VHS #106 – SUN DANCE

THE SPIRIT OF FIRE
SOMEWHERE ELSE

[Click.] [Static covers the screen as a Play ► symbol appears in the bottom right-hand corner.] [Recorded Earlier.] [In the middle of the night, a fire rages. The sounds of chanting and singing can be heard as Tommy Hawk emerges from a tepee with the World Championship strapped tightly around his waist.] [An elder approaches, wearing a traditional attire. His long scraggly beard reaches half way down his chest and the wrinkles on his face tell a tale of time.]

“My son, the spirit of fire has chosen you to walk this path.”

[He looks downwards towards a row of hot coals, the fire beneath them being stoked by those chanting.]

“He wishes for you to take in his warmth.”

[The Elder backs away and allows Tommy to step forward. He takes a deep breath and slowly begins to walk over the hot coals, barefoot, wincing as he does. With every step, his pain seems to lessen, until he finally reaches the end. With burnt feet, he’s helped towards a wooden log, and seated there as the Elder approaches.]

“Your sacrifice to the spirit of fire has not been successful, Tommy. I fear that is not all he wants. I fear that he wants your Championship.”

[Tommy nods.] “I too feared this, Elder. I cannot let our people lose fire, but I will not sacrifice my Championship.”

[There’s a pause – a deafening silence, as his people stop their chanting.]

“If you do not, he could take away our light, our warmth and our life. If he gives, he may take away. Everything the power does, it does in a circle. If you give unto him your title, he will give unto us the gift of fire. We will retain our knowledge of this land. Remember, a good chief gives, he does not take.”

[The World Champion sits there for a moment, contemplating what he may have to do. After a short silence, he speaks.]

“I will wage war with the spirit of fire to retain our knowledge.”

[Everyone gasps, but not the Elder.] “If a man is to do something more than human, he must have more than human powers. Come to me later, we must Sun Dance.”

[Hawk nods in agreement.] [Cut.]

THE SCARECROW VS. ALISTAIR HUXLEY
SWEET DREAMS QUALIFICATION

[The Hayman and The Ringmaster size each other up as the bell rings in this Sweet Dreams qualification contest. Scarecrow is the first to lunge forward in an attempt to take his opponent down with a swift clothesline, but Alistair Huxley is able to duck underneath the arm, springing up quickly and hitting a big drop kick to the back of Crow which sends him front first into the corner of the ring! Huxley wraps his hand around Scarcrow’s neck, driving his head straight in to the turnbuckle with a flurry of heavy blows! The Hayman reels back, dazed and confused.] [The Ringmaster goes downstairs and applies the testicular claw on Scarecrow, but this only serves to anger the big man who hits one, two, three, FOUR forearm shots to the side of Huxley’s head! Alistair releases the hold on Crow who scoops him up straight in to a STANDING POWERSLAM! God, what impact! And the cover… 1… 2… KICK OUT by Alistair, but only by the skin of his teeth! Scarecrow wastes no time in grabbing a clump of Huxley’s hair and standing him up. Irish whip into the ropes and… FALLAWAY SLAM! The Ringmaster soaks up another high impact move!] [The end could well be near now as The Hayman signals for one of his trademark maneuvers. Scarecrow simply waits as Alistair arrives slowly on his knees. Crow clamps Huxley’s head between his legs; he’s going for The Perch! He rolls Alistair up and into the crucifix position, but wait- The Ringmaster is wriggling his way out of the Powerbomb! My god he’s going to do it… Yes! Huxley just countered The Perch! The Hayman scratches his head, wondering as we all just how in the hell Alistair Huxley managed to that, and then… THE SLEEPER HOLD! THE SLEEPER HOLD FROM HUXLEY! WILL HE…? CAN HE…?] [THE BIG TOP DROP! Big time Sleeper Suplex from The Ringmaster! The fans inside the Tap Room are anticipating a huge upset here and urge Alistair to make the cover, but he’s not through yet. He ascends the top rope and waits patiently for Crow to get back to his feet. The Hayman turns and Alistair leaps from the turnbuckle… CIRQUE DU TORMENNNN… NO! SCARECROW JUST CAUGHT HUXLEY BY THE THROAT MID-AIR ANDDDD… BYE BYE BIRDIE! 1… 2… 3! Alistair Huxley was one iota away from winning this one, but it’s the Scarecrow who advances victorious tonight!]

DESPITE ALL MY RAGE…
RINGSIDE

[The screen goes grainy, before revealing a television set backstage. Across the room, a steel shark cage with a dejected Hayden HardKore looking on as he sits on the cage floor. Next to the television, his mere club out of reach as one of Huxley’s freaks enters. The bearded lady shuts the television off, jingling the keys in her hand as she approaches the cage with a smirk on her face.]

“There there, Maui. Huxley wouldn’t want you sulking like that, it’s very unfitting of his warrior. Let’s turn that frown upside down, shall we?”

[HardKore jumps up, pulling at the bars…but his strength is of no effect to the cage, drawing a chuckle from the bearded lady.]

“I really don’t know why you keep trying, love. We made sure to reinforce the bars on that after your little stunt a while back.”

[She picks up the mere club, looking at it fondly as she steps closer to the cage. She rears back, taking a swing against the bars of the cage to scare HardKore…which has no effect on the Maori Warrior, who instead grabs the club from her! He slams the club against the cage bars…and after a moment, they give way! HardKore breaks out of the cage, the bearded lady taking off for Huxley as HardKore stares at the television before taking a swing at it with the club, destroying the television in one swift motion! He turns around at the sound of more of Huxley’s freaks entering the room, smiling as he begins to perform a haka, his tongue sticking out before uttering a few words.]

“All right boys, let’s see what you’re made of.”

[He charges at the freaks, swinging his club.] [Cut.]

MOTHER VS. DTR
SWEET DREAMS QUALIFICATION

[We have a great qualifying match for Sweet Dreams as the Family’s father faces off against the Mother of all. Can the Virus put down Mother or is her venom too strong even for DTR?] [The bell sounds as both competitors circle around one another, a giant smile on the face of the Virus as he eyes down Mother. He rushes forward with a wild clothesline that Mother easily ducks under as she spins him around, peppering him with hard kicks that staggers the Virus back. A big elbow dazes DTR as Mother spins him around, trying for a German Suplex. DTR manages to land on his feet, kneeing Mother in the back before lifting her up, FILL IN THE BLANK!] [DTR drops down for the cover but Mother kicks out before the referee can even count one, flipping DTR to the mat as she tries to lock him into her embrace! The Virus quickly escapes, getting to his feet right into a hard roundhouse kick to the face that staggers him into the corner before a hard running dropkick sends him crumbling to the canvas. Mother drops down, flipping herself into the crab position before slowly walking forward as DTR gets up , CRAB KICK! Mother pulls him out of the corner before dropping down for the cover] [ONE…TWO…DTR gets the shoulder up! Mother pulls him up to his feet but gets a lightning quick jawbreaker before DTR lifts her up, swinging her onto the ropes before driving her down to the canvas with a Brainbuster! DTR doesn’t cover, climbing up to the top rope as he sizes Mother up for a moment, LIGHTS OUT…MISSES! DTR gets up, holding his back in pain as he walks right into the Black Mist! The Virus staggers back, blinded as Mother rushes forward with the kinshasa, HAPPILY EVER AFTER! DTR is knocked out cold as Mother hooks the leg for the cover, ONE…TWO…THREE!!!] [Mother picks up a huge victory as she moves on from losing her Rewind Championship to being officially a part of the Sweet Dreams match. In a few months time, could we be seeing Mother as the OSW World Champion because of this victory?]

LIES AND TRUTH
BACKSTAGE

[Sergei Sokolov sits in his locker room tapping away at a laptop. He types with the speed of a man that is not familiar with computers nor fluent in the English language. We can see over his shoulder. He types in “Alexi Petrov” into a search engine. It comes back: NO RESULTS FOUND. Sokolov sighs deeply, frustrated. He erases his previous search and types “General Petrov Russia” …. NO RESULTS FOUND. Sergei puts his head down on the desk, and breathes deeply. But suddenly…] [Static] [The screen goes black with a small white cursor blinking in the top left corner.] [Static] [Mr. X’s face fills the screen.]

“What in hell?” [Sergei exclaims. He pushes the escape button over and over, but nothing changes. The face on the screen speaks.]

“That won’t do any good, Sergei. I’m in until I am ready to be gone.”

“Get out of computer!”

[And amazingly, X’s face disappears, but it is quickly replaced by a picture of Alexi Petrov. He shakes hands with an unknown man with his back turned to us.]

“Where you find this, X?”

“The Dark Web, Mr. Sokolov. I know you are still learning English,” [Mr. X says from the speakers.] “So allow me to read the article.”

[Mr. X reads the words that we can see on the screen.]

“General Alexi Petrov (left) is a high ranking official in the Russian Secret Service, also known as the Foreign Intelligence Service [FIS] He is connected with many espionage circles, with spies in as many as 23 different international governmental bodies. He is also known for his unorthodox tactics of gaining information through manipulating Russian citizens and informants, using them for all that they are worth and then disposing of them. Petrov is….”

[Sokolov has heard enough and slams the laptop shut, cutting off Mr. X’s voice and removing the image from the screen.]

“Lies! The Russian Bear will not believe these lies told by dirty American hacker!”

[He stands abruptly, knocking his chair over, and launches the computer into the wall, smashing it. He stands quietly, breathing deeply. But then Mr. X’s voice fills the room from nowhere, but seemingly everywhere.]

“The only lies are those of your own country. Soon you will see the truth.”

[Sokolov balls his fists and screws up his face as we cut.]

BOUGHT AND PAID FOR
BACKSTAGE

[The backstage area of the Tap Room is often host to all sorts of brawls, but all too rarely do we see someone actively avoiding a fight.] [Yet Ethan Bird is currently skulking around in the labyrinth of hall ways. He boastfully holds on to his VHS Championship, but seems to be very carefully avoiding going anywhere near people. Bird is man with many enemies, and after No Exit, he knows that Jack Jeckel is hunting him. Yet as the Champ rounds a corner, the color seems to run out of his face as he finds himself face to face to with a trio of men in very nice suits.] [Big men.] [Yet its the man behind them with a scowl on his face that Bird seems most interested to see in the Tap Room.]

“Mr. Flint?” [Ethan Bird asks, his confidence instantly back on his face.] “Ethan Bird didn’t expect to see you here today.”

[Flint steps between his bodyguards, his body language suggesting that he is in a hurry.]

“Cut the crap, Bird.”

[He shoves a piece of paper into the chest of the VHS Champion, who looks down at it. It’s the booking mugshot of Jake Jeckel from his imprisonment, facilitated by Bird at No Exit.]

“We had a deal.” [Flint says, his smooth business voice not betraying the fire in his eyes.] “I paid 1.5 million dollars for you to walk out at Ring of Dreams and end Jake Jeckel. That’s not a small amount of money, and I even let the Chief slap me to get it. I don’t deal well with that shit, you hear me?”

[Bird grimaces, but nods.]

“That is non-refundable, and I’m going to get what I paid for.” [He lets the mugshot crash to the ground.] “I can’t get Jake out of jail, but you bet your ass that I’m going to see you take on a Jeckel at Ring of Dreams.”

[Bird snorts with confidence.]

“Jack Jeckel won’t be a problem.”

[Flint snorts back.]

“You sure?”

[ETHAN BIRD GETS BLINDSIDED BY JACK JECKEL!] [Jack Jeckel has entered the scene, and now he and Ethan Bird are exchanging blows, going down the hallway away from Flint. The bodyguards start to head after them, but Errol waves them off. Instead he bends down and picks up the VHS Championship, flinging it over his shoulder. The mugshot from before is gone, though.]

“Let ’em go.”

[His eyes follow Bird and Jeckel as they round the corner. A smile crosses his face.]

“I need to evaluate the situation.”

[What is he talking about?]

KING ROYAL VS. HAYDEN HARDKORE
SWEET DREAMS QUALIFICATION

[The bell sounds as King Royal immediately goes on the offence, eager to destroy his foe after falling just short of becoming World Champion at No Exit. The King fires away with some stiff right hands as Hayden struggles to get out of the blocks. Royal then attempts a hip toss but Hayden flips over and lands on his feet before bouncing off the ropes and striking with a SPINNING HEEL KICK to the King’s face! Royal staggers backwards and Hayden looks to seize the initiative as he takes him into position for a Snap Suplex – countered! Royal instead hoists Hardkore up for a VERTICAL SUPLEX of his own!] [Hayden grabs his back in agony as the King puts the boot to his fallen opponent. The Maori Warrior fights back to a vertical base but is greeted by a firm kick to the midsection and the King then goes behind and delivers a ROYAL FLUSH! Royal holds on tight and delivers one, two, three belly to back suplexes in succession, when looking for the fourth the Kiwi Battler manages to reach out and grab hold of the top rope! Royal falls backwards, unsure as to what happened and instinctively jumps back to his feet where Hayden is waiting…DDT!] [Both men are down with the stakes high and Sweet Dreams Qualification on the line. The referee uses his ten count but move men rise to their feet simultaneously at the count of 8. Hayden rushes but King Royal is ready to react and smashes him into the canvas with a SIdewalk Slam! Sensing victory, the King climbs to the top rope and takes flight in search of SPITFIRE…AND LANDS IT! The Kiwi is reeling as Royal locks in his Crossface…DUNGEONS OF LONDON! HHK is as tough as they come and fights with everything he has looking for the ropes, but Royal has it in too tight! Hayden is forced to tap!] [After recent disappointment, the King is back on track.]

DRAWN
SOMEWHERE ELSE

[A familiar vacant lot, that Calypso and her followers call home. Calypso stands atop a beer crate, allowing her to be seen above the heads of the meek homeless. As they warm themselves by the fires spouting from several barrels placed around the lot, they listen intently to their Messiah.]

“The meek shall inherit the Earth. At No Exit, it was proven. No lies told by Mother could dissuade me from the path. I thank you all for your loyalty.”

[Her speech continues in the background as our focus is drawn to a figure hiding somewhat in the shadows. He wears a hooded top, the hood drawn up to hide his face. As secretive as the figure is, he watches Calypso intently, but he is not like the others. There is something different about him, a confidence that the others do not have… and a maniacal laugh that escapes his lips in the quiet of the vacant lot.]

“I am drawn to her…” [He muses to himself aloud, nobody around to hear him. He keeps the hood up and we cannot see his face, yet it is clear that he watches her closely.] “… Like a moth to a flame. Perhaps it is that we are not so different, her and I. A following of people forgotten by a God that doesn’t care? I can relate to that.”

[He lowers the hood of his top. Desmond Cross. Still intently watching Calypso.]

“Through relating to her message, I am drawn… Not to follow her like these people do but…”

[He turns, listening intently to a voice that isn’t there. Whatever he hears seems to frustrate him, to the point that when he turns back to Calypso, his entire demeanour has changed.]

“You’re right, though… Of course.” [He speaks to the voice as if talking to somebody over his shoulder.] “She isn’t like me. She calls herself a Messiah, gathers followers that hang on her every word. She isn’t God, but to her people, she is. There is only one power worthy of being followed, and it is not Calypso.”

[Again, he turns around and argues in whispered tones with the voices inside his head. When he turns back again, his eyes are flushed with anger.]

“You’re right… Of course. She must be stopped.” [He shakes his head, another chuckle of unnatural laughter escaping his lips. He looks back to Calypso, who has finished her speech now and is busy listening to the stories of some of her followers around a barrel of fire.]

“It is a shame though… I was so drawn to her.”

[Desmond raises the hood again to hide his identity. He slips his hand inside the pocket of his top and approaches the Messiah. With the skill and grace of a pickpocket, he feigns bumping into Calypso, palming off a note to her. In the confusion, she doesn’t notice the note until the figure has slipped off into the night. She opens it, reading the two words it contains.

‘I’m watching.’]

KEEPING IT IN THE FAMILY
THE EPICENTRE

[The Epicentre.] [What’s left of it. The boiler room has been covered in black gunge. It stretches from wall to wall, almost like a web. Sat on a chair in the middle of the room is Jensen Cussen. He’s been beaten and has remnants of dried black blood on his face.]

“How could you?” [Stephanie says, walking into frame with a disgusted look upon her face.] “How could you fail your family so badly?”

[DTR soon joins her, placing his arm around her shoulder. Jensen twinges, tilting his head. He doesn’t like that.]

“What’s the matter? Hadn’t you figured it out yet?” [DTR chuckles out loud.] “Your precious daughter and I,” [He says, pulling her close and into a rather ferocious kiss.] “We’ve become close, son.”

[Cussen doesn’t know what to do. He just looks at them, with fear, protective eyes.]

“Don’t worry daddy, we’re keeping it all in the family,” [She hisses.] “And you need to start taking care of business, or else.”

“At Ring Of Dreams, I’ll finish this,” [Cussen promises.] “I’ll end Jacob Phoenix.”

[DTR ponders it for a moment.]

“I’m not sure that you can. He wants to take my lovely Stephanie away from me, son. He wants to take her away from you, yet you seem powerless to stop it. Hasn’t the power I’ve given you had any effect? You have the strength of ten men coursing through your veins yet you’re meek and fragile.”

[Vengeance stands up, getting the face of The Virus. Dave smiles, allowing Stephanie to push between them.]

“Ya see daddy dearest, we don’t trust you to finish this. Sometimes, you need a little help, ya’know? So at Ring of Dreams, Father will join you in the ring. It’ll be a Triple Threat Match and one way or another, Jacob Phoenix will succumb to the Virus. Oh, I can’t wait.”

[Jensen looks at DTR, who smiles.] [Cut.]

EPITAPH VS. JENSEN CUSSEN
SINGLES MATCH

[Vengeance and The White Horse face off tonight here in the Tap Room. Epitaph stands across from Jensen Cussen awaiting the bell, and when it rings, the two men begin circling one another.] [Then they come together in the center of the ring and lock horns with a collar and elbow tie-up. Cussen and Epitaph struggle for a moment, until Epitaph pushes Jensen back without letting go of one of his arm. He pulls Cussen back to him and levels him with a Short Arm Clothesline!! Cussen is flipped head over heels. Epitaph pulls him up to his feet and launches Cussen over head with a release BELLY TO BACK SUPLEX! Cussen crumples to the canvas! Epitaph rushes over and covers… One… Two… Thr… Kickout! Epitaph quickly gains his feet and rips Cussen up… but Jensen strikes back with a heavy right hand… another…. Another!! Cussen whips Epitaph into the ropes and when he returns… Epitaph nails Cussen with VIOLENT RESISTANCE! One… Two… Three!!] [No! Cussen barely kicks out! Epitaph pounds three times on the canvas and holds three fingers to the ref. The ref shakes his head, and Epitaph stands, shaking his own in disbelief. He walks over to Cussen, reaches down to pull him up and HAIR-TRIGGER! Out of nowhere! Both men are down! After a six count, Cussen gets to his feet and stomps Epitaph into the mat a few times before pulling him to his feet. He hammers Epitaph with a series of stiff kicks and punches, until striking him hard with a European Uppercut which bounces Epitaph stumbling into the ropes. He bounces back towards Cussen and BLUNT FORCE TRAUMA!!! One… Two… THREE!] [NO! Epitaph’s turn for a last second kickout! Cussen can’t believe it and he rips Epitaph up by the mask. Epitaph is wobbly on his feet and Cussen bounces off the ropes with a SPRINGBOARD EUROPEAN UPPERCUT! Epitaph is down! Cussen stalks towards him but… SMALL PACKAGE! One… Two… THRE… Kickout! Cussen kicks out and both men get to their feet quickly… Epitaph swings at Cussen, who ducks under… another flurry of kicks… Epitaph is dazed… Springboard… INFINITE CHAOS!! One… Two… THREE!!] [Jensen Cussen gets the victory over Epitaph here tonight in a hard fought battle! Cussen slips out of the rings as Cussen is left to pick up the pieces.]

MELTING AWAY
RINGSIDE

[The match over, Epitaph drops down to the ringside area to leave the Tap Room. Before he can head up the aisle, the peaceful man finds himself standing before a single white candle in a plain holder. It is just sitting in the middle of the aisle with nothing around it. Epitaph goes to one knee, and reaches out to touch the candle, but as he does so, the video screen flickers.] [Static.] [Images begin to flash on the screen. A crying woman in black. A bloody hand reaching out for a lifeless face. A red horse reared back and neighing to the world.] [Fire.] [With each image of death and war, Epitaph seems more and more bothered. Yet as the images continue to cycle, the middle of the screen becomes more and more dominated by the single flame. That same flame is echoed in the candle before the White Horse.]

“War never changes, Epitaph.”

[The voice of William Abraxas rings out over the video, the flame perfectly framed between his two eyes.]

“Your veneer of peace can be found in that candle before you. Just like you, it’s lily white, standing tall as a source of peace and love. How many weddings feature the lighting of a candle by the bride and groom? Yet I come before to show you the union of war and violence. It’s unyielding and wanton destruction will soon come to dominate you.”

[Epitaph stands to his feet to stare up at the video screen, beckoning Abraxas to come to him. Of course, there is no response. Only more sinister words above brutal imagery.]

“That flame that is lit on that white candle burns a bright red. It is the Red Horse. It is war, and war will take your peace and slowly burn the candle, melting away all of the years of peaceful wax to leave nothing but the flame. Nothing but the red horse.”

[Epitaph reaches back out for the candle, but it has vanished.]

“The candle is in your heart, Epitaph.”

[The final image on the screen is of Epitaph’s mask laying on a pool of ash.]

“And I come to melt it away.”

[The video fades to black, and Epitaph is left alone.] [At No Exit, Abraxas showed what he would do to those who follow Epitaph, and this week he has shown us what he intends to do to the man himself.] [What will Abraxas do next?]

JACOB PHOENIX VS. CALYPSO
SINGLES MATCH

[Both competitors had a great night at No Exit, Calypso ending Mother’s record title run and the Phoenix beating the Family once again. Will the Phoenix continue his momentum or will the Messiah be someone he can’t overcome?] [The bell sounds as the Phoenix rushes forward, taking Calypso by surprise with a series of swift lefts and rights, a big leaping knee stunning her before he switches behind and dumps her on the back of her head with a massive German Suplex! Calypso slowly gets to her feet groggy as The Phoenix leaps up behind, ZIG ZAG…BLOCKED! Calypso manages to hold onto the ropes as the Phoenix slams himself back first onto the mat.] [Jacob gets to his feet, holding his back in pain as he walks into a hard knee lift to the face before Calypso snaps him over her shoulder with a neckbreaker. Calypso pulls Jacob up to his feet, tossing him into the corner before a hard uppercut drops him down to the canvas. Calypso backs up, SWANTON-CANNON! The Phoenix is crushed into the corner as Calypso backs up, urging the Phoenix to his feet. Jacob slowly gets up, SUPERKIC….BLOCKED! Jacob spins her around, ZIG ZAG!] [The Phoenix drops down for the cover but the referee is distracted as a homeless man jumps up onto the apron. The Phoenix has the clear win as he gets to his feet, wondering why the referee isn’t counting as Calypso reaches up, locking in the Testicular Claw! Calypso pounds away with right after right before a massive uppercut knocks the Phoenix out on his feet. Calypso lets go, draping the Phoenix over the bottom rope spring-boarding over the top rope, ULTRA-VIOLENCE…DODGED! Calypso stands up as The Phoenix grabs her from behind, FOR HER! The Phoenix collapses on Calypso as the referee counts, ONE..TWO…THREE!!!] [The Phoenix picks up a huge victory over the Rewind Champion tonight, but will he be able to do the same in the future once the Family renews their path of destruction against him?]

COMMON GROUND
BACKSTAGE

[CLANG!] [Ethan Bird’s body writhes in pain as he is thrown into a set of ladders stacked up against the wall.]

“You really thought I was just going to let you go?” [Jack Jeckel says as he stalks the man who put his brother in jail.] “After the shit you pulled?”

[Bird ducks a right hand from Jack and throws his enemy down the hallway, charging after him with a roar.]

“You really though you could trust Ethan Bird?” [Bird taunts as he kicks Jack backwards.] [The two fighting men find themselves overtaken with light as they find themselves fighting through the entrance way into the Tap Room. Bird continues his assault, throwing Jack into the guardrail surrounding the aisle to the ring.]

“This is exactly what Errol Flint wants, you imbecile.” [Bird continues.] “Now he is going to have Ethan Bird take you out, Jackie boy, and all you can do is let him pluck your strings like a damn guitar.”

[Jack charges out of his defensive position with rage, taking command and throwing Bird into the ring.]

“Fuck you, Bird! You’re not going to manipulate me like you do everyone else. You put my brother in jail. More importantly, you lied to me and made me help you.”

[Jack slides in and charges at Bird, but Ethan reaches into his pants and throws a piece of paper at Jeckel, who stops to look at it.] [It’s the mugshot of Jake from earlier. At some point in the struggle, Bird must have nabbed it.]

“If you really want your brother back, remember why Ethan Bird put him away to begin with.” [Bird says, rising to his feet to speak with guile.] “Remember who the real enemy is here, Jack.”

[Jack looks down at the picture with regret, and looks back up at Bird. The action seems to have stopped here.]

“Errol Flint caused this.” [Bird says, a smile behind his beard.] “He’s the one you need to take down. By attacking Ethan Bird, all you’re doing is giving him what he wants. And remember that what he ultimately wants is your brother dead. That’s why he hired Ethan Bird, after all. So perhaps he did you a favor by locking your brother up?”

[Jack shakes his head in the negative, but the adrenaline seems to have faded.]

“I don’t trust you, Bird.” [He begins.] “But as soon as we’re done with this match that’s happening next, you and I are going to go pay a visit to Mr. Flint. And we’re going to see if your mouth will back up his money.”

[Bird nods in agreement, the gears working behind his eyes to figure out the best course of action.] [Of course, as “Blood on my Name” hits the speakers, both men in the ring are reminded that they have to work together for the time being. Solomon Rhodes and Tommy Hawk aren’t going to care that they don’t like each other.] [And that match is next!]

TOMMY HAWK & SOLOMON RHODES VS. ETHAN BIRD & JACK JECKEL
TAG TEAM MATCH

[This tag team match is one where the tension is palpable. Will teams truly be united or will victory be the only thing they can agree on?] [The teams are trying to decide who will start the match. Solomon simply says “show why you’re the champ” and lets Tommy start it off. Ethan Bird is arguing with Jack Jeckel screaming “let the god start the match!” During this, Tommy goes behind Bird and throws him across the ring with a big GERMAN SUPLEX! Bird slowly gets up and Tommy drops him with a BRAINBUSTER! Tommy goes for the pin 1… 2…Bird kicks out! Tommy tells him to get up, when Bird does, Hawk goes for a ddt but no Bird reverses it into a CRADLE SUPLEX! Bird scrambles to Jack and gets the tag in!] [Jack runs into the ring and hits a splash on Tommy Hawk, He gets on the top rope and is going for a CAR… No, he didn’t notice what side of the ring he climbed and Solomon pushes him off the rope hard into the mat! Solomon calls for Tommy to tag him and Tommy crawls towards to get off by Bird who locks in a FULL NELSON, when the ref tells him to get out of the ring, he slams Hawk down. Both men are down. They both crawl and get the tag in on their respective partners.] [Solomon Rhodes is the freshest man in the ring, he runs and hits Bird with a hard LARIAT! As Bird is trying to get up, Rhodes hits the DARK WISH! The Dragon is on fire! He goes to the top rope and hit a corkscrew 450 splash! Solomon is looking unstoppable as he calls for the Chaos Theory. Bird gets up, Solomon jumps up, grabs the head but no, Bird catches the legs and turns into a TEXAS CLOVERLEAF! Tommy jumps into the ring, pulls out his imaginary Tomahawk and hits Bird with THE SCALP! Solomon crawls to the pin. Tommy knocks Jeckel off the ropes. 1, 2, 3! Tommy and Rhodes win!] [Solomon and Tommy celebrate the victory but Solomon looks intently at the title]

BROKEN PROMISES
RINGSIDE

[The match over, neither Jack Jeckel nor Ethan Bird has the chance to leave the ringside area before none other than Errol Flint appears. He’s flanked by his bodyguards, and Bird seems surprised to find that Flint has his VHS Championship slung over his shoulder. The tension is thick around ringside as Flint takes command of the situation.]

“I told you, Bird, that I paid for this match. I paid handsomely for it.” [He turns to look at Jack too.] “And I’ll be damned if you two walk around beating the piss out of each other every second you can. I don’t get bad returns on my deals, got it?”

[Both Bird and Jeckel seem to laugh off what he says. They look at each other, remembering their agreement earlier that Flint was the root of their issue.]

“Sorry, Errol.” [Bird begins.] “This deal isn’t going to work out the best for you.”

[Flint raises an eyebrow as Bird and Jack nod to one another in unison. They walk toward the former OSW owner as his bodyguards step forward. Errol waves them off, taking an offensive stance. Is Errol going to fight them?] [KICK TO THE STOMACH OF BIRD!] [JACK IN THE BOX!] [The VHS Champion finds himself laid out on the ground as Jack Jeckel stands over him, a sneer on his painted face. Errol Flint steps forward with a grin on his face and extends his hand. The two men shake before Errol kneels down over the fallen Ethan Bird.]

“My deals always work out the best for me, Bird.” [He begins.] “That’s why I am where I am. And why you are where you are.”

[He looks over to Jeckel, who stands behind Flint with a grin plastered on his face.]

“Jack may not agree with what I was going to do with his brother, but somehow we ended up with a common enemy.” [He places his hand on the fallen back of Bird.] “And that’s you, son. You put his brother in jail, and you robbed me of something I paid for.”

[Flint stands to his feet, keeping the VHS Championship over his shoulder.]

“So now Jack is going to work for me. And his job is to end you at Ring of Dreams.”

[He pats the title belt on his shoulder.]

“And this is going to stay with me as collateral to make sure you don’t go trying to make other deals.”

[Before he leaves, Errol has one more thing to say.]

“You ruined a 1.5 million dollar deal, Ethan, and now I’m going to make sure you pay for it. Your life isn’t worth that much, but it’s going to have to do.”

[With no further comment, Flint turns heel and heads back up the aisle. Jack Jeckel lingers for a moment, staring down at Ethan Bird with a grin on his face.] [Bird broke a deal with Jack as well.] [And now it’s time to pay the Boogeyman.]

ONE
BACKSTAGE

“Sweet Dreams are made of this, who am I to disagree?”

[The sounds of a singing King can be heard echoing throughout the halls of the Tap Room. Your majesty is carefully strolling down the halls whilst surrounded by Royal Guards.] [The lights suddenly flicker.] [Darkness.] [Painful noises crunch, snap and crackle in the broken light. Screams echo, cries yelp and men fall.] [The lights then return.] [Only the King is left standing and he is not alone.]

“Little birdie,” [The booming voice The Scarecrow looms over King Royal.] “Have you ever had a nightmare so real, so visceral, that you woke up in a cold sweat, convinced that what you had just witnessed was real?”

[The King stammers.] “W-What do you want, heathen?”

[What Royal doesn’t realize is that Mother is standing behind him.]

“Peek-a-boo!” [She yells, catching him by surprise.] [He backs up into a nearby wall, surrounded by the Monsters of Genesis.]

“Sweet Dreams is only a matter of mere weeks away, and we represent this roster in our endeavours there,” [Mother warns.] “But only one can be the number one contender. Only one can get a shot at the World Champion.”

“Only one shall leave The Asylum,” [The Scarecrow joins in.] “And let’s face it, little birdie, the Asylum is hardly your Kingdom, is it?”

[Royal suddenly puffs out his chest.]

“You’re right, savages, the Asylum is no abode fit for a King. But I possess something that neither of you cretins do. I possess an army of Knights willing to fight for a King’s victory.”

[The Scarecrow and Mother both turn around, realizing they’ve been surrounded by even more of The King’s men than before.]

“What can I tell you?” [He scoffs.] “I increased my protective detail. After battling Tommy Hawk, I had to. Men, dispatch of these incredulous imbeciles.”

[The Knights bumrush Mother and The Scarecrow, but she clicks her fingers and the lights go off.] [Flutter.] [Nothing.]

MR. X VS. WILLIAM ABRAXAS VS. DESMOND CROSS VS. SERGEI SOKOLOV
FATAL FOUR WAY MATCH

[In our main event this week, it is a chance at glory and gold as Mr. X, William Abraxas, Sergei Sokolov, and the former world champion, Desmond Cross face each other to be the new number one contender for the rewind championship] [All four men are eyeing one another trying to figure out who to take on first. Mr. X, William Abraxas, and Desmond Cross all target the Russian Tank, Sokolov. He is getting hit with strikes from every direction until… he powers out and throws all three men off of him. Mr. X charges back at Sergei and is hit with a spinning clothesline! That turns him inside out and Mr. X rolls out of the ring. Desmond Cross slides out to focus on Mr. X. William Abraxas charges at Sokolov; Sokolov goes for the NUCLEAR… No! William reverses it into a HURRICANRANA!] [William and Sokolov are eyeing each other, William smirking knowing he outsmarted the Red Tsar. Sokolov motions for Abraxas to come to him. Abraxas shakes his head no so Sergei walks towards him and William goes for a surprise clothesline! It barely budges the big man. This startles Abraxas. The surprise gives Sokolov an opening for a GORILLA PRESS! He picks up Abraxas and tosses him onto Desmond and Mr. X who are fighting outside. Sokolov does a brushing off motion. He laughs and says “let the puny ones have their fun”. He sits and watches the action unfold outside the ring.] [Abraxas gets up first and starts stomping on Mr. X, he then goes to stomp on Desmond Cross. After the third or fourth stomp, Cross grabs the foot and starts standing up with the foot still in hand. Desmond gets to his feet throws the foot down and lifts Abraxas on his shoulders… FALL FROM GRACE right on the barricade! Mr. X attacks Cross from behind and shoves him into the ring post! Cross hits the post hard and is busted wide open! Mr. X climbs onto the top rope and takes the sitting Sergei down with the MISSILE DROPKICK!] [Mr. X hits a rolling senton onto the downed Sokolov. He calls for Sokolov to get up. Sokolov gets to his knees and Mr. X hits the SHINING WIZARD! Mr. X tries to lift up Sokolov but he is struggling. He gives up trying that and walks onto the apron calling for a springboard clothesline. William Abraxas comes from out of nowhere to grab Mr. X and takes him out with a RUSSIAN LEG SWEEP onto the floor! William slides back into the ring only to be grabbed by the throat and hit with a SOVIET STRIKE!] [Sergei goes for the pin… 1… 2… No! William kicks out! Sergei gets on top of William and is dealing vicious rights and lefts to the philosopher! He starts to lift William for the Iron Curtain. A bloody Desmond Cross slides into the ring and hits Sergei hard with a CLOTHESLINE! William slips out of Sergei’s grasp and escapes the ring. Sergei gets back to his feet to be met with a series of kicks and punches from Cross! The bloodied man is on fire right now as he hits THE AWAKENING! He is not done yet as he locks in HELL’S GRASP!] [It looks like Sergei may tap out any second now. He has nowhere to go but Mr. X climbs the top rope and hits X MARKS THE SPOT to break up the hold! Sergei and Cross look completely out of it. Mr. X is waiting for either man to get up. William Abraxas slides into the ring and hits Mr. X with a running elbow to the back of the head! He is lifting Mr. X for the Existential Crisis but Sokolov gets to his feet and runs through both men! He puts both men on his shoulders and hits THE IRON CURTAIN to both men! He covers them both. 1, 2, 3! It’s all over!]

{Sergei is the new number one contender with a statement win over his completion. He yells “For Mother Russia!”]

THE SUN DANCE
SOMEWHERE ELSE

[Click.] [As we approach Summer, the days get longer.] [The camera pans in on the brightly shining sunlight before slowly lowering into the abyss of jet black hair. Carefully, we pan out to show the glistening figure of Tommy Hawk. He’s stood under the sun, shirtless, sweating and dehydrated. Ripped through his skin are rawhide thongs pegged through the skin of his chest, attached to large metal chains and reach out and connect to a large poll.] [He’s barely able to stand, weary and in agony, blood dried around his pierced wounds of pain.] [There’s no choice but to stand and accept the pain. This is his sacrifice.] [Suddenly though, through the fog of his pain, and the mist in his eyes, he sees a figure in the distance. Walking through the kicked-up dust, a man comes closer, and with every blink, closer still.] [Looking through the eyes of Tommy Hawk, we blink one last time and witness Solomon Rhodes stood before us.] [We remain looking at him through the eyes of our Champion.]

“Why have you done this to yourself?” [Rhodes asks, looking him up and down.] “Why are you making yourself suffer, Tommy?”

[Solomon lifts his chin carefully.]

“I am not who you think I am. You don’t need to sacrifice for your people, for I am not here to harm them. I just came for that,” [Solomon notes whilst pointing at the World Championship.] “And I am no God or spirit.”

[Hawk’s head slowly rises, exhausted and agonized.] [The Camera switches to the point of view of Solomon Rhodes, who stares at him in shock. He didn’t realize he could understand in his haze of pain.]

“I… I know who you are,” [Hawk says with a stammer.] “I know what you are. I can see the fire roaring within the furnace of your heart. It craves to be fuelled by what belongs to my people.”

[Rhodes angrily declares this to be a lie, ripping the hooks from Hawk’s chest violently. Blood spurts out somewhat, and Tommy falls to his knees, his mouth agape in shock.]

“No!” [The challenger growls.] “You’re mistaken.”

[Rising from the ashes of death, dehydrated and angry, Tommy Hawk slowly stands. His feet are somewhat wobbly beneath him, but his eyes are full of fury. He strikes with a thunderous right hand that knocks Solomon immediately to the sandy ground. Rhodes scrambles backwards, rolling to safety and preparing to strike back.]

“This is sacred ground, spirit. You should have not trespassed here.”

[Solomon stands, carefully backing away as Tommy clenches his fist, ready for a fight.]

“I’m sorry,” [he apologizes.] “I shouldn’t have come.”

[Cut.]