A Rivalry Renewed

[Philip Burns]

September 30, 2007
nCw Collision

The Burning is back on his feet and so is The Ace. Ace gets knocked back by several right jabs and then a huge right cross that sends him to his knees and through the top and middle rope. Philip Burns comes from behind him and bends down to lift Ace up but Ace has the SLEDGE HAMMER in his hands and clocks Burns right in the face!

This clip is replayed; Then once more in black and white slow motion.

The ref is out of position and oblivious to the events! The Ace covers. 1…2…3

Kelly Fox: HA HA HA HA, oh that's classic!

Eric Hardy: WHAT?! There is blood pouring from Burning's face!

Paramedics are on the scene. Burns is out cold. The News is concerned at his side, gripping his hand and yelling for help. Philip is wheeled to the back and put on an ambulance in dramatic de-saturated slow motion fashion. The voice of The News is heard, obviously upset, yelling at paramedics.

Fade to black.

Unidentified woman’s voice: Philip? Philip can you hear me? Please God! Philip, there is so much more I want to tell you. Please wake up… please.

She sobs loudly. The black screen does a gradient wipe into the current setting. It is a hospital room. The woman is at bedside, clutching the hand of Philip Burns. For the moment he is motionless. His face is heavily bandaged. The wrappings are soaked through with the red stains of blood. The woman is a very attractive young red-head. The curls in her hair perfectly frame the silky smooth skin of her face and neck. Her tear stained face is constantly locked on Philip. She desperately wants him to open his eyes. Her heart wants nothing more than to lock into a mutual gaze with this motionless man. Suddenly a very soft whisper is heard.

Julia?

Julia: Philip! Thank goodness! I was beginning to think I would never hear your voice. The doctors said you would be fine after surgery but it felt like and eternity.

In a weak voice Philip begins to speak. He looks deep into her beautiful blue eyes the entire time. Her face is lit up with happiness.

Philip: Is my face going to be ok? The last I remember I was holding a towel on my face in the ambulance. I was fading in and out.

Julia: Other than some scarring you should be ok in a matter of weeks. You got lucky. I was barely able to even be here. If your mom hadn’t vouched for me the Hospital staff would never have let me in your room. She had to take a flight back to Indiana so she left before you got out of surgery. But she stayed to hear from the doctors whether or not you would be ok.

Philip: Mom? My God, I haven’t talked to her in forever. Remind me to thank her for getting you in here. I really didn’t think you cared that much. We rarely see each other.

Julia: That’s the price of being a wrestling star. You travel a lot and I love your profession. Not everyone can have their girlfriend as their manager. I'm just not into the spotlight.

Philip: I love that you don’t want to be on TV. Greed over spotlight is a dangerous beast. But I may not even return. I got into wrestling to compete. Where is the honor in hitting someone in the face with a sledgehammer? What kind of personal satisfaction can one get out of knowing that this is the only way they can beat someone? Where is the sport?

Julia: you can’t walk away. The Ace tried to end your career. You have to seek a reckoning. You must return better than ever and defeat him. You have to take up the cause and show you people around the world that tyranny and brute force are not enough to tear down the walls of the sacred bond of sportsmanship. Would Michael Jordan get away with clubbing someone’s knee in the parking lot? Could Tiger Woods knock someone out on the green and claim a victory when they are unable to compete?

Phil: You’re right. You always are. I feel like I am on a whole different side on the fence now. Joining No Warning Shots put me in a position to have people on my tail all the time. If I don’t set the trend of not letting people get away with it, it will happen more and more.

A nurse walks into the room, startling the both of them.

Nurse: Sugar what are thinking trying to be awake right now? You need your rest darlin’!

Philip: I'm sorry nurse, But I just opened my eyes for a second and this young lady was here. I had never seen anything so beautiful and I just couldn’t get back to sleep.

Julia is noticeably blushing. Her bright red face makes her freckles far more noticeable.

Nurse: well Hun, I hate to break up this love fest but you just had a doctor all inside your face not even an hour ago. You need some sleep. I am going to give you something for pain; this ought to get you out in just a sec.

Phil: Just one more question... did it look cool on TV?

Julia: (chuckling)That is just horrible!

The nurse hooks the syringe into the IV hose and pushes down. Phil and Julia lock eyes once more. He peers into her perfect eyes. she reciprocates; caught in a gaze she is able to look passed the bandages and swelling and see the man inside. His eyes get heavy as they share the moment. She clutches his hand and he drifts off. His eyes close more and more and his grip weakens.

Fade to black.

A thunderous voice is heard: PHILIP, you must fight. Lance and the rest of No Warning shots did not save you for you to give up. Your purpose is to return. You must deal out the white hot vengeance of our sun, Sol. You must protect justice. You must put integrity in the forefront. Do not get lost this rage. Do not let it consume you.

October 28, 2007
nCw Collision

Philip Burns makes his return, exacting his revenge on The Empire and especially The Ace. One after one they are ambushed and given a Burn Notice. Burns has re-branded himself “SOS” and is on a mission. The road to retribution is nearing an end.

November 11, 2007
nCw Transgression

After a Burn Notice, Philip picks up a clean victory over The Ace. This is something that Ace cannot claim to have done in a singles match against Burns. The singles rivalry is now one and one.

Fast forward.
It will be nearly a full year since their last confrontation by the time they meet at Road to the Gold. Emotions are on the rise and pride is at stake as these two men battle it out for a chance to face the World Champion in the same night.

The clips and commentary come to and end and there is only Philip standing alone in front of a screen bearing his logo. He is dressed in jeans held up by a large metal belt buckle. He wears a hoodie, mostly unzipped, revealing his latest t-shirt design. His grin shows off the pearly white teeth he is so proud of. Without the awkward silence that usually accompanies the start of someone’s camera time he jumps right in and begins to speak.

Phil: I’m not going to do the typical promo and start off with “You know, Ace?” No I'm not going to do that. I won’t because you do know. If the footage and recollections presented were not enough to jog your memory then you are more forgetful than Davey Boone, the man who can never remember if he is dead or not. I hope this small bit of a history lesson at least gave you a glimpse of what I feel, what I have felt, and what I plan on making you feel at the Pay-Per-View.

I have no idea what drives a man to use a sledgehammer in the ring. But I can speculate. Maybe you wanted to make a statement. Maybe you couldn’t stand the thought of losing to me. Maybe… just maybe… The Ace is a coward. I think that is it. I think that is why you are riding shotgun to Steve Awesome. You are not a go getter. And one could certainly argue the same of me. But the difference is I am not hiding behind anyone on my way to the top. When I step into the ring with the champ there won’t be that “I wonder how this is going to work” feeling in the crowd. There won’t be the hesitation. There will only be the gold. I won’t hesitate to take Steve Awesome to the limit. You can say it all you want that you won’t either. But I know different.

You are not who you were. You are not the same man who drilled me in the face with a steel sledgehammer and left me laid up in a hospital bed. Being married has a way of taking the fight out of a man. I am not to type to get into the situation with your wife and what happened to her. I have more respect for your privacy than that.

Just know that I have shed all my emotional attachments, where you have picked up more. You try anything like you did the first time we met and I guarantee it will be the last time. I'm sure not everything has changed. No amount of smirking or smiling will change that. Now be a good little parrot and repeat back everything I said, like you used to do in the old days. Ha. I am done with you for now. I need to get back to my conditioning training. Unlike you, I have two matches this weekend.

Phil takes a final glare into the camera before giving a cocky wink and chuckling at the joke he just made. He motions to the crew that he is done. He walks off in a somewhat cocky mood. The challenge ahead of him is great. We have not heard the last from Philip burns this week.