Early morning. Really early morning. Max and Trevor are crashing at Aleksei's until they lock down a place of their own. The boys are prepping for their huge title match in San Jose. We find Aleksei and
the Young Lions in the kitchen. It looks like a bomb went off.
Aleksei: Okay... I know now we're not cooks.
Max looks around at the mess in the kitchen and lets out a loud laugh.
Max: Obviously.
Aleksei: BUT... I'm going to whip you boys into shape. First up... eggs, and lots of 'em.
Trevor: Are those raw?
Aleksei smirks and tosses back his bottle of booze.
Aleksei: Haven't you seen those old wrestling training videos from the 80's?
Max: No. Not happening bud. No way.
Trevor: THAT can't be good for you.
Aleksei chuckles at the hesitation of his proteges.
Aleksei: Of course it is! It'll put hair on your chests. Bottoms up!
Max: Crap.
Trevor: Nah uh. Not happening.
Aleksei slides the glasses over to each of the boys. The glasses contain nothing, but four eggs each.
Aleksei: You want to win? Want to shock the world?! Drink up!
Max: Where's yours?
Trevor: Yeah!
Aleksei shakes his head.
Aleksei: Am I in this match? No. Drink!
Max: You're goin' to make us sick!
Trevor: We're going to land in the damn hospital.
The look on Aleksei's face becomes stern.
Aleksei: Copri prosti! Do it!
Max swirls the eggs around in the glass. He looks at them with fear and then tips the glass a bit.
Max: You better be right.
Trevor: Not doin' it.
Max brings the glass to his mouth and knocks back his eggs. He gags over and over as he swallows the four eggs.
Aleksei: Don't lose it kid. You can do it!
Trevor: Screw that.
Max holds it together and doesn't puke. A deep sigh of relief finally comes out.
Aleksei: There ya go brother. Good on ya.
Max: You suck. Come on Trev. Suck it up... let's go.
Trevor: No.
Out of nowhere, Aleksei tackles Trevor to the ground and holds him down.
Aleksei: Max! Grab the glass. Dump it.
Max: You got it teach.
Trevor: Nooooo!
Aleksei forces Trevor Irons to open his mouth and Max dumps the four eggs down his throat. Trevor forces himself to swallow and not choke or puke on the eggs. Aleksei hops up after all of the eggs are down the hatch.
Aleksei: Great job boys!
Aleksei takes a long haul off his morning bottle.
Aleksei: Now, we're ready to start our day. Let's go.
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Communications Hill. San Jose, California. Post breakfast, Aleksei packed up the boys and headed to a place to whip them into shape.
Max: Holy crap... look at those stairs!
Trevor: Oh god.
Aleksei: We'll save those for later. I've got other plans for you two schmucks first.
Max: Like?
Aleksei: I had a pal bring over some gear. Look over there.
Aleksei points over to a pile that includes, but is not limited to tractor tires, sledgehammers, heavy ropes, a wheelbarrow and a bunch of good size rocks.
Aleksei: Time to make you two sweat. First up, go grab a tire each. We're flippin' those suckers. And by we...of course I mean you two.
Max: Going all MMA on us eh?
Trevor: That thing's bigger than me!
Max and Trevor go over and select a tire each. They prop their respective tires up.
Aleksei: You bet Max. You're going to hate me, and then love ol' Koji after we're done. That match Sunday is going to be a cakewalk after I'm through. Flip those end to end till you get to that tree up there. GO!
Aleksei whips out a coach's whistle and blows on it, letting loose an ear piercing shrill. End over end, the tires are flipped. The tree is a solid forty to fifty feet away. No easy task that's for sure. Aleksei jogs besides his two student yelling out things in Romanian. Max and Trevor both struggle with the size of the tires as they finally reach the finish. Both men flop to the ground.
Aleksei: I must say I really do like this training stuff now that I am not doing it.
Max: Holy sh*t.
Trevor (breathing heavily): .... yep. You were right... I hate you.
Aleksei: Told ya. I'll guarantee you that Sinful Obession and Kain and Frost won't be able to match your cardio. You guys will be able to go for hours when we're done.
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Aleksei continues to run the Young Lions through a gauntlet of exercises. He works their arms and legs with wheelbarrow runs. He works their upper bodies with heavy rope exercises. The workout continues for about an hour and a half, and then it is time for the real test. Both men are spent, but it's time to tackle the final challenge. Max and Trevor are leaning up against the truck trying to catch their breath. Trevor’s eyes light up and he reaches into the truck for his bag.
Trevor: I almost forgot. I got us something to help us get in the head of our opponents.
Trevor pulls out two mask from the duffle bag and Max just stares at him in disbelief.
Max: Do you have heat stroke or something?
Trevor: Nah man I am just trying to get in the head of my opponent.
Max: You’re an idiot. Next your going to tell me you have a magic kit in there too.
Trevor looks like he is about to nod but then his face falls. He stuff the mask back in the bag and tosses the bag into the truck.
Trevor: Fine....be that way man...I am just trying to enlighten us.
Max laughs and shakes his head at his partner. We hear Aleksei shouting at them in the distance. The two men take a deep breath and force themselves to move forward.
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Aleksei: Are you boys ready?
Max: Ready?
Trevor: For what?
Aleksei pulls out an old school boombox from the trunk of his car and presses play. The classic opening beats of the most famous training song begins to play...
Aleksei (off key and loving it): Rising up back on the street... took my time took my chances...
Max: Oh lord...
Trevor: Wow...
Aleksei: You must fight just to keep them alive! GO!
Max and Trevor race to the stairs at Communications Hill.Trevor pulls the mask from his pocket and puts it on as they make their ways to the high stairs.
Max: Take that damn thing off...
Trevor laughs and tosses it aside. Max and Trevor lock eyes, give a nod and a smile...
Max: Let's do this!
Trevor: Yeah! Go!
They blast out of the starting gates and race up the neverending stairs. The sweat is flying; the breathing is heavy, but the boys are inspired by Survivor's anthem of perseverance. The boys push through and finally reach the top. Max and Trevor leap high in the air and high five each other. Aleksei hops out of his car and strolls over.
Aleksei: Way to go kids! You kicked these stairs' butt! Now we go kick some more at Climax Control. Bring it in.
Max and Trevor huddle up with Aleksei.
Aleksei: Hands in. On three... CLIMAX!
Max darts a look at Aleksei.
Aleksei: What!? No? Fine. On three... LIONS! ONE! TWO! THREE!
In Unison: LIONS!!!!
Aleksei: Let's get out of here. You guys look like sh*t.
Aleksei laughs and pats them on the back as they head to the car.
