CA-CHUNK

 

[Present day.]

 

[After the sound of the breaker being thrown the fluorescent lights flicker to painful blinding life and the grey steel walls of a somewhat familiar near empty warehouse become visible. Standing in the dead center of the giant room dressed in a brown three piece suit with a blood red bow tie is the former World champion, the destroyer, the self professed monster, The Wargod.]

 

Bronson Box:

It’s been a good while since I gave a little sermon like this.

 

[From stage left we see enter a shirtless Frank Dylan James. Jeans, barefoot, chains draped over his neck. His hair is loose and wild, his beard long and unkempt. Anger, frustration, these are the emotions etched on the face of The Mastodon. He takes his place a few paces behind Bronson.]

 

Box:

I speak this evenin’ on the MEANIN’ of Ascension. First it alluded to the Ladder War. Ascending up up up and claimin’ the World title. Then it became a cute little reference to Sawyer and that awful Crag match. With Edward White competin’ against a field of second rate pretenders and Sawyer’s little... injury... puttin’ a definite end to his embarrassin’ foam and laser filled romp with Miss Christenson what does the title of this pay per view TRULY mean?

 

[From stage right comes prancing Virginia Quell, Frank’s face immediately turns even more sour that it was previously. Dressed in an altered lowcut #ORIGINALDEFIANT shirt and black leather pants The Red Queen looks absolutely stunning as she sidles up to Bronson. The Scottish Strongman not once acknowledging her presence. Much to her obvious chagrin.]

 

Box:

I suppose it means somethin’ different for each superstar involved. Myself? It’s ascendin’ beyond this triflin’ feud with Dan Ryan. Finally puttin’ to rest any doubt in the minds of the DEFIANCE faithful that I am what I say I am. I’ve turned the ego busting former multi time World champion and first ballot hall of famer and reformed evil doer into a ragin’ BEAST AGAIN!

 

[Bronson looks quite pleased with himself.]

 

Box:

I saw him last week grovelin’ to Python. One of the few DEFIANCE superstars stupid enough to still give the poor boy the time of day. You see, Dan Ryan realizes that at almost forty years of age he’s going to be chained to ME with nothin’ but flesh and blood and bone between our two souls. My soul is ready, Dan. And I truly think yours is too. This is put up or shut up time, Danny boy. You thought you could just waltz into DEFIANCE and drain us dry and win our titles and move on like some sort of pro wrestlin’ succubus. No, not this time lad.

 

Another broken skull underneath my boot, another victory achieved through pure unbridled mayhem as ONLY I can weave it.

 

[Bronson straightens his tie and pops his neck.]

 

Box:

Then crawl Dan. CRAWL from my promotion. Because win or lose you’ll crawl from DEFIANCE like the worm you are. No cameras? No network footing the bill for your disgustin’ contract? I could feel you eyeballin’ the door the second ESEN released that press release.

 

But...

 

I DARE you to stay, Dan Ryan. I DARE you to stay and find out what this promotion is truly like. Let’s dance at the PPV, Dan.  Let’s set the bloody tone for the next chapter of this the great experiment we call DEFIANCE! Do you have the stones, lad? You want to finally prove yourself to MY faithful?! 

 

[Box takes a few aggressive strides forward.]

 

Box:

Show up at the first smokey national armory or filthy gymnasium DEF is forced to run in! Show up on some death march of a foreign tour we’re all forced to endure just to keep the bloody doors open THEN THEN you can start provin’ yourself to the faithful! Because that’s who’ll be watching. The ones who BOO you, the ones who look at you as the pampered overpaid SUPERSTAR you are, Dan! A tool of the network sent to conquer Eric Dane’s latest inexplicably popular low rent garbage promotion. 

 

“Go add a little class to their show, Danny boy!”

 

Box:

ESEN? Elijah Goldman?

 

[Bronson spits a wad of phlegm towards what we assume to be the feet of the camera crew.]

 

Box:

I was here before the bloody network and I’ll be here long after. Will you be able to say the same, Dan? Will you be here when the big arenas and private dressin’ rooms are behind us? Or will you show yourself to be the plastic little liar I KNOW you to be and wander off into the sunset lookin’ for the next big thing with a TV deal?

 

[Virginia giggles from a few paces away. Bronson’s intense tirade is interrupted by the sound. He cocks his head to the side. His gaze quickly finding his companions.]

 

Box:

This has nothing to do with you Virginia. Nothing.

 

Quell:

Hollis I was just...

 

[Box turns and approaches the beautiful young redhead.]

 

Box:

You were standin’ there tryin' to look cute whilst you’ve done NOTHING to warrant being at my side. Your performance since coming here has been pathetic, pet. Absolutely pathetic and that just won’t do.

 

[Virginia looks stone cold terrified.]

 

Box:

A dear friend of mine spoke to me once about bein’ BETTER. It’s something inside you, you see. Something beyond simply wantin’ success, fame, power. It’s acquirin’ that sense that you’re truly BETTER than your fellow man. Someone who stands head and shoulders above the rest. Like Ed and myself, you see. You dear are not better. At one point in my life you were. I looked at you like a goddess, like a queen. I’d walked right into prison for you Virginia.

 

[Bronson brushes her cheek with the back of his hand.]

 

Box:

I loved you once.

 

[Tears start to form in The Red Queen’s eyes. Bronson pulls his hand away in disgust.]

 

Box:

But now I see the weakness in you. This tag team match with Walker’s idiot friends and Dentari’s lackeys. I want a win. You either win or... now listen to me Virginia. Win or I’ll have no further use for you. Edward has already dismissed Jane Katze from his employee. You’ll meet the same fate if you don’t bring me a win and a chance at those belts, do you understand me?

 

[Bronson doesn't even wait for a reply, he simply takes a few long strides over to where Frank Dylan James is standing, his huge hairy arms crossed over his massive barrel sized chest.]

 

Box:

You won’t get the simple luxury of simply being dismissed, Francis. You already know the stakes if you lose this match... don’t you?

 

[Frank growls at Bronson but ultimately does nothing, accepting his fate.]

 

[Bronson starts to walk back into the darkness of the warehouse, he stops and looks over his shoulder for just a moment... ]

 

Box: 

The Moral Majority is as of this moment, DEAD. Only The Blood Diamonds remain and it is a PRIVILEGE to stand beside us as equals.

 

A privilege the two of you will have to earn in blood or be cast aside.

 

[Bronson steps away into the shadows.]

 

 

[Gin and Frank both step forward and face the camera.]

 

 

 

[To be continued.]