Back from a rich, heavy lunch,
Vance Bateman walks into his office, a smile on his face. He sits at his desk and picks up his pen to get back to work. He pulls some paper work towards him and tries to write on it, but nothing comes from the pen. Bateman shakes the pen, but it seems to be completely dry. He throws the pen into the bin and opens up his desk drawer. He pulls out another pen and tries to write. But, again, nothing comes out of the pen. Bateman is beginning to get annoyed now as he throws away another pen. He pulls out his desk drawer and is about to take out yet another pen, but under it, he sees a folded piece of paper that looks out of place. He pulls out the piece of paper and unfolds it. Scrawled across the piece of paper:
You get your ink back when I get what I want.
Bateman:
What the
?
Bateman stares at the note for a moment. He shakes his head, crumples it up and drops it back in the drawer. He leans down and picks up his laptop bag. He unzips the main compartment, opens up, revealing his expensive laptop. He pulls it out and lays it down on the desk, unfolding it and tapping the power button. But the laptop doesnt boot up.
Bateman:
Come on, you piece of crap
He smacks it at the side and hits the power button again, but the screen stays black. He turns the laptop on its side and there, taped to the bottom, is another note:
Youll get your battery back when I get what I want.
Bateman looks around the empty room, as if therell be someone to tell him whats going on. He opens up the front compartment of the laptop case, expecting his charger to be in there. Indeed, theres another note:
Your laptop charger too.
Bateman:
What the hell is going on!?"
He gets out of his chair and walks to the cabinet in the corner of his office. He pulls a glass off the top and opens the cabinet up. Before him, empty bottles that were formerly filled with alcohol. Of course, a note is on one of the bottles.
Youll get your alcohol back when
Actually, no, you wont.
Bateman slams the cabinet shut, causing a crash from inside as several bottles fall over. He storms out of his office and around the corner where his
assistant is sitting, on her own computer.
Bateman:
Did anyone come in here while I was at lunch?
Assistant:
Well, you didnt have any appointments
Bateman:
Thats not what I asked. Did anyone go into my office while I was at lunch?
Assistant:
I
I didnt see anyone. Why?
Bateman:
There are some things missing from my office. Weirdly specific things. All my pens are there, but they have no ink, I have a laptop without a battery, and bottles of alcohol without the alcohol.
Assistant:
Thats weird.
Bateman:
Yeah, I noticed.
Assistant:
Well maybe something showed up on the security cameras?
She points at the security camera in the hall outside Batemans office.
Bateman:
Thats actually a good idea
--------------------------------------------------------------------------
Bateman goes into the surveillance room where the security guard on duty has fallen asleep in front of all the monitors. Bateman stomps over to him and gives him a shove.
Bateman:
Wake up!
The security guard gives a weak grunt but doesnt move.
Bateman:
I said wake up, you fat slob!
Bateman gives him a slap, but all it does is roll the guards head onto his shoulders. Bateman gives a weary sigh and turns to look at the monitors. He finds the monitor streaming the camera footage outside his office and starts playing with the controls. He pushes on button and it freezes the streaming. He pushes another and the monitor turns off. After a few panicked moments, he manages to turn the monitor back on and he finds the rewind button. He rewinds through his lunch hour until, finally, he sees what appears to be the rewinded version of his assistant returning to her desk.
Bateman:
She left her damn desk!
He rewinds to where she first leaves, and presses play. He watches as his assistant gets up from her seat, walks past his office, past the camera, and down the hall. Moments later, a dark figure in a trench coat appears to pick the lock of his office and goes inside.
Bateman:
I knew I had locked the door!
He waits as a minute later, the figure comes back out carrying a small bag, bulging with what was taken.
Bateman:
Who is that?
The figure suddenly turns towards the camera and looks directly into it.
Bateman:
Blade!
Blade smirks and waves at the camera. Bateman is beet red as he watches Blade hold up a series of cardboard signs with writing on them:
Hi, Mr. Bateman
I knew youd be smart enough to check the security cameras
If you want your stuff, come talk to me-
In my dressing room at the Supershow arena-
And dont worry about the guard-
Hell wake up in a couple hours!
Bateman looks at the drooling security guard and shakes his head. He takes out his phone, taps some keys, and puts it up to his ear.
Bateman:
Jen, get the private jet ready, I need to go to Salt Lake City right now!
--------------------------------------------------------------------------
Bateman storms through the halls of the arena in Salt Lake City that has the honour of hosting the WZCW Supershow. He reaches Blades door and pounds his fist against it.
Blades voice comes from inside.
Blade:
Who is it?
Bateman:
Its Mr. Bateman, you thug!
Blade:
Just a minute
Bateman:
No, not just a minute!
Bateman opens the door and pushes it forward violently before walking inside. He looks around, but the room seems to be empty.
Bateman:
Blade? Where are you?
Blade:
Good to see you, sir.
The voice comes from behind Bateman. He turns around and sees a laptop on a chair. On the laptop screen, Blades smirking face framed by a Skype window.
Bateman:
You coward!
Blade:
I prefer to see it as protecting my investment.
Bateman:
What investment? Wheres my stuff!?
Blade:
I have your battery and your charger and your ink somewhere safe. Unfortunately, your drink seems to have gotten lost in transition. Sorry about that. But I needed some bargaining chips to make sure you listen to what I have to say.
Bateman:
This is like terrorism!
Blade:
No its not, youre just being dramatic
Bateman:
Well whats stopping me from just destroying your laptop!?
Blade:
I wouldnt if I were you, the laptop youre looking at actually belongs to Big Dave
Bateman:
Listen to me you rat! I dont care if you steal from Klamor or Madison, but I will suspend you if I dont get my things back immediately!
Blade:
Yeah, I thought you might threaten me with suspension. Listen, I didnt take your things out of spite or malice. I just needed to get your attention, something which I know is difficult to get these days, what with Kingdom Come around the corner. But I did what I do best, and now I certainly seem to have your attention.
Bateman doesnt answer, but he does give a sharp nod.
Blade:
Good, Im glad to hear it. I just want to explain to you where Im at right now. I like to think Ive done pretty well since I've come back, my slight hiccup against Zeus aside. Last week, I pinned the EurAsian champion in the middle of your ring. I know K.O. is facing Titus at Kingdom Come, but with one more show before the big event, I figured I would get a shot at the title after I defeated him soundly. Instead, I find myself in a match with Triple X and Isabel Stone. With all due respect to your booking prowess, could you explain that to me?
Bateman:
Its actually quite simple, Blade. The point of Kingdom Come is to make this company money. And the only way Titus versus Chris K.O. in an I Quit match makes us even more money is by that match being for the EurAsian title. Maybe you do have a claim for a title shot, but it would be bad business to take away from one of our biggest matches at Kingdom Come. Besides, Triple X is the former champion, and a very good champion he was. And Isabel Stone has been on a roll of late, so maybe theyre both as deserving of a title shot as you are.
Blade:
I miss the old days when youd pin a champion and be entitled to a shot at their belt. Theres too many variables these days.
Bateman:
You almost sound
Worried.
Blade:
Not worried, cautiously realistic. I am confident in my abilities, but the odds are stacked against me in this triple threat match. Triple X was a very good champion, nearly as good as I was. While he may be in a rough patch, all it takes is one moment for him to turn things around and go back to the fighter he was just a few weeks ago. Stone, meanwhile, is ripping through competition like an animal. Whatever is fuelling her is making her unstoppable as of late. Maybe its the daddy issues? No, if it were the daddy issues, I would probably be just as unstoppable
Theres an awkward silence as Blade seems to get lost in thought for a moment. Bateman clears his throat and it seems to snap Blade back to the conversation.
Blade:
Anyway, in that ring at the Supershow, theres going to be the former champion determined to get back on track and, well, a crazy bitch. And standing between them will be me, the veteran with the target on his chest. I see how those younger guys look at me backstage. They're angry that I've returned, they think I'm trying to take the spots they've worked so hard for. And they know that pinning me will do great things for their career. But its up to me to show I deserve to be the number one contender for the EurAsian championship. And I will do that by beating Triple X and Isabel Stone at the WZCW Supershow. You know why?
Bateman:
Why?
Blade:
Because I am Blade and Im very, very good.
Bateman:
Well Blade, you show me how good you are and you might just get what you want."
Blade:
That sounds like a good deal, Mr. Bateman.
Bateman:
Now tell me where my stuff is!
Blade:
Its all right here with me."
Bateman:
And where are you?
Blade grins broadly before slowly turning the webcam 360 degrees, showing his surroundings. Bateman instantly recognises the room Blade is showing.
Bateman:
"You're..."
Blade:
"Im in your office, sir."
Bateman:
You son of a--
Blade:
Goodbye, Mr. Bateman.
The stream cuts and the window goes to black. Bateman wipes the beads of sweat from his forehead and takes his phone out, dialling a number and putting it to his ear.
Bateman:
Yeah, I need the private jet to fly me back to the office
