Planning (offcam)
There had been a distinct change in the demeanor of the masked monster known as Supreme Machine. The watching eye of Iceman Mitchell looming over his shoulder, the defeat in the hands of Fenris and the strife between him and Mac Bane, sown by Matt Knox’ revelation of SuMa’s visit to his wife. All these setbacks and inconveniences had rattled the monster. He wasn’t a stranger to adversity, but to have so many things go wrong in such a short amount of time wasn’t something he was used to.
Resting away in what could only be described as his lair, the monster considered his options. He knew he would have to deal with it all, and the betrayal committed by Jennifer, his sister, in siccing the Iceman on him. But he ran down the list.
The defeat to Fenris was a blow to his image. But it could be rectified. Fenris was amongst the best in Sin City Wrestling, a defeat to him wouldn’t leave SuMa completely without credibility. With his next match already being announced he knew he could regain the momentum he lost. Rise above and resume what he did best. Dominate.
But… the strife caused by Matt Knox was an issue. SuMa knew that Mac Bane didn’t approve of his methods. The man despite the brutal edge he held and professed had his morals. The hills he would die on. It would be a difficult undertaking to mend this rend in their relations. But SuMa had an idea. Hunting is just as much observing as it is acting. Prey and potential Rivals alike were studied. And as he put together everything he knew about Mac Bane’s character as well as the way this whole situation unfolded a plan formed. It shouldn’t be too hard to shift this all on Knox. Point out to Bane how he knew what he was getting in Supreme Machine. Put Bane in a situation where he couldn’t get angry lest he expose his own ignorance. Then point out that Knox was trying to strike a divide into the Saviors. Because he was afraid of them. Because he knew that Mac drew strength from his allies…
Yes. Appeal to Mac Banes pride. Knox knew he couldn’t beat him as is so he was trying to deprive Bane of his allies. All in the hunt for the affection of Amber Bane-Ryan.
Sometimes SuMa wondered how a man so simple as Matthew Knox could constantly prove to be a thorn in his side. The Raven was a mighty fighter. But he was so predictable. So driven by his selfish desires of flesh that SuMa shouldn’t see him as a threat. It was a conundrum and a half. A conundrum he would be putting to rest sooner than later.
But Iceman offered the biggest nuisance. SuMa was a predator. Used to being able to do what he wanted, when he wanted, how he wanted. With the grizzled mercenary on his tail… His options were limited. SuMa knew that Mitchell couldn’t be everywhere at all times, but that didn’t help. Because he never knew if the Iceman was watching or not. He never knew if he was being watched or not. Second guessing himself before acting. And that was something a predator like him could not do. To second guess yourself is to hesitate. And to hesitate is to fail. Slowly SuMa began to piece together what he knew of the Iceman and what he could use to shake him from his tail.
Officially a private investigator. Used to snooping around and moving unseen. But in the past, a hitman. The most feared hired gun in the criminal underworld. Man with many enemies, but a lot of contacts as well. Iceman didn’t work alone though. There was his partner. Xiao Ling Mei. A woman of many means and solutions. But unlike most who had gone after the masked monster, Iceman wasn’t afraid of him going after those close to him. SuMa discarded the plan of hunting down Ling. It would not get him anywhere. So he turned to what else he knew.. SuMa had observed him in their encounter. He moved like a predator. Confident, alert. But at the same time the Iceman had something SuMa didn’t. A conscience. A sense of morals.
That could be his in. If pushed to a point where his hand was forced, would Iceman compromise his morals? He had said he had a lot of red on his ledger, a terribly cliche thing to say… But he was looking to atone. Maybe, if SuMa put him in a situation where the only way to stop him was putting more red there. It seemed like the approach to take. So he filed it to the back of his mind for further development.
That left one more loose end. Jennifer. She had sent the Iceman after him. The one person in this world that had stood by his side since the day he became what he is today. SuMa had watched from the side as Jenny struggled with her own demons. The affliction that made Thomas Rivers the monster he is today, had turned out to be hereditary, and Jenny had fought long and hard against hers. “Queenie” as her alter ego called herself had surfaced and submerged seemingly at random. So SuMa hadn’t worried much. But now that she had managed to get her head straight and solved her own issues… she had caught SuMa by surprise by taking action against him.
It could not be felt to stand. But there were three issues. One, Jennifer's resources, the wealth she had gained after her less-than-amicable divorce from her former husband, the promoter Alexander Stryfe had been instrumental in allowing SuMa to do as he pleased. She had made sure he could remain untouched by law. So he will lose that safety if he acts against her. Second, Iceman had made a pretty clear threat regarding that. Something happens to Jennifer and he will find himself a wanted man. Something he did not need impeding his indulgences. And lastly… Tom. SuMa had noticed a trend. When it came to Jennifer, that's when the weakling was at his strongest. Whenever Jenny was concerned, that's when the suppressed personality fought the hardest and even gained a momentary upper hand.
Dealing with her was going to take finesse. Something SuMa usually wasn’t too fond of. Capable? Yes, but fond? Not really. So he filed it away for the time being, careful not to rouse Tom. He didn’t need his incessant whining right now. Or ever. But such was the nature of their co-existence.
Letting out a deep sigh SuMa leant back and closed his eyes. He had his work cut out for him. But atleast in the ring he would be able to challenge himself and unwind some of this frustration. This Blast for the Past tournament had inconveniences such as having to team up with a total stranger to him, someone he hadn’t paid any heed to due to the limitations of Sin City Wrestlings rules… but ultimately it was of no mind. He knew that if needed, he could win the tournament alone. Despite his partner. With a small smile caressing his mangled lips he fell asleep.
—----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
to overcome a defeat. (oncam)
We open up to a view we have seen a few times before, Supreme Machine standing in a darkened room with a single spotlight shining in its midst. The masked monster seems tense, staring at the camera with an unblinking gaze. When he speaks, his voice is almost somber.
“Defeat. It has a bitter taste. One that never gets easier. It is something we have seldom tasted. Yet, when it happens it is always something that rests forever in the memory of those who were involved in it. In the past year, we can count our defeats with one hand. We can name every date… every location and every foe that has pinned our shoulders to the mat for a 3 count. So hear this Fenris. You are part of a group that is extremely exclusive. Take pride in your victory White Wolf… And remember that should our paths cross again, it will not repeat itself.”
The last statement has an air of finality about it. If the rematch ever happened, it was clear that SuMa wouldn’t allow for a second defeat. But there is a clear edge to his voice. Unlike the unflinching figure he had cut before, now there was something off. Something not quite right.
“But the bitter taste of defeat has an upside. It is so unpleasant that it prevents you from wallowing in it. It steels your will to make sure you never have to taste it again. A predator misses its target every now and then. The prey sometimes slips his grasp and lives to fight another day. The mark of a true predator is what comes after. A true predator does not slump down in despair to rue its mistakes. A true predator stands back up and begins the hunt anew. Defeat is a lesson. Defeat is a test. And only those who truly are at the Apex can continue as if nothing happened. That is what we are.”
As SuMa speaks, there starts to form a sense of doubt. Its almost as if he was trying to convince himself just as much as he was trying to convince the audience. The loss to Fenris seemed to be a bigger blow than he was willing to admit. Even to himself.
“Soon our defeat in Fenris’ hands will be but a faint memory. Soon those who watch us and follow us will be awed by new triumphs, new conquests. To wash away the bitter taste… nothing is more effective than the taste of victory. And that is what we are taking at Climax Control 321. The Blast from the Past tournament shall mark a new branch in our path of destruction. A new head on our wall. At Blast from the Past we will prove that we are not only exactly as dangerous and dominating as our reputation suggests… but we are capable of pushing through whatever adversity is thrown our way even if we are forced to carry a load on our shoulders.”
The uncertainty is starting to fade and the confident monster is returning to his usual self. But such a vision, be it however brief, showed that behind the bluster, behind the grotesque appearance and the brutality… he was still a man.
“Samantha Marlowe… your name means nothing to us. We do not know who you are nor do we care. We waste no time on people who are not relevant to our interests and in SCW that means every female. You are forbidden prey for us and thus we spent no energy in learning about you. Yet, our fates are tied for this Tournament. So we are going to rectify this moving forward. We will observe you in the ring. Find your weaknesses so we can compensate for them. Find your strengths so we can give you space. But know this Samantha Marlowe… We suffer no hindrances. If you find yourself unable to do your part, incapable of holding up your part of the bargain then you are nothing more than an annoying bug to be squashed. Fight well and be rewarded with success. Fail and pay the price.”
SuMa stretches a bit as he says the last part, nonchalantly flexing his physique almost absentmindedly. The message couldn’t be more clear.
“Our disinterest applies to Krystal Wolfe as well. She had choice words for us. We couldn’t care less. Her participation in this match is irrelevant for us. It does not concern us. As long as our partner does her part, Wolfe is a non-entity due to the rules. So we will not put much thought into her. Should we be allowed to dispose of her on our own we would bother to study up, to learn. But we won’t. It is true that we care little about the rules that bind everyone in that ring and should we have an opportunity we will step over that line and disregard them simply because we can… Yet we see that it would merely hinder us in the long run. So you are safe from us Wolfe… for now. Just remember that it can change at a moment's notice. That in the blink of an eye we can go from imposing… to devastating. Keep that in your mind.”
He chuckles for a moment, having had to consider female opponents for this match was a change of pace for him.
“That brings us to our primary focus. The one person in this match we can go all out on… without interruptions. Jack Washington. When we saw your name, we stood puzzled for a moment as it struck a chord of some sort. We had heard your name before. Seen your face. It took us a while to piece it together. The man who managed to upset Mac Bane in a one-on-one match. Only to lose out to Davison the next week. A man who felt the wrath of the Saviors full force. We had filed you away as a non-entity. We never expected you to cross our path again, not after failing so spectacularly to assert yourself in the fourway. Yet, here you are. A cruel twist of fate… for you. See, we know how impressive defeating Mac Bane is. We have done it before ourselves. We know how tough he is and you managed to do that. Yet, one victory does not make you a force to be reckoned… it merely makes you a target.”
SuMa throws his hands to his sides in a crucifix-pose and begins to speak in a voice lot louder than he had until this point, his gravelly voice echoing from the bare walls of the room he stood in.
“At Climax Control you will be called upon to prove your worth Jack Washington. You are looking to challenge Davison in the future without a doubt. But before you get there you will have to contend with us. Whether you have anything left to pursue Davison with afterwards remains to be seen. We know that you and everyone else are looking at Inception V and trying to use our defeat in the hands of Fenris as proof that we are not the force we claim to be. Go on. Do it. It will make our life easier. Because just like one victory does not make you a force… one defeat does not make you a joke. You are not Fenris. You are not on his level. You are not on our level. And if you do not agree with our assessment of you… Prove us wrong.”
The camera zooms in to his face and staring right through the lens, SuMa almost whispers the last words before the view fades to black.
“The reaper calls your name Jack Washington… and we are his herald”
