More To Be Done.
In-Studio - Bane Home
/Scene Opens\
The calm before the storm, I thought to myself as I stared at the camera. I had done a lot and probably pissed off more than one person with what I had said a couple of weeks ago. Did I care? No, not in the least, I was here for a reason. It was time to make that clear if I hadn’t already. I adjust the cufflinks on my stark white shirt. I can smell the heavy starch that they use in order to make this look as crisp as possible. The black slacks I’m wearing have a lighter starch in them but the creases are razor sharp. Black alligator boots and belt finish the look.
The last time I was in front of a Sin City crowd, I was defending my Internet Title against Miles. The Troll took exception to Milo sending flowers to the Troll’s mom. Under normal circumstances I would have sympathized with him for what he did. This is the Troll we’re talking about however, and that fat piece of shit stuck his nose in my business. So, Miles didn’t get a fair shot at winning that title. Neither of us was happy about that but nothing can be done about it now. Would it have made any difference if the Troll hadn’t inserted himself? No one knows to be fair and honest, Milo is one of those kids with so much potential that I know he’ll earn himself another shot at some point. Not the way I wanted to have my first defense to go. What I wanted was a decisive title defense, not some rolly polly coming out and ruining it for myself and Milo.
I shake my head in disgust as I remember what happened.
So, first we had Alicia Lukas, Queen for a day winner, giving Miles an internet title shot and herself a world title shot against my wife. How’d that work out for you? Then there’s Vinnie, the King for a day winner giving himself a world title shot against Mark Cross.
I shrug it off.
I can’t say that I blame you really, I might have done the same thing if the roles were reversed. Mark Cross is an interesting guy to say the least. Him and his hashtag four hundred club, that’s amusing to me.
The smile I was wearing is gone.
I’m laughing on the inside, no, really. I get it Mark, setting goals is important. Setting realistic goals, even more so. That led me to respond to your open challenge on social media. You told Underwood to put me on the waiting list?
My anger starts to bubble to the surface as my eyes narrow and my brow furrows.
I don’t feel like waiting, Mark. I’m not a patient man, you see, so at Climax Control I’m going to spell it out for everyone after my match. My match with David is a non title match, this surprised me. Has the good Shepherd not done enough to warrant a title shot? Does management not believe in you? Do you not believe in yourself? Doesn’t matter to me, this match is what it is. If you beat me, think of all the credibility you’ll gain. If you succeed you put yourself in a great position for a future shot at the Internet Title. If you don’t? Well, that just means you were the next victim on my way to the top. Make no mistake about it boys, that’s exactly where I’m going. Not that I don’t have work in front of me, I still have a lot of work to do before I get there.
I wink at the camera as the scene fades.
Fade
What are you up to exactly?
The Bane Home, Las Vegas, NV
/Scene Opens\
The flickering of a computer monitor bathes my face in an eerie light. My bleary eyes poured over the email again to make sure that what Aeric had told me was correct. I run my hands through my tangled hair and then let my arms drop by my side. Leaning back I mutter to myself, “This old bastard is trying to turn into a real land Baron it would seem.” I take a sip of my coffee, leaning forward and I study the last paragraph more closely. “The real question is do I care?”, I say with a bemused tone. The family place was something I bought and built with my own two hands. I wanted to make sure that my kids had everything I didn’t as a child. The offer was better than I would have thought the old man was capable of putting together. My place was four thousand acres of timberline. The property was thick with pine and oak trees with a small amount of mesquite. “He’s not even asking for the mineral rights...I just don’t get it.” I mused to myself.
My phone began to buzz, an incoming call from Aeric Bane according to my caller identification. I swipe the button across, “What’s up kiddo?”. “Hey Pop.”, he said, followed by a long pause. This is a real attention getter in my family, that boy talks ninety miles an hour and for him to pause, meant he was thinking. His thinking is never a good thing. It generally means either bad news or he’s got some crazy assed scheme in mind. “What’s wrong Aeric?” I asked in a matter of fact way that means spit it out, son. He knows the tone all too well as do all my kids. “Nothing really, I was just thinking….”, and there it was I thought to myself and my immediate instinct was to cringe. Makes me glad he wasn’t in the room. “Oh yeah? What were you thinking about, son?” I asked him. Another long pause of silence. “Aeric, you are making me nervous.” I say in a sharper than normal tone. I can hear him bark a laugh on the other side of this conversation.
“I know it’s not my strong point Pop, so I don’t blame you for having some reservations but I think I figured out why Mixon wants our land.”, and there it was, my son, the private detective. There are idiots, then there was Aeric, an idiot in tin foil armor. A heart the size of Texas and brain the size of a walnut. I allowed a slow breath out in hopes of hiding my frustration. “Oh yeah? So what do you think the old bastard is trying to do?” I honestly hated to encourage him but I love my kids and I love it when they try. “Well Pops, our land butts up against the Johnson Place, which he’s also trying to buy.” he started explaining. “Hold up.” I say quickly scanning the email that Aeric had sent me earlier. “Looks like your being a man-whore is paying dividends Aeric.” He laughs again, “We all have our strengths, right Pop?” Now it was my turn to laugh as he used one of my own phrases against me. “Indeed we do, son, indeed we do.”. “Latest is that the Johnson’s are going to sell. According to someone at the title office, they’ve agreed to sell him all mineral rights.” he informed me and I nodded along with what he was saying. “I found out the same thing, through a different source of course.”
“I’d love to get ahold of the mineral survey that was done on their place.”, I said mostly to myself, I wasn’t sure my son even knew what that was. I can hear him sigh, “It’s the third attachment in the email Pop.”, he said, chastising me for not being more thorough. Now it was my turn to bark a laugh, followed by the words, “Of course it is.” I opened the attachment, it was a thorough report but it really revealed nothing. It was standard for that part of Texas. “Maybe there’s nothing to find here.” I muttered to myself. “I mean, not everything is a communist plot.”, I said finally. My son began laughing, “You mean my childhood was a lie?”. Then I began to laugh, when they were children, if anything at all went wrong that’s what I would call it. It was something I had picked up when I was in the Navy.
Fade
More To Be Done Part Two.
In-Studio - Bane Home
/Scene Opens\
So, when I won the internet title, it was the expected outcome. You know, like Dave being an asshole. It’s expected.
I smile at the camera.
Now if I know Dave at all, he’s probably pissed about me calling him Dave. Religious types are always rather stuffy about that kind of thing. Just like they’re stuffy about sexuality. The truth is as forgeign to them as the possibility that same sex love exists. Let’s not get ahead of ourselves though. One thing at a time.
My smile broadens as I begin to get into the meat of what I want to talk about.
You claimed for a long time that you hated Fenris, and then you laid a lip lock on him like hadn’t been seen in a wrestling match in ages. You’ve been preaching against homosexuality for months, even when your dad spoke out about your attitude about it, you shunned him. Imagine everyone’s shock when that happened. Then again, what should I come to expect from a wannabe cultist. You guys get tired of life in the compound or something?
I shake my head to indicate my disgust with who David is as a person.
Maybe you decided to use it as a psychological ploy, but then much to the surprise of everyone he kissed you back. That was entertaining as hell for everyone. The social media response was priceless. That brings us to an often misused term by those in the clergy. The Truth.
My gaze narrows and brow furrows again as I address my opponent.
Dipshit, you wouldn’t know the truth if it bit you on the ass. You don’t even have to be necessarily observant to know this about you, Dave. You’re a liar and a fraud. You lack integrity and even the common decency to address people properly. In my first match as the Internet Champion, I wanted to do nothing more than make a statement. Due to the interference of others I wasn’t able to do that. I guess you’ll just have to do, little man.
My gaze hardens as my intensity is more obvious and my anger is beginning to bubble to the surface. I begin unbuttoning my shirt, undoing the cuff links and I slide the shirt off of my body.
My body and the scars that I carry are like a roadmap to the story of my life in this business. My entire career I’ve been reckless, putting my body on the line, night in and night out. I am who I am, I put asses in the seats, whether Mark wants to admit it or not. I am the most logical number one contender to that world title that there is in this fucking company. This is my truth David. I’m sure you believe that I don’t deserve this belt or the accolades that go with it. The truth will be standing across the ring from you at Climax Control. They say that the truth hurts, and in your case it will be even more painful than you can imagine, kid.
I raise both hands, middle fingers extended.
That’s what I think about your opinion of me, Dave. I have absolutely nothing to gain by beating you. That is what is going to happen chief. So, we’ll find out if you’re a man or a fucking snowflake. What happens when I turn up the heat? I’m willing to bet you melt like the bitch that you are. At the end of the day, the only thing that gets settled is what Sin City already knew. I’m a dirtbag, no good bastard.
