Cameron snatched the last of his luggage off the conveyor belt and limped to find Mercedes. Airports and women; Melton used to preach it’s where most relationships end. This is where, Mercedes would slip off to powder her nose and stow away on a flight to Spain, to a country where men lusting like raging bulls waited to enchant with the genuine nature of man. Metrosexuals don’t have the capacity to repopulate the Earth. Cruise was pretty. The hair care tips on his official website, the manicures, and sanctuary in health spas as life on the road persists. What if Mercedes craved for more?
Cruise frantically worked through a crowd inside Philadelphia International Airport all but screaming his wife’s name.
“Cammy!” Mrs. Cruise jumped him from behind, her delicate hands blindfolding the EPW IC champion. “Where do you want to be?”
But then, Melton said a lot of things. Namely, that he could produce free energy if properly motivated. “With you, baby.”
Mercedes’ hands lifted as Cruise, eyesight restored, turned to kiss his wife. “I wouldn’t dream of being anywhere else. Come on, let’s go see what car Ryan’s left for us.”
“Cameron Cruise,” a lanky giant in a black and white Tux pushes a piece of cardboard bearing the champ’s name from his chest. “THE Cameron Cruise?”
Cameron fished for his wife’s arm as they absent-mindedly wrecked in the bald, ghost white driver’s chest. “Sorry, dude. Yeah, Cameron Cruise. That’s…that’s me.”
“Delighted. This way please.”
“I’m sorry?” Mercedes offered as harmlessly as she could, startled by her own reflection in the man’s face.
“I’ve been assigned to pick up Cameron Cruise. For the event.”
Cruise grinned, “Perks of the championship gold.”
“But Cammy,” she protested as they began to follow the driver’s lead, “with Melton, you never…”
“There’s a lot of things that weren’t right with Melton.”
“Sir,” the limo door was held open for Cruise, as he climbed in after his wife.
“Thank you, my good man.”
“Uh, Cammy.”
Cameron froze in his seat as the door closed, his eyes stolen by a reporter and her cameraman. “Lindsay Nicks, it’s a pleasure, a real pleasure.”
Cruise reluctantly shook Lindsay’s hand, as Mercedes scooted closer to her man. “What channel is this…”
“You’re a brave man to go on record. I dare say an inspiration.”
“An inspiration?”
“You’ve helped me get over my own fears, sir,” the cameraman confessed, his head briefly parted with his tool of trade.
“Well, dream the impossible dream, right?”
“Wisely spoken. Shall we begin?”
Mercedes’ look of concern faded slightly as Cruise shook her right arm. “Oh. A promo?” The Cruises laughed, championship life is almost like starting over again. For the first time in years, Cruise was a focal point, alone. “Yeah, I’ll run that bastard down.”
“Getting nasty, already. You’re awesome, sir.”
“Damn right I am,” Cameron inched forward, his chest expanding as his confidence in the situation grew. “Are we ready?”
“We’re on, yes. State your name, please.”
“I’m Cameron Cruise. EPW IC champion, and I wanna tell you about who I hate! No, you know who you are. At this point in time, I don’t have to say it. It’s obvious, that you’re the stench of the Earth. A mistake God made, a man with no religion but his own flesh and blood. What do you believe in? Who do you believe in? You infect everyone around you. You nearly infected me! But, I…I got out. I broke free of your clutches to find people like me! Fair-haired, strong…pure-blooded winners! You were born into low-class. Though you may have some money, though you might have an inch of power, you my friend are still stained with the dirt, and desperation you were born into.”
“Yeah!”
“Tell me you’re getting this…”
“Preach, sir, preach!”
“You tried to run me down with lies. But, you seemed to forget your place, forget that by birth I was better than you! And, I am. You exist in this profession because I allowed it. Without me, you’d be nothing! And tonight, I will put you under my foot again, meshing you with the scum stuck to my rubber soul. That’s what you’re worth. That’s what your life has come to.”
“F*cking Jews!!”
“Tonight at Agg---“ Cruise’s life as he knows it comes to a screeching halt. “What?”
“We’re gonna tear those dirty Jews apart!”
“Don’t stop, Mr. Cruise. Seeing this piece will inspire thousands to come forward.” Lindsay inched the microphone closer to Cruise’s agape mouth.
“Hate Jews? No…”
Cameron could feel the limo come to a stop. He didn’t want to look, but they were inside an abandoned warehouse. As Mercedes started to whimper, and genuinely fear for her life, Cruise saw the mass of skinned heads approach the limo. Satisfaction and pride etched on their faces. Their leader was present.
The door opened and Cruise was helped from to his feet. “I think there’s been a mistake…”
“There’s been no mistake sir. We’re an Army ready to be led.”
“Cammy…”
“Look I need to explain something here…”
“Rex, get a shot of that!!”
The camera panned to a large banner dropped from the ceiling that read, “Cameron Cruise Leader Of Arian Nation.”
“Mr. Cruise! Mr. Cruise! Mr. Cruise!” Cameron’s troops chanted, the taste of blood on their lips.
“These men are ready to pledge their lives to you. Sir, tell us how the victory will be won.”
Cameron rocked back on the heels of his feet, Mercedes coiled protectively under his left arm. The madness began to make sense.
“Uh.”
Dan Ryan stopped the video, and with his right index finger cut off the plasma TV in his office. He collapsed back in his leather chair, and held out hope of inspiration striking. What was the right thing to say here?
“Dan,” Cameron stood from his chair, “You know that’s BS. You know---“
Ryan waved, “Sit, Cruise. Sit. I don’t care to look up to you after this.”
“You know its Melton, Dan!” Cameron shot back, as he found his seat at Ryan’s desk again. “I was set up! Let me make this up.”
“How could you do that? Cruise, this got national play. You nearly made every paper. Now, imagine you’re me. My employee, worse, my title now belongs to the Arian Nation.”
“That’s not fair.”
“Now, as I understand it, they’ve told me you don’t have to defend it solely against neo-Nazis. They’re flexible there, so maybe, you know, maybe we win in the end, Cameron, with a PPV main event of you in a battle royal with Jews, blacks, and fags. In the end, it’s the business that wins.”
“Dan…”
“My company’s taken a major PR hit, Cruise. I’ve got sponsors threatening to pull out! I’m busting my ass to make this promotion work, and now, my diversity employment record is up for question. I could lose my ass on this!”
“It’s Melton!”
“I’ll talk with Joey, Cruise. But, man…” Ryan chuckles, to keep from crying. “You’ve got to be smarter than…well, a bag of bricks Cruise.”
“Tell me how I can make this right.”
Ryan exhales loudly, scratching his eyes with his thumbs. “I’m pulling the IC belt off you, Cameron.”
“WHAT!”
“I have to respond to this. Public opinion has my balls over it. Cameron, I can’t let you walk out of here with that belt. I’m sorry, man.”
“Melton paints me as a racist and I get stripped?”
“Yeah, that’s the meat of it.”
“That’s not right.”
“Be thankful you’re still with the company. Don’t lecture me about what’s right. I can’t turn on the TV without seeing you being named captain of the Arian Football Team. I’m stripping the title. But…”
Ryan reached for Cruise to stop him from leaving.
“But…I’m giving you Melton at Black Dawn. File your complaint there.”
Cruise slaps the table and shoots out of his chair, stopping at the door to have the last word. “I worked my butt off to be in a position in this company where I could carry a program deep on the card, alone. That title is mine, Dan. I’ll sell your show with Melton, I’ll deliver you buyrates, but I want it in a cage. With a mic on hand after I beat him. Loser, which will be Joey I assure you, to say he respects me. I’ll give you want you want, but I’m taking that in return. Melton’s pride. When I’m done with him at Black Dawn, Dan, he won’t be able to sell a nickel to the fans for two dollars.”
Cruise slams Ryan’s office door behind him, knocking picture frames off the walls.
Ryan stands and picks the IC belt off his desk.
“Teresa,” Dan says, his fingers pressing on the intercom mounted on his desk.
“Yes, sir.”
“Get Melton in my office, now.”
[CUE UP: "Imperial March" - Rage Against the Machine. A video montage plays, featuring smoke-wreathed images of various wrestlers, some of them leaving blurred trails as they move.
CUT TO: Beast nailing the Absolution on Adam Benjamin.
CUT TO: Karl Brown coming off the ropes with a Quebrada.
CUT TO: Christian Sands standing victorious in the ring.
CUT TO: JA delivering the Karelin Driver to Ron Artest
CUT TO: Adam Benjamin delivering a Shining Wizard to Karl Brown.
CUT TO: Joey Melton, mugging for the crowd.
CUT TO: Boogie Smallz lighting up a blunt.
CUT TO: Lindsay Troy dropkicking Beast.
CUT TO: JA and Sebastian Dodd locking up in the middle of the ring.
CUT TO: Dan Ryan sitting sedately in a chair, staring into the camera.
CUTTO: With a clash of metal, a logo slams across the screen, its edges flickering.]
[Cut to the ramp, where a wreath of pyro explodes around the EmpireTron and several bomblike, smoky explosions ripple about the entry way. The camera zooms in on the screen as the pyro finally peters out, then blurs to roving shots of the roaring crowd as a small banner in the corner briefly appears to proclaim that EPW is broadcast en Espanol.]
[We cut to the broadcast booth where Dave Thomas, Mike Neely and Dean Matthews sit.]
DT: Live from the Wachovia Center in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania!! It’s Empire Pro’s Aggression!!! I’m Dave Thomas along with Mike Neely and Dean Matthews and what a night we’ve got in store for the fans in Philly tonight! Troy Windham’s Entourage takes on Ken Cloverleaf and AJ Cirrus for a shot at the World Tag Team Titles at Black Dawn! The TV Title picture heats up as Tariq Ismail takes on Foxx, and Adam Benjamin takes on X-ecutioner…and don’t forget Priest, who takes on Damian Stone as well. And in our main event, hot newcomer Steven Shane takes up JA’s open challenge in what should be a helluva match!
DM: No doubts, Dave. Everyone’s gearing up for Black Dawn and tonight’s the night to make your statements to the boss. We’ve already seen Cameron Cruise stripped of his Intercontinental Title…..who knows what’s next?
DT: Let’s take it up to the ring and Tony Fatora with our first match!!
TONY FATORA: Th' following contest is scheduled for one fall!
[CUE UP: "King Nothing" - Metallica as we go through Damian Stone's exceedingly long entrance routine.]
TONY FATORA: Introducing first... He hails from St. Louis, Missouri... He weighs in at three hundred and forty-five pounds... Thisssss... isssss DAAAAAAMIAAAAAANNNNNN... SSSSSSSTOOOOONNNNNNNE!!!!
[CUE UP: "I Am The Bullgod" - Kid Rock. The crowd comes alive and offers plenty of boos as Priest emerges through the curtain, making his way to the ring, where he plays to the fans.]
TONY FATORA: And his opponent... He hails from Detroit Rock City... He weighs in at two hundred and forty eight pounds... he isssss PUH-RRRRRRRRRRRIESSSSSST!!!
DT: This promises to be a solid match between these two competitors for the Television Title, but can Priest overcome Damian Stone's overWHELming size advantage?
DM: He'll have to play it smart.
[SFX: *DING* - Bell rings.]
DT: And Priest in like a SHOT throwing those huge right hands to the face of Stone! Now a left! Priest not relenting as he starts slugging away right off the bat, backing Priest into the ropes... but backs away from him!
MN: ...That was weird. Why'd he stop attacking?
DT: Stone looking a bit furious as Priest steps back... the bigger man rushes him but Priest DUCKS AND BOOSTS STONE OVER ONTO THE ROPE! STUN GUN sends the bigger man staggering!
DM: Wow, psychology. He goaded Stone into charging and hung him up on the rope with his own momentum!
MN: Smart!
DT: Stone clutching his throat as he staggers back... Priest NAILS HIM WITH THE GERMAN SUPLEX! MY GOD, WHAT POWER TO HURL A THREE HUNDRED AND FIFTY POUND MAN!
MN: Holy SMOKES!
DM: You said it, Mike Neely! That was astounding!
DT: Up comes Stone, slowly moving to his feet, but Priest comes off the ropes and NAILS HIM with the jumping swinging DDT!
DM: Drilled 'em!
DT: Priest waiting for Stone now... slowly Stone pulls himself up, and Priest darts in, kick to the GUT AND STONE GETS SENT DOWN THE PISSER!!! COVER!!!
ONE!!!
TWO!!!
THREE and this one is over almost before it started!
[SFX: *DING* - Bell rings.]
TONY FATORA: Here is your winnerrrrrrr... PUH-RRRRRRRIEEEEEEEST!!!
DT: A dominating win for Priest here tonight and he’s looking really good going into Black Dawn!
MN: Indeed he is. Wish I could say the same for Damian Stone…
[Neely is interrupted by a roar from the crowd as Dan Ryan stalks out and down the ramp, without music and with a very annoyed look on his face. Ryan stalks to the crew side and rips a microphone from a stagehand’s hand and slides into the ring.]
Ryan: Look, I’m gonna make this really simple….Paul Freeman, to the ring. NOW.
DT: What’s this all about?
DM: Oh, I dunno. My guess is the way he took to the hills after that Hornet debacle last show…
[After a few moments, a very wary Paul Freeman slowly comes down the ramp and climbs into the ring, but stays near a corner.]
Ryan: Paul, really….I think you know why we’re out here. Last week…. [Ryan smiles, despite himself – but a nervous, annoyed smile.] Last week you promised me Hornet. I took you at you word. I took you for someone who deserved a chance to prove himself, and I took you as a man who does his homework.
So Paul, can you tell me why a little skinny white kid who weighed a buck fifty soaking wet, bought a Hornet Halloween costume and tried to Hornet splash me in the RCA Dome hallway?
[The camera cuts to Freeman, who gulps and shakes his head no.]
Ryan: Can you tell me why you should still have your job? Better yet, can you tell me why I shouldn’t put you through…[Ryan points to the announce table] ..that table right there?
[Freeman’s face goes white – but not because of Ryan’s threat. Freeman’s face goes white because behind Dan Ryan in the ring is the same skinny little white boy, dressed like Hornet, face painted, plastic cape flowing.]
Ryan: Can you tell me why you should…..[Ryan stops and stiffens up.] ..He’s behind me isn’t he?
[Freeman winces, his mistake back to haunt him once more – then, he slowly nods.]
[Ryan sighs as a loud “OWWWWWWWWW!!!!!” is screamed out and a small white kid bounces off a large and annoyed Texan to the entertainment of the fans. Ryan turns to see the kid fall to the ground, then pick himself up and try in vain to lift the massive leg of Dan Ryan while signaling weakly for the Scorpion Deathlock. Ryan, for his part, gets more and more annoyed. The kid then streaks for the ropes and dives through the ropes, simply crashing on the floor below to Dan Ryan’s bewilderment. Meanwhile, Paul Freeman slowly and methodically slips out of the ring and slinks up the ramp. Ryan turns to see him and as Freeman catches his gaze, he dashes for the stage and sprints through the curtain. And on the outside, the false Hornet has a microphone as he heads through the crowd.]
Kid: HORNET WINZ!! HORNET WINZ!! HORNET WINZZZ!!!11111
[Dan Ryan stands in the ring, glaring after the kid – as we fade to commercial.]