Gold Rush: Constantine versus Eve Taylor [Tournament Final]

[Da Prophet]

Sixteen competitors started and now we are down to the final two. The favourites of the tournament have survived until the end to give us a major clash of the titans. In one corner, a former World Champion, Constantine, who has stated he will retire after Kingdom Come. Seeking one last shot at the World Championship he finds himself just three seconds away from that goal. His last chance to ever win the Gold Rush Tournament and add to an already impressive Hall of Fame career. In the opposite corner, the woman who has always been just an inch away. Eve Taylor was supposed to win Lethal Lottery. She was supposed to defeat Flex Mussel in the number one contenders match and now she is supposed to win the Gold Rush Tournament. Twice she has failed to close the deal but is the third time the charm for one of the greatest female wrestlers in WZCW history? Only one can win, both have worked extremely hard and with a championship match at Unscripted on the line – it’s all or nothing for both of them!

RP Deadline Monday 24th July 23:59 (Central).

Extensions available upon request.

 

[Lee]

Deadline is now Tuesday 25th July 23:59 (Central). No further extensions.

 

[Dave]

Constantine hated walking. He always had.

But there was little he could do today about that gripe. Walking was his only option. And with the final round of Gold Rush on the horizon, it was something that he had to do. He also didn't care for height all that much either. And as he looked down the mountain from which he had came, a cold shiver ran up his spine.

It had been a long and arduous climb, the likes of which Constantine had never experienced before and, at many points in time, he had wished he had never started it in the first place.

Mia, on the other hand, loved to walk. As Constantine blew heavy breaths from his dangling jaw, Mia sucked in deep breathes threw her nose, closing her eyes in sheer enjoyment of the moment. As Constantine's face began to turn a crimson shade of red, Mia's beautiful complexion only became more natural and more stunning the further up the mountain she got.

Constantine: I need to stop... Just for a moment...

Constantine couldn't take it any more. They had been walking for hours upon hours and it seemed as though they were getting nowhere in every sense of the word. He pulled the bag from his back and opened it as he rested himself against a vertical standing rock to his left. Grabbing a bottle of water from the bag, Constantine opened it and doused himself in the liquid; letting out a gasp of sheer joy as it rolled over his sweaty features. Mia turned to look at her partner, a look of anger on her face – her walk interrupted.

Mia: Fine! But just remember why we're doing this... And who's idea it was in the first place.

The Power Trip looks at his partner with a look of dismay. Of course it was his idea to make he climb in the first place – he had to. He just didn't think it would be this much of a challenge. He was a young man with a history of fitness behind him, he would never have dreamed that this would have been so difficult. It was at that moment he regretted lifting weights for 20 years and shunned the treadmill so hastily.

Constantine: I know, I know.

With a wave of his hand, Constantine brushed off the question and the topic altogether. Taking a few more sips of his water, Constantine put the lid back on and got to his vertical base once more.

Constantine: The higher we rise, Mia, the more I am wondering if this was a good idea. I mean, what are the chances of-

With that, Mia raises her hand to the lips of her fiancé.

Mia: Don't doubt yourself, John. We can only try our best and see what happens.

Constantine pauses for a moment, deep in his own thoughts, before nodding his head in reluctant agreement. He puts the bottle back inside his bag and slings it back over both shoulders. Constantine offers Mia a brief smile before taking a deep breath and letting it go.

Mia: Besides, we're almost there!

Constantine looks at Mia as she stares up the mountain. Screwing up his eyes, Constantine looked into the distance. There, atop the mountain, was the goal of the journey. A monastery that housed the key to defeating Eve Taylor and winning the Gold Rush Tournament for the first time in John Constantine's career. At the top of the mountain was Aubrey Stone.

* * *​

Although the monastery sat on the horizon, it seemed like a long time before Constantine and Mia actually reached the wooden platform that lined its entranceway. As they reached their destination, Constantine feel to his knees in utter happiness. Mia offered him a smile as she looked down upon him with pity in her eyes. Constantine took a few deep breaths as he peered inside to all of the wooden huts that led to a large wooden building in the centre of the compound. Allowing a look of confusion to appear on his face, Constantine peered up at Mia.

Constantine: This is it? This is what we did all of this for!?

Mia tilts her head to the left slightly and rolled her eyes as Constantine got up off of the floor.

Mia: The reason we did all of this, John, was so that you could get close to the only person who ever got close to Eve Taylor. No one on this planet knows Eve Taylor better than Aubrey Sloan does. And if you can tap into that, even just a little, then defeating her at Gold Rush is going to be a whole lot easier. Don't you think?

The Power Trip knows that Mia is right and offers her a confident nod in response to her question. But as they made their way through the wooden arches into the monastery, Constantine could not help but worry about how the meeting was going to go. It wasn't hard to find out where Aubrey had been hiding out for all of these years, not for a man of his talents and wealth anyway. But there was no doubt in his mind that Aubrey was not going to be happy to see him. In fact, it would surprise him if she were anything but fuming at his appearance. After all, she and Eve Taylor had did everything to try and take the Elite X Championship from Constantine during his gauntlet run – something that neither of them managed to do. A barb that probably still hurt Aubrey to this day as it did Eve Taylor.

In his work in tracking down Aubrey, it had come to light that Eve Taylor had irregularly dropped by the place he now stood. And by all accounts, the last meeting had not gone to plan for his Gold Rush opponent. Constantine knew that Aubrey wouldn't want to talk to him. But he was gambling on the idea that she would want to hurt Eve Taylor more than some opponent from her past. And it was exactly that – a gamble of the highest order.

Constantine: let's get this over with.

Looking at Mia and steeling his jaw, Constantine begins moving towards the multiple wooden huts of to the right of the compound – his heart beating through his chest as moved closer to his destination. Mia put a hand on the small of his back to comfort him... Or to make sure that he didn't turn back and make a run back down the mountain. Either way, it seemed to comfort The Power Trip as reached the huts. Looking around for his target, Constantine peered into some of the open huts – hoping to catch a glimpse of Aubrey. Suddenly, a voice called out to them from afar.

Voice: Eve Taylor!

Mia and Constantine's head turned on a swivel to reveal an elderly man dressed head to toe in red and brown robes. Constantine narrowed his eyes as the old man began moving towards them slowly. As thoughts poured through his mind at a rapid rate of knots, Constantine couldn't help but be confused about what exactly was going on. Had he heard about the upcoming match with Taylor and had recognised him from TV? It seemed very unlikely given that he hadn't seen a TV in a hundred miles. As the elderly man reached them, Constantine was still at a loss for words.

Monk: You must be Eve Taylor?

Mia shoots a look at Constantine for help but he is of no use. The pair stand in silence as the old man bows his head to welcome them to the monastery.

Monk: I apologise if I have caught you off guard. You see, you are the only westerner to have ever crossed the door of this place. Aubrey has spoken very highly of you in the past.

Mia: Uh... Yes, we go way back.

The old monk offers Mia a smile as he bows his head once more. Constantine's mouth hangs open in shock as Mia continues the charade at the expense of the old man.

Mia: Actually, we are here to see Aubrey again. For old times' sake.

Monk: I am afraid that is quite impossible, Ms. Taylor. You see Aubrey has left on an expedition with a number of the other monks that live here. You would have to wait to see her...

Constantine nods his head to signal the positive reaction from Mia.

Mia: Uh, yes. We will wait then. How long should she be?

The old monk smiles again.

Monk: Another month should about do it.

Mia: A MONTH!?

Suddenly, The Power Trip reaches for Mia, pulling her in towards his body and stifling her cries of shock. He adorns a warm smile as Mia continues to struggle beside him.

Constantine: I think what... Ms. Taylor means is that she really needs to talk with her today. We have come a very long way on the understanding that Aubrey Sloan would be here to grant us an audience today. I'm afraid the nature of our talk is of grave importance and cannot wait another month, Sir. I am sure you understand that?

Monk: I do understand. However, there is no way of reaching Aubrey right now, Mr. Taylor. She is on a voyage of self-discovery – something which she has been in dire need of since Ms. Taylor's last visit.

The smile of the monk seems to disappear somewhat; replaced by a look of sheer sadness.

Monk: I think she was very hurt by your last visit here, Ms. Taylor. Her heart was broken for lack of a better term. She has not been the same since. But that is a lesson that we all must learn. Death is the balance to life. And so mourning is the balance to love. If we did not love so strongly then we would never have the wounds that you inflicted on Aubrey. It is the price we pay...

The monk bows his head once more.

Constantine: What you're saying is that there is no way to contact Ms. Sloan, then?

Monk: There is no need to contact her. She has left a message for you on a note. She always said that you would return, Ms. Taylor. With every step out of this monastery that Aubrey took, she always hoped that you would return and take the note she had left for you. Meeting you, I think, ay have re-opened the wounds that she worked so hard on closing.

With one final bow of his head, the monk reached into his robes and produced a brown piece of paper folded neatly into a quarter of it's original size. Reaching his arm out, he offers it to Mia with a smile. On the inside, Constantine feels a burst of overwhelming sadness begin to form. The letter that was meant for his opponent at Gold Rush from the only person that she truly loved was in his grasp. With the words that were written on that page, he could bury Eve Taylor once and for all. He could twist and contort anything on that page without the knowledge of Eve that he even held the note in the first place.

Everything in his body was screaming to take the note. Everything from his past was bursting to reach for the piece of paper, take it and make haste back to WZCW. But as he and Mia stood in silence with the monk in front of them, he could not find it within himself to reach out and take the note that was not destined for him. Mia waits for his response and soon gets it with a small shake of his head and a tear in his eye.

Mia: Uh... Thank you for your kindness but I would much rather here whatever is in there in person. I will return another time...

With that, Constantine and Mia turn on their heels and begin walking away from the monk – their mission unsuccessful but their conscience clear.

Monk: Goodbye, Ms. Taylor...

* * *​

An open letter to Eve Taylor

Eve,

I know that you don't like me. I know that you never have. But I would hope that you respect me enough to know that this letter is coming from a place of sincerity. I know that history would point towards me being deceitful at any and all costs on the eve of our massive showdown at Gold Rush. And I guess that I deserve that for everything that I have put you through in the past.

Since I announced my retirement from wrestling and, perhaps, even beyond that, I have tried to atone for the sins of the past. You see, the legacy that a man leaves in his wake always meant something to me. It was the reason that I was so successful in a wrestling ring for all of these years. It was the drive I needed to be able to motivate myself towards greatness. When Vis Imperium screwed me over, I thought a lot about the legacy that I was going to leave on the world of wrestling. World Championships, Elite Openweight Championships, Mayhem Championships – it dawned on me that it never really meant anything...

When people talk about the greatest wrestlers to ever lace their boots and enter the ring, I am sure that I will be far away from that discussion. And the more I thought about it, the more it dawned on me that it was because of the way I carried out my wrestling career. You will be the first to admit that I have been sneaky, manipulative and evil in the way that I get things done. And I guess that will be my legacy within wrestling when it is all said and done.

But something else that dawned on me the night that Justin Cooper ousted me from a stable of my own design, was that it is never too late to change how people see you. It is never too late to try and make up for the sins of your past and have people see you in another light altogether. It is with that in mind that I write this letter to you this evening.

You see, I know how much you value your place in WZCW and I know how much you value gold around your waist. You are a lot like me in many ways. You probably don't think that you are good enough, somewhere deep down inside you. You try with all of your might to prove to everyone, and yourself, that you belong here – rubbing shoulders with the best that industry has to offer. You, like me, will stop at nothing to make sure that people know you are amongst the best. I know what you are feeling when people call you “a choker” because people used to call me the same thing...

And now, on the eve of the biggest match of your career, you must be feeling that same familiar feeling creeping back into your psyche. Are you good enough to beat “the great” John Constantine in a one-on-one match? Do you have what it takes to finally break the glass ceiling and take on Heavyweight Champion in the main event of a PPV? Is it finally your time to cast away the shackles of your reputation and put all of the past to bed? We shall see in due time.

But our match is not why I am writing this letter to you. It is not a vain attempt to get into your head before the biggest match of both of our careers. Instead, it is a warning to you above everything else.

There was a time when I was on the brink of making a bad choice. I had left my family, including my new born daughter, to chase revenge on Dorian Slaughter and Ty Burna. The hatred to cause damage and regain my World Championship was a fire that I just could not put out. Numerous times Mia reached out to me in her desperation in an attempt to bring me back from the edge. Thank God she did, Eve, otherwise I would have toppled right over the edge and would have been gone forever, I would have missed out on some of the happiest memories I have ever experienced as a father and as a partner to two equally beautiful women.

And now, Eve, I am doing the same for you. I now sit in the same place as Mia did a few years ago, knowing that I have to do something before it is too late. Regardless of the result at Gold Rush, I know that there is something else out there for you that means so much more. I know that it wont feel like it right now but WZCW is not the legacy that you are want to leave. There is something more out there for you, Eve. Something that will not say that you are not good enough or that you have choked once more. Something that is eternal and beautiful and wondrous. You just have to reach out and grab it.

You know of what I mean.

So at Gold Rush, I will stand across the ring from you and we will decide our legacies once and for all.

I prey you know what you are fighting for. Because I do and I will stop at nothing to achieve it.

John

 

[Viola Moonlight]

The old large wooden doors required Eve Taylor pressing her entire body against them and digging her heels into the ground to push the stubborn slammers open. She never remembered using this amount of strength before for these doors; they were more welcoming to her when she was a child. Eve recalls always being the first person to stand outside, and when Father Angelo called upon the community to enter church, it was the young Eva Pellegrini who burst through without hassle. She remembers running straight through to the front pew, getting as close to the altar as she could to listen to the stories told. She loved listening to Father talk endlessly; as a child, Eva didn't have the chance to read much. She was working many hours on the family farm, and any deviation from work was considered a mortal sign by her father. He always looked down upon Eva. Eve hated him for that. So, when the Pellegrini family went to church early on a Sunday morning to fulfil their Catholic requirements, Eva was excited to go. She got to enjoy some time off doing what she enjoyed, and for a moment, she felt like she had a real father. Like the ones the other kids said they had...

... but that was a lifetime ago, when Eve Taylor was Eva Pellegrini. Those days are gone. Buried in history. A history she tried to forget; yet, for some unknown reason, she decided that on this day, very late on a Saturday night, she needed to be here. She wish she could say the same for the ancient structure, somehow still standing: the refusal of the doors wanting to open made Eve Taylor think she was not invited inside. It was almost divine intervention preventing her from stepping foot in God's house. Eve couldn't really blame the reasoning, for she was not exactly a patron saint. There were many things Eve Taylor had committed which could be seen as crimes; as sin, beginning with her abandoning her family to pursue a life of fame and success. It was all downhill from there, she supposed... maybe that's why she felt compelled to be here. Maybe she wanted to revisit the church of her past to atone for her sins? Get a weight of the world off her shoulders before heading into Gold Rush against Constantine?

Eventually, Eve had pried the doors open, and managed to close them shut to keep the cool wind from invading the warm temperatures that were inside the church. Taking a few steps forward, she looked around and noticed how proud the church remained. It knew it was old, and required restoration, but it stood strong, somehow managing to hold everything together... stability: another thing Eve needed in her life... the place wasn't exactly how she remembered it as a child, but then again, she never really paid much attention to anything inside the church. All she really did was go to the front, and watch Father Angelo perform at the altar. So, Eve decided to do just that. Go to the front.

Slowly, she took step after step, trying to do her best to not get her heel caught in the cracks of the stone floor. Every step felt like she was being careful not to fall. One of the prices to pay for being fashionable was understanding that not all environments would be accessible. She stopped, and looked around. Nobody was inside the church that she could see. She looked down, and decided it would be best to remove her stiletto's. She felt a little relief removing the straps, and taking the shoes off. The stone floor was cold but her feet were able to be free again. When she took her next step, she took it carefully, but her feet landed firmly on the ground. There was no worries for Eve this time. She cracked a small smile as she began to walk, a little more confidently this time, as if she was on the runway. Her smile grew wider as Eve picked up the pace, go from a model's walk to a child's run. She sprinted down the church aisle, with the biggest smile on her face, and letting out some laughter. Eva ran straight to the front pew. As she made it, she felt like she placed first in a marathon and jumped in the air for joy, raising her hands. Quickly, she slide along the front pew, and it sent her almost near the end of the seat! She laughed as Eva almost toppled over, somehow managing to keep control of her position. She adjusted herself as she still laughed, and sat in the spot she always sat at it. Slowly, she regained her composure, fixed her hair, tidied her clothes, and sat firmly in the pew. Her feet were getting cold now. She felt a little cold now. She put her stiletto's back on. Eve wrapped her arms around herself. Something didn't feel right. It was starting to feel like a really stupid idea.

"Why am I here?" Eve asked herself. "I don't belong here any more."

"God invites everyone inside his home."

Shocked, Eve looked around frantically to see who spoke. The echoes inside the church made it hard to pinpoint the source of the sound, and she felt very worried for a second. That is, until she recognised the voice, and she turned into the very direction where the person had emerged: it was Father Angelo, a lot older than her memories serve, and he was walking past the altar.

"Even you, Eva."

He remembered who she was. After all these years, he still recognised her.

"How did you know it was me?" She queried.

"I heard your laughter." Father answered. "There was only one girl I remember with such a beautiful laugh like that, running down the aisle. It always put a smile on my face."

"You heard all that?" Eve said, quite embarrassed about her outburst.

Father Angelo descended the steps from the altar, and to the floor with the pews. He went to sit right next to Eve, taking his time due to his body beginning to give out on him.

"The acoustics in here aren't exactly the greatest. I was able to hear you, and your heavy feet, run and laugh through the church." Father Angelo let out a sighing breath as he sat down on the church pew to relax. "It has been a long time, Eva."

"I know, Father..." She responded sheepishly. "I've been gone for a long time."

"Yes, you're family told me."

Eve's eyes lit up with curiosity. "My family?"

"They come here every Sunday morning without fail. Your parents. Your sisters, and their families. And your grandmother. All of them attend Sunday morning mass."

"I didn't think my family cared for me, any more."

"No matter what has happened in the past, your family will always care for you, Eva."

Eve turned to her handbag, fumbling through the insides until she pulled out an envelope. She handed the envelope to Father Angelo, who opened it carefully. He lifted the letter inside only a fraction out of the envelope before seeing exactly what it was. He slowly put it back inside, and handed it to Eve. Father Angelo readjusted himself in the chair, and reflected on how his words came to bite him back.

"I'm not exactly allowed to visit them. Or talk to them. Or be in the vicinity of them, or the authorities will haul me away for breaching that... stupid piece of paper. I can't have that happening so close to such an important event."

"It is your grandmother who discusses you with me. She does so in the confessional box. I recall her mentioning you having a restraining order placed against you, but the manner in which she spoke, I did not believe. This is probably why she talked to me in private in matters revolving around yourself. I am sorry you've been put through this. Was it your father?"

"Yes. How did you know?"

"Ah!" Father Angelo laughed. "Your father has always been a rather difficult man to deal with. I do no envy Saint Peter at the Gates of Heaven when your father's time comes to pass."

The two shared their own laugh, trying to make light of a horrible situation. Seconds later, they both realised the reality and remained neutral.

"What are you doing up so late?" Eve asked, attempting to change the subject as she wiped her nose with her forearm. "I figured you'd be asleep for such early masses on a Sunday."

"The patrons who attend Saturday evenings are normally less taken care of than those who attend on Sundays. I have quite a bit of clean-up to do before the church is ready." Father Angelo paused to ponder before asking the next question. "May I ask the same question to you? What you doing here? If you wish to confess, I'll have to get my other robes o-"

"I am not here to confess, Father." Eve interrupted. "Confession is for those that wish for a clean slate, and restore themselves to a place where they consider themselves a good person. The last time I was a good person was when I went by the name of Eva Pellegrini. If I confess, I wipe away Eve Taylor. I do not wish for that."

"Do you feel Eve Taylor is not a good person?"

"I know Eve Taylor is not a good person."

"There is still time to change, Eva. Whatever sins you bear you can repent, and be forgiven."

Eve could not help herself as she chuckled at the idea, shaking her head. Father Angelo looks at her with some confusion. He sits up.

"Do you not believe a person can change?"

Eve paused for a moment, gathering her thoughts.

"When I came here to this church, I did not know the reason why. What purpose do I have revisiting a place in the memories of the person whom I have since abandoned? Surely it would only bring suffering and pain for me to remember the horrible history that Eva Pellegrini has stored away? Ignoring my own instruction, I entered the church. I did not expect you to be here, nor anyone else... and I guess I was going to monologue. Didn't really matter who was listening to my words - God, myself, no-one - but all I know is that I required a question to ask: can a person change? That was what I wanted to ask when I initially arrived, I think, but when you came here, and you greeted me, I got my answer."

Eve turned to Father Angelo.

"No."

She stared into the eyes of the priest. She could tell he did not like that answer, and the thought process that Eve Taylor had begun. He wanted to say something but he allowed her to continue speaking.

"When I heard me enter, and saw me sitting here, you saw only Eva Pellegrini. The same little girl that came to every Sunday mass. Today is not Sunday. It is Saturday night. I am no longer a little girl. I am a grown woman. I do not go by the name of Eva. It is Eve Taylor now. Yet, you managed to see right through all of it, and see me for who I really am. But do you really know who I am, Father Angelo? Do you know who Eva Pellegrini was? Do you know who Eva Pellegrini is?"

The Father shakes his head. "Don't you mean who Eva Pellegrini was, and who Eve Taylor is? You said you were Eve Taylor now? I am quite confused."

"Eva Pellegrini was treated horribly when she was a child. It did not matter what Eva wanted to do; she was told she had to do exactly what her father told her to do. When I woke up, I could not pretend to be a princess or envision myself as a famous person. When I woke up, father told me I had to work on the farm, and anything else I did resulted in him yelling at me... and that was when he was in a good mood. I hated my life, and all I wanted to do when I grew up was be somebody else. Anyone else. Someone other than Eva Pellegrini. When that opportunity arose, I ran away from home, I abandoned my family and my old life, and created the Eve Taylor persona. I used that persona as my stage name when I was a model, and that name became my brand, and eventually, it became me. Everything I have ever done since I left home was to try and validate my own existence as Eve Taylor, and prove that Eve Taylor was the real person. Not Eva Pellegrini. As far as my fourteen year old self is concerned, I am living the dream. I have been living a FUCKING FAIRY TALE! I should be proud of myself that I was able to even have this opportunity, but I am not. I finally have the chance at the finals of the Gold Rush Tournament to prove to the entire world that Eve Taylor is legitimate, yet I feel more fragile than ever. I question myself. I doubt myself. I look myself in the mirror, and everything that I've done to create this image of Eve Taylor - all the evil things I've done - come back running through my head to remind me the price I had to pay to get what I wanted. I might be Eve Taylor, but I am not a good person."

Eve Taylor pauses for a moment. Father Angelo takes a moment to process. Before he can answer, Eve Taylor continues.

"And then there are men like John Constantine. A person who has been evil for as long as I've known him for. He's a former politician, you see. The antithesis of a good person. Every chance that man has gotten to find a way to the top, he's taken it. Never you mind how immoral or unethical the practice might be, Constantine will take that opportunity. He's deceived many people. He's manipulated many others. He's made questionable alliances and had those allies do his dirty work... all so he can find his way to the top. I truly believe he is the scum of the Earth, and nothing he does will ever change what I feel about him. Now, I am not suggesting that I am any better than he is, Father Angelo, because I am not. I have followed in the footsteps of Constantine before. I have read the book of John Constantine before, and I subscribed to his methods of practice before. I've been immoral. I've been unethical. I've formed alliances with questionable folk. I did the exact same things he did to achieve the exact same goals that he wished to complete. I've been in his shoes before, and I hate that I've done it...

"... but what I am most annoyed is that he wished for forgiveness. Can you imagine the gall of that man? After everything that has happened in his life, he wishes to repent for his sins, go to confession, have a clear conscience - you should know the whole bit by now, Father. He wants to do all of this. And for what reason? Because he feels guilty? Because he has a change of heart? Because he wants to change? No, that is not it, because people don't change. People can't have a change of heart. Constantine is guilty, and he wishes to manipulate the minds of the audience because Justin Cooper, the World champion, stole the questionable alliance he created, and by facing me, he gets the opportunity to take him down. He's doing the whole redemption storyline against Justin Cooper and his cronies, and he's telling us that it's because he wants everyone to know he is can be a good person. He wants to show the entire world that there is a good bone in his body, and he wants to leave the company, with the little time he has left, riding off into the sunset to a standing ovation."

Eve started laughing to herself. Father Angelo waited to see why she found that funny. Eve could tell he thought that Constantine's actions could be considered noble, but she did not blame Father Angelo for he always tried to find the good in everyone. It's what made him a great priest. Past tense.

"Constantine does not want redemption. He wants glory. He wants fame. He wants success. Sure, the story he is writing tells us that he gets to win the Gold Rush tournament, and become the leader who takes down his questionable alliance known as Vis Imperium. He gets to face the World champion, who is their leader, and remove the title from him, eventually dismantling it from within... and he will finish his career as the World champion, and the conquering hero who saved the company. Everybody will cheer. Everybody will applaud. And everybody will accept him as the next Hall of Fame inductee with open arms."

Father Angelo sits forward, re-positioning himself. Eve can tell he wishes to speak, and let's him talk.

"Forgive me, Eva... what has this got to do with you? I am hearing anger and frustration, but I also detect some jealousy in your voice? Do you envy him?"

Eve wanted to chuckle, but she held it back.

"You hear right, Father. I am jealous of John Constantine. He has created the type of brand, identity, and name that I have been seeking since I was given the freedom to not be Eva Pellegrini. I made the name Eve Taylor to do exactly what he has done... and John is about to do it. He is about to leave a lasting legacy of debauchery and lies with a cute little bow that says 'I saved WZCW', and the people will remember him forever for that. I can not allow that to happen. I can't let John Constantine walk past me at the Gold Rush tournament finals, and go on to have his moment in the spotlight as the conquering hero. That can't happen. He does not deserve to have that redemption."

"Why?"

"Because is an evil asshole who deserves nothing."

She pauses.

"What about me? What about my chance to prove myself? How about my story? I know I am not a good person. I have sacrificed friendships. I have sacrificed family. And I have sacrificed myself to get there... so why does John Constantine get that opportunity? I know I'm not a good person, but God dammit what about me? Constantine has had many opportunities in the past to proven himself a great person, yet time and time again, he fell back into his old habits. Every. Single. Time. Why should we trust him now? Because he says so? He has said so before, and he reverted back to his old self. He has had many opportunities to be World champion, even going so far as to win the title... why does he deserve another? Because his intentions are better than mine? He only wishes to win the championship because it will aid in the destruction of Vis Imperium, and my intentions to win the title is only because I want success?

"I disregard everything he says, Father. Everything. He has proven to me that people don't change. He will always be the sly, hate-filled villain that preys on the innocent and the gullible. Nothing he can say will convince me. Nothing he does will change my mind. I know who he is because I am exactly the same. The only difference between Constantine and myself is that I am intelligent enough to recognise who I am, and brave enough to wear the sins weighing heavy on my soul in my smile. When you see me, you know exactly who Eve Taylor is, and what she has done to get to this point. When Constantine smiles, he wants you to forget. I will make sure that nobody forgets who John Constantine truly is."

Eve Taylor stands up from the pew, and looks directly at the cross hanging on the wall. Father Angelo slowly gets to his feet with a look of concern on his face.

"I do not like where your mind is heading, child. I know you were hurt when you were a young one, and you want people to know you are good... but going down this path isn't the choice you should be making."

Eve turns to Father Angelo, looking into his eyes which fear for the life of Eva Pellegrini. She turns back to the cross of God, and looks into his condescending eyes. She stands tall and proud.

"The path you believe is good is the path you want me to take. Sounds like you did not listen to me at all, Father. I created Eve Taylor because I wanted to be free from instruction. I will not listen to you. I will follow my own path; the path I believe. I believe John Constantine does not deserve his day. I will not grant him his wish. I will go to the Gold Rush tournament finals, and I will take everything he has to throw at me. I will absorb it all, and I will not go down. He will fall before me, and I will go on to face the World Heavyweight champion. For once in my life, it is time for me to indulge myself... and I will do so at the expense of John Constantine."

Eve turns her back to the cross hanging on the wall, and begins walking down the church aisle. She feels confident in her steps, even wearing her stiletto's. The cracks in the ground do not bother her any more. She does not care for the straight and narrow. Eve Taylor likes the idea of playing with fire as she could slip into the cracks. This is how much it means for Eve Taylor to finally have her chance at the World championship. It has gotten to this point. In what feels like her final shot, she will take away the opportunity from Constantine and seize it for herself. She knows the risks. She knows the consequences of her actions. She knows she wants to win the Gold Rush tournament, and become the next World champion.