The camera fades in to a dingy looking hotel bedroom where the usually brightly adorned Justin Jehst sits on the side of the bed in black track pants and a hoodie. He has a briefcase next to him which he unclips and opens.
Peering into the briefcase, he pulls out a rubber band stack of hundred dollar bills, inspects them, and puts them back into the briefcase.
Jehst: I hope this works...
Almost on cue, his phone begins to ring with the Ghostbusters theme blaring.
Jehst: Hello?
Low Distorted Voice: Do you have the money, Jehst?
Jehst: Put Barry on, I want confirmation you actually have him with you and that he’s safe.
Low Distorted Voice: You’re not as dumb as I remember...
Jehst: Tell me who you are and maybe we can sort this out amicably.
The phone goes silent for a moment before a familiar voice speaks to Jehst.
Barry: Justin?!
Jehst: Barry?! Where are you?!
Barry: I’m in a ---
A loud thwack is heard on the other end of the phone as what can only be assumed as a swift smack to Barry’s head for attempting to reveal his location.
Low Distorted Voice: That’s all you’ll get...As you can hear he’s alive and well...and brave. I assume you have the amount we discussed ready for me?
Jehst: It’s all here. Where are we meeting? Let’s get this over with so I can bust your ass up!
Low Distorted Voice: So feisty...We will meet soon enough. I have sent the coordinates to your phone. Meet us there in 45 minutes with the briefcase. Do not be late.
Justin checks his phone for the coordinates before putting gloves on, grabbing a balaclava and shades, and picking up the briefcase off the bed and flipping it over his shoulder.
Jehst: Don’t worry...I’ll keep this whole interaction - - -
The camera cuts to a close-up of Jehst’s face as he slowly slides his shades on.
Jehst: --- brief.
YYYYEEEEEEEEEEAAAAAAHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH
The camera fades to black.
The camera pans to the announce team.
What do we expect next?
Who knows?
The Counter Culture vs ShowBlitz
The camera pans to the announce team.
A solid contest.
They did their best for sure.
We come back from a commercial to find Halie standing backstage slightly irritated at the fact that she hasn’t been booked since her victory at Ladies Night when she beat both Nightmare and Riley Quinn.
Halie saw a camera man filming her so she grabbed him and tugged him towards her.
Halie: So I lose one match to Sophia and get booked the following pay per view, where I went on to win. Since then I’ve watched these whorish tramps trying to get one up on each other. Only to have Sophia crush them.
She took a step back and looked both ways down the backstage corridors.
Halie: Next week I will be competing, and win, lose or draw my opponent will know they’ve been in the ring with someone worthy of challenging for the womens title in the future.
She shooed away the camera guy who backed away slowly, he was about to cut away when Halie stopped him again.
Halie: See you next week Turmoil enjoy Certified Greatness!
The scene finally ends and fades out to the announce team….
Big Ed vs K.D
The camera pans to the announce team.
What a hoss fight.
Cheers to whoever put that ring together for those two giants.
We join a throng of people at a concourse in the Turmoil arena, the crowd are strained together at a merchandise table at which Invictus members Archer and Austin. Archer has, unfortunately, acquired a microphone that he is somehow using at the same time as talking on his phone.
Archer: Ladies and gentlemen, children and orphans of no discernible wealth… Invictus Industries brings to you, limited edition merchandise of all your favorite superstars, and The Young Dragons.
Archer lowering the microphone as he speaks to the phone: Look all I am saying is you want this to truly be Certified as Greatness you need Invictusindustries.
Austin begins unboxing merchandise, and hanging it up. As he unpacks a box twitches slightly.
Lee: I need to drink less…
Austin looks closer at the box and it reads “Creed.” He gags, and turns away as the box wobbles a little more, though for the most part it's forgotten about.
Archer: These limited editions are available at just $40 dollars…
A child snatches a shirt as his mother pays and they wander away.
Archer: No refunds!
He shouts as the parent realises it's a “Crown” t-shirt that has had a red and white “INVICTUS” logo stamped over it. In fact, everyone's merchandise is the same, even the likes of Pugh and Sean McGee’s merchandise have been the victim of the Invictus capitalis machine.
Archer speaking to his phone again: Look tell them they can put OCW in front of the show I just want presented by Invictus Industries after every match.
Lee: I can't believe this worked.
Archer: Of course it did, it was my idea. Just wait till you see what I have in mind for Sunday.
Lee: Wait i designed the logo, so half of this was my idea and what is the plan for Sunday?
Archer: I'm talking Invictus in the big lights, OCW Certified Greatness presented by Invictus industries.
Archer just stares off into the distance as he incisions the possibilities.
Lee: Don't you have a match to get ready for ?
Archer: Thankfully not, and I've even been paid. No one has heard from Kanye North, I hope he has went bankrupt again, I'd love to make his music label part of Invictus Industries.
Austin groans.
Lee: JP North
Archer: I do not follow.
Austin face palms.
Lee: Never mind.
A road agent comes running up and flags Archer down. A brief moment of whispers flies past and Archer turns to Austin with a face like thunder.
Archer: Watch the merch!
Austin cracks open a bottle of whiskey as the money continues to flow in.
Ashley Blain: LEE!
Blain had not been on Turmoil in a few months, but she had good reason for closing The Roadhouse early tonight. She had been serving some random rookies drinks when saw B17 get beatdown by Code Terror on live tv. She had been shocked that their sponsors would allow a bare ass to be shown. But even more surprising, Invictus had once again remained on the sidelines. B17 had been attacked three times in the past month, faced off against Code Terror and his only back up was the, admittedly imposing Bill Ding, and rookie sensation CJ Irish.
Where was Invictus?
Blain: LEE!
While Invictus may not be found when Bingo needed them, she knew exactly where Lee could be found just before his big match with Capo, at the merchandise table with Archer and the minions.
She kicked one of the minions out of her way
AHHHHHHHH
Blain: Get out of here sloots!
Lee just stand behind the table counting money as he takes a few sips from his drink.
Blain: NO! You keep drinking! Not like you are suppose to be a role model or anything.
He didn’t dare to question “They” when “They” looked like “They” might rip something of importance off.
Blain held up her pointer finger: One month, one damn month. Bingo has been getting his ass kicked, and where have you been? Hm?
Lee: You want to get on my back about protecting B? Where has he been? Doing what B-17 does, fighting his own battles and leaving me to clean up the mess. So before you come at me get your facts straight.
Blain: No, that’s not good enough. Do you even know what you are fighting for anymore? Invictus? Yourself? Turmoil? Or none of them, pull yourself out of the bottle and pussy long enough and might notice that Invictus is a shadow of itself. You are a broken, pale imitation of your former self, Turmoil is facing another 12 months of Madison Cox running it, and your FRIEND--
Lee: You want to lecture me about a friend? Where were you and him last year when I won the F.I? Nowhere… Where was B-17 when I was fighting Ding at Black Sunday? Where was he when I was fighting for the cause me and him started as Invictus? Nowhere….. If that's what you call a friend then so be it.
Blain: Friend--yes, friend. And you're right!
She threw up her hand.
Blain: I wasn't there! And he wasn't there! But have you bothered to notice he was fired from OCW, diagnosed with Cancer, and kicked out of Hollywood! He needs you!
Lee: What you want me to say. Hey, Caine you need a hand? Caine what happened I thought we were brothers? Brothers have to stick together man, your fight is my fight…
Lee tilts his head down looking away as the last statement begins to run through his head.
A long pause follows, only broken by the wringing of Lee’s hands.
Lee: Brotherhood is what Invictus was built upon.. Invictus isn’t a faction and will never be one.
He stands up, but keeps his head down as he walks by Blaine, exiting from behind the merchandise table leaving the minions on their own.
Lee pauses taking a deep breath: It’s family, regardless of all the bullshit, I caused, he caused or we caused together. Invictus is a family tell him his brother is watching his back…
Blain: If you got his back, why you walking away?
Lee: When he wakes up, tell him after I deal with Capo...We...I...Help is on the way. Bastards have to stick together.
