London Underground, seemingly the hottest group in SCW, seemingly set to take control of Sin City Wrestling after just a short time, involving a lot of success, seems to have fell off the radar recently. It is hardly surprising considering the lack of mixed tag teams around, their urge for the Mixed Tag Team Championships seeming to lose it's bite. Of course everyone wants to be a champion, well, I mean the Caleb Storms, Jessie Salco's and Crystal whatever name she's using this week, they always wanna be champions, but for some reason, London Underground had hidden away from wanting any kind of gold. As a group, they knew they could take those Mixed Tag Titles back any time they really wanted, they knew they could click their fingers and have that gold back around their waists. Mackenzie knew she could put her hand in the air and go for Bombshell World Championship match anytime she saw fit.
Kenz knew she could after beating a champion not too long ago, a champion who couldn't be arsed to stick around after being beat by two rookies in a row, but for me, Os, Charley and Kenz, those title belts were not really on our radar.
Ya see, when we put our feet on yank soil, wrestling in general was always a back burner for us, always something that was a necessity for us to get to where we wanted, and that's to get our feet wet in casinos. It took some time but we were moving to that goal rapidly. Wrestling was a means for visa, to work in the land of apparent opportunity, now we have that, now we're playing the presidents game by being part of the big business world. Sometimes, you gotta get in bed with some odd bedfellows to get what you want, and we're playing in Trump's America, as we say back home, money talks and bullshit walks. Not many on a work visa can own their own businesses after so little time, but God bless America and a president that is big on bringing new business and old to America. All that red tape most have to go through to be where we are, piece of piss to handle. We'd have never got away with it under past administrations, but we have now, and it's time me, Os, Charley and Kenz were waiting for, it was almost here, the casino was almost ready to open and for us to be good old American business owners. American as in the business is American, not that we'd ever give up being English, God Save The Queen and all that.
Businesses don't succeed by just opening up and hoping someone's gonna show up and waste away a few quid, that's crazy talk. Business is about getting out there and getting noticed, and this leads us to today.
The scene fades in to The Golden Ring Casino on the outskirts of Las Vegas, Nevada, a relatively quiet area of the Las Vegas strip. A good couple of miles separated this smaller casino from the much larger, more well know establishments, but big plans were afoot to close the gap.
Daniel stood amongst a crowd of six people, three men, three women, each holding a notepad or recording device. Osbourne joins Daniel as they stand inside the main gambling hall, much changed from the last visit, the place seemed brighter and refreshed. Workmen walk through the hall, heading towards the back of the casino, through doors, working on something unseen to the eye right now. Daniel looks across towards the bar area where SCW World Bombshell champion, Dani Weston stands behind the bar, excited look on her faces as she hands Mackenzie Paige and Charlotte Elliot brightly coloured drinks. One of the women in the group look across at the three women by the bar, her curiosity peaking.
"What's going on over there, Daniel?" She asks.
Daniel glances across the bar, towards Charlotte, Mackenzie and Dani and looks back at the woman.
"New signature cocktails." Daniel says with a warm smile.
He knew how to turn on the charm when he had to, and with a group of reporters standing in front of him, he knew he had to turn on the charm up to one hundred, and then some. He'd always try to avoid the press, always tried to stay out of the limelight, his business depended on it back in the East End of London, he had no choice but to just hide in plain sight, but this was different. This was where the big bucks were made, he has to smooze people in to being here.
"We're planning on creating a signature cocktail, something never seen before, something you can't get anywhere else in Vegas." Daniel continues. "We plan on having many different drinks from all around the world you simply just can't get anywhere else."
"Is that gonna be your selling point for this place?" A man asks.
Daniel looks at Osbourne, standing close by, who stands stone faced. He turns back to the crowd of reporters, once again with a warm smile.
"It's going to be one of many selling points for The Golden Ring." Daniel tells the man, looking directly in to his eyes, his tone confident and firm. "Businesses are tough to get off the ground and I'm one of these fellas that sit there and think that businesses that only have one selling point, don't seem to get very far. If you only got one thing about ya, anyone else can copy it, and try and make it better. We want more than one selling point and we have that here, we want people to experience everything. In terms of alcohol, I can pretty much promise you will not get some of this stuff anywhere else out here. We'll be selling British ales, IPA's, things you've never heard of. Vegas is a touristy place, people all over the world travel here, and I come to find even when ya out of the country, you still wanna taste a bit of home and we're gonna cater for that."
Daniel nods at the group to walk with him, walking through the casino a little bit.
"What else are you going to use as a selling point?" Another man asks. "You're a little distance away from the main spots."
Daniel stops and the group eagerly wait to listen.
"You're correct, we are a bit of a distance away from most." He admits. "But we have a lot to offer, not only gambling and alcohol. Through that door over there..."
Daniel points to the door where workmen can be seen walking in and out.
"Right now, we have a team of experts working around the clock, turning what used to be a bunch of disused rooms, in to store fronts." Daniel tells them with a proud smile. "I do mean around the clock, three eight hour shifts, a lot of money sunk in to turn them in to stores. We're not talking random stores, we're talking big names. We're talking a Disney store, Starbucks, big names. Plus a new theatre is all but complete, where we will attract big names, including Gabriel Stevens putting on a show or two with his magic and illusions. We also have an SCW star right now working on a one man show and if it's a success, we'll be happy to have other SCW guys put on shows here. There's also a very fine dining restaurant going in there, we're talking to Gordon Ramsey's people about it being run by him. If that's not your speed, we'll be offering bar food too."
"Do you think the distance will be a problem?" A woman asks.
"I think people are gonna wanna come here." Daniel tells her. "I think people know some SCW people like a little flutter, so there's always a chance you might bump in to someone you see on the box here. Yes, there is a distance between us and the main strip, but we have a lot of land around us to build on. We've had an architect in already to draw up plans for a hotel to be built just next door, run by us and a little luck and planning permission, we'll have that up and running. It'll have everything a modern hotel needs, in door and out door pool, gym, conference rooms, spa and the like. We want to turn the area we have in to a mini Vegas, everything you need on one complex. We will bring the people to us and offer them all they need to have a good time."
"This seems awfully expensive." A man asks with an eyebrow raised. "How do you have the resources for this?"
It was an awkward question to answer and put a good light on it. Businesses back in London, most were a front for one thing or another, but it was a question he knew he'd have to face at some point. Everyone wants to know how people make money.
"I have a lot of backers in London." Daniel says calmly. "A lot of city people who are putting their money and faith in me. People who know how profitable casinos can be if done right, and sorry to use a Vegas term, but they're going all in on this and know you get out what you put in, so finances have been in place since day one to turn this place in to the hottest place in Vegas."
"How hands on will you be running the place, with your wrestling career?" A woman asks.
Daniel can't help but wink at her, his charm offensive in full swing.
"I'm hands on with pretty much everything darling." He says with a smile. "I'll be running this place while I'm in the area, making all the big calls and the like from the road, but I will have someone I trust running this place when I'm not about. Modern technology keeps me very in touch with what's going on here and I can deal with things without being here."
"Are you going to host wrestling shows here?" A man asks, taking notes.
"I have no clue." Daniel admits. "That would take us being approached and a deal to be done but I couldn't host just any wrestling show, it would have to be an SCW show. I couldn't exactly get away with hosting a rivals show here while working for a wrestling company."
Daniel looks around the crowd with a smouldering look, trying to work the crowd, bring them to his side. He knew six reporters with glowing references can cause a buzz around Vegas. These were just the first six, he had more coming at different times, but knew he stood a better chance connecting with people in smaller groups than he did have in bigger groups where everyone becomes a face in the crowd. He had to connect with everyone he spoke to, he had to answer every question consistently, and not roll his eyes at being asked the same things over and over again.
"Is there much more to do before the reopening?" A woman asks.
Daniel shakes his head, looking directly in to her eyes.
"Not at all." He tells her confidently. "Within a week, the store fronts will be set up. Within a couple of weeks, those stores will be taken, and fitted out with everything that needs to go in there for whoever takes them over."
"Don't you feel you've moved a bit fast?" An enquiring man asks.
"No." Daniel says bluntly. "I'm the kinda fella who strikes while the iron is steaming hot. Not when it's warming up or colder than a snowman's junk. I don't believe in putting things off. This is a big project, it's worth a lot of green to a lot of people so it's about getting things in place as quickly as possible. Crews have been working around the clock to get things done and they're well on the way to being done."
"Do you have a relaunch date?" A woman asks.
"That we do." Daniel tells her. "You guys are the first to hear it. Our relaunch date, baring any last minute hitches, will be on November the third."
The group of reporters start to write things down and Daniel smiles at them.
"What do you have planned for that day?" A man asks.
"It's gonna be special." Daniel tells them. "We have a host of SCW stars that will be here, including Dani behind the bar."
Daniel points to where Dani stands behind the bar, as Mackenzie and Charlotte test out more drinks.
"Gabriel will be performing tricks in the new theatre." Daniel tells them. "It will be free entry to that show, there will be free food, two free drinks on me. There will be a lot more announced but I can promise you, it will be completely worth your time and effort to be here, press drink half price."
Daniel winks at the crowd.
"And everything will be a night no one will forget." He tells them. "Our staff will be fully trained and ready to do whatever it takes to have a good night. Believe me, it will not be something you'd want to miss out on. I'm excited about it all, I have been since day one, and pretty sure others are too."
He looks around the crowd of six, seeing smiles on their faces before looking at Osbourne, the bigger man nodding his head and approving of Daniel's work with the reporters. Daniel turns back to them.
"Any other questions for now?" Daniel asks looking at his watch. "Cause I believe lunch is now ready, where you can get to meet the girls and we can talk a little wrestling...."
Daniel points towards a side door as the camera fades elsewhere.
*******
The camera cuts to the office of Daniel J Morgan, overlooking the casino below the vast long window to one side of the room. Daniel sits on a leather chair in the office area set up for casual conversations, Osbourne stands behind the leather chair while the women sit on a sofa to Daniel's right hand side. The camera focuses on Daniel and Osbourne.
"We had to take a little break from showing you media day for just a bit, so we can talk about this upcoming match we've got." Daniel starts. "You should know, that's just how we do it. Some throw in their match chat at the start, some at the end, we like doing it a little bit different."
He takes a deep breath, his mind trying to fill with thoughts about his possible upcoming opponents, but seems to find himself at a loss.
"We've been here for a good while now and we've faced some top people, but this upcoming show feels very different." He admits. "I mean we're not facing top people if you wanna be honest about it, we're facing... well, people who quiet frankly, until we had a peep on the SCW site, had no clue who they were. We still don't really know who the bloody hell they are to be honest, and everything we search pops up youtube channels with three people pissing away their lives playing computer games made for kids. This is the problem, this ain't no computer game kids, you don't get an extra life in this one, you have no make believe guns and swords, or any of that magic potion to give yourself a kick in the rear. This is real life and playing a few game, sitting online with your pals ain't really gonna help you in this situation."
Daniel pauses again, as if to be thinking about what to say next.
"Jack Stewart, let's face it pal, you ain't really a wrestler, are ya? You just got caught up in the fantasy of what wrestling is like." Daniel says firmly.
He presses his hands together as he leans forward.
"You spend your life in a fantasy world." Daniel tells him. "One of make believe and fairytale where you think we're the level bosses or something like that, we'll the thing is, with computer games, the good guy doesn't always win, and being as this is reality, not virtual reality, the hero, which I'm taking a stab in the dark, you think you are, has no extra chances, he's got one shot to beat me or Os, just the one. There is no reset button in real life, there is no option to restart from the nearest check point, there's no do overs. There's just winning and losing and Jack, losing is something that you're gonna have to get used to, something you're gonna need to feel. Something you will feel as soon as you get in the ring with us. It's gonna be a bump ride for you."
"You might not be facing him." Mackenzie reminds Daniel.
Daniel looks across at her with a smile.
"You're not wrong Kenz." Daniel agrees. "I mean we finally get to feel how our opponents feel, the uncertainty of not knowing who's gonna end up in the ring. It makes you think. We usually know how to match lines but this one isn't about matching formations here, this is about true skill, who is the better wrestlers on the day, but if I'm honest, I would probably sling Jimmy Andrews in the ring against us if they even want to try and win."
"Why?" Charlotte asks.
"Because at least he has some pedigree." Daniel responds. "His uncle is apparently a legend in SCW, from what I can find out about him, I'd use the term legend very lightly, I mean he's not exactly Hall of Fame material, but he did apparently bust his nuts around SCW working. I don't know how much contact he has with little Jimmy boy, but maybe it's in the DNA or something."
Daniel looks back at the camera.
"Is that it Jimmy?" Daniel asks. "You took a break from games long enough to watch uncle Travis and thought you could do it too? To be fair mate, I've been to the circus, I've seen tight rope walkers, but doesn't mean I can jump up there and have a stroll along, does it?"
Daniel's light humour brings a smile out on the faces of the women on the sofa.
"Monkey see, monkey can't always do." Daniel says with a confident look on his face. "You're not all that to be fair from what I've seen, Uncle Travis wasn't all that either from what I've been told. Wasn't very popular, more heart than talent though, and judging by what we've seen of you pal, you don't have the talent or the heart, which is pretty sad when you're the best hope of getting something out of this match. Very sad considering who you're up against cause truthfully, you don't really have any hope of getting anything out of the match. We're former champions because we were good enough to hold those belts, you have very little chance of getting anywhere near that level to hold them, and less chance getting anywhere near us."
Daniel leans back in his chair.
"Doesn't matter which one of you two nerd end up in the ring, doesn't matter if it's me or the big fella here." Daniel says pointing a thumb at Osbourne. "Result stays the same and that's us walking out winning. Might be a new concept to ya, but we only lose when it serves a bigger purpose and losing to you would serve no bigger purpose, so quiet frankly put, we're coming to win, we're coming to win well, we're coming to put on a show and remind the fans that we're the best group here, bar none, and we plan on staying that way."
He takes a slow deep breath.
"We intend on reminding everyone just who we are, and what we're capable of on Sunday." Daniel says with a firm, yet confident tone. "You two are gonna be so out of your depth when that bell rings, whichever one of you is in the ring, is gonna wish the other guy was because this is not gonna be for the faint of heart, this is not gonna be an easy match for you like your last time out, this is gonna be nothing but a lesson on what real life is all about."
Daniel looks across at Charlotte and Mackenzie.
"You two wanna take it from here?" He says with a nod.
The camera turns to face the women.
