Shutdown 25/4/2011

Marshall Murdoch walks into the 6WF arena, where he is greeted by Clarissa. He is wearing full Church of Hero robes and his tag team championship is draped over one shoulder.

C: 'Marshall I was wondering if I could grab a quick word about Monday's huge main event between your 'Lord' Hero and your tag team partner Clarke James?

(Marshall stops and simply nods at Clarissa)

C: 'Excellent, so is the end of the Church of Hero as we know it?'

M: 'What a frankly ridiculous question, I knew there was a reason I didn't talk to you as much as some of the leaches around here'.

'Simply put - no. This is just another cheap trick by the Board of Directors to split up the Church, they fear how powerful we have become. Well Clarissa we will not fall in their poisonous little trap, the Church is strong, the Church is whole and the Church is united, and no-one is going to change that.'

C: 'So you're another one blaming all sorts of conspiracy theories then? I had Cassius spouting nonsence for weeks now.'

MM: 'Well he could be right you know, this whole thing stinks of Abercorn, in fact no lets blame Hobo, yes thats it. We can all play this game Zhi, Hobo's controlling things from his hospital bed. Satisfied?'

C: 'Not really, but moving on... Who will you be supporting on Monday?

MM: 'Supporting? Supporting? This interviews over.

(Marshall walks off, he notices a stagehand as he walks past)

MM: 'You, have you got a match card yet?'

(The stagehand nervously passes Murdoch the card)

MM: No match again? Hmmm I'm going to need a well...

Cassius wanders into his locker room to find a folded piece of paper with a lipstick kiss on it. He takes the paper, slowly unfolds it and reads it.

"Out with Lexy. Rewarding him for excellent team work on Lockdown. Maybe its time you started rewarding him too. x . Jess

P.S I'm not suggesting you reward him the same way I am - that would just be so wrong and yuk. Just like, cut him some slack"

Cassius strokes his chin and grins to himself. He mutters to himself.
Cassius : Maybe I should reward such a selfless act. Maybe I'm wrong about Hart.

Cassius looks at the note again then his face drops into a concerned frown.

Cassius : Maybe not. Always trust in one's instincts.

He makes his way over to a filing cabinet in the corner of the room and runs a finger down it, stopping at a particular drawer and sliding it open. He rifles through the papers inside and finds a document. He takes it out and throws it down on the table.

"Contract of Engagement - Cassius Zhi vs Abe Abercorn. November 14th 2010"

Cassius opens to the signatures page of the Born in Fire contract and holds up Abe's against the note. He furrows his brow then holds up Jessica's managerial signature against the note and grunts satisfied, seeing a clear match.

Zhi hastily walks to Miss Jessica's shower bag and takes out a lipstick and then holds this up against the lipstick kiss sealing the note and grunts again at a colour match, slowly inhaling the scent of the lipstick and then raising the note to his nose for double measure. He throws everything down and walks to a side cabinet to make a green tea. As he stirs it he talks to himself.

Cassius : Got to get a grip Zhi.

He takes the tea then leaves the locker room, as he does Clarissa is waiting for him.

Clarissa : Cassius - can I have a word please?

Cassius takes a sip of tea and holds a hand up

Cassius : Not now I'm afraid. But you can run a little errand for me that I shan't forget next time our paths cross.
Clarissa looks at Zhi expectantly as he looks up to the ceiling and strokes the back of his head, seemingly in momentary confusion. He looks back at her.

Cassius : If you see Hart... tell him I've got his back.

Cassius walks past her towards the car park. Clarissa looks shocked.

Clarissa : Wait... Are you serious?

Cassius shouts back without looking back

Cassius : When am I ever not my dear Clarissa?

Clarissa (raising her voice as the distance between her and Cassius grows) : AND A MESSAGE FOR JACK, MAX AND SNAKE EYES?

Cassius turns back and looks at her with a maniacal grin.

Cassius : Just enlighten them of my message for Lex! The news that it's time I put the "team" in Team Jessica should be the most ominous they've had in their pathetic lives thus far!

(River Ace is shown walking towards the 6wf Canteen as Clarissa catches up with him)

River Ace-Not now Clarissa, after not competing on Shutdown i'm pumped up this Easter to be kicking some booty, you gotta love Bank Holiday Shows

(River Ace looks at the Card pinned up and his face goes from disapointment to anger before a wry smile)

River Ace-O look not on the Card again after winning last Monday. You know Clarissa, i'm fed up of standing in line and waiting for things to happen. I'm going to start making things happen like only i can and you can put all the Chips on that

(River Ace screws up the Card and throws it away)

(A VT begins to run of Solomon Riddick,he is standing in a room of bright white light.He glares at the camera and then there is steady,low,rattling breathing come from beneath his mask)

Solomon:Sometimes in this life or the next it is time to stand back from the motions and catclysms and evaluate the situation that has arisen.For not every situation is in our control,not every horizon brings new hope,and not every corner brings opportunity.

Behind the iron curtain there are strings being pulled that have yet to impact in this arena,even in the water the vibrations are becoming more and more paramount.Perhaps it is time to reflect,time to regenerate and ultimately,move on.

For one grassy pasture can never hold any specimen for prolonged periods without the crops wasting away,there can never be one place for one vessel for a whole lifetime and sooner or later the bells of pride must be rung and the warrior shall find a new colisseum,a new challenge in which to ply his ravenous trade.

The rumblings of thunder,the winds of change and the chimes of fate all signal the same occurence.The swirling clouds,the blackening skies and the impending wave of disaster shall bring with it a new dawn,a dawn that shall enlighten the pathways to the glories of Midas himself and there the true emperors of the forgotten lands shall be coronated once more.

I hear the calls,I hear the murmurings,the slide of the "paranormal",the decline of the "supernatural".But for each and every one of those mortal beings that doubt me,I suggest you keep watching the upcoming broadcasts for the gospel you gargle shall be disintegrated in a pool of spite and venom.

It shall begin on Shutdown,when the sacrificial lamb,the emblazoned rookie James Eagle lands solemnly in my lair.There shall be no grand soaring,there shall be no peak of glory for I shall cut the wings from this wanton creature and I shall leave him stewing in his own decimation.

It is not a personal vendetta,not even a savage attack built upon boiling hatred but exactly what is intended,business call.For perhaps even I,a being beyond human recognition,have allowed myself to be blinded by the unneccessary and lost the path to El Dorado.Perhaps cometh the hour cometh the time to cast all asunder and plunder and pillage with the fury and vengeace that i have been afforded since day one.

Because you really believe me a henchmen,a fixture of fortune but in reality you all have no idea.No idea what glares you right between the eyes but believe me you will,there shall be no stone unturned and no area left unkempt as I run my path of destruction through these barren lands.

No longer shall I be a plaything,no longer shall I be a second fiddle player,I am the orchestra and I am the phantom that haunts these lands,alone!.There is no man that inhabits this federation that is safe,for hell hath no fury like a gladiator forged in fire.

The End be nigh!

(Solomon just continues to glare into the camera,his heavy breathing continues and then it ends)

Palmer is seen Backstage talking To Clarissa

Palmer: I Totally Agree Clarissa, that spear was pretty amazing

Clarissa: So how do you feel about being teamed up with longingus tonight against DR. Shoe and Fernandez?

P: Well I Dont know alot about longingus but ill give him a shot aslong he doesnt expect me to carry all the weight

C: Whats with all this Well Business then? People entering it, people getting trapped in it?

P: Well since i wasnt getting any match's i thought id hide away from it all so i hid in my well, then people kept entering it pestering me, leaving the belongings in there and then it got destroyed.....

C: Any words to the booing fans?

P: Yeh Shut The Hell UP!

Palmer storms off

Angelo Anneire and Castiguer are stood with Clarissa,the crowd give a cheer as she begins to speak to them.

Clarissa:Guys,its been an up and down month for you here in the 6WF,a couple of good performances but then both of you were knocked out of the Fight for the Right tournament,how is that effecting you?

Castiguer:I think everyone in life must learn to take the rough with the smooth.We have been knocked down before but every time we get back up and we come back stronger,this will be no different.We can understand that people say it has been a frustrating month and it really has been for us,but we know that better than anybody so we really do not need reminding.

Anneire:We know that we are no longer in Fight for the Right and it is disappointing for both of us but we still both accept that our goal is the tag team titles and as far as we are concerned,that is still firmly in our sights.Castiguer came up short against Clarke James and that was very disheartening but at the same time I pinned Marshall Murdoch,one,two,three and that pretty much makes us dead even.Anytime the Church of Hero want to go for broke and lay it all on the line,we will be waiting and I guarantee that this time we will not let it slip through our fingers

Clarissa:And your loss to Chris Patricks,was that hard to take?

Anneire:Not in the slightest,anybody that think that is a disappointing loss is seriously deluded.Chris Patricks is one of the finest athletes on the professional circuit and any time you go up against a guy like that,you know you are going to need one hundred percent. I was not quite at my peak and it cost me, I wish I was standing here victorious but by no means am I resentful, on the contrary, I hope Chris goes on to realise a dream and wins the tournament because all his hard work and dedication deserves a shot at the big time.

Clarissa:Kind words indeed.And what next for you guys,this monday you take on Chaos and The Fanatic in tag team action,is there anything on the horizon?

Castiguer:Without sounding too much like Pinky and The Brain,its going to be the same thing on the horizon as every other night. For me and my partner it is all about being recognised as the best tag team in professional wrestling, monday night gives us another opportunity to show we are way above the other competition and that there is nobody else that deserves a shot at the tag team champions other than the Soldiers of Fortune.

Anneire:We know just how good we can be,and maybe at times we have stuttered and stalled but once our rythym kicks in then you can bet your house on the fact that this division is ours for the taking.I am not going to blame things on nerves or unforseen factors,reality is that we have not performed to the best of our abilities on a consistent level and that is the biggest disappointment of this whole month.

But a message to all our wonderful fans is that the Soldiers of Fortune are in the gym every single day,working harder than ever to emulate the performances that made us a Youtube sensation.It is only a matter of time before we get this show on the road and when we do, it is curtain call on the title reign of COH,no doubt about it.

Castiguer:I don't think I can add much more to that, we messed up our last shot and we know we need to prove that we warrant another but on Shutdown that is exactly what we will do.We will defeat Chaos and The Fanatic and when we do I suggest that Clarke James and Marshall Murdoch begin to pray to their high and mighty god Hero,because it is going to take a divine miracle to save them for the beating we have in store.

Angelo Anneire smiles and they high five as the crowd cheer and chant "SOF".Clarissa nods in thanks and they leave the scene.

The camera cuts to backstage and inside the private vestibule of Hero.
Hero is sat at his desk looking over the match card for Lockdown, he sneers at the main event then crunches the paper up into a ball and throwing it at the wall.

H: Longinus! Call for Clarke James to come to my quarters immediately!

Outside a cry of ‘Yes…my Lord’ can be heard and shortly afterwards a polite knock can be heard on the door.

H: Enter my disciple

Clarke walks into the vestibule and bows down in front of Hero.

C: My Lord, you called for me?

H: You are aware of the main event this week? To gain a place in the final of the Fight for the Right?

C: I am my Lord. I think it’s a wonderful opportunity to showcase to the world our talents, to show the minions, the peons the might of the Church!

H: That it will Clarke, that it will.

Hero pauses for a brief moment and then rises to his feet, he walks over to a cupboard, from his pocket he pulls out a small key and proceeds to open the doors. Inside are numerous bottles of dust covered wine, he looks over them and pulls out a bottle before returning to his desk. Upon his return he reaches under his desk to a carrier bag and pulls out another bottle of wine and places them both on his desk at the side of one another.

H: What do you see before you Clarke?

C: A couple of bottles of wine my Lord.

H: Anything more?

Clarke looks at the clean bottle, a James Berry Vineyard Paso Robles 2007.

C: My Lord, this has won recent awards.

H: That it has, it’s a quality blend of Grenache, Mourvèdre and Syrah grapes that are aged for 20 months in barriques to emphasise its purity. It’s a quality wine, worth probably £70-£80 a bottle, perfectly acceptable to showcase at a function when you wish to impress.
H: What about the other?

C: I don’t know my Lord? It’s old, I can see no awards upon it, barely a label. What is it my Lord?

H: That is the real Th.J 1787 Chateau Lafitte, that bottle is hand etched by Thomas Jefferson himself, a supposed copy of this very bottle went to auction at Christies for £150k.

C: Wow…my Lord. Can I touch it?

H: No Clarke, that’s the lesson.
You cannot touch that bottle, you cannot lay your hands upon that bottle because it has history, and it has built a reputation that surpasses anything that current palates or flavours of the month can bring about.
You are that new wine Clarke, you have done well so far, better than expected even.
You have already built yourself plaudits that mention your name as one of the best currently in the world today.
But you are not a Th.J 1787.

I am the Th.J 1787.

I have no betters, I have no equal.
My name is one that bucks current trends, passing fads.
My name is not one that comes and goes based on polls of the week or if you get front page on wrestling weekly.

The Th.J 1787 is a God amongst wine.
I am a God amongst wrestlers.

So you ask can you touch it?

No you cannot touch the wine.
You cannot touch me.
At Lockdown Clarke, you lay one finger upon your Lord’s mortal form and I shall have no recourse but to unleash the full wrath of your Lord upon thee.

Do you understand Clarke?

Clarke pauses for a second and looks up from his kneeled position.

H: DO YOU UNDERSTAND?

C: Yes…my Lord.

H: Good, we shall speak no more of this before the match, this is not to be discussed with the other Church members, you have done well Clarke.
Your sacrifice though is one that will be noted and remembered. Now rise and receive your Lord’s blessing.

Clarke begins to stand but Hero suddenly kicks him in his gut and delivers an Encore to his Trinity member.

H: And that is what judgement I shall pass if your faith, if your belief even as much as wavers when you step foot into that ring.

Hero grabs the clean bottle of wine and takes the cork out, he tips the contents over Clarke who lies on the vestibule floor and then leaves the room, outside he can be heard shouting at Longinus to get a mop.
The camera closes in on Clarke’s face he whispers ‘My Lord?’ as it fades to black.

Snake Eyes is seen walking down a corridor backstage with his gym bag over his shoulder. He waves to a couple of the sound crew who are setting up the equipment for Shutdown, and turns the corner straight into Clarissa who is walking the opposite way.

C: Oh, wait there Snakey…just the man I wanted to see

SE: Ha ha, that’s been a long time coming!

C: Not in that way! I just saw Cassius, and, well he said to tell you that he has Hart’s back now…

SE: Really, Zhi is helping someone else? Seems like the pecking order has finally been established in that little trio then. Cassius has realised he is not flavour of the month anymore, and is falling in line in the hope of winning Jessica back…all those months he had her and took her for granted, now she has someone to hold their end of the bargain so to speak. Bet it hurts doesn’t it Zhi? Being the one who made her talents so lucrative, and now not being able to use them. Having said that, even that has to be better then being The Saint right now…

C: Strong words for someone who isn’t exactly pulling up many trees around here recently.

SE: Ouch! I will be the first to admit, since my comeback, I have not exactly set the world alight…Two months, two pay per view losses, out of Fight for the Right, and lacking that certain something in the ring which turns you from another guy to a superstar. I can deal with that, be it ring rust, or just that since I left things have moved on and I have to change with it. What I can’t understand is just how quick people are jumping to attack me while I am down.

Do you know how it feels Clarissa to read and hear people talking about your fall from grace…speculating if you have just come back for a quick paycheck? Or even casting doubt on your previous achievements based on current form? I have spent 2 months in big tag matches where I get a few minutes of ringtime, and then when I get 1 on 1 matches, I am clearly robbed! They all think that the era of Snake Eyes is over, that I had my time at the top and I’m only being kept on because I make the company money in merchandise sales.

On Monday night I share the ring with 5 men who represent the headline acts in this company right now…this is my chance to make a huge impression against some of the more dominant names in this company today. Now I can’t promise a quick fix, that suddenly everything is going to be just like last year again, but matches like this can be the start…All I do know is, when it does all fall back into place, I would not like to be the person stood on the other side of the ring.

Snake Eyes throws the microphone back to Clarissa and walks away towards the gym.