AS51: Constantine & Triple X vs. Sam Smith & Mick Overlast

[Viola Moonlight]

The Elite X champion Triple X will be competing alongside the King for a Day Constantine in a tag team match against X's last opponent Sam Smith and the number one contender to his title, Mick Overlast. Triple X will be targeted heavily in this match whilst Constantine seems to be the odd man out, although he does has history with Sam Smith and the Elite X title. He'll have to watch his back as Holmes will be lurking the corridors of Ascension and could prove to be a problem.

Deadline is Tuesday, July 10th at 11:59 PM Central Time.​

 

[Mick Overlast]

Leon Kensworth: This is the last place I thought I'd find you.

Kensworth adjusts his glasses as he looks into the WZCW locker room the night of Ascension 51, moments before the show begins. Mick Overlast is sitting on a stool in front of his locker reading a book. His trademark suit is neatly hung up in his locker, and he is in his ring gear, a pair of black pants and black basketball shoes. Overlast hears a voice over the rap music playing through his headphones and takes them off. He looks up and sees Leon standing there.

Overlast: Huh?

Kensworth: I said I didn't think I'd find you here. Lately you've been going out before the shows and speaking your mind.

Overlast looks back down at his book, continuing to read it while maintaining the conversation with the veteran interviewer, who walks toward him and has a seat in a nearby folding chair.

Overlast: Doesn't mean I have to do it every week. Gotta keep everyone guessing.

Kensworth nods at the answer as an awkward silence pervades the locker room. He looks around for a bit, thinking of something to say when Overlast speaks up, his eyes still not leaving the book.

Overlast: If you're looking for an interview, you may as well stand up and go elsewhere because there isn't one to be found in here.

Kensworth: One of the most controversial guys in this locker room over the past couple weeks has nothing to say, especially after becoming the No. 1 contender to the Elite X Title? I find that hard to believe.

Overlast raises his eyebrows and nods as a smirk crosses his face. He chuckles a little and closes the book before setting it in his locker. He then turns to give his full attention to Leon.

Overlast: You know, there's really not a whole lot for me to say. There's no reason for this to be a tag team match tonight. They should just let the four of us go at each other's throats because pretty much everyone in this match is going to be on high alert. No one will be able to let their guard down at any time because they can't trust anybody else in the ring. I mean, you got Constantine, who is going to be expecting Holmes to come down and try to kick his ass at any given moment. Triple X is going up against the top contender to his title and the guy who was so close to taking his belt two weeks ago. And then you have Sam Smith and me.

Kensworth: You have no beef with Smith.

Overlast shakes his head.

Overlast: I don't. But he has every reason to come after me. I put him on the shelf a long time ago when I was with the Sons, and now I'm next in line for the title he probably thinks he should hold. I'm not worried about Constantine or even Triple X, for that matter. It's Smith I'm concerned about; he's going to want his revenge. He's going to want another shot at Triple X before I can get mine. I can feel the bull's-eye forming on my back as we speak.

Kensworth doesn't say anything, instead nodding as Overlast thinks out loud.

Overlast: Frankly, I don't care about the outcome of this match. I'd rather lose the battle tonight than to lose the war with Triple X in a couple weeks. My mission is to get to Redemption, and if I have to kick my own tag-team partner's ass to ensure that happens, then that's what I'm going to have to do. Tonight, it's all about survival.

Overlast stands up and leaves the locker room, leaving Kensworth alone. Kensworth stands up and turns to walk out of the room, but instead goes toward Overlast's locker and picks up the book. He quickly thumbs through the pages of The Art of War, then sets it back down before finally heading out.

 

[Dave]

Constantine wakes up to an empty room. The beeping of the machine to his immediate right is startling at first as The Power Trip begins to stir in his bed. In his arms, tubes and other medical equipment can be found piercing his skin. The slick and clean room begins to burn at Constantine's eyes as his eyes open slowly. The smell of bleach and disinfectant brings Constantine's senses to a whole new level as he begins to familiarise himself with his surroundings. The shock of being in a hospital bed is a huge surprise for The Power Trip as he looks around the quiet room. After a moment, a professional looking nurse appears through the doorway.

Nurse: Ah, Mr. Constantine. It's nice to see you awake.

Constantine swallows hard and tries his best to summon the words that would encapsulate his thoughts and feelings as he lies motionless on the well-kept bed.

Constantine: Where am I?

His words stick in his throat, minimizing his voice. The nurse goes about her business in the room, completely unaware that Constantine had even spoke in the first place. Constantine clear his throat and tries again.

Constantine: Excuse me, where am I?

The nurse, on the second attempt, turns around as Constantine speaks to her. She smiles cutely at him as she makes her way towards the bed.

Nurse: You're at Massachusetts General Hospital.

There is a look of fright plastered on The Power Trip's face, which surprises even himself as he attempts to come to terms with his surroundings some more.

Nurse: But don't worry, you're out of the woods now.

Constantine's head hits the pillow now as he begin to relax a little. The initial panic of his surroundings begin to fade now as the charming smile of the nurse and her jovial Irish accent begins to put him at ease.

Constantine: What happened to me?

The nurse looks at Constantine for a second, silently weighing up whether or not to tell him the full story. The shock of such things could send The Power Trip back into a slumber. She readies herself and sits on the edge of the bed.

Nurse: You were in a car accident. Your car flipped on the road as the brakes failed and you were admitted to here last night. You've been sleeping ever since.

Constantine goes to lift his left hand to his head but is shocked to find a cast surrounding his limb. The white plaster sends shock waves through his bones, only serving to damage the clearly broken one in his left arm.

Nurse: The good news is that you don't have any lasting brain damage. A little swelling on the back of your head and a broken wrist is your injuries. It could have been an awful lot worse.

The reassuring words of the Irish nurse don't work as well as they did previously. Immediately, thoughts of how these injuries are going to affect his career flow through the mind of The Power Trip. He knows that his enemies will be waiting for him to slip up. He is aware that any weakness in his mind or body will cause his momentum to falter. The look of sudden panic that crosses his features stuns the petite lady by his bedside.

Nurse: I know that you must be worried. But try not to be. This is good news.

Constantine only wishes that she could see the ramifications for him. He runs his right hand up the plaster before relaxing on the bed once more. Silent.

Nurse: There are two men outside who need to speak to you. One of them was with you when you were admitted. He seems to be more worried about your appearance at Ascension than your safety. And the other is a detective. But don't worry about that either, he just wants to ask you a few questions.

Constantine feels the anticipation build inside him. The expression on the Power Trip's face showed that his memory of the event was hazy enough. Could he answer questions with any great certainty? With that, the nurse stands up before flashing one final smile to the worried looking man As she leaves the room, some talking initiates outside of it. The familiar dulcet tones of Forbes can be heard along with another voice. After a moment, a casually dressed Forbes enters the room with an officer not far behind him.

Forbes: Trip! It's good to see you're still in piece. Imagine the explaining I would have to do to Ty Burna if you'd been horribly mangled.

The comedic charm of Forbes hits it's mark this time as Constantine feels himself smiling at a joke for the first time since he had met Forbes.

Officer: Mr. Constantine, I don't want to rush you but I'm here to ask you a few questions about your accident. Is that OK?

Constantine gives a slight nod as the officer pulls out his notepad and pen. Forbes gives a nod to Constantine that seems to reassure the bedridden men.

Officer: Can you tell me what happened? Or anything you can remember from the night?

Constantine's brain begins to search for answers as the room falls quiet. A moment later, Constantine angles his head towards the officer with a negative look on his features.

Constantine: All I remember is getting into the car. I don't remember much of anything past that, I'm afraid.

Officer: Nothing at all?

Constantine: Nothing. I remember it being my usual driver and putting my things in the trunk. But when it comes to the accident, my mind goes blank.

The officer nods reassuringly and begins to write down his notes as Constantine continues to talk.

Constantine: I remember the rain beating down off of the windows and it drowning out the conversation that I was having with my driver about Meltdown and Ascension. I remember us making our way to the airport and then nothing.

Officer: That's okay. Now tell me, do you remember seeing anything or anyone unusual around your car before you set foot in it?

Constantine is immediately taken aback by the question, as is Forbes. Both Constantine and his manager know exactly what the implications of such a question are.

Forbes: Foul play? That's what you think?

The officer raises his arms to chest level as a signal for Forbes to keep his voice down. Constantine watches on as the officer puts away his pen.

Officer: When we looked at the car after the accident, it was pretty clear to me that something was very wrong with that vehicle. I've been with the force for 16 years and I can spot a trap when I see one. There is no doubt in my mind that whoever did this, did it with the intention of maiming or killing the people on board.

The soft-spoken words of the burly police officer floor Constantine as he lies silently on the bed. The shock of the accusations send more shock waves through the body of The Power Trip.

Forbes: This has Steven Holmes written all over it!

Officer: Steven who?

Forbes: Holmes, he's a WZCW wrester. He's never been happy with Trip. He's fooled him into thinking that he was paralysed and now he's trying to get rid of him altogether. I'm telling you this right now, Steven Holmes is a murderous maniac.

The officer gets to his, all the while Constantine remains silent in his bed, still trying to comprehend the lengths someone would go to for their measure of peace.

Officer: Do you have a contact number for Mr Holmes?

Forbes: I don't but you can get it from WZCW HQ. Here's the number. The officer huddles around Forbes' phone as he gives him the crucial digits. The officer writes them down in his notepad and gives a smile to Constantine.

Officer: That's all for now, John. I'll be in touch with you as soon as I know anything. You just get better now.

Constantine gives a small smile back as he begins to come round from the shock of what he just heard. As soon as the officer is out of the room, Forbes turns back towards Constantine, his silence broken.

Forbes: I don't believe this! I don't believe that Steven Holmes would try to kill you. I knew he was devious and I knew that he would stop at nothing short of murder to get his revenge. But this!? This is a crime and he is going away for a very long time. You mark my words!

Constantine: We don't know it was Holmes. That officer could be wrong.

Forbes seems shocked at the defence of Holmes from The Power Trip.

Forbes: Are you kidding me?! Who else could it be? Sam Smith? Big Dave? My great Aunt Sally? Oh, this has Steven Holmes all over it.

Constantine closes his eyes for a second as Forbes' raised voice plays havoc with his migraine. Noticing that Constantine is suffering, Forbes huffs before setting himself down in a nearby chair, shaking his head in the process.

Forbes: Triple X was here looking for you earlier on.

Constantine, again, looks shocked.

Forbes: He wanted to see how his partner for this week was doing. He stayed for a moment and then took his leave. I think he thinks that he's going to have to wrestle Smith and Mick Overlast on his own... I guess he's right.

Constantine shoots Forbes a look.

Constantine: I'll be there, Forbes.

Forbes: Are you serious? You've just been in a car crash and you've got broken bones and head trauma. You've just found out that someone may be trying to kill you and your first thought is to go back to WZCW. No way, I'm phoning Burna.

Constantine immediately shoots up in his bed, ignoring the pain that compels him to lie back down.

Constantine: listen here, Forbes! Whether you like it or not, I will be at Ascension this week. I may have a broken arm but I've wrestled with worse handicaps in my career. And plus, Triple X will be in my corner this week.

Forbes continues to shake his head for a moment before another thought pops into his head.

Forbes: And what about Steven Holmes? It's clear that he wants to hurt you. You're just giving him what he wants.

Constantine: Steven Holmes wont touch me. He knows that any mistake he makes will tie him into this thing, Hell, it might not have been anything to do with him for all we know. But the closer I am to danger, then the further I am from harm. He wouldn't dare implicate himself.

Forbes lets a sigh out that empties his lungs.

Forbes: And what about your injuries. Hell, everyone will be looking to take advantage of the King For A Day in your condition.

Constantine: It's a broken wrist, that's all. But there is nothing I wouldn't give to get my hands on Sam Smith once again. This is the same Sam Smith that has been a thorn in my ass for the last year. The same Sam Smith that handed Steven Holmes the Elite X Championship in our triple threat match. The same Sam Smith that has been walking around WZCW since his return boasting about how he is going to revolutionise it. I need to get in the ring with Smith, Forbes. I crave it.

Forbes: No doctor is going to clear you to wrestle, Trip.

Constantine lays back down his bed again, mulling Forbes' words over silently.

Constantine: I don't think it will matter to Ty Burna. He already hates me. If I say that I am ready to go at Ascension, then he is going to take every opportunity to put me out of the game. He wants the Heavyweight Championship as badly as I do. Taking me out of the picture might just be the opportunity that he needs. He's not going to care about medical clearance.

Forbes reluctantly sits back in his chair, a look of sheer exasperation plastered all over his face.

Forbes: And when you get in the ring, what exactly do you think will happen?

Constantine: I'll take a beating for the most part. Mick Overlast and Sam Smith will try and take the King For A Day apart. They will methodically and mercilessly beat me down until I don't have the strength or energy to get back up any more. That is unless Triple X is on his game.

Forbes: You think you can trust him?

Constantine: He was the one who beat Steven Holmes for the Elite X Championship. He seems like a guy of honour. If he wanted me to suffer then he would have put a pillow over my face as he stood in this room earlier on. No, I think that Triple X is a man of honour and a man of true skill. He's won more than he's lost recently and he's made a damn fine Champion.

Forbes seems beaten now as Constantine continues his diatribe.

Constantine: And as for Steven Holmes, I have to see him. I have to look in his eyes and see if he had the guts to do this to me. I have to look at him as a man and see if he harbours such cruel ambitions to end the life of a rival. I need to be at Ascension for that purpose. But as I stand in the ring with Sam Smith, I know that I will be the same superstar that won the King For A Day. I know that I will summon all of the determination and skill that seen me beat 5 of the best wrestlers at King For A Day. And what's more, I know that I can finally shut Sam Smith and Mick Overlast up for the final time. Forbes, I need to do this.

Forbes reluctantly smiles at Constantine before lifting his phone and dialing in a number. After a moment, the ringing stops and a voice on the other end can be heard.

Forbes: Yeah... He'll be there.​

 

[The Crock]

As I walked through my old neighborhood, a sudden fountain of emotions overcame me. Happiness, sadness, anger, and hatred -- a strange combination of emotions, to be sure. After all, this was the place where my life had finally come together, I had it all; a girl, a successful wrestling career, my health. For the first time since I had been a child, life was finally perfect -- it didn't last long, though. When the Sons of Destiny injured me, they sent me into a downward spiral. They were a large part of what had destroyed my life. I fell into old habits, destroyed my body even more, and lost the only meaningful relationship I still had in my life. Now, I was alone, I was numb, and I was out for retribution.

Scott Hammond and Blade weren't around WZCW anymore, but Mick Overlast was. I hadn't forgotten about him, nor had I forgiven him. WZCW management had seemingly hoped that our issues had been swept under the rug, giving us a tag team match together against Constantine and Triple X, but they couldn't have been more wrong.

As I rounded the corner, I was flagged down by a familiar face, the man I'd set out to meet with today: Rush.

"Sam, you mind telling me why you wanted to meet me here?"

"Motivation, Rush."

Rush shot me a quizzical look, before finally speaking.

"Motivation?"

"Exactly. I needed to come back to the last place I'd been when I was still a happy man -- I wanted those memories to be with me, the emotions to be with."

"What's so special about this place?"

"I lived here with my fiancee, Chelsea. She left me after my injury, Rush. She couldn't bear to see me destroying my body, taking drugs, and loafing around the house miserably day after day. She saw the toll that the betrayal of the fans took on me."

"Is this why you came back?"

I looked down at the ground, a sly smile crossing my face.

"Precisely. The fans are why my life is in shambles. They motivated the Sons of Destiny into injuring me in the first place."

"Of course. How are you going to handle your tag team match this week, then?"

"Make no mistake about it, I'll win. I'll take down both Constantine and Triple X, but Overlast isn't walking away under his own power, either. He may expect retaliation, but I'll strike when he least expects it, I'll earn his trust, then I'll break him."

Rush smiled, replying.

"Seems like you've got all the bases covered."

"I've thought about this opportunity for far too long not to have every base covered. Once I have Overlast out of the way, we can begin taking WZCW down. Together, we'll set the entire WZCW landscape ablaze."

"Hell, you can manage to work your way into the Elite X Championship match at Redemption, maybe."

I smirked.

"No need. I've been the Elite X Champion, I don't need to carry that belt again. I have my sights set higher -- I have my sights set on Showtime. Imagine, you carrying the EurAsian Championship and me with the World Heavyweight Championship, we'd be unstoppable. WZCW would be at our mercy, Rush."

"It would. First, you have to focus on overcoming Constantine and Triple X, though."

"Not an issue. Constantine has never beaten me and Triple X got lucky last week. Constantine and I had WARS for the Elite X Championship before Triple X was even in this company, I came up the winner every time. It took both Constantine and Holmes to defeat me and even then, they barely managed it. Triple X, on the other hand, caught me off guard last week. I got too cocky. I should have finished him multiple times, but I toyed with him -- I lost focus."

"We can't have that happening. We need to be as focused as possible, we need to establish our partnership as a force in WZCW. We both need to be at the top of our game."

I solemnly nodded.

"Indeed. This week is the beginning of a bright future for us, Rush. We'll make our mark."

I stretched out my right hand, shaking hands with Rush and walked away. Rush was far out of sight before I turned around and approached the house we had spoken in front of. She was home and I needed to see her, after all, this was the woman I'd almost married. Question was, would she want to see me? Doubtful. Last time I'd seen her she had been screaming at me, paying off my various debts to drug dealers, trying to talk some sense into me.

Chelsea didn't deserve to be stuck in a relationship with someone as selfish as I was, but I just couldn't let go. I walked up the stairs, towards the door and knocked. I waited for what felt like an eternity, before she finally opened the door. She looked at me for a few moments, disappointment written all over her face, before finally speaking.

"Sam, why are you here?"

"I just need to talk."

"I gave you a chance to talk long ago, but you chose to go get screwed up instead. I have nothing left to say to you."

Chelsea slammed the door in my face, leaving me hanging. I turned and walked back down the stairs, overcome by rage. This wasn't my fault, it was their fault -- the fans were what caused all of this. It was time I finally released all this rage, getting my revenge on the fans and those who wronged me.​

 

[BK Styles]

A Few Days Before Ascension 51…

The car turns the corner onto East Vermont Avenue, and slowly rolls up to the sidewalk; to the house with the red front door. Xander Knight remains seated there in his rented car, waiting. For the right moment.

Just go in. You saw the board last time. They’ve clearly mellowed since you last saw them, so it’ll be fine! A big ol’ happy reunion. You hold no grudges; you may say you do, but you want this, deep down. Come on X, you can do this.

X reaches out and opens the door.

...but…what if I’m wrong? It could be some kind of stupid wall of hate, right? Okay, maybe not, but say they have come round to the idea. What if I walk in and they remember me walking out? What if they remember what I said to them? Would I even forgive me? I didn’t let it go for the longest time; how do I know they’ll share the same courtesy?

X places both hands on the dashboard and rests his head on the wheel. He sits there for no more than a few moments, but in his head it feels like at least an hour.

This is crazy. I’m teaming with John Constantine in two days. I should be calling him up, talking tactics for our match. Both Sam Smith and Overlast are tough. Sam will still be pissed about last week, and Overlast's gunning for my belt. On their own they're bad cats, but together...Johnny-boy and I are gonna need to be on fire to take them down. That’s assuming we’re even on the same page…

He sits back in his seat, staring intently at the roof of the car.

John Constantine isn’t a guy I feel I should be putting my faith in. Number one, he's a politician. Number two, he and Holmes were pretty tight for a while, right around when I won the Elite X belt. And he’s pulled some pretty cruel stuff with Austin Reynolds in the past. But then again…King for a Day seemed to complete some kind of metamorphosis. He’s…different, somehow. And he now hates Holmes' guts, which has to be some sort of an endearing feature, right? But can I really trust him? Can I really trust him against two guys like Sam and Mick?

Guess I don't have much of a choice.

Finally, he hits the dashboard and steps out of the car. It’s a warm, sunny evening, with the light passing through the branches outside the house, spreading shadowy fingertips over the old front door. X slides his key into the lock and opens the door, walking straight through the long hallway to the kitchen. As he gets closer, he sees his mother Rachel standing there, chopping some vegetables up on the sideboard.

Alan? Don’t tell me you’ve forgotten your cellphone agai-

She turns mid-sentence, only to realise who exactly is standing in her hallway. She places the knife down; a slightly subdued, yet shocked look upon her face as she digests what she sees. A few moments pass in silence as they stand there, both overcome with the situation.

Your hair looks ridiculous.

X stands there almost immobile, caught off-guard with this response. Eventually, he eases into a soft smile.

That’s just how I roll. Always has been.

Without another word said, she approaches X and throws her arms around him. They stand there, mother and son, without a care. Eventually, they release, and she pulls a chair up for X.

If I’d have known you were coming I’d have made tea.

Sorry, I just-

No, no, don’t worry, I’m just…Xander, it’s been years.

Yeah, well, last time I saw you and dad, 'years' wasn’t so much of a problem.

The last comment clearly stings his mother. She turns and begins to continue chopping vegetables.

You know your father and I didn’t mean-

All three of us said a lot we didn’t mean mom. That’s just how it was.

X gets up and walks to his mom, slowly taking the knife off of her.

Maybe I’ll take that tea after all.

She stares at him, and slowly smiles, moving away as X takes on chopping duties.

So, still doing your wrestling I’m guessing.

You seem to have kept up with me pretty well. (X nods towards the garage)

How did you-

I came over a while ago. No-one was home. I’d have stuck around, but…

X trails off, not really knowing how to end that sentence.

…yes, well, I decided that, if you were going to continue doing this, then I...we’d just have to…accept it. I mean, there are worse things out there you could be doing, right? Besides, it’s actually quite entertaining to watch. And some of the men, like, oh, that John Constantine-

Mom, please! I’m tagging with him this week, dammit, that’s the last mental image I need!

Xander Knight, you may be an adult but I’m still your mother, and I still have license to embarrass you at every turn, young man.

X laughs. So, did you see Kingdom Come?

Was that the one where you beat that terribly scruffy looking English lad? The one with all the piercings and the ridiculous hair?

Seriously, am I the only one who likes the guy?

I was proud of you, honey. You...did us proud.

A slight uncomfortable silence. Thanks mom.

There’s a click as the front door opens, as Alan, X’s dad, walks in, and heads straight into the lounge.

Rachel, have you seen my cell? I know I keep doing it, but I just can’t find the damn thing. Oh, and some bastard has parked right in front of the drive, I had to go park outside the-

As he walks into the kitchen he freezes as he sees his son standing at the counter. X tenses; the biggest argument of all was between he and his father.

Alan, please-

Dad-

Before anyone can finish, he walks straight through the kitchen, and into the garage, slamming the door behind him.

Xander, you stay here, and I’ll-

No, mom. I need to do this. It’s been…way too long.

X grasps the handle of the door, and after taking a deep breath, and opens it. His dad is standing, leaning on a work bench on the other side. X looks up to the achievement wall, only to find pages ripped off and tossed to the side like trash.

You know, you could always use it as a dart-board.

You’ve got a lot of nerve showing up here, boy.

I stopped being a boy a long time ago, dad.

After how you spoke to us-

How I spoke to YOU? Well let's have a history lesson, shall we? What about how YOU spoke to me?

Yes, because it’s always about you, isn’t it?

Oh, mature! You’re gonna pull that one?

Always the same, never interested unless you can get something out of it. So blinded by your arrogance that you can’t see when you’re wrong-

Kinda like looking in a mirror, right dad?

Alan turns to stare his son in the eye.

You dare-

Yeah dad, I dare. You’re damn right I do. Because how dare YOU turn to me and say that MY arrogance is the problem here. I walked out of that door with NO support, trying to do something I love. And you did nothing but tell me how much of a failure I would be. You looked me in the eye and told me that if I ever stepped foot in a ring again, you’d disown me. Who says that to their son, huh? Who does that?

Don’t you dare-

Dare what? Huh? Tell the truth? You have the nerve to tell me what I’ve done wrong without being able to see yourself for what you are.

And you can’t see yourself for what you are. You’re nothing more than a freak! In that damn flying circus. You go out and get yourself hurt, and for what? To feed your ego?

That’s not fair-

No Xander, what isn’t fair is that you risk your life every single time you go to that ring, and your mother and I have to watch. You’re playing with fire, and one day it’s gonna burn you.

Don’t you think I know that? After everything that happened with Abi-

-and you STILL haven’t learnt. You’re still playing with your life, like you were back then. You’re still a junkie, only now it’s your ego that needs the damn fix, and you’ll end up just like that stupid girl-

Before Alan can say anything further, X lashes out, catching his father across the cheek. They stare each other down, before a ringing phone breaks up the uncomfortable silence. Tears begin to form in X’s eyes, as he turns and quickly exits the garage, while his father shouts in the background.

Running back to your precious 'fans', eh? Is your ego really that desperate? IS IT?

Xander, just wait-

Go on, run away, like you always do!

X passes back through to the outside, ignoring his dads jibes and his mothers cry, before checking his phone. His hands are shaking from anger, but he can tell instantly he doesn’t recognize the number. Still, he answers the call.

Hello?

Hi, this is Triple X, right?

Err, yeah, who wants to know?

X, this is Tom Forbes, I’m an associate of John Constantine. Listen-

Look, Tom, now isn’t a good time, can you just tell John that-

X, just shut up for a minute. Listen. John’s been in an accident. He’s hurt his head and he’s on his way to hospital.

Shit. What the hell happened?

A car accident. We’re not too sure what happened yet. He’s on his way to Massachusetts General.

Crap...okay, look, I’m in Phoenix; I’ll try and catch the next flight out right away. Anything changes keep me posted.

Will do.

X hangs up, and looks over to the house one more time, before turning the engine on and driving into the direction of the airport. This was an issue he’d have to resolve the other day.



Nine Hours Later...

X exits the lift to the floor of Massachusetts General he was directed to; the sterilized smell of cleanliness burning X’s nostrils as he walks. It's now morning, and from text updates from Forbes, Constantine has slept through the night with no real troubles. As he looks around, he sees a thin man with neck-length hair and a beard he recognizes; Tom Forbes.

X, I’m Tom Forbes.

He extends a hand, which X shakes. How’s he doing?

He’s stable. Broken wrist and some head trauma.

Sounds lucky to get off with just that.

Tell me about it...

They walk into the room, where they see the King for a Day, John Constantine, in possibly the most vulnerable state he’s ever been. The hum and beep of machines, coupled by the sight of so many tubes in his arms, paint a desperate picture of the stricken superstar.

Any idea on what caused the accident.

Still waiting for the police to finish their report.

X goes to walk in, but the nurse inside the room turns and quickly approaches them.

I’m sorry sir, you can’t be in here.

No, I just want to-

I’m sorry sir. We’ll let you know when he regains consciousness.

Is he going to be alright?

Apart from a few minor injuries, he’s gotten off pretty lightly. He’ll be on his feet, back to normal fairly soon. I’ve already advised Mr. Forbes that his client will be unable to compete this week, at the very least. Now please, if you could wait outside.

X and Forbes exit the room. X takes a seat, and buries his head in his hands.

Hey, you alright?

X looks up slowly. Yeah, it’s just…rough day.

Forbes slowly walks to the seat next to him and sits. Kid, you have no idea.

They sit there in silence for a moment.

Look, X, I’m sorry but-

Tom, don’t. It’s fine. Look, let me know when he wakes up, okay. Just tell him to rest up and to get well soon, and all that jazz. And…tell him I've got this.

Wait, what are you going to do? You can’t take on Smith and Overlast all by yourself. Both are gunning for you; you can’t do this on your own. Look, call Burna, maybe he-

-maybe he what? You honestly think he’s gonna help me? No chance, Tom. They want me, they’ve got me, and I…I can do this. I know both of them well enough to-

-that’s bull and you know it. Look, you beat both, sure, but you barely beat them each time. You can’t possibly take them down when they’re together.

Tom, trust me, after the day I’ve had, I could take the whole damn world on right now.There's no other choice here. John has no chance of being cleared. Besides, if he even tries to enter this match, he'll be a target. An easy target, with all due respect, and I can watch his back in the match, but if someone like Steven Holmes shows up to take advantage of the situation, he's just gonna be putting himself in harms way. Honestly Tom, I can do this. No...I need to do this.

Forbes stands there, unsure what else he can say. X stands up suddenly, wiping his face with his hand.

Got no choice. Just...tell him I stopped by, yeah?

X turns, and walks down to the corridor, passing a police officer as he steps into the lift. He turns, and watches Forbes greet the officer as the doors close, contemplating on how a difficult task was just made infinitely harder.