The festive season is upon us, usually the time for good cheer and it really is for a lot of people but December behind the scenes of many things, is proper different. While people are sitting there worrying about turkeys and stuff, business owners use December to take a butchers of the year ahead, projections, ideas, that kinda bollocks. I'm a business owner and every year, beginning of December, me, Os, Charley and Kenz spitball a bunch of ideas about the upcoming year, not just for what we have, for what we can get involved in next... Well, Os is more of a listener but you get the idea on it. It's no different from Gabriel and Odette's Gym, they're probably planning their next classes, new ideas for next year to improve something, and maybe the same with SCW. Christian Underwood and Mark Ward are probably planning out next years dates, locations and tours right now. It's part of who I am as person, to always be ready for the next level. No point sitting around watching ya arse grow. Being proactive keeps you on top and that's what we are in both senses, proactive and on top. It's the way we plan on staying. I've always said a lot of good business takes place in the pub, never know what you might get offered there but sometimes, you do have to take it to the boardroom...
*******
The camera focuses in on a boardroom setting, a long table can be seen with chairs either side, with glasses and two full pitchers of water. Noise comes from outside the door, getting louder as the door handle turns, a group talking amongst themselves as the enter the room. The camera turns around to see Daniel Morgan enter the room, followed by Osbourne. Charlotte Elliot enters the room next, followed by Nick George. Mackenzie Page walks in behind the other four, shutting the door behind her. The group take seats at the table, Daniel at the head of the table as expect, with Osbourne sitting to his left with Charlotte next to him, and Nick and Mackenzie sitting at the other side. Osbourne leans in, pouring water in to the glasses in front of everyone as Daniel leans back in his chair, looking around the group.
"You all know why you're here." Daniel says as he looks around the group.
"Christmas bonus time?" Nick says as he looks at Daniel. "Cause I've got my eye on a bike that I really want."
"Not exactly." Daniel replies.
"Well, then I have no clue." Nick says, before looking at Osbourne. "How about you big fella?"
Osbourne looks across at Nick, just staring at him, not saying a word.
"Well, you've never actually been to one of these before, so this is a first time thing for you." Daniel says as he looks at Nick. "But every year, we meet, we throw down some ideas on how we wanna do things for the next year. Not only with what we got already but with how we want things to progress, things we might look at putting money in."
"And I'm included in this?" Nick asks. "Why?"
"Well you've been around us long enough." Daniel says. "You've stepped up well when it's come to running the casino. You've put down some decent enough ideas over the last year that has actually worked."
"Surprised the shit outta me that they actually worked." Mackenzie says as she turns her head to the right to look at Nick.
Nick smirks at Mackenzie before poking his tongue out at her.
"Plus Gabriel has told me you're actually doing well in the gym and could if needed get in a proper ring soon." Daniel tells him.
"Also surprised the shit outta me." Mackenzie says staring at Nick again.
"So it's time you sat in on these things." Daniel tells him.
"So I'm one of the A-Team now?" Nick says with a proud smile.
"Junior member maybe." Charlotte says from across the table. "You still listen to what we say but now you get to sit in on these and contribute."
"Do I get a company car?" Nick asks with a sarcastic tone.
Mackenzie reaches up, smacking Nick lightly around the back of the head, looking him directly in the eye as he turns his head.
"No but you can have as many of those as you want." She says with an evil looking smile.
"Maybe twice a day." Nick says. "But only if you wash ya hands."
"I'll need to wash my hands after." Mackenzie comments towards him.
"Anyway, to business." Daniel says to stop the bickering. "It's time to do what we always do. Every year, we take twenty percent of profit from businesses to reinvest elsewhere. The London side has kept up with this and have a decent amount of cash to play with, we have a ton more than they do. The casino profits have been through the roof, we all know this to the point we can pay bonuses, cover the overheads for a long time and even close on the busiest nights on the year. I spoke to my brother David and he's happy to either let us reinvest the money here after the London split, or pool it and invest elsewhere."
"I think we're doing alright over here to put the money back in to Vegas." Charlotte says. "There's a lot of businesses out here that can do with turning around, big money businesses like car rental."
"People come to the casino to see us, so anything with our fingerprints on around here will do well for us." Mackenzie adds.
"I think gentlemen's club." Nick quickly throws in. "Actually in the casino itself. We have a few units still there, I don't see why we couldn't. We cover the other vices and interests. We got a place for the gamblers, for the boozers, for the sports fans, why not for the perverts."
"Why am I not surprised you came up with that?" Mackenzie asks.
"Think about it." Nick says, a serious look on his face. "At the rate Danny's hiring SCW people down here, you never know who might come down and shake their melons if the money is right. Be out the door if you had that ginger bird, or Christina's missus up there with a pole and Play That Funky Music rattling on in the background."
Charlotte and Mackenzie look at Daniel, who is clearly thinking about it. He looks at the two women in surprise.
"To be fair, a lot would pay to see them on a pole." Daniel says with a smile. "And money is money, so we'll leave that one under consideration."
"If you agree to that, then fair's fair." Mackenzie says, looking at Daniel. "We want a male strip clubs. Women would melt to see Fenris' arse on the stage, or even yours."
Daniel looks at Nick with a frown.
"See what you've started?" Daniel says with a shake of his head.
"What?" Nick says innocently, throwing his hands up to prove a point. "I don't wanna see your arse, Kenz does."
Quickly, Mackenzie swings her hand and catches Nick around the back of the head. Nick looks at her with a smile.
"And that's your two for the day." He says with a grin.
Nick turns back towards Daniel and waits for him to speak.
"Let's stick the strip club thing in the maybe pile." Daniel says. "We don't want the old bill coming down here thinking we might be running something else. Most people think most strip clubs are brothels and we don't want that attention in here. It's something we can consider off site and keep it proper legit in case."
Daniel looks towards Mackenzie.
"What have you got running through your head?" Daniel asks her.
"A dunk tank with piranha's with Nick sitting in the chair." She says with raised eyebrows. "But realistically, I think we should focus on more coming in to here. We have that Comic Con thing here next year. Why not more like that? The people are gonna flock in here, those stupid nerds dressed up as other people will fill the place out. So instead of taking a chance and throwing money at everything, we leave it there, let it roll over until something big comes along and start putting on proper gigs at the theatre."
"It doesn't hold that many, just a few thousand." Charlotte reminds her.
"Then we call it an intimate gig with whoever." She says looking at them "Which will whack extra money on the ticket price because everyone gets a good view in a small place and actually enjoy the show."
"To be honest." Charlotte says with a nod. "The best gigs I ever saw were at places like Hammersmith, smaller than being at Wembley or the O2."
"Alright, that sounds like something worth looking in to." Daniel says with a nod. "That's yours to look in to Kenz, get in touch with some record labels and see what we're talking about figure wise."
Mackenzie nods.
"Any other ideas?" Daniel asks them.
"Nothing comes to mind." Charlotte says with a shrugs.
"I didn't even know what this was all about till I got here." Nick reminds Daniel. "But next time, I will have a few more ideas floating around me nut."
"Tell ya what, we'll give it one week." Daniel tells them. "You're best ideas for in here and other things to look in to. It can't hurt to have a look around."
Daniel raises his hand and the group stand up, presumably to move on to their duties for the day.
"Before you go Nick, can I have a word?" Daniel says to him. Nick holds back as the camera leaves the room with Mackenzie, Charlotte and Osbourne. The three wait outside the room and Charlotte looks at Mackenzie.
"Wait for it..." She says with a smile.
"You want me to wear what next week!?!?" Nick's voice can be heard saying behind the door in a loud tone.
If you wanna wait to find out what Nick will be wearing, guess ya better watch the London Underground promo next week.
*******
So the board meeting was said and done and business was discussed, but it's time to actually get back to work. Daniel stand on the casino floor, looking around at the Christmas scene before him. Dani had done an amazing job putting together a Christmas scene in just the few short days Charlotte and Mackenzie had gave her, distracting her from the heavy lifting and day to day management stuff. Daniel turns his head to look at Osbourne and gives him a quick nod.
"Gotta admit mate." Daniel says approvingly. "You give her a job to do, she gets it done."
Osbourne nods his head up and down twice, agreeing with his boss as his always sunglasses covered eyes dart around, looking from the huge tree, to the rows of tinsel, the fake snow hanging from every gaming table in the place.
"Ya know, if I thought she could handle this lifestyle, I think I'd step her up." Daniel tells Osbourne. "But she's too nice for it. She could never do what Charley or Kenz could do. She couldn't handle seeing what they see or dealing with the people we deal with."
Again, Osbourne nods his head in agreement with Daniel.
"Shame though." Daniel continues seriously. "Management side, she could offer a lot, but the people you have to deal with in that sense, I wouldn't wanna put her in that situation."
Daniel's eyes glance towards the bar, watching Dani happily at work, a smile on her face as she speaks to the customers hanging on in front of her, happy to be in the presence of someone well known from the television. Daniel's eyes move towards Christina Rose, waiting at tables.
"She's surprised me Os." Daniel tells him. "I didn't expect her to knuckle down and work the way she does but she has. Who would have thought someone who was a film star, multi time wrestling world champion would ever work in a place like this slinging drinks and actually enjoying it."
Osbourne shrugs his shoulders as he focuses on Christina.
"The fact that customers are drawn to her works, they're blasting out the tips, they're spending more to be here." Daniel tells Osbourne. "That my old mucker is not a bad thing at all. I'm alright with her bringing the people in, always good for the business side. Wonder if her missus would like some work here too. Hell, should employ the whole of SCW and people will be streaming in."
Osbourne shrugs his shoulders as Daniel's eyes move towards a man in a ridiculous red wig and dark sunglasses. A smile comes over Daniel's face.
"''Ere, you reckon anyone knows that's Despy trying to catch out cheaters?" Daniel asks Osbourne.
Osbourne's head nods fast as Daniel looks at him.
"Yeah, he is a bit out there." Daniel tells Osbourne. "Remember that time we got the SCW make up bird to make Nick look like an old Spanish geezer for that recon mission?"
Osbourne nods his head up and down.
"Maybe we need to do that with Despy next year." Daniel ponders. "Give him a different character every week, so he can do better than he's doing."
Before Daniel can continue, a group of four men, each dressed up as Santa Claus approaches the two men.
"It's them wrestler guys!" One of them says in slurred words, clearly having been drinking, yet still being able to pick up an English accent. "Lad, we came all the way from Manchester to get pissed up here."
"Glad to have ya hear lads, red or blue?" Daniel asks.
"Red of course, not some glory hunting tossers like the blue side." Another replies.
Daniel knew what they meant, the question was very much football related to the rivalries of Manchester City, and Manchester United.
"Ole at the wheel, eh?" Daniel says, another football related question.
"Legend." A third man adds with his Manchester accent flying thick through the beard.
"Hope ya having a blinding time over here in Vegas." Daniel says, forever the public relations kinda guy.
"It's sound mate." The forth man says confidently. "Can we have a pic with you guys?"
Osbourne looks at Daniel, his face dropping. Daniel was fully aware Osbourne wasn't the selfie kinda guy, but also knew Osbourne knew that he had to be a team player.
"Yeah, but ya better make it quick lads." Daniel tells them, looking around at the four santas. "We got some stuff to take care of pretty sharpish."
The four men nod and quickly stand around Daniel and Osbourne, two on either side as four phones appear from pockets. Each men hold their phones out in front and quickly snap shots from four different angles before stepping away.
"Cheers fellas, but we have to get moving a bit." Daniel tells them. "Enjoy the rest of ya stay."
"Cheers Danny lad." One of them says to Daniel and the four offer handshakes.
Daniel shakes all four hands, but Osbourne stands with his hands behind his back.
"He's not much of a hand shaker." Daniel tells them with a wink.
Satisfied, the men turn and walk away and Daniel and Osbourne turn to walk away and towards the bar.
"Danny lad?" Daniel questions. "Mate, I didn't know what phone to look at. Gotta love a drunk Manc in December eh Ozzie lad?"
Osbourne shakes his head as the two get to the bar, quickly approached by Dani Weston.
"Alright love." Daniel says greeting Dani. "Everything alright here?"
Dani nods her head, looking down the bar and back at Daniel.
"Everything is great here." She says with a warm smile. "Not sure about the kitchen though."
Daniel and Osbourne look at each other and back towards Dani.
"What's up with the kitchen?" Daniel asks her.
Dani frowns as her eyes dart between the two men.
"You never heard?" Dani asks them. "The chef is apparently a very frustrated man at the moment. Not happy at all. I thought someone would have told you so you can get down and sort it out."
Daniel rolls his eyes and runs his hand across his head, looking at Osbourne.
"Ari..." Daniel says with a smile before looking back at Dani. "We better get down there."
Dani nods in agreement and Daniel and Osbourne turn to make their way towards the kitchen. Just a few minutes later, the two walk in to the kitchen, looking around at the bustling scene around them from there many kitchen staff working hard. Daniel looks towards the nearest person.
"Where's Chef Marco?" Daniel asks him.
"He's been in the larder for a while Mr. Morgan." The young man tells him. "He said he was going to look for something and that was about half an hour ago."
"Cheers mate." Daniel says with a nod.
Daniel walks towards where the chef's location was mentioned but stops as he sees Ariana, her hands deep in soapy water. She sees Daniel and smiles.
"Hey Daniel." She starts, but soon changes. "I mean boss."
"Ari, how's it going love?" Daniel asks her.
"Great!" She says with a smile. "I had a lesson with Chef Marco earlier and it went great. I didn't burn most of it."
"That's a great improvement." Daniel tells her with a smile. "I'll catch up with you in just a little bit, just need to have a word with Chef Marco. Have a chat with Os."
Daniel smiles at her and walks away, looking for where Chef Marco is hiding away. Daniel walks in to the walk in storage area to see Chef Marco just staring at a can on the shelf. Daniel tilts his head as he approaches him.
"I'm sure that's proper interesting, but it's not what ya paid for." Daniel tells him.
The chef jumps in surprise, looking around at Daniel, looking like a schoolboy just been caught stealing candy.
"Mr Morgan, I was just erm...." Chef Marco says with a stutter. "Taking stock."
"Looked like you staring at a tin of kidney beans to me, but what do I know." Daniel says with a smile. "What's going on?"
The chef sighs as he walks back towards Daniel.
"It's your friend Mr Morgan." He starts "The one you asked me to teach to cook."
"Yeah, what about her?" Daniel asks.
"She is..." He says, picking his words wisely. "I've never worked with someone with that skill level. I asked her to keep an eye on langoustine earlier, just watch them for when they turned pink and most of them were charcoal."
The chef winces as he awaits Daniel's response.
"Well, we all make mistakes." Daniel says with a shrug.
"But her knife skills are...." The chef says.
"Improvable." Daniel says cutting him off. "Everyone is improvable. Look, I'll level with ya, I knew from my mate told me that she wasn't gonna be brilliant to start and that's why I brought her here. You are one of the best chef's in the city, in the state, hell, even in the world. There's no point of me putting her with a novice to teach her, she needs the best to teach her. We all started off rubbish at whatever we chose to do before we got better at it. No one is a hundred percent natural at everything right away, we all need to sit and learn. You didn't pop out of your mother with a chef's knife and a recipe in ya head, did ya?"
"No but her age dictates that she should have learned some basic skills by now." Marco tells him.
"I'd disagree with that." Daniel tells him firmly. "And here's why. It's a different time now for people. People of that age ten years ago could get out there and learn basics on everything by doing everything. The younger generation learn everything by watching you tube videos."
Daniel puts his hand on the man's shoulder.
"You're one of the best in the world, if you can't teach her, no one can." Daniel tells him. "Stick with it, she might surprise you. She's a slow burner, wasn't brilliant at wrestling to start with but trust me, she's gonna be a top champ someday."
The chef sighs deep and nods before walking out and back in to the kitchen. Daniel smiles to himself.
"Things I do for friends." Daniel says with a smile.
The camera fades to black.
*******
We return to the boardroom one more time, Daniel sitting behind the table on the chair at the head of the table. Osbourne stands behind him with the SCW Mixed Tag Team Championship title belts over both shoulders. Daniel breathes deep, his hand wrapped around a glass of expensive whiskey as he looks down the camera.
"This is the part where I tell Teddy, Lady Steele, whatever he wants to be called this week, that he is well and truly, unequivocally, royally screwed." Daniel says as he picks up the glass and smiles.
Daniel drinks from the glass, nodding his head in approval before replacing it back on the table.
"That stuff cost more than that cheap make up you smother your face with." Daniel says with a nod. "Seriously Teddy, what goes through your dome at any given point of your life? Really? It's a question that the world would love an answer for because no one can seem to work you out at all. I get why you try these over the top, outlandish things, it's to get out of Kate's shadow because we all know who the better wrestler is out of the pair of ya, but what makes you think any of these silly little things are gonna work, rather than have someone roll their eyes at what a complete twat you are? I mean the make up drag Queen thing, is just daft."
Daniel shakes his head.
"Is this like jumping on a band wagon for you?" Daniel asks. "Let's be reasonable here. SCW and SCU like being proud with sexuality, there's more gay and lesbians employed by SCW and SCU, you start to wonder if anyone is straight and then you pop along in a wig and make up. Is it to be part of the crowd?"
Daniel runs his hand on his chin.
"You saw there's probably more gay, lesbian and bisexual people in the two feds and you wanted to be part of the group so you slapped on a wig and make up and now you feel that you part of the gang?" Daniel asks. "You figured that seems to be a popular trend so why not jump on board, right?"
Daniel sighs as he shakes his head.
"But let's cut down to the bone." Daniel says calmly. "You can dress how every you want, you can wear multi coloured wigs, you can get pegged by your wife as often as you want, doesn't mean you're a good wrestler."
A serious look crosses Daniel's face.
"No matter what you do, no matter how you act, no matter if you decided to rip off one of the best wrestlers in the world, it won't make you any good." Daniel says while looking down the camera. "You might do this for the attention, try and get those fans on your side but it's not gonna matter. Not even the fans can drag you up to being a better wrestler, and the truth is they wouldn't anyway because they can't stand you and no amount of make up would make your Rupaul looking arse change their minds. The fans can sense when people don't give a monkey's chuff about them, and they know you don't. You call us out, we accept, then you attack Griffin instead of manning up, or womaning up and coming at us. This is why no one can take you seriously Teddy, because you're a bit of a trifle, bit mixed up."
Daniel picks up the glass, holding it in front of his face.
"They don't know what to expect from you, so they expect nothing from you." Daniel says with the glass under his chin. "And that stops them from remembering you're even employed in SCW anymore. You pop up when you want, challenge for a title, then piss off again. Mate, you're doing it all wrong. Not even gonna say you're dangerous because you're rested. I'm a big believer in respect, you gotta earn mine to make me take you seriously, and you simply ain't done that. You haven't earned anything from me because you make a challenge without us present, we're nice enough to accept and then you haven't got the stones to stand face to face with us when we told you weeks ago when this match would happen. You've had countless times to come and step up to us, countless. We were in the ring for Christ's sake last week, but where the hell was you?"
Daniel takes a sip of the whiskey.
"Serious question pal, where the hell was you?" Daniel says a lot more firmer. "You were nowhere to be seen, Kate was nowhere to be seen and there we were, middle of the ring, swinging our dicks around and you were nowhere."
Daniel puts the glass back on the table.
"'You had every opportunity, but you haven't bothered." Daniel says with a disappointed tone. "You've had the chance to talk about us but you haven't even done that Teddy. You haven't even told people you're gonna beat us. The whole of this cycle, it's been us doing the work while you've sat on your arse doing nothing. You're an absolute embarrassment to SCW and everything it stands for. You spit on the fans, you spit on the company that for whatever reason keeps you employed and you spit on the Mixed Tag Team titles you're going for."
Daniel grits his teeth.
"It proper winds me up that you get given a chance when you didn't do anything but answer an open challenge, then went back to bed on it." Daniel says as he looks down the camera, clearly getting annoyed. "It gets right on my tits that you have a golden chance and then just don't bother. Here's the thing, you've cost yourself a lot by doing these, because now, no one cares that you're even in this match, no one will care about anything other than us walking out with the SCW Mixed Tag Team championships, because what you've essentially done, is alienated yourself from anyone that gives a toss about SCW, that gives a toss about this sport."
Daniel presses him hands together.
"No one cares you're in this match, all they wanna see is us do what we're good at and take you apart bit by bit." Daniel says with a stern look down the camera. "And it's the holiday season so if that's what the people want Teddy, at December 2 Dismember IV, that is what the people get. We don't plan on ending the year without the gold, we don't plan on walking out of there a loser, and there's not a lot your make up and high heels wearing arse can do about that. We didn't bring these titles back up to standard, just to let them go back to someone who ain't gonna bother coming out and talking about them. If it wasn't for us, no one would know you're even in this match."
He puts his hands around the glass.
"We've put the effort in to this and we're the ones who will walk out deservingly the winners." Daniel says confidently. "And you know us Teddy, I don't deal in anything other than facts."
Daniel picks up the whiskey glass as the scene fades to black.
