When we last left Alceo Dentari’s office, he had just revealed the reasons behind his sudden and thought to be unseen departure from the first playoffs show. Some of them were less convincing than others, but one thing is for sure, whatever the reasons, Dentari wasn’t going to show any kind of weakness this close to the Masters of Wrestling Grand Championship final.

“Speaking of Heidi,” Said Lance Warner, Defiance’s resident journalist, and interview conductor, “How do you see your match going with her? Do you think it’ll be any different to the first time you both met?”

Dentari couldn’t contain it, he laughed so abruptly that he snorted and buried his face in the palm of his hand. He inhaled deeply and composed himself, “Sorry, but that’s gotta be the dumbest question I heard in a long time.” He said looking to the two menacing figures stood either side of Lance Warner, almost on cue they both shared in Dentari’s amusement, “An I been hearin’ plenty a’ dumb questions lately. No, it ain’t gonna be no different.”

“How can you be so sure, though?” Asked Lance, “After all, Heidi Christenson is a former world champion, and she’s just recently announced her intentions to actually try to win this tournament now having put her plans to cost Elijah Goldman control of Defiance on the backburner.”

Dentari finally ceased his laughing long enough to utter one word. “Try.”

“I’m sorry?” Lance asked looking for clarification.

“Try!” Dentari said a little louder. “Heidi Christenson is gonna try to win this tournament. You know who else tried to win this thing? Bronson Box. Eugene Dewey. Jonny Booya. Jeff Andrews. Cancer Jiles... Name after name after name after name tried to win this thing and they all failed. From week one I’ve been sayin’ that I’m gonna win this tournament, and look where I am... Exactly where I said I’d be. So Heidi can try all she likes, she ain’t gonna do it.”

“Do you not think that Heidi’s motivation levels may play a key factor?” Lance asked, “After all, she has admitted to dragging her feet at the beginning of the season. If she turns up to the final with every intention of winning this thing, don’t you think that could mean a different outcome than before?”

For the first time in a while the two men flanking Lance moved, but Dentari intentionally coughed and shook his head, indicating to them that he wanted them to cease whatever it was they were going to do.

Of course they obliged.

“Heidi could turn up in the best shape a’ her life and she still wouldn’t have the tools to beat me.” Dentari said confidently, “She can use any old excuse she wants, but facts is facts, an’ it’s a fact that until she came up against me she was all for twistin’ everyone in this business up like a pretzel. One little beatin’ later an’ suddenly she’s draggin’ her feet an’ don’t give a damn? Please. She may a’ been champion at one point, but gettin’ to the top ain’t the hard part, stayin’ there... that’s the true test. An’ Heidi couldn’t cut it.”

“Well, as you’re so confident about beating Heidi, do you have any words for you assumed opponents later in the evening?” Asked Lance referring of course to Christian Light and Claira St. Sure.

Dentari laughed, did he have any words for Christian Light?

Does a bear shit in the woods?

“Christian Light wants to talk about mistakes, well he made the biggest mistake a’ his career when he came outta semi-retirement for this league.” Dentari said with a snarl, “I can’t deny, he started strong, even managed a win in that TLC match earlier in the year, but this league has been a long, grueling task for the best of us, an’ last time I checked Christian Light ain’t no spring chicken.”

“But Light has been arguably one of the strongest competitors throughout this league.” Said Lance making more of a statement than he was asking a question. “He defeated Bronson Box last time out, he’s already beaten Claira St. S-”

“An’ he’s ended up in the medical room three times outta three over these last shows.” Dentari said as he slapped the desk, clearly he wasn’t going to sit there and listen to Lance Warner champion Christian Light’s cause any more than he already had, “Even when he won he needed tendin’ to.”

A smile spread across Dentari’s lips.

“What kinda shape is Light gonna be when the final rolls around?” Dentari asked. “‘Cause I’ll be damn surprised if he ain’t gettin’ stitched up or taped back together between the time his match with St. Sure ends an’ his music hits for that final.”

“Well, we all know that the fans can play a major part in motivating a competitor, do you think Christian Light, or indeed Claira St. Sure, will have any kind of advantage over you with the fans in their corner?” Asked Lance, he obviously didn’t want to ask it as was obvious by his face whilst speaking, but he had a job to do.

Surprisingly though, Dentari seemed to take it quite well, “When a guy like Christian Light, who thrives off of thousands a’ morons chantin’ his name, can get a crowd cheerin’ for Bronson Box, you know he’s doin’ somethin’ wrong.” Dentari said brimming with confidence, “Maybe he ain’t marketin’ himself quite right.”

That oh so familiar grin spread across Alceo’s mouth. You know, the one where he’s got something clever or witty to say next.

“I actually thought of a way he could market himself goin’ forward.” Alceo beamed.

Lance raised his eyebrows in interest, “How’s that then?” He asked.

Alceo cleared his throat, “Come see ‘The Last Nighthawk’ while yous still can!” he shouted as though he were standing outside a traveling circus, “‘Cause soon enough he’s gonna be sent the way a’ the dodo!”

The men stood beside Lance laughed, of course they did. Warner on the other hand didn’t react in the slightest. He didn’t laugh, he didn’t pout, he simply lowered his eyebrows, noted something down on his notepad and waited for the three men around him to stop laughing.

It took a while.

“What do you think?” Asked Dentari as he wiped a small tear from the corner of his eye, “Pretty good, huh?”

Lance rolled his eyes, but he was looking down at his pad, so it went unnoticed by all, He replied, “I’m not sure that’s the kind of marketing Light was refe-”

Dentari brought his fist down onto the desk in front of his with a thud, cutting Lance off mid sentence, “Who gives a fuck!?” he shouted, “Ain’t nobody listenin’ anyways! This nice guy act has got him so far, but it ain’t gonna take him where he thinks he’s goin’! The fans don’t wanna see him win, why else would they be chantin’ Box’s name over his? Christian Light has forgotten the most fundamental rule of life.”

“And what’s that?” Lance asked dismissively.

“Nice guys finish last, Nighthawk.”

To Be Continued...

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