HELL TO PAY II
RINGSIDE
Click.
Static covers the screen as a Play ► symbol appears in the bottom right-hand corner.
Middle of The Ring – After Nitro #197 Went Off Air
“I told you Luke,” Keeper says as he finishes dousing Storm in gasoline.
“I told you this was only the beginning of your Hell to pay.”
Keeper drops the gasoline can on Storm’s body.
HE PULLS OUT A METAL LIGHTER AND STRIKES IT!
LEGSWEEP BY LUKE STORM!
Cryptkeeper hits the mat! The lighter flies out of his hand and out of the ring.
Storm, soaked in gasoline, ROARS as the fans go completely apeshit!
“You tried to kill me!” Storm screams. “You fucking piece of shit!”
Storm mounts Keeper and nails him over and over with a hail of lefts and rights!
Crypt shoves Luke off of him and storms to his feet!
LIGHTNING STRIKE!
Crypt ducks it!
CURSE OF THE CRYPTKEEPER!
Luke sidesteps it!
DOUBLE LARIAT!!!
Both competitors lay on the ground, breathing!
From the back, the entire security team and referees come out to separate them while they have a chance.
As Luke and Crypt come to, they are dragged apart.
This night ends in a stalemate.
But at Nitro #198?
Anything is possible.
Cut.
AESOP VS. THE JUDGE
SINGLES MATCH
Tonight on Nitro, another soul is judged. Will Aesop be found innocent or will the folly his tales give the masses lead to a disapointing verdict?
The bell sounds as the Judge rushes forward, taking the smaller man by surprise with a heavy series of punches, a stiff one to the jaw rocking Aesop before he’s drilled into the mat with a jaw jacking Big Boot. Aesop staggers to his feet right into a huge knee to the sternum before being lifted high up into the air, GORILLA PRESS…NECKBREAKER!
Aesop manages to slip out of the Press Slam, stunning the Judge with the neckbreaker who staggers up into hands of his own before trying to lift the Judge into a Suplex. The Judge refuses to be lifted, stopping the Suplex with an almighty punch to the sternum before delivering an almighty VERDICT!
The Spartan Kick sends Aesop flying into the corner, the greek crumbling under the force of the move as the Judge pulls him up, trying to hook him into the tree of woe but Aesop manages to slip under The Judge’s grasp, slamming him into the mat with a lightning fast Backdrop.
The Judge is woozy on his knees as Aesop quickly attacks, locking in the Dragon Sleeper out of nowhere. The Judge slowly begins to fade, the hold sapping away his strength before he’s driven into the mat with AESOP’S FABLE! Aesop quickly covers, ONE…TWO…THREE!!!
Aesop picks up the big victory over the Judge, delaying his fate for another week.
A BARREL OF MONKEYS
FLASHFORWARD
The week of Fade to Black
Shutterbuck Island
We are treated to a dark, windy night, the island in question being quite small in size, housing only one thing. A laboratory. Made of steel walls and surrounded by barb wire fence. The only visible opening, in fact, is a port leading inside from the sea. It looks as though it would be impossible for most normal people to infiltrate!
Thankfully, the heroes of this story are far from normal people.
We are treated to a barrel, one made of oak? No, mahogany. Say it out loud. Mahogany. Fun to say, isn’t it? Well, that isn’t the important part of this, no the important part is this singular barrel is drifting into the port of the lab! It bobs and floats through the water, but its course is dead on for the opening!
Once it gets close enough, two men, guards, spot the barrel. Looking weary, they reach down as it comes up.
“That’s… not normal, right?”
“Why the fuck would an oak barrel coming in be normal?”
“Actually I think that’s mahogany.”
“Shut the fuck up.”
As the two argue, the likes of which comes back around to how fun it is to say mahogany, which they both agreed on, the barrel opens up!
MONKEY TO THE FACE!
One of the guards screams in terror as one Buford Junior, or BJ to his friends, leaps from the barrel! The other guard tries to assist but is soon stopped by a saito suplex into the dock! The other monkey faced guard is taken down by a knee to the jaw! And standing there, in all their lack of glory, is Scrimshaw and Pickpocket.
“Thank god we’re out of there. You and the monkey smell like a mop bucket!”
“Be nice! Monkey fur is horrible with salt water!”
Scrimshaw rolls his eyes.
“Whatever. Let’s just get in there. That briefcase had a back way in from the docks. We’ll get the package and escape to me boat. Easy. Right?”
“Right!”
“Good. Because if it ain’t, I’m eatin’ the monkey.”
“I thought he smelled like a mop bucket?”
“With enough spices a mop bucket tastes like steak, boy.”
Pickpocket closes his mouth as he follows Scrimshaw, the two disappearing into a nearby vent that leads in to the lab.
SIGIL VS. THE RED DEATH VS. HELSTROM
TRIPLE THREAT MATCH
Can the flames of Helstrom extinguish the red hot rage of Red Death, or will the Time Piece Keeper over come the odds?
The bell just barely sounds when Red Death charges to Sigil, swinging wildly but misses as Sigil disappears with Cosmic Leap! Helstrom turns to see Sigil re-appear just in time to catch him by the throat. Death comes in quickly chop-blocking Helstrom, allowing Sigil to hit FINITE!
Sigil turns to meet the Crimson Scourge, but is quickly kicked in the gut and hooked. Red Death is looking for Return to Arkham! But no! Sigil quickly spins out and looks for Merciful! Red Death crumbles from the chop to the neck. Sigil quickly goes for the pin but is grabbed by the monstrous Helstrom grabs the Realm Walker and yanks him off!
Sigil stands to his feet before looking to connect with another Merciful! But Helstrom ducks it and thrusts Sigil’s head between it’s legs. UNWORTHY! The Gotch Piledriver connects and Sigil crumbles to the mat. Helstrom goes for a pin but is picked up by Red Death. GODWATCH!
As Helstrom falls to the mat, Red Death turns to looks for Sigil, only to see the Realm Walker has disappeared. Sigil turns quickly reappears for COSMIC LEAP into FINITE! The kick delivers a brutal blow the the Crimson Scourge. Red Death falls to the mat hard as Sigil quickly stalks him at the distance. As Red Death slowly gets to his feet when Sigil charges across the ring. PLANESWALKER! The brutal dropkick sends Red Death hard to the other side of the ring, which Sigil quickly follows up with a pin. ONE! TWO! THREE!
The keeper of the Time Piece takes a big win against Red Death and Helstrom here tonight!
DESERTED
SOMEWHERE ELSE
In the Desert, Junkrat and Marvolo II are wandering hoping that hiding out is worth it. They are exhausted and dehydrated. They are on the verge of passing out when Junkrat speaks up.
“Do you see it number one?”
“What should Marvolo be seeing Junkie?”
“The perfect place for our three-week anniversary! A warehouse devoted to the best explosives only cash can buy.”
“Yeah, yeah, and mini Marvolos giving them to us on a silver platter, ever hear of a Molvanian Cocktail Junkie?”
“I’ve heard of a Molotov Cocktail!”
“Well, they’re like that but they’re bigger and they last longer.”
Marvolo II winks, grabs the explosive made from a wine glass and tosses it! It blows up before the glass even hits anything.
“It normally doesn’t do that…”
“Maybe next time it will be better, number one!”
“There won’t be a next time…”
X is here! He’s strangling Marvolo! Junkrat starts striking at him as Marvolo can barely breathe, he starts to squeak out a few words.
“How did you find us?”
“Gouldern puts trackers on all my victims in case of a runaway but didn’t really need them after you two tried to Gary up the place a block from our coliseum.”
“Stop shitting on Gary! Only I can do that!”
X chokes Junkrat out now too! Alton slips out the shadows and speaks up.
“We know Junkrat, everyone knows, people find it by the smell now. Drop them X.”
X goes for the double chokeslam!
No! A Molvanian cocktail comes out of the shadows, hits X and breaks against his arm!
His arm is on fire! He’s forced to let go! Alton charges after Marvolo!
A low blow! Marvolo gets sweet revenge for his mini Marvolos!
Junkrat drops X with a jumping DDT! He gets on Marvolo’s shoulders!
Riptire! He jumps off and hits the 450 splash!
They’ve got one over on Imperium this week but who threw the bottle?
Marvolo II and Junkrat search the area and find Raquel hiding behind a wall.
“You saved us, Raquel! How did you find us?”
Raquel pulls out her phone and points to the screen.
“App.”
“That’s my Raquel! She can’t keep her eyes off Marvolo!”
Marvolo II hugs Raquel and Junkrat gives them two thumbs up.
Cut.
BATTER UP
SOMEWHERE ELSE
Another crisp morning at the ball field.
This time, Mez is on the mound.
“Batter up!” Coach Sparky McCarthy calls. “Let’s see how Hot Steve is at the plate.”
Helstrom gets in position.
“Alright, dumbasses,” McCarthy says to the team behind him. “Here we go.”
Mez releases his first pitch. An oddball change-up.
Helstrom swings–and misses! The team groans.
“Focus,” the knight says to himself. “Quiet your mind.”
Mez winds up and releases another change-up.
Helstrom swings and… CRACK!
A scorching hot line drive!
DIIIING!
The ball careens off Mez’s face mask!
Infuriated, he charges at Helstrom.
“My kindred warrior!” Helstrom calls. “I meant no harm!”
But Mez is upon him. Helstrom puts up only enough resistance to defend himself.
“Master McCarthy!” Helstrom yells.
But McCarthy’s too busy bragging to his team in the dugout.
“You see,” he says. “You get three alpha males in the game…”
Helstrom blocks a right hand from Mez.
“Thinking man’s play is to pit two of ‘em against each other.”
Helstrom tries to shove Mez off him, but fails.
“That way,” McCarthy says, “all you gotta do is come in and to show ‘em who’s really the boss once they’ve tuckered each other out.”
Finally, Helstrom connects with a kick to Mez’s head. The madman falls to the ground.
Helstrom stands, dusts himself off, and calmly walks across the field…
Until he’s right behind the oblivious McCarthy.
“I’m makin’ these two dumb fuckers beat the piss out of each other!” the coach cackles. “Just puttin ‘em against each other over and over til it happens! Haha! That’s good coachin’!”
Helstrom clears his throat.
McCarthy turns around.
“Deception,” Helstrom says, disgusted. “Lies, trickery. You bring shame to an honorable sport.”
He points his finger at the coach.
“Your fraudulent ways betray the malice in your heart,” Helstrom says. He motions at Mez. “As his uncontrollable rage betrays whatever lurks inside of him. It is time that both of you are brought before the King that I serve. Ready yourselves. We will soon see what you were forged of.”
He turns and walks away.
That’s when McCarthy notices that Mez is now back up–and staring at him furiously through the mask.
Mez charges at Coach!
But quickly falls back down again, still too rattled to move.
“Shit. Come here quick,” McCarthy says to the team. “Restrain him before he wakes up.”
Cut.
MARK GOULDERN VS. JUNKRAT
SINGLES MATCH
What happens when the precision of technology meets the chaos of anarchy? We’re about to find out, as Mark Gouldern takes on Junkrat!
Junkrat charges at Gouldern, who quickly dodges before unloading a flurry of offense that ends with a swift kick to the leg of Junkrat…but Junkrat grabs at his TeleBoot, trying to yank it right off Gouldern’s foot! Gouldern fights off Junkrat before nailing him with a kick to the skull!
Junkrat drops down as Gouldern goes to work now, stomping away and using every advantage he can get from his tech in the process. Following the advice of Telaris, Gouldern taunts Junkrat to get up before connecting with a big standing dropkick, with a boost from his TeleBoots! RUTHLESS INSPIRATION!
Gouldern is really feeling a rush as he goes for a cover…but only a two count! The Herald of the Future is frustrated as he argues with the ref, but Junkrat is back to his feet! Gouldern turns to face his opponent, stepping right into a frantic flurry of offense!
Junkrat is really having a go at Gouldern as he lets his fists fly, connecting several punches on Gouldern before going after his TeleGauntlet…CONCUSSION MINE! Junkrat rocks Gouldern’s world with a Tilt-a-Whirl DDT before climbing the turnbuckle…RIP-TIRE! A 450 Splash seems to do the trick as Junkrat covers Gouldern: ONE…TWO…THREE!!!
The ref raises Junkrat’s arm in victory tonight, as anarchy prevails over the technology of Mark Gouldern!
PITCH
RINGSIDE
The battle between Gouldern and Junkrat reaches its conclusion but before anybody can go anywhere, the lights in the Slaughterhouse flicker. Then black out completely. From the darkness, maniacal laughter pierces the air.
Laughter followed by an unmistakable voice.
“Oopsie-daisy. Is that what that button does?”
Silence follows, then more manic laughter.
When the lights flicker back on once more, Seesaw is standing in the center of the ring opposite Mark Gouldern. Junkrat is at ringside and hightails it away from Seesaw, almost tripping over the freakish Kenny Freeman toybot creation that Seesaw has brought with him in his haste.
In the ring, Gouldern backs away from the surprise visitor, holding his hands up in front of him.
“Whatever you’re here for SeeSaw, I don’t want to know.”
SeeSaw looks hurt, offended even. Taken aback, he takes a deep breath before speaking.
“Marky… Why the animosity? Can we not let bygones be bygones and move on into a new future? Together…”
Gouldern says nothing, but his face remains unimpressed.
“It’s Mark, or Mister Gouldern to you. Not Marky.”
SeeSaw looks hurt again but carries on with his pitch. He gets nice and close to Gouldern.
“All I ever wanted was a friend, Marky. Is that too much to ask?”
“I’m… Not going to be your… Friend.”
SeeSaw laughs, softly at first, then growing into a manic piercing laugh as before.
“Not you silly Billy. Though you are an important part of the process. Imagine a world where no child has to grow up lonely. Every child can have a friend. Because we can make them…”
Gouldern waits, as if waiting for a punchline.
“Make them what?”
SeeSaw puzzles, shaking his head. Then he beckons towards the Kenny Freemanbot, encouraging it to enter the ring. It trudged slowly towards them.
“No, we can make them. Toys as friends. Intelligent with real life personalities. Just like I have tried. But…”
Freemanbot reaches the steps to the ring, takes the first step then falls sideways over and fails about like a dead ant. SeeSaw brings his palm to his face.
“I’ve got a few flaws to iron out. That’s where I need you.”
Gouldern pushes SeeSaw away, taking back a semblance of control in the situation.
“You want my help to produce an army of freaks like that? Why would I do a thing like that?”
Seesaw chuckles, menacingly.
“No… An army of freaks like your boy X. Real toy soldiers, and Pokémon, and Barbies… The possibilities are endless. And you will help because together we can make magic. That and if you don’t, I’d hate for your genius brain to end up like Kenny here. I’d hate for anything… Unfortunate to happen to you.”
SeeSaw backs away, slipping out of the ring and leaving Mark.
“Think about it Marky. Or do you need more convincing?”
Cut.
EQUALS
BACKSTAGE
In the Slaughterhouse, The Butcher sits behind a desk in his office, smoking a big cigar.
He looks relatively deep in thought until the door knocks and in walks Edward Newton. The Riddler is wearing the Old School Wrestling Championship over his shoulder with pride.
“You wanted to see me?” Newton asks, pulling a chair out and taking a seat.
“I did,” The Butcher says whilst exhaling smoke. “It’s about that Championship. The short and skinny of it, son, is that you didn’t earn it so you can’t keep it.”
Newton’s right eye twitches.
“Luke Storm gave this Championship to me as his successor,” Newton counters. “Therefore, I am your Champion.”
The Butcher vehemently shakes his head.
“That’s not how this works. I’m the last person to want to get in the way of your punishing him, but if you want that title then you’re going to have to earn a shot at winning it.”
Edward looks furious, but manages to keep his cool.
“Now,” he continues. “I understand that you’re in league with Sigil, is that right?”
The Riddler nods.
“Me too, it would seem. He has his fingers in a lot of pies, as do I and frankly, as I imagine do you. I don’t see why we can’t work together.”
“You have nothing I want, Butcher,” Riddler scoffs.
“Is that right?” He replies with a wry smile. He opens a folder on the desk and throws it in front of Newton, who looks a little confused.
The Riddler opens it, peering inside.
Something halts him.
“It may have gone generally unnoticed but when you came back to Old School Wrestling and targeted Luke Storm, I couldn’t help but wonder why, so I investigated,” The Butcher admits with a chuckle. “And boy, what I found out was…”
“Enough!” Newton interrupts. “You must know bargaining with me in this way isn’t wise?” He asks, closing the folder. “People have tried and failed horribly.”
The Butcher reaches into his desk and pulls out a second cigar, rolling it across the table to his counterpart. Edward looks a little perturbed, but takes it. He finds the clip quickly passed to him, followed by a lighter.
“I’m not bargaining,” Colin begins, moving the lighter away. “I’m establishing common ground.”
He pulls a second folder, pushing that one more carefully across. Edward reluctantly but curiously flips it open, his eyes widening.
“This is why you’re in league with Sigil and The Red Skull Order?” The Riddler queries. “You must know this cannot end well.”
Colin nods. He takes another long puff of his cigar and exhales sharply.
“Now you know my dirty little secret and I know yours. We’re no longer leveraged, we’re equals,” The Butcher admits with a confidence. “That means we can work together.”
“Interesting,” Edward replies with a smile. “And how might that be mutually beneficial?”
“You want Luke Storm to pay and who is in a better position to make that happen?” Colin continues, laying out his plan. “I may need to take that title back from you now but I think between us, we can look at the long game here.”
Newton takes the title from his shoulder and places it on the desk, listening.
“What I need from you is regular updates on Sigil and what he’s doing. Then, when the time comes, I need someone capable of putting him down,” The Butcher growls. “I don’t trust The Red Skull Order but I have no choice to obey if I want to stand a chance at getting what I need. At some stage, Sigil will become too powerful, too immense and he’ll need to be stopped. There’s no-one here that can do that except you.”
“What about the Green Skull that hunts him?” Newton says with a smile.
“He may be powerful, he may be strong, but there’s only one man that is rarely ever defeated in combat around here and that’s you,” The Butcher admits with great sincerity. “So, what do you say?”
Edward stand up, leaving the Championship on the desk.
“We have a deal,” The Riddler beams, very pleased to accept. “But I warn you, Butcher, these agreements rarely work out for all parties.”
The Riddler walks away with a nod, exiting the office.
The camera continues to follow him down the hall, watching as he pulls a flip phone from his pocket. He dials a number, checks behind him and waits.
“It worked,” Edward delightfully announces. “Just as I had hoped. Forcing Luke to give me the Championship opened the door as I expected, but the fruit has yet to truly be plucked. Be wary, Sigil, The Butcher doesn’t trust anyone.”
Cut.
PICKPOCKET & SCRIMSHAW VS. MEZ & MCCARTHY
TAG TEAM MATCH
The Old Sea Dog and his least favorite thief take on the Old Ball Coach and his favorite lunatic player. It’s Scrimshaw and Pickpocket vs Mez and Sparky McCarthy!
Its Scrimshaw and Sparky to kick things off. Sparky comes charging towards Scrimshaw, who drapes him over the middle rope with a drop toe hold! Pickpocket sends a stiff kick into Sparky’s jaw from the ring apron! Quick tag to Pickpocket! SPRINGBOARD LEGDROP across Sparky’s throat! Pickpocket makes the cover! ONE! TWO! KICKOUT BY SPARKY!
Pickpocket drags Sparky up to his feet and whips him into his own corner! Mez tags himself in and steps into the ring! He charges towards Pickpocket, leapfrog! SCRIMSHAW PULLS DOWN THE TOP ROPE! MEZ TOPPLES OVER TO THE OUTSIDE!
Mez slowly stumbles up to his feet. Pickpocket tags in Scrimshaw, then takes off running! He bounces off the ropes! Pickpocket returns and LEAPS OVER THE TOP ROPE! WHAT’S YOURS IS MINE!!! ANARCHY!!! MEZ’S LOU THESZ PRESS!!! Pickpocket rains down on him with punches! The Robin Hood of OSW brings Mez to his feet and rolls him into the ring!
RIGHT INTO A CAPTAIN’S HOOK FROM SCRIMSHAW!!! Mez cries out in pain, but has nowhere to run! Sparky runs into the ring to break up the hold! BUT PICKPOCKET MEETS HIM HALFWAY! SNATCH AND GRAB TO MCCARTHY!!! MEZ HAS NO FUCKING CHOICE!!! HE HAS TO TAP OUT!!!
Scrimshaw and Pickpocket pick up the victory after putting on a tag team wrestling clinic! The fan favorites roar with approval for their favorite odd couple!
CLARITY
SOMEWHERE ELSE
Somewhere deep in Sigil’s citadel, a magical stone golem sits motionless next to the obsidian Altar of Perspective.
Staring at the altar is The Collector himself, Sigil.
“Unfortunate timing,” he says to the golem. It nods. “With all that lies before me, this fool with an axe must be dealt with?”
A green cone of light emerges from the golem. It scans the altar.
“He didn’t believe me when I told him it was useless. And why would he? I was stalling. He knows what this is. Regardless, I have bought myself some time. But what do I do with it?”
The golem emits a loud whirr.
“Don’t be crass,” Sigil responds.
The golem’s searchlight goes over a specific area on the base of the altar. It alarms Sigil, who bends down to inspect the spot. In front of him, a strange rune begins to glow blue.
The entire altar vibrates. Suddenly, the room disappears.
It’s replaced by… the universe?
Sigil himself stands larger than all the vast reaches of space. He is a giant compared to the cloud of stars, planets, and moons that existence calls home.
Then a horrifying, shrill noise comes from all directions at once.
He covers his ears and crouches down.
With an abrupt crack, Sigil is returned to the room in his citadel.
The golem is on the floor–broken in half and severely shattered.
Above the golem stands The Judge, his mighty axe in his hands. A blue portal is open behind him.
“You dare to desecrate a holy object? I saw through your lies instantly. And I felt it the moment you activated it,” he says.
“That item is interesting and fascinating, no doubt,” Sigil says. “But ultimately, it’s not very useful.”
“It is the student who does not understand the lesson,” The Judge says. “That object and the lessons it offers are sacred to my order. You will let me have it.”
“Nothing leaves my collection,” Sigil growls.
“Wager it,” The Judge says.
“Only a fool would do that,” Sigil says. “You have nothing to offer me. I don’t have time for this. Leave.”
“If you stand in the way of universal balance,” The Judge says, “it is my sacred duty to remove you.”
“So be it,” says Sigil.
He lunges viciously–but The Judge merely takes a step back through his portal.
“We will settle this,” he says before closing the portal.
Cut.
SEESAW © VS. ALTON WHITLOCK © VS. BEG ©
TRIPLE THREAT MATCH
It’s a championship free-for-all tonight as three title holders go toe to toe for true supremacy.
The bell sounds as Imperium goes right for Seesaw, dropping him with a double clothesline before beginning to revival stomp the living hell out of the Double Feature Champion. Both men pull Seesaw up, BEG hooking him up from behind in a waistlock. Whitlock takes his damn head off with a jumping lariat before BEG drives him down on his neck with a GERMAN SUPLEX!
Seesaw is down as BEG goes for the cover, ONE…TW..Whitlock pulls him off. Whitlock goes for the cover himself, ONE…TW…BEG pulls him off. BEG and Whitlock go nose to nose, tempers flying before they both begin to exchange heavy rights and lefts, Whitlock getting the better with a european uppercut before hooking his leg around BEG’s neck, PARTY POLI…NO!
BEG spins out, trying to lock in the Million Dollar Dream, MODIFIED FLIGHT OF THE ORNITHOPTER! Seesaw takes down both men with a huge Crossbody as the Double Feature champ is all fired up. He pulls Alton up, wrapping his arms around his throat before snapping him down with WOODY’S ROUNDUP, then just ducking under a wild right from BEG, he snaps him over his knee with a backbreaker before swinging him face down onto the mat with the ROCK A BYE!
Seesaw goes to pull BEG up for the end but he gets stunned by a hard elbow to the back of the head from Alton before being driven into the mat with a Russian Legsweep. Alton greets a rising BEG with a knee to the jaw before lifting him up for the BETTER WORLD. BEG manages to slip out, locking in the Million Dollar Dream but Alton is fighting, backing up against the turnbuckle, SUPERFINE TURBINE BLAST! BEG’s body weight splatters Alton into the steel as BEG is lifted up, THE TEETER TOTTER! Seesaw covers, ONE…TWO…THREE!!!
Seesaw picks up the victory here, picking an unlikely win up against the pair of Imperium champions
TWO GUYS, A MONKEY, AND A HEIST
FLASHFORWARD
Shutterbuck Island.
The sound of thumping is heard form the air vents of the research lab as we once again return to our unlikely duo! Scrimshaw, BJ, and Pickpocket. Two guys and a monkey! Or, maybe a guy and two monkeys, Scrimshaw wasn’t fully sure. What he did know, however, was they were closing in on their target!
“Quiet yer movin’ Pocket. We don’t want them knowin’ we’re up here.”
Pickpocket nodded his head, moving slower, or as slow as he could anyway. Scrimshaw produced a schematic from his coat, looking at it and scratching his head.
“So, we should be close. Says here that once we got through that last turn and go about a hundred feet we should be right above the little prize we were sent to catch. Just lemme…”
He moved forward, grabbing a vent cover and popping it off. He placed it inside of the vent and looked down, his eyes landing on the very thing they were sent to obtain.
A flash drive.
Scrimshaw nodded his head, smirking.
“This is it. Give me a hand gettin’ down.”
“Huh?”
Pickpocket, who had been lost in his own thoughts, missed everything that Scrimshaw just said. As the pirate turned around to berate him the duo heard a creak. Then a groan. Then a moan.
And what followed, of course, was the ventilation shaft coming tumbling down! The two men careened into the floor at comical speeds! And with all the commotion, as one would expect…
The alarm sounded.
“Oh Zerath fucking damn it!”
“Language!”
“Fuck you!”
Scrimshaw leaped to his feet and Scrimshaw followed! They looked at each other then the flash drive before Pickpocket spoke up.
“Take it and run?”
An audible sigh.
“Take it and run.”
BJ scooped up the flash drive in his grubby little paws before leaping onto Pickpocket’s back! The two men made a B-line down the hallway, turning as soon as they see guards approaching before reaching a seeming dead end!
“Aw man. I think we’re caught.”
Pickpocket let his head droop, but Scrimshaw merely grabbed his arm.
“No, no we aren’t.”
Without warning Scrimshaw dragged Pickpocket into the nearest thing he saw. The garbage chute.
Both men let out yelps as they plummeted downwards, landing in a big pile of trash… right at the docks. They wasted little time as they rushed away, leaping back into the barrel and pushing away from port! Pickpocket let out a sigh of relief as he spoke to Scrimshaw.
“I’m glad that blue print had that chute on there, huh?”
“Oh, no. There wasn’t any like that on there. I just guessed.”
“You did?”
“I’ll take dying in an incinerator to going to prison.”
“Is prison that bad?”
“For someone like you? Yes.”
The rest of the… floating one would say, was spent with Pickpocket asking many questions, most of which were met with non-answers.
BEGGING FOR IT
SOMEWHERE ELSE
On the roof of the Slaughterhouse, we find none other than Berkshire Ellison Green, fresh off the Champion Showcase triple threat match. He stares up at the dark night sky, taking in the eerily quiet Hell’s Kitchen.
But BEG doesn’t care about any pandemic. He has his own issues at hand.
With a devilish grin on his face, he walks over to tarp-covered object, pulling the black tarp off to reveal a strange cylindrical object.
A spotlight.
He walks to the back of the spotlight, turning it on, causing a large light to shine into the night sky. In the center of the light shines a red bat.
BEG crosses his arms as we hear the rustling of a cape on the top of the access doorway to the roof. Green doesn’t even turn around.
“You been tailing me?” Green asks, slowly turning around to greet his quarry.
The Red Death.
“You anxious to join your thugs?” Death asks, referencing the dead men from last week.
BEG chuckles.
“If an idiot like you could kill them so easily, then maybe I need new associates.” He replies. “But I didn’t expect you to show your face again. I thought you bat folks liked to start the problem then fuck off.”
Death leaps down to stand in front of BEG, who backs off a hair.
Then BEG smiles.
BANG!
Out of the spotlight, a huge net flies out, covering the Red Death. BEG draws a knife out of his coat, and begins to circle Death, who is already working to free himself.
“Ignoring their actual value, you took assets from me, Bill.” BEG says, referencing Death’s former identity. “Maybe I need to finish you off before I can have your boss. I’m going to enjoy doing it, too. You’ve been begging for it since you laid eyes on me. I’d hate to disappoint you.”
Red stops struggling, and snarls at BEG.
“You like getting bloody, Green. But you won’t like it when you’re drowning in your own.”
Berkshire shrugs, dropping the knife into the net.
“It’s your funeral, Kirby.” BEG taunts. “You’re standing on the train tracks, begging for the train to hit you. I’m going to enjoy gutting you, kid. Maybe I’ll leave your face in tact so they can bury you next to your wife.”
He walks away as Death goes crazy with rage. BEG escapes into the Slaughterhouse and locks the door behind him as Red almost rips the net to shreds after that last taunt.
These two are going to tear each other apart!
Cut.
MARVOLO VS. X VS. BANZAN
TRIPLE THREAT MATCH
Tonight, we are in the Boneyard! Half of the tag team championship contenders are fighting in the rusty cage tonight! Steel walls and a wooden floor means hard impacts all match! Three men enter, will it be X, Marvolo II, or Banzan who leaves? We find out now!
DING! DING! X charges right after Marvolo and levels him with a clothesline! Banzan is going for the Saito suplex but X elbows his way out of it and drops Banzan with a haymaker! X grabs the cage and rips part of it off! The ripped metal is in his hand and he is lacerating Marvolo’s chest with it! His chest is ripped open and bleeding!
X IS REELING BACK!
HE HAS THE CAGE PIECE IN HIS NORMAL HAND AND HIS BIONIC ARM IS READY AS ALWAYS!
EXECUTION!
MARVOLO IS DESTROYED WITH THAT DOUBLE AXE HANDLE AND HE GOES DOWN HARD!
HE COVERS!
ONE!
. . .
TWO!
. . .
BANZAN BREAKS IT UP WITH A JUMPING KNEE DROP!
X is stunned and Banzan pulls him up! STO on the hardwood floor! Banzan plants X and holds him on the floor! He hits him hard with some massive hammer fists! Banzan backs up against the corner of the cage and waits for X to get up! X is getting to his hands and knees! Banzan charges! MAGGA! He hits the Kinshasa knee strike!
HE DOESN’T COVER!
X IS AGAINST THE CAGE SLUMPED AND SEATED!
BANZAN BACKS UP!
MAGGA!
RUNNING KNEE STRIKE AGAINST THE CAGE!
MARVOLO SNEAKS UP BEHIND BANZAN!
SUPLEX TO THE FACE!
MARVOLO COVERS!
ONE!
. . .
TWO!
. . .
BANZAN GETS THE SHOULDER UP!
Marvolo stomps away on Banzan! He starts choking Banzan out! Banzan looks like he is about to pass out but no he wraps his legs around Marvolo’s head!
SAMUDAYA!
HE’S LOCKED IN THE TRIANGLE CHOKE!
MARVOLO MIGHT PASS OUT NOW!
HE’S SLOUCHING AND BREATHING HEAVY!
HE WINDS HIS HEAD BACK UP ENOUGH TO SPIT!
HE’S GOING FOR THE POISON MIST!
BANZAN PULLS HIM IN DEEP WITH THE LEGS AND COVERS MARVOLO’S MOUTH!
HE’S CHOKING ON THE MIST AND TAPS OUT INSTANTLY!
Banzan has proven why he’s a former world champion! He has won in the Boneyard!
GOODNIGHT, PRINCESS
SOMEWHERE ELSE
Later Tonight.
Scarlett Storm lays in bed, holding a teddy bear. Luke Storm sits in a chair nearby, finishing a bedtime story.
“And they all lived happily after,” Storm says, closing the story book.
“Just like you and me, daddy,” replies Scarlett, finishing with a yawn.
“That’s right,” Storm says. He gives her a kiss on the forehead and pulls the covers over her nicely.
“Goodnight princess,” Storm whispers. He walks out of the bedroom and stops dead in his tracks.
For there, in the hallway, stands The Cryptkeeper.
“What the fuck are you doing here?” Storm asks, taking a defensive posture in the doorway.
The Cryptkeeper grins. “Tit for tat. You stepped into my home without permission, and thus I’ve walked into yours.”
Luke chuckles darkly. “Your in the eye of the storm now, Keeper. I suggest you leave, before lightning strikes.”
“I wonder, Luke. You would sacrifice anything to save the little girl in that room from The Riddler. But tell, what will you sacrifice to save yourself from me?”
Luke sneers. “I won’t have to sacrifice a thing to kick your ass, Keeper. And we don’t have to wait until next week to watch you Fade to Black.”
Crypt grins. “Luke, it won’t be me who–”
LIGHTNING STRIKE!
AND THIS TIME, IT DOESN’T MISS!
CRYPTKEEPER IS OUT!
Luke stands in the hallway, hovering over Crypt’s body.
He grabs Cryptkeeper by the jacket and drags him to the door.
Luke swings it open. He looks down at Cryptkeeper and snarls.
“Goodnight princess.”
He throws Crypt out of the house and slams the door.
“Daddy!” Scarlett yells. “What’s going on? Is everything okay?”
Luke exhales. “Yeah, sweetheart.
“Everything is just fine.”
Cut.