time: thursday evening

day: february fourteenth

place: bailey's bay, bermuda; engel residence.

(It's about six o'clock. Mia went to go pick up Alexia from basketball practice. It's awesome she made the JV team as a freshman. She's got her dad's athleticism for sure. It's one of the few good genes that runs through the Engel family. Joe and I are out on the patio, drinking a couple loaded Landshark lagers. I had Jimmy Buffet's Margaritaville personally deliver me some cases of their Landshark beer. It's too good. That's also another gene that travels through the Engel family; alcoholism.)

(I decide to take a different route with the promo this time. I have my video camera set up looking at the beach and the crashing waves, but I'm not in the scene. My brother isn't in the scene. I'll act like a voice-over. I didn't feel like being on camera tonight, as I'm all dressed up and snazzy for Mia tonight. It's Valentine's Day.)

VIRUS: You know, a lot's been said since I've been away from the airwaves. It's late Thursday and typically I'd already be at a hotel near the arena for tomorrow's event. But, as we all know, it's Valentine's Day and family is important. Speaking of family, I've been sifting through what Sirus and Randall have been saying and I'll do my best to consume and regurgitate it back to you.

Hope you enjoy the metaphor. And the show. The ocean's beautiful tonight.

Hey Randall...my life doesn't suck. Where you got that impression, or why, I don't know. You Morans will make up the craziest things to get a good laugh or a good zing. How could my life suck so bad anyhow? I'm a professional wrestler. I'm a legend. My history in the AOWF speaks for itself.

Yet, my life sucks. I don't think so. I'm a double champion. Yes, I'll throw that AOWF title at you because now it's on the line. You're going to have to go through hell and back to take this away from me. There is a reason I've kept this title for so long, yet Enika will be my third partner with these titles.

I'm just that good.

And speaking of community titles, you held the AOWF TV title. Come on. The only person that can say they did that and not get laughed at is Tommy Riley. Because, let's face it, he's Tommy Riley.

And let's also face the fact that the TV title is the redheaded step-child of titles. I mean, no offense to Chris Cambell or Jamie Flynn, but you both are battling for a title that puts you at the bottom of the food chain.

And that means you too, Randall.

I held titles that actually meant something. KoE. Tag. I had my shot at the IC, but I botched it. I could've been a triple champion, but hey you can't always get what you want.

(I pause for a moment. In my silence, you can hear children playing on the beach and, even more, the crashing waves of a beautiful Bermuda sunset.)

VIRUS: So, when you say things like "I actually won my AOWF title", you better be talking about something important. But, you weren't. You were talking about a title that had one good champion in its whole tenure. Congrats. Hell, even the PWA TV title has had its fair share of decent champions. Why don't you go after that one, Randall?

Let's face it. I'm sure Flynn will tear Cambell apart. Call Flynn out next week. Set the date. Because you sure as fuck won't be a tag champion after Genesis. You're better off in the singles division anyhow.

But, on a different tangent, allow me to extend some courtesy to you. I do thank you for your offer to protect my family and yes, if the time comes and you happen to be around, I might ask something of the Morans. Believe it or not, I've always had my respect for the Morans, ever since AOWF Four when I met my first one in the ring.

However at this time I see no need for it. I'm not worried about Corey Lazarus. He knows if he harms anyone in my family, he'll be eating through a tube and living on life support for the rest of his life. He knows that.

The Engels won't put up with shit. Not to be stealing quotes from movies, but you pull a knife? We'll pull a gun. You put one of us in the hospital? We'll put one of you in the morgue.

Take that metaphor however the fuck you want.

(I take a swig of my beer. You can hear it faintly, but it's hard to hear anything over the beauty of Bermuda right now.)

VIRUS: You know, telling me that Raizzor doesn't care about anyone but himself is old news, Randall. I knew that. You knew that. Sirus doesn't know that. I tried to tell Sirus that. But Sirus doesn't listen. Your heart's in the right place, Sirus, but fuck Raizzor. Randall is absolutely correct.

Which is something you won't hear me say often.

So yeah, why did I go into a TAG MATCH expecting it to be a TAG MATCH? I don't know. Old habit. I was ten and one in the AOWF in tag matches and most of them did go down like tag matches. So, old habit.

But hey, Raizzor and Phoenix. There had to have been some screwjobs going down. How idiotic of me to think that, even after I repeatedly told them to wait for Genesis, it would be a somewhat fair match.

Sarcasm is getting laid pretty thick. Of course I knew it wasn't doing down like it should have, Randall. But, I can't state facts? I can't point out simple observations? There's a fine line between complaining and stating facts.

Fact. Raizzor is a douchebag.

Fact. Phoenix didn't care about the match, only about Raizzor.

Fact. Corey and I beat the shit out of each other backstage before our match.

So, there you go. If you want to take that as complaining, then you're not as smart as I thought you were.

(Fact. I'm getting laid tonight, you're not.)

VIRUS: Sirus...buddy...the PWA has changed. It's not the same. The people you once knew, they're different. Forget about who has turned on you and why. Focus on tomorrow night. You've got a chance to take back what you lost five years ago. I'm giving you that chance, out of respect and because even though we're not the main event, the crowd will sure as fuck be acting like it is.

AOWF Four, Day Four is happening all over again. The long-time AOWF fans will be on their feet the whole time when you and I take center stage and battle for the most respect tag titles in the business.

I have been straight with you and I'll be straight with you about this.

You're not walking out of Genesis with gold. There is respect for you, your family, from the Engels, but when that bell rings it gets thrown out the window. You've been pitted against us and we don't let our emotion toy with us while we're conducting business.

Enika is all business. So am I. Business is good, Sirus. And we don't plan on losing. So you do what you have to do. You prepare, or don't. Take us seriously, or don't. But the ride starts tomorrow night and there won't be any stops along the way to hell.

Bring your best. You too, Randall.

I do not forgive.

I do not forget.

I'll see you tomorrow night.

(fade.)