A wooden oak door is seen from the outside, with a name plate, black letters on a gold rectangular plate, shines at the camera. The name Dr. S. Burns is the name printed on to the golden setting. The camera moves inside the room, and slowly moves around to show a book shelf, heavy with leather covered books, some looking much older than others. Two potted fern plants stand either side of a solid looking, wooden desk, upon which lies papers, a computer, a photo of a woman and a young boy. On the wall, certificates hang, with medical logos on them. To the other side of the room, sits a lone black leather chair along with a brown leather sofa. A tap can be heard running at the side of the room, off camera. The water suddenly stops running and a few seconds later, a man, in his early fifties, appears on screen. The man has graying hair along the side of his head, neatly combed behind his ear. On top of his head, a receding hairline shows a bald patch, covered by a sweeping comb over of his hair. Gold rimmed glasses covers his eyes, wrinkles set deep in his forehead. Covering his body, grey suit pants and a white buttoned up shirt. A knock on his door is heard, three gentle taps of knuckles against the solid oak door. The man walks towards the door, pulling down the handle and opening it to see "Hot Stuff" Mark Ward. The man jolts his head back in surprise.
HS: Dr Burns.
Hot Stuff is wearing light blue jeans, white trainers upon his feet, and a T-shirt with the SCW logo upon it.
Dr Burns: Mark! I didn't expect to see you today.
Dr Burns voice is soft and slightly croaky as he looks at Hot Stuff. Hot Stuff walks in to the room, slowly pacing up and down.
Dr Burns: What are you doing here today, Mark?
HS: Problems Doc, whole host of problems.
Dr Burns points to inside of the office and Hot Stuff walks in. Dr Burns shuts the door behind them and Hot Stuff turns to face him.
Dr Burns: If you wanted another psych evaluation on one of your superstars, you could have called in the usual manner and we could have arranged it that way. You didn't have to pull yourself all the way down here for that.
Hot Stuff breathes deeply, his brow lowered as he massages his fore finger and thumb on his right hand, over his temples.
HS: It is, and it isn't Doc.
Dr Burns: Would you care to explain Mark.
Hot Stuff sighs deeply, clearly uncomfortable with what is about to leave his lips.
HS: It's... well, it's me Doc.
Hot Stuff straightens his body up right and looks at the surprised doctor.
Dr Burns: You?
Hot Stuff slowly nods, his eyes looking away from Dr Burns
HS: Yes Doc, me. I'm the one I think is cracking up this time, I'm the one that's losing my marbles.
Dr Burns points to the brown leather couch, just a few feet away from him. Hot Stuff wearily looks at it but moves towards it, sitting on it. Dr Burns walks to his desk, picking up a pen and notepad, before moving towards the chair. He sits in the leather seat nearby and looks at Hot Stuff.
Dr Burns: Tell me Mark, why do you think you need to be here today.
HS: It's like this Doc. Something's been happening lately, something I never expected. It started about six weeks ago. It felt like something dark and sinister was gathering, like someone had opened the gates of hell and there was a presence that I haven't felt in a long time.
Dr Burns: Like you were being haunted?
Hot Stuff turns his body, putting his feet up on the sofa, and covering his eyes with his right hand.
HS: Yeah, haunted, very, very haunted. Like something was on my back and then it happened.
Dr Burns moves forward in his chair, looking at Hot Stuff through his gold rimmed glasses
Dr Burns: What happened?
HS: He appeared.
The doctor leans back in his chair, looking more and more curious.
Dr Burns: Who is he?
Hot Stuff runs his fingers through his hair, turning away from the doctor for just a few seconds. He looks back, and talks almost in a whispering voice.
HS: The...
He closes his eyes, breathing deeper.
HS: The devil.
The doctor writes something down on his notepad, before looking up at Hot Stuff. He puts his head down again, writing more words over the lined white paper.
Dr Burns: The devil?
The doctors questioning tone forces Hot Stuff to sit up and look.
HS: What? Didn't you hear me right? I said the devil, Satan, Lucifer, El Diablo, that guy.
The doctor starts to write again, but looks up quickly.
Dr Burns: What did this devil look like?
HS: He wore a suit and smoked cigarettes.
The doctor straightens up in his leather seat, looking at Hot Stuff. He leans the notepad on to his knees and smooths the hair on the right hand side of his head, down flat. He tilts his head.
Dr Burns: That doesn't sound very Satanic.
HS: The devil comes in all forms Doctor. He turned up on the second of February. He stood high above me in the rafters looking down. I heard the words "Be sober-minded. Be watchful. Your adversary the devil prowls around like a roaring lion, seeking someone to devour. Mark Ward. I believe I have found my prey".
Hot Stuff puts his hands on the side of his head, almost covering his ears.
HS: I heard those words Doc, I heard him say those words, and they have been etched in my mind and burned in to my soul ever since. They've consumed my mind, they've consumed my heart, the heart of a warrior, that I have beating inside me. There's only one man capable of such a thing, one man that can pull off such a stunt, the man known as Lucifer.
Hot Stuff moves his hands away and continues to look at the doctor.
HS: He is here and he walks amongst us. I have to do what I failed to do before.
The doctor picks up his notepad and places the pen on top, but stops.
Dr Burns: So you know this man?
Hot Stuff puts up a single finger.
HS: I know this devil. I have encountered him before. I know what he is capable of, I know what he has done in the past to me.
Dr Burns: Would you care to elaborate?
Hot Stuff puts his hands together and quickly runs them up through his hair.
HS: He tried...
Hot Stuff bites his lower lip.
HS: He tried...
Again, another slight pause from Hot Stuff.
Dr Burns: Please, go on.
HS: He tried to make me kill him.
An awkward silence fills the room. Dr Burns places the notepad on his lap, putting the pen on top. He stares at Hot Stuff, bemused by the words he just heard coming from his mouth.
Dr Burns: Would you repeat that?
HS: He messed with my head, he put things in my head, trying to make me kill him, trying to make me take his life. It wasn't me Doc, it was him. He implanted thoughts and images in to my brain, he made it seem like I would be doing the world the biggest service ever. He put those thoughts in to my head and made me want to end him.
Dr Burns puts his hand on his chin, looking deeply at Hot Stuff while leaning forward.
Dr Burns: Then what happened?
HS: I didn't get the job done, I caught myself before I could go through with it and he laughed, he mocked me for not doing it. He mocked me for not being able to finish him off. He knew in his death, would make my life hell, he was willing to go that far, to make my eternity a misery, including sacrificing his own life at my very hands. He knew that by me ending him, that my life will end at the very same time.
The doctor leans on his hand, taken in by the story.
Dr Burns: And then he went?
HS: He vanished in to thin air. I know that when I defeated him, it threw Lucifer back in to his cage. You see he didn't think that I could do things a different way, that I could end him without ending his life, but I did, well I thought I did anyway.
Hot Stuff puts his hands in his hair, both hands pulling on his dark hair.
Dr Burns: So why is he back?
HS: Because someone opened that cage door, someone took the padlock off the cage and welcomed him back in this world. Someone went out to look for him, spent serious amounts of time to find him and pull him out from the darkness and in to the world we live in.
Dr Burns: With this man's dangerous tendencies, why would someone do this?
HS: Because I am done with wrestling in the physical sense, I don't need it, I have nothing to prove, so I guess he gave me something to prove by bringing out the only man who could haunt me in this way, he brought out the one man who could play with my head. I have no regrets about the devil from the past, I did what I had to do to make sure his existence and presence was no longer around, I did that because I could. It should have stayed buried, he should have stayed buried. There was no need for this man to ever walk the earth. I got rid of him once and that was the hardest thing I've ever had to do in my life and now I have to do it all over again.
Dr Burns lifts the notepad once more, writing something else down.
Dr Burns: Do you doubt you can repeat the same feat once more?
Hot Stuff lays back down, putting his head on the pillow at the end of the sofa. He lets out a sigh.
HS: Deep down, I know I can do it, but that nagging question keeps playing on my mind.
Dr Burns: Which is?
HS: Why should I have to? What was so wrong with leaving the man who can destroy the world, locked away?
Dr Burns: But can he?
HS: Can he what?
Dr Burns: Destroy the world?
HS: He can do what the hell he likes Doc. Look at this.
Hot Stuff rolls his arm over, showing a band-aid on the underside of his arm.
HS: Under that doc, is a hole in my arm. It got there because he made me stab myself with a pen to sign a contract I had already signed! My name was on the damn thing, and he looked in my eyes and made me do it. I didn't have to do it, but he has more power than you could ever imagine and he made me do this! He made me take a sharp object and rip through my flesh.
Hot Stuff covers the wound.
Dr Burns: Has he made any indication on why he wants to do this to you and you alone?
HS: Because he doesn't want me retiring. He knows if he defeats me, I will struggle to over come it, I will have to look in the mirror every single day of my life knowing that he has got the better of me, and that he has won. I don't get any second chances in this, I have the one shot to end him once more. There is no rematch if I lose, there will be no pride in myself if I lose, there will be a hole, emptiness I will never be able to fill up in my life. There will be an abyss that will never goes away. He couldn't get me with a life full of regret if I killed him, but he knows I will have a life full of regret if I can't no defeat him and put him in the past again.
The doctor leans back in his chair, pushing his glasses closer to his eyes.
Dr Burns: Have you asked for answers on his resuming interest in you?
HS: I told him I wanted answers, I told him I wanted him to explain himself.
Dr Burns: And did he?
HS: He made a little showing in the ring. He stood there, trying to get people to remember who he was ten years ago. Ten years ago, man, seems like yesterday, but he spoke to them all in the crowd, trying to get them to remember just who he is. He reminded me that he left me a broken man back then, regardless of the end game, he told anyone who would listen the damage he did on me, physically, mentally and spiritually, he reminded them all of his dark streak. He told them I beat the devil out of him, but he knew exactly what he had done to me, he knew exactly the torment he put me through Doc. He knew that though the devil was gone, he was still right here, lying in wait to strike again.
Hot Stuff points a finger to his forehead.
HS: He told me I didn't deserve retirement, because I didn't get the job done, but while he was gone, I spent years after putting myself back together, and doing all I can to better who I am. He sat in hell, I was still up at working, but I don't deserve it Doc?
Dr Burns: Everyone deserves a chance to rest. It's a God given right.
HS: What does the devil care about God? The devil became the devil because of God. Lucifer was reborn, because of God. He wants to see me die in the ring, he wants to see me suffer in the ring for all eternity, he wants to make the ring my own personal hell. He doesn't want me to live my life like he has for ten long years, he doesn't want me to step out of the light, he wants me in the darkness for all of eternity. That ring at Blaze Of Glory III is just like his cage, he wants me there and he'll stop at nothing to keep me there, like I did with him. The devil's pleasure, is watching me burn, watching my body get beat on by people twenty years younger than me, watch bruise after bruise appear on my skin, watching the blood flow from my open wounds, for his own personal pleasure. I can't let that happen.
The doctor runs a finger across his own chin.
Dr Burns: You're showing signs of obsession.
HS: Of course I'm obsessed. This "man"
Hot Stuff air quotes the word man.
HS: He mentally broke me ten years ago, he took my brain in his very own claws and dug them deep in to me. It took me years to mentally recover from those scars that no one else could see and just when all scars were healed, he returns once more to reopen them. Obsessed? Yeah, you could say that because like ten years ago, I am now obsessed with ending him. I have no choice but to be obsessed Doc, no choice at all. I didn't back then and I don't now. I have to do this all over again. The last show made it worse, this is how I ended up here, because he's breaking me again, and I can't let him.
The doctor looks on curiously.
Dr Burns: What did he do?
HS: He filled my office with smoke, put the images of evil little girls in my head, spoke to me when he wasn't around. Taunted me and mocked me in the ring in front of everyone. He wants to drag me to hell with him. He looked in my eyes and made it clear that he is never leaving my mind once more. When I think he's gone, he will still be there, he will never be gone. He will always be waiting for me. I can't let him get away with this stuff.
Dr Burns: Running a company, and dealing with as many people as you do, is enough to put stress on a person.
Hot Stuff holds up a hand, causing the doctor to stop talking in mid sentence.
HS: This is not stress Doc, it's not, I can deal with stress, it's him! It's him!
Hot Stuff starts to breath heavier.
Dr Burns: Relax Mark.
HS: I can't relax doc, I can't relax until once more, I put the end to this. I can't relax until once again, I have to send him back to hell, then grab on to the rocks before I fall in with him. I need to do this for myself Doc. I can't let anyone I know get involved, I need to do this.
Hot Stuff sits up, spinning his feet around to look at the doctor, his hands pressed together.
HS: I need to go back and do what I couldn't do before. I need to stop this man from ever rising and haunting me again. I need to stop this man from terrorizing others. If I don't, he will always be there waiting to make someone's life hell, like he's doing with me. I need to stop him from ever being able to haunt me or anyone else again.
Hot Stuff puts his hands on the back of his head, looking deep in to the doctors eyes.
Dr Burns: If you truly believe this man is the devil.
Again, Hot Stuff holds his hand up, stopping the doctor in his tracks.
HS: Haven't you been listening to a work I've said? I don't believe he is the devil, I know he is the devil. I know he is Doc, there's not a doubt in my mind about that, there hasn't been for ten whole years. The devil does indeed walk amongst us.
Dr Burns: Maybe you need spiritual guidance.
HS: I need to find someone who has a clue on how to put the devil down for good. I was coerced in to trying to kill him once, I found a better way, but he's not stupid, I can't do it again, not the same way as before. He's gonna be wise to that. He's going to know I would consider doing it the same way again, so I need something else. Not a quick fix, I need a permanent fix to end this once and for all. Everything I did before, I need to do differently. Every move I made in that ring ten years ago, I need to change, because he's gonna be expecting it. Everything needs to change but the results need to stay the same. I need to trick the devil himself in to thinking he knows me, then show him he does not know me at all. That's it!
Hot Stuff stands up, looking at the doctor.
HS: That's how I'm going to do it Doc! I'm gonna make him think he knows me and then destroy him.
Hot Stuff walks towards Dr Burns, patting him on the shoulder.
Dr Burns: I don't think we're really finished here, Mark.
HS: But I feel like this is a weight off my mind and now I'm gonna do something I haven't done right in the last couple of months.
Dr Burns: What's that?
Hot Stuff moves towards the office door. He puts his hand on the polished gold handle before turning back to the doctor, still sitting in the leather chair.
HS: I'm gonna to sleep. Then I'm gonna get up and work on how to banish Nicolas L. Blair from this world once more!
Hot Stuff opens the door, walking out of the office and slowly closing the door behind him. The doctors eyes widen as the door slams shut.
Dr Burns: Did he say Nicolas L. Blair? Oh damn!
The doctor runs his hand over his wrinkled forehead as the camera fades out.
Beautiful sunshine breaks through the window of the apartment owned by Hot Stuff Mark Ward, in Las Vegas, Nevada. He lies in the bedroom of the apartment, the sun peeking through the white curtains, as the slightly open window allows a cool breeze to enter the room, pushing the curtains around. Hot Stuff rolls over in bed, pushing the matching white bed covers down with his hand, slowly opening his eyes. He exhales deeply, as he rolls his muscular shoulders back, stretching out his muscle. Clearing his throat, he talks to himself.
HS: Best night's sleep I've had in months.
Hot Stuff rolls the covers forward a little more, putting both feet on to the ground. The floorboard creaks below his foot, as he puts more weight on it. Standing up, he stretches at full length, before walking around the bed. He walks through a door in the corner of the room, turning the handle and walking in. He shuts the door behind him and water can instantly be heard running. A few seconds later, the sound of the toilet flushing can be heard, followed by more running water.
HS: This is gonna be a good day.
His voice is heard from behind the door, shortly followed by the brushing of teeth. A quick spit later, and the running water stops. The sound of the door handle turning can be heard and it opens up. Hot Stuff walks out of the door and across the room, opening another door and stepping in. A few minutes later, he strolls out of the room, dressed in a pair of black shorts, and a white polo shirt. He turns to look at himself in a nearby, full length mirror, admiring himself.
HS: It'll do for now.
Hot Stuff walks to the bedroom door, opening it and walking through. He makes his way along the hallway and to the top of the stairwell. He walks down the steps, a spring in his step and gets to the bottom. The sound of siling can be heard in the background as he turns the corner and in to a kitchen, where he sees long time girlfriend and current member of The Mean Girls, Angelica standing in front of a stove.
HS: Angie? What are you doing here?
Angelica has her hair tied back, an unusual look for her, and wearing a bright yellow apron.
HS: And why are you wearing that.
Hot Stuff points his hand up and down, indicating the apron that Angelica is wearing.
Angelica: I thought I'd make you breakfast today.
Hot Stuff scratches the side of his head.
HS: Usually, you're up and out before me, running around with those other chicks, and you've never made breakfast, like ever.
Angelica: Well I thought I would today. Sit down, I've already made your coffee.
Angelica points to the table, where a cup of steaming coffee is seen. Hot Stuff looks at the cup, and back at a smiling Angelica.
HS: I think I'll go sit outside with this, it looks like a nice day.
Angelica: Ok sweetie, but don't be too long.
Hot Stuff blinks rapidly, picking up the cup of coffee from the table, turning his back and walking out of the same door he just walked in. He moves through the hall and in to what seems to be a living area, before moving towards a balcony door in the corner of the room. He opens the door with his free hand, stepping outside on to the red tiled floor. He places the cup down on a white plastic table, and pulls out a matching seat. He sits down, looking out at the beautiful greenery below him, his eyes on a gardener, planting bright colored flowers in to the dark soil. He slowly shakes his head and speaks to himself.
HS: Something isn't right here. Angie's very rarely here when I get up, wouldn't lower herself to touch a frying pan when she can get someone else to do it, and as for coffee, I don't think she knows what coffee is unless it's from Starbucks.
Hot Stuff leans back in the chair.
HS: Something just feels odd. She's never this perky. I left a pile of clothes on the floor when I got to bed. Hell, was she even here when I got to bed? Did she come in after me, pick up all that stuff and stay here?
Hot Stuff wraps his hand around the coffee cup, lifting it towards his mouth and takes a sip from it.
HS: That's actually pretty good. Now I know something isn't right. Did the last few weeks finally catch up with me and this is a coma or something?
Hot Stuff pinches his arm.
HS: I can feel that so it can't be a coma, it can't be a dream.
The gardener looks up from below, lifting a hand to wave at Hot Stuff. Hot Stuff raises a hand back, slowly and very unsure looking. Angelica bounces out behind him, also a spring in her step. She holds out sunglasses in front of him.
Angelica: It looked a bit bright out here, so thought I would bring you these.
HS: Ummmm, thanks.
Angelica: You're welcome, now don't be long.
Angelica kisses Hot Stuff on the cheek, placing the sunglasses on the table, before moving back inside the apartment. Hot Stuff raises his eyebrows as he turns his head, his eyes following Angelica back through the living room. Hot Stuff picks up the sunglasses and unfolds the arms, moving them towards his eyes. He places the glasses on his face and continues to talk to himself.
HS: Sweetie, cheek kisses, home made coffee, breakfast, bringing out sunglasses, nope, this isn't right.
Hot Stuff stands up, leaving the coffee on the table and walks through the balcony door and in to the living area. He looks around the room, spying a pair of white training shoes and heads towards them. He leans down, pulling the right shoe on first, softly pushing it down, and lifts his left foot, sliding his shoe on to his foot. He moves towards the door, and out again in to the hallway, reaching his hand on to a nearby table and picking up a set of car keys and a cell phone. He slides the phone in to his pocket and walks past the kitchen door, calling out to Angelica as he goes.
HS: Gotta go, thanks for being here, though, breakfast smelt great, ok, ummmm, bye!
Hot Stuff opens the front door, walking out of the apartment and not look back. He walks towards a stairwell and bounds down them as a face pace. He stops at the bottom as the phone in his pocket starts to shake. He pulls it out of his pocket and looks at it, reading the message on the screen out loud.
HS: Party, right now, lots of naked chicks, my place, be here! ~ B
Hot Stuff blinks rapidly again.
HS: It's ten in the morning! Damn!
Hot Stuff pushes the door at the bottom of the stairs open and in to a small, private parking garage. He walks towards a red car, and presses a button on the keys, lighting up the lights and unlocking the doors.
HS: Something still don't feel right.
Hot Stuff opens the car door and sliding inside.
THIRTY MINUTES LATER.
Hot Stuff walks the stairs in SCW Headquarters. He pushes open the door with the logo of Sin City Wrestling on in and walks in.
HS: Peace and quiet, no one in the office today.
Hot Stuff pushes the door of the conference room, expecting to see no one, but Christian Underwood and Erik Staggs wait there.
Christian: Oh good, you got my message.
Hot Stuff looks at Christian, then at Erik.
HS: I didn't get any messages from anyone. Today's been the weirdest day so far, people I don't know waving at me, invited to parties going on right now, Angelica at home at this time of the day cooking me breakfast and me now turning up in to what I thought was gonna be an empty office, but here you two are sitting here. What the hell is going on?
Christian: Well we wanted to talk to you about giving you SCW.
Hot Stuff jolts his head back in utter shock and surprise.
HS: What?
Erik: Well you'll be out of the ring soon, Christian and I could do with a break, so we want you to run the company.
Christian: One hundred percent of everything will go to you until we return.
HS: You two want to give up all the money that SCW brings in, and just give it all to me, to lead the company, the way I choose?
Erik: Yes.
HS: Ok, this is not real. I'm in a dream, aren't I, Blair?
Christian: Blair? There's only Erik and I here.
HS: CUT THE BULLSHIT BLAIR! I KNOW IT'S YOU!
Christian, Erik and the entire office melts in to the ground, leaving nothing but a darkness, only Hot Stuff can be seen in that area. Just a voice can be heard in the darkness.
Voice: It took you longer to work out then I thought. Maybe I gave you too much credit.
Hot Stuff's eyes peer around the darkness.
HS: So you have me trapped in a dream. Real good, Blair.
Voice: Actually no, Mark, this is not Nicolas L Blair catching you in a dream, this is you catching yourself in a dream.
