"intimidation..."

[http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QEllLECo4OM]

[In the middle of summer, a large fireplace holds a modest fire. Modest for Edward White however meant excessive for even the richest of men and for men like Jimmy Kort it would mean cutting down every single tree in his four acre lot and then buying more wood, lumber, particle board and all his possessions to even come close to matching the size.]

[Edward White stands four feet from the edge, glowing orange just by standing next to it. Hector Perez stands by an old gramophone as "Carmina Burana" is projected from the horn, where a nuemmann U87 microphone picks up and feeds into a state of the art sound system.]

[White laughs to myself jabbing at the fire with a large iron poker. He repeats himself, yelling over the iconic opera.]

"Intimidation, my friends! That's the name of the game."

[He jabs the poker into the heart of the fire and steps away, as to not singe his beard, clothing or fine Italian leather shoes. "O Fortuna" quiets down as the composition becomes more peaceful.]

"And the battlefield for this game goes by one name -- War."

[The billionaire walks across the large room, shoes tapping on the tile until he arrives at an antique chair nestled next to a bear skin rug, complete with taxidermic head.]

"I am not afraid. I am not in the slightest bit worried of the opponents and players in this match.

"Even with our fourth participant unknown, my team, Team Heritage is as solid as a rock. I will give credit where credit is due and both Christian Light and Claira St. Sure stand leagues above our opponents.

"Why look at them. Team Captain Alceo Dentari parades around with the uncontrollable Yoshikazu YAZ, the simpleton Sam Turner, Jr and Mr. Carpetbagger himself Jimmy Kort.

"... And I'm supposed to be intimidated by this team?"

[He laughs as he takes a seat, kicking up his right leg on an ottoman.]

"I've heard rumors that Mr. Dentari wants to play a bidding war against me. My question is, does he really want to go that route?

"Does he realize how expansive my resources are? How deep my pockets are? How deep my... connections are?

"The answer is no. But I'll give him the benefit of the doubt, he can plead ignorance just this once. But slack jawed yokels suck as Jimmy Kort, he should know better. He should realize the errs in his ways as he has experienced them first hand, repeatedly and will repeat them again."

[Edward laughs a little.]

"But Kort has never been a thinking man, not a day in his life. He plays it by ear, down to the ground, listening for the stampede. Salt of the Earth... something I trade like its going out of style... well, because Human Labor is. Why have a plant of 500 workers when you can get fifteen men to do the same job with better equipment? It's waste of money, it's a waste of human capita, it's just a waste and burden on our economy.

"I digress, a threat with out credibility has no power of intimidation. It has nothing. It is empty. A soulless, meaningless association of words that fill dead air to make oneself seem bloated and important.

"With a puffed out chest, a stark white cowboy hat or a fine pin stripped suit all I hear from Mr. Dentari and Mr. Kort is hot stagnant air."

[Nicky Corrozzo arrives with a bottle of wine, a red, it's impossible to tell whether it was from France or California. He slowly pours it in a decanter as to remove the sediments.]

"Like the wine I am about to enjoy, we must allow this conversation to breathe, to circulate, to have a charmed sophisticated life beyond side pork and Italian meatballs."

[White plays with an empty wine glass, rotating it while staring into the massive fire.]

"I will survive this match...

"With or with out my partners...

"And definitely at the expense of others."

[He grins.]

"At your expense Jimmy Kort. By your luxury Alceo. And by your hospitality Sam.

"This is my promise to you Team Evolution. You will pay for me this round as I have paid for you tenfold. It's a simple return on my investments. I have crafted, molded and manipulated your product, this entire companies product. Angel investments from third party benefactors, my entry into this War Games match by defeating the returning Tom Sawyer and the Surly Jeff Andrews, even the canvas we will wrestle on. It can all be traced back to me via the invisible hand.

"My wealth has created your success. And I'm cashing out.

"You may fight me. You might gouge my eyes, rake my brow across the chain link fence, choke me across the ropes and even twist my body into positions uncomfortable and grotesque.

"But I will win."

[Growing impatient, Edward demands for his glass to be filled. And Nicky does what he's told.]

"My team mates will disagree, but they're part of this deal as well.

"It's not an argument on who made who. I, for one, do not want to take claim to the creation of Christian Light... as he does not wish to claim he made me. We have an unspoken agreement on that. The same can be said for Miss Claira.

"If they want to join me in Victory, they are welcomed.

"But this is not their fight to win.

"This is mine.

"I claim ownership to this victory, no matter how fruitless, shallow or hollow it may be. I will get my return on my investment..."

[He takes a sip of his wine.]

"There will be no sour grapes --"

[Edward grins as lifts himself up from the chair, crossing the room again to the fireplace. Wine in one hand, he removes to iron poker, now glowing white.]

"Only grapes of wrath to be trampled for the vintage."

[And he cackles.]

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