Prologue:

Jack was now only days away from his championship match and a chance to share a little bit of history after such a short time in SCW. A chance to be only the third man in SCW history to become the SCW world champion three times. It was no doubt a tough task ahead of him, and he and Alex Jones have traded barbs for the past 3 weeks. Now, with only a short time remaining, the clock ticks down to the epic confrontation where Jack has a chance to regain the championship after his loss to Mark Cross.

 

Outside the ring, we are concluding Jack’s time away from SCW for a few months, as now we learned that the Mexicans, in retaliation for not trusting Jack after the second shipment was attacked, and his failure to dispose of a person the Mexicans wanted him to, kidnapped Jack’s brother Jason. Now at his wits end, Jack is unsure of what to do, but has contacted Detective Jessica De Le Fuente, a Philadelphia cop with ties to Jack, about exactly what can be done to get Jason back without ruining everything and exposing Jack as having a hand in all that has transpired in the past few months to a year. 

 

Jack must now make the ultimate decision and face the consequences, the question remains what his choice will be, and how will be go out getting his brother back, and whether or not that’s even possible. Jack was prepared to go it alone and search for his brother, but Brian was able to talk him out of that. The time has come for Jack to face down his fears and make the choice between family, and business, and try to avoid any more collateral damage from this explosion of emotion.

 

--

Washington Estate,

Las Vegas, NV.

3 months ago.

 

Jack held the gun in his hand, even as he spoke to Jessica on the phone.

 

Jack: Jess... they got my brother. I need you to help me... I need you to help me get him back. That’s my brother man, that’s my FUCKING BROTHER man!

 

Jess does speak on the other end, but only Jack hears it. 

 

Jack: DON’T FUCKING TELL ME TO CALM DOWN! I’m sorry. I’m sorry... I... I’M JUST, A LITTLE FUCKED UP RIGHT NOW! 

 

He even aims the gun at the phone and yells again. 

 

Jack: You need to help me. Help me.

 

Jess seems to finally be able to get through to him. 

 

Jack: I’ll be right there. I know the place.

 

Jack ends the call and tears well up in his eyes. He wants nothing more than to destroy something. Brian is right there, hands on Jack’s shoulders, looking him square in the face

 

Brian: Kid, you need to calm down. 

 

Jack: How can I be calm, Brian? How? YOU FUCKING TELL ME... 

 

Jack has to take a breath, crying.

 

Jack: How am I supposed to fucking calm man? They got my big brother, in some fucking basement or some shit! He’s not part of this shit, Brian! He was never supposed to be part of this!

 

Brian: Well, he is now, Stick, and you going on a revenge trip and getting yourself killed isn’t going to get him back. All it’s going to do is get him killed too.

 

Jack: They aren’t about to do shit, Brian. I will kill them all if I have to.

 

Brian: Stick, listen to me. JOHN, listen to me.

 

Jack looked up, surprised that Brian would call him by his given name.

 

Jack: What?

 

Brian: You need to get a hold of yourself right now. Stop and think. Your brother is also my nephew, as are you. And I made a promise to your father, my brother, that I was going to take care of this family because he can’t anymore. And you, are NOT about to throw your life away to get your brother back. He means as much to me as he does you! Now, if you are going to meet up with Jessica, then do it. But you need to listen to her. You hear me... Listen to her.

 

Jack nodded. It wasn’t really ever made clear that he actually did hear or understand Brian, but he nodded. He felt so numb inside that he really didn’t even care, but he made it a point to turn back to Brian.

 

Jack: Yeah, I’ve... I’ve gotta go.

 

Brian: Stick, be careful, and listen to Jessica, and let her handle it.

 

Jack didn’t bother responding as he walked in almost a haze as he left, he got in his car and he drove away, still with his bulletproof vest on under his shirt, and his gun tucked into his pants, his destination unknown.

 

--

Undisclosed Location

Las Vegas, NV

3 months ago.

 

Jack sat in his car, a scowl etched across his face and still some watery eyes. He sat in a total silence as he waited. It seemed to take an eternity. Minutes felt like hours to Jack as he waited, and finally, some headlights pulled into where he was sitting. After a moment or two, which also felt like forever, Detective De La Fuente got out of her car, checking her surroundings before entering Jack’s car. Jack didn’t even acknowledge her presence at first, continuing to stare straight ahead, almost at nothing.

 

Jessica: John?

 

Jack didn’t respond at first. He finally sighed and turned to her, his face pale and his eyes still watering.

 

Jack: They got my brother, Jess.

 

Jessica: Who?

 

Jack: The Mexicans. 

 

Jessica: I’m sorry. I –

 

Jack simply put his hand up to stop her from saying anything else.

 

Jack: I don’t need you to feel sorry for me, or to tell me it’s going to be okay. I just need you to help me.

 

Jessica: Of course, I’ll do what I can. But you need to help me, before I can help you.

 

Jack: You need to tell me first.

 

Jessica: Tell you what?

 

Jack: How bad is this going to be?

 

Jessica: That depends.

 

Jack: On?

 

Jessica: It depends on what you mean. John, I will do everything I can to get your brother back, you know that.

 

Jack: I just need to know if this is going to ruin things after it’s over.

 

Jessica: If... all goes well, and we catch them, you’re going to be possibly under investigation for how much of a role you played in this. I know how deep you are in John. It’s not going to be easy to get you off the hook for this. You can’t walk away from this without an issue.

 

Jack simply ran his hand through his hair, sighing.

 

Jack: I’m not a snitch, Jess.

 

Jessica: This really isn’t the time to worry about that, John. Look, if you have information, you just have to give it to me, and I will make sure that I do everything to get him back. I’ll pull in a few favors to make this go as fast as I can.

 

Jack closed his eyes and leaned forward against the steering wheel. He clenched his fists and his knuckles turned white.

 

Jack: Green Chevy, 118BRX licence plate. That’s the car they put him in.

 

Jessica: That’s good, I can run that license plate and we can easily get a match. 

 

Jack: Just do it. Please. 

 

Jessica: Of course, I will. 

 

Jessica looked over at Jack, who never once looked her in the face during this conversation. She put a hand on to touch his shoulder.

 

Jack: Don’t. I don’t need the sympathy. I just need you to find my brother. Just find him.

 

Jessica slowly pulled her hand away.

 

Jessica: I will.

 

Jessica sighed as she left the car, and soon drove away. Jack stayed in his car, staring straight ahead, and gripping the wheel so hard it creeked and cracked. He let go of the wheel and pulled out his phone, dialing.

 

Jack: Ms. Ana-Sofia. I’m coming for you. 

 

Jack let those words be the only ones he spoke, and he hung up.

 

--

Washington Estate

Las Vegas, NV

The Next Day

 

Jack just sat there, not bothering to really do anything. His cigar just burned sitting on the ashtray, his drink looking like he never took a sip. He just sat there, waiting on the couch for something, ANYTHING to happen. Brian noticed this and sat on the couch beside him.

 

Brian: You did the right thing.

 

Jack: I want my brother back. I don’t give a shit about right or wrong anymore, Brian. I just want him back. I need to know he’s okay. And these pieces of shit pay for trying to fuck with me. 

 

Brian: You fucked with them first.

 

Jack: You said the deal was bad, Brian. I’m getting out of the deal. I don’t have a choice now. They took it this far, not me.

 

Brian: Yeah, but you aren’t helping yourself.

 

Jack: What am I supposed to do? What do you want me to do?!

 

Brian: Get up and go... out. Go get drunk and fuck a hooker or something. You’re going to spend all your time cooped up in here and then what? You’re going to go insane just waiting around here. Seriously.

 

Jack: I can’t. If I go out, I’m gonna start looking for him, and you told me to be patient. And then I’m gonna start taking people out, and then I’m going to go to jail, and they’re going to FUCKING KILL MY BROTHER!

 

Brian: You can’t just sit here.

 

Jack: You told me to trust Jessica, and I’m trusting her.

 

Brian: Stick, this is not what I meant. I meant for you to not worry about it.

 

Jack in response burns a hole through Brian, looking at him like he had 3 heads.

 

Jack: Not. Worry. About it? Are you fucking serious? Are you fucking joking with me right now? How can I not worry? He wasn’t supposed to be in this, and I was doing right by him, Brian! I gave him a job, I got him clean, and now, he’s on some warehouse or some shit because these Mexicans want to FUCK with me! 

 

Brian: And you yelling about it, isn’t going to help anything. There is no use to you wasting your energy sitting on your hands, waiting for any news. You know the old saying? No news is good news. 

 

Jack: No, it means they haven’t found anything!

 

Jack then pulls out his phone and dials. It’s a long wait, but Jessica finally does pick up on the other end.

 

Jack: Anything?. 

 

Jessica: John, stop this.

 

Jack: Please tell me you have something. 

 

Jessica: Not yet. 

 

Jack: Come on Jessica, I’m counting on you!... 

 

Jessica: Calm down. I will handle it. You just don’t need to worry anymore.

 

Jack: Don’t tell me not to worry! It’s not your family!

 

Jack ended the call and tossed his phone aside.  He simply stood up after that and left the room.

 

--

Washington Estate 

Las Vegas, NV

3 Months Ago

 

Jack finally found an answer to his issues. He began to drink. And he began to drink heavily. As the days past with no news, and no call from the Mexicans regarding the situation, Jack simply became a drunk. He laid in bed for the time as it passed, drinking and barely doing anything. Jack was a mess, but he no longer cared about that. All this was, was a coping mechanism for everything that was going wrong.

 

Brian came into the room that was ripe with the smell of alcohol. Jack was laying in bed, passed out and half naked. Brian nudged him and there was no response, then after a harder nudge, Jack came out of his drunken stupor.

 

Jack: What? What? Who? Oh... Brian..

 

Brian: Jessica called while you were out.

 

Jack perked up, hearing Jessica’s name, still coming out of it.

 

Jack: What? Where? What happened?

 

Jack tried to stand up, but quickly fell back down, grabbing his head and shielding his eyes from the sunlight.

 

Brian: They found the car, and they’re going to follow it and find out if it goes back to wherever Jason is being held up.

 

Jack: Okay... okay..

 

Jack stood up again, stumbling over and trying to put his clothes on.

 

Brian: What are you doing.

 

Jack: I... I gotta go there. To help.

 

Brian: You’re in no condition to go anywhere. You’re drunk.

 

Jack: Fuck it.

 

Jack stumbled over to his kitchen and pulled ice cubes out of the ice cube maker and poured it, with water which he filled up a bucket with. He dumped the ice into the water bucket and simply dumped it over his head.

 

Jack: Ohhhh shit!

 

The cold water seemed to spring Jack to life, sobering him up as he had to take a second to let the water run down his body and back. He went back into the room, now a lot more focused. He put his clothes on, along with his bullet proof vest.

 

Jack: I’m sober now. Where are they?

 

Brian: I don’t know. And you’re not going to go anywhere.

 

Jack: The fuck you mean? I’m going.

 

Brian: Jessica’s not going to let you go anywhere near anything with this. You’re not a cop.

 

Jack: You let me handle it.

 

Jack again slipped his pistol into his pants and then pulled out his phone and dialed.

 

Jack: Jessica... Jessica... 

 

Jessica: John? 

 

Jack: where are they?... Tell me! I need to know my brother is okay. Please!... 

 

Jessica: I told you, let me handle this. I’ll call you when we’re done.

 

Jack: Jessica... Jessica don’t hang up! Fuck.

 

Jack put his phone down and stopped. He looked around and then went back to the refrigerator and opened it, looking for more booze. When there was none, he turned to Brian.

 

Brian: You drank 90% of it, Stick. 

 

Jack’s phone then started buzzing. He almost sprinted back over to the phone and picked it up without looking.

 

Jack: Jessica! 

 

Sonny: Sorry, sweetheart.

 

Jack: Sonny?

 

Sonny: Yeah, you know I was beginning to worry about you kid, you ain’t called in a while. Thought you might be dead.

 

Jack: No. Not yet.

 

Sonny: You alright, Kid?

 

Jack: No. 

 

Sonny: What happened? Where you been?

 

Jack: They took my brother, Sonny. I gotta go get him back.

 

Sonny: Well... shit kid... I didn’t know. 

 

Jack: Tell you what, once I get him back, once I take care of this... I got something for you, I’m close to figuring out where they hideout. Once I find out. I will tell you this... it’s open season.

 

Sonny: That’s the spirit kid. Now you’re really getting into this business!

 

Jack: Not like I want to. But for taking my brother, they have to pay.

 

Sonny: You see, now you know what it’s like. But if you get me the location of where they are, if you get that, I don’t think we’ll have problems after that.

 

Jack: Good. Good. 

 

Sonny: Alright kid, I’ll let you get back to your revenge. Just don’t go getting yourself killed doing it. I kinda like you kid.

 

Jack: I get it now. But, I’ll be in touch, and then, you can reach out and touch them.

 

Sonny: You got it kid.

 

Jack ended the call and began to think and pace. He then grabbed his phone and began messing around with it.

 

Brian: What are you doing?

 

Jack Finding out where Jessica is.

 

Brian: What?

 

Jack: Find my iphone.

 

Jack punches in Jessica’s number, and it pulls up her GPS.

 

Jack: Gotcha.

 

Jack quickly goes to grab his keys. Brian stops him.

 

Jack: Get out of the way, Brian.

 

Brian: You cannot go down there. You have no business there!

 

Jack: Family is my business.

 

Jack pushed aside Brian and left. He kept his phone open and began to look at the GPS location on the Iphone, which after a few mintues, turned off. And to Jack that only meant one thing, they found where they were, and that was where Jack needed to go. Jack began to drive, using the last location on the app, but he received another phone call, this one from Benny.

 

Jack: What do you want, Benny?

 

Benny: Jesus Christ, Kid, I wanted to make you were still alive.

 

Jack: For now.

 

Benny: Kid, what the fuck is going on, who were the people that took Jason?

 

Jack: Mexicans, Benny. I’ll explain all of it, at some point, after I get him back.

 

Benny: You know where he is?

 

Jack: Yeah, I’m going to get him back, right now.

 

Benny: They’re giving him back? What’s going on?

 

Jack: Oh, they are giving him back alright, one way or another.

--

Undisclosed location

3 months ago

 

The drive seemingly took hours, but really it was minutes. And by the time that Jack got there, there was smoke coming from the mid-sized house, broken glass was all over the place. All the police vehicles there told Jack he had the right place. He parked his car a few hundred yards away, and began to slowly creep up to the house. There were a few scattered gunshots, none of which were close to Jack, but he still reacted. As he moved up, there was silence. A few people began to yell instructions to each other, as Jack backed up, and made it a spot he could see, but not be seen. He watched as several Mexicans were led out in handcuffs, but Ana Sofia was not one of them. He simply watched and then approached after a while. An officer was there to stop him.

 

Officer: Whoa, woah, back off please, the situation is under control. 

 

Jack: Where’s... where’s my brother? Where’s Jessica?

 

Officer: Sir, I need you step back.

 

Jack watched as Jessica was helped out of the house, groaning in anger and a large blood spatter on her shirt. Soon enough an ambulance made it’s way to the scene, and Jessica was given medical attention. Jack tried desperately to get to her.

 

Jack: Jessica!

 

Jessica heard Jack’s voice and was actually a little startled that he had found her. He got her attention and waved for the officer to let him by to her. Jack came up to her and was eagerly awaiting the news.

 

Jack: Shit... you alright?

 

Jessica: Thank god I had my best on. Hurts like hell. 

 

Jack: Is... Jason...

 

Jessica: He’s alive. They found him. He was roughed up be he’ll be okay. They’re going to take him to the hospital. 

 

Jack: Fuck.. Fuck.. Okay.. Which one?

 

Jessica: I don’t know.

 

Jack: I’ll find out.  You gonna be okay?

 

Jessica: Yes. How did you even find me?

 

Jack: I tracked your phone. 

 

Jessica: You could have been killed. 

 

Jack: I know... I.. I needed to find him.

 

Jessica: Go. Just go... he’s fine.

 

Jack lowered his head and nodded, he looked back up as Jessica, continuing to nod.

 

Jack: Thank you.

 

With that, Jack departed, asking where his brother was taken, before fully leaving the area. He gets into his car and he dials a number.

 

Jack: Sonny.

 

Sonny: Kid.

 

Jack: The place isn’t far away, but I don’t think it’s the only one. Maybe you can make something of it. I’ll text it to you.

 

Sonny: How’s your brother?

 

Jack: He’s fine, but this isn’t over.  Ana Sofia is still out there. They must have moved when they knew I was coming. 

 

Sonny: Where’s your brother now.

 

Jack: Centennial Hills Hospital. 

 

Sonny: Good place. I’ll have people watch out for him.

 

Jack: You don’t need to do that.

 

Sonny: Kid, you’ve helped me more than you know. It’s the least I could do.

 

Jack: Thanks Sonny.

 

Jack ends the call, headed to the hospital

 

--

Centennial Hills Hospital

Las Vegas, NV

3 months ago

 

Jack arrived and checked in, finding Jason’s room and visiting him. Jason is bandaged up and has a few wounds, but he is for the most part okay. Jack walks in and sees Jason and rushes to his side.

 

Jason: Hey bro.

 

Jack: Jason.

 

Jason: I don’t know what happened man. These dudes just grabbed me. 

 

Jack: I know. We figured it out, and it’s been taken care of. The important thing is that you are safe.

 

Jason: What was the deal.

 

Jack: I fucked up. It wasn’t meant for you to be a part of it. I’m sorry that that happened. I so damn sorry. 

 

Jason: What? What did you do?

 

Jack: I needed to make some money, I got into bed with bad people. And when things got rough, they blamed me. And as a result, you were dragged into this. It was never my intention for that to happen. You’re my brother and I love you. I won’t ever do that to you again. I promise.

 

Jason: Yeah... 

 

Jack and Jason share a soft hug as brothers as the scene finally fades out.

 

 

--


Click.

Jack is once again shown in his home, shaking his head seemingly in disappointment

 
Jack: You never cease to disappoint me, Alex. Seriously. 

 

I expected something. something good, something great, but this? What you just did, and things you have said, make me sick to my stomach. I mean, for fuck’s sake man, you can’t even really own up to your own past. Everything you have said, makes me correct. You’re going to sit here and look into a camera like this, and talk about how you regret the things you’ve done and how you really look back at yourself and you feel shame. You don’t like the person you were back then. I’m sorry, back then was a fucking year ago. You’re not sorry about the things you’ve done, you only have the regrets you have now because it didn’t get you what you wanted. Period, point blank. You’re a god damn clown for this shit, Alex. You know what it is? You really wanna know what this is? This is a desperate act, by a desperate man. A man who continues to speak about “retribution” in the same manner that a person who is looking for salvation, and they put their hands together, and they fall on their knees and they pray. Because that, makes it all better, doesn’t it Alex? It is some of the funniest shit to see a man have to turn to some higher power because they fucked up their lives, and then, everything is just dandy. 

 

You know how that happens Alex? Asshats like you, fuck up everything to the point where nobody speaks to them anymore. Nobody trusts them and nobody believes them. So, they turn to some form of spiritual awakening so they can say “I was saved. I repent my sins!” I don’t know about what they do in Dallas, or wherever the hell you call your home state now, but when you fuck up, sorry doesn’t cut it. Finding the holy spirit doesn’t cut it. All of this shit is as phony as the tv televangelist on at 3 o’clock in the morning trying to get you to buy prayer beads to get saved. But you know, first you gotta give me $500 dollars. “Retribution” is just your fancy buzzword for “I am in serious trouble of getting my ass kicked again, please believe I have changed!” All this shit is, is a ruse, until you win another championship, and then just like that, magically you will be right back to stabbing people in the back, stepping on those lower than you, and calling yourself a god again. I swear, I had to pull up the Michael Jordan “Stop it, get some help” meme for this shit. 

 

I called this from the very start, that every single on the people in Wolfslair are hypocrites. They love this “I’ll call you out for being a bad person, but you can’t call me out.” I said this shit a year ago, when you were riding high. My opinion has not changed, I haven’t said anything that is a false statement. You are all trash people who continue to exist despite everyone being better off when you aren’t. You’re going to go with this “I own my mistakes” bullshit now? Where was this when you were champion last year Alex? Where was the repent? Where was the seeking of retribution? Did that not apply then? You’re only doing it now, because you have nothing else left to throw at me. You have absolutely nothing besides a hope and a prayer that I screw this up somehow. You’re sitting there, praying that I can make my flight to New York City, or then I get into a car accident on the way to the building. You have ZERO to offer against me Alex. Nothing. So, you’re looking internally like “I’ve changed my ways now, I’m a new person!” Get the fuck out of here with that bullshit, Alex. I’m not buying it. All this retribution bullshit is just that, and it’s all to get you through this match. You were hoping that I couldn’t sit here and run you into the ground any further than I already did. A year ago, I obliterated you, I made fun of your stupid nicknames, I made fun your family, I did exactly what I said was going to do. And you were hoping then, that you never crossed my path again. But you were also thinking deep down in your soul, that if we met up again, things would be different. And so, you chose the bullshit you’re spewing now, because I’ve already gone over your past. You were shit then, and you’re shit now, Alex. 

 

I was going to have to talk about some other things, find out some different info on you, but you know what the funny thing is? For as long as you have been in wrestling, you’re still a piece of dried bread. You’re stale, you’re nothing. I had to ask last year who the fuck Alex Jones is, and a year later, all that has been revealed is that you’re a liar and a fraud. And to be fair, I already knew that shit from the jump, my guy. Nothing about you has changed, because there’s nothing there to begin with. You are a paper tiger and a pretender. You are seeking “Retribution” to salvage your career and try and turn it around and make people like you again. I don’t know about the rest of you, but when somebody stabs me in the back, they can’t take it back with a “sorry.” I can’t deal with that kind of a person, why anybody still deals with you is something of a mystery Alex.

 

Jack sighs heavily, and then points a finger at the camera as he continues.

 

Jack: You see, I would rather you just be consistent, and tell me you’re a god again. Just tell me that you are the best thing since sliced bread and I would, actually respect that. I would. I would rather you be a dick bag the entire time, then smile in my face just to stab me in the back. You are demonstrating how shitty of a person you really are. Nobody likes fake people, Alex. Me? I’m an asshole. I’ve said it plenty of times. I embrace being an asshole. But you know what people can say about me? At least, they know where they stand. All of the other wrestlers in SCW? I don’t like any of them. I will trash them, just as easily as I will trash you. But at least, you know where you all stand. With you Alex? People can be all over the place, depending on how you feel that day. It’s really, really fucking sad that you are that type of a human being. It is why you are seeking “Retribution” right? To take back the shitty things you’ve done.  Now, you’re really sorry about lying to Austin Mercer’s face. And backstabbing Griffin Hawkins to get what you wanted. 

 

BULL. SHIT.

 

You’re are sorry about it now, because you think it will help you keep your championship. I mean, I almost wish I had the ability to turn it off and on again like you do. Because I feel like I’ve heard this type speech before from you. I feel like this is exactly the type of shit you’d try and pull, like it’s a fucking magic trick. You’re not going to pull the wool over my eyes Alex. I see through bullshit. I can smell it a mile away, and you are full of shit, and you have been for an entire year. Twice now, you have been plucked from obscurity and your fucking hidey hole and won the SCW World Championship. And the first time, that was really how you wanted it to go. “I’m the man, I’m the shit” that was you. That’s what you thought was cool. Just like when you put that stupid ass blonde streak in your hair, like you were trying to recapture your youth or some shit. 

 

This, the shit you’re doing now, is you trying to facilitate like you’ve changed. You know deep down you have not, so why are you even doing this pretense? Why are you bothering to act like you’ve grown and matured. I mean, seriously, grown and matured? Aren’t you kicking 40’s door down at this point in your life? Most normal people grow and mature when they get to the age of 25, what the fuck is this extra 15 years that you’re trying to pull of now, Alex? What the fuck is this? You really think anybody is buying this? I’m certainly not. And nobody else should either. You’re sitting here, trying to save face, because your whole career, you’ve been a piece of shit human being. Now you’re sitting here trying to act like you’ve made this change, and really, I’m just the worst person in the world because I go after everyone equally. You trying to act like I’m after some kind of retribution is a bunch of horseshit that you’re really trying to pass off as this faux wisdom, and to be real honest with you, chief, it’s not gonna work.

 

Jack chuckles to himself as he continues.

 

Jack: I don’t have to seek retribution in any way shape or form. I can tell you with a smile on my face, I’ve done and said some shitty things, I’ve never said I was a saint, so I don’t try and act like one. I told everybody from day 1 that I was out for me. I was out to get what I want, and I don’t care who I have to step on, or offend, to get there. You know damn well you didn’t do that, and you know damn well this is just an act. Until you lose that championship, this will be what you’re selling. A “make good.” No motherfucker, if you really were about this, you would have been about it last year. You would have been doing this your whole career, instead you’ve done the opposite, and then tried to “clean yourself up” multiple times. Only to go right back to how you were last year. You change your attitude like your fucking tighty-whiteys when the situation suits you. All you are, is a salesman, and piss poor one at that.

 

I am happy with the person I am, Alex, you are not. You and are not the same. Let’s just cut that shit out right now. I’ve done this, on my own, I’ve built myself up, by myself, I didn’t need anybody, and I don’t need anybody around me to do it. You have to surround yourself with these other fucking terrible people to justify yourself. I don’t have to justify myself to anybody. If you want the truth, you know where you can get it. You may not like it, but it’s going to be how I do it. I’ve said plenty of times before I’m not out here, wearing a white hat. I cheat, I am not a nice person, I will gladly take any victory I can, any way I can, and I will not lose sleep over how it gets done. In my eyes, I should have been the world champion sooner in this company, because I rose to the top of it, faster than anybody, ever. I have backed up every single thing I’ve ever said, Alex. You can call it cocky, or arrogant, but if you utter from your lips that I’m not as good as I think I am, what the hell does that make you when I beat YOU to win my first world title? Who in the hell are you, my guy? You are not anywhere close to my league, and you never were, even in your prime in 1938, you would not have beaten me last year. You’re so wrapped up in your fantasy world, you have lost sight of the reality of who I am. I came here, and said what I was going to do, and I did it. Did you Alex? No, you didn’t. You had to keep banging your drum like “I’ve done this and I’ve done this, you should respect me!”

 

Nobody has any respect for you, because you don’t even have respect for yourself. And that’s a fact.

 

Jack rubs at his eyes with his fingers, feigning pain.

 

Jack: You’re pitiful Alex, So I’m going to do the world a favor in Madison Square Garden, and beat your ass again, in the ring. And I will take the SCW world championship from you, and then, you can fuck off with your retribution bullshit.  I just wonder how you live with yourself, and how you sleep at night, knowing how fake you are. This isn’t even a good story to try and tell Alex, and you know that, deep down, you know that and you’re only kidding yourself. If this is the best you can come up with in order to actually beat me, you are in for a worse beating than you got last time. I made no bones about being the face of this franchise, and that’s the truth. You are being FED to me, as I beat you, and I take what I deserve. This is just history repeating itself, you will be smashed in the middle of that ring, and I will hold up MY championship over your broken body. And then, then I would very much like to hear how you still regret things. I still want you to keep searching for that retribution. Please, I’m begging you, keep this same energy my guy, because you will find NOTHING at High Stakes that even looks like retribution. All you will find, is me, ready to beat your ass, and then I will take you apart, piece by piece and then afterward, you can go on a spiritual quest to find this retribution you seek. As long as you are out of my way, I don’t give a shit what you do.

 

Just, for real, stop this bullshit and be who you really are. Then again, do you even know who you are? Do you even know anything about yourself? No, because anything you think you know about yourself, is up for debate. You’re still searching for answers. So when you sit there and you call me insecure, you’re really just trying to relate yourself to me. You want to see yourself in me. I am not you Alex. I have no reason to be insecure, I cut through this company like a hot knife through butter, and you think I am insecure? What reason do I have to be insecure, Alex? Please, tell me, because I’m struggling for an answer. You have every reason to be insecure because people like me, come along and they show you how much of a failure you are. So no, I’m not you.  I never want to be you. I’m better than that. I’m better than you. And at High Stakes, I will prove it again. 

 

High Stakes is where I take back what’s mine. It’s a simple transaction, Alex. Your compliance is not required. You can put up all the fronts you want, you can spew all the bullshit you want about retribution, all of it, is not going to prevent me from getting back in my rightful spot. I earned it already, and I’ve already jumped through every hoop there is to jump through. You’re just the last one. I hope you have been keeping my championship shiny and warm, because that’s all you are good for right now. For you, there is no saving you from what’s going to happen. 

 

I’m going to beat you, Alex. I’m going to destroy you, Alex. And there’s two things you can do it about it.  Nothing, and like it.

The championship is coming back where it belongs.

See you in New York, you bitch.

 

Jack stares intently into the camera as we cut to black.

Click.

Prologue:

Jack was now the number one contender after his victory over Fenris and Senor Vinnie two weeks ago, and he had etched his name into one of the main events for High Stakes. Jack was headed to New York City to face Alex Jones for the SCW Heavyweight championship, and was now going for feat accomplished only by two other wrestlers in SCW History. Jack had cleared all the challenges set for him, and now there was only one final hurdle for Jack was in Madison Sqaure Garden, a final mixed tag team match between champions, and their challengers. Jack of course was on the challenger’s side, teaming with Crystal Zdunich to face the champions, Amber Ryan and Alex Jones, all the while the special referee, would be none other than Roxi Johnson. 

 

Jack was dubious of this match, and in reality, he wanted no part of it, as he felt this was beneath him. But he would need to live up to his self-proclaimed monitor and be the “Face of the Franchise” and participate in the match regardless of how he actually feels about it. With his immense dislike of pretty much everyone on the roster, it’s hard to figure that Jack would be a team player in this sense. Teaming with Crystal Zdunich presents its own challenges, so Jack automatically felt his back was against the wall. How would Jack fair in this encounter, knowing what it could mean headed into High Stakes?

We’ll have to see just what shakes up.

 

Outside the ring, Jack was now dealing with being followed and tailed by the Mexicans. Although he was working with them, his relationship was becoming rockier and rockier each passing day. Though Jack was now working against them by working with Sonny to destroy the shipments of the Mexican’s product coming out his casino, alliances are becoming more and more fragile as this time passes. There going to be another meeting between Jack and Ana Sofia, but with Jack knowing about the tail, and making sure Ana Sofia knew about the tail, there are clearly many trust issues going on all over the place here. How would this exchange go down, and how much rope would Ana Sofia give Jack to hang himself with? Or was there yet another angle to this that could make things much clearer in the grand scheme of things?

 

Only one way to find out.

--

Grand Flamingo Casino

Las Vegas, NV

2 months ago

 

Jack once again pulled up in his car after some time had passed since Sonny’s men ambushed the convoy of product again. Jack stormed down to the underground portion of the casino, below the parking garage and ran into Jorge who was waiting, hands on hips, his head down.

 

Jack: Again?

 

Jorge: Yes, Mr. Jack.

 

Jack feigned anger, but he certainly looked the part.

 

Jack: Jorge, I don’t like when people fuck with my money. I really don’t. This is the second time that this has happened. The same people, Jorge. The same people.

 

Jorge: Si, Mr. Jack.

 

Jack: You have to do something to switch it up. Something, ANYTHING. I’m getting really fucking tired, Jorge, of coming down here at all hours of the night, because you guys can’t handle a SIMPLE OPERATION! Now, what am I supposed to tell Ana Sofia? Because she’s gonna call me, Jorge. She’s gonna call me, and she’s gonna chew my ass out because you all can’t get your shit together for longer than a couple of weeks! So you tell me, Jorge. Wham I supposed to say?

 

Jorge: Yo no se?

 

Jack: Yeah, of course you don’t know. Is anybody dead, Jorge?

 

Jorge, Si, Mr. Jack?

 

Jack: Well, that’s fucking fantastic, isn’t it? I should fire you, Jorge. I really should, but I can’t make that call, because I have to actually sit around and wait for a call. I hope you get your shit together really fucking fast Jorge.

 

Jack angrily rubbed his head and face with his hands, frustrated and angry. He walked away for a split second and then came back.

 

Jack: Is the whole thing gone, too?

 

Jorge: Si, Mr. Jack.

 

Jack: God dammit. Fix your shit, Jorge.

 

Jack walked away again, this time swearing loud enough that everyone within earshot could hear it before he came back up through the elevator to his manager’s office.  He sat in the office for a few minutes, just thinking about how this next conversation would go, and while he told the tail previously to tell Ana-Sofia he knew about it, it wasn’t sure if it was delivered.

 

He made a quick phone call.

 

Jack: Looks like your fireworks went off again.

 

Sonny: Yeah, they did. Make an awful noise, sorry if that keeps you awake.

 

Jack: You know, sometimes they look so beautiful, it’s easy to forgive.

 

Sonny: Everything else go alright, I take it?

 

Jack: I’m gonna have to talk with the boss lady here at some point soon. She’s not going to be happy.

 

Sonny: I wouldn’t be either. But fuck ‘em. They need to know who’s town this is, and look at this this, kid, we’re saving a bunch of lives.

 

Jack: I guess that is one way to look at it. Never thought of it that way.

 

Sonny: Always gotta look on the bright side.

 

Jack: Alright, I’ll let you know when the time is good for the next one. Until then, just... you know, keep the noise down.

 

Sonny: You got it, kid.

 

Jack: Pleasure doing business with ya.

 

Jack hung the phone, and no sooner had he hit end, then the second call came in. Of course it was Ana-Sofia. Once again, she requested a meet-up

 

--

Parking lot

Las Vegas, NV

 

Jack again pulled into the parking lot to meet the limo like he had done before. He parked his car and waited. Two other men got out of the limo as Jack exited his car. He was guided over and searched once again, before getting into the limo, to see Ana Sofia, sitting there with her arms crossed and a scowl on her face. Jack returned with one of his own, as the two sat in an uncomfortable silence for a moment, until Ana Sofia finally broke it.

 

Ana Sofia: Mr. Jack, it is happening again.

 

Jack: I know. I don’t know what to tell you.

 

Ana Sofia: Why is this happening? This is what you must tell me.

 

Jack: I don’t know. Somebody, somewhere is leaking the information. It has to be. Once may be dumb luck, but twice isn’t something I take lightly. There is someone doing this against us.

 

Ana Sofia: And do you believe you know who it is?

 

Jack: No, I don’t. If I knew, I’d put a stop to it. 

 

Ana Sofia: And no one from your side knows about this?

 

Jack: No. They only one who knows is me. Benny doesn’t know, I did this on purpose to stop him from screwing it up.

 

Ana Sofia: This is becoming too dangerous.

 

Jack: Well, what do you want to do? I don’t like losing money any more than you do.

 

Ana Sofia: We must find out who knows these things, and we must eliminate them.

 

Jack: You might want to start with your people. If Jorge isn’t doing it himself, then maybe he knows. But you’re the boss.

 

Ana Sofia: I am many things, Mr. Jack. One of them is not stupid.

 

Jack: And you think I’m stupid? Is that it?

 

Ana Sofia: It is possible.

 

Jack: Yes, Ms. Ana-Sofia, I know what’s going on. I’m only putting myself, and my patrons at risk by housing your operation. I am giving you shelter, but I’m messing it up, my people are messing it up, so that I can sit through these meetings and get yelled at. That doesn’t make a lot of sense, does it?

 

Ana Sofia: It does not, but that does not make it impossible.

 

Jack: So, you don’t trust me, is that it? Is that why you’re sending your men to follow me?

 

Ana Sofia didn’t respond to that.

 

Ana Sofia: I am protecting myself, Mr. Jack.

 

Jack: No, you’re hurting the business partnership we have. How are we going to work together, if you don’t trust me? I have done everything you have asked of me, and more.

 

Ana Sofia: Everything?

 

Jack: Everything.

 

Ana Sofia: You did not take out the basuda like I asked you to start with.

 

Jack: What?

 

Ana Sofia: The car. With the basuda in it.

 

Jack: The car? You told me to burn the car and I did. I got rid of it.

 

Ana Sofia: Not the basuda.

 

Jack: What are you talking about?

 

Ana Sofia: We had an agreement and you did not dispose of the girl we asked you to.

 

Jack: What girl?

 

Ana Sofia: In the trunk. She got out.

 

Jack: You had a girl in the trunk of that girl? How the hell was I supposed to know that, Ms. Ana Sofia? You didn’t tell me.

 

Ana Sofia: Perhaps, but perhaps you let her out.

 

Jack: I didn’t know she was in there. 

 

Ana Sofia: Would you have done this, if we told you?

 

Jack: ….

 

Ana Sofia: This is why we watch you, Mr. Jack. 

 

Jack: Okay, fine. And outside of that little hiccup, I’ve done everything I can to work with you. But here we are, and you have tails on me. If you want this to work, then you have to trust me. If I can’t be trusted, and I can’t trust you, then this isn’t going to work, and you, not me, will be worse off for it. I just want you to think about that.

 

Ana Sofia: Yes, Perhaps I will.

 

Jack: Now, I’ll ask around about anybody seeing anything suspicious in the garage, but I know it’ll come back clean. If you do the same, maybe we’ll both find what we’re looking for.

 

Ana Sofia: Maybe. Yes, maybe we will. We will speak again Mr. Jack.

 

Jack: We will. In the meantime, I would kindly ask you to stalk watching me and get your people in line before this whole thing goes back.

 

Ana Sofia said nothing as Jack knocked on the window and the limo door was opened. Jack went back to his car and watched as Ana Sofia departed. As soon as Jack turned his car on, there was a tap at the window, and a pistol aimed at him. A voice rang out, familiar to Jack.

 

Voice: Turn the car off and roll down the window.

 

Jack did as he was instructed, and looked out ot see Detective De La Fuente again. 

 

Jack: Jessica?

 

Jessica: John, what the hell are you doing?

 

Jack: What I have to.

 

Jessica: Don’t make me have to make this a bigger problem than it is, John.

 

Jack: I will do it my way, Jess. I told you I would do it my way.

 

Jessica: People are dying right now, John.

 

Jack: And it’s nobody I care to know. That’s the difference. You do your job Jessica, I’ll do mine.

 

Jessica: John, I’m telling you this one more time: Do the right thing.

 

Jack didn’t respond. He glared at Jessica, and shook his head, and rolled up the window, before driving off.

 

--


Click.

Jack sits in his recliner, reclined back, with a somewhat satisfied look on his face as he begins.


Jack: I told you. I told you that when I came back to Sin City wrestling that it was about one thing, and one thing only. I told you it was about getting back what is mine and what is mine is the SCW world heavyweight championship. And you know everybody that was making these matches tried to make me jump through hoops, and they tried to give me every challenge possible to make sure that I didn't get this opportunity again. you know what I did? I jumped through every single hoop, I passed every single test with flying colors, and now I am getting what I deserve. and there is nothing that anybody could do about it. You tried your best, you put every obstacle you could in front of me, and what happened? I mowed them all down. but to quote another fighter I'm not surprised. As a matter of fact, NOBODY should be surprised that I won every single match that I had and that I beat Fenris’ brother and then I beat Fenris himself, and Senor Vinnie, to get here. People around here indeed learn they should stop doubting me when it comes to me, getting what I want. I will beat anybody I have to beat and I will do anything that I have to do if it means I get what I want in the end.  you can call me an asshole, you can call me a jerk, call me a cheater, whatever it is that you want to call me go ahead but the one thing that you're not going to call me, and that you're never going to be able to call, me is a liar.

 

I know that's popular with people these days just making up stories about themselves to make themselves sound a lot more interesting than they are but I don't have to do that. people have to walk around here and pad their numbers people have to walk around here and make up records about themselves and brag about title reigns. I don't have to do that. I don't have to practice one thing and preach another. everything that I say that I'm going to do, I do. the proof is in the pudding. and you may not like it, but that's the way that it is. And you may be wondering why I didn’t show up in my hometown of Philadelphia last week, the answer to that, is simple. It’s none of your god damn business. All you need to know, is Philly is my time, and it always be my town.

 

 Anyway, now that all of the hoops have been jumped through all of the i's have been dotted at all of the Tees have been crossed, we are a very short time away for me getting back what is mine. and what that means is, Alex Jones’ days as the SCW world heavyweight champion are numbered. it is only a matter of time before I beat Alex Jones’ ass and I take back my championship. but I guess now we get a little bit of a warm up, we get a tune up before we hit High Stakes. get a little bit of a preview as I was shows gets to look into my eyes one more time and realize how screwed he actually is.

 

Jack scoffs and shakes his head before continuing.

 

Jack: but the fact of the matter is I don't give a rats ass about this mixed tag match. I don't care about Crystal Zdunich being my partner. I don't care about Amber Ryan being on the other team and I surely don't care about Alex Jones. all this matches to me is just a little bit of a preview like I said. all Crystal has to do is not screw the whole thing up, and be semi competent for about 10 to 15 minutes and we should be fine. all she's gotta do is get into the ring, do whatever it is that she does and then, when she's completely soaked up all the spotlight that she possibly can, reach out, tag me, I will finish this off I will take the spotlight where I belong and we will win. It's a very simple story that we're trying to tell here. or I could just beat Alex Jones’s ass the whole match, pin him or tap him out, and then walk away and not even give Crystal the opportunity to screw the whole thing up. Because if there’s one thing that Crystal is known for, it's screwing shit up. Well it may just be screwing, but that's none of my business. all she has to do is not get her ass kicked for the entire match.  And for a person who is a six-time champion, this should not be a problem, but you know I have my doubts. 

 

I mean, I obviously should have my doubts when the last time she was in the ring with Amber Ryan, Amber kicked her ass. But you know I'm stressing too much over this already. this match is nothing but a circus we got champions we got contenders we got a special referee for no reason. all of this is just to delay the inevitable. and look as far as the superhero goes, As long as you stay out of my way, we won't have any problems. you just call the match down the middle, you count the pinfall when I pin Alex Jones or you register the submission would I tap out Alex Jones, and you raise my hand at the end, we won't have a problem. After all that? Do whatever the hell you want. And the same goes for Amber Ryan. You stay out of my way and we don't have a problem. I already don't trust anything that bleeds for seven days and doesn't die, and with the way you’re covered in scars, it looks like you bleeds every day. so you keep your spooky zombie voodoo chick ass away from me and we don't have a problem. It's just too bad that your punk-ass cowboy boyfriend wasn’t tough enough to keep the championship so I could take it from him. Then HE could have been in than this match and got the same thing that Alex Jones is going to get. But whatever, I'll let Crystal try her luck against Amber Ryan 'cause I ain’t worried about it.

 

Jack now wears a slight smirk on his face as he goes to address his opponnent.

 

Jack: Now, Alex Jones you may have noticed what I've been talking about this that I really haven't given you much attention, and you know why I haven't given you much attention? because you don't deserve it. all you are to me right now is the person who has my championship I'm not quite sure how you got it I'm not quite sure how you retained it. Obviously, the talent level in this company has dropped off significantly since I left, but it seems now that any schmuck who has even remote amount of talent can win the world heavyweight championship. That is the only explanation for why you even have it right now. you were in the right place at the right time I guess. there is NO reason that you should be even sniffing the world championship. You could sit here and you can talk about how you're a Triple Crown this, and how you have one all of these championships, and how you're a Hall of Fame level wrestler, and how you have all of these accomplishments, and you know what it means to me? Nothing. it means absolutely nothing to me Alex, just like you. as far as I'm concerned, I beat you last year and I'm done with you you're in the rearview mirror for me. you somehow were in the right place at the right time and now you have what is mine. and I'm going to take it from you. Again. that's all I really need to say about you as far as this match goes it's a throwaway tag team match. 

 

Yes, it's a main event and I was born to be in the main event, but the fact of the matter is that you are completely out of place in this match if you think about it. Seriously, think about this Alex, you have 3 top women's wrestler in the world, I guess. Then you have the number one contender and the face of this company, the face of this franchise and then there's you. you are a blind squirrel who found an acorn. I really hope you are proud of yourself for doing that. Obviously the cowboy sucks because he couldn't beat you not once, but twice. I was going to say that maybe he had an off night but the fact is no, he's terrible. I mean, imagine being so bad that Alex Jones actually beats you repeatedly. That's how terrible the Cowboy is. it's actually pretty ridiculous. And if you're going to try and tell me that you're too cool for all this, or that you’ve seen it all before... you're right. You have seen it all before and it beats you. I beat you convincingly last year. I made you a transitional champion and I will do it again at High Stakes. but right now? this tag team match it means nothing. it's a little hype, it's a big circus. It's a big show and it's going to be a painful preview for you and what's going to happen at High Stakes. 

 

So you have really one of two choices Alex. I mean at the end of the day it doesn't really matter what you choose because the end result will be the same. I'm just curious as to what exactly you have to say to me. your first choice is to go out on your sword. you can start this week and you can tell me how much I have left to learn about how you're looking forward to facing me, at about how you will go down swinging to keep the championship away from me. that is literally your best option. or you can do what Alex Jones always does. try and play it cool an act like you're above all of this. you can put on the facade all you want about how this is just how it champion acts. you can try and play the moral high ground you can try and play the wanna-be badass. tell me how you're gonna show me what it's like to be a real champion. you can start that this week. and the reason that you could start that this week in the reason that it might even be successful it's because I don't care about this match. if it wasn't for the money involved in this, I wouldn't have declined being part of this match, at all. I can't let good money go to waste. Especially when it comes to losing it to somebody like you.

 

at the end of the day Alex this mixed tag match is just going to be another lesson for you. or evidence I am the face of this franchise. at everything I say I mean. I don't mince words I don't sugarcoat anything I tell you like it is and it's too bad if you don't like it. I will tell you you suck today I will tell you you suck on Sunday they will tell you suck at High Stakes. this is just money in my pocket Alex and to be perfectly honest with you, you could be interchanged with anyone else at this point it could have been the Cowboy. it could've been Fenris. It could have been Senor Vinnie it could have been Kris Ryans, it could have been anybody, I'd say the exact same thing to them that I am to you. it wouldn't be any different. this is just going to be me being the team player that I am being the face of this company that I am going out there and doing what needs to be done in order to properly make sure that everybody knows that I am the reason that people are going to purchase and come to this super card. I'm going to make sure that they sell out Madison Square Garden.  So if you, and Crystal, and Amber, and the Superhero all pay attention... I will show you how this is done.

 

Keep my championship shined up, Alex. it's coming home real soon.

 

Jack makes a “Shoo” motion for the camera to go away as we fade to black

Click.

Prologue:

Jack made his triumphant return to SCW wrestling just a couple of weeks ago, a successful match and victory over Austin James Mercer. Jack made no bones about what his future plans were, and that was to challenge for the SCW World championship in the near future. Jack laid out the challenge, and expected it to be answered or accepted, but before that couple happen, Candy, SCW’s newest management figure placed Jack in a different match for Violent Conduct, putting her own spin on things and throwing a wrench into Jack’s plan. Now, Jack would be facing off with Fenris, an SCW mainstay in something called a “Unicorn Pudding” match, and Jack was clearly unhappy about it. So much so, that he tweeted about it, which in these days was rare for Jack to do. But in the second half of that tweet, Jack did mention that he would participate in said match, even though he felt it beneath him, as he was now looking at this as simply a match to get through, and remove any and all doubts that he was a true contender to the world championship. The question now was whether or not Jack’s match would even take place, as even his opponent, was shocked and appalled by the match type, and was even threatening to not participate at all. Jack was still going to prepare as if this match was going to take place, as he planned on winning, regardless.

 

Outside the ring, Jack’s plan with Sonny was successful as the drugs coming out of his building were attacked and destroyed by Sonny’s people to mess with the Mexicans. The whole idea was that Jack could make the Mexican re-think this deal, if the attacks continued. Jack wasn’t in the security providing business, just sheltering. The attack was beneficial, and Jack played his part in acting like this was a bad thing, though he was very, very happy that none of the blame was on him. The only flaw in Jack’s plan seemed to be that he probably too quickly placed the blame on a “mole” in the group. Though this may end up speeding up the disolussion of the deal with the Mexican’s it was just the first attack after weeks of successful drops. Jack would need to smooth this out with Ana Sofia before it went any further and things go out of hand. 

 

So Jack wasn’t quite out of the woods just yet, but it was going to be trying his best to get out of not one, but two sticky situations, before they got worse. Only time would tell how successful Jack would be.

 

--

Empty Parking Lot

Las Vegas, NV

 

Jack sat in his car alone and waited. Arriving at some point would be Ana Sofia to discuss what happened with Sonny’s men messing up the shipment. Jack knew he had to make this convincing, but also knew that if Ana Sofia saw through anything Jack was doing, the problem would escalate to a situation that Jack was not going to be prepared for. 

 

He readied himself as soon, a limo pulled into the parking lot and stopped. Headlights off, and a man got out of the limo, as Jack opened up his car door and was approached. 

 

Man: Mr. Jack.

 

Jack: I know the drill.

 

Jack extended his arm to be patted down. This happened every time he came into contact with Ana Sofia, or was going to. Ana Sofia took no chances when it came to meetings. Jack soon escorted to the limo after the pat down was clean. He was ushered in and the door closed, with the man standing right beside the door. Inside were two more men who were no doubt armed in case anything happened, and Ana Sofia, who sat with a less than pleasant look on her face.

 

Ana Sofia: Mr. Jack, I do not understand how this happened.

 

Jack: They had to be watching, waiting for the moment to strike. That’s all I can figure, either that, or someone is setting both of us up to be ripped off. 

 

Ana Sofia: Maybe they watch, maybe they watch. I know these men you have, they are good men. They are loyal to me and they will not betray me. 

 

Jack: If you say so, Ms. Ana Sofia.

 

Ana Sofia: I know this, Mr. Jack. I know the men I send to you are good men, they work hard, they get paid. They will not betray me. So maybe it is your people.

 

Jack: My people are just watching and doing security for a delivery. They don’t know what goes in, or what goes out. All they say is a truck come in, and a truck come out like any other delivery that comes into the Casino. They don’t know anything. I made sure of it. So it’s not my people.

 

Ana Sofia: Do you think there is person who is betraying us?

 

The question stops Jack in his tracks for a second, he looks around for a moment, and then shrugs.

 

Jack: I don’t know. I may have been a little too hasty in saying that and I want to believe that someone just watched and made the hit. I was angry and upset when I said that. I wasn’t thinking clearly about the whole thing. I was mad about losing money. You know how that is. I don’t want to lose money, and neither do you, and I certainly don’t wanna lose money for you. You paid me a lot in our deal to help you move your stuff, and that’s not something I take lightly.

 

Ana Sofia stared at Jack for the longest time. She was unsure of him now. This, combined with the woman he failed to kill made her weary of him. She finally took a breath and broke the silence.

 

Ana Sofia: Mr. Jack, this is very troubling, and I do not know if you can be a part of this anymore. You, you have been loyal to me, and maybe this was one time. We must be more careful about when we do this moving. 

 

Jack: Of course.

 

Ana Sofia: All movements must be done at night, after the midnight hour. You will know this and only you. I will instruct my men to move at the time. We will see who is being loyal and who is not being loyal.

 

Jack: You have my word, Ms. Ana Sofia. If I was betraying you, why would I not just make the move after the 1st time? I already know the schedule and I already have the times, but many of them went through perfectly. This was us being too predictable I feel. If we change our times, maybe vary our times, we are less predictable, and then, maybe we can catch them in the act.

 

Ana Sofia again stared at Jack and then slowly nodded her head.

 

Ana Sofia: Yes, but it will be after the midnight hour. 

 

Jack: Of course.

 

Ana Sofia: Very well, we will speak again Mr. Jack.

 

Ana Sofia motioned for the man on Jack’s left to knock on the door. The man outside opened the door and Jack exited and went back to his car. He waited until Ana Sofia’s limo drove away before he too vacated the area, Jack unsure if he dodged a bullet or not. 

 

 

--

Washington Estate,

Las Vegas, NV.

 

Jack quickly drove himself home and came inside. He plopped himself on the couch and sat there in for a moment before Brian wandered into the kitchen again, shaking his head the entire time.

 

Brian: Well, you’re alive, so I guess it went well, right?

 

Jack: Maybe. I don’t know. She kept asking about changing the time, which is fine, I think I got her off the trail I went down a little early. 

 

Brian: It’s a dangerous game lying to powerful people.

 

Jack: I know that, but the fact is I can’t have this at the Casino. I need to get it out, and this is the only way to do it.

 

Brian: It’s not the only way.

 

Jack glared at Brian

 

Jack: I’m not doing that thing with Jessica. It’s not happening. I’m not a snitch.

 

Brian: But you are, aren’t you?

 

Jack: What the hell are you talking about?

 

Brian: You’re ratting out Ana Sofia to Sonny. Or did I miss the part where Sonny magically figured out which trucks to hit? You’re ratting people out to save your skin.

 

Jack angrily got up and scoffed.

 

Jack: I’m not doing anything like that. It’s bad business to have a god damn drug operation operating in my casino. Period. What am I supposed to do, just cut the shit off and then what? Then what Brian? They come for me, they come for you, they come for Jason? They kill all of us and then fucking Benny? It’s bad for business, and bad for family.

 

Brian: You made the mess, Stick.

 

Jack: I know I did. I needed the money. That’s what this was about. Money, and getting my foot in the door. And now that I’m inside, there’s no need for the deals I made. All I need is for Ana Sofia to get too distracted dealing with Sonny and she breaks it off. Then I’m out of being in the middle of the war.

 

Brian: No, you won’t be. You’ll be indebted to both sides.

 

Jack: What?

 

Brian: Now that both sides have worked with you, and you worked for them, you don’t think they’re going to call on you for more help? You don’t think they’re going to keep coming for you until one, or the other, is dead and gone? Because that’s what's going to happen. Guaranteed.

 

Jack: I don’t have anything to offer. I don’t have men to fight. I have casino people. 

 

Brian: And where do you think these people are going to want to do business? In your casino. They are going to want to do hits, and take people out, your place will become a warzone if you let it. There is no easy break from this, except going with Jessica. 

 

Jack: I can’t.

 

Brian: It’s your funeral, Stick. I’m just telling you your options.

 

Jack: And what would you do?

 

Brian: Jessica’s gonna arrest or get the LVPD to arrest a lot of folks connected with this. Maybe even you. But if you’re just an innocent bystander, then you can get off from that. Jessica can pull some strings, that’s why it pays to have a cop on your side sometimes. Jessica can easily get you in and out of trouble. Plus, despite what you may think, she cares about you.

 

Jack: She’s being loyal to my dad. Nothing else. Everybody made the promise to keep me out of harm’s way because I wasn’t involved. Well, fuck it, Brian, I’m involved now, aren’t I? I’m up shit’s creek without a paddle and you want me to turn over the people who helped me get where I am?

 

Brian: You wanted to do this on your own, right? And if you did, you wouldn’t have opened the casino in the first place, Stick. You wanted to a legit business, but you took your father’s money to help finance it. You knew what that was gonna do. Start a trail. Hell, Jessica can probably help you disappear if worse comes to worse. 

 

Jack: I am a public figure now. A wrestler, multiple time world champion. I’m not exactly great at fucking hiding it. Instead I have to have this kind of shit around me. I have alarms and shit on this house. I can never stay in on spot too long because there might still be people who want to send goons here to kill me. I’m in this shit, Brian, and casino or not, it was going to happen. I don’t like this any more than you do, but god damn it, this is the way I have to do it.

 

Brian just shook his head as he turned, heading back towards his bedroom.

 

Brian: It’s the way you want to do it. It ain’t gonna turn out how you like, but... it’s the way you want to do it. Do it your way, Stick. And we’ll see ya in the morning.

 

Brian then went out of sight, back into his room as Jack leaned back. There were many options to weigh.

 

 

--


Click. 


Jack is where he usually is, with the usual scowl on his face, clearly unhappy about something, as he usually is. He just stares into the camera for a few seconds, before sighing and leaning forward

 

Jack: This is the thanks I get around here. This is how I am rewarded for making a triumphant return to SCW, here to give you the show you actually want to see. Things were going so well for SCW until I lost the championship, then you had Mark Cross wander around aimlessly with my championship and promptly lose it to the cowboy and you know, at least he’s somewhat interesting, but everybody knows, when I came back, all that shit came to an end. I laid it all out for everybody in SCW and what happens? A whole lot of nothing. A big fucking goose egg because apparently, the brass in SCW either wants to milk this, or they are afraid of money. It’s one or the other and I’m not really sure which that it is. I laid out the challenge to the Cowboy, and what happens? Nothing. Who do they pick, who get the nod? Alex Fucking Jones? I mean... are we serious right now? Or are we just trying to build up Old Tex over there so he looks better? You cannot sit here and seriously try and tell me that Alex Jones is worth two shits right now. I drove him to the depths he is now, and like a damn zombie, he has risen from the dead. He deserves NOTHING, you understand that? Not a damn thing. He needs to rot away on the SCW Roulette division because that’s where he belongs. Stop teasing his piece of garbage like he has any value besides making other pretend champions look like they are worth a damn. It’s embarrassing. 

 

And what do I get for my hard work and effort? What do I for making a huge return, and beating the crap out of Austin Mercer, yet again, and proving how much he sucks, yet again? A goofy ass match that someone insane woman figures is cute and funny. A Unicorn pudding match? What the fuck, SCW? How is this woman allowed near sharp objects, let alone control of the match making around here? What the hell is this match anyway? Oh, that’s right, only the crazy person knows. DO YOU NOT SEE THE FUCKING PROBLEM WITH THIS? HUH? This is an insult to me, and really, an insult to Fenris. I’d be more than happy to whoop Fenris’s ass any day of the week under normal circumstances, but this ridiculous ass match is sad and pathetic and only people who are... morbidly curious are going to even bother with this. Again, I ask you, how do you let this woman have any power whatsoever? What does she have on any of you? This woman should be in the looney bin and here she is, deciding my fate? Deciding many other people’s fate with stupid ass stipulation. This woman literally questioned whether or not I was actually related to George Washington. 

 

ARE YOU HEARING THIS AS I AM SPEAKING? 

 

This is unbelievable and I should demand an apology for this bullshit. You know it, I know it. You should be apologizing to every single person who has been placed in any match by this lunatic! You should be fucking ashamed of this.

 

Jack stops himself, holding his head in his hands and sighing loudly. He shakes his head and rolls his eyes in disgust. After a moment, he calms himself down and continues.

 

Jack: But you know what? You know what? This isn’t even the first time this dumb shit has happened. You all made me defend my SCW world championship in a stupid corn maze on Halloween last year. You made me do that as a title defense. So, as far as I’m concerned, you all are just as guilty as this crazy woman is. So fine, you know, I will play your stupid game. Yeah, I’ll play your stupid game, and I’ll win. You know why? Because I, unlike some people around here, I’m a team player. I am the face of this franchise after all, and when I say what I am, I mean it. I don’t stand out here and lie and bullshit people about who I am, and what I’m about. I’m about getting to the top. And if that means I have to go through this stupid ass match, that means I’m gonna go through with this stupid ass match. I just expect after I destroy Fenris, and I leaving him... I don’t know, covered in whatever the fuck Unicorn pudding is, that I will be rewarded and not subjected to this nonsense for a long time, preferably FOREVER. I worked too long and too hard to have this bullshit continue to happen. 

 

At the end of the day, all I care about is getting my championship back and getting right back to the spot where I belong. On top. I have come here and in less than two years become the best thing this company has seen in a long, long time. I may talk a lot of shit, that’s what I do, that’s what I’m about. But unlike a lot of these clowns, I can back it up. I can make good on my threats, and if I have to drown Fenris is this stupid Unicorn pudding, I will. Many, many people have made giant mistakes in doubting that I can back up what I say. I have proved everyone wrong. I don’t mean to brag, but that’s just the truth. What have I said that I was going to do, that I failed to do? The answer, is nothing. I say I’m gonna whoop a man’s ass, I whoop a man’s ass. It’s pretty straightforward. I don’t tap dance around when it comes to this. I go for the jugular. I aim for the head, because that’s the way I get things done. If you don’t like it, tough shit, that’s how I roll.

 

Jack again shakes his head in disgust before continuing.

 

Jack: And so, Fenris. Look, my guy, I know you and I agree on one thing, this match, is stupid. I don’t like it, you don’t like it, but you know, all I have seen from you, for a long time is whining and complaining and not actually taking control of your situation. You have a shot to actually be more than a piece of meat for guys and girls to drool over. Maybe you enjoy that more than wrestling, but I don’t. So you know what, I can do you a favor. Not the kind of favor you may be thinking about, but look, all those drooling losers can oogle you while you’re covering in pudding. Huh, get those thirst trap photos for everybody. That’s what you do. That’s what you’re focused on. I’ve seen it, and hell, I’ve seen the way you look at me. I get it, it’s 2021, be you and all that, but make no mistake, I will not hesitate to take your arm, or your leg, or you back, or your neck, and break the damn thing if it means I win. You may think this shit is all sunshine and rainbows, but you are mistaken when it comes to dealing with me. I am as serious as a heart attack about this, no matter how stupid the stipulation is. 

And now I'm hearing you're so upset you might not even show? What kind of shit is that, Fenris? Why is there a god damn twitter poll that's taking bets you aren't going to show? You better fucking show up. I got no problem kicking your ass, but could you at least be a man about and show up? This is the kind of shit I'm dealing with SCW. This guy is so offended by a match type, and believe me, I'm not a fan of it either, but this guy is threatening to not be around for it?

You know what, all the more reason to remove Candy from her position.

 
Now Fenris, If you think that just because you at one time were the SCW world champion, that it makes me think twice about kicking your ass, it does not. I don’t give a damn about you being the champion, because you have to earn my respect, and very, very few people have done that around here. And those I do have a little respect for, I earned from them first. It’s what important to me more than a lot of things in this business, outside of money, and that championship, respect is what I’m about. And I’m already feeling like you don’t want to respect me. You don’t want to respect me because I went to the top faster than you. You have to beat some chump Ty West, and then you lost to Austin Mercer of all people, a dude I have regularly put on his ass? You expect me to now just be all whoa, Fenris is tough? No, sorry, it doesn’t work that way. What it means is that you either got lucky against Ty, or Austin had some kind of miracle day against you. Which means you are soft. Because people like Austin? You stomp them down, you step on their neck and you keep that foot on their throat to remind them that anytime you want, you can take them out. You don’t let them up off the canvas, that’s a bunch of crap, Fenris. And you will find out that when I get people like you down, I will never ease up off your throat. If I have to, I will hurt you, I will cheat, I will steal this win, I will take it any way I can get it, Fenris.

 

Jack cynically laughs at something, holding up a finger to the camera.

 

Jack: And before you turn what I said into some kind of double Entrade, understand that I’m not here to play games. I’m here to win this dumb ass match, and it happens to be against you. You are just another name to me. You are simply the opponent I’m in this dumb ass match with. Nothing more. That’s what you mean to me, Fenris. You are a chump and I’m going to beat you, because above all else, that’s more money in my pocket when I go and cash that check from SCW. That’s what this is to me. You are just another name I get to cross off before I take the cowboy out, because if he loses to Alex fucking Jones, I will have lost all faith in anybody else to do anything correctly in this company. This match is a means to an end, Fenris. It’s what I have to go through to win, and get right back into contention, then so be it. I will do this stupid match, and win. If you wanna try and stop me, go right ahead, because you, like many others, will fail at doing so. I have a goal to achieve and a championship to win back. And you are standing in my way. And you should know by my track record how people do when they stand in my way. They get beat down, and eliminated. Maybe you will pop back up like Alex Jones, but it won’t be for a while. Not when I’m done with you. That, my guy, you can take to the fucking bank.

 

And just so Tex hears this, I know I have to earn a shot. I never expected it to be handed to me. I expected to have to fight my way back to the spot where I can whoop your ass and send you back to Texas with your lunatic wife and you can talk about death and destruction and oblivion and all that stupid crap all you want, but it won’t mean a damn thing to me when I have what my championship back and you are on the outside looking in. I laid it all out for you, and everyone else, you are on the list, and you will be dealt with in due time. If you haven’t been paying attention, you can just take a look at the SCW website and see what I’ve done and how quickly I have done it. It’s all right there for you. Don’t you dare look past me, or think that because I’m in this match with fucking pudding that I am any less of a threat. I am coming for you. 

 

And if by some act of god, you lose to Alex Jones, he already knows what time it is. He already knows what I can, and will do to him.

 

I will be the SCW champion again, and if you don’t believe me, watch what I do to Fenris.


Jack shoots another death glare to the camera as we go to black

Click.

Prologue: 

Jack was surprised at the vigor, and fire displayed by Mark Cross after watching his promotional material for the Into the Void supercard. So much so, that perhaps Jack was now caught off guard. He began to think that maybe he has underestimated Mark and now, he had to make sure he would not be surprised again. Maybe it was too late for that. That was a surprise, but this time, Jack had the luxury of time. There was time to recover from this miscalculation, but there wasn’t going to be a lot of it. The countdown was on, and Jack began training like a mad man, and looking at everything he could on Mark Cross. This was going to be a do or die situation

 

Outside the ring, Jack and Sonny were finally ready to move, as the Mexicans had taken up shop under Jack’s casino, but Jack wasn’t planning for them to stay very long. Sonny had convinced Jack to let the project run smoothly for a little while, and then Sonny would make his move. Jack was the setup man, and Sonny would knock them down and Jack would have to play multiple roles in how this would play out. But at the end of the day, Jack needed this to work, and if it did he could get rid of the Mexicans from being in his casino and possibly messing everything up, and maybe it would make him look better to Ana Sofia, who Jack was still in fear from, since Ana Sofia knew that Jack did not kill Marta, the woman in the trunk and instead let her live. This was all going to come to a head soon, but in the long run, Jack’s plan, if it all went well, would leave him smelling like roses.

 

--

Grand Flamingo Casino

Las Vegas, NV.

 

Jack sat back on the phone in the manager’s office.

 

Jack: Jorge, just checking in, everything okay?

 

Jorge: Si.

 

Jack: Good, a few of those boxes have gone out, yes?

 

Jorge: Si, no problem.

 

Jack: Good, good. I’m glad everything is working out. I’ll let you get back to it.

 

Jorge: Gracias, Mr. Jack.

 

Jack hung up the phone and rubbed his hands together. Everything was right of schedule, and in the process, Jack now had an idea to help out his family. He dialed his phone again and waited.

 

Jack: Jay, what’s up, man?

 

Jason: I’m good, bro.

 

Jack: Good, alright, come on up when you get a chance, I’ve got good news.

 

Jason: Yeah bro, I’ll be right up.

 

Jack again hung up the phone and waited patiently for Jason to arrive. After a few minutes, Jason entered the managers office and Jack leaned back on his chair with his feet up.

 

Jason: What’s up, Bro?

 

Jack: I pulled some strings, but I got you a good spot here in the casino.

 

Jason: Wait, really? Shit bro, that’s awesome.

 

Jack: Now, I guess I should rephrase that, because it’s not... exactly IN the casino.

 

Jason’s eyes narrow and his head cocks to the side, now he was getting concerned.

 

Jack: No, no, it’s nothing bad. I promise. I got you a job working security.

 

Jason: For real?

 

Jack: Yeah bro, I figure that you could easily handle that. You’re military. You ain’t gonna take shit from people. You know? A place where we can maximize your talents.

 

Jason: I... I guess. 

 

Jack: Bro, listen. You’ll be all over the place, and you'll be in those places no one else gets to go. I just need you to start in the garage.

 

Jason: What? The garage?

 

Jack: Yeah, just til you get comfortable. I had them install a shack down there and cameras and a tv and stuff, so you won’t be standing there bored off your ass the whole time. But I need someone to make sure deliveries are made and people go where they are supposed to go. I can’t really trust Benny to do this shit.

 

Jason: I don’t see why you trust him at all.

 

Jason: I don’t. But he’s got connections, and that helps in this city. I mean, it helps in every city, But I am not established here just yet. We’re making strides, but you know, I need someone I can trust having my back if people try and say we are doing them wrong. I need you. 

 

Jason sighed and laughed.

 

Jason: y... yeah man. Fuck it, I can’t complain, I need the work and shit. So yeah, count me in. 

 

Jack: Fuck yeah, bro. I knew I could count on you.

 

Jason: I owe you, bro. I really do.

 

Jack: That’s what family does, Jay, we help each other. Come on, I’ll show you around.

 

Jack escorted Jason down the elevators to the main parking lot. The two brothers walked to the guard shack where another guard already was. He quickly snapped up and looked at them.

 

Guard: Hello sir.

 

Jack: Relax, Douglas. I just want you to meet my brother, Jason. Jason’s gonna be joining your ranks soon helping out with the guard patrols so you guys aren’t working such long hours.

 

Douglas: Wow, uh... hey man, I’m Douglas.

 

Jason: What’s up?

 

Jack: No, starting tomorrow, Jason’s gonan be shadowing you. Teach him everything he needs to know, alright?

 

Douglas: No problem sir.

 

Jack: Alright. Good, anything come in?

 

Douglas: Just the truck that goes into the interior underground lot, sir.

 

Jack: Good, very good. Alright, I’ll let you get back to it.

 

Douglas: Yes sir.

 

Jack turned and lead Jason away,  and Jason seemed rather happy with the circumstances. Jack led Jason back to the manager’s office and poured himself a drink, downing it and patting Jason on the shoulder.

 

Jack: You’ll have it down in no time.

 

Jason: Thanks, bro.

 

Jack’s personal phone rang and he looked down at the number. He smirked and motioned he had to take the call.

 

Jack: Hello?

 

Sonny: Do they know anything yet?

 

Jack: Nope, but I don’t know which car you’re referring to for the warranty running out?

 

Sonny: Good work kid, I’ll take it from here,

 

Jack: Yeah, I don’t own that car.

 

Jack hung up the phone and smiled, sighing as he hugged his brother.

--

[/u][/color]

Click

 

Jack is seated, looking at a book “American Desperado” by Jon Roberts. He looks up and puts the book down, and places it by his side. Leaning forward on his couch, with the SCW World championship on his lap, he begins.

 

Jack: I’m a believer in a lot of things, you know? I’m a believer in what’s right is right. I’m a believer in doing what you need to do. I believe a lot of things. But I live by an easy code to live by. “Don’t trust anybody” Why is that? It’s really simple, people are fake as fuck in this world. I’ve seen it over and over in my life. People wanna high five you and tell you how great you are, but only if it means that they get something out of it. As long as they get a slice of the pie, everything’s cool. People just make shit up, because they aren’t interesting, and try to pass themselves off as genuine when they want to ride your coattails and be a success. And then, when you go down, they disappear. And they disappear and they come around and tell you that you never had it the first place, and what do they do? They leave you high and dry, because you aren’t on top anymore. They run away and  tell you that you they only associate with winners. They just want to say they are success, but there is a major difference between being a success, and being successful. 

 

Any asshole can win at something, any asshole can be good at something or get lucky and fall ass backwards into success. And the moment they do, they want all the credit, they want all the notoriety, they want all the praise, and they act like they did it all on their own due to some kind of skill or ability. When really, it’s fucking luck and that shit runs out eventually. So, everybody wants to soak up their 15 minutes of fame, and then turn around and judge people for theirs. It’s fucking stupid how petty and jealous other people can be. That shit is so strong in the SCW locker room it’s not even funny. It’s why I find it so hard to be back there with all that fake shit. The phony tough guys, the guys that know it all or they think they know it all, book smart but no god damn common sense. It’s just all so artifical that it makes me sick. I always knew I was the realest guy in the room any time I walked into one, but SCW has cemented that for me and made it easy to figure out. 

 

People smiling in your face and stabbing you in the back. That’s why, you only give someone a little bit when you help you, then, you can watch them and see what they do, and allow them to dry their own line in the sand. You have to understand that none of these mother fuckers NONE of them really have each other’s backs, and they’d turn on each other at the drop of a hat if it meant they’d get something out it. It’s pathetic, but you know me, I just speak the truth. 

 

Jack’s voice geta far more serious tone. He folds his hands and continues.

 

Jack: I’m as real as it comes around here. I don’t need to bullshit you about anything. I tell you I’ll cheat, I’ll take shortcuts, because I’m in this for the money and fame, I’m up front about it. I do what I want, and it’s too bad if you get offended or upset but it. Because you don’t decide what’s right and wrong for me. None of you do. Now, I take a look at a guy like Mark Cross, and I finally see him for who he is. He’s been trying to ambush this thing from the get go. Trying to make me think he wasn’t interested and he wasn’t serious. And then BAM, he drops this long, rambling interview on me about this and that and I couldn’t care less. Mark was saving this, all this for this match, he kept his mouth shut because he wanted to bury me in a hurricane’s worth of hot air about how he deserves this or that. It’s just an old veteran trick or something. Saving up everything to take his shot. It’s why he never came out on TV and said anything to me, because he knew, he knew that I would take it, and destroy it. Rip the whole thing to shreds because Mark Cross is exactly the kind of person I’ve been talking about. He’s just that guy, who wants to sit around and tell me what I’m doing wrong and how he needs to be in the spotlight and not me. He’s got a hard luck story boys and girls, He’s done this and that he deserves this.

 

Yeah, I said I was a believer in a lot of things, but let me tell you, that Mark Cross isn’t one of them. Mark Cross is a liar, the proof is right in front of your eyes. He’s doing the old snake in the grass routine and thinking it’s going to work. It’s so fucking sad the lengths this man has gone to, to make himself believe he should be the SCW World champion. But if that wasn’t bad enough, he’s sitting her and pretending like he’s deserved any of this because he fumble-fucked his way through two tournaments. 

 

I mean, this man is a ghost in SCW otherwise, and now, now that were here with the lights on and he’s in a main event, he’s in do or die mode. Launching a hail mary attempt to justify himself. Where has this been for the past month? Why all of a sudden is there drive and dedication NOW, as opposed to when I called his ass out, twice? There wasn’t anything there. But now, all of a sudden he’s a big man, shooting shots when he knows he has no chance of landing any of them. I dodge and slip, bob and weave like the mother fucking champion I am. I have demolished everyone else in my path, and Mark Cross is heaving things like his name was Eli Manning in a Super Bowl.

 

Jack chuckles to himself as he mimics a person throwing a football, closing his eyes while doing so.

 

Jack: Speaking of football, its one of my main gripes with Mark in the first place. The man is just a liar. He’s sitting her claiming that he played in A Super bowl with the Oakland Raiders. I mean, a simple fucking Google search proves he’s full of shit. Mark Cross is what... 35? Maybe. The Oakland Raiders last played in the Super Bowl in 2003. January 26th, 2003. That was almost 20 years ago. Even today, the earliest anyone can play in the NFL in what? 19...20? Mark Cross would have been like 15 in 2003. It’s just a lie and it’s easily verifiable. Unless we’re retconning the whole super bowl thing now. Are we Mark? Stop telling people you played in a Super Bowl, it’s a lie, and you know it. So why would I trust a man who can’t keep his own lie straight? Why would I believe a man who has to make up things about himself, and even still, gets them wrong? It’s either that, or the man has CTE and shouldn’t be allowed in the ring because he doesn’t know how dates work anymore and he may not know right now where the hell he is. It’s shit like this that makes me dislike people. Maybe it’s just that Mark himself is just not interesting otherwise? I mean, the man’s bio reads like an awful fucking Tinder profile. Mark likes cars, and horses and long walks on the beach and other bullshit that doesn’t mean a god damn thing because to me, his biggest claim to fame, is full of shit. So why would I believe anything else about him? Mark Cross, just appears to be a boring man who spends his life wanting to be someone other than himself. 

 

It’s just some cruel joke at this point. Mark probably doesn’t even drive an Aston Martin and he’s got a Honda Accord or something. I can’t believe a word that comes out of this man’s mouth because all of it, is a fucking act. It’s all who Mark Cross “thinks” Mark Cross is. It’s who he’s supposed to be. It’s a sad, pathetic thing that this man isn’t smart enough, charismatic enough or anything close to it, to be believable in any role he’s taking. Most of the time I just want reach through the screen and slap him upside the head. Because he needs it more than he thinks.

 

And that’s what Into the Void is about at this point. It’s about proving a point that Mark Cross can shout as loud as he wants to about how hard he’s worked and how much of something he’s done and trying to lecture me on whatever he wants to, but it’s the equivalent of a murderer yelling at a bank robber in prison for doing bad things. Like, you have no reason to tell me shit, Mark. None. You are screaming and hollering but I don’t need to tell lies about you or anything close to it. You lie on yourself. You destroy your own credibilty all the time. You laid there like a slug for a month after winning the Blast From the Past and, hell, you didn’t even say you did that, did you? No, there was no celebration, no calling me out, I called you out. I made you the target, the champion made the challenger perk up, not the other way around.  When I won the King for A Day briefcase, you saw what I did, I came right for Ben Jordan. Why? Because I have the balls to do it. I have called people out, stepped on toes, crossed lines, and made myself known to any and everyone. So much so, that I can asshats I already beaten trying to step to me with subtweets. Again, I guess. That’s my job, Mark. I push buttons and cross lines. I say the shit that people are afraid to say. Why? Because I have balls. I treat this shit like it’s all I got, because it is. The Casino, it’s nice to have my name on, and it has gotten my name out there even more. You know what got my name out there first? THIS FUCKING CHAMPIONSHIP!

 

Jack holds up the championship pushing it forward so it’s all the camera can see for a second.

 

Jack: I want you to take a good, long look at this championship Mark. This is what I earned, twice, by beating people’s asses, just like yours. I didn’t run for anybody, and I’m certainly not going to fucking back down from you, just because you wanna use these ridiculous tactics to get yourself an edge. Go ahead and bore people to death with your sad story. It’s almost like at this point your favorite movie is the Usual Suspects, because you’re such a good bullshitter, that you can make people believe it. No Mark, I don’t believe you. I like to verify that I’m dealing with a genuine person, and so far, that search has turned up, one man in SCW, and that’s Ben Jordan. And you, you ain’t Ben Jordan, my guy, you’re a piece of trash trying to once again fall ass backwards into success. I’ve already heard the hard luck story. I’ve already heard the overcoming the odds story. It’s already been told a hundred million times, and it’s a hundred million times more believable than your story. You can save it for somebody who cares, Mark. I care about one thing when I’m in that ring. Keeping this championship. That’s all. Nothing more. And you are trying to take it from me, so you have to be dealt with. Now, since we’re in the land of make-believe Mark, are you going to go with David slaying Goliath? You going to be the little engine that could? Are you going to be the pauper? Please tell me so that I know which book to not read. I’m not a believer in fairy tales, I’m a believer that this championship makes me the best, and it’s going to take a man a hell of a lot better than you to take it from me.

 

You think you have something on me, because you wrestled in Japan? Because you trained in Japan? What is this obsession with Japan and being trained there? I didn’t train in Japan, and I did just fine. I beat dudes that trained in Japan before, this is nothing new to me. You learned “strong style” why? Because the name sounds cool? Because it makes you hit harder or something? Do you have special powers now Mark because you trained in Japan? Yeah, that’s all very nice, I’m sure you’re very proud, but a punch to the face, is a punch to the face, no matter who trained you. I could get trained by the most sadistic Japanese trainers in the world. I could go to China and learn Kung Fu right now, and you know what it means after I get punched? Not a god damn thing. I’m not sure what everybody’s big obsession is with Japan, but it’s silly and stupid and it means zero to me. I got trained, by an American, in America and I’m the SCW world champion. So, if anything, training in Japan is just something lazy people put on their resume to make it sound like they are more bad ass than they really are. I trained to box before I became a wrestler. You can walk right down the Joe Frazier gym in Philly, and you see my picture on the wall because I did my thing there. But you don’t see me bragging about it, do you? Do I need to tell you that I’m a boxer? That if I beat your face in on the street, I will be charged differently because my hands can be considered assault with a deadly weapon? All of that, is true, Mark. But I don’t need to brag about it.

 

But you? You gotta tell me about your old playing days in the NFL and how you got all padded up and ran over guys in the league and blah blah blah. It sounds good, Mark. It sounds good, but you know, you couldn’t have been that good, because you would have continued to play football your whole like if you were good at it. You must have been a garbage player who had flashes of doing something good, but never actually managed to harness it. Instead you let it go and lost interest in something that you were KIND OF good at. That’s your story Mark. Why am I able to tell your story better than you, Mark? Why is it I can see through the bullshit and cut to the fucking chase on you quicker than you can? You can embellish your life all you want, that’s all well and good, but don’t sit here and bullshit me and tell the world that because your football background, or training in Japan make you special. If it did, you’d be here, with this world championship on your shoulder, and we’d be talking about you being something. Instead, because you are lazy and falling back on these fucking little tiny snippets that don’t tell the full story of your life, this is where you are. Back up against the wall, looking for something, anything to clutch on to, to make yourself look better than you are.

 

Jack now leans back, a disgusted look on his face.

 

Jack: I’m so just done with you Mark. I don’t need to be dealing with your ass at this point. You are a boring, lying, douchebag that stumbled into this match, and now, you are about to get a reality check. There is no good ending here, Mark. This isn’t the fairy tale where the good guy wins in the end and it’s all sunshine and rainbows. This is where the better guy, not the bad guy, but the better guy wins at the end because the good guy is just as morally corrupt as the he thinks the bad guy is. At Into the Void, you will be taken down, and if necessary, I will hurt you, far more than I have already but cutting you to pieces with your own truth. Unlike you, I will embrace the role of the bad guy if it makes you feel better. Because the truth is, you need me.

 

You need me, just like this company does. They need me because I am the goal. I am the one person everyone is striving to beat. They love to hate me, and that’s what I do. I will be your Dallas Cowboys, your New York Yankees, your... Man U for the English people. I will gladly be that bad guy, because you need it in your lives. It makes you feel better that you can sit there and complain that I am getting all the calls, that I’m always in the news or the spotlight, or that I’m catching all the breaks. You need that to justify why you don’t get those breaks. And then you hate the way I do it because I do it and I win. And then you point your finger at me, and you accuse me of cheating or doing something wrong. And it’s all just to help you feel better about yourselves.

 

I say I am the face of this franchise, and I say it, because it’s the fucking truth. I came in here and changed the fucking game and you got people like Mark Cross, trying to tell me how I do things is wrong, or that I shouldn’t be out here trying to hurt him or whatever. I do what I do, for me. I’m selfish, and you know why I’m selfish? Because that’s how you get ahead. People just don’t have the balls to stand up for themselves. I don’t have the share my success with anybody! Nobody helped me get here, but Me! I did this! Who put this together? ME! Who made it happen? ME! Who do I trust? ME!

 

At Into the Void, you can say anything you want, but at the end of the night, you will still be hating, you will still be crying and complaining about me. But I will still be the face of this franchise, I will still be at the top, and I will still be the SCW World champion!

 

Mark Cross, Learn to love it!

 

Jack sighs, regaining his composure as he picks his book back up, and starts reading again as we cut to black.


Click

Prologue:

Jack was successful in retaining his SCW world championship at Blaze of Glory, although with a bit of controversy. He did defeat O’Malley to continue his reign, but O’Malley did get Jack to tap out, but fortunately for Jack, the referee did not see it. But now Jack could focus on other things after the win. The next contender would be Mark Cross, who won his second Blast From the Past tournament in a row, and would be challenging for Jack’s world title soon. Jack was already hard at work preparing for the match, as he had only briefly encountered Mark in the Blast from the past the previous year. But Jack was now even more focused and ready than in his first championship reign, seeing how quickly it could be taken away if the champion was not prepared. That was a mistake he would never make again. But he had to be prepared this week for up-and-coming young wrestler Lincoln Daniels. Jack was still serious about that match, so he knew what had to do.

 

Outside the ring, Jack had finally gotten Jason to the VA hospital to help him with his issues. The two brothers seem to have re-connected and bonded. With that out of the way, Jack now was more focused on what was the main issue with his casino, the fact that the Mexicans could indeed turn on him at any moment. But Jack now had Sonny on his side, so he knew that Sonny would be able to disrupt the operation as soon as it started. Jack knew he had to get out of the deal with the Mexicans, and using one enemy to fight another seemed to be the optimal choice. The only question was, when the Mexicans would catch on, or if they would catch on, to what exactly was going on, and how violent this would get, and hopefully, Jack could keep his hands clean of the whole thing.

 

It would take some time before the Mexicans would get everything into position, so Jack was going to use this time wisely.

 

--

North Las Vegas VA Medical Center
 
Las Vegas, NV

 

Jack once again came to see his brother. Jason was looking even better, now clean shaven, and physically stronger. Jack embraced his brother, and Jason seemed to be crying as they did so.

 

Jack: You good?

 

The two brothers finished their embrace and Jack confirmed that Jason was indeed crying. But he nodded and smiled.

 

Jason: Yeah.

 

Jack: You look better.

 

Jason: It’s the food, and the people here, I’m feeling like I’m finally ready to get back into the swing of things.

 

Jack: That’s good. That’s good. But you know, I don’t want you to fall back into that world again man, you gotta stay off that shit and focus.

 

Jason: I know man, I lost my way, but the stuff was just too much. I just... I failed you.

 

Jack: You needed help, Jason. I’m just glad you’re not dead somewhere.

 

Jason: Me too, bro, me too.

 

Jack: How much longer can they keep you here.

 

Jason: Well... I … I kind of told them I lived with you and you’d be able to handle that.

 

Jack: I mean... yeah, I will, you’re my brother. I’m not going to abandon you.

 

Jason: Right, uh... I’m just... I’m thinking that maybe since you know... you got all this stuff that uh, maybe you could hook me up.

 

Jack: With what? I mean, I’ll do anything I can to help you, but I need to know you’re not hiding anything anymore.

 

Jason: Nah man, I just need a place to stay and a job so I can get back on my feet. You already hooked me up so much already.

 

Jack: I’m not sure what exactly you’re good at to work in the Casino, man. I’ll do what I can to find you somewhere to work. Times aren’t exactly easy right now.

 

Jason: For real.

 

Jack: Alright, look, I gotta go, some stuff to do at the Casino, but I promise you I’ll get something for you to do. Alright, I’ll be back for you if the doctors will let you go and I’ll get you all taken care of.

 

Jason: You’re the best, bro.

 

--


Click.
 

We are once again with Jack in his living room, the SCW heavyweight championship has its place on the couch next to him. Jack eases back in his chair, taking a sip of whatever is in his glass with some ice cubes. He gives a satisfied “ahh” before he leans forward again.

 

Jack: I told you all, from day 1, I would do everything and anything I had to, to get where I wanted to go. I would step on whomever, used whatever tactic, even if it’s a low down, dirty move. Why? Because this is a result driven business. In wrestling, it does not matter how you get to the top, and who you have to backstab, betray, lie about, screw over, none of that shit means a damn thing if you bring home the goods. And every, single time I have stepped foot into the SCW ring, I have delivered. Yes, I have crossed several lines, with my words and actions. But I don’t give a rat’s ass about anybody in this company, but me. That way, I know I’m right when I say I can’t trust anyone but myself. You see it almost weekly on SCW television, the amount of backstabbing, betraying, disloyal bitches all pouting and whining and going back and forth about being good people, when deep down, they know they aren’t good people. And yet, people wonder how I have the audacity to say I’m a good person? 

 

I can easily, make that claim because I’m honest about it. I’m an asshole. I know that. But I’m an asshole because I’ve been able to break down your favorites and least favorites alike, without missing a beat. I call a spade a spade. I have been, exactly what I said I was going to be. I set out to do one thing, and one thing only: Make it to the top. And I think this, means I did just that.

 

Jack points to the SCW world title and then picks it up, looking at it for a moment, with a somewhat smirk before carefully placing it back on the couch.

 

Jack: We should be, in day like 207 or something of my reign as champion, but Kris Ryans came in like a theif in the night and took it from me, and then O’Malley kept sticking his nose in my business, and complicated the whole thing. So, it took longer than it should have, but I now have this championship back, and now, now we’re playing by an all-new set of rules. You see, I have said before I will do what I need to do to win the championship, and so now, I will do even more to keep it.  Blaze of Glory was a prime example of it. I hear them all say “O’Malley made you tap out.” Yes. He did. And guess what? The referee didn’t see it, not my fault O’Malley didn’t tend to the referee first. It’s his own fault. A visual win, isn’t a win, that’s not how this game works. And at the end of the day, I walked away with my championship, and hopefully, now, once and for all, O’Malley can just leave me alone and stop trying to punch above his weight class. Because I am fucking done with him at this point. Just walk away and let me do my thing.

 

I have set a brand-new standard as the world champion, and I will continue it as the match with Mark Cross is set to happen soon. I have already warned Mark of the storm that is coming his way, and the result will be the same of every storm that happens in the world. Destruction and devestation. I’m going to destroy Mark Cross soon enough, but for now, he gets to sit back and relax. Kick his feet up, he won the Blast From the Past and he can glide down easy street. I want Mark Cross to enjoy this time, make with the jokes and the laughs now, because soon enough, all the jokes and good humor will be out the window, because Mark Cross will be fighting for his very LIFE to try and win this very championship. As the saying goes “When you come for the King, you best not miss.” That is my ultimate warning to Mark Cross right now. He had better get his ass serious because I am dead serious about what’s mine and protecting what’s mine. I’ve made it clear to each and every person I have faced that I have no quams about hurting people. I play for keeps. I’m out to win, because winning is the only thing that matters. It puts money in my pocket. Money I very much enjoy, and when someone is trying to take that from me, it’s OFFENSIVE to me.  So I would advise Mark Cross to sit down and really start focusing on how he’s going to survive, let alone win. No, fuck that, winning is out the window, Mark. You better be thinking about what you can do to make sure, you walk away from our future championship match in one piece. Because that’s the best you’re going to be able to do.

 

Jack eases back in his chair, a small chuckle escapes his lips as he looks over at the championship again, before sighing and looking back at the camera.

 

Jack: And that brings me to one Lincoln Daniels. My guy, you are in what a lot of people would say, is the wrong place, at the wrong time. You got your name matched up with mine, and you honestly have no business even being in the same ring with me. You will be just another example of why a lot of people, a lot of wrestlers come into this company, and so many of them flame out, because they don’t have what I have. You’ve been here for what? A cup of coffee? You should be thanking your lucky stars I’m even entertaining this as somewhat of a match, because it’s not really a match at all. It’s a mismatch. You aren’t on my level. I’m sorry to have to be the one to tell you... No, actually I’m not, let me not lie about it. I’m more than happy to show you, just like any other new guy that thinks they can hang, how much they have to learn about swimming in my ocean.

 

You have been plodding along, just happy to be here and happy to be getting booked to wrestle. You have done almost nothing of note and now, you just want to walk into my world and try and take me on? No, my dude, it doesn’t work that way. You are walking into a buzzsaw, and at the end of the match, you will realize that you were not ready, and you should never think about trying me ever again. You will be put right back where you belong, wrestling other losers who aren’t fit to stand in my ring. I am the face of this franchise for a reason, and you will soon come to find out that I’m not fucking around here. This is mine, and you will not stop me from continuing my dominance. You will be dealt with, you can get this work and then you can take a little bit of time, like everyone else to realize that I am the fucking best around. I am at the top of this food chain, and as a result, I will eat you alive in the ring.

 

Where you see potential, I see inexperience. Where you see a chance, I see a risk. You, Lincoln Daniels, are risking it all by stepping into the ring with me. And if you want to ask yourself, why I, even at 23, almost 24, can say that, you don’t need to look any further than this fucking couch, and what sits on it. I am the champion. Two times over. I walked into this company and took what I wanted, and I pushed the old, pathetic garbage off my throne and sat down here, and I will be at this spot for a LONG, LONG time. That is the difference between you and me, Lincoln. You are spinning your wheels, and I shot straight to the top. There is NOBODY who is going to remove me from this spot at the top, least of all, you. I’m going to beat you down, and leave you to pick up the pieces and try to start again. Maybe after this, you’ll put some effort into getting somewhere.

 

I mean, there’s a reason that even the people who made this match are telling me losing to you would be devastating. It’s not just because I’m the champion, it’s because you are, who you are. And the difference will be made painfully clear to you, on Sunday. 

 

Jack smirks and picks up the championship again, resting it this time on his lap.

 

Jack: I just hope that Mark Cross will be watching, because what I do to Lincoln Daniels, will be nothing but a small example of what is in store for him. Watch what I do, SCW. Watch, what I do.

 

With that, Jack stands up, and walks off-screen, and the scene fades.

Prologue:

It had been some time since Jack actually appeared on SCW television. His sudden appearance last week was a shock to many, as well as Jack’s demeanor and attitude. Gone was the smugness, and even more so, gone was the brashness, the attitude itself appeared to be gone and Jack looked like he had not slept in some time. Backstage crew also reportedly tried to speak to Jack, even offering any sort of small talk, but even they did not get the usual rude or abrasive response from Jack. He would normally insult or belittle them, but all they got this time was no response and a blank stare. Even when Jack made his way to the ring and spoke, it wasn’t an angry or bold or brash talk we were used to. Instead, it was a plain, monotone statement, seemingly requesting a championship match with Kris Ryans, or at the very least, making his intentions clear that he wanted to get such a match in the future. And thus, maybe due to this seemingly extreme change in behavior, the match was indeed granted this week for SCW Climax Control.

 

Whatever happened to Jack during his absence, the question was now going to be if Jack was ready. As it stood, Jack was 0-2 against Ryans, and technically 0-3 after the loss at Inception. Was this a new plan or scheme, or is something really wrong with Jack that has caused this change in behavior.

 

Outside the ring, Jack had gone to Sonny in an effort to seemingly sabotage the Mexicans and their illegal dealings inside of the Grand Flamingo, attempting to use his rivals and ill-fated partners against each other for his own benefit. If Sonny takes the deal, he could get back at the Mexicans, and in theory Jack would be in the clear. There was the knowledge given to Jack by Jessica that Ana Sofia, leading the Mexican group, knew that Jack hadn’t accomplished the task of getting rid of Marta, who was supposed to be burned alive inside the car Jack was to dispose of. Jack let her out and while he feigned knowledge of her being there, he was only going to get away with that for so long. Perhaps, Ana Sofia knew, perhaps she didn’t. Either way, wasn’t good for Jack to have that over his head, and so he devised this, given the other option was to go to the police, which would assuredly result in the Mexicans striking back against him, or his partners personally, and if Benny, who Jack had put in charge found out, it could result in the casino shutting down, before it ever gets a chance to get off the ground. 

 

Of course, that is all worst-case scenario. The best would be the Mexicans would remove themselves from the Grand Flamingo and leave Jack alone, and that would get him out of the bad deal, and perhaps make Sonny believe that Jack wasn’t all bad, and perhaps use power and influence to drive down the business at the casino. 

 

Jack had a lot on his plate, banking on a good idea, but... maybe that would explain Jack’s current mind state?

 

--

Washington Estate
Las Vegas, NV
1 month ago

 

Jack returned home after the unsuccessful bid to win back the SCW Heavyweight championship. He was furious as he tossed his bag on the ground and sat in his recliner and eased back. He sat there stewing, so upset he was unable to win and now seemingly, was lost as to what was next for his career. Having risen to the top so far, he feared there was nowhere to go but down. And he clearly didn’t want that.

 

He sat in the chair and the tension was so thick. Jack was boiling inside and it was one of those moments where the wrong thing would set Jack off and he would explode like dynamite. Since it was late after Inception had gone off the air, Brian would normally be asleep, but this time, he wasn’t. He sat at the kitchen table, with another person and they both looked over at Jack, who had paid no attention to their presence, as he was used to being alone late at night. 

 

Brian cleared his throat which startled Jack for a moment. But Jack recognized the voice and hand waved Brian away.

 

Jack: Not now. Go back to bed.

 

Brian didn’t say anything at first, awaiting Jack to question this, but he does not. The second man at the table tugs at Brian’s arm, but Brian stops him from saying anything. Brian then clears his throat and stands up.

 

Brian: I take it you didn’t win, eh?

 

Jack’s hand was on his face, and it slid down as his expression changed to pure anger at the snark he was getting from Brian.

 

Jack: I’m not in the mood for your shit, Brian.

 

Brian patted the other man on the shoulder and nodded.

 

Brian: Jack, it’s not the end of the world, plus we have company.

 

Jack stopped and looked around for a moment, not seeing anyone in the immediate area, until he stood up and his face turned him anger and frustration to one of surprise. He knew the other man sitting at the table, they locked eyes and Brian nodded.

 

Brian: Yeah, people just turn up these days.

 

Jack cautiously approached the second man at the table, making sure he was not seeing things. Once he was sure, he spoke.

 

Jack: Jason?

 

Jason Washington. Jack’s older brother. Older by 6 years, Jason was the one person who Jack looked up to. Jason was family, he always looked out for Jack, and he was the one who kept Jack out of the family “business” for most of Jack’s early and teenage years. Jason outright rejected the family lifestyle, instead leaving home after high school and joining the Army. Without Jason there to prevent Jack from falling in with the family business, Jack became heavily involved. Jason on the other hand, was never part of anything, so he was free to do as he pleased. He wasn’t blamed or suffering like Jack was now. 

 

The last time Jack saw Jason, Jason was clean shaven, with a buzz cut and in great shape from his time serving. Now Jason sported a long “woodsman” style beard, his hair a little longer on top and buzzed on the sides. His face was slightly withered and there were noticible bags under his eyes. His physical frame was also smaller. None the less, he smirked as his brother and waved slightly.

 

Jason: Little brother.

 

For a long period, neither brother said anything to the other. Jack had so many questions, but he was still more taken aback by Jason’s appearance, both his actual showing up at Jack’s home, and his physical appearance. Jack slowly and respectfully approached his brother, and stuck his hand out. It was rare, but this was Jack’s brother. Jason looked at Jack and slowly stood up. He took Jack’s hand and shook it, and then pulled him into an embrace, which Jason returned in kind. 

 

Once they broke, Jack and Jason sat down together.

 

Jason: It’s been a little bit, hasn’t it?

 

Jack: Yeah...

 

Jason: You okay?

 

Jack pondered this question, unsure of exactly how to answer it. 

 

Jack: I don’t know. What do you call this? I’m living in a big house and I have money. Is that... okay?

 

Jason: Sure looks like it.

 

Jack stared at Jason for a moment and finally he had to get it out of his system.

 

Jack: What... what happened to you? How did you find me? How did you get here? I didn’t see a car outside.

 

Now it was Jason’s turn to pause and not answer right away. He looked away from Jack and leaned back in his chair and sighed.

 

Jason: Just been places, man. I was stationed in Cali, and after I got out, I figured I’d pay my brother a visit. You got all the fame now, I guess.

 

Jack wasn’t satisfied with Jack’s complete non-answer. 

 

Jack: Jay.... tell me.

 

Jason: Tell you what? 

 

Jack: Don’t take this the wrong way, bro, but you look like shit. Tell me what happened to you. Tell me how you got here and what is going on. You’ve never been one to just “drop by”.

 

Jason snickered and he shook. Visibly shook and his nose began to run. He wiped it away and looked at Jack, almost indignant.

 

Jason: What? I can’t come visit my brother, fine, I’ll leave.

 

Jason slowly stood up, Jack noticed this almost instant mood swing and put his hands on his brother’s shoulders to stop him.

 

Jack: Sit down.

 

Jack eased Jason back into his chair and Jason calmed down. Now seemingly almost... normal. This was very confusing for Jack.

 

Jason: Just... I’ve just been going through some shit, that’s all. Getting a divorce and that.... you know that shit hits hand when you lose someone you love and... You are about the only family left. I just... I need to get my head on straight, that’s all.

 

Jack: Why didn’t you say so? Fuck, bro. Yeah, of course, take all the time you need. But, how did you get here?

 

Jason: Got an uber. Went by the casino since you’re a big shot over there. And... that’s when I ran into Uncle Brian here. 

 

Jack looked over at Brian, who shrugged.

 

Brian: I didn’t know what else to do, leave him there?

 

Jack: Are you staying anywhere?

 

Jason: Not really, no.

 

Jack sighed and stood up, walking away from the table and towards the living room where he was pacing, trying to get a hold of the situation.

 

Jack: Where are you staying? Where do you live?

 

Jason: Wife kicked me out. I’ve been crashing with friends, getting some money through benefits but, I don’t have much anymore.

 

Jack: Shit. 

 

Jack motioned for Brian to join him in the living room, and basically called a huddle with Brian while Jason just looked on.

 

Jack: How much did he tell you?

 

Brian: Same thing he told you. 

 

Jack: Something about this doesn’t add up, and I need to know what it is. 

 

Brian: He’s your brother, Stick. You gotta figure it out.

 

Jack: Shit.

 

Jack stood up straight, hands on hips and looked at his older brother.

 

Jack: Alright, you can stay here until you’re back on your feet.

 

Jason stood up, admiring the house while Jack looked at him. He didn’t want to think his brother was doing what he thought he was doing, giving him the benefit of the doubt.

 

Jason: You’re a good brother.

 

Jason hugged Jack again, this time Jack only slightly returned it. He didn’t want to act this way to what was the only family he had, but he was still in the dark about what actually was going on with his brother. He finally caught the smell his brother gave off. It smelled like he hadn’t showered in some time. Jack released his brother and put both hands on his shoulders.

 

Jack: You are my brother. I would never turn you away. But for real you need to get cleaned up.

 

Jason: I will bro, I will.

 

Jack: Where are your things?

 

Jason: In storage.

 

Jack: I mean your clothes.

 

Jason: I travel light. 

 

Jack: Jay, if you’re going to stay at my house, you need to tell me the truth, you know I got your back but come on man, you need to work with me here.

 

Jason looked up at Jack, but could not answer. He simply shook his head, which then turned into a nod.

 

Jason: I just need to rest.

 

Jack wanted to press the issue, but thought better of it. He quietly led Jason to one of the spare bedrooms in the estate, showcasing the room.

 

Jack: You can stay here for the time being. I have some smaller clothes but I have a whole new wardrobe so, I’ll get you some of the stuff I still have.

 

Jason: Thank you, brother.

 

Jason’s eyes once again darted across the room, and Jack quickly left the room and nudged Jason along. He led Jason to the bathroom.

 

Jack: Get yourself a shower. I’ll lay out some clothes while you’re in there.

 

Jason didn’t respond and Jack more or less nudged him into the room and closed the door behind him. Now Jack was highly suspicious and almost heartbroken. He walked back into the living room, and towards the kitchen table where Brian was seated.

 

Jack: Something is wrong, and he won’t tell me.

 

Brian: He said it was a divorce.

 

Jack: No. I know what I’m seeing. I’m going to need you to keep an eye on him.

 

Brian: I ain’t nobody’s babysitter.

 

Jack’s eyes narrowed.

 

Jack: First of all, he’s my brother, your nephew. And second, you fucking brought him here.

 

Brian: Because he came all this way and he was at the casino!

 

Jack: He needs help. But I know what I just saw him do. He needs eyes on him 24/7.

 

Brian: What are you talking about?

 

Jack: What I’m seeing is an addict. He wasn’t impressed by anything I have, Brian. He’s looking for things to steal. He was fucking casing the rooms. 

 

Brian: You don’t think?

 

Jack: He... God damn it I hope he’s not, but that’s what the shit looks like. So just... just watch him, okay?

 

Brian didn’t say anything at first, but he saw the look on Jack’s face, and in his eyes. Jack was 100% serious about protecting his brother. 

 

Brian: Alright.

 

Jack: Thank you.

 

Jack walked back to one of the other spare rooms and pulled out some fresh clothes he no longer wore. He didn’t even know why he still had them, but he was glad he did. He looked at them for a moment, and sighed. He took them and into the room he had given Jason and laid the clothes on the bed. He walked away and sat down, keeping an eye on the door to the bathroom and listening to hear the shower running. After about 10 minutes, there still was no water running. Jack began to become both impatient, and worried. He went and knocked on the door.

 

Jack: Jay?

 

Jack got no answer. He knocked again.

 

Jack: Jay? Are you okay?

 

Jack turned the door handle and found it was locked. He turned it a few more times to be sure, before he sensed what could be behind the door. Jack began to shoulder the door, trying to open it.

 

Jack: JAY!

 

There was still no response from the other side, and now Brian was up and entered the hallway, seeing what the commotion was.

 

Brian: What the hell are you doing?

 

Jack: It’s locked and he’s not answering. 

 

Jack said it so quickly that Brian barely had time to compute all of it, before he too was shouldering the door, and then seeing it as futile, Jack pushed Brian back and a couple of hard kicks knocked the door off its hinges and forced it open.

 

Jack: Jay!

 

Jack rushed in passed the door, and there was Jason, lying curled up in a ball, almost in the fetal position and twitching. Jack rushed over and fell to his knees to console his brother.

 

Jack: Jay! Wake up! Jay!

 

Jack looks at Brian with actual fear on his face.

 

Jack: Get an ambulance. Or the car. We need to get to the hospital! NOW!

 

Brian again takes a moment for it all to register as Jack holds his brother in his arms. He then hurries out of the room grabbing keys and preparing to start the car.

 

Brian: BRING HIM! LET’S GO!

 

Jack essentially cradle carries Jason, who’s eyes all of a sudden pop open and he gasps for air. Jack almost drops him as Jason scrambles to figure out what’s happening.

 

Jason: Whoa... what? I’m... I’m okay. Just tired man.

 

Jack: TIRED?! What the FUCK, JAY?!

 

Jason: Sorry man... I was just going to take a shower.

 

Jack is confused that Jason does not remember the past 15-20 minutes.

 

Jason: Yeah, I thought we were going to the shower. 

 

Jack: You were in the bathroom and you stopped answering me! What the fuck? Don’t you remember that?

 

Jason: N... No. I was just going to the shower and now... I’m here. Did you not start the shower?

 

Jack at this point was more sad than angry, the mix of emotions at the sight of his once strong older brother now just made him upset.

 

Jack: What happened to you?

 

Jason: I’m good man... I just need to get my head on straight. I just need like a few days.

 

Jack knew something else was wrong. He didn’t say anything else as he led Jason to a different restroom, looking at the door he kicked open to the downstairs bathroom as he led Jason gingerly up the stairs. He led him into the bathroom and sat on the toilet in front of Jason.

 

Jack: Take a shower.

 

Jason: Alright, dude... I’m okay. 

 

Jack: Then take a shower. 

 

Jack watched as Jason looked around nervously for a few seconds, and then began to disrobe and Jack could finally see Jason’s frame was much, much smaller than he should be. He clearly lost a lot of muscle that would be normal on a person who was in the military. It was becoming clearer and clearer to Jack that something else was wrong with Jason, not just a divorce. Once Jason actually stepped into the shower, Jack got up and left, but stood outside the door listening for moment. Once the water turned off, Jack came back in and escorted Jason back to his room and watched him put on clothes and as if Jason was a child, Jack tucked him into bed. 

 

Jack returned to the living room and sat down, his face now having that same thousand-yard stare it has currently. Brian put a hand on Jack’s shoulder that he did no acknowledge.

 

Brian: Is he...

 

Jack: There’s something he’s not telling me, and we may have to get it out of him somehow. Did he have ANYTHING on him? 

 

Brian shook his head

 

Brian: Nothing but the clothes on his back. I figured he was staying somewhere.

 

Jack: Wait a little bit, get his clothes. We’ll have to go through them to see if there’s anything that can provide any clue as to the issue.

 

Brian: You wanna do that to your brother?

 

Jack: You’re goddamn right. He’s my brother. Now leave me alone. 

 

Brian took his hand off of Jack, who just sat there staring off into space.

 

--

Grand Flamingo Casino
Las Vegas, NV.
Two weeks ago.

 

Jack had been taking care of Jason, not allowing him to go anywhere unsupervised. Brian was mostly responsible for Jason, while Jack tried to resume his normal activities, but it was obviously more difficult. Jack was getting impatient and annoyed with everything now. 

 

Jack arrived at the Casino, in no mood for anything, as he walked up to the manager’s office to meet Benny. Benny was leaning back in the manager’s chair as Jack entered.

 

Benny: There he is.

 

Jack: I’m just here for my money.

 

Benny: What? No time for your partner? Not even gonna ask how business is going?

 

Jack: No. Just give me the money so I can get out of here, I have other things to do.

 

Benny was taken aback by this for a moment, sighing heavily to himself before opening a drawer under the desk and pulling out a large collection of bills. He dumped them into a briefcase and handed it to Jack.

 

Benny: It’s all there.

 

Jack: Thank you.

 

Jack was done with that, and turned to leave, before Benny spoke up again.

 

Benny: Hey, they think they saw you’re brother around here and -

 

Jack wheeled around and almost charged the desk and slammed his hands on either side.

 

Jack: I know. Now, if we’re done, I have things I need to do.

 

Benny was again taken aback by Jack’s behavior and put his hands up.

 

Benny: Alright, alright. Touchy, kid.

 

Jack sighed and turned around and left. As he made his way out of the casino, he pulled out his phone and dialed.

 

Jack: Hello, Sonny.... Listen... I can’t sit around and wait all day for you to make up your mind. I’ve got some other stuff that came up and I’m going to need an answer soon.... Yeah, well... it’s either that, or we don’t do business and we can’t work together. I would say that that would be a bad thing, but I’m just not in the mood to wait around anymore.... I’ll give you a little while longer, and if not, I will find someone else who wants to work with me.

 

With that, Jack hung up the phone and headed out, but as soon as he got in the car, the car was boxed in by two more cars, and a third behind him, halting him from going anywhere. Jack looked and saw the people doing this, and the limo which was the third vehicle, and sighed. He exited the car and knew that in the rear vehicle was the person he needed to speak to. He walked over, and was escorted as well, and the back door of the car was opened and Ana Sofia was right there. Jack entered and sat down.

 

Ana Sofia: Mr. Jack. We are awaiting out chance to do business.

 

Jack: The Casino has been open for a little over two months. You have to give me time to make sure nothing is brought unwanted attention. 

 

Ana Sofia: Mr. Jack, it seems you have been avoiding us.

 

Jack: I’m not avoiding you. I have things that I need to do, and you haven’t given me anything to do. I will give you the word when the operation can begin, it’s as simple as that. 

 

Ana Sofia stared at Jack, but Jack was in no mood for this. Other things were on his mind.

 

Ana Sofia: What is the problem, Mr. Jack?

 

Jack: I don’t know, Ms. Ana-Sofia. IS there a problem? I’m telling you right now that I will get this underway, once enough time has passed. If that doesn’t work for you, then we cannot have this partnership and we can both take our chances elsewhere.

 

Jack was stern, not wanting to anger Ana Sofia, but to get his point across. Ana Sofia  nodded and pointed at the car door.

 

Ana Sofia: Okay. We will speak again, but I warn you, we are not going to wait forever.

 

Jack: Good.

 

Jack took his leave, and watches at the cars all pulled off, and he got back in his car, breathing a sigh of relief. His emotions almost boiled over as he sat in his car for a few moments, just breathing and trying to collect himself. He was so wired and manic now that he certainly needed a rest, but there was so much still to do.

 

--


Click.

Jack sits in his recliner, leaning forward and seemingly out of it. His eyes are off in the distance, staring off into nothing, much like we have seen before. He slowly turns his head and peers into the camera.

 

Jack: I don’t know, or care if you are wondering where I’ve been all this time. It really doesn’t matter to me. I came back, because I need to win the SCW heavyweight championship once again, and to do that, I have to be in the ring, in the company and working. 

 

The fact is I stood back and watched as all I had built over the past year was snatched from me, and then some shithead got in my way and now I still don’t have the championship back. And I want it back. So after Inception, I had to sit myself down and re-evaluate my situation. I knew deep down that all I needed was a championship match, and I could have gotten the job done. But no, O’Malley’s punk ass had to stick his nose where it didn’t belong and because of that, Kris Ryans is walking out the champion. 

But, all in all, O’Malley was part of that match because both Kris, and myself, agreed to that. Looking back on it, it was a stupid decision on my part, because I let my sense of fair play get the best of me. I should have said no, and left O’Malley in the dust, and I wouldn’t have created the problem that at the end of the day, resulted in what happened. I blame myself for that. But now, O’Malley is no longer the issues and I have Kris Ryans all to myself, Sunday for the championship, and my chance at reclaiming what it mine. 

 

I’ve also watch what Kris has done since winning the championship, and lo and behold it’s a big pile of nothing. I’ve watched all that I built with that championship degrade and decay while Kris is just happy to be at the top and not even bothering to do anything like I do. And yes, it’s true, we are very different from each other, the point is, is that Kris is a do-nothing champion, only focused on wrestling whoever is put in front of him. He said it himself. Yes, I have been paying attention to social media, but at the same time, staying away from tweeting anything because it’s not that big of a deal, and I don’t live my life on that platform. It’s simply used to promote me, and my career. Things like this piece of work will go onto the tweet, and that will be the end of it. While Kris, like many other people, just use it as a sounding board to voice opinions on stupid shit and hope they get enough likes or whatever the fuck to make themselves feel good. It’s a disease and I have more or less seen it for what it is, and I use it and treat it as it should be. That’s the end of that.

 

Jack finally blinks at what seems like forever. His eyes continue to pierce the camera as he continues.

 

Jack: More importantly, I have been watching the show, and seen Kris a handful of times, never wondering about the next contender or anything of any value besides being a body carrying a gold belt around. You have to MAKE that championship mean something, and Kris did nothing. Even pathetic ass Alex Jones promoted himself. He may be a total fraud, but at least he tried. Kris isn’t even fucking trying and it’s pissing me off even more that he’s walking around with that belt like it’s all he needs. Fuck all that. You need to be front and center. That’s how you get eyes and get noticed. Kris has been a fucking ghost and he knows I’m right. Well, I can change all that shit on Sunday and get rid of one of the biggest wastes in SCW in one fell swoop. 

 

I made no bones about it then, and I will make none now. I’m in it for the money. I want as much as I can get my hands on, and that championship means more money in my pocket. Purists and other people who like to complicate things will say that’s the wrong motivation, but I think I’ve made it pretty fucking clear over the past year that I don’t give a flying fuck what other people think of me. I care what I do with what I have. I think some people around this company and others would be better suited going on that mantra. Stop worrying about the next man that doesn’t affect you. Period. Focus on you, and what you do. And let me tell you, what Kris is doing, or better yet, NOT doing with that championship affects me greatly. I want that spot again. I want to be at the top of the heap, because it’s where I belong. I never backed down from a fight in my life and I’ve never gone into one thinking I was going to lose. You see, Kris has never been in my shoes or my life so, he doesn’t understand about being a target. Both times he has held that championship, he has treated it like it was no big deal, and just went along for the ride. I cannot, and will not EVER do that. I fight to be at the front of the line, the head of the line to be in control of the fucking ride, not just to ride it. If there’s something to be won, a competition, I want to be the winner. It’s just that simple. And right now, as I speak to you, I’m more of that than Kris Ryans will ever be. The only thing I haven’t done, is beat him to prove it.

 

Yes, I will fully admit I’m fucking 0-3 against Kris Ryans. I have yet, to beat him, and it fucking sucks. I hate that more than anything else. I absolutely despise him for that fact alone. Because I know right now, I am better than Kris Ryans, I just can’t seem to beat him. The first time, I wasn’t where I needed to be. The second time, MAYBE, I was an overconfident champion. I took Kris lightly based on my own success and I paid the price for it. I’m a grown man who can admit when he makes a mistake. And on that night, I did. I fucked up and I lost, what I thought was everything that night. But as my future from that day would explain, I hadn’t lost everything yet, but I was really fucking close.

 

Jack laughs to himself, biting his own hand and running his hand over his face and hair before continuing.

 

Jack: But I became hasty. Greedy. I became blinded by the chance to simply regain the championship and I didn’t focus properly and wouldn’t you fucking know it, Kris Ryans walked away with the championship again. I fucked it up and that sent me to a spot I’ve never actually been in before. I was sitting there, and wondering what was going to happen next, and how it could be any worse. I was starting to actually doubt myself, and wondering if I would be sent to the dregs of competing for less. Because I don’t want that. No one does, but that’s not the point. Yes, I am saying that anything less than the SCW world championship won’t do, because that’s who I am. I am at the top; I am the best. I believe it, & I live it. I expect greatness, because I have achieved it. It’s pretty simple to think that anything less than the best is a step down.

 

And I have the chance to finally make all that right on Sunday. I get Kris Ryans all to myself this time. Nobody is going to get in my way. I can at the very least, give myself closure on a low point in my career. 

 

Yes, Kris, you can get mad or offended, or be too fucking cool for it, I don’t care. But I’m telling you here and now that losing to you, has been a low point. It has been the worst. I wish I could sum up my anger and hatred towards you better, and maybe this will do: 

 

Fuck you. 

 

Fuck you Kris, I hope you slip on a banana peel and hurt yourself. I hope you lose your keys and never find them. All that shit. Because you have something that should be mine. You took that away from me, and you started this spiral that is now out of control. I blame you, and I will carry a grudge against you my entire career for doing what you have done. The only solace that I will take is that beating you ends the chapter on a high note for me. Finally, the monkey will be off my back and that will be nothing but a bad memory for me. Yeah, I’m still going to be very, very salty about it, because that’s what I expect of myself. I want to win all the time. I want to beat everybody. It’s not just something I say in interviews, it’s not just a catchphrase or a dream goal.

 

It’s something I know I am fully capable of doing, and you have presented this nasty hurdle that I can’t seem to get over and it drives me up a fucking wall that it’s like that. Why is it that I can’t do this? Why? What have I been doing wrong these past three times? It was one of the things that kept me up at night trying to figure this shit out when I know how good I am, and it just never made any sense. I never wanted to leave any doubt whatsoever when I am done with this that I was the best, and nobody, nobody was on my level. That’s the kind of drive I have for this Kris. You have demonstrated that you just want to be A guy. I NEED to be THE guy. When I call myself the face of this franchise, I fucking mean it. And I don’t think you really appreciate how seriously I take this. But trust me, you will fucking find out.

 

Jack then pulls the camera closer to him, as if it was being held by someone who wanted to get away. We are uncomfortably close. He sets the camera down after a moment, still getting closer until his eyes are all we see.

 

Jack: See... I’m not going to sit here and threaten you or tell you that it doesn’t matter how I get the job done, you already know that. That’s not new information. But let me just explain to you one thing that you don’t. I am desperate for this win, Kris. It’s not only hunger, or drive, or determination and or will power, or even just skill or emotion that is motivating me. It’s the pure sense of desperation. You see, I don’t need to win, I HAVE to Kris. I HAVE to beat you. More than anything you can ever imagine. If I don’t, then I am lost. Things are just too important to me right now to lose to you. I want you to take a good, long look into my eyes Kris, you look in my eyes and you tell me what you see. You see something that wasn’t there before, don’t you? You don’t see the pity, or fear, or compassion for anyone. That’s never been there, but you see it don’t you? You see that desperation that I have to be the champion and to do it, at your expense. I don’t have to tell you how badly I’m going to kick your ass or threaten you with some childish or super violent threat. You know that by now that I mean those already. That will gladly hurt you and make it so you can’t wrestle. You know that already. But now, when you look into my eyes and you see that desperation, it should awaken something in you. 

 

It should be tell you that you are really in for the fight of your life on Sunday. It should tell you that if you don’t give me the best performance you have ever had. If you don’t fight for YOUR life on Sunday, that you don’t have a snowball’s chance in hell. You see Kris, I’ve lost a lot more than you ever will. But I lost a lot, to you specifically. I lost to you and you gave me my first singles loss. I lost to you again, and you took the world title from me. You took it all away from me. And now, some other things have happened and now, my back isn’t against the wall, but rather, I’m free. I have literally nothing left to lose anymore. I don’t have a care in the world, Kris.

 

That’s why they set this match up, rather than he following through on my statement to hunt you down, Kris. They could tell I was serious, and I hope you do too, Kris. I hope you understand my mindset coming and how this time, more than any other time I’ve ever said anything that what I’m saying is the truth. I will stop at nothing to win back that championship from you. There is no two ways about this. You want me to show you something? You want me to prove it to you? You don’t have to ask twice Kris. Now, without anything I need to worry about losing, without the restrictions of having anything taken away, I will fight you, and I will beat your ass and I will take the title from you. 

 

I said it before that everyone was going to suffer until I get this championship back, and you know, I wasn’t kidding. It all started with me, Kris. I suffered first. I stepped up and I suffered to get it out of the way, so that I knew what it was like to suffer and push on through and make sure they I made this shit count. You will learn Kris, that I may be wrong, but I’m never unsure. Only once was I unsure and that was after Inception. Now? I no longer have that handicap. I am sure of myself once again. And to have that, and to have nothing left to lose, that makes me a very, very dangerous man, Kris.

 

So come Sunday, I will finally get the Kris Ryans monkey off my back. I will finally put that to rest, and then I can be at the top, knowing that I everything I did to get there, was entirely worth it. And that I can finally begin to rebuild everything. From the ground up.

 

The feed just goes black, no cut or fade, just a slam to black. 

 
Click.

Prologue:

Jack was now preparing to try and regain the SCW world championship. It meant the world to him, so much so that without it, he seemed to slip into a depression like state, and it took Brian to get him out of that funk. With renewed vigor, Jack was able to rebound from the loss and start 2021 with a win over Brother David Shepard. He looked to keep the momentum rolling, as he looked forward to winning the championship back from Kris Ryans, however, the match which was originally slated to be one on one was changed to a two-fall triple threat match. It certainly did not please Jack at the outset of the match, this sudden change of adding O’Malley to the mix complicated many things. Jack now had to focus on two people instead of one.

 

But while this was another obstacle, it was, in a sense, a good thing. Now Jack would not have to worry about O’Malley interfering, he had him in the match right from the start. And that was more to Jack’s benefit, while dealing with one wrestler was more than enough, not having to worry about someone running down and getting involved was a great thing for Jack. Now, he could kill two birds with one stone. And now, more motivated and possibly dangerous than ever, Jack would be even more determined to get the SCW world championship back, a championship he wanted more than anything in the world. He knew he would have his work cut out for him, Kris and O’Malley were not slouches, but with her renewed vigor, Jack felt confident going into the match. He knew he had to train just like he had before, before he won the championship, he knew he would have to say things that were absurd, outlandish and outright cruel at times, but he knew he had to get under his opponents' skin before he could finish the job at Inception.

 

Outside the ring, while Jack recovered, things were indeed going smoothly as the Casino approached it’s grand opening. Jack of course would be in attendance for such an event, and having put Benny in charge, worked out in his favor. Of course, he would have to deal with Ana Sofia at some point down the road, considering what they knew, and what he knew that they knew. But Jack also knew that as long as they were happy they wouldn’t make a move, and all of that, would be coming up very shortly. Jack was trying to balance a lot of things on his shoulders, because in his own mind, he couldn’t trust anybody to really have his best interests in mind. This was all on him. 

 

Not to mention what Jessica had told him and the mysterious piece of paper in his possession. What is said, only Jack knew. But would Jack actually rat out the Mexicans in order to save his own life, or would he live by the street code and not go out in his own mind, as a snitch? 

 

Things were certainly getting interesting for Jack inside and outside the ring. 

--

Washington Estate

Las Vegas, NV.


Jack emerged from the shower; the towel wrapped around his waist. He carefully checks himself out in the mirror and lathers his face to shave. When he is finished, he wipes his face with another towel and heads into the bedroom, looking at the freshly pressed suit he laid out for himself. He nods and dresses in his suit, then heading back into the bathroom to tie his tie, going full windsor knot. He smirks to himself, once again checks his face, a little vanity on display. He puts on his suit jacket and slips his feet into his wingtips. He adjusts his jacket, and then puts on his nice watch and grabs his wallet and keys, placing them inside the jacket as he heads into the kitchen. Brian is seated at the table, and he is clearly not a morning person. He sips on a cup of coffee, his unshaven look and bathrobe, looking like a dad out of an ‘8o’s movie. Brian casually glances in Jack’s direction, not really paying him any mind as he begins to read the newspaper.

Jack on the other hand looks into the fridge and pulls out some orange juice and grabs a bagel from the counter. He sits down across from Brian and begins to eat and Brian reads the paper. There is a long period of silence as each man does his own thing, until Brian checks his watch and looks over at Jack, who is checking his phone.

 

Brian: What time is he supposed to be here?

 

Jack: He’s not, I’m taking the car.

 

Brian at first says nothing further, reading the paper until he looks back at Jack again.

 

Brian: Aren’t you going to be late?

 

Jack: No. I’m fine. I’ve got plenty of time. We can delay this if we need to, really.

 

Brian shook his head as Jack never once actually looked up from his phone. Jack eventually stood up, and patted himself down, looking around as if he lost something. Brian looks at Jack for a moment and then points in the general direction of the living room.

 

Brian: Under the yellow pillow.

 

Jack snaps his fingers and points at Brian, both men know exactly what the other was going for. Jack walks into the living room and sure enough, under the yellow throw pillow is Jack’s handgun. Jack places it in his suit jacket pocket and returns to the table to finish his food. Brian continues to read the sports section and glances again at Jack.

 

Brian: Lookie here, they’re promoting your championship match. Got your picture in the paper and everything.

 

Jack: Yeah, that will happen when you going for the world title.

 

Brian: You gonna win?

 

Jack: I plan on it. Why?

 

Brian: Well, I mean, they changed it here, it’s two fall match, against two people. 

 

Jack: I’m aware of that. I’m in the match, I know what I’m up against. It won’t be easy, never said it would be, but they got my god damn belt, Brian.

 

Brian: Yeah, well, that one guy does, so what are you going to do to get it back?

 

Jack: Anything I have to do.

 

Brian: I see, well, I guess that makes sense. You do what you have to do then.

 

Jack nods and finishes his bagel, and downs the glass of orange juice. 

 

Jack: We have a different problem though.

 

Brian peers over the newspaper and let’s it flop to the table. He takes a sip of his coffee before speaking.

 

Brian: And what’s that?

 

Jack: Do you remember when Ana Sofia asked me to do a favor for them?

 

Brian: No. Why? Did you? You went and fucked it up, didn’t you? 

 

Jack shakes his head, and sighs.

 

Jack: No entirely.

 

Brian: Shit. Come on Stick. Why are you even out there doing things for them anyway? It’s supposed to be business! You can’t be jeaopardizing everything whenever they fucking call you, what are you, a dog?

 

Jack: Look, I didn’t know, okay?! I didn’t know what it was really about. They told me to go and get rid of a car. Probably something they used and it got flagged as hot. I was just trying to earn their trust.

 

Brian takes another drink of his coffee, his mood is ruined, clearly. He faceplams for a second and then looks up, gathering his thoughts.

 

Brian: So, what happened?

 

Jack: I took the car, and I burned it. Just like they asked me too. That wasn’t the problem.

 

Brian: Okay, so what was the problem.

 

Jack: They had a girl in the trunk.

 

Brian: Well, shit Jack. You trying to tell me you got a body on your record now? What the fuck did you do that for? Do you realize how much SHIT you can get into with this? This ain’t Philly, we can’t just erase shit off you anymore!  The fuck! You really screwed this shit up!

 

Jack: Relax! Relax, I found her before we got rid of the car.

 

Brian still shakes his head, still upset at Jack.

 

Brian: And then what happened genuis? 

 

Jack: I... I let her go.

 

Brian: Great, now you’ve got a witness too. Jesus you’re fucking batting a thousand, ain’t ‘cha? She see your face too? You got cop trouble now?

 

Jack shrugs.

 

Jack: Look man, I didn’t know her from anyone. She could have been anybody, I didn’t know. What was I supposed to do? I needed that business, Brian, WE needed that business.

 

Brian: No, you’re so fucking obsessed with money that you took it without understand what you were getting into. I tried to tell you that it was dangerous game to play, and you played anyway. And you have fucked it up beyond anything. This is why my brother, your father, only gave you shit you could handle!

 

Jack: I didn’t fucking know, okay! I let her go, and I figured, she’d be smart enough to walk away and never come back.

 

Brian: And?

 

Jack: Well, at the house party, I got a visit.

 

Brian: You what? A visit from who?

 

Jack: … Jessica.

 

Brian stands up out of his chair, even more pissed.

 

Brian: The fucking detective? Why the fuck are the cops showing up here from Philly, Stick? What the fuck did you get yourself into?

 

Jack: They know the girl isn’t dead. The cops, the Mexicans, they both know.

 

Brian: Well shit. You gotta cut ties, Stick. It’s as simple as that.

 

Jack: And then what? 

 

Brian: Then you keep your fucking head down and pray they don’t come after you.

 

Jack turns away, sighing heavily and rubbing his head.

 

Jack: I can’t go out like that, Brian. I can’t. Jessica gave me an option.

 

Brian: Yeah? So?

 

Jack: I can’t do what she thinks I should do. It’s not how we work when we’re in this life, you know that.

 

Brian: So, you want to go out like a gangster? Is that is? You wanna go out like them? Because there’s two ways that happens. In prison, or in the ground. Now you have a real shot to do something better than my brother. You got a shot, Stick, you have to break this shit off.

 

Jack leans on the kitchen counter, his head lowered as he closes his eyes, trying to figure out what to do.  He checks his watch and sighs.

 

Jack: I have to go. I’ll be back, we’ll have to figure something out.

 

Brian: WE? No, YOU. Because I ain’t part of that. Neither is Benny for fuck’s sake. This is a YOU problem Stick, and you need to figure it out.

 

Jack: Fine! Fine! Fuck! Fine!

 

Jack finally stormed out of the front door, briskly walking to his new car. He stopped and began to look around. With eyes wandering and looking for the slightest hint of anyone near him. When he is satisfied, and after he checks the car itself, kicking the tires, checking under the hood, in the backseat, anywhere a conceivable threat could come from, and not finding anything. Jack got into his car, windows nearly illegally tinted, and drives off.

--
Grand Flamingo Plaza

Las Vegas, NV.


Jack arrived well before the 11am press confrence and headed inside the casino itself, now done up nicely, with construction finally finished, and the place furnished. Jack was impressed, he had been spending less time at the Casino, and therefore didn’t really see what it looked like. It was lit up like a Christmas tree. Despite his current situation, Jack smiled at his surroundings and then headed up to the manager’s office, where Benny was waiting. A big, hearty smile on his face as he leaned back in Jack’s chair with his feet up, and puffed on a cigar of his own.

 

Benny: Jack! My boy! How you doing? 

 

Jack: Good Benny, comfy?

 

Benny chuckled as he looked at Jack.

 

Benny: Breaking my balls already, and we’re just opening today. Jesus with this kid. 

 

In the office, Benny had surrounded himself with security. Each man over 6 foot tall and burly. Some fatter, some skinnier. But the point was, all of them were huge. They laughed at his attempt at humor and Jack looked around the room at each of them.

 

Jack: You must all be security. Hope this place is all neat and tidy these days, yeah?

 

Benny: Of course, Kid, I told you I’d take care of it.

 

Jack: And yet, none of these guys know who I am, do they?

 

Benny sighed and rolled his eyes, at Jack, he didn’t really want to go down this road, but Jack was going to do this, whether he wanted him to or not. 

 

Benny: Boys, this is Jack. 

 

Jack: No, to all of you, I am Mr. Washington. I own this casino, and it’s coming out of my money, that you are getting paid. Don’t let this old prick tell you differently. Because he runs the day-to-day operations, but if we have an issue, or something comes up, I need to be notified. Just so we understand each other. Benny was in charge of hiring you, I’m well aware of that fact. But understand who really owns this place. We clear on that, fellas?

 

The big men all nod and murmur in agreement and Jack nods back, with a grin and a knock on the table.

 

Jack: Good good. Now, Benny, my friend, I’d like to take one last look at the Casino being all fresh and new, I’m very eager to see what new and great things you’ve done with the place while I’ve been busy, and seeing what you can do.

 

Benny leaned forward, the smile gone from his face, as he knew what Jack was doing, and he didn’t like it. Benny slowly stood up and motioned to the security team.

 

Benny: Boys, let’s make sure that this place is up to the standard, you head out, Mr. Washington and I will join you shortly.

 

The team leader nods, and the rest of the security team depart, leaving Jack and Benny alone. Benny heads over to the now full-sized fridge, which is full of alcohol, a private stock for the owners. He pours himself a drink, and readies another glass.

 

Benny: Drink, kid?

 

Jack: No. Thank you.

 

Benny: Suit yourself.

 

Benny throws back his drink and the satisfied exhale escapes him.

 

Benny: You know that wasn’t funny, kid.

 

Jack: What’s that Benny?

 

Benny: Breaking my balls like that, in front of my boys. You don’t have to do that, I thought we was partners.

 

Jack: We are, Benny. But I see you sitting on that chair and at that desk with your feet up, and I’m thinking that maybe you are starting to get a big head.

 

Benny: Big head? Fuck you. I’m putting this together.

 

Jack: That’s right, you are. And do you know WHY, you are putting it together, Benny? Because of me.

 

Benny looked down at the ground, mumbling under his breath.

 

Jack: Look Benny, I’m not trying to take over after you’ve done the work, that’s not what I’m about. I owe you a lot for putting this together and making it look all pretty and getting those tourists to get all happy about a brand-new place here. I know you worked hard and hired the right people, that’s all well and good, but I just needed to make sure you weren’t in over your head.

 

Benny: You’re funny. A funny kid, you know that? 

 

Jack: I’ve been told once or twice.

 

Benny: Look kid, I put a lot of time and effort into this place, you trusted me to do that for you, right? Well, I did. I got this place up and running just like you asked me to. Now, I just want a little respect, that’s all.

 

Jack: You’re in charge Benny. I’m not going to go back on that. That’s the deal we made. I trusted you, now you need to trust me.

 

Benny: I do kid, I do. Let’s just let that little mess behind us, yeah? You’re going to love how this new place looks.

 

Benny pours himself another shot. 

 

Benny: You sure you don’t want one?

 

Jack: Actually, yeah, let’s have one.

 

Benny smiles and chuckles as he pours another drink in another glass and hands it to Jack. They toast.

 

Benny: To business?

 

Jack: To business.

 

The two men down their drinks and Benny puts the glasses away.

 

Benny: Let’s have a look at our baby.

 

Benny leads Jack to the large window overlooking the casino. Once again, all the neon and flashing signs inside are lit up and look amazing, despite the fact there is no one inside the casino aside from staff and faculty.

 

Benny: It was a lot of construction to turn an office building into a casino, I tell you that. But, we got it done. We’ve got everything we need. Come on, I’ll show you.

 

Benny leads Jack out of the office and they get a security escort to the ground floor of the casino.

 

Benny: We’ve got everything we need. We got the slot machines, and the tables all set up. All of it is right in the front, really get their attention. That’s how you draw them in. 

 

Jack takes notice of a few older men in suits, who don’t seem to doing anything in particular, so they stand out.

 

Jack: Who are they?

 

Benny: Watcher’s, Jack.

 

Jack: Watchers?

 

Benny: Of course, you need watchers. They make sure there’s no funny business going on at the tables or the machines. You always need these guys because the moment you don’t have them, the place gets cleaned out by cheaters. And trust me, the house needs to win, and it needs to win big.

 

Jack: I see.

 

Jack and Benny continue the tour heading towards the card tables.

 

Benny: We’ve got it all right here, we’ve got blackjack, we got poker, hell, we can even have some betting going on at these tables, that’s how it’s set up. Everything for the man, or woman, who’s feeling lucky, and ready to risk it all.

 

Jack: Are there any things in place to prevent us for someone getting super lucky here?

 

Benny: That’s what the watcher’s do, Jack. Look, the slot machines, they’re small time. People win a few hundred bucks, then so what? They go home happy, but they probably spend around a thousand just to win that hundred bucks. At the tables, that’s a different story. We need people watching because the guy three tables over is helping the guy at this table, and then we have a problem. I’ve got us covered, Jack. I promise.

 

Jack: Good to know.

 

Benny: Let’s get moving.

 

Benny and Jack continue to walk, heading to the inside restaurant.

 

Benny: You’ll like this, we’ll call it “Jack’s” since you’re the figure head, I figured we’d put your name on it.

 

Jack: Look at you, what a guy.

 

 The group head into the  kitchen area, but the staff present cooking some food, and others are still bringing it in.

 

Jack: Everything all set?

 

Benny: Of course, it is. These are world class chefs. We’re only getting top of the line food and preparing it. You know that’s a might inviting smell coming from over here. We’ve got this place to hold them over, but we’ve got the bar in the middle, and several drink stands and vendors. 

 

Jack: What about food in the casino itself?

 

Benny: We’ll have some people walking around, maybe put a smaller place in with some uh... stadium food or something. But we’re going to make “Jack’s” the top of the line.

 

Jack: I appreciate that, Benny.

 

Benny: Alright, so, I guess, all we got left is the count room.

 

Jack: Sounds fun.

 

Benny leads Jack to a door, which reads “Authorized personnel only” on it.

 

Benny: And here it is.

 

Jack: So? Let’s go in.

 

Benny: Sorry Jack, only the people who handle the money are allowed inside. Hell, I’m not even allowed in there. It’s all the people counting the money. We’ve got our guys in there, making sure we get the money we have coming to us. I’m not allowed, and neither are you, even though you’re the owner. They only let the people in, who need to be let in. That way, those people can do their jobs, counting our money.

 

Jack: And they’re on the up and up?

 

Benny chuckles.

 

Benny: Yeah, Jack, they’ve been doing this type of stuff for a long time. I’m only hiring the best. If that’s what it takes, that’s what I’ll do. You know me. The people inside will make sure you get your money, and a few dollars here and there will go to the right people, so nobody checks further into this. We’ve got the commisioner’s family here, so as long as he’s here, and he’s happy, and the money keep pumping out of the casino into the town, so it can cycle back through.... we’re fucking golden, Jack.

 

Jack smirks and nods his head. He then checks his watch.

 

Jack: Well, I think it’s time we meet our public.

 

Benny: Is it? 

 

Benny checks his watch to confirm this.

 

Benny: So it is. Let’s go.

 

Benny and Jack start walking to the casino entrance.

 

Benny: What do you think? 

 

Jack: I think you’ve done well.

 

Benny: I knew there was a reason I liked you, kid.

 

Jack: I have my moments, but let’s make sure we get this rolling the right way.

 

Benny: Absolutely.

 

Benny and Jack head out the door and outside, there is mass gathering of reporters and the public. There’s a large red ribbon and novelty sized scissors as Jack takes the podium, and Benny stands off to the side.

 

Jack: Good morning everyone, I thank you all for coming out again. I know when we last spoke that we made a promise to all of you to keep this Casino up to the top-of-the-line standards, and to provide a whole new place to come and enjoy during a visit or a venture into Las Vegas. I’m confident with the location being a plus, the parking being a plus, and the accessibility and features, we can have the Grand Flamingo Casino, not plaza, but casino, providing top of the line entertainment for you. I was just inside taking a tour, and trust me, I was ready to lose a few bucks in there myself.

 

Some laughter from the crowd.

 

Jack: But from everything I have seen, and everything I have been told, I am more than happy and more than proud to be an official spokesperson for the Grand Flamingo Casino.

 

Applause.

 

Jack: Now, let’s not have these good folks waiting too long, so, I’m going to turn it over to Benny, who will conclude this little formality, and we’ll get to the good stuff. Benny?

 

Applause again as Jack steps aside from the podium and Benny steps up.

 

Benny: Thank you, thank you. It gives me great pleasure to be part of this event today. We are ready to open this casino to the public, and offer a variety of food, drink, and entertainment. I hear the David Cooperfield is still in town, but no word on if we can get him full time so, we may not have EVERYTHING, but I know that we have plenty of entertainment, at a great location off the strip, away from the craziness and cramping down there, and we will give you everything you can get there, right here at the Grand Flamingo!

 

More applause.

 

Benny: I’ll be more than happy to answer any questions you may have. Yes?

 

Reporter: Hello, April Turco, KLAS news 8, what precautious have you taken in this COVID-19 world?

 

Benny: We have installed barriers between all the slot machines, we have barriers at the tables between seats and the between the dealers and the patrons. We have cleaning crew that sanitizes constantly, and our Air conditioning in the building turns over 12 times an hour. We have followed all CDC guidelines in preparation for our opening, we’ve been cleared by all health officials, so we’re 100% in accordance with all the rules and regulations, yes.

 

Reporter #2: Matt O’Niel, KNTV. Do you feel this will be able to take a big enough slice of the gamblers market to really offset the strip?

 

Benny: That’s not our intention. Our intention is an alternative to what is currently out there. Our location is our greatest asset. We are away from the congestion so, if you just want to get away and come to a place more convenient? We're here. Alright, let’s not wait any longer, we’ve got patrons waiting to get in, so let’s not keep them.

 

Jack: Alright.

 

Benny and Jack grab the novelty size scissors, and prepare to cut the ribbon.

 

Benny: I hearby declare the Grand Flamingo Casino... 

 

Jack: Open for business!

 

The two men cut the ribbon to applause, and hug one another. Benny returns to the podium.

 

Benny: And our doors, are open!

 

There is a rather large group of gamblers that hit the doors to be allowed in. Benny and Jack watch them all walk in, and then a short time afterward, the re-enter the manager’s office and peer down at the pretty good sized number of people inside and gambling.

 

Benny: Makes you feel good, doesn’t it?

 

Jack: Actually, yes, it does. I really am proud of this moment.

 

Benny: You should be kid, we worked long and hard to get to this point, even if it was a little rough at times.

 

Jack: Yeah, moves had to be made, Benny, you know that it’s business. 

 

Benny: Yeah, it is, but you know, I gotta say, it feels pretty good to be working on the same side as opposed to how it started.

 

Jack: It does, Benny. I’m glad we could make this thing work. 

 

Benny chuckles to himself.

 

Benny: You know, Sonny’s gonna be pissed.

 

Jack: Why? He’s got all the traffic on the strip. He shouldn’t be worried about us for some little rinky dink place like this. Just seems kind dumb to get pissed over it.

 

Benny: Nah, kid, he’s gonna be mad. Anytime anyone moves in on what you do, or shuts you down out of jealousy, you take it personal.

 

Jack: You think he’ll do anything?

 

Benny: Not right away. He’ll wait for us to fail on our own. And if we do, then we do, but if we can take just a little slice, that makes it all worth it.

 

Jack: I thought we weren’t taking slices?

 

Benny: All’s fair in love and business kid.

 

Jack: Is it?

 

Benny: Well, for the most part, of course.

 

Jack: Until someone brings it down...

 

Benny sighs.

 

Benny: Look, I know a lot of people hold it against you for what your old man did, but I don’t. This is a good opportunity. Let’s not waste a good thing like he did.

 

Jack: Yeah..

 --
SCI Forest State Penitentiary

Marienville, PA

5 years ago.

Jack is slightly younger. Aged 18, and walks the halls of the prison. However, he is not an inmate, but rather a visitor. He walks down the long white hallways of the prison, a name tag stuck to his hoodie. He was lead to the phone room where he sat quietly, the wall and glass barrier showing nothing on the other side. Then the door on the other side opens, and an middle aged man is led in with handcuffs and shackles. The inmate number 104 is clearly visible on his jumpsuit. He is uncuffed and looks happy to see Jack, who seems indifferent. The man sits down, and picks up the phone. Jack is hesitant at first, but does pick up the phone.

 

Jack: Dad.

 

Ethan: Hey.

 

Jack: How you holding up?

 

Ethan: About as well as I can. How you doing? How’s your mom?

 

Jack: She’s moving. She knows you’re not getting out, and she knows that sooner or later they’re going to kill her if she doesn’t.

 

Ethan groans

 

Ethan: Shit.  Look Jack, I never wanted this for you, or her, or your brother.

 

Jack: Seems like he was the smart one and went in the Army. 

 

Ethan: I’m sorry, I brought a world of shit down on you and you’ll probably hate me for the rest of your life for what happened, but it wasn’t what I wanted to happen, Jack. You have to understand that.

 

Jack: I don’t, dad. I really don’t. You always told me that you don’t rat out your friends, and you fucking did. How? Why?

 

Ethan: Because it was MY deal. My deal. I was the one in charge, Jack. I was the one who ran things, and even from in here, I could run things, and you know what they did? They took the guy that made them what they are, and they turn their backs on me. They cut me OUT. ME! 

 

Jack: You’re not getting out dad.  I know that and you know that. 

 

Ethan: Well, you play with fire, you get burned. 

 

Jack: But you burned it down for everyone else.

 

Ethan: That’s how this job works sometimes, Jack. If you can’t all play together and play nice, then nobody gets to play.

 

Jack: Yeah, well, thanks for that. They’re waiting for me now. I can’t get a job anywhere, because they know I’m your son. They know that and they won’t let me do shit! Do you know how fucked this situation is right now?

 

Ethan: Yeah, kid, I do. I fucked up. I know that, but it was my castle, and I ruled it. That’s the rule Jack, if you remember nothing else from me until the day I die, when you are the head of something, you need to be the head, don’t let anybody take the lead from you. You run the show, then run the show. If you can’t... always have a way out.

 

Jack says nothing for a moment, letting his father’s words wash over him.

 

Ethan: Loyalty is strong, I taught you that. It’s fucking important, and they see me as disloyal now, and by proxy, you must be disloyal too. Well, I guess we’re all disloyal in this game. You can’t trust anybody to really have your back when it counts.

 

Jack: Even my own dad, I guess.

 

Ethan: … Shit.

 

Jack: You sold out everyone to break up something that was fine, dad. You know that. 

 

Ethan: Can you understand revenge, son?

 

Jack: Of course.

 

Ethan: That’s what it was about. Revenge. Payback. They cut me out so, I did what I did. I don’t feel fucking good about. I don’t feel I deserve anything over it. I felt it was something that had to be done. 

 

Jack: And now? 

 

Ethan: Now... those times are over. Everybody has to move on.

 

Jack: I can’t, dad. I can’t move on. 

 

Ethan: Look, Jack, with the last bit of power I had, before all this went down, I told them not to touch you. I told Larry, and Jessica, and Mike to look out for you, protect you. 

 

Jack frowns, the disappointment etched all over his face.

 

Jack: I don’t have anything, dad. I don’t have access to any money, the shit’s frozen until Larry can figure something out. I already told you I can’t find work. I got kicked out of the gym and lost all access to any place I wanna go. And now you want me to run to the cops? I ain’t doing that, dad. It’s not what we’re supposed to do!

 

Ethan: You’re right. I’m well aware of what we’re supposed to do. But you know what? Sometimes we have to do things differently. Look, talk to Jessica, and ask her about Rico. Rico can help you.

 

Jack: Who the fuck is Rico?

 

Ethan: Rico is an old friend of mine. He’s always been loyal. He’s loyal to Jessica. He can get you out of here, and somewhere where they aren’t ever going to come looking for you. I tried, Jack. I really did. Rico and Jessica can get you out of here before it all comes down on you. That way, after I’m gone... they’ll forget about you. Let you start over.

 

Jack: Start over doing what?

 

Ethan: Something other than this. I was wrong to bring you into this, Jack. I thought it would last forever. I was wrong. So, with all I got left, I’m getting you out of it. That’s my last promise to you, Jack.

 

Jack looked at his father, still angry, and filled with a lot of emotion. He does not say anything else, he simply stands up, hands up the phone, and turns and leaves, not bothering to look back at his father.


--

Washington Estate

Las Vegas, NV.


Having finished the opening Jack returns to his house, parking the car behind the locked gate in the garage, locking that as well. Jack slowly entered his house and sat on his bed, beginning to undress and getting into more normal clothing. Once his dressed in sweatpants and a t-shirt, Brian enters the room.

 

Brian: Did you tell Benny?

 

Jack: Tell Benny what?

 

Brian: About the Mexicans.

 

Jack: Shit. No. I’m not going to, either. The less he knows the better we’ll be.

 

Brian: Well if they come and shoot up your fucking casino, he’s sure as shit gonna know then. You didn’t think about that at all, did you?

 

Jack: No, had other things on my mind.

 

Brian: Well, Stick, you’d best start thinking of something.

 

Jack: I know, I know. Just... let me think.

 

Brian: Better be good.

 

Jack doesn’t answer as he reaches into the sports jacket pocket and removes all his possessions. He leans forward on the bed, thinking about his options. After a few minutes, and Brian going to get a drink and returning, Jack looks up.

 

Jack: Wait...Benny.

 

Brian: What?

 

Jack: Benny said that Sonny would be pissed about us opening the casino. 

 

Brian: Yeah, so?

 

Jack: No, that could be something we could use.

 

Brian: You mean YOU could use.

 

Jack: Yeah, whatever, but think about it, the Mexicans are at war with Sonny. He’d do plenty to get revenge on them. They killed his kid to start the whole thing. What if, we used Sonny, to get us, out of our little jam?

 

Brian arches an eyebrow.

 

Brian: You think you’re going to make that work?

 

Jack: Yeah, yeah... we can talk to Sonny, and let him know about the Mexicans and how they’re moving. Sonny can do some damage to them, and we can use that are a bargaining chip to help ease any leverage the Mexicans might have. Think about it. They’re going to be pissed if Sonny starts fighting back.

 

Brian: And they will ask you for help.

 

Jack: Yeah, they might, but we just don’t have any way to really help, outside of a cover, and if that cover is blown...

 

Brian: Stick, you’ve got to go a long way to make that plan work. You’re still playing a very dangerous game with them.

 

Jack: But I’ll have an out. It’s a card I can play, and maybe, just maybe, the Mexicans will back off and I can get Sonny to do some dirty work for me, and I’ll be in his good graces, and keep him off me while the Casino works on it’s own. Hell, at the end of this shit, I might actually be able to get every distraction out of the way and be able to keep an eye on Benny.

 

Brian: That’s a plan, a crazy one, but it’s a plan.

 

Jack: I only have one other choice, and I’m not doing it.

 

Brian: Suit yourself kid... maybe you got something here.

 

Jack: I think I do.

--



Click

We are inside Jack’s home, and Jack is pacing back and forth, both intense, and visibly angry.

 
Jack: Everything I had, was ruined. Everything I worked so hard, was taken away from me, and it’s some god damn bullshit. They brought a motherfucker out of the woodwork, and not only did that happen, they then some other shmuck decided to stick his nose in my business and it was basically 2 on 1. Together, they stole from me, and took MY world championship. 

 

I don’t think any of you truly understand what that meant to me, and how it was a symbol of who I am. You took from me, with smiles on your faces like it was some kind of joke. I’m just a joke to you. Well, you know what, I’m going to get the last laugh on both of you fucks.

 

Jack stares a hole through the camera as he continues to pace.

 

Jack: You see, what both stole from me, it’s my world. You took my world and everything that ever meant anything to me. This isn’t some pity party or a woe is me thing, this is a statement of the facts. I’m not going to lie, I’ve had it easy for the majority of my life, I never had to worry about money or having the best things or a roof over my head, and you know what? That pisses me off. Because people get the wrong idea about me, based on my early life. Like I don’t know what hard work is. Like I just cruised to this shit and had my ticket punched for me instead of doing it on my own. All my life people have doubted how serious I was, but man, I ain’t got no silver spoon in my mouth, Nah, while I had money, I still worked. I worked with my hands, I made things, and built things. Things had put me in the position I was in in my life, because I earned my stripes the hard way. Maybe nothing I did was too life threatening, but dammit I did shit in life. And you know what happened? Mother fuckers still didn’t believe me. Everything I ever accomplished had a fucking asterisk next to it, like I did fucking steroids or something. Nothing I ever did in my life was ever credited to me, but to my father for who he was, and I couldn’t and wouldn’t ever get the respect I truly deserved. And it fucking ate at me every single day of my life.

 

And then to top it all off, I had to go through life after my father went to jail, and he ratted out his friends, you know who took the fucking rap for that? ME, GOD DAMN IT, ME! I’m the one who had to sit there and deal with the repercussions of my father’s actions. I’m the one who got denied and thrown out despite not doing anything wrong. I played by the god damn rules and everything was taken away from me for shit I didn’t have any part of. And now, I can’t even go back to where I live and be safe. Ever since the trail and ever since my father did what he did, I have had to live with eyes in the back of my head. Always looking over my shoulder and wondering where the next attack was going to come from. Do you know what that’s like? No, of course you don’t. 

 

Jack chuckles out of frustration.

Jack: And then I started wrestling, I started to do something that my father wasn’t a part of, that I, and I alone would get all the credit if I succeeded or all the blame if I failed. And you what what I did? I FUCKING SUCCEEDED. That’s what I did. I rose straight to the top and I won a championship in my first ever match on television. People said I was destined for greatness. And then I arrived in Sin City Wrestling, and I cut through this company and I won the World championship faster than pretty much anybody. Why? Because I was that fucking good. And because I was unlike anybody else that was here. Before or since. Because I don’t need to be 7 foot tall, I don’t need to be 300 pounds, or pretend to be something I’m not like all these other fucks. No, I stood out, on my own, because that’s the way you do things. That’s how you get to the top, you take out your competition, and you do it in the loudest way possible. And I did that, and I did it better than anyone has, and ever will. I did and said what people were scared to do and say. And I backed up everything I’ve ever said and that’s really what stuck in some of these boy’s craw’s didn’t it? Yeah, I heard them all talking and they didn’t like the way I did things. 

 

But you know what happened? The way I did things, got results, and I took that world championship and I made it something to be cherished to win. And for almost four months, including 4 title defenses, I raised the bar. I took it to the next level, and I don’t have anyone that I need to share it with. There’s not going to be anyone who takes that fucking accomplishment away from me. Nobody. I did that shit, and I did it on my own. You wanna know why I don’t trust none of you assholes, because I did what I needed to do on my own, and you can clearly see from the group of guys who are trying to be world champion and trying to get where I was, that they need a crutch to accomplish anything. Well, I don’t. I did all that, for me, and it’s Jack Washington, and nobody else. The best duo in the history of SCW is Jack Washington and NOBODY. I proved that I don’t need anybody and that I can do it on my own. 

 

And then, you motherfuckers come in like thieves in the night, and you steal all that like it was nothing. So now, I’m going to make you pay.

 

Jack oozes anger and  hatred from his very being.

 

Jack: Everything was fine and dandy until you took it from me, and now here we are with this bullshit match where I not only have to win my title back from Kris Ryans, I have to do it twice. Why? Because they just enjoy making things hard for me. But you know what? That’s okay, I’ll beat Kris Ryan’s twice, and hell, I’ll beat O’Malley’s bitch ass twice if I have, just based on the principle of the idea.

 

First and foremost, O’Malley is the main problem of this whole thing. I beat him ass before, and then he comes out with his chest puffed out like he’s a new man. Sorry chief, but this ain’t it. You are still utter trash that doesn’t belong here. What have you done besides run your mouth the entire time, like you were ever a threat to me or anyone else. That’s all you’ve been your whole fucking SCW career. You are nothing but hot air. You’ve accomplished nothing, except cashing in a briefcase and getting mocked for it. You’ve been nothing but a failure as both a wrestler and as a man, and yet, you’ve somehow managed to wrangle your way into this. You know, as well as everyone else you have no business here, you’ve just stuck your stupid Irish nose in other people’s business in the hopes that some star power rubs off of them, onto you. That’s it, my guy, that’s you in a nutshell. You bring nothing to the table besies the woe is me and I’m fighting hard for my redemption and all this rah-rah bullshit that nobody buys. And you know why? Because you have failed time and time again to back up anything and you have become a shell of a man.

 

And yet you’re nothing thumping your chest like you’ve accomplished anything in your life besides moving on from your ex. We can all learn to rebound my dude, you ain’t showing anybody anything. You have done jack shit to earn this match, besides make a challenge. And even then I told you, to fucking earn it, and you didn’t. You just decided you would jump into other people’s business, much like you always do, and hope to benefit from it. The only difference now is, you have a chance to sneak in the back door and try and walk away a world champion. And I know, you’ll be fucking proud of that, wouldn’t you? Yeah, you totally would, because it’s the only way you could ever do it. You have nothing on your record and resume that tells me, or anyone else that deserve anything but all the mocking and ridicule you get. You’re pathetic and you’re chomping at every crumb to try and stay relevant. 

 

Jack shakes his head, still scowling.

 

Jack: And while your presence in this match disgusts me to no end, the fact is, you’re here, and you know what? That’s good for me. I’m happy you’re here, because at the end of all this, I want to see that look you’ve mastered over your legacy of failure, that look that everyone in your family seems to have down pat. That look of utter disappointment. That looks that says “I failed.” It’s the same look you gave your wife. Both of them, by the way, and it’s the same look you give your son. Because that’s what you are and that’s what you do. You’ve had chances, you’ve had every opportunity, and you’ve wasted all of them.

 

You know, I can feel you right now, O’Malley. I can feel you getting pissed at me for saying the things I say. You know why that is? Because you know it’s the truth. You know that you’re about to blow another chance at something important. Something you can hang your hat on and say you did. Because in your heart, you know I’m telling the truth, and it’s something you have to deal with all the time. At least, I hope you’re getting pissed. You should be getting pissed, but knowing you, you’re sitting there listening to me, and looking at your wife and just shrugging. You’re one tiny step away from just accepting this. I almost halfway expect that at Inception, you’re just going to sit in the corner and pout like a fucking kid because you’ve been exposed. And god damn it, you should. But I hope for your sake, that you put up some kind of fight, so at least you can fall back on effort. But then again, you know you don’t belong here at the grownup table, so at Inception, I will not only beat you, I will fucking break you. Because unlike you, I don’t have a family to worry about. Maybe, you should get your shit in order before you try and step up and play with the big boys. Maybe you should have your fucking head on straight before you try and claim the biggest prize in the game. But you aren’t, and you won’t. Because without the silly family drama you have submerged yourself in, you are just a joke of a wrestler, and even bigger joke of a man.

 

At Inception, I will put you out of your misery, and you will pay dearly for getting involved in this. Because let’s face it, you probably would have gotten an SCW championship match at this very show, against me, if you hadn’t interfered in my match with Kris Ryans. You screwed yourself over, because you are a fuck up. A complete fuck up who had only made his own job harder. You think that because you did this, and that you can fluke your way into a championship match, and then fluke your way to a victory is makes you something? You will always be all bark and no bite O’Malley, that’s the way it is. Sorry to tell you, son, but a victory for you is not going to happen, because you don’t have what it takes to be here on your own in the first place. I already beat your ass one on one before, and now you think you’re going to get ANYTHING out of this? 

 

The bottom line is, you will fail, one more time, and hopefully, after the beating I give you, and Kris Ryans, you will slink back into the hole you crawled out of, and will go home and be a family man, and try to do better at something that you actually have a chance at. Because this championship match, ain’t it.

 

Jack cracks his knuckles, continuing to pace, and that ever-present scowl still adorned on his face.

 

Jack: Now that that’s out of the way, it’s time to start talking about the man who benefitted from O’Malley, Kris Ryans.

 

I think it’s funny how much of a standard I set that you had to dig down so deep and throw up such a prayer and even with all that, you still needed interference to get the job done. You had to train harder than you have in your entire life and you still weren’t really able to get the job done. And yet, you’re gladly going to take that win, and call yourself a champion. 

 

Fuck off.

 

I could have respected if you had actually done it on your own, but then we wouldn’t be in this mess if you had. It would just be me, earning my next shot at the championship but running through everyone else, like I did before and we’d be at the same spot, minus O’Malley. But that’s not what happened and you know that, but like the rest of the black sheep, you’re going to sit there with a smile and hold up MY championship like you did something. I’m not making excuses, I’m stating the facts, and the facts are, until you actually beat me legit, you have no business calling yourself the world champion. One win over some schmuck in a title defense means absolutely nothing to me. 

 

Jack shakes his finger, having finally stopped pacing, seeing beside himself with anger.

 

Jack: All you are to me Kris, is the man who has what belongs to me. That’s it. A means to an end. I don’t care about you, I don’t care about the black sheep and how you want to try and turn SCW in the Kris Ryans comeback story. I don’t give a rat’s ass about how you accomplished this or that or how you turned your life around. Maybe if you were a little smarter you wouldn’t have made such fucking stupid choices and threw your first run away and had to come back years later to redeem yourself and prove you can fucking act like an adult. 

 

And you come back and you have a good year and you’re king shit now right? Cool. But you don’t even realize what you did to me and how I will enjoy ripping that title from you and putting it back where it belongs. There will be no repeat of whatever year you were on top, that shit is over. You, like so many other people, will be forced to learn that I’m not going away, I’m not a flash in the pan. You had to put on the best performance of your life because you knew anything less would be an absolute failure. And now you’re flying high, and living the dream. 

 

And I am about to turn that dream into a nightmare, Kris.

 

Because for a while, while I was the champ, I may have let my guard down, and got a little soft. In fact, I know I did. Maybe it was just a little easier to do. Maybe I got a little less hungry than I was when I was going after that championship. But now, I have a valuable lesson to take with me into the future. No more letting my guard down, because everyone is now going to pull out all the stops just to try and prove themselves against me. I’ve raised the bar and I didn’t even know it, Kris. But now, I have the freedom again. The freedom to really cut loose and show you, and O’Malley just how dangerous I truly am. 

 

Jack chuckles again, but this time there is far more malice behind it.

 

Jack: I’m getting more and more excited as I think about it. I get to really go out to the ring in two weeks, and beat your ass so badly that you lose twice. I can absolutely cement how much that championship means to me, at your expense. And trust me when I say that I will do anything and everything to win my championship back. You thought it was bad before, oh, my guy, you have seen NOTHING yet. I told you and everyone else, as a result of what happened at the end of last year, everyone suffers now. And everyone includes you. And you, will suffer most of all, because you have what’s mine. Do you think I’m some kind of sucker of who just let’s people steal from him? Well, you obviously don’t me very well, Kris. No, I’m the type of dude who takes revenge tenfold. I believe in an eye for an eye. I believe that if you steal from me that maybe I should get to cut off your hand. Well... maybe that’s too much. But I’m a big believer in things like that. They send on of yours to the hospital, you send one of theirs to the morgue. It’s tit for tat where I come from. And since you stole from me Kris, one way or another, you have to pay the price. And believe me when I tell you that that price will be very, very heavy.

 

I don’t care if I have to gouge your eyes out of your head and blind you for life. I don’t care if I have to break your bones or permanently disfigure you. If I have to, fuck it, if I WANT to, I will kick you square in your baby nuts to put you down. By hook or by crook, but this time, I will always say I am firmly justified in doing any harm I can to you. I’m going to make you regret ever trying to make a fool out of me. You say I’m not trustworthy? Well, you hit the nail right on the head. You shouldn’t trust me in the ring to do anything other than try and whoop your ass and win. I care about the money and fame that comes with victory, I’ve had that pretty small taste, and now I’m fucking hooked Kris. And that means that I will stop at nothing to take my championship back. 

 

If I have to beat you twice, or even just once, hell, not even at all, I could just beat O’Malley’s punk ass twice and I will call it a day and gladly take my championship victory, though, rest assured that you will suffer before it’s all said and done.

 

Inception is only 10 days away. I want the both of you to think long and hard about what you’re going to do in the next 10 days to survive. Not win, but survive. I will unleash all the frustration that has been building up since that title was taken from me. Think about how you will walk away and still have something left to continue on with your careers. Because you can bet your last fucking dollar that I am going to find even more to fuel me just as much as this frustration does. I was unjustly knocked off them mountain, so once again I will climb that mountain, plant my stake, and this time, I will put a goddamn deathgrip on that championship.

 

No more excuses, no more mercy. 

 

Days. You have mere days to do what you need to do. Pray, write out your will, whatever it is you need to do, but we all know the truth here, you both are going to be dismantled and I will once again show every single person in this company that I am the face of this company. I am it’s star, and while I may have slipped, trust me, I did not fall, and I will once again rise to the very top, and at the end, hopefully neither one of you ever think of trying to take shit me ever again.

 

You are running out of time, chumps.

 

The clock is ticking.

 

With that, Jack moves away and out of frame, and we fade to black.

Click.