~The picture slowly comes up on a shot in motion. We are seeing the curvy turns of the Narrows, a stretch of road running through Roosevelt National Forest, west of Loveland, Colorado. The van takes each turn carefully, as if concerned the vehicle will get stuck or go off-road in the narrow canyon. We see a large sign up ahead, touting the Big Thompson River. The bridge runs across, with a small parking slot to the right. The van creeps into the slot, getting as close to the edge as the driver dares, trying to make sure the bumper isn't sticking out into traffic. The camera is then snatched from the dashboard, being held by one of our favorite Sin City cameramen.~
Cameraman: This better be the right place. Something tells me I'm not supposed to park here for long.
~The cameraman moves forward, towards the river, where he can see a lone person sitting there, watching the ebb and flow of the water. Peter Vaughn glances back as the cameraman approaches, giving him a short wave before turning back to the river. The cameraman positions next to him, waiting for Vaughn to make the first move.~
Peter Vaughn: What do you think? Beautiful place, right? Wish I had a fishing pole.
Cameraman: I don't think you're allowed to fish here, Mr. Vaughn. In fact, we might be trespassing just standing here. Where did you park? I only saw one place I could conceivably stop.
Peter Vaughn: Oh, I didn't drive here. I rode here.
~Vaughn points to the left, with the cameraman turning to see a mountain bike sitting next to the roadway.~
Cameraman: You BIKED here? All the way here? From Loveland?
Peter Vaughn: It's really not that far. Plus, I needed the exercise. You always have to stay in training when it comes to being a professional wrestler.
Cameraman: I... I suppose so... but there are no bike paths on this road. Hell, there's not even places to pull over most of the way...
Peter Vaughn: I managed. Nobody's run me over yet, at least. So, are you ready for our anniversary?
Cameraman: Our... our what?
Peter Vaughn: Our anniversary. It's coming up soon, you know. I made my Sin City debut at Inception last year, helping my boy Mac Bane become the World Heavyweight Champion. We met soon after that, didn't we?
Cameraman: Oh yeah...
Peter Vaughn: What a difference a year makes.
~For a moment, Vaughn just studies the river again, watching the rapids that have formed regularly nearby. There is a lot of run-off coming from the mountain snowfalls, making sure this river stays moving at a dangerous pace.~
Peter Vaughn: Last year at this time, I was helping someone else win the World Championship. And now, one year later, I'm in the running for that championship myself. I always said I would get there eventually. That's where I saw myself being at this point in time. I just never saw the circumstances leading up to it.
~Vaughn is quiet again, before looking over at the camera, a shadow crossing his face.~
Peter Vaughn: Much as I hate to say it... The Sin City World Heavyweight Title has been tarnished. First, by Michael Harris, who walked away from the company, leaving it all behind. And now, by J2H. A man who I thought was a damn good wrestler, who took me to the limit just last month. But now... I'm extremely disappointed in him, and what he's done to the legacy of a championship that should be thought of as the most desirable title in the world today. He threw the belt aside like it was meaningless, saying that others should fight over it. It was disgraceful. It should never have happened in Sin City.
~Angrily, Vaughn picks up a rock off the ground and lets loose, sending it flying into the rapids. It skips several times before disappearing under the raging waters. After a few seconds, though, Vaughn calms himself down, looking back at the nervous cameraman with a smile.~
Peter Vaughn: But it can all be fixed, my friend. The course can be corrected. All I need to do is ensure that a worthy competitor wins the vacated championship. Someone like me. After all, look what I've done with the Roulette Championship. It's been remarkably similar to J2H's run. The only difference is, I've raised my championship upwards. I've defended my belt against all comers, fighting as hard as possible no matter who I'm facing, be it Miles Kasey, Jack Washington, or The Troll. For 250 days, I have defended the belt, raising the Roulette Division's value immensely. And when someone DOES become the Roulette Champion after me, it'll be because they earned it.
~The pride that Vaughn feels in his record-breaking run as the Roulette Championship shines through clearly.~
Peter Vaughn: And now, I can do the same thing for the World Heavyweight Championship. First, though, I'll need to work through the competition, starting first with my old rival, Miles Kasey. I can see why J2H chose Milo to be in the tournament. He's had quite a lot of success lately, after all. He could have really made some noise in this one... if he hadn't been placed against me right off the bat. Because the cold, honest truth is that, as many times as Milo and I have fought, he's never been able to beat me. He's always come up short. And I have no intention of letting that trend end at Climax Control 382.
~Vaughn gets to his feet, stepping forward to the edge of the river. The cameraman nervously moves closer, hoping that he's not going to see a repeat of Vaughn trying to swim something dangerous. But Vaughn never likes to repeat himself.~
Peter Vaughn: There won't be any Colorado miracles this time out. I'm going to defeat Milo, pinning him once again, squashing his dreams for the moving myself forward. I got victories over several of the competitors last year, and any others that make it through, I'll be slashing through them as well. Sin City deserves a worthy World Heavyweight Champion, and by God, I will give them one. No matter what it takes.
~With that, Vaughn steps back from the river, eliciting an audible sigh of relief from the cameraman. He backs up as Vaughn walks over to his mountain bike, setting it back up and getting it ready.~
Cameraman: Are you sure you don't want to hitch a ride with me? It'd be a lot safer.
Peter Vaughn: Safer? Now where's the fun in that? I'll see you later, boyo.
~With that, Vaughn jumps on the bike and begins to pedal away, crossing the road as a truck comes past, honking its horn at him. The cameraman watches as Vaughn makes it across, continuing along the thin slip of overage off the road, heading back towards Loveland. The cameraman then shakes his head.~
Cameraman: That boy ain't right.
~With that, the cameraman heads back to his van, just as he sees a ranger patrol vehicile pulling up nearby, flashing its lights at him. He sighs.~
Cameraman: Damn.
~The camera is lowered and shut off, presumably for the cameraman to try to talk his way out of citation.~
~As the image comes back up, we see a slope of white, glistening snow in front of us, trailing downwards towards the main buildings of the Loveland Ski Area. We can see the various lifts running up the mountain on either side, taking eager skiers & snowboarders further up to begin their journeys downwards. We can also see a large puff of snow erupt in front of us, as a skier comes sliding down, one ski coming loose before everything comes to a stop with a crash.~
Sadie Anderson: Peter! Are you okay??
~Sadie Anderson comes skiing up next to the downed Peter Vaughn, who is ruefully pulling himself up from where he snowplanted himself. He looks pretty much unhurt, other than his pride, as he dusts himself off.~
Peter Vaughn: I'm good, Sadie. I just took that straight-away too fast. It's never fun, being out of control.
~Sadie watches with her hands on her dug-in ski poles as she watches her fiancé go for his second ski, locking his boot back into the brace.~
Sadie Anderson: You have to be more careful, Peter. You just learned how to ski yesterday, after all! You're doing amazing, but you don't need to become another statistic like Sonny Bono or Natasha Richardson.
Peter Vaughn: Who?
Sadie Anderson: Never mind. Just don't try to go too fast, okay?
Peter Vaughn: I can't help it. Speed is in my nature. But I definitely need to keep working on it. You have to admit, though, I'm doing great. In fact, I say we stop taking these beginner tracks. Let's step it up a bit, shall we?
Sadie Anderson: With what? You want to do a Double Black Diamond?
~Vaughn's eyebrows raise at the mention of the highest difficulty level of skiing. He seems to think it over.~
Peter Vaughn: I'm always up for a challenge, Sadie. Which one do you want to do?
~Sadie stares at Vaughn for a few seconds before exasperatingly shaking her head.~
Sadie Anderson: None of them! Are you insane?? You JUST LEARNED TO SKI!! I'm not even sure if you're ready for a Blue Square track. I admit, you've been doing pretty well until this crash, but even then...
~Vaughn moves himself over to Sadie, taking her arm as he looks at her earnestly.~
Peter Vaughn: I'm an athlete, Sadie. I can handle it. And besides, how am I ever supposed to know if I'm good enough for a more difficult challenge if I don't even try it?
~Vaughn's argument seems to make sense, although Sadie doesn't look thrilled considering it. She shrugs her shoulders.~
Sadie Anderson: If you're going to be stubborn about it... then we could go try the Spillway, see how you do. It's one of the better trails here.
Peter Vaughn: Bring it on then, Sadie. I promise not to break the sound barrier.
~Sadie playfully punches Vaughn in the arm, before suddenly skiing past him, heading down the mountain. Vaughn immediately follows, sending up a slash of snow as he works to catch up. They both move on, heading toward the lift they'd need to get to the Spillway, as we fade out.~
Looks like it's time to increase the difficulty level.
Well, Milo. Here we are again. What is this, meeting #4? That sounds right to me. I'm sure you never anticipated us meeting this soon into 2024, considering we've been wrestling in different divisions ever since you lost that Ultimate X match to me at Summer Xxxtreme XI. It certainly is a thrilling start to the year, isn't it?
So first off, let me get this off of my chest: I'm proud of you, Milo.
I bet you didn't expect that, did you? But it's the truth. Ever since I denied you the Roulette Championship, you've been the biggest success story of those who have fallen to me. You found your footing again, you recovered, and you tricked Calvin Harris with a victory roll to become the Internet Champion in October. Maybe not a dream victory of knocking your opponent unconscious, but every win counts, right? And here you sit, approaching 100 days as the champion. Now, obviously, it's not as impressive a streak as mine... but it's getting there.
You've done some great things while in your new lane.
Now, it doesn't change the fact that you've struggled everywhere else. You failed to get the Roulette Title from me. You failed to get the Mixed Tag-Team Titles from Finn Whelan and Kayla Richards. You'd never been seen as even a threat to the World Heavyweight Champion. All you've got right now is the Internet Division, which, sadly, has become the third-best division since I took the Roulette Title to new heights. Of course, due to what I've done, some might say the same about me, in that I haven's succeeded anywhere else. So in a way, this is a proving ground for us. One of us moves forward to the semi-finals, displaying to the world we're ready for the next step to the top, and one of us stays stuck where we are, unmoving.
And here's the thing, Milo. I'm refusing to let that be me. I won't allow it.
I've already been there once recently. I was wanting to make some noise at the top, and was given that opportunity, defeating the #1 contender in Alexander Raven. I wanted to shake the foundations of Sin City. But then... I fell to J2H. He got me, there's no denying it. And I've had to live with that for the last month, considering where my future was going to take me. But I didn't let it beat me, Miles. I rose again, annihilating Edde Lyons to continue my record reign into the new year. And when this opportunity came up, I knew I was in position to make the most of it.
I'm ready to rebound and wipe everyone in front of me off the contender board. I'm ready to unleash the full power of my talents, slicing through everyone as I head towards my twelfth World Championship reign. There's nothing I would like better than to be holding that championship, announcing to J2H and the rest of the world that I'm now "The Man" to beat here. I'm ready to be the leader of Sin City.
And really, Milo? I just don't think you are at that level yet.
Don't get me wrong, you could get there eventually. You've been building up some momentum. But the World Heavyweight Championship around your waist? You really think you're ready for that? All the responsibilities that come with it? All the pressure of every single male wrestler on the roster seeking you out? You've been able to coast your way along the last few months, with Austin your only real challenger. Other than those tag champs you lost to, but let's leave tag-team action out of this for now.
People talked about my battle with J2H, and how it was a legendary contest for a Climax Control main event. The fans cheered on Raven, wanting him to be there in the top spot against the champion. Austin? Goth? They've all been there before, fighting for the gold. But you, Milo? You're in the field that hasn't been tested in the pressure cooker yet. Let's face it, you were given this shot because you didn't lose the Internet Title to Austin at December To Dismember. You were able to take advantage of his big miss and survive. Otherwise, do you really think you'd be in this tournament? That they wouldn't have brought in someone else, maybe bring back Mac Bane or Ken Davison?
I'm sorry, Milo. I respect what you've done recently. I do. But I don't think you're ready for this. You're still just above beginner in the difficulty settings. Expert level is just one step too far for you, boyo.
And I'm going to have to prove that on Sunday, by knocking you the hell out and sending you back to the Internet.
~The image returns, now showing Vaughn and Sadie making their way off the ski lifts and looking around. Vaughn manages not to fall off the lift, which is its own little victory.~
Peter Vaughn: So where do we go for the Spillway?
Sadie Anderson: I think it's...
~Suddenly, a loud shriek overwhelms Sadie's voice, causing both to spin in the opposite direction.~
Mother: DANNY! NO! Come back!! That's the wrong way!!
~We see an older woman frantically trying to push herself forward down a long track, only to slip and come to a halt. Below her, disappearing from sight, is a younger boy, probably barely in his teens. The sign he's gone past clearly shows "Tiger's Tail"... a Black Diamond course. The steep incline goes down quickly, out of sight down the mountain. Vaughn glances at the woman, who's trying to push herself back up, then locks his goggles down.~
Peter Vaughn: We'll get him. Don't worry.
Sadie Anderson: Wait, Peter...
~But Vaughn is already moving, heading down the treacherous Tiger's Tail himself. Sadie, sighing with frustration, takes off after him, heading down the large mounds and working to stay upright as she tries to catch up with him. Somehow, Vaughn already seems to be doing things better, probably because of an adrenaline rush getting added in. He manages to reach the young man, who's already fallen over, hard, with both skis becoming dislodged and continuing down the mountain. Vaughn slices hard to brake next to him, offering him a hand up.~
Peter Vaughn: Danny, right? Anything broken, Danny?
Danny: My ankle hurts a little, but I'm okay. Don't I know you?
Peter Vaughn: Anything's possible. He's good, Sadie. Can you get his skis?
Sadie Anderson: I ought to smack you with his skis, the way you just jump into things. But fine, I'll get them.
~Sadie disconnects her skis, putting them into the snow, before making her way towards where the skis ended up.~
Danny: I really feel like I know you from somewhere. Are you an actor?
Peter Vaughn: Depends on who you ask.
Danny: I'll figure it out, I know people.
~He adjusts his hand, absentmindedly pulling on the unusual necklace around his throat. Vaughn takes notice.~
Peter Vaughn: Nice necklace. Really goes with your eyes.
Danny: My mom made me wear it. It's really annoying.
Peter Vaughn: Well, moms can be like that.
~As if summoning her, or at least her voice, we can hear the mom still yelling.~
Mother: DANNY?!?! DANNY!!! YOU DIDN'T BREAK YOUR NECK, DID YOU??
Peter Vaughn: Quite a voice on Mom.
Danny: She sings opera in the car. I hate it.
Peter Vaughn: I can see why. But she really should stop yelling so much, she might...
~Suddenly, there's a different sound in the air. Vaughn looks downwards, seeing a slight vibration in the ground ahead of him. Sadie, having gotten Danny's skis, looks up, surprised.~
Sadie Anderson: What's going on? Do you see anything?
~Both Danny and Vaughn look upwards, where they came earlier... and where a large wave appears to be coming their way.~
Danny: Oh My God...
Peter Vaughn: AVALANCHE!!
~Danny begins to scramble away in a panic, running sideways, not that he can get clear in time. Vaughn also starts moving... straight down the slope, away from Danny. Sadie, who was scrambling upwards with the skis, stops in shock.~
Sadie Anderson: Peter, what are you....
~With one motion, Vaughn grabs Sadie straight off of her feet, getting her on his shoulder as he flies forward, taking a dangerous speed on the way down the mountain. Behind them, the snow piles up, swallowing up everything in sight. Sadie can't do anything else but hang on desperately, as Vaughn puts every bit of his athletic skill into staying upright and ahead of the flow. The avalanche behind them slows down, with Vaughn and Sadie coming out to a less steep grade, heading over near the loading area. Looking back, Vaughn ascertains that the danger has passed, so he comes to a shaky stop. Sadie then pushes off of him, landing on her feet and staring back up the mountain they had just come from.~
Sadie Anderson: What... what did you do?
Peter Vaughn: I got us out of there.
Sadie Anderson: But... but you left Danny. You left that kid on the mountain! He's...
Peter Vaughn: ... Sadie...
Sadie Anderson: You chose me... over him. A kid. You let a kid get buried... to save me... you don't think I could have had a better chance of making it through that? You don't think I might have slid down in one piece, while you carried him?? You left him there!! How could you??
Peter Vaughn: I... I made the logical choice.
Sadie Anderson: Logic? You really think LOGIC is the reason? I can't believe this. That kid...
~Sadie walks away, rubbing at her eyes, as she stares up at the mountain. Vaughn, meanwhile, looks away, as if considering the decision that he made. We cut away.~
"Logic is the beginning of wisdom, not the end." Leonard Nimoy said that. And yes, I'm a Trekkie, and if you have a problem with that, you can go suck on a Tribble.
So let's talk about how, logically, you don't stand a chance against me, Milo.
First off, there's the experience factor. Sure, you've gained some ground in the previous few months, but you're still short on the main event pressure situations compared to me. I've fought the best of the best in Madison Square Garden. Eleven times so far, I've climbed the Mount Everest that now rises before us, claiming my prize as a World Heavyweight Champion. I know what it takes to come out victorious in a tournament like this. I cruise through the pressure like a blue whale in the Pacific. You're probably going to be dealing with the bends, trying to come back from this one.
Next, we have our comparable styles. We're both high-flyers, daredevils who are not afraid of taking that extra leap into the unknown. But that's as close as the comparison comes, Miles, because I'm still several levels above your talent points. Nobody would say that you can perform all of the maneuvers that I can. As The Mechanic, I pull off dives that you could barely dream of. If we were trying an analogy, I think I'd say you're like the Miami Dolphins. You show flashes of brilliance, but anyone can see you're not there yet. And me? I'm like the San Francisco 49ers. The greatness is clear.
I'm likely Super Bowl bound. You're eliminated in the first round.
I think the biggest dilemma for you, Milo, is that heart of gold you've been sporting. Now, in other areas, that heart of yours probably has me beat. I'm envious that you're able to see certain things so clearly, while it's a little murkier on my side of the world. But in wrestling, you really need to be willing to do anything in your power to win. If your opponent foolishly turns his back, you have to be willing to Backstab him. If the referee gets distracted, you need to find a way to use that to your advantage.
You have to proceed logically, and sometimes logic does not equal fair play.
Now, in Sin City, I've been fairly tame in my ability to turn situations into my favor. Quite frankly, I haven't had the need to 'bend the rules' that much, since in most Roulette matches, the rules are mostly nonexistent. But I am determined to honor the championship the way it deserves to be treated. Twice now, the wrong person has been the champion, and the glorious history of the title has been damaged. I won't let it happen a third time, Milo. So if that means I need to seize on a 'loophole' or two to take this victory and move on in the tournament, well, that's what I'll do.
But you won't. Not as far as I know. That's a weakness, Milo. An extreme one. And it will likely be your downfall.
Look, I'm not going to take anything else away from you. You'll still be the Internet Champion. Maybe you can go fight Lyons again, he's always a hoot. Maybe someone like Raven or Whelan will also be knocked out early, and they'll opt to give you a major challenge for your belt. You'll have options. And all I ask is that you do what you've done the last few times I defeated you. Just bounce back, best you can, and know that someday, in the future, you'll be a World Heavyweight Title contender. Just not yet.
Because when it's all laid out in front of you, it becomes painfully obvious that this is my time. Not yours. Mine.
Get yourself braced and ready, Milo. You're going to be taking the Plunge yet again.
And logically, so will everyone else that gets in my way.
~Rescue crew can be seen running up, as Sadie turns away from Vaughn, still upset. She moves over to them, waving one down so that they stop their snowmobile close by.~
Rescue Crew: Are you hurt, Miss?
Sadie Anderson: I'm fine, but there's a kid up there... he was buried, I think...
~Sadie takes a deep breath, trying to control the tremble in her speech.~
Sadie Anderson: We could have rescued him... but...
~Suddenly, Vaughn is there, stepping in front of Sadie and nodding to the rescuer.~
Peter Vaughn: His first name was Danny. I didn't catch the last name. He had brown hair, blue eyes, and I'd say around 10-11 years old. His mom was further up the trail, I don't know if she was caught up in the avalanche or not. Most importantly, though, Danny had an avalanche transceiver on a necklace he had around his throat. I also thought I saw a bracelet, but I could be wrong. Either way, you should be able to trace the signal, right?
~Sadie looks back, surprised, as the rescuer nods his head. His partner already is getting equipment ready, knowing that every second counts.~
Rescue Crew: If it's on, we'll be able to find him. Thanks for letting us know.
~The snowmobile drives off, as Vaughn watches them go. He then turns back to Sadie, who now has a questioning look on her face.~
Sadie Anderson: I... I didn't see the transceiver.
Peter Vaughn: No reason you should have. You went for his skis, remember?
Sadie Anderson: So that's why... that's why you went for me?
Peter Vaughn: ...
~After a moment, Vaughn shakes his head, closing his eyes.~
Peter Vaughn: I thought about getting us something like that. But I didn't even know if we would be skiing past the first day. But as soon as the avalanche started, I knew... I had to get you out of there, because I might not be able to find you in the snow. But Danny... he can still be found.
Sadie Anderson: But... but what if he was hurt? What if something went wrong?
Peter Vaughn: ... Then I'd have to live with it. I made the logical choice, the choice with the best odds. I can't deny... I also did have selfish feelings at the time. But I still think saving you was the right way to go.
Sadie Anderson: I guess... I guess we'll find out, won't we?
~Vaughn nods, as the two head back to the lodge of the ski resort, where many people are waiting after the avalanche. One of them is Danny's mother, who thankfully doesn't notice them. She's too busy staring out into the snow, waiting for a sign. Soon, that sign is given, as flashing lights can be seen approaching. A snowmobile comes up... dragging a stretcher behind it. It heads to the medical side, where two doctors can be seen hurrying out. Danny's mother runs out, heading over there at a dead run.~
Mother: DANNY! DANNY!!
~Both Peter and Sadie watch from behind the window as Danny's mother gets there, leaning over at hugging her boy... who, after a few seconds, hugs her back. She gets up, with the doctors taking Danny inside to get looked over and warmed up. After a moment, Sadie leans over, taking Vaughn's arm. They don't say anything. There's nothing more to say.~
~The footage cuts to the next day, where we see Peter Vaughn sitting in the lodge living area, nearby a large fireplace. He's reading a file in front of him, apparently with Miles Kasey's most recent accomplishments, studying up on the opposition. That's when a young man walks up to him, studying him. Vaughn, sensing someone staring at him, looks up at Danny, who appears to be recovered from his ordeal under the snow.~
Peter Vaughn: Hello, Danny.
Danny: You're a wrestler. Peter Vaughn. I remember you now. I've watched you on TV.
Peter Vaughn: So you have.
Danny: I thought you would be a hero in real life.
Peter Vaughn: That's not something I've ever claimed to be, kid.
Danny: You left me up there. You abandoned me. I could have died.
~There's no accusation in Danny's voice. He could just be talking about ordering a burger off the lunch menu, the way he sounds. Vaughn closes the folder and gets up, locking eyes with Danny for a moment before patting him on the shoulder.~
Peter Vaughn: I'm glad you made it, Danny. Be sure to keep wearing your necklace, no matter how much you hate it. Sometimes mothers are right.
~With that, Vaughn walks away, heading for the exit. Before leaving, though, he looks back over his shoulder.~
Peter Vaughn: Just so you know, it was nothing you did or didn't do. If I had to make the choice again 100 times, I'd choose her every time. She's... important to me, in ways I could never imagine. But for her sake... she'll always think of it as a logical choice. Goodbye, Danny. Live long and prosper.
~With that, Vaughn leaves, presumably to meet up with Sadie somewhere and depart from the ski resort. He has a match to finish prepping for, after all, a match that could be the start of immense changes for him and those close to him. Danny, meanwhile, hobbles over to the fireplace, taking a seat where Vaughn had been. He stares into the fire, emotionless, as we slowly fade out.~
