The same man we saw briefly last week sits at a large desk. Dressed in all black with a purple tie, he sits behind the desk writing something. A large table stands. A black cloth is laid over it, new black candles surround it. A cracked skull is in the middle of the candles, a dagger is drove through top of it, causing the crack. Above the items is a very well done picture of an inverted star. The room is very well lit, as we can see him reach up and scratch his beard. The door opens with a light click. The bearded man reaches for an all silver cup sitting in front of him, after grabbing it he looks to the person who walked in. A woman dressed in skinny jeans, and a ripped black tea shirt has joined the scene. Her hair is short and disheveled. She goes to a part of the wall and pushes on it, spring loaded the door slowly opens. She grabs an all black steel chair and joins the man in front of his desk.
Man- So you know Alex Bowen rather well I hear.
Woman- Way to ask how I am...
Man- I know exactly how you are, you're sitting in front of me, are you not Lilith? I want it all, with him... no one will stop me. You need to help me, because you have a past with him. Really, how did that come to be?
Lilith- I dated him in school, I was good friends with him, I know Alex Bowen. After he got out of jail he just sort of left. I never talked to him again.
Man- Don't worry, you'll be seeing him soon.
Lilith- Why is that, what do you have planned?
She looks questionably at the bearded man.
Man- I fear no god, or any man who stands in my way. I'm not afraid of fantasy or consequence, because I want it all, everything, and everyone. He is nothing but a tool, the words I preach he will obey.
Lilith- How do you plan on getting him? That's the whole thing, you talk about all of this. But you don't even have him in your pocket yet.
Man- That is where you come into play. Being a foolish man, he only thinks of himself, and what he wants. He sold his soul to the former devil of this company. A beautiful woman from his past should be able to warp his mind. Unlock it all, and put us on the map.
Lilith- What do I get out of this?
Man- Anything you want, because soon we will have it all. We will bring a new order to the company. I know one thing wont change, they have no faith in who they are, to sick and tired of the shame. With him we will set a new order, This is only the start, by my will... the weak will be erased.
Lilith- Why him? He turned on Burna. What's stopping him from doing the same.
Man - Because he is angry inside, and he is trying to mask it. He broke the bonds of a righteous man long ago, and now he will stay in eternal flames. He can't run from the past, trust me, I know it all, and I know why he is angry. Use that and his own memories of you to your advantage, and soon I will have him in my pocket. He is not angry about what has happened in this company, he is only using it to suppress his true feelings. He uses this company to control his rage, but with only losing efforts he will never stop. He will only get worse.
Lilith- You really think so? What if he really has changed? What if he is at peace with himself?
Man- Not a month ago he was singing a different tune. He said he was the worst thing to ever happen to Wzcw, and after he beat Steamboat Ricky he would show the whole company that. So lets break down the walls, help him along, so to say. Bowen is a man full of rage, no matter how you put it. He is just a time bomb waiting to explode, when we help that along, we will reap the rewards.
Lilith- Have you ever heard of the old saying, in ashes they shall reap? I'm not to sure of this.
The man stands up pushing his chair back. Pointing and angry finger at Lilith, a vein pops out of his head.
Man- With that talk it will all fall apart. Have faith, I don't have time to wait. The plan needs to be set into motion. The seed of doubt has been placed. We need to start now, find him. Do what you will, and get him here...
Lilith- As you wish.
Lilith stands up as the bearded man is collecting his papers. They moved and are out of order, she walks out of the door as the scene ends.
Slowly the scene fades back in. Alex Bowen is in sweat pants and a sweat shirt, he is jumping rope. A damp ring is forming around the neck of his sweat shirt. Jumping for all it's worth, he pushes as hard as he can. The morning sun rays peak through the windows in the front of the room. He is jumping on an old wrestling mat, not his usual surroundings. But when he was younger, he went to state three times. Never capturing the big one, but making it none the less. So Bowen really isn't a huge stranger to this room. Months upon months spent in a room just like this, escaping his abusive father, wrestling became more than a sport. He would play football in the fall, but after practices he would hit the wrestling mat. Spending his time until the dark hours of night. Still continuing to jump rope, Alex's main trainer James Takei walks into the room. The man is approaching sixty and arrives in full singlet, taped ears, and bare feet. A grim look is on his face, but Alex ignores that. With a smile he greats his trainer, and friend.
Alex- Sup, boss man. I need your help, got an important match at the Pay per view.
James walks to the former mayhem champ, and looks at him for a second. He shakes his head, and in one lightning quick motion he slaps Bowen almost to the floor. His jump rope drops out of his hands, and in an equally quick movement he is in his coaches face. All business, James gets in a wrestling stance and motions for Bowen to take him down. Bowen pulls up his sweats, in the process he ties them off.
He gets in a low stance, and tries to shoot in for a high C. James stuffs the attempt, and pushes Alex away. Bowen quickly shoots back in and tries for a low ankle pick, But again James stuffs it, and drops his weight right behind the former Mayhem champs neck. Pushing down on his head he circles, a few quick movements of superiority, and Bowen has had enough. On the final pass of James' legs he grabs a thigh and powers up. Bowen has a monster single leg, and follows through by throwing the man down to the mat. He gets to his side and breaks down his arm. Keeping it trapped he rolls, and drops James' to his back. An easy five point move.
James breaks his arm free, and worms out of the maneuver. James stars to get up, but notices and opportunity. He drops in and gets a front headlock. Putting his head behind Bowen's right arm he switches to the side. Breaking down Bowen to his side, he rolls out his hips and pushes him to his back, pinning him. With his hips over Bowen's face, he proves who the dominate wrestler is. Making his supremacy known, James gets up and walks back over to the entrance.
James- LAPS... NOW!
He grabs his wrestling shoes and a bag. He places it over his shoulder, the old duffel bag droops with weight. He walks to the middle of the room, slowly sitting down. Getting his shoes on he watches Bowen run laps, the man he watches now is a far cry from what he was just six months ago. A drinker, and smoker no more, Bowen could almost keep up with any man. At a few years from forty that is a good thing. He was always strong, but now he is a bull. James lets a smile cross his face at the thought of beating Alex in their impromptu match. Alex did well, but James didn't even have his shoes on, that would be something they would have to work on. James leans over and unzips his duffel bag. Reaching in he pulls out two very small medicine balls.
James- Pushups...
Bowen looks at James and puts up his arms, he can't hear him because he has put in his Ipod. James notices this and quickly gets up. He walks in front of Bowen, and rips out his ear buds along with the Ipod. The throws it across the room, breaking it into a few pieces.
James- You will only listen to your feet hitting the floor in this room. I am not my son, you are not here to lolly gag. You are here to be a champion. Something that you've only been able to accomplish in piss poor indi federations!
James points across the room at the broken Ipod.
James- Pick it up, throw it away. Elevated pushups, you will have enough money to buy a new one when you are Elite X champion... Justin Cooper and the High Society are getting their shot. You've beat him twice... but you had to worry about face turns, heel turns, this and that. You lost focus. Do what I said, lets get going. You want to win that match, WORK!
Bowen hangs his head at what James just said, and at the thought of his broken Ipod. Moving over to survey the damage, his Ipod and spirit are now broken. He picks up the former music player and walks to the corner and dumps it. He turns around and walks back to the medicine balls. Pumping out pushup after pushup. He's ran out about forty, as James walks up to him. Tapping something in his hand. Bowen sits back and looks up, A look of horror crosses his face. James has a foam padded plastic pipe in his hand, and is looking at Bowen.
Alex- Not the pipe... damn.
James- That's right, you want to slack... you're doing them. Fifty, Inverted sit ups. Outside...
Bowen leads the way outside, James follows, Grey pipe in hand. They stop at an old post and arms.. It's short pushed in the ground to work on. A cracked body pad surrounds the post, stuffing is falling out in place. Bowen shakes his head and takes off his sweat shirt. It's rather cold outside, but Bowen wont be cold for long. He bends forward in front of the post, and does a hand stand. Turning backwards he drops his legs down on the arms, and James walks behind and locks his legs into place, crossing his ankles. He gets out the pipe, and slaps it across his hand.
James- Want to take a break on my son? A WEEK? Fifty... slowly. I'm going to enjoy this.
Bowen slowly pulls up, and on the way back down James hauls into his stomach with the padded pipe. This continues until Alex's stomach is raw and slightly bleeding. Fifty sit ups and Bowen is dead. James has a smile on his face.
James- It toughens your stomach, and mind.
James lets out a hearty laugh. A toothy grin crosses his face.
James- And makes me smile.
He drops the pipe and walks behind the post, uncrossing Bowen's ankles he lets the legs fall over. Bowen drops about 6 inches and crunches up into a heap. Just laying in the spot he fell.
James- You want to act like a champion, but never put in the work. You want to tell everyone you're going for the title. How do you expect to win there, when you can't even beat anyone clean...
James puts his wrestling clad shoe on Bowen's forehead. Dragging it quickly down, he leaves a small friction burnout on his head. Bowen groans and pulls his arm up to the new pain in his body.
James- You will not like me, I'm sick of being your friend and you never doing anything I say. You thought my son was a fun trainer with all of his Brazilian Ju-Jitsu and submission shit? I'm going to run you into the ground old school. Grab your top, and back into the room, two hundred shots against the wall, and we are done for today.
He reaches down and grabs Bowen's cheeks. Squishing them together, he talks to Bowen.
James- Don't speak... Remember this, I care about you. I only want the best. But I've seen this pattern of crap for long enough. You didn't lose for months, I put you in my son's hands. Figuring that would work. But you've left me no choice. I'll show you why I was world champion four times. You have to put effort into your training, it's the only way you will win matches like you have against Grand Mask or whatever his name is.
Alex- Grand Mystique.
James playfully slaps Bowen on the cheek a few times. He extends his hand out and helps the beaten man up. Bowen gets up and heaves over, puking right next to James' feet.
James- God, I missed that sound.
Helping Bowen into the room, He pushes him against a wall and does two hundred wall shots with him. Slowly but surely Bowen cranks them out, non stop. Well, not non stop. We see James Slap him on the back of the head a few times. Only to put him back on task, but we can ignore that. Bowen finishes and stands up, grabbing his sweat shirt that he dropped on the floor. Pointing to his jump rope.
Alex- Don't lose that, just keep it here.
Bowen walks out of the room like a man let out of jail. His raw stomach turning a shade of purple and bright red. He crashes out of the front door, and into fresh Toledo, Ohio air. James runs up behind him, and slaps him on the back.
James- Lets go get something to eat! We need to talk anyways. Alex.
They are in a rather ratty section of Toledo, but Bowen knows the streets all to well. Birds are cheerfully chirping, but they are ignored by Bowen and his trainer. Walking down the street side by side the men don't speak. Slowly making their way down about five blocks, they make it to a small Gold's gym. There is an older smaller building connected to the side, they walk in. the building it is lightly colored, a shade of yellow, and small booths line the side of the wall. A very small kitchen connects to the register area, Blenders line what is left of the counter. A huge shelf behind them with powders and supplements of different sort take up residence on it. A woman with a smile takes Alex's order.
Alex- Poached eggs, Tabasco on top please.
He reaches in his pocket and pulls out a twenty, sliding it on the counter he walks away and falls into a booth. James quickly follows the order with his own, and joins Alex at the booth he fell into.
James- So Grand Mystique, what's the story on him, Alex? He just comes back and picks you..
Alex- He's an old friend, I've traveled the world with him. It seems like he wants to play Mr. Hard ass again. Well I know exactly how to stop that.
James- You couldn't beat a former mid card champ, or Chris K.O. What makes you think that you can beat Grand Mystique, I've only done a small amount of research, but it said that he was a former world champ to. The highest platform, Alex. You know that, and so do I. Every man in this business strives for it.
Alex- He got that way being billed over people like Me, and Eric Derf and other former Wzcw superstars. He got that way because he was an internet darling, super exciting moves, and he they could sell his mask. Grand Mystique has the personality of a three toed sloth. He only got to that level because the main event in that company was riddled with old men like Brian Michaels, and ego maniacs like D.C. I spent my time fighting the cream of the crop. Just because the world title means that much in this company, doesnt mean it's anything in others. Because they gobble up anything that will draw them a few more people.
James- I'm not to sure of that, when I was at the top it always meant you were the best.
Alex- How could anyone else get a shot, that company only ever let about five people around the world title. He got lucky, I was down at the bottom because of what I did. It was always a pat on the back, and go get the crowd riled up. They would put a kendo stick in my hand and push me out there. I was nothing in that company, I won a title. Big woop, I knew how good I was, James'. He got his ass beat two years ago at All stars. Hell he could barely fit into his outfit, he was so out of it.
James laughs a little bit.
James- Who was that he lost to?
Bowen shakes his head, and snorts a little bit.
Alex- Some dude who walked off the street to be honest. He came back for it, just for some fun, and free pay. Some All Star he turned out to be. Got pinned twice in like five minutes, I believe. Now he wants to come back and act like he knows what is good for me. He doesnt know me, but I know all of his tricks. He is a carbon copy bad guy. This is for the marbles though, I'm done messing around. I can't lose this. I can't lose to someone who has no pull in this company, I've got to rise up. He talks about his Hand of Prophecy... it means nothing. I've already stepped out of the shadow of my former self. He knows nothing about me. I'm leaving Mayhem behind so I can move up in the world. I don't need people reminding me, and telling me I'll never be able to go far, when I already am.
The waitress brings out the men's orders, James basically got the same thing, except with toast. Bowen digs into the eggs, but James just looks at him
James- You can say you are moving on all you want, but until you put your full effort into something, you'll never succeed. Alex, fighting hardcore isn't that much different than regular mat wrestling. I've seen men break bones, rip off ears, and get concussions without weapons. I remember watching your old videos, you were great. You need to keep the energy high, and the pressure on them. Go in an surprise him, he's not going to do anything but throw punches. Shoot in, and toss his ass. I know you know how to do that simple stuff. He won't know how to combat that, I know it. A real wrestler in this business is a scary thing. Old shooters were respected, because they could hurt you, or let you win a match. You need to be an old roughneck again.
Alex- Did you not see my matches?!
James points a stern finger at him as the waitress looks over at them. Bowen drops his fork and looks him in the eyes.
James- Don't ever raise your voice at me, I'm not afraid to smack the taste out of your mouth. I'm sick of watching you lollygag, trying to chain wrestle and get your name out thee. He is going to run all flare, all high risk. Let him do it and then kick his teeth out. Think smart, I know I always saw that when you were in the Mayhem division. To be honest I see it now to, but not at the level you need to be. I watched a few matches of him on youtube, let him crash and burn. Then rip his shoulders out of place, clip his wings so he never moves again. What happened to that aggression that I was seeing? The fans will love you if you start WINNING! You don't have to shake hands and kiss the guy of his cheek when the bell rings. Dammit, suplex him dizzy. He wants to brag about winning world titles in a B company, let him. Show him what Wzcw really is, show him true Chaos.
Alex- I'm trying, James, I really am trust me.
James- NOT HARD ENOUGH! Quit making shit up! You spent how long in jail, almost a two years?
Alex- Yes.
James- You were put in there to not make excuses anymore, you broke the law, and I figured you would have learned not to tell me excuses after that. I bet you werent kissing ass, or pandering to the fans in there. I bet you were fighting the fight. Just like you did when you first came here, just like you fought to come back after you were fired. I've saw the indi circuit, bingo halls, and high schools. It wasn't fun was it, Alex? Do you want to go back to that? Because I'm sure if you keep losing some half shit hardcore promotion would love to have you. Go out, beat him senseless, and leave. Arrive, raise hell, LEAVE.
James looks at Bowen with a stern face. Bowen has his head hanging down into his plate, not looking at his trainer. He knows everything he said it true.
James- You aren't the typical wrestler Alex. You have talent, you were a state level wrestler in school, and If you would have made it to college I have no doubt that you could have made it to the NCAA tournament. But you chose otherwise, and that's alright, but you are falling apart. I get it, you want people to cheer your name again, but you're never going to do that if you don't give them something to cheer about. Take out the bad guy, take out, Grand Mystique. For all the times he was billed over you, for interrupting your matches, for acting like a hard ass. Rise above it, and grab the brass ring. A win here could bill you higher on the card for a long, long time.
James extends his hand out and motions for Alex to shake it. Slowly smiling at his friend and trainer, Bowen takes his hand and gives it a rough handshake.
James- From one rough neck to the next. After this pay per view, Alex Bowen will be on his way.
Alex- Sounds about right to me.
James reaches out and playfully rubs Bowen's shiny dome. The both smile, as the almost father like figure starts to eat into his eggs. Bowen follows suit, the camera pans around to the window, a woman with short black hair is peeking in the window. She has a large smile on her face, with a phone up to her ear. The scene fades out.
