Prologue:
Jack was now more focused than ever as the time drew near. He only had days to wait until he got another chance to be SCW world champion. He was brimming with confidence, something he was never short on, but as the time drew closer, he was extremely confident, but also extremely focused. He trained daily, watched the matches of Alex Jones, knowing about his previous injuries. Jack made sure to note them and it was now a possible strategy he would use in the upcoming title match. Jack took no chances, only appearing at the Saxon hotel because he really had no other place to go. The Grand Flamingo didn’t have any bed, so he simply continued to use the hotel’s. Maybe that would be the next step after the match, and after other things were in place, a room at the casino. A place that he could finally call his own, right before he was about to wrestle one of the biggest matches in his short career, about to headline a supercard. Jack was a bundle of nerves, but as he studied, and as he trained, he focused himself. He needed to make sure he did not slip up and leave any stone unturned in preparation for this match. There would be no let downs this time. All Jack had to do was think of the last time he was in the ring wrestling for the SCW championship to remind himself how not being prepared led to the most devastating loss of his career, which were few and far between. Jack knew he had the natural ability, but clearly needed to remember that he couldn’t take this match lightly. He would lay all the cards on the table on Sunday.
Outside the ring, Jack now looked to secure a deal with Benny, as they both had something the other wanted. Jack having the property, and Benny at least a small group that knew what they were doing and could help get the casino off the ground. Benny hadn’t taken the deal yet, and both parties were still very skeptical of each other possibly attempting to put the other out of business. Benny was surprised by the offer, but wanted to put his stamp on the casino instead of working under Jack. Benny knew that without experience Jack was in over his head, but Benny was going to stay small time if he didn’t take the offer.
What Benny still doesn’t know is the deal Jack has with the Mexicans. It would be tricky waters to navigate, but Jack knew enough that keeping it from Benny was the best idea as he needed him on board. Jack would have to think of a way to entice Benny to come with him, and keep the Mexicans happy, as he really didn’t want an internal war combined with an external one as well. Jack had a lot of work still yet to do, but he felt confident in this, just as much as he felt in his chances at being the world champion. And being the world champion could have more perks outside the ring, which only made Jack want it more.
But that would all hinge on Benny, and getting everything in place. It was the start of something special, but that’s all it was.
A start.
--
The Grand Flamingo Plaza
Las Vegas, NVJack stood looking out again at the mostly empty casino floor. He had grand visions of what it could look like and how it would be amazing to see it all done up in lights and looking all fancy. He knew it would take off and be a success. This, for him, was the ultimate goal outside of being the world champion. To be part of something like that, that could stand on its own and be an accomplishment for Jack was a thrilling thing. He very much wanted to make it happen. But, unlike the majority of his life philosophy, he would need to trust people to get things done.
Jack turned around and at his desk was Bobby and one of Bobby’s friends.
Bobby: I think we almost got it.
Jack: Good.
Brian: You know, I’m all about this advertising stuff, but what the hell is gonna mean if we don’t have the manpower?
Jack: Well, that’s why we’re advertising online.
Brian: And you think people will come here?
Jack: A lot of people will. People aren’t working man. They need work, and we can provide to them.
Brian: But you need the right people. Not just anybody.
Jack: I know that. That’s why when we put job offerings on this website we’ll be able to filter out who we want to look at. It’s a process man, a process.
Brian: Yeah, you better hope so.
Jack: I got this, man. I got this.
Brian retrieves his glass and pours himself a shot.
Brian: Any word from Benny?
Jack: He’s thinking it over, last I heard.
Jack’s office phone rings and Jack quickly picks it up.
Jack: Grand Flamingo, Jack speaking…. Uh huh? Good, very good. I’ll meet you down there….
Jack hangs up the phone with a satisfied look on his face.
Brian: What was that all about?
Jack: We’ve got toys coming.
Brian downs his drink and he and Jack head down to see the delivery of 100 slot machines. Brian signs for them and then are put on the main floor, all of them covered and unplugged. The invoice is collected and Jack and Brian eventually head back upstairs to the room.
Jack: That’s a step.
Brian: A good one, but they ain’t gonna make no money with no people in here.
Jack: You know we’re not ready to open. We just got the slot machines. There’s a lot more to do.
Brian: But can you do it?
Jack stares at Brian intently. This was clearly a challenge, and one that Jack was more than determined to answer.
Jack: Look man, I know this is a lot to undertake. I do, but at the end of the day, it’s gonna happen. Every step we take means something. I’ll admit, I don’t know shit about running a casino, but you know what, I can learn. You can learn, we all can learn. That’s what this has to be, a start, a learning experience. And I am confident we can do this.
Brian: Confidence is something. But not a lot.
Jack: We all start small man, and when we work on things and get them right, we’ll have more success then we dreamed ever.
Brian: Sure thing, Stick. You tell Benny about the Mexicans?
Jack: No.
Brian: Don’t you think he ought to know?
Jack: At some point, yes. But I have to think that’s a deal breaker. There’s no way he’s going to agree if he knows, and quite frankly, we need him.’
Brain holds up a finger to stop Jack.
Brian: We need his connections. That’s about it. We can’t let him have too much power.
Jack: Listen, Benny’s not stupid, he didn’t take the deal right away, and really, the less he knows, the better for now.
Brian arches a brow.
Brian: That’s a dangerous game.
Jack: It’s the only way to play it at the moment. If we signs on, then we can worry about it.
Brian: And what about the other guy?
Jack: Sonny?
Brian: Sure, I don’t know these people.
Jack: Sonny is a non-factor, but being at war with the Mexicans at this point makes him the enemy. If they can keep him distracted, it’ll save us a lot of trouble.
Brian’s look of trepidation turns into a sly grin.
Brian: Look at you, using people to get your own goals accomplished.
Jack: I hate it too.
Brian: I’m proud of you, Stick.
Jack: Don’t.
Bobby: Alright, the website is finished you guys.
Jack and Brian view the site and are impressed by it.
Jack: Good. Now, all we have to do is wait.
Bobby looks at the guy who designed the whole thing.
Bobby: Good work, bro.
Jack: What’s your name, Evan?
Evan: Yeah. Look, am I getting paid for this?
Jack: If it works out, you’ll get even more. You got the ability to maintain this website?
Evan: Yes. It’s all set up to work to your favor. And, I can also work on a security system for you.
Jack: Good deal, how much is that gonna cost me?
Evan: A big place like this? A few grand.
Brian scoffs, but Jack nods.
Jack: If it’s worth it, You can be my guy for that too.
Evan: Hey, if you’re buying, I’m flying.
Jack: Fair enough, we’ll work out more details as we move along.
Evan: It’ll be a commission. I can get a guy out here in a few days.
Jack: Good. You get on that. It’ll pay more than it’s worth, trust me.
Brian: Stick, let me talk to you.
Jack pats both Bobby and Evan on the shoulder as he and Brian go off to speak privately, a safe distance away.
Brian: You thought about what happens if the feds show up?
Jack: We don’t have anything illegal just yet.
Brian: But you will.
Jack: It’s not something I want to do, man. But what choice do I have? The Mexicans can make life miserable for me, and for everybody on this little project if we don’t at least start to play ball with them.
Brian: And then what? The money may be good, but at the end of the day, all this shit goes away if you’re involved with it.
Jack: That’s where Benny comes in.
Brian stares at Jack, knowing exactly what he meant.
Brian: Don’t tell me you’re going to put him name on this place?
Jack: Look, if Benny takes the fall, that’s our out. I can distance myself from this place, because I bought it, but I don’t know what goes on all over the place here. I have a fallback, it is one thing my dad didn’t have. An escape plan. If the feds come nosing around here, Benny’s name is up for the hit, not mine. In fact, the only thing I’m really going to do, is endorse this place.
Brian: Endorse?
Jack: When I win the championship, I’m the hometown champion man. Picture it, a whole ribbon cutting ceremony, endorsed by the Sin City Wrestling world champion. It’ll work.
Brian: It had better. You can just as easily go down as an accomplice.
Jack: That’s why I called it a learning experience.
Brian: Okay.
Brian is satisfied for now, and Jack heads back to look out over the floor, until there is a knock at the door. Benny pushes his way in through them, eyeing everyone in room. His bodyguards flanking him on ether side.
Jack: Well Benny, if you came here for a shootout, don’t waste any more time.
Benny stared at Jack, and then at Brian.
Benny: Brian.
Brian: Benny.
Benny waved his guards off.
Jack: I hope you thought about our little arrangement. Though, if you came to tell me no in person, I’d respect you even more.
Benny: Stop breaking my balls kid. I came to talk business.
Jack: So talk.
Benny cleared his throat. He stood in silence for a few moments before he finally spoke up.
Benny: I need to see what you’ve got. And if I like it…. I’m in.
Jack: Fair enough. Have a seat and we’ll get to business.
Benny: You got another one of them cigars?
Brian: Fucking hell, stick, you gave him one of my cigars?
Jack: All part of the negotiations, man.]
Jack motions for Evan and Bobby to vacate the room and the desk. Jack sits down at the desk, allowing Benny to sit in front of him.
Jack; Let’s talk business, Benny.
Benny takes a seat.
Benny: Alright kid, I’m listening.
Jack: Let me tell you about this place, and how it’s the start of something special.
--
On Camera:
ClickJack has moved the camera to give us a nice view of his balcony with the sunset heading over Vegas. Jack sits in his room chair, feet kicked up on the balcony, enjoying the view.
Jack: It’s beautiful isn’t it? Almost as beautiful as the job I’m doing on Alex Jones.
It is amazing how bad Alex is doing at this. It shocks me how bad this guy is at literally everything, and has still been a champion. I swear to you, that Griffin Hawkins had to have like an off night to lose to Alex Jones. I’m going to blame him for what we’ve got now for a champion. Like, you couldn’t have had a bad day somewhere else? You had to give this to Alex Jones. Now this dude is walking around with a title he has no business carrying anymore and thinking he has a legitimate chance to not get his ass whipped at Violent Conduct. But, I got the job to do, so therefore, I’m going to do it.Jack eases himself out of his chair, pushing it aside, an almost confused look on his face.
Jack: I get the feeling that you don’t like me much, Alex.
I don’t know, I just get this vibe from you and I just start thinking like, I don’t think this dude likes me one bit. I think he thinks I’m just some dude you don’t care about me. And you know what? The feeling is mutual. I’m going to keep it real, because that’s what I do, I never heard your name until you won that championship. I never bothered to look up who you were, and what you’ve accomplished. Thankfully you listed them all off last time and that’s all well and good, but the truth is, I lost interest after like the first few words. I said it before, I’ll say it again... you’re boring. You’re white bread. You just couldn’t hold my attention last time, and I just started to like play on my phone, I had you on in the background like ambient noise. It took me like 3 tries, but I finally got through the whiny bullshit.
Now, on the other hand, I KNOW you were listening to me.
Why? Because I’m actually entertaining and charismatic. Shit you wish you were. I don’t need a lame gimmick or nickname, I’m just Jack, because that’s all I need to be. Even your man Austin Mercer knew it when he complimented me way back in the day. But I also figure you were listening because I ran you down like nobody’s ever done to you in your life, Alex. I just laid all the cards on the table and you come up with the short end my guy. You may be thinking about how I’m some punk and you’re going to teach me respect, and blah, blah, blah… all because I talked shit about you? Bro, that’s the name of this game. It’s not my fault that all you can talk about is how you’ve done this, or you’ve done that. Because you need to make it look convincing that you think you’re going to win. But you know deep down in your soul that you aren’t, and you are simply going to be my biggest stepping stone to date.
And it burns you even more that there’s not a damn thing you can do about it.
The best you can do, is call me an asshole.Jack shrugs, not really bothered by the comment.
Jack: To which, I say… yeah, you’re right. I am an asshole. I will tell you the truth, whether you like it or not. I don’t go around and bullshit people. I tell them what I think and tough shit if you can’t handle it. Sorry, I don’t have time to sugarcoat the shit sandwich the world is. I don’t have time to tell you that everything is going to be okay and I really respect you and this is all a front. Because that would make me a liar. You’re just mad that I’m a better asshole than you can be. I mean, you have the nerve, the fucking nerve the bitch at me, about being an asshole, and say I can’t be a leader because no one likes me and that that somehow disqualifies me from being world championship material.
And less than 5 minutes before that, rambled on about how this is dog eat dog and you gotta look out for number one and you will stab everyone you care about in the back. I swear Alex, if you were a little smarter, you’d realize how stupid you sound.
It’s incredible obvious it’s you who is desperate for something to latch onto. You want to pick out flaws in me. Go ahead, I got plenty, I ain’t perfect, never claimed to be like some people I could mention. I’m no saint, not by a long shot. I’ve rough, I’m dirty, I’m fucking grimy. I never learned how to be a phony motherfucker like you. I was always taught about loyalty and being a stand up man. That’s why people relate to me, more than you. I know I need to look out for number one. But I’m also a coward who can’t lead people, okay dude, clearly you are really in your feelings and desperate to find an edge.
I’m sorry, that I’m ahead of the curve on that. It’s because of nut sacks like you I don’t actually trust any wrestlers. Because they will do exactly what you said you would. Why in the fuck would anyone follow you anywhere? If I were your students, I’d try to get my money back after hearing that. I mean, you heard it straight from the man’s mouth, he’d sell you out in a heartbeat if it meant he got something. Is that the kind of man you want being the face of anything? The man who literally told you he’s going to be two-faced and greedy? Jack just shakes his head, confused but then points to himself.
Jack: At least, when I do it, I don’t have to stab anyone in the back. I will stab them in the front, straight in their fucking heart. Just like I did you last time. And I know you’ve been pacing back and forth kicking shit in your run-down apartment or whatever, big mad because I dared to insult you. Because I disrespected you. And you know what? GOOD. Maybe you will actually have some fire in your eyes at Violent Conduct so that it’s not a complete waste of everyone’s time to see me climb to the top. I’m glad you’ve been mad. And I know you’re not going to try and play it off like you weren’t in your feelings. I didn’t see any sweet edgelord tweets. I didn’t see you change your twitter handle. Alex Jones was a fucking ghost on social media wasn’t he? Yeah, you’ve been thinking long and hard about what you’re going to do to me at Violent Conduct and how you want to not only beat me, but fucking hurt me. Yeah, yeah man, I can fucking feel that shit from here.
And it’s the most interesting you’ve been your whole life.
I HOPE it’s the most insulted you’ve even been Alex. I’m just happy that somebody finally told you what you needed to hear. If it came from me, then so be it.
Jack regains the intense look we’ve come to see over and over.
Jack: Let’s just drive this point home Alex, you don’t impress me. Not in the slightest. I couldn’t care less about how you beat this guy or that guy, or you main evented this show or you won this title from this place or that place. I don’t give a fuck who you trained either. I don’t give a fuck who likes you or thinks your cool or some kind of legend. None of that shit matters to me. You are nothing more than a name across from mine as this point. You just happen to have the championship.
All that matters is that championship you have, right now. And to take it from you, I will beat your ass in front of your students. I will beat your ass in front of your fans. I will beat your ass in front of your family. I will beat your ass in front of your ugly ass wife. I will beat your ass in front of your snot-nosed kid. And then you can look him in the eye and tell him “daddy failed.”
It doesn’t matter how I do it, or who I have to insult or threaten, Alex. I will cross any line to get what I want. I will step on any toes. The only difference is, I’m not going to be buddy-buddy with people before I do it.
I will tell you the same thing I told Ben Jordan, I will do anything I have to in order to win. If I have to bite you, scratch you, put my feet on the ropes, hit you with a chair or the damn title belt. If I have to kick you in your baby nuts, I will do it. The only thing that matters, is that I win. You said it yourself, this is cut throat, dog eat dog. So don’t be shocked, don’t be surprised, and don’t make excuses, Alex. You know what it is, my guy. You should know all about this. By hook, or by crook, don’t matter to me. I will take any edge I can get. I will take advantage of any situation. I will say anything I have to, to get you off your game. And you know I’ve already done that part. I’m in your head Alex. I live there now. And I will be there for a long, long time. Can you imagine how much bragging I’m going to do after saying everything I’ve said and then I win?
Damn, it’s going to suck to be you. Jack shrugs, and folds his arms.
Jack: But you’re too cool for that, right? Do you know how cool Alex Jones is everybody? He’s won championships all over the place. Do you know cool Alex Jones is? I actually had to look this up, because it’s real. He was mentioning companies he’s wrestled for, so I took the time to see all these wins, and yes, his accomplishments hold up. It’s amazing. But… I couldn’t find anything from this “IWF” company. So, I’m not sure is he’s making it up or not. Are we padding stats Alex? Does this place exist or not? Are you just trying to tell everyone you won all these titles when you really didn’t? Is that what we’re doing these days?
I mean, it fits the bill at this point. A total fraud who has had to make up personas for himself and pretend to be someone far more interesting than he is.
But I think I understand the strategy here. You just want to pretend that you’ve really won something here. You have to feel like the winner. You have to feel important. It’s all over everything you say. I’ve trained this guy, I’ve trained that guy, I’ve won this title, I’ve won that title. It’s about making yourself seem far more important. You really want that recognition so bad, because you have literally nothing else to fall back on. You are such a blank slate as a person, that this is all you can cover that with. You are so void of anything resembling a personality that’s not phony as fuck, that you just have to list accomplishments. So, because I don’t have those accomplishments, you are better than me, right? Jack scoffs.
Jack: It’s amazing how desperate you are for those 15 minutes of fame where everyone tells you you’re great.
Your name isn’t mentioned with the greatest people in this business, and that pisses you off. Your name isn’t put into top 10’s or top 5’s or whatever, and you’re in your feelings about it. But I can tell you why that is. Yeah, it’s pretty easy to figure out, my dude. When people think of you, they don’t think of your accomplishments, they think of the dude who won’t shut the fuck up about himself.
You’re that dude. That dude that when people say “don’t be that dude.” That’s you they’re talking about. You just scream “fucking awful” and “Attention seeker” I mean, who was thinking about Alex Jones before he won the SCW championship? Who was talking about Alex Jones before that? Nobody. Not a soul. But, I get it man, when opportunity knocks, you gotta be there. And low and behold, you rose from near obscurity and won the world title. And rather than I don’t know, be thankful you got plucked out of nowhere to get a title match, it’s time to endlessly boast about how great you are. But let me chastise this guy for this, or let me get in somebody’s ear to talk about that guy. Because you, have to make yourself feel better about the blank slate you are.
And you know, it took you literally 5 minutes to get comfortable with that championship. Now you’re god, you’re better than everyone and two months ago you were probably going to retire or some shit. You have an unreal ability to change everything about yourself on a dime. I mean, it must be really easy for you to change who you are when you have nothing permanent in your whole life. Nothing, absolutely nothing about you is real aside from your accomplishments. You have used fake names, fake companies, and real people, to get yourself the recognition, and then whine and cry like a bitch when you aren’t given as much as you expect, and at the same time, tell me, and everyone else, it’s because you care. It’s because you’ve done so much. “Please give me credit. Please.” This isn’t a fucking school exam, you know. You can’t keep asking for extra credit all the fucking time. “Look, I did this, give me partial credit, boost my score!” Jack simply shakes his head, like a disappointed parent
Jack: You are a sad, pathetic excuse for a man, my guy. It is why it will be such a pleasure to take that SCW world championship off of you. I went into this, knowing very little about you, and the more I learned, the less I wanted to know. I felt dumber for trying to even look up anything about you. It made my faith in humanity drop to a pretty low point, to know that a fucking snake like you has done anything in the ring and is looked at as someone who’s anything but a snake. You are a joke, bruh. A fucking joke. And it this point, it’s sad. It’s almost cruel to even let you walk around with that championship, just so you can delude yourself into thinking you’re hot shit again. We’ve done this shit ten times, right Alex? You win a championship, and then you lose it, and go like 6 months doing fuck all, but then you pop back up like fucking pimple, and you’re hot shit again. And it goes on and on like some sick joke. So, I guess, it’s up to me, to put this story to bed, for at least another 6 months, but with the way I’m feeling, it might be for fucking good.
At Violent Conduct, I’m going to beat you like a dog, Alex. I am going to embarrass you in the ring, and leave you laying as I win the championship. And while you’ve got that too cool thing going on, you better get serious because I am out to hurt you. You are entering the ring with a violent person, who is not afraid to snap arms, legs, or necks. You will simply go down as a transitional champion who just kept the title warm for the true star. And you know that’s the truth Alex. As much as you want to deny it and tell everyone you’re better than them and you’re a leader and all that happy horseshit, you know that at Violent Conduct, you are nothing but a speed bump for me.
This is my coronation as the face of the franchise, dude. You understand that, right? It’s a simple thing. You know how in sports when the aging player is on the team and the team drafts his replacement? That’s exactly what this is. You are a stop-gap. You plugged the hole until the team decided to put me in. Now that I’m in, we don’t need you anymore. You are expendable. You can be a cost cutting measure as we release you back into obscurity where you can find someone else looking for a stop-gap, or an “experienced” player. We don’t need that here anymore. This is MY time. I don’t give a shit about how you don’t think I can lead or be a great champion or whatever. All that is to me, is a bitter man who usefulness has expired. There’s a reason they put me on the field, and there’s a reason I’m going to take you off.Jack finally stares into the camera, his eyes piercing the screen.
Jack: Get it through your head Alex: you’re done. Time’s up. I told you that you only had two weeks left, and every day, we inch closer and closer to me beating the shit out of you, taking the SCW championship for myself, doing it by myself, and having it, for myself.
You’re hiding behind this false confidence and experience. You want to believe that you’ve seen someone like me before. That you’ve seen people like me come and go, right? I’m a dime a dozen, flavor of the month, or whatever the old saying is. But you know as well and I do that you don’t know me. You know me well enough to know that you don’t know me at all. I am unlike anyone or anything you’ve come across in wrestling. I’ve had you eating out of the palm of my hand, while you still think I’m eating out of yours. You’ve got your bird chest puffed out like you’ve done something while I’ve made you believe I’m charging into this match with my head down. But my head is up, my dude. I’ve waited for this opportunity like no other, and you, you have taken the bait hook, line & sinker. You chomp at every little bit, you are mind fucked and you don’t even know it. I have had you on strings the entire time because I have allowed you to think that you are where you were 10 years ago, but you’re not. Leaving my team high and dry? All these comments, they’ve all made you dance like a puppet. You will be kicking yourself when you realize just how badly you fucked up.
But I won’t need any tricks or mind games at Violent Conduct. Not at all. All I need, is what I have here. Me, myself, and I. And you can walk away after this match, with your hurt pride, licking your wounds and wondering what the fuck happened. But I’ll give you a spoiler: I happened. You will not have to look far to know who did this to you. You will not have to search far and wide to see the man who took you apart physically, mentally & verbally. All of this, was one man, and that’s me.
And please, save yourself the fucking time and don’t congratulate me when it’s over. Don’t tell me that now you respect me after I whoop your ass. Just don’t. Stay fucking silent, and walk away from this L and move on to something else. Or bitch about how I cheated or I’m not a real champion, whatever you prefer. You don’t have to listen to me on advice, even though you should. I’d just prefer it if you just talked even more trash and pissed and moaned about life, rather than pull a 180 and blow smoke up my ass. The fact is you never were ready for this smoke, because I ain’t Griffin Hawkins, I don’t prance around and flip my fair around, son. My name, is Jack Washington. If you’ve been paying attention, I’ve been beating people’s asses in this company for 7 months, and you’re name just happens to be next on the lineup, Alex.
I said it before, and I will say it here one more time. I was close last time. And this time, I will get the job done.
Get used to this face, Sin City Wrestling. You are looking at the next World Heavyweight Champion!Jack makes sure the camera is focused on his eyes as we cut to black.
Click.Watch. This. Space