[London Underground]

Opportunity, it's everywhere we go if you choose to look for it, keep those eyes open and take advantage of every situation. Some come along once in a life time, some you need to put the effort in, but there's always opportunity out there. Doesn't matter if it's something big in life, or if you're a chancer trying to score a few free pints off someone with a sob story and hope you get them in the right mood of level of alcohol that they buy those pints, it's still an opportunity for one man to try and take. 

I see opportunity everywhere. No matter where I go, my eyes are always open and so is my mind. There's always a work around for everything where you can put yourself in a better position.

Since I've been back in England after the death of my brother, I've seen opportunity everywhere around me, a chance to expand, a chance to be better and it's happening on the wrestling side of things too. Now I'm the first to tell you that wrestling was a means to an end, a way in to America to take their riches, to part fools from their money, which even in these tough times, is so damn easy. In most cases, all you need to be is a barmaid with big tits and you're scrambling to give her your money. You don't even have to work for it, but like that barmaid with big tits, I see the weak and can dip in to their finances with ease, but like I said, sometimes, you have to work for it.

An opportunity came my way just a couple of weeks ago, a chance to do what I set out to do when I went to America to filter their money back to the east end to make my hometown, my area a much better place, yet somehow, it was always held up and going to different places instead of what it was meant to do, the job it was meant to do, but a chance came up, a chance to expand if we can just get rid of a vermin problem.

Mackenzie just happened to stumble across something recently. (Which you can see here) and it didn't take her too long to be bringing it to my table.

It's a big opportunity, and you really must take every opportunity that comes along. - Daniel


A few weeks ago

Amidst the countless gambling apps and online sites where it was easy to place a bet on any sport, anywhere in the world, some people still valued the old ways of life and the physical interaction with other people of their kin, gamblers. Although many of the high street bookies had disappeared over recent years due to people taking the lazy route of online gambling, Daniel J Morgan wasn't one of them. He loved to sit and watch people make their way to the counter with their slips in hand, hoping that the name of the horse written down would give them more fortune then they had when they entered the shop. For a man who owned a casino, part of him got a kick out of seeing someone's face light up when they had a winner, partly down to knowing no matter how much one person wins, the house always comes up ahead. 

He stood in the bookmakers, his eyes glancing over the screens for the next race, deciding on his next pick, when Mackenzie walked in to the shop, eyes from other punters quickly glancing towards the door. Daniel didn't see her coming, but it wasn't long before she was standing right behind her suited boss.

Mackenzie: You know there are much easier ways to put on a bet then standing in shit holes like this.
 
Daniel smiled as he looked up from what he was dong, turning his head towards Mackenzie with a half smile on his lips.

Daniel: There's easier ways to do a lot of things, Kenz, but places like these are a dying trade, and when they all disappear, where are you ever gonna see a bunch of people like this again?

Mackenzie looked around, shaking her head.

Mackenzie: What? Piss heads loosing their money, looking like they've dodged soap for a long, long, long time? How about our casino where they're giving us money?

Daniel: These people are small time. They can't afford to bowl in to our place and spend serious amounts of cash, all they can do is throw ten, maybe twenty a pop on the ponies. I don't think maybe of these people can afford fifty on the turn of the card.

Mackenzie: Maybe but coming to places like this, fucking stupid.

Daniel: Without places like this, these people wouldn't have a way to fill out their days or give themselves something to look forward to. They can piss away their money in the pub of course just to be around people, but there is no thrill to a pint, but when you're watching your horse go up the inside rail and nick it by a nose, bit of a better thrill.

Mackenzie slowly shook her head.

Daniel: Besides, it's all about our presence around here, boots on the ground, letting people know that my brother might be gone, but we're still in control of the place. That doesn't change. David kept his head in the office a lot, only showing up to put fear in to people. Me on the other hand, I want them to know I'm around and watching.

Mackenzie: One way to do it, I suppose.

Mackenzie held a bored tone, but Daniel raised an eyebrow.

Daniel: Now you didn't come here to talk about the future of gambling though. I've seen that look before, I think you've found something.

Mackenzie: Read me like a book, can't ya? I have found something. You said to look for opportunities, and I think I might have found a good one.

Daniel: Well, don't keep me in suspense.

Mackenzie cleared her throat.

Mackenzie: The Isle of Dogs. It seems to have no leaders like us anymore, in fact it's rudderless there. No one really established to run it. The other week you went on about taking over more of the east end and I think it might be a good place to start.

Mackenzie waited on his reply and Daniel didn't keep her waiting long.

Daniel: So we take over the island and put someone in charge to look after it? I mean that could work, other then a few little wanna be gangsters with their trousers down their arse's, it's never been a big thing. We could start looking at places to buy in to there.

Mackenzie: Well, there is one issue?

Daniel: Oh?

Mackenzie: Apparently two biker gangs have moved in around there, two rival gangs and that seems odd. Using two boozers as headquarters either side of the island. From what I've heard, both got there a little under a year ago and Charlotte looked it up, there's been trouble, but no gang wars. Seems that they're just causing shit on their own.

Daniel: This smells a lot like a Robertson play. Greenwich and the tunnel leads to the Island. If they were gonna push in to our side of the water, would be there. They've done this before, make it a trouble area, scare people off, push down property values.

Mackenzie: And buy their way in.

Daniel nodded his head in agreement.

Daniel: That's how they took a lot over in the south, they used bikers then too cause people tend to be scared of those greasy fucks.

Mackenzie: There's more to it then that. Guy I spoke to thinks its a front, there to flood the streets with shit as a way to cause more issues.

Daniel tapped his chin as he looked at her.

Daniel: More on the street crime caused by drugs, more the place looks like a rat hole, the more people abandon it on the cheap.

Mackenzie: Yeah, but the island is the perfect expansion for us. Nothing organized other then those rats who couldn't organize a piss up in a brewery and we've got rid of biker gangs before.

Daniel: We have, and I'm all about buying at value from people, but lets use this one to our advantage before we make a move. Find out as much as we can, no rush to take them to bits. We'll try keep the locals safe without overplaying our hand. Find out if there's a link to those South London lot. If there is, we'll go dump the lot of them back on their doorstep. We need to find out every little thing though, what they're both here for, why they haven't gone at each other. For all we know, they could have a truce, and split the place between them. If that's the case, we can't do our usual thing with two biker gangs.

Mackenzie: Play them against each other?

Daniel nodded at Mackenzie, a smile on his face.

Daniel: I mean that is the classic and we don't have to get our hands dirty that way, but we need to find out everything. The island hasn't exactly been short of drug dealers over the years, so it's a bit of an odd one if they wanna take that over, and if it's weapons, we don't need some smacked out of his head idiot with a gun. We need to speak to some people over there. Now who do we know...?

Although his question was more thinking out loud, Mackenzie jumped in with an answer.

Mackenzie: We know Ben Jordan.

Daniel frowned at Mackenzie after hearing the name.

Daniel: Ben's not in this line of work, this might not be something to involve him in.

Mackenzie: That could work to our advantage. He loves that place, born there, moved back there, enjoying the quiet life, to have a bunch of people like that on his doorstep, potential threats to his friends, family and the islanders that he loves could help get a different view. Plus he's a bit of a local celebrity there even if he doesn't want to admit it. He's someone that blends in. Also, if you, me, Charley or Os meet up with him, it wouldn't look suspicious with us being there if the Robertson's are behind this and keeping an eye on the place because we used to work with him.

Daniel: So play it as catching up with an old colleague? Not a bad idea but we just need information right now.

Mackenzie: Do you want me to set up a meeting?

Daniel: No, let him enjoy Christmas and New Year. I can't imagine too much movement with whatever they're doing over Christmas, so I'll go have a chat with Ben sometime by the end of January. Till then, try and find out all you can, speak to the other proper leaders around east London, see if they've got wind of anything in the pipeline.

With her instructions clear, Mackenzie nodded and made her way from the betting office and through the door, leaving Daniel to ponder a meeting with Ben Jordan in a few weeks time....


Back to current times.

Commuting between the UK and US had always been a bit of a drag for Daniel but today on his flight back to the States, he decided to make the most of it. He sat in front of a laptop with earphones in, sitting towards the back of the private plane to be away from the roar of the engines. Ear buds were pushed in to his ear and a microphone clipped to his suit jacket to allow him to speak about the upcoming match.

Daniel: Hopefully you can hear this well, thought I'd kill two birds with one stone here and talk while I make my way back to Vegas. I won't lie, I think this one is a bit of a mismatch when it comes down to it. Putting me in the ring with two fellas in what feels like a bit of a pointless one considering who I am and who they are is a bit of a dodgy call, but lately, I've been thinking about one thing, one word popping in to my mind and that word is opportunity. 

He adjusts his ear bud.

Daniel: Some people would kill for this opportunity to be where I am. Beat the Roulette champ non title and get the chance to earn my way in to a match that well, I should have just been put in. Would have made more sense then me having to go against these two guys to show once again I should be there. Was beating the champion not enough that I now have to bounce through hoops to get there again? Clearly not enough so happy to do this, but I feel like I'm in this alternative reality, because the two guys I'm facing just seem to sound, act, and pretty much be carbon copies of people who have gone before them. I mean one cackles like a loon like a couple of other people who have stepped on the sacred pine of an SCW ring, and the other seems just dull enough with his stat giving and other rubbish, that he could pretty much be compared to a current SCW star. It's like a switch the names out and get the same result. Very strange don't you think?

Daniel shrugged his shoulders.

Daniel: Doesn't matter with who I talk about first, but we'll go with you Felix Hernandez. The Cat.... Yeah, that's not been used before but you seem to be a bit of a throwback here. I watched a couple of your matches, I looked at your fact sheet, did some research and really, there's nothing exciting or modern from you. You're like a throwback to the boring ages of wrestling where a leg drop would be enough to win a match. Have you seen the current product? Because wrestling has moved on. You see the stuff that J2H and Michael Harris put on at the last supercard? The stuff that Finn Whelan does week in, week out? Do you see the exciting stuff that happens in wrestling? If you do, you clearly have no ambition to ever be anything more then what you are, because your style don't fit, you're being left behind, you're doing basic moves that can be taught day one and mastered by rookies by the end of the week. There's seriously nothing to you at all Felix. I think you're being dragged down by the people you surround yourself with. Surrounding yourself with strength, with people who want to see you succeed then to hold you down, to pull you in to their level and keep you there and that's what these people have done to you.

Daniel shook his head slowly.

Daniel: You're not surrounding yourself with success there. Bill and Bea Barnhart have never amounted to anything in their careers, they're dull as dishwater and they're dragging you down in to it all. They're pulling you in to that hole where you become absolutely nothing. You're a stat man, a recapper, a tale of the tape guy without looking too deep in. Anyone can throw out a height and weight or a record of matches, that don't get you ready for what stands in front of you. Do yourself a favour, get rid of those Barnharts, be your own person because you're morphing in to them. They do the same old recapping crap that no one gives a damn about. None of that means a thing when ya stepping in the ring with me.

Daniel eased back in his seat.

Daniel: And on to you Mr everyone's favourite punching bag, Justin Smith.

Daniel rolled his eyes.

Daniel: Not sure how you worked your way in to a chance at a championship chance, much better options then either of you two, but here you are Justin, golden chance and we're probably not gonna get more then ten words out of you talking about it, but don't worry, I'll pick up the slack for you, I'm feeling pretty generous.

Daniel smiled.

Daniel: I'm not sure why you're in this one, but sod it, it's gonna make me look like a star because I get to take both of you out in one go. I mean have you ever won a match here? Well, have you ever won at anything in life Justin? This is going to be another of those occasions where you're just here for the sake of it. Just another standing in the way that I will get through. I've gone through bigger challenges, much bigger challenges in and out of the ring so you won't be too much of a problem Justin. Bright side is when I'm done, you can tell people you helped me on the way to becoming the Roulette champion. This Roulette stuff might be your kind of thing, might be where you might think you have the chance because this whole thing, it's not my game, I'm like a fish up a lamp post when it comes to the Roulette division but it's not gonna stop me from taking the opportunity put in front of me. Unfortunately that comes at your expense, but just enjoy being part of the story Justin.

Daniel leaned forward.

Daniel: I think I'm done talking, it's a miracle I've been able to talk this much without falling asleep, you two are not exactly a riveting subject to talk about, so I'll just see you both on Sunday.

With that, the camera faded to black.  >