one of the best to step foot into SCW...and I tapped him out in the middle of the ring. It wasn’t easy, by any stretch...but I still did it. So, like I said...do I have your attention now? I know I’ve been talking a big game for two weeks now, but I believe I’ve earned it. After all, so many people walk around this company with the same attitude and they couldn’t lace my boots. So for people to say that I’m arrogant for thinking a little highly of myself…” He let out a short laugh. “I’d say this is long overdue. See, I don’t think I’m arrogant. After all, arrogance implies that I think I’m better than I am. Truth is, I know exactly how good I am. And you are all now just starting to realize it.”

He pushed off the wall and took a few steps towards the camera, filling the frame with his imposing figure silhouetted in the darkened alleyway, the only light coming from a single bulb hanging over a nearby doorway. “Fenris...the way I see it, when I beat you on Sunday, I go into December 2 Dismember as the odds on favourite. I go from being the scrappy underdog that no one gives a second thought about...to the one that sits atop the mountain as the standard-bearer for the entire company. I know you’ve said that you’ve been looking forward to this match, and truth be told so have I. But if you think this is going to be like the match you had with my brother...sorry to burst your bubble, but things are going to be completely different. You’re not going to be kicking my head up into the nosebleeds. Oh, I don’t doubt that you’re going to give me a fight. I know that the two of us are going to go in and show all the others watching at ringside exactly why the two of us are in this little six-way dance at December 2 Dismember. But when it all comes down to it, I’m going to show you, as well as the other four men at ringside, and the entire SCW collective, just why I will be the new SCW World Champion by year’s end.”

He unfolded his arms and pointed down the camera lens with his index finger and thumb extended, as the scene abruptly cut away to a black screen.

 October 20
SCW High Stakes IX
Immediately following the cage match

Pushing through the curtains to the backstage area, Lachlan Kane made his way down the steps and past the crew members. He grabbed a towel from a nearby crate, wiping at the sweat on his face and chest as Sierra Williams ran up to him, throwing her arms around his neck.

“That was incredible!” she said, smiling at him. “I knew you were going to kick his ass!”

Lachlan smiled, wrapping his arms around her waist. “Yeah, well...I didn’t exactly walk out of there unscathed myself. That stomp from the top of the cage seemed like a good idea at the time...but now, I’m having some buyer’s remorse. Especially in my knees.”

She raised an eyebrow at him and smirked. “No shit, Sherlock.”

He mock-glared at her for a moment, but smiled and leaned in to kiss her. Movement from the side caught their attention, and they turned to see Malachi approaching them, an arm wrapped tightly around his ribs and breathing heavily. The two brothers locked eyes for a moment, before Malachi reached out and clapped Lachlan on the shoulder in an affectionate way. “Good match, Lach.”

Lachlan nodded. “You too. Hope I didn’t hurt the ribs too much.”

Mal laughed a bit, wincing as he did. “Nothing serious. Though I’ll probably milk the hell out of it so Bella won’t make me do any chores.”

The brothers laughed, and shook hands once again before Mal looked over to Sierra. He nodded his head towards her as he continued on down the hallway towards his locker room.

When he was out of earshot, Sierra muttered, “Still think he’s a dick.”

Lach laughed and kissed her forehead. “Yeah, but at least you won’t have to worry about him jumping me anymore. Now, I believe there is an ice bath with my name all over it right now. ” He winced as they started walking down the hallway, a slight limp in his step.

Sierra put his arm around her shoulder as she wrapped hers around his waist to help him walk. “Alright, let’s get you back to the locker room before you fall apart.”

--------

The next scene opens up on a typical interview setup, with two chairs sitting opposite each other in a nondescript room. One of the chairs was occupied by SCW interviewer Rocky Mountains, the other by Lachlan Kane. He was dressed casually in a pair of dark jeans, a black “Sierra Williams” shirt, and his trademark leather jacket. Rocky smiled at the camera as it began recording.

“Hello everyone, and welcome to this exclusive interview for SCW.com. I am delighted to be joined today by arguably one of the most popular and fastest-rising stars on our roster, a man that just two weeks ago went through hell against his own brother and emerged victorious, Lachlan Kane.”

“Pleasure to be here,” he said with a smile.

“I mentioned that you and your brother Malachi finally came face to face inside of a steel cage back at High Stakes, to settle the issues that have plagued you both since he started with the company. Now that you’ve finally gotten the win over your brother, have the two of you reconciled?”

Lachlan laughed. “I mean, we’re brothers. We’re always gonna fight. For right now though, we’re good. Mark and Christian don’t have to worry about us trying to kill each other. At least, for a little while.”

Rocky smiled a little, before glancing down at her cue cards. “The burning question that is on everyone’s mind now is what’s next for Lachlan Kane in SCW?”

He rubbed at the stubble on his chin, his face taking on a thoughtful look. “That is the question, isn’t it? I’ve already had a run at the Roulette title, but the second time could be the charm for me. Hell, could always throw my hat in the World title picture. But as for the immediate future, I’ve got myself a match back on Climax Control for the first time in quite a while. And I’m looking forward to it, if I’m being honest.”

“Well, you will be stepping into the ring with the brash young Brother David Shepherd, who’s coming off a loss at High Stakes and will most likely be looking to avenge it. Many are calling this a show-stealing match. How confident are you heading into Sunday, especially considering it will be your first match on Climax Control in quite a number of weeks?”

He smirked a little. “If I can be totally honest with you, Miss Mountains? I’m feeling pretty damn confident. After the war that my brother and I had, with me picking up that win? I’m on top of the world, and I feel like I can do anything. Don’t get me wrong, I think that the good Brother is going to give me one hell of a fight. But when it’s all said and done, I’ll be standing tall with my hand raised, and I’ll be back to my winning ways.”

Rocky smiled at him, before turning to the camera. “You heard it here, folks. Lachlan Kane meets Brother David Shepherd live on Sunday night at Climax Control. Lachlan, thank you for your time, and best of luck to you on Sunday.”

Lachlan gave her a wink. “Now Rocky, what is it that I always say? I’m Irish...we invented luck!”

 July 28
Las Vegas, Nevada
Following the end of Climax Control

The minute Lachlan Kane entered the locker room, he launched his jacket across the room with a guttural yell, running his hands through his hair and pulling at it slightly. He paced the floor angrily while Sierra Williams followed in after him, closing the door tightly. She waited a few moments to let Lach’s anger simmer down a little bit.

“Lachy-” she started to say, but he cut her off.

“I told you,” he said through gritted teeth. “I told you that I was going to fuck this all up for us. I lost my focus. I let myself get counted out because all I could think about was beating that piece of shit to within an inch of his life and-”

Sierra stepped up to him and grabbed his face, kissing him to cut him off mid-sentence. She pulled away after a moment, but kept her hands on his face. “Listen to me. That wasn’t your fault. We all got caught up in the moment-”

Now Lachlan was the one to interrupt her. “I should have known better!” he said, pulling away from her and resuming his pacing. “Seven years I’ve been doing this, Sierra. I’ve wrestled all over Europe, Japan...I’ve been a champion in multiple companies. I. Should. Be. Better.”

Frustrated with her fiance, Sierra reared back and gave him a slap across the face. Lachlan stood stunned, holding a hand to his cheek while she got directly in his face. “Enough. You are better than almost everyone in this company. I’m not going to stand by and watch you degrade yourself because of a fluke. We’re going to regroup, we’re going to train hard this week, and one way or another, we will be the mixed tag champions again. And if those two weasels think they’re going to get away with that bullshit they pulled out there, they’re sorely mistaken.”

Lachlan gave her a puzzled look. “What do you mean?”

“I doubt that Mark and Christian are just going to let that result stand. There’s only one spot left in the semi-finals, so one team has to win, right?”

“Well, yeah.”

Sierra got a devious smirk on her face. “Well, let’s just say a little birdie is about to give our owners a little idea…”

-----

Earlier This Week

“So, you think the two of you are done with us?”

The familiar voice echoing through the confines of the abandoned warehouse held an edge to it as Lachlan Kane strolled into view, a metal baseball bat at his side. He was dressed in all black, to match the foul mood he was no doubt feeling as a result of last week’s match. There was a devious smirk on his face, however, as he stopped a few feet away from the camera.

“Not by a long shot. See, there’s only one spot left in the semis for this tournament, which means that only one team gets to advance. You thought you were all smart last week, distracting me to the point of a double count-out. But all you did was delay the inevitable, not to mention make it that much more painful for you. Because now...now there’s literally nothing Sierra and I won’t do to make sure that we walk out of Climax Control with that final spot.”

He paused a moment, scratching at his stubbled cheek. “Evelyn, it’s time to put on your big girl panties now. Whether you like it or not, you signed a contract as an active competitor. Which, for someone who claims to be the ‘Head Bitch In Charge’, seems like a giant oversight on your part. Did you not even read the contract in front of you? No, you were probably too busy counting the dollar signs floating above your head, thinking of all the ways you were going to turn your client into a star. Which - spoiler alert - isn’t going to happen. At least not at the expense of Sierra and I. You thought what she did to you last week was bad? Just wait until she gets her hands on you this Sunday, and can do whatever she wants with no repercussions.”

He smirked casually as he swung the bat lazily at his side. “And as for you, Liam? I’m going to beat you down until you’re nothing more than a blood stain and a bad memory. You’re nothing but a one-dimensional caricature. You think people want to see you as a champion? You’re a joke, and I’ll be damned if I let someone like you represent the division that Sierra and I built from nothing. She and I worked too damn hard to let some snot-nosed delusional shit stain waltz in and make a mockery of it all.”

He paced a few steps, swinging the bat up to rest on his shoulder. His body language was becoming more aggressive, and the smirk was gone from his face to be replaced by a feral snarl. “For two months, I had to sit back and watch all these teams that had been silent for Sierra and I’s six-month reign all of a sudden step up to challenge for the belts, while the belts themselves got held hostage by a team that fucked off and disappeared because they knew Sierra and I were on their heels. We wanted our rematch. We never got it. So now we have to go through this bullshit tournament to claim what is rightfully ours. What we never should have lost in the first place. See, I was already angry that we even have to jump through these hoops in the first place. But now, with the bullshit we had to endure last week? Now I’m just downright pissed off. So if you really think that the two of you stand a chance against Sierra and I when there’s no DQ, no countout?” He laughed bitterly. “Then you’re even more delusional than I thought. See you on Sunday night.”
Gripping the bat tightly in both hands, Lachlan took a hard swing towards the camera...and smashed the mirror that had been set up in front of it, effectively cutting the scene closed.

 The scene opened up inside of a gym somewhere in Arizona, where the camera picked up on Malachi dressed in a pair of shorts and sneakers, his hands wrapped up as he sparred with a heavy punching bag that hung down from the ceiling. His skin shone with a layer of sweat, his hair matted down to his forehead as he struck the bag over and over again. When he stopped to take a breather, he noticed the camera coming closer to him and gave a roll of his eyes. “Christ, here we go…” he muttered under his breath as he wiped his face with a towel and took a drink of water before turning back to the camera with a vicious look across his face.

“It’s just a big joke to you all, isn’t it? Yeah, I’ve seen all your little tweets and comments on social media. I know that me getting my head kicked in by Fenris is SCW.com’s most viewed video this week. Get your jabs in now, because this week is going to be a completely different story. This time, it’s my turn to kick someone’s fucking head off. And this week, Ward and Underwood decided to grow a set of balls and actually name my opponent before the match. And who did they throw at me?” He stopped for a moment, looking puzzled and scratching at his head before digging his phone out of his pocket and scrolling through his emails until he found the booking schedule from SCW. “Oh, right. Joshua Acquin.”

He pocketed his phone again, crossing his arms across his chest. “Guy is so forgettable that I actually forgot he was my opponent. I go from facing a former World Champion to some shitheel who hasn’t done shit in months. And people actually think I’m being punished in this match?” He let out a bark of laughter. “I knew the American crowds were fuckin’ stupid, but this is something else. This match isn’t a punishment for me, it’s a fuckin’ walk in the park. And once I clear the roster of that waste of space, maybe then my coward of a ‘brother’ will finally face me in the ring. Who knows? Maybe if he’s lucky enough to win that shiny little bauble from that hair metal reject, I might just feel like taking it off his hands.” He smirked. “But I’m getting ahead of myself. First things first, I beat Joshua to within an inch of his miserable, pathetic life. He’ll be the example going forward that no one fucks with me and gets away with it. When you all see the bloody and broken specimen that I will leave Josh in on Sunday in the middle of that ring, you will know that I’m not some laughingstock here to fuckin’ amuse any of you.”

With a vicious growl, he turned back to the punching bag and swung a right hook at it that ended up tearing it out of its ceiling hook and sending it flying halfway across the room. He turned back to the camera with a savage grin before turning and stalking away as the camera faded out to black.

 May 31
10 a.m.
On a flight from Chicago, IL to Las Vegas, NV

After taking care of some business across the country, Malachi now found himself flying cross-country for his first official match with SCW. Beside him on the plane sat Bella Madison, who was accompanying him.

“Still not entirely sure why you’re bringing me to Nevada with you,” Bella said, poking Malachi’s side playfully.

He grabbed her hand and gave her a mock glare before kissing the back of her hand as he laced his fingers with hers. “Because, I may be an arsehole but I’m not stupid. I know that you weren’t safe back in Chicago right now. Besides, when have you ever complained about spending time with me?” he winked at her.

She giggled a little, resting her head on his shoulder. It was quiet between them for a few moments, and Malachi thought she might have drifted off to sleep before she spoke up. “You know, we’ve never really discussed...us.”

He raised an eyebrow as she looked up at him. “What do you mean, love?”

“Well, we’ve been...I guess, hanging out for about a month now…”

“Oh, is that what we’re calling it now? Just ‘hanging out’?” he teased.

She gave him a little shove. “You know what I meant, smartass. But I mean...where do you see this going between us?”

Malachi thought it over a moment. “I guess I never really gave it much thought.” He looked down at her. “What about you?”

She chewed on her bottom lip. “Well, despite the fact that you have an uncanny ability to make everyone within a mile radius of you hate your guts, I seem to be immune.” She laughed. “You’ve stuck by me through all this bullshit with my family, even though you didn’t have to. I guess...I just want to know if we’re officially together.”

He smiled slightly, tilting her face up to place a kiss on her lips. “I’d love nothing more, mo grá.”

---------
Later that night
Las Vegas, Nevada

Illuminated by the hundreds of neon lights lining the famous Strip of Las Vegas, Malachi leaned up against the railing of his hotel room, smirking towards the camera.

“Well, it’s about time, isn’t it? Bet that’s what everyone’s saying, now that I have my first official match here in SCW. But it’s not just any ordinary match. No, my brother, with his incredible need to have everything about him at all times, decided that he should be the one to pick my opponent. Oh sure, he can say that Mark Ward and Christian Underwood came to him with the idea, but this whole scenario just reeks of his interference. Guess he figures that he’ll try to soften me up before he attempts to run me out of the company.”

Malachi’s grin turned slightly vicious at the mention of his older brother Lachlan. "You think throwing some faceless nobody at me is supposed to send me running for the hills?” He let out a bark of laughter that echoed through the Vegas night, nearly swallowed up by the sounds from the street below. “Wonder who you’ve got on deck for me Sunday, hmm? Some useless twat out of SCU? Or maybe your vindictive side picked one of the tools from that gamer stable that swept the tag titles right out of your hands. Maybe that’s it. Because you know, deep down, as much as you’re loathe to admit it - you know that anyone you put in front of me will be annihilated in the middle of that ring. So you’ll use me to get a slight measure of revenge.” Malachi pushed off the balcony ledge and paced a few steps. “No, after what I did to you all those weeks ago, you’re probably just itching to see me get my arse handed to me, aren’t you? Well, unfortunately for you big brother, you aren’t going to get your wish. Because it doesn’t matter who you put across from the ring from me this Sunday...they’ll end up in a bloody broken heap at my feet.”

Malachi smirked as he folded his arms across his chest, leaning back against the balcony railing. “That’s why you’re keeping it all hush-hush, right? Hoping that maybe the element of surprise will throw me off my game. That I’ll be so caught up in trying to figure out who you chose that I’ll just lose all my focus and end up on the losing end. Well, sorry to say, but I’ve got some bad news for you.” He laughed slightly. “So go ahead. Throw whoever you want at me. The end result will be the same, no matter what. And maybe, once I’m done with your little puppet, I’ll find you and finish what I started in Dublin. Only this time…”

He pushed off the railing, coming in close to the camera with an intense look of hatred painted across his face. “This time, I’ll make sure you don’t get back up.”

 May 2 - 10 a.m.
Sea Life Centre Aquarium
London, England

Life could not get any better for Lachlan Kane.

He was finally ready to get back in the ring after nearly a month off, he was now engaged to his longtime girlfriend Sierra Williams, and he had been spending the SCW’s UK tour not only with Sierra, but her two little girls as well. He had come to love Jade and Olivia like they were his own, and they loved him just as much. So much so that when the couple broke the news to Jade that they were getting married, the five year old was so overcome with joy that she burst into happy tears and wouldn’t stop hugging Lachlan for hours. Olivia was a bit too young to understand, but seeing her older sister so happy made her happy as well. For a long time, Lachlan was so focused on his wrestling career that he never entertained the idea of having a family for quite some time. But the universe apparently had other plans for him, and now he couldn’t imagine his life without “his girls”, as he had taken to calling them.

They had all decided that they wanted to have a day out to celebrate, starting at the Sea Life Centre Aquarium. He had always wanted to see it whenever he had been in London previously, but usually didn’t have the time. Now, he was glad that he was getting to experience it with his new little family.

“Lachy, come on! I wanna see all the fishies!” Jade tugged on Lachlan’s hand impatiently as he tried to pay for their tickets at the front counter.

Sierra shifted Olivia in her arms. “Be patient, Jade. Lach has to pay for us to get in first. We have lots of time to see everything.”

Jade gave a roll of her eyes, but waited patiently as Lachan finished paying and got the tickets from the attendant. “Now then, my impatient little stór,” he said, scooping Jade up into his arms and giving her sides a tickle. “Let’s go see all these fish. Sound good?”

Jade smiled brightly as she hugged Lachlan around the neck. “Yay! I wanna see the jellyfish first!”

“Well, what about the peanut butter fish? Those are my favourite,” Lachlan joked, earning a groan from Sierra and a giggle from Jade.

“Well, at least you’ve got the terrible dad jokes down,” Sierra said with a roll of her eyes.

-------
The Shard
London, England
Later that day

Leaning up against a glass wall at the View from The Shard in central London, Lachlan Kane gazed out across the bustling urban city centre, a pensive look across his face. Dressed in his usual attire of jeans, a black ‘Sierra Williams’ T-shirt and a grey hoodie, he looked like your typical tourist...if it weren’t for the ten pound gold SCW Mixed Tag Team title draped across his shoulder. As the camera drew closer to the Irish fighter affectionately known as “The Scrapper”, he began speaking without tearing his blue-eyed gaze away from the sight of the Tower of London below.

“You know, I'm running out of ways to say it. Maybe I should try different languages...Nous sommes les meilleurs. Somos los mejores. Táimid an chuid is fearr. No matter what language it’s in, the message stays the same. We are the best. And we go out and prove it night after night after night. And still, there are people who are foolish enough to continue their tired attempts to undermine our reign and make us seem like we’re not the most dominant champions this company has ever seen in recent history. People like Gamer Inc.” Lachlan gave a little shake of his head, a soft sigh passing his lips as he turned to face the camera.

“Look, I’m not an unreasonable man. I believe in giving respect where it’s due. Once upon a time, Sierra and I were opponents. As a matter of fact, she was my very first opponent on US soil, back in the beginning days of Division. Now, I didn’t know a whole lot about her, but I recognized that she was a worthy competitor and I showed her the respect she was due. Now look at us! We just got engaged!” Lachlan chuckled. “Not exactly something you hear every day in the wrestling world, but then again, we’re not like anyone else in the wrestling world. But I digress...I was using that as an example of giving someone the respect that they’re due. Gamer Inc, however? They’ve shown that they have no respect towards us. So, the way I see it? You get what you give. You want to disrespect us and everything we’ve done for the mixed tag division? Then that’s what you’ll get back...tenfold.”

“At this rate, I should just record one promo, and play it for every match. Since I’m pretty much saying the same thing over and over again. And that is...no one can beat Sierra Williams and I. Many have tried, all have failed. It’s not an opinion at this point, it’s just straight up facts. Mercedes Vargas and Kain, the Jordans, Travis Levitt and Pandora Barrett...hell, we’ve already beaten Gamer Inc. once before, but this time they think they’ve got it all figured out, just because they brought someone new to play with. And I could forgive Sonya Ellington her ignorance in thinking that we’re nothing to worry about...if it wasn’t for the fact that her new little stablemates hadn’t faced us once before and lost. It’s one thing to be confident, but it’s a whole other thing to live in denial. You think we’re complacent, when we’re out there promoting the shit out of this company, trying to bring in fresh talent to face us? What exactly have you done for this division lately?” Lachlan smirked. “That’s right, not a damn thing. While you’ve all been sat on your arses collecting your checks for doing next to nothing, Sierra and I have been all over Twitter, scouring other companies for teams to bring over to SCW just so we don’t have to face the same revolving door of talent week in and week out. If that’s what you think complacency looks like, perhaps you should put down the controllers and pick up a damn dictionary for a change.”

“You act like Sierra and I are content to just coast on through with minimal effort.” Lachlan barked out a harsh laugh. “That is the furthest thing from the truth. Hell, that isn’t even in the same universe as the truth. We’re not just a couple of figureheads for this division. We don’t just want to say we’re the best this company has to offer. We’re always ready to prove it to anyone, anywhere, anytime. It’s not our fault that anyone that could even be considered a threat to our title reign has already had their shot and come up empty-handed. And now, you little ragtag bunch of gamers want another go-round.” He gave a half-hearted shrug of his shoulders. “I suppose we can humour you one more time while we wait for the real competition to show up. But let me make one thing perfectly clear. This isn’t gonna be like your little video games. Once we put you down again and retain our belts for the fourth time, it’s game over. No extra lives, no reset button.”

Just as he finished speaking, Sierra Williams walked up beside him, smirking towards the camera with her own belt riding on her shoulder. Lachlan smiled at her, looking back at the camera lens. “Playtime’s over, kids. Let the real games begin.”

 February 27 - 8 am
Mount Sinai Hospital
Manhattan, New York

Lachlan Kane hurried through the hallways of the hospital, holding Jade in his arms while Sierra Williams followed behind him holding Olivia.

“Lachy, is Lanah gonna be OK?” Jade asked, her big brown eyes wide.

Lachlan gave her a reassuring smile. “Of course she is, little darling,” he said. “She gets sick like this sometimes, but she always gets better.”

That answer seemed to calm her, and she smiled a bit as they walked up to the intake desk. The middle-aged nurse looked up at the little family with a kind smile.

“How can I help you?” she asked.

“I’m looking for Alanah O’Connell,” Lachlan told her. “She was admitted earlier this morning.”

The nurse typed the name into the computer. “Are you a family member?”

He nodded. “I’m her brother.”

She looked at the computer screen. “O’Connell...ah, here she is. She got moved from emergency to the pulmonology department when the attending doctor learned her medical history.” She wrote down the room number on an information brochure that had a map of the hospital printed on it. “The little ones may not be able to visit, just so you know. That will be up to the department nurses. Just as a precaution, you understand.”

Lachlan nodded and took the paper. “We’ll sort it out when we get there. Thank you.”

They followed the directions on the map and soon they found themselves where they needed to be. They spoke with the intake nurse there, who told them that the girls would indeed not be able to fully enter the ward as a health precaution.

“I’ll take them to the cafeteria for some food,” Sierra said, taking Jade’s hand.

The five year old immediately pouted. “No, I wanna see Lanah!” She stomped her foot angrily, folding her little arms across her chest tightly.

Lachlan kneeled down and put his hands on her shoulders. “I know you do, a stór. And I have no doubt that Lanah wants to see you just as much. But I also know that she wouldn’t want you to get sick either. She would want you to stay healthy and strong so you can play a lot, right?”

Jade sniffled a bit, but nodded. Lachlan smiled and kissed the top of her head. “That’s my girl. How about you go with Mummy and Livvie and get some food, and after we’re done here we’ll go for a carriage ride in the park, alright?”

Jade grinned at that, and hugged Lach before scampering off with Sierra. He let out a breath and turned back around to head to Alanah’s room.

When he stepped inside, he was immediately struck by how nice it actually was. It seemed more like a hotel room, if it weren’t for the medical equipment all over the place. He saw his mother, Aileen, sitting in an armchair next to the bed and immediately went to her side. She looked up and smiled at him as he leaned down to kiss her on the cheek.

“Knew it was a matter of time until you got here,” she said, her soft voice immediately calming his nerves.

“Course I was gonna come,” he replied, looking to the bed. Alanah was sleeping soundly, an oxygen mask resting over her mouth and nose and an IV needle stuck into her arm at the elbow. She looked a little paler than normal. “Where’s Jack, anyways? Figured he would be glued to her side.”

“Lanah made him go get some breakfast for himself and I,” Aileen said. “Poor boy was wearing a hole in the floor from all his pacing. Few times he was getting a bit snippy with the nurses. Hopefully when he gets back he’ll have calmed down some.”

Lach nodded as he pulled up a chair next to hers and sat down. “How’d she end up in a room like this, anyways? Pretty fancy for a hospital.”

“That would be Jack’s doing. Or, more likely his father’s. Once they knew that Alanah was getting admitted, they made sure that she was going to be comfortable.”

“Bet she kept telling them they didn’t have to,” Lachlan chuckled.

“Of course she did. But as you can see, she got overruled.” Aileen reached out and patted Alanah’s hand gently. “She just dozed off about ten minutes before you got here.” She gave a curious look to Lachlan. “Where are Sierra and the girls?”

“Nurse said it probably wasn’t a good idea for the little ones to visit, so Si took them down to the cafeteria. They’ll probably see Jack down there,” he answered, just as Jack himself walked back into the room carrying a couple of paper bags in one hand and a tray with coffee cups in the other.

“Hey Lach, glad you came,” Jack set the bags and tray down and shook Lachlan’s hand. “Just saw Sierra and the girls downstairs.”

“Yeah, nurse wouldn’t let Jade and Livvie visit. Too risky.”

Jack nodded. “Yeah, I can understand that.” He handed one of the cups to Aileen. “Your tea, mama.”

She gave him a fond little smile. “Buíochas a ghabháil leat mo dhuine beag.”

“Dangit, I better start learning Irish if you all are gonna keep doing that to me,” Jack muttered, pulling the food out from the bags as Lachlan and Aileen laughed.

--------

Central Park, New York City
A few hours later

It was a winter wonderland, like a scene plucked from a painting. A fresh layer of snow coated the ground, quickly being trampled underfoot by laughing children as they scampered around the park in play. Watching on from a nearby bench, Lachlan Kane smiled as he spotted Jade and Olivia throwing snowballs at their mother, Sierra Williams. But then, his face hardened into something more determined as he rose up from the bench and began walking a few feet away to a quieter part of the park. Sliding his hands into his pockets, he leaned up against a nearby tree and fixed the camera with his cold blue eyes.

“Let me make one thing perfectly, absolutely, unmistakably clear to you, Travis Levitt. At Climax Control, you got lucky. Very, very lucky. Don’t get me wrong, you have talent and potential. One day, I can see you as being one of the top players in SCW. But that day is far, far ahead of you in the future. Like I said, the only reason that you find yourself in that  fatal four way match for the title is because you must have had a horseshoe up your arse that night or something. I mean, even if you happened to take advantage of the unfortunate incident I had with my brother, how the hell you ended up getting past the walking brick shithouse known as Austin Mercer still has me scratching my head. I mean, if it hadn’t been me going into that fatal four way - which, by the way, it was totally going to be barring a certain incident - I would have bet the house on AJM. Partly just to see what would happen with Wolfslair.” He snickered a little bit. “But it is what it is, the match is set, and you’re in like Flynn. I’d wish you luck in that match...but I’m fairly sure you used it all up just getting into the match itself.”

Lachlan paced a few steps back and forth, snow crunching underneath his feet. “But here’s something that’s got me a little perturbed for this pay per view.” He stopped pacing. “No, not perturbed. Just plain, downright pissed off. Even after you managed to weasel your way into the World title picture with a sneaky pin over me...management decided that apparently, you’re deserving of a second title shot. On the same show. Against the very man you FUCKED OVER for a World title shot.” Lachlan stopped for a moment to take a deep breath. He was clearly still upset at the events of last week, and was trying to maintain his composure. “It may not have been intentional on your part, and well...let’s face it, I’m pretty sure I would probably have done the same thing, though I’d like to think I have a little more integrity than that. No, the blame for this lies squarely with management. Although I kind of get it. They’re starting to run short on opponents for Sierra and I to decimate. Now, they’re scrambling to put some teams together just to give us a spot on the card. And this time, they thought maybe it would be interesting to have a couples’ battle, is that it?” Lachlan laughed bitterly. “We already had this dance with Ben and Evie Jordan, and we proved that we were the dominant couple. Now, we get to prove it again.” He let out a bit of a sigh, his breath coming out as a white cloud in the winter air. “You know, I almost, almost, want management to dissolve this division. It’s kind of starting to become a chore for Sierra and I to defend these belts. We’ve already put down everyone that could even be considered a threat. We’ve destroyed the others that were dumb enough to even think they were anywhere near Sierra and I’s league. Now? Now we’re getting thrown-together teams that have no ambition, no drive, no desire to even be in the mixed tag ranks. At least if the mixed tag division goes under, Sierra and I go down in the history books as the most dominant tag team to hold the gold.” He gave a little shrug. “Oh well, that’s not my call. Maybe we’ll just have to start a recruitment drive or something. Put some feelers out for some real talent to show up and start giving us a challenge. But that’s a problem for another day. RIght now, all Sierra and I have to focus on is showing up in Anaheim and - once again - proving beyond a shadow of a doubt that we are the most dominant champions this company has ever seen. Or ever will see.”


Lachlan started walking off in the direction of his family, but stopped to glance over his shoulder at the camera one last time. “I hope you don’t have some grand delusions of becoming a double champ on Sunday night, Travis. Because the way I see it, once Sierra and I get finished disposing of you and your little lady at the top of the show, whatever’s left of you will end up as wolf bait.”

With that cryptic statement and an enigmatic smirk gracing his features, the Irish scrapper sauntered off to rejoin his girls as the camera faded out to black.

 February 6
CrossFit Steed - Brooklyn, New York

He had been here for hours already. Sweat soaked his T-shirt, his muscles were screaming in pain. And yet, Lachlan Kane continued to push himself. There was so much on his mind, so much that he wanted to block out. He needed to, if he was going to be an effective partner for Sierra in their upcoming title defense.

He had ran for an hour on the treadmill, done so many reps with the barbell that he lost count. And now, he was practicing his hits with a punching bag set up in the corner of the gym floor. It was late at night, and he was the only person there at this hour, a fact he was grateful for.

As his hands struck the punching bag, images began playing through his mind. A flashback to the day of his father’s funeral. He could almost feel the warm August breeze blowing through the cemetery…

The crowd gathered around the gravesite.
His mother, silent tears streaming down her face.
His baby sister, openly bawling, her still-round face red and splotchy.
His brother, trying to be strong even as his own tears rolled down his cheeks.
And himself, staring down at the casket as it was lowered into the ground. Wanting so desperately to throw himself down onto the lacquered wooden box and beg his father to come back. Because with him gone, now Lachlan was the man of the family. At the age of thirteen, just on the brink of his teenage years, he now had the weight of his family’s well being on his shoulders.
And it terrified him.

The bag swung back and nearly hit him as he was lost in his thoughts, but he caught it just in time. He also noticed that his hands felt wet, and when he looked down, he saw that his knuckles were split open and bleeding profusely. Swearing under his breath, he headed to the locker rooms to change and head back home.

-----

He unlocked the door to his apartment and stepped inside, dropping his gym bag to the floor with a thud. Sierra and Lachlan’s pet corgi came dashing into the entryway, hindquarters wiggling in excitement. But Lachlan walked past the dog as if he hadn’t even seen it, heading for the living room and collapsing onto the couch. Sierra walked in from the bedroom when she heard him come in, settling herself beside him on the couch.

“Good workout?” she asked.

Lachlan simply shrugged. “Didn’t really do much to clear my head.” He shifted his hands in his lap, then winced and hissed out a breath between clenched teeth. Before he could hide them, Sierra had grabbed his hands and stared in shock at his knuckles, which had started bleeding again.

“Lachy! What the hell happened?” she said.

“I, uh….must have got a little carried away with the punching bag,” he admitted. Sierra muttered a few Spanish curses as she went to the bathroom to get the first aid kit.

“You didn’t do this because of your brother, did you?” she asked as she gently dabbed at his knuckles with a cloth soaked in peroxide.

He winced at the sting. “He may have been one of the reasons,” he admitted, staring down as the cloth turned red. “I guess...I’ve just had a lot on my mind lately. My brother was just the last straw.”

Sierra finished cleaning his wounds, then started wrapping them in gauze. “Look, you can’t let him get into your head like that. He’s not even in the same country. He’s nothing but talk.”

Lachlan laughed bitterly, shaking his head. “Usually, he is. But this time...it’s different. I can’t explain it, but something feels off with him. I’m afraid he is actually going to do something.”

She finished wrapping his hands, then gently held them in her own. “Then we deal with whatever bullshit he pulls when it happens. For now though, we’ve got a title defense to focus on, not to mention the possibility of you getting a World Title shot next week.”

A cocky smirk overtook Lachlan’s face. “Possibility? Love, it’s a foregone conclusion that I’m getting that spot.”

Sierra rolled her eyes and pushed at him. “God, I think I’m becoming a bad influence on you. You’re getting too cocky for your own good.”

--------

Seated on the couch in his Brooklyn apartment, Lachlan Kane grinned towards the camera. Dressed casually in a pair of well-fitted jeans and a black T-shirt, his arms sprawled across the back of the couch in comfort with his championship belt laid across his lap, he was a picture of cool and confident as he began speaking.

“I’ll admit, I’ve been off my game for the last few weeks. It cost me in my match against Tony Thorn, and I’m still a little salty about that. But that was then, and this week is a different story. This week, Sierra and I prove - yet again - just why we are the dominant tag team in SCW history. We’ve already become the overall longest-reigning Mixed Tag Team Champions, and we’ll be adding one more week to our reign once we defeat Gamers Inc.”

“I’m pretty sure that Sierra said everything that needs to be said about this team. I mean, when was the last time they actually won a match? Since we walked through the doors of this company, Sierra and I have never been defeated as a team. We are the two hottest commodities in this company right now. We took a division that no one gave a good god damn about and made it the talk of the town. Before us, the mixed tag division was nothing more than a joke. An afterthought. Something to fill the spaces between more high-profile matches. But now? Now, we are the high-profile match. Any time the two of us are advertised to compete, ticket sales go through the roof. We are the ones putting this place back on the map, while the likes of Gamers Inc are just content to ride our god damn coattails.”

A very uncharacteristic sneer painted the normally cheery Irishman’s face as he continued. “Since Sierra and I came to SCW, everyone’s been claiming that they’ll be the ones to knock us off the mountain. But tell me something - where the hell were all of you before we got here? That’s right, none of you cared about the mixed tag division until we made it mean something again. You all talk a big game, but when the time comes, none of you have been able to step up to the task. We’ve put down Kain and Mercedes Vargas, we’ve defeated the Jordans, and this week we add Gamers Inc to our growing list of conquests.”

The smirk returned to Lachlan’s face, though it was coloured with something a little...sinister as he leaned towards the camera. “Just think of it this way, kids - you’ll have even more time to play your video games once we send you packing from our ring. And if I can offer a little piece of advice to you? You’re better off sticking to your games, and letting the grown-ups handle business. Your whole relatable nerd schtick is cute and all, but when Sierra and I are in the ring, we are cutthroat. We hold nothing back. We take no prisoners. Can you two say the same? Do you have the same level of passion for the business? Do you eat, sleep, sweat, and breathe this business like Sierra and I do? Everything we do, we do because this is our life. While you’re all off filming your little Twitch streams, we’re training. We’re studying. Because there’s nothing that we won’t do to prove to everyone that we are the best at what we do.”

He sat back on the couch, kicking his feet up on the coffee table in front of him. “This Sunday, we continue our stranglehold on this division, and continue to prove that no one will knock us off the mountain top.”

With another casual smirk, Lachlan picked up a remote and pointed it towards the camera, sending the screen to black.

 December 24, 2018
JFK Airport, NYC
Early morning

“So, I’m very interested in what this Christmas surprise is,” Sierra Williams said to Lachlan Kane as their little group walked towards their gate in JFK airport. Sierra’s parents were slightly ahead, Lachlan’s younger sister Alanah pushing Olivia in her stroller as Lachlan and Sierra held hands walking behind them.

A devilish smirk appeared on his face. “You’ll be getting it sooner than you think, mo grá.”

She raised an eyebrow at him. “What is that supposed to mean?” she said. But Lachlan was saved from answering when they arrived at the boarding gate and started the proceedings.

When they were almost finished, Lachlan turned around to look behind him, seemingly searching for something. “Hmmm, we’re missing someone,” he said thoughtfully.

Everyone looked at him. “Uh, no we’re not Lachy,” Alanah answered. “Everyone’s here.”

But Sierra’s attention was focused on something a little ways down. Her eyes filled with tears as she started running back in the direction they had just came. She threw herself down to her knees on the floor and wrapped her arms around a small girl, no more than 5 years old. Alanah stared wide-eyed, along with Sierra’s parents, before she turned to Lachlan. “Lachy, is that…”

He nodded. “Sierra’s oldest daughter, Jade.” He walked up to Sierra and put a hand on her shoulder. She looked up at him with tears streaming down her face, Jade clutched tightly in her arms.

“You...you did this?” she said.

He smiled and nodded. “Merry Christmas, SiSi.”

She yanked on his coat so that he crashed down beside her and immediately wrapped him in the hug as well. He laughed and put his arms around the two, albeit a little awkwardly. He looked over their heads to see Sierra’s ex, Donovan standing a few feet away. Lachlan gave him a nod and mouthed ‘Thank you’. Donovan returned the nod, sliding his hands into his pockets as he turned around and walked out of the airport.

Sierra wiped her eyes and stood up, gathering Jade in her arms and hugging her tightly. “I can’t believe you did this,” she said as they made their way back to the rest of the family. “I get to spend Christmas with both of my girls.”

Lachlan smiled. “I told you I was going to make our first Christmas together something special.”

-----
January 5th, 2019
Las Vegas, Nevada

“Well, here we are. 2019. A new year, new opportunities.”

Leaning against the railing on the balcony of the Las Vegas hotel room he shared with his girlfriend and fellow tag champion Sierra Williams, Lachlan Kane looked down at the flickering lights of the Strip, dressed in a dark blue button-up shirt and black pants. With his Mixed Tag Team Championship riding on his shoulder and a glass of high-end whiskey in his hand, he looked relaxed and at ease if the smile on his face was anything to go by. But when his blue eyes turned towards the camera, the telltale fire of determination burned brightly.

“Ever since Sierra and I won these Mixed Tag Team title belts, it seems that SCW has put a new focus on the division. Before, the mixed tag division was an afterthought. Something to fill space between more high-profile matches. But now? SCW created an entire tournament just to crown our new number one contenders. So I guess what I’m trying to say is, if I may borrow a phrase from a beloved Disney movie…you’re welcome.”

A cocky little smirk graced the Irish fighter’s face as he took a drink from his glass. “If it hadn’t been for Sierra and I, the mixed tag division would still be a joke. We’ve brought new life here, we’ve put eyes on this division and made it something reputable. And we will continue to do so well into 2019, starting off at Inception 3.”

He took another drink of whiskey, smacking his lips together as he savoured the alcohol. “Now, I realize that we have no idea who our opponents are going to be just yet. It’s going to be either the husband-wife duo of Ben and Evie Jordan, or the more unorthodox team of Jon Dough and Amy Santino. If I’m being honest with everyone, I personally have no preference who Sierra and I face, because the end result will be the same regardless. Sierra and I will retain our belts at Inception, no matter who ends up across the ring from us.”

He rubbed at his chin as if in thought. “I have to think that whoever ends up winning the chance to face us is going to be at a distinct disadvantage, though. I mean, they’ll have already competed once in the night just to claim the contendership. Both teams will have to play it smart in their match if they want to ensure that they make it to the title match. But they’ll still only be at half-tank, while Sierra and I will be fresh as daisies walking in to Gold Coast. And that’s what will make all the difference, and ensure that 2019 starts out on the right foot. With Sierra Williams and Lachlan Kane still your SCW Mixed Tag Team Champions.”

With a nod of his head and a lift of his glass in salute, Lachlan turns his attention back to the Strip as the camera fades out to black.

 November 22
Las Vegas, Nevada - McCarran Airport
Off-Camera

“Flight 225 from Dublin now arriving at Gate 14.”

The loudspeaker echoed the announcement through McCarran International Airport, and almost immediately Lachlan Kane jumped out of his seat and began heading to the gate, little Olivia in his arms and Sierra Williams rushing to keep up with him.

“Lachy, slow down!” she said. “I know you’re excited to see your sister, but she’s not gonna disappear if you’re not right at the gate when she gets off the plane!”

Lachlan slowed his pace down and grinned sheepishly at her, linking his fingers with hers. “Sorry. I’m just really excited to see Lanah. It’s been months since we’ve seen each other in person.”

Sierra smiled at him as they walked towards Gate 14. “I know. It’s been cute watching you bounce around getting everything ready for her.”

Lachlan’s cheeks turned a bright red. “I have not been bouncing around!”

Sierra rolled her eyes. “Please, you could give Tigger a run for his money.”

Olivia giggled and placed a large wet kiss on Lachlan’s cheek as they arrived at the gate, where a petite blonde girl immediately ran at them with a huge smile on her face.

“LACHY!” she yelled, throwing her arms around him, but being mindful of Olivia snuggled into his chest. With his free arm, he wrapped her up in a tight hug, his grin rivaling hers. When they finally separated from each other, the girl immediately turned her attention to Olivia. “And this must be the little lady that stole my brother’s heart,” she said, giving Olivia’s tummy a tickle that caused the toddler to giggle.

“Well, one of them,” Lachlan laughed as Sierra came up beside him. “This little princess is Olivia, and this is her mum and the love of my life, Sierra. Girls, this is my baby sister Alanah.”

Now Sierra was the one blushing, but she held out her hand. “It’s nice to finally meet you. Lach talks about you all the time.”

Alanah batted Sierra’s hand away gently, instead pulling her in for a hug. “Same with you. Sometimes it’s hard to get him to shut up about the two of you.” She let Sierra go and smiled at the three of them. “Well, we should be off to grab my luggage then. I’m absolutely starving, and I could use a bit of a nap.”

-------

After the four had lunch, they were wandering around the McCarran Marketplace, chatting about potential Christmas gifts for various friends and family members. When they passed a toy shop, Olivia’s eyes lit up at the sight of a five-foot tall teddy bear in the front display window, and she reached out her arms towards it.

“I’ll take her in to browse around,” Sierra said as they walked towards the entrance. Lachlan watched them leave with a fond look on his face, not noticing Alanah sidling up beside him.

“So, when’s the wedding?”

Lachlan whipped his head around and stared wide-eyed at Alanah. “Come again?”

She smirked, lightly slapping his bicep. “Oh, come off it. The way you look at her, I’m surprised little cartoon hearts aren’t floating above your head. You’ve got it bad for her, and it’s only a matter of time before you’re slipping a ring on her finger.”

Lachlan turned his gaze to the ground, scuffing the toe of his sneaker across the tile floor while rubbing at the back of his neck. “Things are...look, it’s a little complicated. She’s been hurt, betrayed, and had her heart broken by nearly all of her exes...I’m more than happy with our relationship just the way it is right now. Maybe one day, we can talk about it. But right now, I’m letting her set the pace of the relationship, and it’s been going well so far. I don’t want to push my luck and end up scaring her away.”

Alanah smiled and linked her arm through her brother’s. “She’s a lucky girl to have you, Lachy.”

He grinned back at her as they made their way through the shop. “Nah, I’m the lucky one.”

-----

Later that night, Sierra and Lachlan were lying in the bed of their hotel suite together, with Olivia sleeping in the adjoining room in the suite and Alanah in the room next to theirs. Sierra was lying across Lachlan’s chest, running her fingers over the skin of his chest while he ran his fingers through her dark hair.

“So, I was thinking…” Lachlan began.

“Did it hurt?” Sierra teased, earning a tickle from Lachlan that had her giggling.

“Seriously, I was just wondering...maybe you and Olivia could come spend Christmas in Ireland?” he asked. “Your parents could come too, if they want. My mum’s been dying to meet you and Livvie, and there’s this really nice cottage just outside Waterford that I always rent when I’m home that I think you and Livvie would love, it’s pretty secluded and out in the woods-”

Sierra rose up on her elbows and silenced him with a kiss to his lips. “You’re babbling,” she said with a smile. “I think that sounds amazing. Of course we’ll come. I’ll talk to my parents, but I’m sure they’d love to as well.”

He smiled wide and pulled her to his chest. “I didn’t mean to go on, but I just really wanted you to say yes. And then I was thinking we could go on holiday for New Years, maybe around the Mediterranean, somewhere warm, with a nice beach…”

Sierra raised an eyebrow at him. “You’ve been planning this for a while, haven’t you?”

A light pink blush grew on his cheeks. “I might have...it’s our first Christmas together, and I just wanted to make it special.”

She pressed a kiss to his cheek, settling back down under the covers. “You really don’t have to go all out. I’ll be happy with whatever we do for Christmas.” She yawned and her eyes started to drift closed. “But if my parents do come...can you imagine the massive multi-cultural Christmas we’re going to have?”

Lach laughed softly. “It’s gonna be great. I can’t wait for it.”

-----
November 23
Las Vegas, Nevada - Gold Coast Casino
On-Camera

Standing on the rooftop of the Gold Coast Casino, with a sunrise backdrop of orange, red and yellow painting the Nevada skies, Lachlan Kane grinned towards the camera, the SCW Mixed Tag Team Championship belt gleaming proudly on his shoulder. He was dressed as befit a champion in a crisp white button-up shirt, snug-fitting black slacks...and his favourite pair of Vans sneakers on his feet. (Hey, a champ deserves to be comfortable.) He tapped on the belt a couple times, right over the nameplate inscribed with Lachlan Kane in a fancy font.

“Well, here it is. The underdog team that no one thought would capture the gold...did exactly that. At High Stakes, Sierra Williams and I knocked the seemingly invincible team of Mercedes Vargas and Kain off their golden pedestal and in the process put ourselves in their place. Not bad for a couple of ‘beginners’, eh?” He gave a cheeky wink to the camera. “But I’m sure that topic’s already been run into the ground on Twitter, so I’ll not bore you with all that noise. What I do want to do, however, is chat to you all about my upcoming singles match - first one here in SCW, at that.”

He shifted his weight from one foot to the other, the crunch of the gravel underfoot echoing slightly in the air. “Jake Raab, my first singles opponent here in SCW. From what I’ve gathered about you in my research, you’re something of a pedigree. You’ve got a family name that’s well-known in the business, and you’re looking to live up to the hype. Am I in the right neighbourhood?” Lachlan chuckled. “See, I can respect that. Too many people in your situation have got their heads up their own arses and think that just because they have a name with a bit of sway in the industry that they can get whatever they want just handed to them. But you? You’re from different stock. You’re not satisfied with that silver-platter lifestyle. You’re a fighter, much like me. You want to prove that you belong in your family. And so far, you’ve done pretty good for yourself here in SCW. A 3 and 1 record is pretty damn impressive.” Lachlan held up a finger. “But here’s where the reality sets in. I’m two matches in, undefeated, and became a champion, all in the span of just over a month. You can’t look me in the eyes and say that’s not damned impressive. And it’s just the beginning.”

He shifted the title higher on his shoulder. “See, I may already be a champion with Sierra, but that doesn’t mean the two of us don’t have higher ambitions. As much as I love teaming with my girl, I’m keeping my eye on the big picture. Don’t get me wrong, Sierra and I are more than ready to challenge any and all that step up to challenge for these belts, but I’ve always been good at multitasking. So while she and I continue to reign over the mixed tag division, I’ll be setting my sights on some more gold.”

“But of course, nothing worth having comes without a fight, and I plan on fighting to prove that I’m not only the best tag wrestler, I’m the best singles wrestler as well. Jake, you just happen to be the first obstacle that’s been placed in my path. It’s nothing personal mate, but that’s the way the business is. For someone to win, someone else has gotta lose. And I don’t plan on being that somebody else come Sunday.”

“I don’t anticipate you underestimating me, you don’t strike me as the type. And best believe I’m not underestimating you in the slightest. I think the two of us are gonna put on one hell of a show on Sunday night for the SCW faithful. Despite our match being the show opener, it’s going to be the show stealer.” He smirked, somewhat arrogantly for the normally humble Irishman. “Then again, any match of mine is an instant show-stealer, no matter where it is in the card. We’re gonna step in between the ropes, we’re gonna go bell to bell, and we’re gonna get that crowd riled up so much that they won’t have any energy left for the rest of the show. But when that final bell rings, I’m gonna be the one with my arm raised.” He gave a little shrug of his shoulders. “Sorry not sorry.”

He turned slightly, giving the camera a profile view as he gazed out across the Vegas downtown core, slowly coming to life with the rising of the sun. “Now that I’ve had my taste of gold here on American soil, I gotta say it’s pretty addictive. The adrenaline rush of the victory, hearing the roar of the crowd, holding that ten pounds of gold in your hands knowing that you earned it…” He smirked. “I liked the feeling. And hopefully soon, I’ll get to feel it again.”

With another little cheeky smirk, he turned back to look at the camera. “I’m really looking forward to Sunday, Jake...though probably a little more than you will be.” He turned on his heel and headed to the steel door leading back inside the casino, the resounding slam of it closing startling some sleeping pigeons into flight as the scene closed out.