“You’re going on luck, ya know. You can’t continue like this.” Foxx once again appeared at his door. She leaned against the wall just inside with her arms crossed. In a picture she could have been mistaken for one of those fancy blue jeans models and if this were another time she may have made a joke and laughed about it, but this was neither the time nor the place for laughter.

“Is this the way ya want it? To just drive through matches with nothing but your blind anger to fuel whatever ambitions you may have? Does that make it all worthwhile to you?”

He looked up from the bench, a slight smile on his face. "You have no idea."

Her face twisted from steely determination to a thoughtful frown as she hesitated for a few seconds. “Oh, I don’t? What do you know that I don’t then?” Determined to stay in control of the conversation, she returned the smile.

Calmly, he stood. She was a smart girl. He knew that. "You don't know what it takes in the ring now. You don't know the thrill of hearing someone's neck snap, of risking it all, of hearing your opponent screaming and then seeing them unconscious in the middle of the ring."

His reply caught her off guard. She visibly flinched and nearly lost eye contact, before swallowing hard and regaining her composure. The smile quickly disappeared; replaced by a glare of disgust. “So that’s what ya enjoy, is it? The barbaric pleasures of a savage? What’s happened to you Karl? The man I first met would never have taken pleasure in such things. I don’t even know you.” She fought to keep her voice from wavering and her tone down as her eyes burned into his.

"You're right." He cut straight across her. "The man you first met wouldn't." He turned his back on her, his head held high in thought. He walked over to his bag, and stood looking down into it for a moment before continuing. "He was full of ideals of sportsmanship, of doing everything the right way, of not caring if he won or lost. He had chance after chance, and he failed every time. He couldn't take that final step. The MCW and NWL world titles both slipped through his grasp at the last instant because he lacked something. So he went and searched, and he found what it was he lacked. The killer instinct." He reached into his bag, pulling out a small stereo, setting it on the bench. An eerie pause filled the room.

"You'll see when you step into the ring, Foxx." He pressed a button on the stereo, keeping the volume low as 'Instruments of Destruction' by NRG started to play. He turned back to Foxx. "Care to dance?" he smiled somewhat sickly. He always had had a bizarre sense of humor.

She faltered again. Something was fixing to snap like a suspension wire and no amount of emotional tape applied would keep it up. "I'll sit this one out thanks." Her face darkened as she paused. "Those titles wouldn't have meant anything to him. He'd have known he lost for a reason and sought to become even better. What you've become is far from better. You've fallen backward and your luck won't continue forever. You're barely winning your matches out there. What will you do if you start losing again? Become even worse? You can't continue shifting the blame. It's you who lost those titles, not your attitude. Turning yourself into a barbarian is hardly going to make you a better wrestler."

She had recovered slightly. She was confident in the truthfulness of what she'd said. There would be no way he could contradict it.

"We'll see." He turned back to the bench and sat down.

“Yes…we will,” she turned out of the door, closing it behind her. She sighed, frowning as the song finished. As she started down the corridor, she didn’t see Karl open the door, looking as if he was going to shout after her, before finally moving back into the room and starting the song again.

(Cut back to the broadcast position.)

MN: Interesting girl, that Foxx.

DT: Indeed. Let’s go up to Tony for our next match.

TONY FATORA: Th’ following contest is set for one fall. Introducing first…

(Cue up: "Rainmaker" by Iron Maiden. The lights flash green and white as Brown makes his way to the ring to a mixed reaction. Brown slides quickly under the bottom ropes, stretching in the corner before removing his jacket and waiting patiently for his opponent)

TONY FATORA: Hailing from Nottingham, England, he weighs in at two hundred and eleven pounds, and is the number one contender for the Intercontinental Champion…. KARL… THE DRAGON…BBBRRRRRRROOOOOOOWWWWWWWNNNN!!

DT: Brown had a great win at Russian Roulette, winning the right to use the title he won over in Japan when he was just training.

DM: And you know Eric Davis didn’t like that one. I wouldn’t be surprised to see those two go at it again. Brown’s going to have a tough match here though against the man who put Troy Douglas into an exploding table.

TONY FATORA: And his opponent…

(Cue up: "Hypocritical" by Methods of Mayhem. The crowd boo feverishly as Issac Byrne walks determined to the ring. A few fans try to reach out to him, one of them holding a "Don't Go" sign)

TONY FATORA: Weighing in at two hundred and ten pounds, and hailing from parts unknown, he was the winner of the inaugural Inferno Match... IIIIIIIIIIIISSSSSSSSSSSSSAAAAAAAAAAAAAAACCCCCCCCCCC... BBBBBBBBBYYYYYYYYRRRRRRRRRRRRNNNNNNNNNNEEEEEEEE!!!

MN: I’m gonna miss him.

DM: Byrne had a tough match at the pay per view, beating his former mentor Troy Douglas in an inferno match. Douglas has three wins over Brown, so maybe Byrne will be able to match that and put behind him the loss at Wrestleverse in what is his final match in Empire Pro.

DT: There’s the bell, and they lock up collar and elbow. Brown quickly ducks behind with a waistlock, but Byrne counters with a go behind of his own. A nice take down there, but Brown rolls out and into a hammerlock. Doe though with a roll of his own, into a headlock, but Brown works his way back out. Brown and Doe quickly to their feet, but Brown with a hard shoulder block gets the advantage again. Off the ropes, leapfrog by Byrne, and a NICE Mexican armdrag taking Brown down. Doe into an armbar, but Brown quickly flips his way out, and an armdrag of his own takes Byrne down.

DM: Quick action from these two as Brown hits another armdrag, holding on with an armbar. The crowd showing a lot of respect for these two, and I’m not surprised at the pace these two are working. Neither man wants to lose this one.

MN: It’s gonna be hard to see Byrne gone. He’s really come into his own since distancing himself from Megatron.

DT: He has indeed, Mike. He’s in trouble right now though, as Brown wrenches the armbar. Doe working his way to his feet, and a hard right hand to the gut followed by a whip breaks the hold. Doe with a drop toe hold, and a quick elbow drop, but Brown rolls out of the way. Standing drop kick by Brown, and another, and Brown now taking Byrne down with a snap mare. Dropkick to the back there, and Issac Byrne rolls to the outside. I don’t think he was quite expecting this from Brown.

DM: The crowd are getting quite into this, and rightfully so. Byrne wisely taking his time getting back in the ring, shaking out the cobwebs. They lock up again, and Doe with a hard knee lift to the gut, and a nice snap suplex.

MN: Issac Byrne looking good in there, and Downtown’s gonna have to really work hard from the looks of it.

DT: Quite possibly, as Byrne now has the advantage. Doe with a hard stomp, lifting the Dragon up and a hard scoop slam followed straight away by a fist drop there. Another stomp, and Doe is looking firmly in control as he pushes Brown to the outside now.

DM: This could get dangerous. Both men have shown in the past how they can use the ringside area, Byrne more recently with his inferno match against Troy Douglas. Brown hasn’t had much on the outside since he beat X a few months ago, and he’s feeling it now as Byrne whips him into the guardrail.

DT: Hard elbow shot there to the face, and Byrne rolling Karl back into the ring.

MN: You know, which is he? Doe or Byrnes?

DT: He wants to be known as Byrnes, but I don’t think Brown cares right now with that nice double arm suplex there from the winner of the first Inferno match in EPW history. Byrne is keeping the pressure on here, putting the boots in. He’s definitely developed a huge vicious streak since his loss to Christian Sands.

DM: A loss like that, combined with the training Troy Douglas gave him, is very likely to do that. He’s done well since then, narrowly losing to Brown at Wrestleverse. Some chops in the corner, and Byrne looking to continue his advantage with an Irish whip across the ring. Brown off the ropes, and Doe with a back elbow taking him back down. Issac Byrnes with an elbow drop

DT: He finds nothing but canvas there. Brown with a quick roll out of the way there, and he’s firing away now. Right hand, and another, and a third!! Brown now starting to feel it, as he runs the ropes, but Byrne with a clothesline there. Issac Byrne now shaking his arm out, with a stiff kick to the back of the head of Brown. Issac Byrne with a surprising dominance here, as he drops Brown down with an inverted atomic drop… great combination there into a Northern Lights…

TWO…

Kickout by Brown there on two and a half.

DM: Brown’s got to be careful here, otherwise Issac Byrne is going to run riot. You can tell by looking in his eyes that he’s focused on this match. A stiff shot to the head there, and Byrnes takes Brown down to the mat with a drop toe hold.

DT: Issac Byrne pressing the advantage… TRIANGLE CHOKE HOLD!!

DM: A brilliant move here. It’s a variation of the sleeper made popular in Japan. You can see Byrne is locking his legs over as his arms have Brown’s neck in a vice grip. He’s got to be careful he doesn’t slip into an actual choke hold, but Brown’s in trouble unless he can somehow break the hold. This one can put you under very quickly.

DT: The ref checking, as Brown is trying to fight out of it. Brown rocking Byrne back and forth, rolling him onto his back…

TWO…

Doe releases the hold to get his shoulder up, and Brown escapes before any major damage could be done there. Byrnes to his feet first, connecting with a forearm shot to the face there. Whip off the ropes, but Brown ducks under the clothesline and rolls him up with a crucifix. Byrnes quickly kicks out, but Brown connects with a shot to the gut, doubling his opponent up.

DM: Strong tilt-a-whirl suplex there from the Dragon. A cover, but Byrne’s still too fresh, and a kick out before the count of two there. Brown isn’t letting up, sending Byrnes off the ropes.

MN: Wow!! Nice counter there by Byrnes, reversing that hip toss attempt into the abdominal stretch!! Downtown in real trouble now.

DM: Byrne’s got it locked in, wrenching back on the neck and applying pressure to the ribs as well. The ref’s asking Brown if he wants to give it up, but you know that shot to the guardrail earlier is going to be coming back now and amplifying what is normally a painful hold anyways.

DT: Brown trying to force Byrne over, but he’s having none of it, slugging on the ribs of the Dragon.

DM: Ouch!! That slam there looked painful. Taking the abdominal stretch, leaning back and flipping Brown overhead face first to the mat.

DT: One…

TWO…

THNO. Brown manages to kick out barely there, and if he doesn’t launch some offence soon it could be all over. I’ve rarely seen Issac Byrne this determined.

DM: Issac Byrne still with the momentum though, with The Dragon up on the top rope now, and a hard shot to the face rocks Brown. Byrne climbing up, setting Karl up… looks like a superplex.

DT: Brown fighting it…HOLY!!!

DM: That’s something you don’t see everyday!

MN: Oooh Yeah, he’s Hardcore Dragon again baby!!

DT: Let’s see if we can get a replay of that unbelievable counter, as Brown blocked Byrne’s superplex and countered with one of his own to the outside!! Both men are down on the outside, and the ref is checking them both. You can see Brown clearly in the replay now leaping back a little, and Byrne’s legs hit the guardrail hard. The crowd are really applauding that move.

DM: You can understand why. Only EPW gives you this kind of action for free, and not too many would doubt either Brown or Byrne’s desire to win at any costs. The referee looks concerned though, but Byrnes and Brown are both stirring. Byrnes slowly trying to get to his feet, holding on to the guardrail. These two put it all on the line at Wrestleverse and they’re doing it again. You just know that the fans won’t forget Byrnes any time soon, but how smart that was on Brown’s part is a point for discussion given his IC title shot coming up sometime in the near future.

DT: Brown slowly stirring, and Byrne’s is up, leaning back on the guardrail. Moving in now, holding his back, and a hard kick to the head of Brown there. Bryne picking Brown up by the hair, and a chop across the chest, but Brown fires back with a stiff chop of his own!! Byrnes with a chop, but Brown fires back again, and another one by Brown!! Brown now looking to get some control in this match, rolling Byrne into the ring. Brown goes in after him, but Byrne cuts him off with a kneedrop to the back as he rolls in. Issac Byrnes now feeling it. Lifting Brown up, whip off the ropes.

MN: Amnesia attack coming.

DT: Brown ducks under the elbow… QUEBARDA!! QUEBRADA INTO A REVERSE DDT TAKING BYRNES DOWN!!

DM: With the punishment Byrnes was dishing out earlier and that suicidalplex a few moments ago I’m surprised Brown had the presence of mind to come out with that one.

DT: The referee now checking both men, and he’s starting the count as both men lay motionless on the mat. You can hear the crowd trying to will these two competitors back into life, not wanting it to end in a double knockout. The ref’s up to four now. Five.

Six…

Seven. Byrne’s is starting to move. Eight… Nine…Issac Byrnes rolls over into the cover.

One…

TWO…

THRNOOO!!! No, no, a thousand times no says the man from Nottingham England, just barely getting the shoulder up there.

MN: The crowd’s going ballistic here!!

DT: Byrnes slowly pulls Brown up to his feet. Irish whip reversed by Brown. Byrnes ducks the clothesline… HARD spinning side kick to the gut there by The Dragon.

DM: Byrnes is really feeling that one. A nice dwi chagi there, and Brown now following up with a knee to the head as Byrne tries to get to his feet. Brown now with the whip into the corner. He mounts the turnbuckle behind Byrnes… Diamond Dust.

DT: TWO!!

NO!! Issac Byrnes with a kickout there. Brown now signalling for the end as he clutches his own back. Shot to the back, looking for the Dragon’s Bite… no, Byrnes slips out. Whips Brown off the ropes, goes for the back body drop but Brown drops behind!! DRAGON’S BITE!! Brown springing into the cover!!

One!!

TWO!!

THREE!!! KARL BROWN WINS IT!!

(SFX: dingdingdingding)

TONY FATORA: The winner of the match by pinfall…. KKKKKKKKAAAAAAAARRRRRRRRRLLLLLLLL… TTTTTTTHHHHHHHHEEEEEEE DDDDDDDDDRRRRRRRAAAAAAAAAAGGGGOOOOOOONNNN…. BBBBBBBBBBBBRRRRRRRRRRRRRROOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOWWWWWWWWWWWWWWNNNNNNNNNNNN!!!

(Cut to the broadcast position as Karl Brown makes his way up the ramp and backstage.)

DT: Another big win for the number one contender to the Intercontinental Championship over another man on a roll lately, John Doe.

DM: Ever since getting past Eric Davis, Karl’s been on a straight shot to the top. Next stop, IC gold.

(The scene cuts to a shot of Dan Ryan’s office. Within seconds, Karl “The Dragon” Brown, still sweating from his match enters the room.)

Ryan: Karl, nice job out there. Have a seat, would you?

(Karl takes a leather chair and sits.)

Ryan: Now, to what do I owe this unexpected visit.

Brown: Look, I appreciate everything you’ve done for me since I’ve been with Empire Pro. But I couldn’t help but notice that despite winning the right to take my shot at Dodd for the Intercontinental Title, you had me facing John Doe.

Ryan: You know, you’re absolutely right Karl. You’re absolutely right. You deserve your shot and you’ll get it. The only problem is, Mr. Dodd has some personal issues to attend to and I’ve granted him the time to attend to them. Now I understand that you’ve got a bit of a problem with your knee.

Brown: I’m fine.

Ryan: Well….that’s not what my doctors tell me, Karl. My doctors tell me you could use a few weeks off of the knee to get it back in shape. I wouldn’t want one of my up and coming young stars to do something foolish like wrestle a championship match on a bad leg.

(Brown stares at Ryan then glances away in impatience.)

Ryan: I’ll tell you what I’m gonna do. Dodd is scheduled to be back with us by next Aggression. I’ve granted Cameron Cruise a shot at the title in your stead. Now, should I get a report of a clean bill of health on you from the doctors you will immediately get your shot at the title no matter who holds it at that time. In the meantime, I would suggest that your most pressing task would be to get that knee in shape.

Brown: Fine. I’ll be back in time to take the strap off of Cameron or Dodd, you can guarantee that.

Ryan: That’s the spirit….

(A knock is heard on the door)

Ryan: COME IN!!

(The door swings open and both members of Blitz, Max and Jecht enter the room each with a World Tag Team Title belt slung over their respective shoulders. They give Karl Brown a look as he stands up.)

Brown: I was just leaving….

(Brown exits stage right as the two men simply stand pat in the center of the room)

Ryan: (and eyebrow raises) Gentlemen?

Max: I can’t help but notice we weren’t booked tonight.

Ryan: Correct.

Max: And whyyyy would that be, exactly?

Ryan: I’m giving you the week off.

Max: We didn’t win these titles just to sit around and play checkers backstage with the crew.

Ryan: You have the week off. Go fishing, grab a bite to eat, see a movie. Or…go scout out the tag match tonight. It may be of interest to you later on.

(Max and Jecht glance at each other and nod.)

Max: Fine….but next week…..

Ryan: You got it.

(They nod again and leave.)

(Ryan sighs and mutters under his breath.)

Ryan: Wrestlers….

(Cut to commercial.)