The backstage door of the New Orleans Arena slowly opened as a large man carrying a bag across his left shoulder while holding a steel folding chair in his left hand stepped through. The African American man was bald with a thin goatee and a few scars on his face. His large frame had a few of the technicians fumbling over themselves getting a glimpse of the man as he walked through the backstage area.

The man walked with a purpose down the right hallway before stopping in front of a few of the backstage workers. His menacing frame made the workers very cautious as the man looked down at one of them.

???: Excuse me sir, Do you know where I can find the office of the EPW owner, Ms. Lindsay Troy?

The worker was taken aback by the polite and gentle nature this man was displaying. He pointed down the hallway before speaking.

WORKER: Yes, Ms. Troy’s office is the fourth door on the left down this hallway.

The large man nodded appreciatively before making his way toward Ms. Troy’s office. The workers started whispering as the man walked out of sight. One worker turned to the man who just sent this large, six-foot-eight human being to Ms. Troy’s office.

WORKER: I wonder what that monster wants to see her about.

The men went back to work as the mystery man continued to the Troy’s office, passing a few people on his way down the hall. He was getting strange looks and the ever popular finger pointing. But he was always used to that is whole life. He knew he was different but he was always told that there was something special about him and that’s why he was in the New Orleans Arena tonight.

He finally walked up the door with the name Lindsay Troy affixed to the door, courtesy of a glistening golden nameplate. The man took a deep breath before knocking on the door.

TROY: Come in.

The man opened the door and walked in, closing the door behind him as he looked on at the owner of the EPW and arguably the best woman wrestler alive today.

TROY: Have a seat. Thanks for coming in tonight... [Looking down at the papers in front of her] ...Omega? [Pause] That your real name?

Omega looked a little confused by the question. 

OMEGA: Yes it is. Why do you ask?

TROY: Just wanted to know if it was one of those deals where you change your milquetoast 'John Smith' name into something... [Finger quotes] "edgy."

OMEGA [smirking]: I see. I really want to thank you, Ms. Troy, for giving me this opportunity to wrestle in your company. I will do my best to not let you down.”

Omega looked down at the steel chair he was still holding in his hand and whispered something to it. Troy's brow furrowed and, perplexed, she tilted her head to the side.

TROY: YYYYeah. Well, welcome to EPW and all that jazz. Take care, brush your hair, and try not to let the vets push you around too much.

OMEGA [shaking his head in agreement]: I understand what lies in front of me here in EPW, Ms. Troy. I have been in this business for a number of years and I welcome the new challenges.

Omega stood up to his feet to shake the hand of the EPW Owner before grabbing his things and walking to the door. Lindsay saw Omega place the chair to his ear as if he was listening.

TROY: Alright, I have to ask...what's up with the chair?

Omega looked at the steel chair in his hand, then back to Troy. 

OMEGA: Whatever do you mean Ms. Troy? This is ‘Barb’ and she is my manager.

Omega sat the chair down by the wall and slowly walked toward Lindsay Troy before whispering to the EPW Owner. 

OMEGA: Well, she thinks she’s my manager.

Omega smiled and waved to the EPW Owner before picking the steel chair up and walking out of the office. Lindsay suddenly heard a faint conversation outside of her door.

OMEGA: I wasn’t whispering to the owner about you. [Pause] I wouldn’t lie to you, Barb.

Troy shook her head in disbelief and pinched the bridge of her nose.

TROY: Is it Rum O'Clock yet?

[Fadein, Cameron Cruise's lockerroom, post-match after taking on "The Stalker" Jason Reeve. Cruise is talking to his Agent, an Intern coming from the Temp Agency on his Cellphone.]

Agent: Did it look that transparent??

CRUISE: Well no, but come on...something like that which happened in the ring reminds of something that happened to Dan Ryan some years ago...

A: You mean what Kin Hiroshi did??

CC: Exactly, now if I knew where he was I'd ask that Blueberry Bastard about it...

A: Why don't you ask him sir??

CC: I told you, because...

A: I have him on the other line, sir.

CC: Really??...uh, patch him through.

[A beat passes before the line is switched over.]

VOICE: CAAAAAAAAMMEROOON, where are you??

CC [lying..]: Budapest.

KIN: Ah, City of Cathedrals..

[The lockerroom door opens and in walks "The Muffin Man" himself, Kin Hiroshi, also with a Cellphone pressed to his ear.]

KH: Yeah, I see you on the bridge of the Danube, kid. I'd kinda like to talk to you.

CC: Well why don't you email me?

KH: I'd kinda like a one-on-one, face-to-face type of thing.

CC: Like do it personally??

KH: Yeah, I'd love to see ya.

CC: Alright, lets do it.

[Hiroshi walks another ten feet and extends for a handshake as Cruise does the same, both carefully watching the other in case one launches an unprovoked attack. Continuing...] 

KH: How ya doin' kid, good??

CC: Good, good, good. how are ya??

KH: [Chuckles abit] Hey, Mental Telepathy, Astral Projection...

CC:...and here you are. What do you want??

KH: Woah, Grumpy Gus! Is that any way to treat your old pal, Kin?

CC: I asked you, what the hell do you want, Hiroshi?

[Kin takes a seat on the locker room bench opposite of Cruise.]

KH: You know, Cam, I used to work here and I figured I’d drop in and see how the boys are doing these days...

CC: That still doesn’t explain why you’re talking to me, or why my agent had you on the phone.

KH:…but then I saw you had a match with another one of my old friends, Stalker, and I just KNEW I had to pay a personal visit.

CC: But you're not just here on a personal visit, are you, Kin?

[Hiroshi tips his head back a second and closes his eyes. Taking a deep breath and sighs, gathering his thoughts a second he opens them again and looks back at Cruise.]

KH: There’s an old saying, Cam, one good deed deserves another…

CC: Kin…

KH:..and you’ve been holding that EWI title thing over my head for years…

CC: KIN…

KH:..and I really don’t like Stalker, so I decided to have a little fun…

CC: KIN! WHAT DID YOU DO?

KH:…so I pulled a ‘Dan Ryan’.

[Smiling, Kin stands, and leans against the lockers behind him, before pulling a muffin wrapper out of his pants pocket and tossing it on the floor at Cameron’s feet.]

KH: You remember that old trick, don’t you?

CC: I f**king knew it!

[Enraged, Cruise leaps to his feet and charges Hiroshi, pinning him against the lockers. Hiroshi, slightly distraught, wiggles free from Cameron, and starts backing away from him slowly. With his hands raised and tripping over the gear in the locker room, Hiroshi tries to explain himself.]

KH: Ya’ know, Cam, I was, uh, just trying to, err, pay you back! Yeah, pay you back that's it! And it, um, isn’t going as I thought, so maybe I should be going? Yeah, I think I should go. I should go.

[Before Kin can make it to the door, he trips and falls backwards, Cruise is on him in a heartbeat, and lifts him up by the collar of his shirt. Cruise cocks his hand back, as if to knock Hiroshi into the next year.]

CC: You dirty son of a *****, I could've beaten that punk on my own!!

KH: Cam, I mean, come on, we’re friends, right? At least, I thought we were friends, right? No use getting upset over spilt milk, or poisoned muffins! Now, if you’ll just let me go, I’ll give you a call when you calm down.

CC: Why the hell would I need your help, Kin?

[Cruise’s fist relaxes, and he pulls Kin to his feet, but still has him by the collar. Hiroshi, hands up in an ‘I Surrender, Please Take All The Money From The Register’, begins to grin from ear to ear.]

KH: I just figured you might want to try things a different way, that's all.

[Cruise finally lets go of Kin's shirt and brushes him off abit as he starts on an evil grin of his own.]

CC: Ya know something, Kin, that's one of the most brilliant ideas I've heard, lately.

[Clapping Cruise on the back and throwing an arm around him as they walk out of the lockerroom.]

KH: Those are the only kind I have.

[Fadeout.]

King of the Cage: Second Round
Crimson Calling vs. Priest & Eisenkreuz


EXTREME SHORTFORM!

WINNERS: Priest & Eisenkreuz

[CUTTO: Somewhere dark, quiet, and secluded. Somewhere backstage. Cassidy Stewart sits, arms folded indignantly across his chest, in a worn, beaten, fold-out steel chair. His hair is tousled, tie rumpled and loose. Brow furrowed, sleeves rolled up near the elbows.] 

CASSIDY: Ok. I've had just about enough to be honest with you. Let me out of here. 

[Seated across from him, straddling the back of another dented steel chair, sat the Blue-Eyed Badass. The chair leg scraped the floor as he got to his feet, looming over Cassidy, casting an onyx shadow.]
TRIPLE X: You're acting like I'm holding you here against your will, like some kind of prisoner. You're not a criminal. You're a businessman. 

[Stevens smirks.] 

TRIPLE X: I don't know what the difference is, but ... I'm told there is a distinction. 

[He'd had enough. With a sigh, Stewart rose to his feet, eyes turning to the closed door.]
CASSIDY: Your goons asked me here to discuss terms on "cooling tensions" between yourself and my Client, once and for all. I came here to hear you out. But like you said, Mr. Stevens. I am a businessman. And good businessmen don't make deals with men who use the word "lawsuit" in the first sentence of their proposal. Let ALONE a man who uses veiled threats and innuendo as a bargaining tactic. 

[Triple X's smirk turned to forced disbelief.] 

TRIPLE X: No. No, no, no. You came here to talk business, Cassidy. Yeah, I touched upon the basis for potential legal moves I could make against Tre -- and you -- for the THEFT of My Crown. But I think you mistook me. I'm not suing you. 

CASSIDY: Right. 

["Planet Earth's Champion" took a deliberate step forward, closing the gap between the two men.] 

TRIPLE X: There's no need. I'll have everything that belongs to me back in my possession before this night is through. The King of the Cage Crown that Ice Tre STOLE from me... *AND* the EPW World Championship that Lindsay Troy has held for f[BLEEPking ransom. One way. Or another. 

[Gently, Trip placed a hand on Cass' shoulder and, just as gently, guided him back down to his seat.] 

TRIPLE X: Take a seat, Stewart.

NEXT