"An empire founded by war has to maintain itself by war."
-Charles de Montesquieu
The scene begins in what appears to be a small office. A huge rectangle window graces the wall on the far side, and we see
Chris K.O. sitting in a maroon-colored leather desk chair with his right arm bent as a resting post for the side of his jaw. In a very common choice of fashion, our hero is suited with a tailor-made jet-black suit, complete with a jet-black tie. A very dark-brown oak desk sets idly in front of him. It appears to be black, but a ray of light from the outside confirms the separation of the hues. The light also draws attention to a bold piece of metal that sits firmly in brilliant white. It is facing whatever unfortunate being that sits on the other side of the White Knight’s desk. We get a close-up of Chris’ face as he unhinges his tongue from the roof of his mouth with a smacking noise. He breathes out despairingly and leans over while clasping his hands.
Chris: What am I suppose to do with you?
Chris looks across the desk, but the shot remains on his face.
Chris: I can not have you around here, doing what you do. You are bringing down what we are trying to accomplish.
Chris rubs the small stubble on his chin as he grits his teeth.
Chris: Damn it! Don’t look at me like that! You brought this upon your self.
Chris rises from his feet in a whirl of uneasiness. He walks over to the large window on the far wall and perches his arms out as he veers into the outside city-scape. Chris closes his eyes and he thinks carefully about the words he is about to spew from his mouth.
Chris: You have been here from the beginning.
Chris opens his eyes and turns towards the being that he has been talking to. He points in that direction, off-camera.
Chris: But now, we have to part ways.
It appears that Chris has begun to get glossy-eyed as he slowly returns to his seat. He rubs his chin vigorously, as though this confrontation will end when he rubs his stubble back into the pores of his skin. He places his palms on the oak desk in front of him.
Chris: You are no longer part of the team, okay?
Chris stares a hole into the other side of the desk. A small silence skillfully slices the moment with a sneaky entrance. This begins to make Chris feel uneasy. A bead of sweat transfigures upon the top-left of his forehead. Whoever is on the other side of that wall-like desk is driving WZCW’s new-found hero mad.
A stare-off seems to be occurring, but we only get one side of the battle in-form of Chris. Niagara Falls gives birth on the cranium of Christopher as a dissatisfied look begins to grow on Chris’ face.
Chris: I don’t need you!
With a slight re-adjustment of his hands, Chris lifts the bottom of the top of the desk and flips it over. We cut to an outside-shot of the office from the hallway it is in, we hear a vast vocabulary of profanity and clanking noises. Suddenly,
Ian Crawford appears from a hidden corner and makes his way down the hallway and to the office’s door. He quickly turns the knob and swings the door open.
We are treated to a shot of a clearly disheveled Chris K.O. He has made it his rightful duty to spread out every piece of content that was located on top, or inside, of the desk, all about the room. Ian looks at him, Chris nods towards the direction of where his source of anger is coming from. Ian pans his eyes over and we see solitary, black-cushioned, chair, still in its original place, despite Chris’ fit. Resting softly on the chair is the dastardly fiend, a single cigarette.
Ian cocks his eyebrow at Chris, and suddenly the scene pauses. A voice dubs over the stalled scene.
Chris: Say hello to Project Clean.
In a snap, the scene begins to rewind. We see Ian reverse out of the room and quickly rewind all the way to where Chris started out with his chin resting on his fist. The scene continues to rewind even faster. We go past what appears to be Ian and Chris talking over things in the situation room. Still rewinding, we go back even further, and further,…and further, and further! UNTIL, we finally re-pause on the bolt of lightning that hit Ty Burna’s casket after his and Chris’ match at Redemption.
We stay captive to that still shot for a moment. Maybe there is some technical difficulty, or maybe Chris is taking a good long look at what he never expected to happen. Bested, once again, by Ty Burna. It should be noted that Chris and Ian spent several days picking apart that entire scenario. No body was found, not a single trace was left. Somehow, Ty had managed to out-wit Chris even in his own defeat. Chris knew that there was no way Ty is dead, but… but, I guess that is a different story for a different time. For now, at least for now, Ty Burna is gone. The legend is absent from WZCW folk-lore. Chris won. That is all that matters. The Book of the Apostles now rests in Chris’ personal trophy case.
A small pause of silence reigns over the still shot of the bolt of lighting, until we surprisingly begin to fast-forward now. The scene goes past shots of Chris looking mortified over what had happened, and detectives interviewing him. We fast-forward through shots of Ian Crawford and Arianna.
Chris: Arianna..
The fast-forwarding comes to a halt at what appears to be a piece of paper lying on a black-silk mattress. The footage begins in regular speed.
We see Chris towering over the bed in only a pair of scarlet boxer-briefs. He looks down in a stupor over the note left on the bed. We then cut to a shot of him sitting inside his pent-house suite in the Marigold Hotel. Some period of time as seemed to have passed by; maybe hours or days? He has his knees bent as he grips a bottle of scotch with one hand, and finagles a cigarette in the other. An aura of smoke radiates around him in a euphoric type of gesture while he rests his head on the warm glass of a wall window. This is his nirvana.
We cut to a shot of Chris’ cell-phone, that is somewhere far-off from his current location. It appears to be tucked in an-unorthodox resting place, his sock drawer. The phone begins to buzz in a rhythmic fashion. The notion goes unnoticed from WZCW’s boozed-up savior. The buzzing ends, and the cell-phone’s screen lights up. Twenty-three missed calls from “Ian Crapford”. In what seemed hilariously during a peek of inebriation, Chris celebrated missed call number ten with a renaming of Ian in his phone contacts.
Suddenly, the pent-house suite entrance busts open as Ian breaks in un-invited. Chris looks clearly upset with Ian’s arrival, but remains locked in his preferred position. Ian barges up to him. Chris looks up at his long and slender associate.
Chris: Ian, I never knew you were so tall.
Ian: Damn it Chris!
Ian snatches the bottle of scotch from Chris, which irks him out of his sitting mediation and into an intense stare-down with the man who brought him this far. Chris is ready to fight, but something unexpected happens. He sees a disappointed face on Ian. Perhaps he forgot that kind of face still existed. A face of a disappointed father. This pulls Chris out of his own drunken impulse and into a semi-state of rightful thinking. Chris stumbles over to his nearby bed and sits on it. He desperately pulls his cigarette to his mouth and takes a deep drag.
Ian walks over to him, but has to step over a sea of cigarette cartons and empty liquor bottles in the process. Ian can only scowl in disgust at Chris’ binge.
Ian: It has been nearly a week since Redemption!
Chris responds by rubbing his hand through his unkempt hair and looking down at the floor like a scolded child.
Ian: We finally reached what we set out to do, and you are wasting it. The WZCW Board understands you need time to heal and process what happened, but enough is enough. Our timing is everything. Leaving WZCW in this open-state could attract unforeseen buyers. We have to hand it over to the company and set our regulations to prevent future disaster. As a team-
Ian stops in response to a piercing look from Chris.
Chris: A team? What team? Arianna left.
Chris pulls in his cigarette again and injects the nicotine into his system.
Ian: No, I read the note just as you did.
We cut to a shot of the note that was on the bed and we hear
Arianna’s voice reading it.
Arianna: Dear Chris, I know now that you need me more than ever, but Ty’s apparent death has sent an unexpected flare of emotions within me. I know that you and Ian both believe he is safe, somewhere far away. But, I don’t know… I cannot promise you how long I will be gone, a week, month, or year? But, I can promise you that I will be back. What happened at Redemption did affirm something to me. It affirmed my love for you; by the relief that you were not in that casket, as opposed to Ty, when the lightning struck. I just need time. I just need to get away and fill the part of my soul that has now been left empty. I love you.
We cut back to Ian and Chris, but the scene pauses. Chris’ voice begins to dub over the shot.
Chris: Ian called it buyer’s remorse. I view it as this: The minor null that comes with accepting any position of leadership. You see, there is that initial seeking of such a title, and then it seems that we, as humans, become overwhelmed by what we seek all along. This is where true leadership is founded. It is easy for me to say I want to be “that” guy. I want to be the guy that ends Ty Burna; I want to be the face of WZCW, but then when I get the chance: Can I really do it? I viewed Ian and Arianna as my left and right leg. What happens, when you lose a leg? You fall. Some people never get back up, but some people grow new legs. And sometimes… You just need someone to help you up.
We return to the shot and we resume playing as Ian holds out a hand. Chris thinks that Ian is helping him up from his seat on the bed, but when Chris puts his hand in Ian’s, he shakes his head. He doesn’t want to help Chris up, but he want’s to take away what is keeping Chris from picking himself up. Chris looks up at Ian like a child that just learned a lesson. He reluctantly hands the cigarette over to Ian and then rises from the bed.
Ian takes the bud and walks away. This gives Chris a small moment to himself. He reaches his arms up in the air and stretches out every joint in his body. A feeling of release comes over him as he closes his eyes in jubilation. Suddenly, he snaps back into reality as Ian is standing in front of him. In his hands is the White Knight helmet. Ian holds out the helmet in front of Chris.
Ian: It’s time.
The footage begins to fast forward as Chris’ voice dubs over it.
Chris: Ian called it Project Clean. The idea is to essentially white-wash any dark areas of my career or personality. We didn't know if it would be possible, but the attempt alone would bring us the attention we wanted. Ian knew that WZCW cameras would be all over me from here on out. I was the one that put to rest Ty Burna. I was the start of a major revelation in this traditional company.
We see Chris and Ian in business suits as they shake hands with several other business men.
Chris: Ian and I met with the WZCW Boards and set out the stipulations that I exposed on this past Meltdown. I would hand over the company, provided that measures would be taken to where no-one could ever do what Ty did. No man alone should ever have that much power.
We continue to fast-forward and see scenes of Chris presenting a check to a charity and doing press-conferences with reporters.
Chris: Project Clean really focuses on the image of myself; charity gigs and press conferences, ya know? Don’t get me wrong. I love doing all of those things, but what I am building is an image. An image of good in the WZCW. A longstanding pillar that could take the load off of several of WZCW’s top faces, such as Titus and Steven Kurtesy.
We finally fast-forward back to the scene of Chris in the office with the cigarette.
Chris: And yes, me quitting smoking is part of Project Clean. Ian pointed this out as a fundamental weakness in me. The cigarette exposes my dependency on something I cannot control. Not only that, but it sends a bad message to the kids and is not what Ian would call an "Eternal Investment". This is a part of Project Clean that I hate...
We fast-forward through a shot of Chris throwing his desk chair and go all the way up to the scene of Chris and Connor Reese training in a gym.
Chris: Not only are we focusing on external issues, but also internal.
We fast-forward through the gym routine, Chris and Connor shaking hands, and then finally slow down as we see Chris exiting the gym and getting into the back of a limo. The scene continues in regular time.
The door shuts behind Chris as he is greeted by Ian, who is already positioned within the car. He has a news-paper in front of him, but cast it aside to address Chris.
Ian: I take it everything went well?
Chris: Yes, Reese seems like a rather nice man.
Chris pulls a bottled water out from a mini-fridge that is located on the inner-side of the limo. He uncaps it and takes a swig.
Ian: Then he is unaware?
Chris shrugs.
Chris: I gave him my card. I don’t think he knows that this match has an added bonus for us.
Ian: Yes, we have been keeping tabs on STA. It was a good idea to request the addition of him and Ace Stevens in your match with Holmes. It allowed us to get a little more information on STA. This hopefully will plant some kind of seed.
Chris: Worst-case scenario is that they know we are on to them and back off; best-case is that Reese turns to us with some information in the future. Anyways, these are just precautionary devices. We are not clear on their motive, but I’ll be damned if we let something like this slip under our nose.
Ian nods.
Ian: Have you got a chance look over Holmes and Stevens?
Chris: Honestly, I haven’t given a slightest glance towards Stevens. It is a tag match, so I am relying heavily on Reese to be his foil. I trust his knowledge-
Chris rubs his neck with a sore look on his face.
-and his ability.
A small silence occurs before Ian pipes up.
Ian: Holmes?
Chris: Oh Holmes…
Chris smiles playfully at Ian. He chugs down the remaining contents of his water bottle, and then recaps the bottle tightly.
Chris: Humor me, if you will.
Chris wiggles the bottle, which is now only full of air.
Chris: Holmes is like this bottle. He is empty and has this desire to be “fulfilled”. Let’s say that the environment of WZCW is the force on this bottle.
Chris slowly begins to twist the bottle.
Chris: Under Ty’s reign, WZCW slowly began to fall apart. Chaos took hold, if you will. Pressure was put on everyone. Strains were created. Some superstars, even the evil ones, were pushed to the back. They switched into survival mode, ya know?
Chris continues to twist the bottle.
Ian: Kind of reminds me of the Roman Empire.
Chris: Huh?
Ian: In the last days of the Roman Empire, it began to fall apart from within. The decaying structure was the cause of it’s diseased state. However, there was a man by the name of Alaric, who led the Visigoths. You see, Alaric and the Visigoths were put under pressure such as this bottle of yours, or should we say, Holmes.
Chris twists the bottle even more.
Ian: They became starved and looked to be fulfilled with, well not glory, but food. But, much like Holmes, Alaric was denied this. Which drove him to have enormous pressure put on him until-
Chris twists the bottle, and finally the cap pops off with an ear-echoing pop.
Ian: He exploded and stormed the walls of Rome. And he was credited with the sacking of Rome. He received glory for taking over an already weaken terrain. He did so little, but gained so much. His survival instincts rose him above the common-folk.
Chris: More like he was the dog that ate the scraps.
Chris looks over at Ian.
Chris: Just like Alaric was a poor man’s king, so is Holmes in comparison to Ty. Ty is gone now, and Holmes looks to lay roost on a fallen city. Unfortunately for him, there stands a knight in the heart of the city. There is still a warrior left to fight. There is the White Knight.
