Chamber of Horrors

The fear within him was numbing, not just to the mind but to the body. Every part of him felt as though it were drained of feeling, lifeless as if he were just a living carcass doing nothing but sit with darting eyes and thumping heart. Everything below the neck was like he'd been bathed in the strongest pain killing creams available on the market to the point that not only would he be unable to feel pain, it also felt as if it didn't exist, like he was just a disembodied head able to think and see but not move his arms or legs or any part attached to those particular limbs. No matter how much he wanted to move his fingers and toes, no matter how hard he tried, it seemed impossible. It was as though a great weight had been placed on him, invisible yet powerful enough to retain him completely still in his seat. Using his eyes - the only parts of him still able to move freely and through his own choice - he stared down at his hands and saw as his fingers were free to move if only they would, no matter how hard he tried they just wouldn't so much as wiggle. His wrists had metal shackles trapping his forearm to what looked like the arms of a wooden seat, keeping it still on both arms, the same metallic bindings could be felt around his ankles even if he couldn't move his legs or feet anyway due to the numb feeling throughout his body.

The seat underneath him felt hard, uncomfortable and certainly not built for comfort, the orange clothing he could see on his legs, arms and torso by moving his eyes downward provided little comfort, instead being as thin as standard cotton usually is. All around him seemed to be flushed in dim light, creating an almost surreal feeling and causing him to wonder if any of this was even real and actually happening, everything being in soft focus like some sort of fantasy. Concrete grey walls showed signs of aging, little pieces of them missing and general scratches and wear and tear plastered all over with nothing to look at other than the large windows held in place by steel framing that looked just as grey and grimy as the walls. He wondered whether the windows were made of plexiglass rather than being plate glass due to the nature his brain told him this room seemed to be used for although what its purpose was he couldn't quite recall, knowing just that his memory allowed him a vision of himself being shuffled and shoved forwards by prodding behind him right in the kidneys, making him keep walking and having an utter feeling of dread coursing through his veins. It was at that moment that his mind allowed him the privilege of seeing exactly what brought him to this strange place.....

Sitting on a bench in the yard was his usual thing, staying with mostly his own people - the whites - not for racist reasons but because they were the rules. This prison had a very strict code of conduct amongst the inmates that dictated that the whites should stick together, the blacks and the Mexicans would do the same too otherwise the heads of each gang would call for repercussions to the perpetrator. This could mean anything from a severe beating to an order to shank whoever broke the rule. He'd known of a few who had been found dead from stab wounds caused by makeshift knives, razor blades and pieces of metal hidden inside the ends of toothbrushes and other ingenious ways of crafting home made weaponry while in the cells. Anyone entering the prison system found themselves approached by a gang of their colour and whether they intended to join or not, eventually the choice was to seek protection within numbers or face the consequences and forever look over your shoulder as you attempt to go it alone.

He'd clearly chosen to be a part of the gangs early on and had established himself as somebody who was tough and intelligent, performing tasks ordered of him successfully and in turn being treated as a respected member that the older heads and veterans of the prison gang would rely on when they needed someone skilled to do whatever it was they required of him while the younger members just starting out in prison life looked up to him and constantly asked questions and looked for advice. It was the least he could do to help, after all, he had to depend on others to teach him the ways and guide him towards the right thing to do that would benefit him and keep him safe and healthy from attack while having enough guile to avoid trouble from other gangs and inmates or being punished by the prison guards. His toughness had been demonstrated when somebody in his own gang tried to get fresh with him, seeking an easy fight but getting more than he bargained for when the blows were easily soaked up and retaliated with a force and conviction that amazed the heads and gave them the confidence in this young man, finding out he was certainly no pushover. That's what this life was all about, taking your knocks from people trying to get the better of you and fighting back, showing them that you'll never give in and allow them the satisfaction of beating you to a pulp. If you didn't realise that soon enough, you'll find yourself victimised throughout and left beaten and bloody time after time in a never ending cycle of violence.

His eyes glanced across the yard, taking note of the heavily tattooed and imposing man wearing a bandana performing pull ups on a metal bar attached to the top of wooden posts stuck into the ground, raising himself so that his chest met the iron before letting himself sink down again, a sort of unusual dance with his prison issue boots inches from the ground even at his lowest point. His orange jumpsuit had been unbuttoned and the top half was hanging around his waist, exposing his torso with all sorts of symbolic ink snaking around his arms and covering his stomach. This beast of a man was tall and muscular, scary enough from a distance and was said to have snapped the jaw clean off the victims who screamed when he attacked them in their cells. It was stories like this that had everyone avoiding him at all costs just in case they accidentally crossed him and found themselves on the wrong side of a mauling. They called this guy The Priest because apparently just before they died, his victims would start fruitlessly praying to God for redemption and begging this guy for mercy. All he knew was that everyone stayed away from The Priest and he would be no different, keeping as far away from this guy as physically possible.

The siren sounding let everyone know it was time to go back inside to their cells, guards standing at various points to make sure no trouble started on the way back in, the various gangs and inmates gathered together with the temptation to strike high with wardens watching with weapons ready to strike due to the past incidents where stabbings, fist fights or other attacks occured and those taking part being forced to the ground, handcuffed and searched before being dragged to solitary confinement with only one hour allowed for recess per day as punishment, the other twenty three hours spent inside their cell. That wasn't what anybody wanted but if a gang leader asked for an attack on somebody then unfortunately it was that or a beating for refusal so even if a person was looking forward to some time to relax and serve their sentence trouble free, at times they had to give in to requests for violence. Luckily, it seemed as though nobody had an agenda and things would go peacefully and without incident today.

The line of prisoners slowly but surely dwindled as they went inside the main prison area, the inside of the building looking pristine and white and spotless, barely anything there in case an object was used as a makeshift weapon and to provide no distractions from the reason they were here, to be punished for crimes ranging from burglary to first degree murder. The cells were open, metal doors to take as much damage as possible from angry prisoners offering an opportunity to walk in and out of the tiny cramped rooms at will, some prisoners going to certain cells in groups of friends or associates to talk or try to exchange goods from the prison store such as bags of Doritos or chocolate or other such goods paid for by money sent from home to an account monitored by the prison, using these items of food as the prison's currency to swap favours such as cutting hair or cleaning a cell or as a bribe or protection money handed over from the weak to ensure their safety within these walls. Most of the inmates gathered on the wide open floor in groups, talking or moving over to one of the pool tables for a little extra play time against each other for fun or for store goods, any losses exchanged away from the watching eyes of the guards.

Dazz watched all of this activity as he walked through the hub towards the metal steps, walking up them to the upper floor where his cell was housed, walking along the balcony until he reached his cell and stepped inside, sighing as he looked around at the steel bed pushed against a wall, white pillow and sheets with a green blanket over the top, pulled taut and tight over the top and looking like the bed was made with military precision to ensure maximum neatness. A steel cabinet was attached to the opposite wall, filled with store goods and folded bedding and spare prison issue clothing. A steel toilet stood in the corner nearby a similar looking basin to wash in while photos of himself with his wife Faith adorned the walls, a reminder of the life they shared outside before both found themselves imprisoned with Faith in a county jail not too far away from the one he had to stay in, sending him letters detailing brawls and confrontations with fellow female inmates by the names of Angelica Jones and Lilith Evans, Lilith being behind a campaign to try and get both of the other prominent prisoners attacked but failing in her task. He'd worried in case she was hurt or injured but knew she was tough enough to give back whatever Lilith tried to attempt on her.

It was then that his thoughts were interrupted, a sudden jerking motion making him almost collapse backwards, turning his head in time to see the menacing features of The Priest staring at him, dragging him backwards and slamming him against a wall. One of this man's huge hands grasped around his throat, squeezing tightly while also pushing his arm towards the wall to ensure suffocation, Dazz struggling to breathe and finding himself unable to, legs kicking and arms moving to try and push The Priest away or clutch at his hands to pull them off his throat. His face turned bright red and then a shade of purple as this imposing man continued to choke the life out of him until finally, somehow he managed to jab a thumb into The Priest's eye, temporarily blinding him long enough to weaken his grip to allow Dazz the opportunity to shove him away. The Priest was still busy holding a hand to his watering eye and trying to get his vision back fully but Dazz was able to swing a right hook and connect with the face of this tall monster, staggering him to the side before following through with another punch and a hard push towards the edge of the cell's doorway. Grabbing the metal door, Dazz slammed it shut against The Priest's body, smashing against the face and shoulder to seemingly hurt him for the first time since he'd arrived at this facility. The Priest was roughly grabbed by Dazz and dragged towards the balcony, thrown up and over the edge and landing with a sick thud on the concrete below.

The shock was almost instant as he looked over to see what he'd done, The Priest - the prison's toughest and most dangerous and feared man - lying in a pool of his own blood and not moving, staring up at the person who threw him over the balcony and rendered him lifeless. The other inmates stared in shock at what had transpired, wondering how somebody like The Priest could now be dead at the hands of this man, someone they respected highly committing murder in front of everybody in the facility despite the strict convict code stating that any attacks or other illegal activities taking place in jail must be kept hidden. Hands grabbed at him as he stood in shock at his own actions, dragging him to the floor face down with his arms being yanked behind his back and handcuffed together at the wrist. He was hauled up onto his feet and dragged across the balcony and down the steps, all eyes on him as he was marched past everybody, a quick glance as guards and doctors crowded around The Priest while other prisoners gathered to watch them try to tend to him, knowing he was dead but having to go through protocol. Dazz could only stare down at the ground, seeing his own feet moving along the polished white flooring of the facility until he found himself uncuffed and thrown violently into another cell, even smaller than his regular room.

The door was slammed shut behind him as he stood in total shock, looking around and finding nothing but walls and a floor, walking to the door and looking out of the gap into another cell across the hall, watching as somebody with long hair paced around, scratching the slight stubble on his face. He looked up, spotting Dazz watching him and gave his identity away, that of Jay Williams who had been incarcerated in solitary awaiting a death sentence for causing a riot that saw him stab two men, Axl and Partis, the two surviving but a prison guard who tried to separate them got cut badly and bled to death on the floor. Now here he was, in a similar situation as Jay locked in what seemed to be a cage like animals, the two completely alone and left to fight off their remaining days as opponents to nothing but time as it slowly ticked towards the moment they would be executed.

And so here he was, rested in this place but feeling as far away from serenity and calm as possible. He tried to move again, his body still blocking him from doing so and keeping him in lock down, frozen like a statue in the electric chair. From the neck up was the only part of him that could move, turning his head to the right to see a guard in brown pants and a lighter shade of brown shirt, buttoned up fully as he stood with a stern stare and a buzz cut, almost burning a hole through him and daring him to try and move his shackled limbs. This prison guard looked tough, used to witnessing, receiving and delivering pain in his job, his broad shoulders and granite like face helping to make him an imposing figure worthy of respect and authority. Looking to his left, he saw another guard, this time shorter and more rotund with a gut that stood out like an island on a calm sea, also sporting a buzz cut and similar uniform that looked as if it was about to burst if this man got any bigger, this squat man still with an air of authority and a hard stare towards the prisoner in the chair.

He had no choice but to look forwards again, not daring to try and take in any other detail of his surroundings out of fear of what these guards may do to him despite him already facing death. The fear within him built and grew at rapid pace, unable to move his body no matter how hard he tried but suddenly feeling a drained sense within his legs as if all the blood and tissue had vanished with the remains beginning to tremble, rising up throughout his body until every inch of him shivered as if he were experiencing extreme cold. The only thing was, the shivering and trembling was due to the fear, warm shakes rather than icy cold bringing about something deep within the pit of his stomach, an empty and dizzying feeling right there within his abdomen, nausea taking over as the shaking came up to his throat, almost blocking it with a lump of horror before ending in his brain, making him light headed and almost like he'd faint right there and then. He could almost feel the blood draining from his face and leaving him looking pale, a hollow shell of his former self thanks to this room, this chair, the anguish and suffering it had seen for who knows how many years.

This chamber seemed crowded even though it was only occupied by himself and the guards, looking directly ahead at the windows and seeing nothing but his own reflection seated in that seat of torture; beyond that, blackness. A feeling ran through him that perhaps behind the windows were people ready and willing to watch somebody die, to form an audience purely to see him crash and burn figuratively and literally, feeding their sick and depraved needs with the ending of another person's life before their very eyes. A chill ran up his spine followed by another full body shiver then the sounds of banging echoing from somewhere in this chamber, a gentle humming like that of a badly wired light fixing ringing in his ears then suddenly feeling hands on his head, jolting him violently side to side as something wet was placed on his scalp followed by something being attached to the top of it, a covering placed over his face blocking out all sight while what felt like leather straps were tightened underneath his chin. Even though he didn't want to admit it, this was it. The end of a fruitful life that could've gone on for so much longer but was being taken away without reason. With his sight taken away, the buzzing seemed to increase in volume until it became unbearable. If he was allowed to, he'd use his hands to tear out his own hair, anything to stop that god forsaken noise. Another jolt hit him but not through fear, this was harder, more like a punch directly to the sternum than a shiver of worry, his whole body becoming stiff suddenly and his breath taken away so that he could only gasp as he inhaled, teeth clenched tightly together and fingertips pressing firmly against the chair. Thoughts ran through his head, of the pain in his chest and the fuzziness in his brain, a silent prayer to God that he could be allowed to come into Heaven and that the pain would end soon before he -

******



Guilty as charged
But damn it, it ain't right
There's someone else controlling me
Death in the air
Strapped in the electric chair
This can't be happening to me

Who made you God to say
"I'll take your life from you"

Flash before my eyes
Now it's time to die
Burning in my brain
I can feel the flame

Wait for the sign
To flick the switch of death
It's the beginning of the end
Sweat, chilling cold
As I watch death unfold
Consciousness my only friend

My fingers grip with fear
What am I doing here?

Flash before my eyes
Now it's time to die
Burning in my brain
I can feel the flame

Someone help me
Oh please God help me
They're trying to take it all away
I don't want to die

Time moving slow
The minutes seem like hours
The final curtain call I see
How true is this?
Just get it over with
If this is true, just let it be

Wakened by horrid scream
Freed from this frightening dream

Flash before my eyes
Now it's time to die
Burning in my brain
I can feel the flame

Ride The Lightning - Metallica



******

Sat at ringside, Dazz could only watch and smile as his stepson RJ ran around the ring, a huge smile on his face as he laughed and enjoyed himself immensely. MCW's ring crew couldn't help smiling at this excited child acting like his wrestling family members, trying to set up the ring for Mayhem a day early while everybody on the roster got to have a few days to recuperate from the live shows in between television episodes of MCW's flagship. There wasn't any real reason for Dazz to even be here yet, normally turning up on the day with Faith before getting changed into his ring gear and getting some last minute warm ups before he was needed for interview or his big in ring performance. This time however was different, preferring to maybe take a seat that would belong to a fan in less than 24 hours time, cheering......booing.......chanting........running the gamut of emotion that a fan of professional wrestling would experience live, enjoying their favourite athletes while hating the ones they don't particularly care for.

It wasn't the first time he'd sat here, taking a place on the other side of the ringside barrier. After all, he'd grown up watching the sport and enjoyed events as a fan buying his ticket then eventually when he became part of the industry himself he'd not only bought tickets to watch other companies he wasn't working for or gone to an event while injured or otherwise taking time out from in ring competition, he'd also been able to watch as the crew set up the ring, allowing his eyes the chance to see hard working men and women be the unsung heroes they really were, creating the very battleground that was associated with the business and which allowed fans to see people like him break boundaries and bones with their traditional grappling and innovative offense.

He was here this time to allow his thoughts to wash over him, letting his mind wander and feel amazed at where he'd got to so far this year. In early February he'd decided he'd had enough of being in a biased company where only the deluded and the egotistical were ever given chances time after time while making everybody else work hard to even get a shot at making a name for themselves. After years of being overlooked, of watching as those who weren't all that great but who were constantly talked about as the greatest of all time undeservingly, he'd finally managed to make history in that company again, becoming the first true Grand Slam champion by having held every championship and every variation of each championship other than the PPV title and obviously the Women's title. As per usual though, his achievement caused anger and jealousy amongst the alleged "elite" of the company, arguments arising claiming they did it first and rewriting history to suit them as usual.

After becoming the first in the company to hold the Television, the American and the Undisputed championships, pretty much holding all singles titles still active. Even with this, there were still people denying his talents, denying his abilities and denying that he was capable of being at the forefront of a company he'd helped build from the very beginning. Years of taking this abuse and this blatant disregard of his hard work, history making achievements and moments that went down in history to everybody else but were changed and replaced with the company's own preferences due to their desire to stop everyone but their designated "heroes" made him give it all up, vacating all the titles, walking away from the company and looking set to step away from professional wrestling altogether.

Months later, there he was competing in an MCW Legends match against Priest, giving him back the desire and the love he once had for the business. It was that match and the fact he was called up to do it and not only called a legend but treated like a normal guy, treated with respect for the first time in two years that changed his mind. Now since being a part of MCW, he'd somehow amassed himself a winning streak, gone on a tear beginning with The Executioner and taking in some top or upcoming names. Last Mayhem he'd surprised even himself by winning a fatal four way match, in the process defeating his wife, Priest and Axl Evermore to become number one contender to the Motor City championship, a title held by Angelica Jones.

In fact it was Angelica herself involved in this match to try and reclaim her shot at the World title she'd lost to Rayne Young back at Deliverance, replacing Axl Evermore in a cage version of last Mayhem's fatal four way match between Dazz, Priest and Faith while Axl himself happened to have been placed in the second of two cages in the contest against the likes of Jay Williams and Hostile Takeover members Denile Partis and Lilith Evans. There was part of him thinking about this Charged Chamber contest, thinking that perhaps Cage One - the cage he was going to be held in like a prisoner - was perhaps the one to watch with four of the biggest stars in the wrestling business battling to be the victor even though Cage Two consisted of up and comers who certainly shouldn't be ignored.

A slight smirk escaped from within and formed on his face, finding it funny that years after their surprise World title contest against each other, he and Faith had discussed the possibility of being opponents again and what they'd do if that ever happened again and suddenly, within the space of a month they'd had one contest against each other for Motor City contendership and now here they were again for the second time with the number one contender spot open to the winner to face Rayne Young for the World title. They'd joked about it upon hearing of this Charged Chamber being booked, jokingly trading insults across the dinner table about beating each other, Faith promising to pay him back for pinning her at the last televised show and informing him than when she's done pinning him this time, she'll prove how much better she is than him by winning the World title and doing what he failed to do not too long ago thanks to the actions of Priest during his match against Rayne Young.

The thing was, while they joked around he couldn't help but feel a hint of seriousness in her voice and a look of determination in her eyes. She truly wanted this, to win not just their cage but the match in its entirety and prove to the world she was just as capable of leading a company as its World champion as her more popular husband. She was a stubborn woman, always had been and while to some that might be misconstrued as being annoying or irritating, he knew that her upbringing and the fact her father was Spanish led to her taking on that old Spanish trait of stubbornness and some would say pigheadedness in that no matter what, she always had a strong opinion about something and was never afraid to speak her mind whether it upset someone or not. That determination carried across physically too, not wanting to let people's opinions on what a woman is supposed to do inside the ring stop her from achieving anything. The mere fact she not only came up with the Hell's Basement stipulation but also talked her way into fighting in the first ever contest against the "Hardcore Icon" Jake Fury, beating him and walking backstage as a bloody mess covered in puncture marks from landing on the barbed wire and scorch marks on her ring attire when she and Jake suplexed each other onto the wire after it had been set alight.

She'd even won the World title and retained for months until Highway to Hell IV that also happened to feature herself, her husband and Priest along with three others in a huge cage structure. She wasn't the only tough female opponent he had to take on though in Cage One, Angelica Jones also tearing up the rule book on what a female should do by holding pretty much every MCW championship that existed and ignoring doctor's advice to continue competing even with a serious concussion. Angelica had gained a reputation for being one tough cookie and her sister Kayla was obviously the same after he'd teamed with her at Deadly Conflicts so if Angelica as former World champion was seen as the best candidate to win this contest and try to regain what she'd lost to Rayne Young several months back then of course he was gonna have a fight on his hands to try and best her. What seemed funny to him was the fact that while some envisioned him as the one to win due to the tear he'd been on, he honestly saw the older Jones as his biggest competition without wishing to diminish or disrespect anybody else in the match.

Obviously it wasnt a slight to anybody involved in either cage, it's just that out of everybody else in the match, Angelica was the only one he hadn't been against, at least not recently. The way the match was laid out though meant that it truly was anyone's to take at any moment and that despite fans and even those in the locker room perhaps picking the ones they think would come out on top in whichever cage as well as who they predict will win the entire thing and get their shot at Rayne, there was a chance that somebody could shock the world and emerge as the one with the contender's slot instead. A match of this magnitude threw everything apart and any game plans coming into it might end up falling to the wayside. Jay Williams had proven that lately after stepping out of the shadow of Vincent and showing himself to be a competent leader of Southern Blood, taking them to places they might not have been before under the shadow of their former mouthpiece.

Even Axl Evermore was tough and could win Cage Two, hell there was even a chance that Hostile Takeover could move through to the final stage of the match because whether they knew it or not, both Denile Partis and Lilith Evans were more than capable of winning the entire thing unless they had the spectre of Malakai Laymon hanging over their shoulders distracting them. Priest of course couldn't be spoken more highly of, a legend and a former World champion that was dominating in a different way to everybody else in the match, using his sheer power and brute strength to his advantage. In fact, Dazz agreed with some of the whispers from the previous Mayhem that if Priest hadn't walked away from the ring on purpose for whatever reason he had to leave then he could've been the one to win and challenge for the motor City title in future. Perhaps he was aiming higher and had proven his point by showing his dominance and connecting with a Priest Slam to all three opponents as a message to Jacob Laymon to consider him as a main event player? Who really knew other than the big man himself.

He watched carefully, the ring crew setting up the chamber itself piece by piece, using machinery to hoist the huge walls up to be attached by those standing inside the ring, grabbing the steel in their rubber glove covered hands, gently pulling the chunks of metal towards themselves and holding it in place while others used steel rods and clasps to hold the wall to another wall of chamber, slowly getting the structure built ready for the main event. RJ had been escorted out of the ring and was playing with his actions figures behind the announce table in front of his stepfather, one of them being a new Dazz action figure from MCW's latest line. The other happened to be his favourite Barbie doll but that didn't matter, the kid looked really happy and that in turn made Dazz happy watching him. His line of vision kept changing from the ring crew building the battleground he'd find himself in to RJ, keeping his eyes on both subjects, half watching the electricity current being tested with safety equipment and various instruments used by electricians and half watching RJ's own little match on the surface of the announce table where Sweeny and Brody would call the action, commentating on this child's mother and stepfather as they fight each other along with two more opponents with the chance that whichever of the pair managed to get through to the final chapter of the match - if indeed either of them scored the pinfall or submission to win in Cage One - could find themselves potentially electrocuted whilst trying to defeat whoever won in Cage Two.

RJ turned from the seat to lean over the ringside barrier, looking at Dazz as he makes eye contact and smiles.

RJ: When can we go?

Dazz: Now RJ, you got your stuff?

The kid nods enthusiastically and hops off the leather swivel chair, holding his toys in each hand while Dazz laughs to himself at the impatience of his stepson to get backstage and into the car for the journey back to the hotel where Faith would be waiting for them. He placed his right hand on the barrier, hopping up and climbing over to the other side where fans wished they could be during shows, walking past the ring and around the structure as the final pieces are put into place ready for the main event, the whole thing looking set to be raised above the ring to the rafters to test the harnessing and winch a day in advance. RJ was already halfway up the ramp when Dazz turned away from the ring to walk up the sloping steel, taking his walk while the lights in the building were being tested after being set up on the stage and above the ring, imagining thousands of fans cheering and chanting his name after victory, picturing the smile on his face if he was announced as the number one contender. He walked across the stage and towards the curtain, pushing it aside with the only noise in his ears being his own imagined crowd chants:

"DAZZ!......DAZZ!.......DAZZ!.......DAZZ!......"

******

Dazz pushed open the wooden doors and stepped into the room beyond, looking around at what happened to be a gym area with a huge mirrored wall and loads of equipment, free weights standing in one area with non slip blue mats on the floor nearby, treadmills and rowing machines a little further on. He noticed a blonde woman sitting on a bench wearing black track pants and black sports bra, her hands clutching a black metal bar shoulder width apart and repeatedly pulling it down to her neck and shoulders before releasing and allowing it to gently move back up again. This constant motion allowed a set of weights behind her to raise and lower off the ground, the muscles in her arms and shoulders tensing and relaxing each time, her skin with a sheen from the sweat of the workout while her biceps in particular seemed a little prominent during this exercise although not as much as his were whenever he bent his arms. He walked closer, recognising his wife anywhere and stood to her side, watching and counting the repetitions she performed until she glanced out of the corner of her eye and noticed him, not letting his presence break her concentration.

Faith: Hey, back from the arena?

Dazz: Yeah, it's looking pretty good, they were setting up the chamber just as me and RJ were leaving.

Faith: Oh right, and how does it look, is it filling half the building like we pictured?

Dazz: To be honest I really don't know, they'd only got one wall of it fixed and I didn't see them build the whole thing so who knows, gonna have to wait till tomorrow.

He watched as his wife gently nodded, continuing to pull the bar down to her shoulders then let it move up, taking the weights with the cable attached to the contraption for a few more reps before stopping altogether and looking back at him again with a slightly puzzled expression.

Faith: Where is RJ anyway?

Dazz: He's up in the room with Kira.

Kira was Faith's younger sister, a red head who was also in the wrestling business, debuting in CWF and feuding immediately with Faith for the CWF Women's championship, coming up short for almost a year before finally managing to take the title after the shock of announcing to the fans that she was actually the champion's sibling. She was just as tough as her older sister but while Faith liked to go for power and the more technical side of the business, Kira was more of a high flying specialist, using speed and agility to help her in flight. She'd been asked to accompany Dazz and Faith whenever they needed a babysitter that could trust to watch over Faith's son RJ not just while they competed at the same shows but also to help for a day or two after, especially if the couple had to face each other in the ring or were otherwise banged up during the course of a match, since she hadn't exactly been in action or competition herself for a number of years due to a shoulder injury she'd suffered and felt too afraid to begin to train and compete again since.

Dazz: Look like you're working up a sweat, ready for Mayhem then?

Faith: You know I am and I'm gonna get you back for that Cyclone Slam last time. Might see the return of the Bitch Kick knock you out and let me move on to face the winner of Cage Two.

Dazz: We'll see about that.

Faith: We sure will.

The two kissed and smiled, Faith rising from the bench and grabbing her towel, swinging it at Dazz while he tries to grab it and grins. He handed her a bag full of her usual protein bars and shakes consumed after a workout, Faith thanking him and taking the handles of the white sports bag.

Dazz: Listen, I gotta do my piece to camera so if you wanna go up while I'm in the lobby then I'll catch up and me and Kira can watch RJ while you film your promo...

Faith: Sure ok, meet you up there then.

Nodding, they kissed once more as she left the gym with him, the two parting with Faith going towards the elevators while Dazz walks the other way towards a quiet area of the lobby, ready to film his promo.

The camera is showing a pale green coloured wallpaper with pink and orange flowers imprinted upon it, Dazz stepping into view with his sunglasses still over his eyes as usual, flicking his hair back a little to look pristine for the cameras for yet another promo for an important match.

Dazz: Jacob Laymon, boy the guy seems to have a thing for me right? Not only was I successful last Mayhem, now I'm thrust into the main event again with a World Heavyweight title shot on the line. Now as usual, I'm put in a first, this time a Charged Chamber where not only do I have to beat three other people in one cage, I then have to take on whoever wins in the other cage but best of all, the sides of the cage will be electrified until only one person comes away as the winner and the one to take on and hopefully beat Rayne Young for his coveted belt. Since I seem to be the King of the Cage due to the amount of cage matches and variations thereof that I've competed in and won in, this shouldn't really be anything too shocking for me to step into and get myself involved in. That is, unless I get thrown against the walls of this structure when the current is switched on.

To say I'm daunted by it would be not an understatement but completely incorrect because I'm really not. That's not to say my opponents aren't good enough or whatever people might think, it's just that as I said, I've been in so many different cage variations that I'm actually welcoming this. I mean, lets look at it this way. I've been in steel cage matches......the first four Highway to Hell matches, something I invented myself.......Exploding Cage.......War Games........the Bodycount match.........Thunderdome of Death..........Cage of Death.......Chaotic Cage.......now here I am in the Charged Chamber in MCW. If I have the rules right, I might have to face a potential four people in total if I beat the first three in the four way battle at the start. If that doesn't excite anybody else then frankly they're gonna need an electric current up their ass to wake them up.

Some might say Cage One is where the big stars are held, the one to watch because that's the place we'll see the overall winner. I say don't listen to a word of it because honestly, this match is anyone's. Since it's the overlooked section, lets start with Cage Two, the B-Cage. Four people all wanting to prove themselves, wanting to take each other to the limit and show the fans and the management team of Jacob Laymon and Eric Sailes that they deserve their moment in the sun and should be put in that position more often. Four will walk into Cage Two and whoever manages to emerge as the winner will get to be propelled into the spotlight against whoever happens to face them once that dividing barrier is lifted. Fans will cheer and see them as legit athletes while the other three will have to try and scratch and claw their way back to getting another chance like that in future. Thing is, who could it be? It could be Axl Evermore, someone who just missed out on gaining Motor City title status as the contender to the belt held by Angelica Jones but my presence of mind to connect with a Cyclone Slam meant he just lost seconds before he was about to try and break up the cover.

That's ok though Axl, you get to try again 2 weeks later for a higher ranked championship, maybe you'll come out on top this time? I mean, who's to say it won't happen right? You and Jay could team up to take on Hostile Takeover then stand back and let them beat on him for a little bit, get yourself a quick and decisive win against whichever of the three seems the weaker after the beating. Then obviously whoever wins Cage One's fight will be worn down and near exhaustion anyway so easy pickings, a chance to move on and face the champ and possibly come home with the World title, show that thing off to your Fully Loaded buddies and be the only one of the group to have won the MCW World Heayweight championship. Be something that Dan Dare, Domino Rouge and Charity Bizarre would be proud of I'm sure and it'd add nicely to the collection of championships you've already racked up over time in your decade in this industry.

Then of course another member of a group, Jay Williams, in charge of Southern Blood and doing a damn good job with that too. Probably the best leader they ever had in fact. Great talent, tons of potential and really took me to the limit not so long ago but the thing he lacks is focus. Once he gains that - and you never know, he might for this match - he could be dangerous and a serious contender for overall winner of this thing. How good would that make Southern Blood look as an entity with members of it challenging the Jones sisters for the Tag Team championships and now Jay being thrown into the Charged Chamber, having to run the gauntlet of not just three opponents but also potentially one more should he pick up the victory in Cage Two. The only thing I'd have to say is that he'd need to throw away any prejudices and any anti-establishment feeling he's had for Jacob Laymon because with the guy giving him such a massive opportunity to become an MCW superstar and boost his profile by winning a main event match and getting to take on Rayne Young for this company's biggest prize, lets just hope Jay doesn't forget the opportunity being presented to him after all the words and actions about him and his group being held down. Step it up Jay, you might surprise yourself and others. I know more than anyone just what it's like to feel frustrated at being held back and not allowed to showcase your talent and potential but as proved with every legendary figure this business has seen and as Eric Herrera would tell you, instead of sitting back and complaining you gotta take every chance like the one you're presented with this week at Mayhem, grab it with both hands and use it to show the world you have what it takes. Who knows, maybe after this match you'll be set on your path to becoming one of the biggest names in pro wrestling.

Finally in Cage Two, a tag team, a group led by a Laymon. Both members of Hostile Takeover competing and no doubt willing to team up and do Malakai Laymon's bidding to guarantee he's seen as a threat to his brother's position as this company's owner. Denile, Lilith, just a word of warning. Malakai may order you both to team up and take out both Jay and Axl but when it boils down to it, it's still everyone for themselves and what exactly are you planning to do when that happens? You really gonna lay down for each other when there's something as huge as a World title shot lined up as the prize? Don't fool yourselves, only one of you will be able to win in your cage and I seriously doubt any one of you will be willing to sit back and watch the other walk away the victor. Which one of you will be the one to grab the fall, will it be Denile or will it be Lilith?

You seriously gonna be under the illusion that you'll both be ok as long as Jay or Axl don't win, that the bullshit Malakai's trying to feed you? Wrong, he doesn't care, as long as one of you wins Cage Two then beats whoever you face from Cage One he'll be fine with whatever happens as long as he can continue to order you both around and force whichever of you lay down to interfere and bring the World title to his side. He's a Laymon, he only cares about success but the difference between Malakai and Jacob is that your revered leader of Hostile Takeover only cares about his own success and will stop at nothing and stab people in the back to get his own way. That includes Nick Cagero, which one of you will be his next victim, huh? Jacob on the other hand, despite the shit you've tried to do to get him out of here as owner, he's willing to still give you both a chance to prove yourselves. If you lose, he won't attack you in a rage and have you beaten down or knocked down by speeding cars, he'll just congratulate your efforts and give you the next opportunity that comes along.

Hell here I am praising you both because of the potential and the talent I know you have despite the fact you continuously targeted me ever since I was hand picked to be a part of The Enforcers for Deadly Conflicts. Funny how that works isn't it, I get constant verbal attacks from you guys as if somehow it'd affect me when you choose to denounce my abilities, my worth to this business and then tell the world that you're coming after me because of my abilities and my worth like you can't make up your minds whether I'm just a tiny speck of unimportance or whether I'm the main focus, the huge mountain that draws your attention on the otherwise flat and bare landscape. Tell me now, which one am I? Am I someone to leave alone because I'm not important enough to fit into Malakai's plans for domination or am I the biggest obstacle in your way? I'll tell you right now, much as I want to show my respect for you both, all I see right now are two people who are only capable of one thing. Failing.

You failed to even intimidate The Enforcers in the run up to Deadly Conflicts. You failed to defeat us at the event itself, having a complete dud on your side that did nothing to help you and finding yourselves coming up against me at the very end where I showed just why MCW will always dominate and will always be here to stay regardless of the intentions of a few people gullible enough to do the bidding of someone jealous enough to not be remembered for his in ring career and his tag team with his brother and now wants to make a name for himself purely because he wasn't chosen to lead this company when Anthony Wallace could no longer put his full attention on this demanding and expanding company. Two weeks ago at Mayhem you showed yourselves as failures again when your little attack did nothing to break my spirit or my body. Honestly, you seriously think the pair of you jumping me backstage after my match would make me have a sudden crisis of confidence, make me have my own moment of clarity and suddenly walk away from this place just as I find my groove?

You'd be sadly mistaken if that's what you believe because I've taken beatings a lot worse by a lot more people and still come back for more so what you did was nothing compared to what you hoped. this is me right now telling you both that if that's the game you wanna play and you wanna go for gang warfare then just say the word and I'd be more than happy to bring back a legendary group to show you how it's done, the innovators of chaos and anarchy showing you how to do things and watching as you tuck your tails between your legs and run, never wanting a part of that ever again. It can be easily arranged so instead of attempting to put me out of action and failing one more time, just come speak to me and let me know you wanna be another pair of victims to add to the tally. What I'm trying to say is that if you have the balls to even take each other on in the Charged Chamber like you seem to think you do when you're attacking people from behind backstage then lets see whether or not you can survive in Cage Two long enough to face the winner of Cage One and get beat down some more face to face because I guarantee this Denile and Lilith. If either one of you are unlucky enough to come up against me or Faith then the conclusion of the match will be yet another World title shot for the Stylez Dynasty and another member of Hostile Takeover left so bloody and broken that they'll have to join Nick Cagero on the list of pointless MCW "stars" who couldn't handle being in the big time around top level and talented athletes.

The Messiah of Metal pauses, looking to his left and leaning down a little before his shoulders become level again and a bottle of water is presented before the camera briefly, Dazz taking the neck to his mouth and drinking several mouthfuls of the clear liquid before lowering it and the sound of the cap being twisted back into place sounds out and he focuses back on the lens.

Dazz: Speaking of talented, top level athletes, time to speak about my domain for the first half of this match. Cage One. Where to start indeed. I guess I should start with Priest then and bro, I gotta say, once again we go up against each other. As I told you before, it's ironic we spend so many years having sporadic matches against each other either with a title on the line or nothing but pride and a win and yet me and you, we've never had that dance, that massive feud where we put friendship aside and try to outdo each other and see which of us can truly be the best in this industry. Guess we might have to make do with these matches we get booked in instead. Weird thing is, I can't even remember how many times we've faced off in the ring, all I know is that it's maybe what, 50/50? 60/40 my way? Something like that but you disappoint me Priest, all the battles I've seen you have, the fights I've been in that you've seen and then two weeks ago you show the dominant edge you're clearly known for by hitting each one of us with Priest Slams and then you walk away? What the hell was going on, this new spot in Kingz of Korruption affecting your brain, only one of you allowed to hold a championship as long as their initials are RY?

It's kind of funny that you almost ruined your reputation by becoming an enforcer in a group coming back purely to help make sure Rayne keeps the belt firmly around his waist when I know you too well, you want that title for yourself and there's no way you'd normally be content in that role. The Priest I've known for years is more of a leader than a follower so I can't imagine how you must be feeling standing in the shadow of not only our proud and definitely not against MCW in any way World champion but also his boredom inducing latest yet original squeeze. How would they feel if you showed that dominance you're known for in the Charged Chamber, destroyed everyone in your path and ended up being named as the contender to MCW's biggest prize? Would you do what you did last time in the fatal four way for the Motor City title contender spot and kick some ass before you walk away and get yourself counted out purely to allow the champ to retain by default? I hope not.

There's no walking away this time, we're all locked inside a cage and left to fight like our lives depended on it until one of us is the winner and the other three are shown the exit and have to go to the back and watch the rest of it unfold, watch as one of two people are given chance to battle and earn their position as someone who could potentially take that title away from Rayne and see him forced to walk away as he's apparently claiming he'll do if and when he loses the belt. That could be you Priest, you just have to show you want that and try to beat not just me but Faith, Angelica Jones and then whoever wins in Cage Two. I can honestly see you being just that person Priest, the only thing that could hold you back is wherever your head might be at with this Kingz of Korruption thing and this Vitriol thing you got distracting you, not to mention the sheer talent you'll be up against trying to put you down and end up having their hand raised by the referee as the winner.

Which brings me to you Angelica. Now we all know you have talent, that's obvious by the fact that you've held every championship this company has ever had to offer in its short history. From one Grand Slam champion to another, that's mighty impressive and hard to do in such a tough and ever changing industry but here you are with that accolade to be proud of and use to your advantage. I mean, lets face it, anyone who's held the Grand Slam legitimately without being handed those titles by management on a power trip giving everything to their friends certainly deserves to be looked at as something special, something with enough talent, determination and foresight to be able to adapt to any situation inside the squared circle. That's why I'm not gonna lie and say I don't sweat you because that just wouldn't be right and it wouldn't be respectful to your talents.

What I am gonna say though is that every accolade you've earned has been deserving and I just know that after the way you lost the World title at Deliverance, there won't be anything to stop you using every ounce within you to get through this and be crowned number one contender. Now I know, you don't have to tell me twice, you'll beat us all and claw back to your supposed rightful place, take on Rayne Young when you're fresh, healthy and 100 per cent instead of last time when you had a severe concussion suffered when you and your sister Kayla took on the Sons of MCW in a Tag Team championship classic earlier that night. Correct? With Kayla herself battling him non title at Mayhem I'll bet you'll watch with interest, not just because she's your sister and you want to support her, not just because you maybe have this hope that nothing bad will happen considering the two of you hold tag gold and will have to defend against an unusual tag team in future whether the contenders be Segador and Barney Green or Vitriol and River Angelus. No, you'll have a vested interest in the match because you'll want to watch and see if Kayla can defeat him, end his little run of confidence and weaken him physically and mentally enough for you to take advantage and once again become MCW World champion. Deny it all you want but if it were me in that same situation, I'd think that exact thing myself because this business, despite the respect and the good will between most of this roster, has always been more about the selfish nature of mankind and trying to further careers through championship reigns than about wishing family members or friends who compete the very best of luck no matter what the outcome.

I'm sure you might be the only one who doesn't quite remember what happened at Deliverance but you remember the pain surging throughout your brain that lasted for weeks, your vision blurring and sometimes disappearing altogether for moments at a time and the complete lack of bodily control due to that concussion. I've experienced it myself Angelica, managed to retain a World title through one until I collapsed backstage exhausted and affected badly by the injury. It's tough and the fact you still continued with that match shows you have guts but as the history book shows, you wasn't the one who walked out of that building with the title, you had to fly out of Italy several pounds lighter than when you flew in. That's why you'll be so hard to catch in this match when you're caged in and forced to fight for your life and your reputation as a woman who has had more MCW glory than any other woman so far. Unless you count the bedroom antics of Kirsta Lewis, which clearly is a lot more horrible to imagine than the things you'd do to any opponent in your way in your quest to once again become World Heavyweight champion.

You're not the only woman in this match who has been to the mountain top though are you? You're not the onyl one who's had tough battles against males seen as some of the best and toughest this business has ever seen. Faith is also in this match and I have to say, if slamming my wife face and chest first into the mat to drive the oxygen and consciousness out of her to pick up a win isn't gonna cut it this time then I guess I'll have to pull out something else from my bag of tricks. She knows exactly what I'm capable of in the ring having taken me on twice before in World title matches, the first time when she proved she had what it takes even if she only won the belt from me when Nemesis got involved and attacked me and then months later when we battled in Highway to Hell IV against not just each other but also the likes of Priest, Benny Boot, Shaun Cabalar and Christian Connolly, who ended up taking the title for a record 5th time in the company's history. Faith, you saw last Mayhem what I can do, you was the one who ended up looking up at the lights while I picked up the victory and this Mayhem will be no different when I do the same and win contendership to a second championship in as many television shows.

If there's anyone I'm gonna worry about in this contest it'll be you because after all these years we've known each other and been together, you're the one who knows me better than anybody and vice versa. You've been in my corner for too many matches to recall, cheered me on from ringside or from the locker room watching on a monitor. I've also done the same for you too over the years, watched as you won, retained or lost titles along the way. You're one of the toughest people I've ever known and been against some of the very best in all kinds of matches but I have to say, you never really had that ego that someone would normally associate with a tough and successful athlete. What really makes you stand out from the crowd is that you're surprisingly strong yet agile as well as that well documented toughness you possess. All of that combined with ring smarts gained through experience in the ring and through watching what I can do and picking up on what to do and what not to do in matches pretty much makes you a dangerous opponent.

What truly makes Faith even more dangerous for me? the fact that all the years we've been together means sometimes she might be able to predict what I might do next as demonstrated last Mayhem. She's seen what I'm capable of and has built in defences and counter attacks for occasions like this but as with everything in life, there are always two sides to every story and while my wife can be dangerous for me, I can be just the same for her too. Watching her matches, teaming with her on rare occasions, even sharing the same intense physical workouts and training means that if she is able to counter my Havok Slam into a DDT position then I'd be just as capable of turning that situation into a northern lights suplex for a quick count of three and another win. It all boils down to one thing, which one of us can handle this much pressure and put aside the fact we're married in a loving relationship to focus on the task in front of us, trying to get the win and become number one contender. While I've proven myself in big match scenarios like this time and time again, to many you're still unproven and your sheer determination and will to become the World title contender might see you lose your grasp on this and blind yourself to the propect of losing. See Faith, while you might think you're putting every effort into winning, your determination to win and need to be accepted as a major force in MCW could see you make a mistake or be distracted long enough for somebody else to get the win behind your back and see all the effort you put into this match go to waste.

Which boils down to this. While people in this match are trying to prove they deserve to hold the biggest prize in MCW or regain something they weren't healthy enough to defend or try to get something long overdue, the one person who will benefit most from all of this is the guy you're looking at right now. Sure to some it might seem like too soon but who else is tere capable of hanging with Rayne Young in the ring for such a prestigious championship? The fact that I'm undefeated against him also helps I guess, plus the accolades that I'm sure everybody knows about by now so why wouldn't I? No disrespect for anyone else involved in this match but since I'm attacked by two people involved in this contest for being the main guy representing this company and everyone else sees me as the one who is more of a mascot for MCW than anybody so who better to earn a shot at the guy who supposedly bleeds MCW but acts completely undeserving of the company's top title? I mean, we already have one person in this match holding two different MCW championships already with barely a defense of either so why not let me show how to carry a title belt with pride, with honour, with dignity and with a sense of sportsmanship instead of seemingly being selfish enough to not allow anybody else an opportunity or claiming to be totally behind this company while acting and talking like they're anti-establishment? That's not the kind of champion MCW deserves so when all is said and done with the Charged Chamber, once the dust has settled and the smoke has cleared, there will be only one face plastered all over the website, promotional posters and television screens as the one to get their chance at Rayne Young. That face belongs to me.

Raising his right hand to his face, Dazz plucks the Gucci sunglasses away from his eyes, uncovering them for the camera to get a shot of his visage before abruptly ending for another day until Mayhem airs.

The End