["The Socialite" Edward White stood in the Defiance promo booth, cigar halfway finished, black coat folded and hung over a steel folding chair. His hint-of-blue dress shirt was unbuttoned down to the second button. The FIST of Defiance, sat on a pedestal, chiseled from marble, gold inlay, a plush red velvet pillow; a real sight to see. Edward reflected over this sentence, allowing the smoke to sit in his mouth a moment for it slowly billowed out.]

"You're right.

"It's not every day that I mutter those words to an opponent, but The Untouchables aren't every day adversaries. Kai Scott and Heidi Christenson are right on the money with what they've said, give or take a few spots here and there. But I'll give the devil his due.

"History has proven that they are worth their salt and although I didn't send them a fruit basket for their success in forcibly removing Eric Dane from his post, their actions were much to my liking.

"Was taking Eric Dane out, good for business?"

[He muses for a moment, admiring his cigar glowing red.]

"I've asked myself that question, but it really doesn't matter. The question I care about, that Heidi has pointed out in a roundabout way, is this: Was taking Eric Dane out, good for MY business?

"The answer of course is Yes.

"Here I stand with the FIST of Defiance, arguably the only important championship in the federation. Jeff Andrews doesn't want to be known as a paper champion, that's fine. I'll gladly take that moniker.

"I am The Paper Champion. I hold that Fiat Championship that everyone achieves for. Christian Light didn't fight for the World heavyweight championship, he fought to destroy Jeff Andrews. Bronson Box, Aleco Dentari, they wanted that title, I just stood in the way."

[Edward White pointed to the title, nonchalantly.]

"Some might say, I owe all of this to The Untouchables.

"After all, my sudden return to Defiance during the mid-season of the Masters of Wrestling had to be orchestrated by someone other than Eric Dane; a man who tar and feathered me and terminated my contract early.

"And the benefits I have reaped since their reunion: no Eric Dane to act as a regulation to my success, the FIST of Defiance, my growing staff of experts and assistants and the lack of oppositional force.

"I disagree. I took advantage of a situation."

[He ashes his cigar on the floor, stamping it into the cheap carpet with the toe of his designer shoe.]

"I'm reminded of Jeff Andrews, sitting on his John Deere, sipping a beer and talking about the price it would cost for him to do my bidding. It was an outrageous number, something similar to the three billion dollar price tag Heidi said my services were worth.

"I don't recall what my retort was. It really doesn't matter to be honest. But Kai Scott and Jeff Andrews gave me the closest thing to a Free Lunch as possible. They created the perfect void for me to fill.

"For months, ever since War Games when my dear friend Hector Perez was brutally injured by Sylo, I had stepped up my personal protection, not only for the good of myself, but the good of my assets; mainly my employees.

"I played it safe, I looked to mitigate risk by reducing it, deflecting it but mostly accepting it as it came. From my side of things, my people at Prestonia Jefferson Investments had an unspoken truce with The Untouchables. After all, aside from our different views on positioning and importance of championship belts, we have been fairly amicable, as far as wrestling is concerned."

[Edward White takes a long pause, taking another drag from his cigar.]

"However."

[The smoke slowly seeped out of his mouth as he spoke.]

"I guess all good things come to an end.

"Cancer Jiles has returned. And as one of my associates, my business partner, my tag team partner in "Money for Nothing and Cool for Free", I am bound to follow him into battle against Kai Scott, Heidi Christenson and Ronnie Long."

[White snuffs his cigar out, dropping it into a silo to seal it from contamination.]

"What amazes me about The Untouchables, is how well they work. Kai Scott acts as a shadow leader. I wouldn't dare call you a puppet master Kai, what we do is not manipulation, we don't control, we just advise. We solve problems. But one problem I see with your outfit, that you may see as well is the worth and purpose of Ronnie Long.

"Jeff Andrews, he delivers. He takes action and has a plan. He may be prone to following his emotions but who isn't? Jane Katze said it perfectly, we're all slaves to emotions. Thinking men, we try to minimize it, but in the end, we roll with it. There's no sense in fighting nature.

"It's why no one attempts to control Heidi, it's in her nature to kick people's faces in. Nicky Corrozzo suffered from one of her vicious kicks, I compensated him for his pain and suffering. I've experienced it. I can't think of a single person who hasn't. I assume she listens to advice, but she does what she does.

"But what does Ronnie Long actually do?

"He digs graves."

[Edward White snorts.]

"When I was young, my father and I, we dug a grave for our family dog in the backyard, right next to a small but modest tree. While it wasn't six feet deep, it was deep enough for rain water to not expose the bones over time. The family gathered and we said our goodbyes.

"Kai, I think you know the difference between the grave I dug and the one Ronnie oversaw.

"My dog didn't return from the dead like Pet Cemetery, but Cancer Jiles did."

[He laughs a little bit.]

"You have to wonder about his efficiency, his effectiveness, his life time value to the group.

"Personally, I have no value for him. I see him as being inefficient and ineffective. My proof is Cancer Jiles walking amongst the living once again. Ronnie Long says he'll do it again? I've got a hunch that Cancer Jiles will dig his way out again.

"Ronnie Long says Jane Katze would be a fool to even attempt a body scissor on Heidi Christenson. I'd say she would be a fool not to try.

"He says I can't outsmart you, Kai."

[White grins.]

"But who says I have to?"

[Edward White cackles.]

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