A taxi draws up outside of a blacked out bar near the arena, slowly the door opens and our steps the Judge himself. After a brief conversation he pays the driver and steps out onto the sidewalk, his hands on his hips as he observes the closed property.
Judge: Well this makes no sense…
Moments later another cab draws up, a distinctly British voice can be heard inside as Colin Locke steps out. The pair notice each other and do a double take.
Judge: You too?
Colin: Yeah mate.
Judge: You would think with my past I shouldn’t follow up on an anonymous text, but the crew were already here.
Colin: I dunno, following anonymous texts hasn’t steered me wrong so far. We’ve gotta go inside though, there has to be something in there.
The pair let curiosity get the better of them as they try the door gently, cautiously they push it open with next to no resistance. The exact moment their feet enter the lights suddenly burn with the brightness of a thousand suns. Confetti, glitter, party poppers, streamers and possibly someone’s fake leg rain down over the gang.
A guitar screeches into life and begins playing Cliff Richard's hit song, Celebration before inevitably the whole room is singing along and applauding. On the stage is Jordan Trance, playing away before he finishes off. The clapping resumes as Judge and Colin find themselves mobbed with well wishers.
Jordan: Oh, thank God you guys made it out tonight, I didn’t think you were going to show! And the deposit was non refundable.
Colin: Alright, this is definitely one of the better places I’ve ended up in after a random text.
As the well wishers start clapping Colin and the Judge, Colin glances around the room looking for any clues.
Colin: Hey, Judge, you know what any of this stuff’s for? Doesn’t look like it’s a ‘free tickets to a Trance gig’ situation.
Trance shakes his head and gives a signal. The man behind the bar turns a crank and balloons and a banner lower from the ceiling, as once more, music blares.
Jordan: It’s a party! Because you’ve both graduated! I heard you get free catering now!
The other two look at one another and go to speak, only to have drinks forced into their hands as suddenly chefs begin carting out food. It’s Big Mama Reese’s BBQ. The table gets set and everyone is ushered to sit down, Judge and Colin both, somehow, at the head of the table.
Colin: Oh wait a sec, I’ve heard of this!
Colin, upon seeing the food from Mama Reese’s BBQ, starts eating in the most dignified way he can muster, using a nearby towel to hide his mouth, immediately wiping it after eating. When he reappears from behind the towel, he has a wide-eyed expression on his face, and he rapidly looks between the plates of food and dead space in disbelief.
Colin: No…
He takes another helping, looking more frantic as he eats it.
Colin: Jesus Christ, I love America.
Jordan glances up, noticing Judge now has whiskey, he taps his own beer glass, trying to silence the crowd. He waves his free hand excitedly.
Jordan: Sssshhh… Ssshhh. Judge, Judge, come on do it.
Judge stares: Do what?
Jordan: The line, say it. Come on big guy.
Judge lifts the glass as he clears his throat.
Judge: All rise.
Everyone at the table, including Colin and Jordan, stands to attention, holding their various drinking vessels, Colin, a leg of chicken.
Judge: Well ain’t that something. That was incredible!
Colin: Well. Now we’re all standing, we may as well get on with the celebration bits, right?
Those standing murmur in agreement, and Colin’s eyes dart from left to right as he realises that he can’t start a toast while holding chicken. He attempts to hide his panic as he hurriedly dunks the chicken leg into a mug of beer that he really hopes is his before starting to talk.
Colin: Well, first of all, I didn’t expect to be graduating, in fact, I had no idea that there was even a graduation happening. Second of all, this is all Jordan’s surprise, so, you know, a hand for Jordan, I imagine.
Everyone claps, and while the clapping starts, Colin wipes his hands and gets onto the next order of business.
Colin: But third, I’ve gotta thank the Judge and Jordan, because, quite frankly, putting me in a tag team match is kind of like giving a cow an assault rifle, and I’m glad to be able to help out against the Wolves of the Vanguard!
More clapping ensues as Colin gives the attention of the room over to Trance and the Judge. The Judge pulls Colin’s chicken leg from his mug of beer and places it back on his plate, giving him a wicked side-eye in the process.
Judge: Well, first I’d like to thank Mr. Trance over here for throwing this together. We’ve only been a team for such a short time and yet this young gentleman has really pulled out all the stops for this old-timer.
Judge: Secondly, becoming an OCW graduate is definitely one of the top moments in my life, alongside becoming a judge and the birth of my son. So thanks to everyone for being here, and here’s to many more days of O cee dubya!
The crowd cheers before Colin breaks through the celebratory air.
Colin: However, I’ve got something to unveil myself, I think you’ll all enjoy it.
The Judge and Jordan look at each other with a mixture of surprise and confusion as Colin gestures around the room. As he does so, several banners unfold from the ceiling, and on those banners is a large logo of a gavel striking a lock with the initials ‘LLC’ underneath it.
Colin: What do you guys think? Justice Inc, LLC.
Jordan: We’re a company now?!
Judge: This was a surprise party, how did you get these here?
Colin shrugs and walks over to the banners as he begins to clarify their meaning.
Colin: Nah, nah. See, it’s our team initials! I’ve already got Locke & Key, I don’t wanna register anything else. See? Judge, Jordan, Colin. It’s great.
Jordan: But those are L’s
Colin: We don’t have any L’s, only W’s.
Judge: On the logo, they’re L’s.
There’s a short moment of silence and Colin turns the flag around, revealing that the L’s were just backward J’s.
Colin: Yeah, the printer someone left in a storage unit isn’t fantastic, and I’d already made fifty flags before I noticed. Still, though! Catchy, Justice Inc. LLC, can’t hurt to be in each others’ corners when we need to be!
Judge: Incorporated, LLC huh? This would be a nightmare down at the courthouse… I like it.
We fade in backstage to see the World Heavyweight Champion, Ijitu Quartz. He lifts his head and begins speaking.
Quartz: Since I became OCW World Heavyweight Champion, I have invited all challengers and accepted every challenge. Do you understand that?
Quartz: Hell, last week? I had 4 of OCW’s best breathing down my neck looking for this.
He lifts his title up in front of his face, holding it out, presenting it.
Quartz: This is the greatest prize this profession has to offer. The ultimate representation that I’ve been told from day one was out of my reach.
Quartz: Something I was told was unattainable doing things “my way”.
Quartz: I am not someone you can just hide from. I am not something you shelter up for and wait to pass.
Quartz: I am The New Storm. This storm has no ending. It has no calm. It just is until someone causes it to cease… and that is never going to happen. Do you understand that?
Quartz lowers his championship and looks dead ahead.
Quartz: That said, your actions put me in a very difficult position. I was not prepared to deal with that situation at Wrestlution XV.
Quartz: But because I am who I am, I adapted and made it right. I am still the OCW World Heavyweight Champion.
Quartz: What strikes me as particularly interesting… Is the fact that the man responsible for nearly taking what I’ve worked my entire life for… is a man you have called a son. The same man who has taken liberties with me at every opportunity over the last year and a half.
Quartz pauses as the camera spins around to see Ryu Matsumoto sitting across from Quartz, looking straight back at him.
RYU: It’s true. I do consider him like a son to me, but let’s not forget that we were all in the same family. TTT-
Quartz: TTT is dead. Or is this your way of trying to bring it back?
Quartz: Working in collaboration with Kassidy Hayes to crown him as World Champion again? Making peace with Rust Cohle last week? Is that your end game, Spider? You’re trying to make us one happy family again? DO YOU THINK I’M AN IDIOT?
Quartz jumps from his chair, throwing it backwards in the process, standing over his advisor.
RYU: Do you think I tried to topple Sensation for myself?! Do you think I didn’t know exactly what I was doing the entire time?!
RYU: He cashed in… and you handled it, like we both know you would. Now look at you! Standing as champion with NO Future Investment winner hovering over you for a year. That contract was intended to guarantee your safety in that Wrestlution match, but what about after?
RYU: What happens in the other universe? Kassidy keeps his briefcase and last week those four vultures decide they want to gang up on you and Kassidy cashes in then, huh?! What happens then?
RYU: The fact of the matter is that you never would have been safe with any one of those six holding that Future Investment briefcase.
Quartz stares back at Spider with the sudden realization.
Quartz: You…
RYU: That’s right. During the match? After the match? After you had gone to battle with Nate Ortiz? No chance I was going to let that happen… but before? Before the bell ever rings? The Future Investment winner going through a lengthy ladder match and then needing to deal with Nate Ortiz AND Ijitu Quartz for an entire match?
RYU: I left that off the contract on purpose. I knew none of them would be able to resist cashing in in the main event of Wrestlution. You said it yourself, all six of those men had more than enough motivation to want to screw you out of your moment. They played right into my hand. The fact it was Kassidy Hayes only made it that much sweeter.
RYU: Now that case is GONE. Any man who wants to take that title from you is going to have to stare you in the face and take it from you… and that’s never going to happen.
Quartz is looking down, thinking about this entire situation.
RYU: Nate Ortiz was never going to beat you by himself, and he sure as hell wasn’t going to do it with another variable in the mix.
RYU: I took a calculated risk and it paid off. 4D chess. You think I care about being laughed at by some of these people in the locker room? They have no idea who they’re messing with. They played right into my hands and think they’re the ones who won.
The air goes thin as Quartz looks at his championship, then back up to Spider. Both men now standing, A smirk washes across the face of Quartz and he shoots a glare back at his advisor.
Quartz: So they did...
Quartz: ...So they did.
Both men nod and laugh, apparently back on the same page as we fade back to ringside.
DANE XAVIER vs.ELIJAH SANDERS
The Double Deuce Roadhouse is once again a venue of activity -- swarmed by worker bees in yellow hard hats and vests with reflective piping, they move in, out and about with purpose. The foreman watches from a distance and observes with pride when a limousine pulls up beside him. The window rolls down, and the voice coming from within is all too familiar.
ARCHER: Why am I here, Donovan?
If Donovan, as the foreman, is the Queen Bee in this scenario, then Thomas Archer would be the Sun that feeds the earth and allows all of its creatures to flourish. Donovan is well aware of this and attempts to choose his next words wisely.
DONOVAN: I’m not sure. I told your people that we have it under control, so I don’t think it was really necessary for…
ARCHER: Then why am I here?
Visibly frustrated yet reluctant to answer, Donovan lowers his head and scratches the area where his hairline once occupied.
DONOVAN: …We’re having trouble with the design of the office… mainly, the shark tank… and I may have suggested a compromise to keep us on schedule.
ARCHER: I see. A compromise. Excuse me for a second.
Archer presses one of the numerous buttons within the limousine, effectively lowering the divide between him and his driver, Nicholas Maximus. He makes sure to speak loud enough for Nicholas and Donovan to hear him clearly.
ARCHER: Nicholas… I’m assuming this word, “compromise” is some sort of foreign dialect that I had no need to learn, or some kind of slang. As an ethnic, could you explain what it means in English?
Nicholas slightly turns his body and head but due to his size, the shift in position sounds like someone aggressively making balloon animals as the leather seats struggle to support his weight.
NICHOLAS: To settle a dispute by mutual concession.
ARCHER: Dispute? Well I don’t like the sound of that, and the term, “mutual concession”, sounds disconcertingly close to “surrender”. Are we in a dispute, Donovan? Do you expect me to surrender in some form or fashion?
DONOVAN: No-no… of course not, sir. I just… I just wanted your opinion on how we should proceed, is all.
The next few seconds are measured in eternities as Donovan feels the tension of a man convicted of murder, now awaiting his verdict.
ARCHER: Very well. Let’s go take a look.
DONOVAN: Really? Well, sure… right this way.
ARCHER: Besides… telling others how to do their job is somewhat of a hobby for me at this point.
DONOVAN: Yes, I’ve seen that.
Archer looks at his watch with a loud sigh.
Archer: Can we get this going please? I have an important match tonight in which I will decimate an oaf, an emo and whatever the heck Justin Jehst is. Bald? Is he a bald eagle? Alexa, is Justin Jehst a bald eagle?
His watch bleeps.
Alexa: I’m sorry. Your account has been suspended due to sharing of misinformation.
Archer: You bitch coward!
Archer thumps at his watch until it turns off, before giving Donovan a smile as if nothing had happened, motioning towards the office.
Archer: Shall we?
This time Donovan sighs and the scene fades out as they enter the office.
As the camera fades into the backstage area we see Justin Jehst standing alongside interviewer Jim Black.
Jim: Ladies and gentlemen, standing with me here, one of the men who will face off tonight in a Fatal Four Way for the Number One Contendership for the OCW World Championship - Justin Jehst!!!
The crowd erupt in cheers.
Jim: Now Justin, we all saw your triumphant victory in the Battle for Hollywood at Wrestlution, but what does this opportunity tonight feel like?
Justin slowwwwly reaches for the microphone and pulls it towards his beautiful Hollywood mouth. He tilts his sunglasses down his nose and reveals his dreamy green eyes, looking into the camera.
Jehst: Jim-bob-Johnson, let me tell ya! I beat that B-List, Blu-Ray buffoon right back to audition room number 2 where he belongs! But tonight I get a chance to prove to the OCW fans allll around the world, that Hollywood Muscle deserves to be in the top spot! To be OCW World Heavyweight Champion!
Jim: And what of your opponents tonight?
Jehst: What of them? We got a wily son of a gun who likes to use his knees and feet to take people out in Kassidy Hayes! He’s not above taking his opportunities like we saw at Lution, but how’d that work out for him?
Jehst: Then we got a man the size of a damn mountain, but with the IQ of a knat! KD Angelo has the size and the power, but when you only have the ability to say one word on a consistent basis, you know the ring smarts aren’t quite there!
Jehst: And last, and certainly least, is that money-grubbing, slime-ball Thomas Archer! We go back...WAYYYYYY back. And when I see him in that ring, face-to-face, I’m gonna give him an ANACONDA SQUUEEEEEEZE and make sure his body drops to the mat, breathless! And no, Jim, that was NOT a euphemism! Get your head out of the gutter!
Jim: I wasn’t thinking it w----
Jehst: Jim...c’mon, I know you were thinking it! But it doesn’t matter, the only thing on my mind right now is going out there tonight in front of the army of Jehsticles, and making damn sure I get that victory! *DOUBLE BICEP POSE*
Jim: Well, you heard the man, OCW fans! Stay tuned for that match later tonight!
And with that, the cameras fade into the next segment.
