[Max Burke]

 

BURKE: Retribution.

Burke’s eyes grow larger in intensity. The picture flashes frantically.

BURKE: Redemption.

His nostrils flare. The harsh transitions continue...

BURKE: Vengeance.

His voice cracks as his volume grows.

BURKE: An eye for an eye.

He inhales deeply. The picture slowly comes back to focus.

BURKE: Longing...

He exhales slowly, and the flashes stop.

BURKE: Yearning...

A sly smirk begins to appear under his beard.

BURKE: Hunger...

Burke runs his thumb across his bottom lip, wiping some saliva.

BURKE: Craving...

He runs his hands through his tangled hair, pulling on it ever so slightly. The screen flashes quickly.

BURKE: Incomplete.

Burke chuckles under his breath in amusement of his final choice of word.

BURKE: These are the thoughts that have been haunting the deeper reaches of my mind for three years.

Burke strokes his beard. He runs his fingers through it. He gives it a sharp tug when he reaches the end.

BURKE: Three years.

Screen flashes. Static. Burkes nostrils flare, as his voice rises.

BURKE: Three GODDAMN years!

Burke lets out what can best be described as an out of character cackle. He shakes his head repeatedly obviously thinks back over his years away from Sin City Wrestling.

BURKE: These thoughts have been tormenting me. Every day. Every hour. Every minute. Every goddamn second... for three years. You see 2014 was to be the year of Burke. I had very high standards for 2014. Without question, I took my career to another level. 2013, and my feud with Kain was exceptional in raising our stock with the company. I held the Roulette Championship by defeating the aforementioned piece of shit that is Kain.

He smirks as he remembers the never ending bullshit that was his feud both inside and outside of the ring with the man formerly known as Kain inside the Sin City Wrestling ring. The wars that they put each other through. Physically... mentally... Kain was his greatest rival. There was no love lost between these two bitter enemies. Ask anyone, they hated each other that words cannot fully describe. However, they did bring out the best in each other.

BURKE: Did I make an impact? Yes. Ask Giani Di Luca, the Sin City Wrestling Heavyweight Champion at the time. Did I increase my stock in this brand that is Sin City Wrestling? Yes. Three words... Hot Stuff Incorporated. We ran roughshod in the company in 2014. Did I become one of the most hated competitors in the history of Sin City Wrestling? Yes. Ask... Orchid.



BURKE: However... it wasn’t all rainbows, and glory. I failed. I did not accomplish my #1 goal. It did not come to fruition. I had my shot, but it did not work out in my favor in the end. I had an opportunity... no matter how tainted the opportunity was at the Sin City Wrestling Heavyweight Championship. It was tainted because of the interference of the office. I took my shot Giani Di Luca. I made my statement. The path was clear until Christian and Erik forced Jeremiah Hardin, and Kain into the match. In the end, Kain took his ball and went home passing on the opportunity that was handed to him on a golden platter. In the end... Jeremiah Hardin’s shoulders were pinned to that mat, and I failed to be Sin City Wrestling Heavyweight Champion on that night. 2014 was the definition of missed opportunity for Max Burke. Next, I put my name in the hat for the 2014 Blast For The Past. As luck would have it, this would be my chance to make a career defining statement. This would surpass anything that I have ever done during my tenure in Sin City Wrestling.

Burke licks his lips.

BURKE: It caused shock.

He bites his bottom lip.

BURKE: It caused outrage.

Another smirk appears. He runs his fingers through his beard once again. When he gets to the end of his beard, he reaches down and adjusts the knot of his tie.

BURKE: I was the scum of the locker room for what I did.

A cheshire cat grin is now in full effect across the face of Max Burke. He rolls the corner of his moustache between his thumb and finger.

BURKE: There has always been that unspoken rule of violence against women in our Sin City Wrestling locker room. You’ll never see an intergender match here... never. I knew this was the way to put everyone on notice. I knew deep down that this was the way to truly cement my legacy as one of the masters of psychological warfare in this damn industry. So... I did it. I didn’t care about the consequences. I didn't care about the bullseye on my chest. I didn’t care about the price that would probably be paid in spades. This is a business. This is a business of making a name for yourself. You have heard it over and over and over again... there are no true friends in the wrestling business. This is a business of making the most damn money you can in the shortest period of time. The way you accomplish this is by looking out for #1. If you do not look out for #1, you don’t get the opportunities for the big money matches. You do this by going against the grain. You do this by taking the road less travelled. You do this by perhaps not doing the most popular things. You do this by not giving a fuck what other people will think.

FLASHBACK - BLAST FOR THE PAST 2014 - 2ND MARCH 2014 - CLIMAX CONTROL 76

Master Lily: And he would’ve made an enemy of The Five Elders of Shaolin!

[Later in the evening...]

Simone: HOLY SHIT!

Adams: MAXIMUM OVERDRIVE ON ORCHID!

Crowd: FUCK YOU BURKE! FUCK YOU BURKE!

STATIC

BURKE: So... I did this. Orchid couldn’t keep her emotions in check when we took on Ben Jordan, and her teammate Song in the quarterfinals. She lost her focus, and Song took advantage of her moment of weakness. Orchid caused us to be eliminated from the tournament, once again I lost a big money match and it was totally out of my hands. It was becoming a trend, and I needed to make it clear that I would not let it happen anymore.



BURKE: In the heat of the moment, I bounced Orchid’s skull into the canvas with Maximum Overdrive. I caused her serious injury. I took her out for SIX weeks of action. I showed everyone in our locker room. I showed each and every member of the Sin City Wrestling staff that this would not occur in the future. I opened everyone’s eyes on that night. That night... Max Burke went to a place that I didn’t even think I was capable of going to. On that night... whether they’d like to admit or not... I put fear into the hearts of every single member of the crew.

A diabolical grin creeps across the face of Max Burke as he reminisces of that fateful night.

BURKE: You see, I embraced the fear of failure. I grabbed the devil by its horns, and decided to dance with the deepest depths of my torment. It was in that moment, that I truly was awoken. James Tuscini fears the unknown. His lack of knowledge will be his downfall. While he cracks jokes, I crack bones. If you did your homework you would know this James. If you were a true student of this game, you would know that I am not one to take lightly. You are what is wrong with this business. Shoot your little parodies my friend.  Laugh at your own jokes. You think I will drag Mercedes down in this tournament. I know Mercedes much better than you. Mercedes Vargas is the baddest bitch in this business, and she proves it week in, and week out. Ms. Vargas, and I are like minded individuals. We are leaders. We are innovators. We are impact players. We are masters of cerebral warfare. We have proven this time and time again over the years in this company. We prove this again this week when we make examples of you and Trish. We were born to wrestle... but bred to win.