Alex Asher is in the shower at the Combat Center, after a grueling workout session. It’s been a rough weekend; nothing seems to be going his way lately. He went hard and fast in the Combat Center, trying to leave it all in the gym and ring sessions.
Asher soaks in the warm water, letting the water run over his head and body, he runs his fingers through his hair one last time and turns the water off. He reaches for his towel which is no longer hanging on the hook. Perplexed, he sticks his head out of the shower curtain wide eyed and discovers his towel and his gym bag are no longer there.
Sweeping and scanning the shower area for a towel or anything he finds the dirty towel bin and sighed deeply. Disgusted, he sweeps again to see if there’s any clean ones left and there are none to be found. Gagging, he wraps a towel around his waist and runs to dressing rooms.
Whistles and catcalls begin as other roster members see him and laugh as he struggles to open the locker rooms, the combination is not working. He looks down and sees his car keys on the floor, just barely visible under the door.
Asher Yeah yeah, laugh it up you asses. Which one of you...what the hell?
He bends over to grab them, which increases the catcalling and laughing from roster, backstage hands, and staff. Asher sucked his teeth and sighed again before he scoops his keys up and runs to his car.
Inside the car, he takes a second to gather his senses, this will not go without investigation, but where and who to start looking into, he decides he was gonna ask everyone and see who would have an issue with him, and he can’t settle on a name or face. Who would do this, and why?
He attempts to start his car, but it won’t turn over. Could this day get any worse? He pops the hood and after looking around he finds a pair of shorts on the backseat floorboard, slides them on real quick and gets out and opens the hood to find his car battery is missing!
Alex Asher screams THIS ISN'T FUNNY! WHO ARE YOU!? WHEN I FIND YOU I'M KICKING YOUR ASS! THIS BETTER NOT BE YOU SPARKS! OR YOU TUCKER!
He gets back in his car and waits for someone with a phone to come by so he can call AAA. After that phone call he pulls out his phone and calls Marisa and tells her that they are gonna have to cancel their date for the night.
Frustrated he leans back in the seat and closes his eyes, a tension headache forming behind his eyes.
He soon finds himself feeling drowsy and falls asleep. As soon as he just drifts off, a hard object is thrown at his car from someone in the shadows, which startles Asher and lets out a surprised scream. He sees the shadowy figure staring in his direction, he rolls down the window and screams
Asher Who the hell are you? Why are you doing this to me? I don’t mess with anyone, I keep to myself! Why me?
The figure disappears into the shadows, but Asher can still feel the eyes burning into his skull, he’s being watched. Asher locks his car door, he isn’t sure what else to do.
He Spots Jim Black heading towards his vehicle and shouts out to him asking for help; Jim calls AAA for him and a tow truck is on its way, the figure gone, Alex no longer senses that frightening stare from the darkness.
The camera opens on a corridor backstage, where we see Telos speaking with Stacy Clark.
Telos: Yeah, yeah, likewise Stace. It’s good to see you too. I’m sure we’ll be in touch soon, got some catching up to do.
Telos begins walking backwards down the hallway, saying his goodbyes and ending the conversation. Unaware of his surroundings, he turns and collides into an unseen figure.
?????: You should probably be more mindful of where you’re stepping. Incompetence isn’t a good look on you.
Colby McCallum steps into the frame, standing face to face with Telos. Telos squints at the man in front of him, before breaking into a smile.
Telos: I try to keep myself ahead of the game more often than not, but I’ll be completely honest….Of all people, I never expected to run into you, Colby.
Telos: Guess I’m not the only one working on a comeback, but hey, the more the merrier! I stepped on Riot, back like I never left, I can’t lie it felt amazing. But if you need to knock off some of that rust tonight, I’m sure a little tune up match might do you some good.
Colby: You think so?
Colby gestures and looks around the near empty corridor before inching closer to Telos.
Colby: I don’t see too many options at the moment, are you volunteerin’ yourself? I’ve got five minutes to spare, it wouldn’t take much longer than that I think.
After a short pause, Telos chuckles and shakes his head.
Telos: I meant no offense Colby. I got no beef with you, but lemme sit on that for a bit. Los loves a brawl, but I got some things to do and some people to see.
The two men stare each other down for a few moments before Telos pats Colby on the arm.
Telos: Guess I can cross one off the list, for now. Good seeing you back Colby.
The men look each other up and down before both continue forward through the arena.
CHRISTIAN GARCIA vs.
MAXX EDWARDS
La Mujera is interrupted backstage by Jim Black as she walked out on her tag team partner early.
JB: Zoe, wait, what happened out there ?
Mujera: I told her before the match started “don’t do anything foolish”, she didn’t want to follow my lead and prove to the world she can do it all by herself.
Mujera: I won’t let anybody disrespect and try to intimidate me, and I told her she would pay the price. And that’s only half of it. Because I hope Valk comes back and finishes the job on this untrustworthy b****.
Mujera: I have much bigger business to handle than to make new people learn the ropes and stuff. I have my title to reconquer, so don’t mess with me with your terrible pride problems.
Mujera: See y’all around.
Marisa can be seen in the far background screaming and throwing a hissy fit as Mujera walks away.
Kassidy is backstage, standing up, playing Fast & Furious Crossroads online with one Drago Cesar when TY Sparks walks in.
TY: Yo, what was that handshake with Parker about? And why didn’t you
Kassidy: Drago bubba, B R B, I gotta deal with family.
Drago: Is ok, what most important is FAMILY.
Kassidy takes off his headset and faces TY Sparks,
Kassidy: TY, I’m
TY: Sorry? Yea you have been saying that to multiple people this year, so what.
Kassidy: I didn’t know that was going to happen obviously, the handshake with Parker was nothing more than a show of respect for the match we just had, nothing more. I wasn’t about to bring him into our circle, you had nothing to be upset about.
The door is pushed opened with force causing the doorknob to bang into the lockers,
Cobra: Kassidy! You and I both know during the FI at Lution that it was bullshit. Literally one tug away from holding that brief over my head and here comes H20 fat ass. You backdoored me? I knew I couldn’t trust your slimy ass.
Cobra: Your little apology tour was a PR stunt for your back door dealings with H20 at Lution. The hell was that!
Kassidy places a hand on his forehead for a moment with his thumb and index finger on his temples.
Kassidy: Really!? My apology for things that happened 5 years ago was a PR stunt to lower your guard for a match I didn’t know was going to happen at Lution?
Kassidy uses both index fingers to poke his temples and turns to Cobra,
Kassidy: Think harder Cobra, don’t settle on your first thought. Last week I wasn’t out there trying to buddy up with TY’s rival and eight months ago I wasn’t buddying up to you to screw you at Lution.
Kassidy: Why don’t we just all relax.
TY: Relax? You want me to relax when you shook hands with Parker?
TY: Nah i’m out.
Sparks walks out the door,
Kassidy: Come on Sparks,
Kassidy sighs,
Kassidy: Are you mad that Sparks and I didn’t attack each other either Cobra? You made it clear, no friends in that match, and that was your choice. Just because TY and myself didn’ fight, and H20 helped me of his own accord, doesn’t mean I’m a bad guy.
Kassidy: Matter of fact, I got something for you, let me get it out of my bag.
Dane Xavier is in his personal locker room stretching and getting warmed up for his upcoming match while Jasmine is just standing there, looking goodt. Dennis Dillinger is sitting on a bench nearby with a notepad and pen in hand.
Dane: Alright, Dennis, a few things. First of all: next time I decide to hold a talk show or something, we’re doing it from a closed set. I’m talking Oprah style with an audience of all my adoring fans. I’m not trying to have any more incidents like last week.
Dennis takes a note, writing “Oprah style” and circling it 5 times.
Dane: Number two: from now on, all my adoring fans will be brilliantly referred to as ‘all my little Jewels’, let’s get some marketing going on that. I’m thinking… tiny candies in the shape of rubies and sapphires that Jasmine can toss out to all my little Jewels-- man that just hits right.
Dillinger once again takes a note, jotting down “Dane fans = tiny jewels.”
Dane: Number three: the towels in the OCW locker rooms are not 100% cotton. I demand that OCW has 100% cotton towels in these dressing rooms or I’m filing an unsafe work suit against this place.
Dillinger: *takes note* Chafing is a serious issue.
Dane: Fourth of all: …ya know I did some soul searching Den, I’ve been thinking about that dirty impoverished hillbilly, Kurt something, and I came to realize that this has just been a misunderstanding all along. Here I thought this rookie nobody was showing a lack of etiquette and manners and this whole time he was just looking for a handout.
Dennis Dillinger snickers.
Dane: This is day one wrestling psychology class stuff: he stood in the ring at Wrestlution with the hopes that I would give him some spare change or a dollar to put in his beer budget so that he can just get by another day. I was in the moment, can’t fault me for not reading the room when I knocked him out with my Debonaire Diamond Ring.
Dane: And then last week on RIOT when he poured that pisswater all over my $18,000 19th century Welsh love seat... all that was just the result of anger, jealousy and frustration from the hard times that this man Kurt has come from, daddy.
Dillinger: Living that so-called American Dream.
Dane: I suppose he and I just got off on the wrong foot, so here’s a little something for him to soothe things over.
Dane pulls four stacks of $100 bills out of the inside of his jacket and attempts to hand it to Dillinger, but the Ace Agent drops his notepad and instead puts his hands up, halting the attempt.
Dillinger: Ah, ah, ah. Not necessary, Diamond. This is why you signed on with Dillinger Enterprises. Do you think just because I have 2 other clients, who also have their own locker rooms, catering services and TV times, I am not willing to make this little headache go away?
Dillinger: Dillinger Enterprises knows how to get things done. Keep your money. Spend it on Jasmine, or hell, maybe another p h a t diamond ring.
Dane shakes his head.
Dane: Don’t use slang, I’m 41 Den, I’m not a kid.
Dillinger: Sorry.
Dillinger: Anyways…
He pulls out three stacks of his own and flicks through it like a sleazy investment banker.
Dillinger: That hairless war-torn goon isn’t worth Dane Xavier’s money. I’ll handle this.
Dane smirks and hands his money to Jasmine who gasps and takes it excitedly and goes to put it in her purse in a nearby locker.
Dane: That’s why I hired you, Dillinger. You handle my dirty work and I’ll take care of business. Speaking of which, c’mon Jas, let’s go get this over with so we can make it out to Atlantic City tomorrow. You know I’m a busy, busy man. See ya next week, Den.
Dane and Jasmine walk off and exit Dane’s personal locker room as Dennis puts the money back in his jacket pocket, picks up his notepad and takes one final note: “Give Kurt ‘go away’ $.”
