Post by Hannah Reed on Feb 9, 2013 15:45:22 GMT -6
Once again Roberto Verona has made the impossible, possible.
Nobody believed that I could defeat Mike Laszlo inside a cell where I had no escape and no way of receiving help. Everyone thought that the third time would be the charm for the man they presented as the second coming of Jesus himself.
Yet, here we are.
I am still you reigning, defending, NCW World Champion and despite having to break my body to do it, I never had any doubts that this would always be the end result. Those who thought otherwise were foolish visionaries who dream of a world where I get my comeuppance.
Another lesson learn; this isn’t a fairytale.
The bad guy doesn’t always get what is coming to him and the hero rarely ever succeeds by viture of being the “good guy” of the piece. Wrestling rewards those who have the talent to back up their boastful claims to grandeur, men like me.
When I pinned Andrew Jacobsen, 1, 2, 3, I came out a week later and made a statement. I declared that I would become the most dominant world champion in the history of this company and quite frankly I have proven on a weekly basis that this wasn’t just the same wishful thinking every new champion indulges themselves with.
It is a distinct possibility.
I have held this title since October 2012 and have showed no signs of stopping. Despite having placed my belt on the line like a real champion at every pay per view since becoming the champ I have walked away every single time with the same belt I entered with. Now I am a mere two months away from signing my name in the record books and leaving a legacy that will never be surpassed by confirming myself as the longest reigning champion in company history.
Though, let me pause for a moment to prove to the world that not only am I the best champion this company will have ever seen, I am also the most humble.
Mike Laszlo.
Congratulations.
You proved to the world that there was some substance to your consistant claims of grandeur, although granted you failed like I always said you would, you pushed yourself to the absolute limit and managed to solidify yourself as a genuine potential future world champion. Few men ever manage that, so be proud.
However, our business is to be considered concluded.
I am through with you, you had your chances and you didn’t have enough to maximise them, but don’t feel too bad, there isn’t a man in this federation who is good enough to take this belt away from me.
As for you, Nathan?
You got exactly what you deserved. You’d think that after all the beatings you have taken for your cause you’d realise by now that it is a futile one, forever doomed to fail. The only blood on your hands is your own.
I’ve stated time and time again that the revolution is fully intact and an unavoidable inevitability and now men like you are going to be silenced if you continue to persist in these desperate attempts to derail the best thing that has happened to your pitiful careers in years.
Not only do I have a trio of men quite willing to put down any dissenters, I now have two avenging angels who will despatch anyone who dares utter a word in rebellion to the new order.
You never saw it coming Nathan and rest assured, if you run your mouth again, you’ll be put away in the same ruthlessly efficient manner as you were at Metamorphosis and believe me when I say this, it applies to the rest of you as well. The faintest whisper against myself or Kelly will no longer be tolerated, those of you who wish to be repeat offenders will soon be shown the full consequences of disobedience.
There was a time when I was willing to work with you, despite all of the anti-Verona propaganda you were all willing to propagate on a weekly basis.
No longer.
None of you are responsible enough to steer this business in the right direction because none of you are capable from dethatching yourselves from the ultimate and essential goal. I am willing to sacrifice my own body and career to ensure that once I retire I leave a better company than the one I walked into two years ago.
None of you are selfless enough to abandon your own ambitions to do what is best for New Championship Wrestling. You’re not capable of acting without biased to ensure that the company continues to steer itself towards a new blossoming future so I must act for you, with or without your consent.
This isn’t a democracy.
Your opinions do not matter and in truth, they never have. None of you are capable of constructing an argument that will ever have any meaning beyond surpassing your opponent for that given week because frankly none of you ever think ahead.
You’re always living in the moment, or worse the past.
I am always looking to the future and I know that I will play a pivotal role in the direction of this company alongside those men wise enough to stand beside me to facilitate this change. You all must be babied because you are not responsible enough to make your own descisions.
There will come a day people will thank me.
Until then I suggest you engage your brains before you open your mouth or act in a manner you will regret, because the righteous will no longer stand by and be chastised by the sinners.
Welcome to my empire.
So, William.
I hear you have a problem with my choice of employees?
Just who do you think you are? What makes you an authority on who does and doesn’t constitute and acceptable employee nowadays? Since when did you opinions actually count for anything?
You see Washington you are a perfect example for the disease that continues to be endemic within New Championship Wrestling. You all seem to believe that truthfully you know best when in reality you do not know what you’re talking about. Then again, when did voicing an uninformed opinion become a rarity in this place?
Had you ever considered in your ultimate wisdom that perhaps I selected a reformed drug abuser to rear the young talent of this federation so he could teach them to avoid making the same mistakes he did or did you simply decide that it was nothing more than an exercise in nepotism? That perhaps I know more about a man who I’ve spent more than five minutes leering at from a dark corner like you?
Forgive me, I just accused you of actually thinking.
I watched your little escapades at Metamorphosis, William, and I have to say I was impressed you were capable of dragging your head down the whole length of the ramp let alone that you managed to compete with your overinflated ego weighing you down. For a man who clearly believes he is one of the best wrestlers in this company you’ve got an awfully sparse record of excelling in any area of his career thus far.
You’re exceptionally unexceptional.
Think about it Will, for all your bravado and arrogance what have you really achieved with your career since you returned? You beat up a recovering drug addict? Bravo. Run your mouth a little bit? Magnificent. Didn’t you beat up…erm…someone…once?
Honestly Will, you made a point last week that you have been here for a whole year and I quite honestly cannot recall on significant moment involving you in any of those 365 days, 365 days where Todd Williams was somehow the pinnacle of our business and even Joe Everyman managed to make some ripples by forming his eightieth irrelevant tag team.
In such a sea of iniquity how on earth did you manage to not even make the smallest of splashes?
More to the point, what on earth has been going inside that head of yours to make you think you are anywhere near remotely good enough to step in the ring with the best professional wrestler in New Championship Wrestling for the biggest prize in the company? Oh don’t think that one slipped me by William, I’ve become quite accustomed to men running their mouth off about being my superior and their inevitable rise to the top if only they were given the chance…
I’m half expecting the Starlet’s to start feeling left out and demanding title shots soon.
Perhaps this week is your big opportunity to show the world what you’re made of, there is nothing bigger in this industry then recording a win over the top dog, right? This may be true, but there isn’t a chance in hell, battered and broken as I may be, that I am going to lay on my back for a perennial failure like you.
A man without even the faint glimmer of a single title reign doesn’t deserve to be anywhere near the man holding the most important belt in this federation.
You’ve proven absolutely nothing since you came back and as far as I am concerned you’ll be getting sent right back to irrelevance once I am through with you this week, you can thank me later for granting you the biggest highlight of your career in a main event with a man of my calibre.
You may be able to push your weight around in the midcard and put on a convincing enough performance to make people believe you have a modicum of talent, but you’re about to step up to the big leagues William. This week you’re not going to be picking on somebody who has barely wrestled in months or picking up victories over other men who are about as relevant as you are.
You’re going to be in there with the man who proved that he is on a plane well above 99% of the roster.
Everyone will see you for what you are; nothing but another loud mouth who decided to talk another big game but forget to actually bring anything along to back it up. Mike Laszlo told the world for three months that he would resoundingly crush me and tear this belt from my grasp and resign my era to the history books, yet here I am, still standing.
And I will be doing the exact same thing this weekend once I’ve dispatched you. I will stand tall, my arm in the air, my theme song blaring out of the PA system with the belt clutched gloriously in my fist.
Rinse and repeat.
Some say that doing the same thing again and again and expecting different results is the mark of insanity, yet every one of you seem intent on celebrating a victory prematurely and declaring yourself champion before you’ve even so much as lifted a finger or even earned a title shot.
You want to prove that you’re worthy of being considered a long term opponent for me?
Show me something new, something different to mark yourself out from an abundant crowd; because right now, you’ve failed to catch my attention.
All you are to me is another gobby little reprobate who is incapable of holding his tongue and now, considering I allowed you to openly criticise my own personal choice for a staff member who has now been side-lined because of your jealous little machinations, I am going to do what Kelly should have done in the first place.
Called in the big guns to put down the opinionated upstart before he begins to get any ideas that his opinion on the running of this administration holds any relevance.
You may have flexed your muscles and beaten Doc at Metamorphosis, but this week your reward is to answer to me, the man whose judgement you so spitefully sullied in a pathetic attempt to evolve into somebody who is actually meaningful around here.
It is time to face the reaper, Washington.
Nobody believed that I could defeat Mike Laszlo inside a cell where I had no escape and no way of receiving help. Everyone thought that the third time would be the charm for the man they presented as the second coming of Jesus himself.
Yet, here we are.
I am still you reigning, defending, NCW World Champion and despite having to break my body to do it, I never had any doubts that this would always be the end result. Those who thought otherwise were foolish visionaries who dream of a world where I get my comeuppance.
Another lesson learn; this isn’t a fairytale.
The bad guy doesn’t always get what is coming to him and the hero rarely ever succeeds by viture of being the “good guy” of the piece. Wrestling rewards those who have the talent to back up their boastful claims to grandeur, men like me.
When I pinned Andrew Jacobsen, 1, 2, 3, I came out a week later and made a statement. I declared that I would become the most dominant world champion in the history of this company and quite frankly I have proven on a weekly basis that this wasn’t just the same wishful thinking every new champion indulges themselves with.
It is a distinct possibility.
I have held this title since October 2012 and have showed no signs of stopping. Despite having placed my belt on the line like a real champion at every pay per view since becoming the champ I have walked away every single time with the same belt I entered with. Now I am a mere two months away from signing my name in the record books and leaving a legacy that will never be surpassed by confirming myself as the longest reigning champion in company history.
Though, let me pause for a moment to prove to the world that not only am I the best champion this company will have ever seen, I am also the most humble.
Mike Laszlo.
Congratulations.
You proved to the world that there was some substance to your consistant claims of grandeur, although granted you failed like I always said you would, you pushed yourself to the absolute limit and managed to solidify yourself as a genuine potential future world champion. Few men ever manage that, so be proud.
However, our business is to be considered concluded.
I am through with you, you had your chances and you didn’t have enough to maximise them, but don’t feel too bad, there isn’t a man in this federation who is good enough to take this belt away from me.
As for you, Nathan?
You got exactly what you deserved. You’d think that after all the beatings you have taken for your cause you’d realise by now that it is a futile one, forever doomed to fail. The only blood on your hands is your own.
I’ve stated time and time again that the revolution is fully intact and an unavoidable inevitability and now men like you are going to be silenced if you continue to persist in these desperate attempts to derail the best thing that has happened to your pitiful careers in years.
Not only do I have a trio of men quite willing to put down any dissenters, I now have two avenging angels who will despatch anyone who dares utter a word in rebellion to the new order.
You never saw it coming Nathan and rest assured, if you run your mouth again, you’ll be put away in the same ruthlessly efficient manner as you were at Metamorphosis and believe me when I say this, it applies to the rest of you as well. The faintest whisper against myself or Kelly will no longer be tolerated, those of you who wish to be repeat offenders will soon be shown the full consequences of disobedience.
There was a time when I was willing to work with you, despite all of the anti-Verona propaganda you were all willing to propagate on a weekly basis.
No longer.
None of you are responsible enough to steer this business in the right direction because none of you are capable from dethatching yourselves from the ultimate and essential goal. I am willing to sacrifice my own body and career to ensure that once I retire I leave a better company than the one I walked into two years ago.
None of you are selfless enough to abandon your own ambitions to do what is best for New Championship Wrestling. You’re not capable of acting without biased to ensure that the company continues to steer itself towards a new blossoming future so I must act for you, with or without your consent.
This isn’t a democracy.
Your opinions do not matter and in truth, they never have. None of you are capable of constructing an argument that will ever have any meaning beyond surpassing your opponent for that given week because frankly none of you ever think ahead.
You’re always living in the moment, or worse the past.
I am always looking to the future and I know that I will play a pivotal role in the direction of this company alongside those men wise enough to stand beside me to facilitate this change. You all must be babied because you are not responsible enough to make your own descisions.
There will come a day people will thank me.
Until then I suggest you engage your brains before you open your mouth or act in a manner you will regret, because the righteous will no longer stand by and be chastised by the sinners.
Welcome to my empire.
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A lamp dimly lights up the office of Kelly Fox, the sky dark outside as the stars sparkle in the winter’s sky as the winds chill continues to bite outside. Kelly stands infront a full length mirror, admiring her form as the dress clings tightly to the right places when suddenly there is a knock at her door as Roberto Verona, the NCW World Champion, enters, slightly taken aback at the more formal dress of his CEO.
Kelly! You’re looking particularly ravishing this evening.
You are silver tongued fox aren’t you, Roberto?
What can I say, I am a man who appreciates true beauty in all its forms. Even the more violent ones.
Roberto smiles at Kelly.
But I digress. I have been most impolite, please allow me to introduce two friends of mine.
Verona steps aside a moment as the two masked figures from Metamorphosis step through the open door.
I think you’ve met before…
Oh, I’ve enjoyed the pleasure of their company. Allow me to extend my deepest appreciations for your silencing of that half-wit Nathan Webb.
Consider this an early birthday present.
You do spoil me, Verona….. although…
Yes, my benevolent benefactor?
Kelly takes a few steps forward, soon reach the side of the male figure who stands completely still.
I am a little curious as to what’s hiding under those masks of theirs…
Kelly reaches up and grabs the bottom of the males mask before Roberto gently grabs her hand, wagging his finger.
Ah, ah, ah! Now, now, no peeking Kelly, that’d spoil the surprise. Just rest assured that they are more than capable of taking order and completing them to a satisfactory level.
So, what do I call them?
They have no names, they are merely my guardian angels, watching over from above and smiting those who would sin against me with vengeful fire. I am after all your very own avenging archangel Madam CEO, but even we must have another set of eyes watching our backs every once in a while…
Well, whoever you are, whatever you are, you’re most welcome to continue you assignment. You have full access to every arena, with my full permission.
See, this is why we get along so well, Kelly. You are a true visionary just like me, they will not let either of us down. If they should, we have our other foot soldiers ready to provide the extra muscle required to settle…delicate matters.
What can I say, we share the same ideals Roberto and you’ve proven worth every dime of my investment thus far. Congratulations on your victory, by the way.
Thank you, though you needn’t fear, my mission will continue whether I hold the belt or not.
It would be a shame if you were to relinquish it, it looks good on you. A true champion, one who I have been waiting for since Todd snatched the belt from Xander.
About Xander…
Kelly walks back to the mirror, turning to look over her shoulder.
You needn’t say another word, he will be booked on a consistent basis, you have my word. The booking committee have been reminded that it is deemed wise to showcase one of the best talents on our roster on a permanent basis. That is, if they want to secure their continued employment.
I am sure Hannah enjoyed that conversation.
She is quite the specimen, where did you pluck her from?
Oh now that would be telling, suffice to say I have always had an eye for the right person for the right job.
How romantic.
There’s life left in this old dog yet, although admittedly I aren’t sure I will be taking too many tumbles from the top of a cell again anytime soon.
I am sure the buyrates you two pulled with that stunt will sooth any aches and pains soon enough.
There are worse remedies, I suppose.
Now, you must forgive me Roberto but I have an appointment to attend to, I trust you and your friends can amuse yourselves until I return?
I am relentlessly occupied, never fear.
Kelly turns and pats down her dress to removes any creases before turning and thrusting an open palm towards the chair behind her desk.
Have a seat…but don’t get too comfortable.
I am but your humble partner in crime.
Roberto bows jokingly as Kelly pats him on the head playfully before walking out of the office. Waiting until she has gone Verona walks around the desk and sits down before he turns towards his associates. Leaning forward with his elbows on the desk he looks at the pair.
I have a task for the pair of you this week, it is about time people learned their place in the hierarchy around here…
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
A lamp dimly lights up the office of Kelly Fox, the sky dark outside as the stars sparkle in the winter’s sky as the winds chill continues to bite outside. Kelly stands infront a full length mirror, admiring her form as the dress clings tightly to the right places when suddenly there is a knock at her door as Roberto Verona, the NCW World Champion, enters, slightly taken aback at the more formal dress of his CEO.
Kelly! You’re looking particularly ravishing this evening.
You are silver tongued fox aren’t you, Roberto?
What can I say, I am a man who appreciates true beauty in all its forms. Even the more violent ones.
Roberto smiles at Kelly.
But I digress. I have been most impolite, please allow me to introduce two friends of mine.
Verona steps aside a moment as the two masked figures from Metamorphosis step through the open door.
I think you’ve met before…
Oh, I’ve enjoyed the pleasure of their company. Allow me to extend my deepest appreciations for your silencing of that half-wit Nathan Webb.
Consider this an early birthday present.
You do spoil me, Verona….. although…
Yes, my benevolent benefactor?
Kelly takes a few steps forward, soon reach the side of the male figure who stands completely still.
I am a little curious as to what’s hiding under those masks of theirs…
Kelly reaches up and grabs the bottom of the males mask before Roberto gently grabs her hand, wagging his finger.
Ah, ah, ah! Now, now, no peeking Kelly, that’d spoil the surprise. Just rest assured that they are more than capable of taking order and completing them to a satisfactory level.
So, what do I call them?
They have no names, they are merely my guardian angels, watching over from above and smiting those who would sin against me with vengeful fire. I am after all your very own avenging archangel Madam CEO, but even we must have another set of eyes watching our backs every once in a while…
Well, whoever you are, whatever you are, you’re most welcome to continue you assignment. You have full access to every arena, with my full permission.
See, this is why we get along so well, Kelly. You are a true visionary just like me, they will not let either of us down. If they should, we have our other foot soldiers ready to provide the extra muscle required to settle…delicate matters.
What can I say, we share the same ideals Roberto and you’ve proven worth every dime of my investment thus far. Congratulations on your victory, by the way.
Thank you, though you needn’t fear, my mission will continue whether I hold the belt or not.
It would be a shame if you were to relinquish it, it looks good on you. A true champion, one who I have been waiting for since Todd snatched the belt from Xander.
About Xander…
Kelly walks back to the mirror, turning to look over her shoulder.
You needn’t say another word, he will be booked on a consistent basis, you have my word. The booking committee have been reminded that it is deemed wise to showcase one of the best talents on our roster on a permanent basis. That is, if they want to secure their continued employment.
I am sure Hannah enjoyed that conversation.
She is quite the specimen, where did you pluck her from?
Oh now that would be telling, suffice to say I have always had an eye for the right person for the right job.
How romantic.
There’s life left in this old dog yet, although admittedly I aren’t sure I will be taking too many tumbles from the top of a cell again anytime soon.
I am sure the buyrates you two pulled with that stunt will sooth any aches and pains soon enough.
There are worse remedies, I suppose.
Now, you must forgive me Roberto but I have an appointment to attend to, I trust you and your friends can amuse yourselves until I return?
I am relentlessly occupied, never fear.
Kelly turns and pats down her dress to removes any creases before turning and thrusting an open palm towards the chair behind her desk.
Have a seat…but don’t get too comfortable.
I am but your humble partner in crime.
Roberto bows jokingly as Kelly pats him on the head playfully before walking out of the office. Waiting until she has gone Verona walks around the desk and sits down before he turns towards his associates. Leaning forward with his elbows on the desk he looks at the pair.
I have a task for the pair of you this week, it is about time people learned their place in the hierarchy around here…
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
So, William.
I hear you have a problem with my choice of employees?
Just who do you think you are? What makes you an authority on who does and doesn’t constitute and acceptable employee nowadays? Since when did you opinions actually count for anything?
You see Washington you are a perfect example for the disease that continues to be endemic within New Championship Wrestling. You all seem to believe that truthfully you know best when in reality you do not know what you’re talking about. Then again, when did voicing an uninformed opinion become a rarity in this place?
Had you ever considered in your ultimate wisdom that perhaps I selected a reformed drug abuser to rear the young talent of this federation so he could teach them to avoid making the same mistakes he did or did you simply decide that it was nothing more than an exercise in nepotism? That perhaps I know more about a man who I’ve spent more than five minutes leering at from a dark corner like you?
Forgive me, I just accused you of actually thinking.
I watched your little escapades at Metamorphosis, William, and I have to say I was impressed you were capable of dragging your head down the whole length of the ramp let alone that you managed to compete with your overinflated ego weighing you down. For a man who clearly believes he is one of the best wrestlers in this company you’ve got an awfully sparse record of excelling in any area of his career thus far.
You’re exceptionally unexceptional.
Think about it Will, for all your bravado and arrogance what have you really achieved with your career since you returned? You beat up a recovering drug addict? Bravo. Run your mouth a little bit? Magnificent. Didn’t you beat up…erm…someone…once?
Honestly Will, you made a point last week that you have been here for a whole year and I quite honestly cannot recall on significant moment involving you in any of those 365 days, 365 days where Todd Williams was somehow the pinnacle of our business and even Joe Everyman managed to make some ripples by forming his eightieth irrelevant tag team.
In such a sea of iniquity how on earth did you manage to not even make the smallest of splashes?
More to the point, what on earth has been going inside that head of yours to make you think you are anywhere near remotely good enough to step in the ring with the best professional wrestler in New Championship Wrestling for the biggest prize in the company? Oh don’t think that one slipped me by William, I’ve become quite accustomed to men running their mouth off about being my superior and their inevitable rise to the top if only they were given the chance…
I’m half expecting the Starlet’s to start feeling left out and demanding title shots soon.
Perhaps this week is your big opportunity to show the world what you’re made of, there is nothing bigger in this industry then recording a win over the top dog, right? This may be true, but there isn’t a chance in hell, battered and broken as I may be, that I am going to lay on my back for a perennial failure like you.
A man without even the faint glimmer of a single title reign doesn’t deserve to be anywhere near the man holding the most important belt in this federation.
You’ve proven absolutely nothing since you came back and as far as I am concerned you’ll be getting sent right back to irrelevance once I am through with you this week, you can thank me later for granting you the biggest highlight of your career in a main event with a man of my calibre.
You may be able to push your weight around in the midcard and put on a convincing enough performance to make people believe you have a modicum of talent, but you’re about to step up to the big leagues William. This week you’re not going to be picking on somebody who has barely wrestled in months or picking up victories over other men who are about as relevant as you are.
You’re going to be in there with the man who proved that he is on a plane well above 99% of the roster.
Everyone will see you for what you are; nothing but another loud mouth who decided to talk another big game but forget to actually bring anything along to back it up. Mike Laszlo told the world for three months that he would resoundingly crush me and tear this belt from my grasp and resign my era to the history books, yet here I am, still standing.
And I will be doing the exact same thing this weekend once I’ve dispatched you. I will stand tall, my arm in the air, my theme song blaring out of the PA system with the belt clutched gloriously in my fist.
Rinse and repeat.
Some say that doing the same thing again and again and expecting different results is the mark of insanity, yet every one of you seem intent on celebrating a victory prematurely and declaring yourself champion before you’ve even so much as lifted a finger or even earned a title shot.
You want to prove that you’re worthy of being considered a long term opponent for me?
Show me something new, something different to mark yourself out from an abundant crowd; because right now, you’ve failed to catch my attention.
All you are to me is another gobby little reprobate who is incapable of holding his tongue and now, considering I allowed you to openly criticise my own personal choice for a staff member who has now been side-lined because of your jealous little machinations, I am going to do what Kelly should have done in the first place.
Called in the big guns to put down the opinionated upstart before he begins to get any ideas that his opinion on the running of this administration holds any relevance.
You may have flexed your muscles and beaten Doc at Metamorphosis, but this week your reward is to answer to me, the man whose judgement you so spitefully sullied in a pathetic attempt to evolve into somebody who is actually meaningful around here.
It is time to face the reaper, Washington.
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A fan circles monotonously upon the ceiling of a hotel room, a dim light piercing through the blinds which are draped across its full length, the sound of cars echoes and they whizz past intermittently. Suddenly there is a knock at the door as Roberto Verona, who is sat with Xander Famularo enjoying an alcoholic beverage, stands up and opens the door, a smile running across his face as he sees who is at the other side. Jake Conway limps through the open gap as the pair both make their way painfully towards a seat.
Jake, I’m glad you could make it. Forgive my insistence, I know you are still feeling the effects of Metamorphosis.
Likewise.
Jake suddenly turns to Xander and nods.
Xander.
Xander looks up and responds with a dip of his own head.
Conway.
Listen, I am going to cut to the chase guys, this week I am expecting the both of you to send out a message about what we are working to accomplish. Mike Laszlo and Andrew Jacobsen absolutely must not be allowed to give people cause to believe that we are anything but infallible.
Don’t worry, neither man is capable of beating me beyond two flukes.
And I put Jacobsen away a week ago and we both know that Laszlo is just as beat up as you are. I can exploit that, a little pain is nothing new to me.
Individually I have no doubts that either of you could beat either of you opponents in any combination of matches, but this week you’re not in there by yourselves, you’re in their together.
So?
So I expect you to function as flawlessly as you do in singles competition. What we are trying to build is too important to try and show off or be dysfunctional and allow your foes to steal a victory.
I am sure we’re capable of working together, right Xander?
Of course.
Then don’t let me down. We need to crack down on dissent this week and I am counting on you both to set an example of what happens to those who oppose us.
It’ll be a pleasure.
Don’t worry about it, just concentrate on Washington whilst we concentrate on Laszlo and Jacobsen. We’ll all get the jobs done, like we always do.
A silence descends on the trio before Xander, his eyes darting from side to side, leans forward and bluntly cuts through it.
So when are we going to meet these two strangers you have watching your back?
When I am good and ready.
What’s with the secrecy? You don’t need to hide anything from us.
Au contraire, their identities must be kept a secret, it is paramount to their purpose.
And what is that?
To serve my interests. To operate as efficiently as I wish they mustn’t be accessible to anyone with any desires for vengeance, by cloaking their identity they can continue to function without the need to watch their tracks, instead they can focus solely on being my eyes and ears where I cannot be. Revealing who they are right now would be counterproductive to our end game.
What about us? Where do we come into this?
Verona smiles, standing onto his feet, though he winces from the aches that still plague him.
You are the public face of the administration. Both of you can handle yourselves and continue to pursue your own individual interests without having to solely dedicate yourself to protecting me from anybody who would try to shove their nose in my business.
Whatever you want, you’re the boss. As long as I keep getting paid I’ll do whatever you require of me.
And as long as I get the opportunity to showcase my talents and dominate the roster you have my support.
And I trust you both utterly. But let’s not concern ourselves too much with intricacies of our mission. You and I, Jake, are still sore from Metamorphosis and I wouldn’t want to keep Kathy any longer from having the opportunity to pamper you and I know Jenny will be missing you Xander.
Jake and Xander both stand up, the former wincing in pain from his own trials and tribulations of the weekend.
She’s called twice already. Gentleman, forgive me, but I must take my leave.
As for me, I have a rendezvous with my father to attend.
Then go with my blessing…
Jake and Xander both begin to leave, until Verona looks back them both.
But make sure you return as victors.
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A fan circles monotonously upon the ceiling of a hotel room, a dim light piercing through the blinds which are draped across its full length, the sound of cars echoes and they whizz past intermittently. Suddenly there is a knock at the door as Roberto Verona, who is sat with Xander Famularo enjoying an alcoholic beverage, stands up and opens the door, a smile running across his face as he sees who is at the other side. Jake Conway limps through the open gap as the pair both make their way painfully towards a seat.
Jake, I’m glad you could make it. Forgive my insistence, I know you are still feeling the effects of Metamorphosis.
Likewise.
Jake suddenly turns to Xander and nods.
Xander.
Xander looks up and responds with a dip of his own head.
Conway.
Listen, I am going to cut to the chase guys, this week I am expecting the both of you to send out a message about what we are working to accomplish. Mike Laszlo and Andrew Jacobsen absolutely must not be allowed to give people cause to believe that we are anything but infallible.
Don’t worry, neither man is capable of beating me beyond two flukes.
And I put Jacobsen away a week ago and we both know that Laszlo is just as beat up as you are. I can exploit that, a little pain is nothing new to me.
Individually I have no doubts that either of you could beat either of you opponents in any combination of matches, but this week you’re not in there by yourselves, you’re in their together.
So?
So I expect you to function as flawlessly as you do in singles competition. What we are trying to build is too important to try and show off or be dysfunctional and allow your foes to steal a victory.
I am sure we’re capable of working together, right Xander?
Of course.
Then don’t let me down. We need to crack down on dissent this week and I am counting on you both to set an example of what happens to those who oppose us.
It’ll be a pleasure.
Don’t worry about it, just concentrate on Washington whilst we concentrate on Laszlo and Jacobsen. We’ll all get the jobs done, like we always do.
A silence descends on the trio before Xander, his eyes darting from side to side, leans forward and bluntly cuts through it.
So when are we going to meet these two strangers you have watching your back?
When I am good and ready.
What’s with the secrecy? You don’t need to hide anything from us.
Au contraire, their identities must be kept a secret, it is paramount to their purpose.
And what is that?
To serve my interests. To operate as efficiently as I wish they mustn’t be accessible to anyone with any desires for vengeance, by cloaking their identity they can continue to function without the need to watch their tracks, instead they can focus solely on being my eyes and ears where I cannot be. Revealing who they are right now would be counterproductive to our end game.
What about us? Where do we come into this?
Verona smiles, standing onto his feet, though he winces from the aches that still plague him.
You are the public face of the administration. Both of you can handle yourselves and continue to pursue your own individual interests without having to solely dedicate yourself to protecting me from anybody who would try to shove their nose in my business.
Whatever you want, you’re the boss. As long as I keep getting paid I’ll do whatever you require of me.
And as long as I get the opportunity to showcase my talents and dominate the roster you have my support.
And I trust you both utterly. But let’s not concern ourselves too much with intricacies of our mission. You and I, Jake, are still sore from Metamorphosis and I wouldn’t want to keep Kathy any longer from having the opportunity to pamper you and I know Jenny will be missing you Xander.
Jake and Xander both stand up, the former wincing in pain from his own trials and tribulations of the weekend.
She’s called twice already. Gentleman, forgive me, but I must take my leave.
As for me, I have a rendezvous with my father to attend.
Then go with my blessing…
Jake and Xander both begin to leave, until Verona looks back them both.
But make sure you return as victors.
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