Post by T-Marv on Jun 27, 2013 17:05:55 GMT -4
The hot summer sun glares down on a scene outside a very official looking government building. There is a crowd of people gathered around, most holding picket signs but all rowdy and getting carried away. One of the signs reads “Down with The Real Show”, another reads “You Stole The Sindicate,” while yet another reads “Free Level One from Your Shadow!”
We see a rather bland looking man with thick black glasses and a gray tweed suit standing there with a microphone in his hand. The crowd around him is rowdy, often bumping into him, and he seems to not notice, or care. He raises up the microphone and begins to speak.
Reporter: “Ladies and Gentlemen, we’re here today at the congressional hearing against New Sindicate leader and APW Undisputed Champion Terry Marvin. This process has taken over a month to develop and sus out the details on. But in this glorified witch hunt, Terry Marvin seems to be the unfair target of the stuffed suits and misinformed. The senate committee is in place and they’re ready to begin.”
The chatter in the room is quite headache inducing if you can’t manage to block it out as 8 elderly gentlemen, all who look like they could beat out Walter Matthau for Curmudgeon of the year, and one shriveled up old shrew line a very official looking desk that is elevated up on a stage overlooking everyone. They all look extremely smug, especially the rotund old man who sits in the middle. His nameplate reads “Chairman Whittaker” and he slams the gavel down on the sound block as the thud reverberates throughout the hall echoing off each wall.
All at once the chatter stops. Sitting down on the lower portion of the floor behind a small table, The Real Show Terry Marvin chuckles quietly inside. Chairman Whittaker slides his glasses down his nose and holds up a piece of paper, squinting to read it.
Chairman Whittaker: “Ladies and gentlemen, we are here today to discuss the findings of the committee about the root cause behind the split of the super powered Sindicate!”
There is mumbling around the crowd, but at one stiff glance from the chairman, everyone shuts up. He then clears his throat again and glares down at Marvin.
Chairman Whittaker: “MR. MARVIN! You were not an original member of this Sindicate were you?”
Terry goes to answer, but the Chairman doesn’t pause long enough and just keeps going on.
Chairman Whittaker: “In fact, you had originally gone to Lester Only for assistance long before your name was one on the lips of the Sindicate as a possible recruit, is that correct?”
Again Terry goes to answer, but is cut off by this grumpy old bag once more. Terry’s brow furrows as fury builds in his eyes.
Chairman Whittaker: “So you originally had ZERO stake in the Sindicate when it began its rise to power. So how is it that you feel that you have any right what so ever in making a decision about membership of the Sindicate? How is it that you think you could just make fundamental decisions about the group in an attempt to usurp control from Lester Only when in fact YOU were simply an underling of Lester and had zero real power to do ANYTHING with?”
Terry sits there for a second and takes a few sips of water, shaking as if he was going to explode. He doesn’t say a word until he notices that everyone has their eyes focused squarely on him. He then looks shocked.
“Oh forgive me, I didn’t realize you actually wanted me to speak up for myself during this witch hunt! I figured you were doing such a great job bastardizing my thoughts and feelings that you CLEARLY have a great deal of understanding in, that I would just let you continue.”
There is more chatter in the crowd as Terry’s defiance and lack of cooperation doesn’t go unnoticed. The chairman lets out an annoyed sigh.
Chairman Whittaker: “Mr. Marvin, that outburst is unnecessary.”
Terry just smirks!
“No sir, what’s unnecessary is this whole GOD DAMN sham of an investigation!”
Chairman Whittaker: “YOU ARE OUT OF LINE SIR!”
He slams the gavel down eliciting another smirk out of Marvin. He notices that everyone is looking at him, including the rest of the panel on the stage. He lets out a deep breath and then continues.
Chairman Whittaker: “Please answer the question. What gave you the right to make ANY decisions about the structure or organization of the Sindicate?”
Terry looks at the chairman dead on in the face.
“You really wanna ask that bullshit question and try to make me look like a fool eh? Fine, let’s play that game. The Sindicate needed to have a presence on Asylum… I was the only member of it ON Asylum so I made that decision….”
Chairman Whittaker: “But the question was… what gave you that right?”
“Do NOT interrupt me you decrepit old dog! I gave myself that right!”
There is a small gasp among the crowd as the Chairman smirks now.
Chairman Whittaker: “YOU? How could you give yourself ANY rights? Unless of course, you ADMIT to usurping the power from Lester Only and forcing him to be under your boot, in your shadow and always holding him down!”
Another gasp from the crowd as Terry stands up.
“Now wait just a GOD DAMN minute. You arrogant old bastard, you think you have all the answers don’t you? You, just like all the fools out there watching around the world can take one look at The Real Show and thin you have me all figured out? Let me tell you something pal, you odn’t know SHIT!”
Whittaker begins pounding his gavel and calling for order, but Terry just ignores it.
“I AM the fucking Sindicate. I made it what it is today! Without me, it would be the biggest joke in the wrestling world! Without me, Level One would still be getting bent over a rail by Kurt Noble and CJ Gates. So you ask me why I had the right to make any decisions… It’s cause I FUCKING RUN THS SINDICATE!”
The gaveling continues as the pounding gets louder and louder.
Chairman Whittaker: “I WILL HAVE ORDER”
Terry, like a flash of lightning, is out from behind his table and is standing right in front of the chairman who’s eyes go wide.
“Slam that Gavel again, I will rip it out of your hands, shove it up your ass, give it a little twist and rip your rectum right out of your decaying old meat suit that you’ve done a fantastic job ruining!”
There is another gasp in the crowd as now a pin drop could be heard as Terry and the Chairman glare at each other. The chairman is about to dismiss Terry’s claims but then gets a good look into the Undisputed Champion’s eyes. Terry doesn’t flinch, doesn’t waver, doesn’t crack a single inch of smile. Terry simply stares deep into the Chairman’s eyes letting him know that he’s dead serious. The chairman quietly sets down the gavel.
Marvin takes a few steps back and inhales deeply! His temper seems to mellow a bit as he exhales and then takes a glance around the room before speaking.
“Now I am SICK and tired for being blamed for ALL of Level One’s heartbreaks and hardships. I am sick and tired of you misinformed buffoons blaming me for the downfall of the Sindicate without taking the time to look at the real facts! But congratulations peons, you’re about to get an in-depth history lesson.”
Terry stands in the middle of everyone and looks strait into the eyes of the chairman.
“FACT: The Sindicate floundered since its inception into APW at the beginning of the year. It didn’t strike fear into the hearts of a single person, especially when Level One FAILED to defend its honor against Sally Talfourd…AGAIN! The biggest claim to fame the Sindicate had was a short lived tag title reign that was CHOPPY at best, until they gave the belts away to a crazy cripple and his boy wonder sidekick! The Sindicate was a joke… was disrespected and laughed about, was the butt of Sunday morning comics. Until…”
Terry smiled brightly.
“Until I came on board! I brought them prestige. I brought them the hottest thing on the market at that point. With my name, The Sindicate got instant recognition, got instant credibility. See, I didn’t just talk about the impact I was going to have, didn’t just come out every fucking night and puff out my chest screaming to the world that I was important, that I deserved your attention… I PROVED IT! I brought the Sindicate the UNDISPUTED CHAMPIONSHIP! I brought the Sindicate a Survive and Conquer Victory! I brought the Sindicate EVERYTHING!!! And suddenly, all the bullshit they were spouting off about, all the talk of taking APW by storm, about being the saviors to the APW fans and roster…it all had merit. Sindicate was respected, Sindicate was feared… Sindicate was SOMETHING!”
The passion in Terry’s voice resounds throughout the hall. There is silence in the crowd and on the panel as Everyone seems to be hanging on his every word.
“I had a dream of the Sindicate taking over ALL of APW. I also knew how depressed Level One was being put on the backburner so that I could shine through. A talent like that deserves his own stage, deserves to be at the forefront of everything. So I made the sacrifice to walk away from Overdrive and let Level One have the spotlight. And in my absence, He grabbed the baton and RAN with it. Without me there to be a constant reminder of his failures, he once again climbed to the greatness that he was so known for. And we were perched to achieve the goal that the Sindicate stood for. We were in position to right the wronged ship of APW, to break down the tyranny that held it hostage for so long and give the people hope again!”
Then Terry pauses as he looks at the panel on the edge of their seats. His face is solemn with a bit of an angry scowl coming to the front.
“BUT NO! Level One wouldn’t allow that. Instead of working to build a force to take his show by storm, much like the army I have behind me, he focused on his own selfish whims. Level One never asked the question, “how can I help the Sindicate?” But “How can I help myself aquire more and MORE power,” was always on the forefront of his brain. He let his greed block him from what should have been his REAL mission. And then, when he saw the flock of immense talent that gathered around my back, he couldn’t handle it! He saw that I was trying to promote the Sindicate, trying to do something real, and in that moment the true realization came to fruition to him. HE REALIZED that I was the true Leader of the Sindicate, the true face, that he’d completely dropped the ball. And in that second, the man who cared only about himself for over a year, suddenly wanted EXACTLY what I had. He wanted MY respect. He wanted MY ROLE! His jealousy burst out at the seams and he could no longer contain it!”
Terry sighed once again and looked around to the panel.
“DO NOT sit there and buy into Level One’s bullshit. Level One has mastered the art of bending the truth, and his lies are a poison that will eat into your brain and make you see things from his viewpoint…. A viewpoint that has been forever skewed by jealousy and greed! A viewpoint that cannot be trusted! Level One has let his quest for power cloud even his own eyes. He thinks in his heart of hearts that he’s doing the right thing. And there is nothing more dangerous than an evil zelot that thinks his cause is just. He is coming for my Undisputed Championship because he thinks that once he has it, he’ll have everything. When in reality all he’s doing is DESTROYING the Sindicate once and for all. Level One is the man who should be up here today answering for his sins… NOT ME!”
He stops and walks behind his table on the floor. He adjusts his suit one last time and leans toward the microphone.
“But don’t worry, men and woman of the committee. I promise you that Level One will not reach that tower of Avarice that he so blindly desires. Because I am the GREATEST THING TO EVER HAPPEN TO WRESTLING… and The Sindicate. This is my baby, this is what I’ve worked so damn hard to build. I won’t let him destroy it in one swift, arrogant action.”
The committee all look at each other as Terry turns once more and walks out of the hearing room. The Chairman clears his throat and takes his glasses off.
Chairman Whittaker: “We find that Terry Marvin was in fact acting in the best interests of the Sindicate. We find Lester Only’s claims to be completely FALSE! This Hearing is officially Adjourned.
HE slams the gavel one last time and the crowd erupts in cheers as the scene slowly fades to black.
A giant blown up calendar hangs on the wall with the months of June, July, and August all exposed. In August, the 25th is circled with a big star next to it. We pan back to see The APW Undisputed Champion Terry Marvin staring at the calendar with quiet contemplation in his eyes.
“ONE… one calendar year.
ONE… one opponent in my way.
ONE… Level Fucking One.”
Terry stares at the date with intense determination in his eyes, but the silence is broke by a small mousy voice behind him.
“Baby? Is everything okay?”
Terry turns around and sees the face of the one thing that keeps him going anymore, the one person in this world he’s fighting for… Maggie Kent, his beautiful fiancé.
“Of course, just thinking.”
“About Level One?”
He smiles. Her perception is amazing, though it’s not really that far of a stretch to figure out. Though in reality, he’s really not.
“Not exactly, I’m really thinking about the journey. About the path that brought me here. About how hard I’ve busted my ass to bring this title full circle to one calendar year… ”
“You want this real badly don’t you?”
Terry smiles and that’s all the answer she needs, reading his face like she’s so good at doing.
“This is the thing you want more than ANYTHING else in the world isn’t it? This is your number one.”
Terry smiles and chuckles a bit. He turns to her and takes her face in his hands. He kisses her forehead and then her lips.
“No, it’s my number two.”
Maggie can’t contain herself and squeals a bit. Then a serious thought crosses her mind.
“You really changed since last year you know that? Just look at yourself. Last year you’d do anything to get even an inch ahead. This year, you’re doing things right, and you’ve got your priorities strait.”
Terry smiles at her, he knows exactly what she was talking about and she was right. Over the course of a year, he went from pure demon, to pure hero in certain aspects of his life.
“I’ve accomplished a lot in my career, and YEAH, I want to accomplish so much more… but I’ve really seen what’s truly important, what I couldn’t see before. ”
He pauses for a second admiring the massive smile on his future wife’s face.
“One year has always been my goal, to do what others have failed to accomplish. And I’m going to go out there and give Level One everything I got, everything in my heart and soul. But win or lose, when the smoke clears, I’m coming back to you. Cause without you… none of this shit means a damn thing. Sharing my success with you, sharing my world with you…that’s why I still do this. That’s why I fight so damn hard.”
Terry shakes his head.
“That’s the problem with Lester. He doesn’t fight for anybody but himself. And when the day is said and done, he has nobody to share that success with. All he has is himself and his accomplishments. And for a while that’s all well and good. But soon, that emptiness creeps in your soul and you no longer remember WHY it is you’re fighting. And once that thought has entered your head… You’ve already lost.”
Maggie smiles and wraps her arms around his waist.
“I’ll be proud of you no matter what, you know that right?”
Terry smiles and nods.
“But I made a promise to you back in March. I told you that if you hold that title for a whole year… I’d do something crazy.”
Terry’s face lights up. He remembers that exactly, that was what really started his crusade, what drove his desire. And he’s NEVER forgotten. She stands on her tippy toes and whispers in her ear.
“I really wanna do something crazy…”
His eyes widen as she pops back down and turns away. She bits her lower lip as she looks back at him before seductively walking towards the door.
“So do me a favor baby… Kick his ass… for me!”
She exited the room and Terry smiled brighter. That was all he really ever needed. All doubt in his mind was washed away. He would step in that ring and claim victory over his toughest challenge to date. Not cause he wanted to. Not for his legacy. Not even for the place in his history books. But because he asked her to. She was his muse, his everything. And in her name, for her honor, Terry would take the battlefield and fight harder than he’s ever fought before.
Well, here you are Level One… exactly what you’ve always wanted isn’t it? You grabbed all the attention, stood in a big circle like a 3 year old with a shitty diaper and screamed “Look at me” until all eyes were directed in your direction. Then you puffed out your chest and proudly stated… “IT’S ALL ABOUT ME!” Well congratulations cause I didn’t see that one coming from a fucking MILE away!
Wow, you sure pulled a fast one on me Lester, using KJE and the twins to get whatever the hell you wanted, walking on them like stepping stones, not caring about who or what you destroyed in the process. And you wonder why there isn’t a single fan on the planet that respects your ass? GET A FUCKING CLUE LESTER… the world was laughing at you the whole time, asking themselves if your EGO was really this senselessly huge!
So you went out of your way to cook up this crazy scheme JUST to cash in your Briefcase and once again scream “LOOK WHAT I CAN DO!” But you fucked it up Level One, and you’re too God Damn arrogant and ignorant to even realize it. You could have saved that for the day of Test for the Best… right before my match, right after my match, on my way to the fucking parking lot. You could have hid it from the world, from me and pulled the wool over EVERYONE’s eyes. But instead you revealed your hand way too early!
You can sit there and spout some bullshit about wanting to win the title the right way, about wanting to have a fair match so you can show the world you can beat me. CUT THE FUCKING SHIT! You know god damn well that you could give two fucks less about a fair match. You once told me that “A Fair Match is like kissing your sister. Sure it gets the job done, but it just feels wrong.” No, Level One, you did it for the attention. You did it when you did so the world could look down at you, pat you on your head and scream out “You’re a smart one aren’t you chap?” You’re oversized ego got in the way, and it cost you the element of surprise, and it’s going to cost you this match.
Your out of control ego costs you all the time doesn’t it Level One? Your unchecked pride has talked you out of title shots, out of big wins, out of truly being the greatest wrestler who’s ever lived. You can’t stand that these people don’t worship you. In your mind, everyone who even hears your name should just bow down at your feet. You’re starved for that kind of attention, and you eat it up like a baby coming to breast. Hell, all it took for me to talk you into getting rid of that briefcase in the first place was to stroke your ego just a tiny bit and you were grabbing your ankles like a corner whore!
And trust me Lester, it will come around to bite you in the ass once again. Here’s a news flash for you, It’s not 2009 anymore! You are not the main event on the front page of every newspaper. You’re not the image every fan in America gets in their brain when they think about wrestling, about champions, about greatness. Back then you were hungry, wanted to rip into anyone and everyone for a chance at the top spot. You know what it meant to win, to truly win. You knew what it meant to bust your ass every day for a chance at glory. That Level One of a few years ago… that guy was a champion. That guy was a winner. That guy knew what it took to be the king! That guy…I could respect.
But now… this short cut taking, full of himself son of a bitch is a shell of what he should be. He’s been consumed by the hype, but every fan around the world screaming his name. HE listened when they said he could be the greatest ever… and he began to let it warp his fragile brain. Soon he believed that he DESERVED all of that, that it should just be GIVEN to him! Soon he let his Ego become an entirely different person, a person who silenced the being that he used to be. Then, hard work was just something of the past, something those who weren’t worthy had to endure in order to just survive. It became an abstract concept that was beneath you Level One.
You were swallowed by your own hype!
Don’t get me wrong, you took down 3 other men and became the World Heavyweight Champion for the first time in your illustrious career, that’s not a task to laugh at. You are now just as capable physically of beating the living hell out of whoever is brave or stupid enough to step in that ring with you. But mentally, you’re like a solider who’s seen too many wars. You’re so fucking fragile in the cranium that at any moment a tiny little thread might snap and send you in various directions.
You lose your title, you’d go into a deep seated depression that would leave you a homogenous mess.
You win a title, and all of a sudden you’re untouchable and lose sight of all those times in the past couple years where you were NOTHING!
Something goes according to plan, and you’re a genius that couldn’t possibly have their evil plans thwarted.
One of your plans goes awry, and you lose all touch with reality! You begin to think you’re this celebrity superstar that is loved the world over even when the people are cursing your name in the streets.
You’re unstable Level One, and I can’t imagine what reaching for the stars at Test for the Best only to be sent plummeting down to earth in a furious ball of flame will do to your poor mental state. You’ll likely end up in a padded cell hugging your knees and rocking back and forth repeating “They all love me” or something ridiculous. And normally, that kind of image would instantly send me into second thoughts, wondering whether or not I wanted to ruin a life like that. But for you Lester… I can’t fucking wait!
For the past few month’s you’ve made my life a living hell. You’ve tortured me, attacked my friends, and completely disregarded everything I’ve been striving towards for the last year and a half. And now… NOW you’re attempting to take the one thing away from me that gives my life meaning, that gives my career meaning. Level One, I will break you in half and sever that last tiny little piece of twine still holding you to this reality. I wanna see your heart break Level One. I wanna see your soul leave your body a shambled mess never to return. I wanna see you broken and crying in a pit of despair. Then and ONLY THEN will we ever be even.
I trusted you Level One! When you pulled that shit with Vannah White and Survive and Conquer… I let it slide. When you tried to back out of our team for the Visionary Wrestling tag championships… I was the glue that held us together. Every single rough patch we hit where your fucking ego got in the way, I turned the other cheek and let you have your tantrums. And then, when the world had forgotten about Level One, when your inadequacies kept you barried deep down in the basement of the Sindicate, I did the noble thing and stepped aside. I walked away to Asylum and let you have your day in the sun. And for all that… I got betrayal!
So now, all the kindnesses I’ve given you, all the help I’ve given you, all the times I’ve carried your lame ass when you begged and pleaded and said “I just can’t do it anymore” will be repaid tenfold when I walk out of Test For the Best as the GREATEST CHAMPION who has ever lived! And then all your planning, all your plotting, all your build up will have been for naught!
Cause that’s what you’re all about Level One: the buildup, the foreplay. You take great delight in all these plans and plots, but when it comes to final execution, you pull out way to quickly and blow your load all over your own face! It’s what happened when you went after Sally last year. It’s what happened when you teamed with Rebel. It’s what happens every time you think you’re being neglected or you think the world hasn’t had enough Level One. And it might pay off a bit. It might reap you some benefits. But when it comes time for that BIG FINAL explosion… you’re usually the only one left standing in the blasting zone!
Because when it comes to follow through, when it comes to winning, when it comes to the big payoff, that’s MY BAG!
That’s what I do Level One… I set a goal, then reach out and grab it. I win… in the end I always fucking win!
Ever since I came back to APW, I’ve passed every single test that’s been placed in front of my face. Every time I was given little to no credit. Every time the odds were stacked against me. And Every time I took those odds and threw them back into the face of my critics. Once again, it seems that the chips are down and my back is in the corner. Level One seems poised to strike, to end the Real Show Era!
And once again… they never learn.
This is the biggest test I’ve had as a champion Level One. This is the biggest test I’ve had as a wrestler. Here I am staring in the face of a hungry Level One who sees me as his dinner. I’m the prey in this scenario while the wily snake makes his way towards me with jaws unhinged. But if you think this mouse is just going to roll over and play dead.. you’ve been breaking into way too much of Jason Kash’s stash there Lester.
You see, we’ve been playing your game for way too long Lester. I’ve been letting you take the controls and call the shots and think that you’re the one who runs the whole show…
But at Test For the Best, it’s time once and for all for me to put your bullshit behind me. It’s time for me to move on. It’s time for me to finally get past Level One and put you far behind me. So here I stand at the end boss, after all this time.
And at Test for the best… It’s GAME OVER! I finally break through to the next stage. I finally LEVEL UP!
And then Level One, you’ll be the one sitting in the corner playing with yourself.
Cause I run this show Level One! I call the shots. I am GODS GIFT TO WRESTLING! For the last year the wrestling world has been playing by my rules.
That doesn’t change at Test for the Best.
Level One, your greed, your jealousy, and your blatant lies will finally catch up to you when I look you dead in the eyes and smile. Cause I know… that none of your deception can help you now, that you have to look at the man that you’ve wronged and pay the price. You’ll realize that you made a mistake. You’ll see clearly for the first time in your life.
And you’ll be forced to GET REAL.
But by then it will be too damn late!
I will pass my test Level One….with flying colors.
ITS SHOWTIME!
We see a rather bland looking man with thick black glasses and a gray tweed suit standing there with a microphone in his hand. The crowd around him is rowdy, often bumping into him, and he seems to not notice, or care. He raises up the microphone and begins to speak.
Reporter: “Ladies and Gentlemen, we’re here today at the congressional hearing against New Sindicate leader and APW Undisputed Champion Terry Marvin. This process has taken over a month to develop and sus out the details on. But in this glorified witch hunt, Terry Marvin seems to be the unfair target of the stuffed suits and misinformed. The senate committee is in place and they’re ready to begin.”
The chatter in the room is quite headache inducing if you can’t manage to block it out as 8 elderly gentlemen, all who look like they could beat out Walter Matthau for Curmudgeon of the year, and one shriveled up old shrew line a very official looking desk that is elevated up on a stage overlooking everyone. They all look extremely smug, especially the rotund old man who sits in the middle. His nameplate reads “Chairman Whittaker” and he slams the gavel down on the sound block as the thud reverberates throughout the hall echoing off each wall.
All at once the chatter stops. Sitting down on the lower portion of the floor behind a small table, The Real Show Terry Marvin chuckles quietly inside. Chairman Whittaker slides his glasses down his nose and holds up a piece of paper, squinting to read it.
Chairman Whittaker: “Ladies and gentlemen, we are here today to discuss the findings of the committee about the root cause behind the split of the super powered Sindicate!”
There is mumbling around the crowd, but at one stiff glance from the chairman, everyone shuts up. He then clears his throat again and glares down at Marvin.
Chairman Whittaker: “MR. MARVIN! You were not an original member of this Sindicate were you?”
Terry goes to answer, but the Chairman doesn’t pause long enough and just keeps going on.
Chairman Whittaker: “In fact, you had originally gone to Lester Only for assistance long before your name was one on the lips of the Sindicate as a possible recruit, is that correct?”
Again Terry goes to answer, but is cut off by this grumpy old bag once more. Terry’s brow furrows as fury builds in his eyes.
Chairman Whittaker: “So you originally had ZERO stake in the Sindicate when it began its rise to power. So how is it that you feel that you have any right what so ever in making a decision about membership of the Sindicate? How is it that you think you could just make fundamental decisions about the group in an attempt to usurp control from Lester Only when in fact YOU were simply an underling of Lester and had zero real power to do ANYTHING with?”
Terry sits there for a second and takes a few sips of water, shaking as if he was going to explode. He doesn’t say a word until he notices that everyone has their eyes focused squarely on him. He then looks shocked.
“Oh forgive me, I didn’t realize you actually wanted me to speak up for myself during this witch hunt! I figured you were doing such a great job bastardizing my thoughts and feelings that you CLEARLY have a great deal of understanding in, that I would just let you continue.”
There is more chatter in the crowd as Terry’s defiance and lack of cooperation doesn’t go unnoticed. The chairman lets out an annoyed sigh.
Chairman Whittaker: “Mr. Marvin, that outburst is unnecessary.”
Terry just smirks!
“No sir, what’s unnecessary is this whole GOD DAMN sham of an investigation!”
Chairman Whittaker: “YOU ARE OUT OF LINE SIR!”
He slams the gavel down eliciting another smirk out of Marvin. He notices that everyone is looking at him, including the rest of the panel on the stage. He lets out a deep breath and then continues.
Chairman Whittaker: “Please answer the question. What gave you the right to make ANY decisions about the structure or organization of the Sindicate?”
Terry looks at the chairman dead on in the face.
“You really wanna ask that bullshit question and try to make me look like a fool eh? Fine, let’s play that game. The Sindicate needed to have a presence on Asylum… I was the only member of it ON Asylum so I made that decision….”
Chairman Whittaker: “But the question was… what gave you that right?”
“Do NOT interrupt me you decrepit old dog! I gave myself that right!”
There is a small gasp among the crowd as the Chairman smirks now.
Chairman Whittaker: “YOU? How could you give yourself ANY rights? Unless of course, you ADMIT to usurping the power from Lester Only and forcing him to be under your boot, in your shadow and always holding him down!”
Another gasp from the crowd as Terry stands up.
“Now wait just a GOD DAMN minute. You arrogant old bastard, you think you have all the answers don’t you? You, just like all the fools out there watching around the world can take one look at The Real Show and thin you have me all figured out? Let me tell you something pal, you odn’t know SHIT!”
Whittaker begins pounding his gavel and calling for order, but Terry just ignores it.
“I AM the fucking Sindicate. I made it what it is today! Without me, it would be the biggest joke in the wrestling world! Without me, Level One would still be getting bent over a rail by Kurt Noble and CJ Gates. So you ask me why I had the right to make any decisions… It’s cause I FUCKING RUN THS SINDICATE!”
The gaveling continues as the pounding gets louder and louder.
Chairman Whittaker: “I WILL HAVE ORDER”
Terry, like a flash of lightning, is out from behind his table and is standing right in front of the chairman who’s eyes go wide.
“Slam that Gavel again, I will rip it out of your hands, shove it up your ass, give it a little twist and rip your rectum right out of your decaying old meat suit that you’ve done a fantastic job ruining!”
There is another gasp in the crowd as now a pin drop could be heard as Terry and the Chairman glare at each other. The chairman is about to dismiss Terry’s claims but then gets a good look into the Undisputed Champion’s eyes. Terry doesn’t flinch, doesn’t waver, doesn’t crack a single inch of smile. Terry simply stares deep into the Chairman’s eyes letting him know that he’s dead serious. The chairman quietly sets down the gavel.
Marvin takes a few steps back and inhales deeply! His temper seems to mellow a bit as he exhales and then takes a glance around the room before speaking.
“Now I am SICK and tired for being blamed for ALL of Level One’s heartbreaks and hardships. I am sick and tired of you misinformed buffoons blaming me for the downfall of the Sindicate without taking the time to look at the real facts! But congratulations peons, you’re about to get an in-depth history lesson.”
Terry stands in the middle of everyone and looks strait into the eyes of the chairman.
“FACT: The Sindicate floundered since its inception into APW at the beginning of the year. It didn’t strike fear into the hearts of a single person, especially when Level One FAILED to defend its honor against Sally Talfourd…AGAIN! The biggest claim to fame the Sindicate had was a short lived tag title reign that was CHOPPY at best, until they gave the belts away to a crazy cripple and his boy wonder sidekick! The Sindicate was a joke… was disrespected and laughed about, was the butt of Sunday morning comics. Until…”
Terry smiled brightly.
“Until I came on board! I brought them prestige. I brought them the hottest thing on the market at that point. With my name, The Sindicate got instant recognition, got instant credibility. See, I didn’t just talk about the impact I was going to have, didn’t just come out every fucking night and puff out my chest screaming to the world that I was important, that I deserved your attention… I PROVED IT! I brought the Sindicate the UNDISPUTED CHAMPIONSHIP! I brought the Sindicate a Survive and Conquer Victory! I brought the Sindicate EVERYTHING!!! And suddenly, all the bullshit they were spouting off about, all the talk of taking APW by storm, about being the saviors to the APW fans and roster…it all had merit. Sindicate was respected, Sindicate was feared… Sindicate was SOMETHING!”
The passion in Terry’s voice resounds throughout the hall. There is silence in the crowd and on the panel as Everyone seems to be hanging on his every word.
“I had a dream of the Sindicate taking over ALL of APW. I also knew how depressed Level One was being put on the backburner so that I could shine through. A talent like that deserves his own stage, deserves to be at the forefront of everything. So I made the sacrifice to walk away from Overdrive and let Level One have the spotlight. And in my absence, He grabbed the baton and RAN with it. Without me there to be a constant reminder of his failures, he once again climbed to the greatness that he was so known for. And we were perched to achieve the goal that the Sindicate stood for. We were in position to right the wronged ship of APW, to break down the tyranny that held it hostage for so long and give the people hope again!”
Then Terry pauses as he looks at the panel on the edge of their seats. His face is solemn with a bit of an angry scowl coming to the front.
“BUT NO! Level One wouldn’t allow that. Instead of working to build a force to take his show by storm, much like the army I have behind me, he focused on his own selfish whims. Level One never asked the question, “how can I help the Sindicate?” But “How can I help myself aquire more and MORE power,” was always on the forefront of his brain. He let his greed block him from what should have been his REAL mission. And then, when he saw the flock of immense talent that gathered around my back, he couldn’t handle it! He saw that I was trying to promote the Sindicate, trying to do something real, and in that moment the true realization came to fruition to him. HE REALIZED that I was the true Leader of the Sindicate, the true face, that he’d completely dropped the ball. And in that second, the man who cared only about himself for over a year, suddenly wanted EXACTLY what I had. He wanted MY respect. He wanted MY ROLE! His jealousy burst out at the seams and he could no longer contain it!”
Terry sighed once again and looked around to the panel.
“DO NOT sit there and buy into Level One’s bullshit. Level One has mastered the art of bending the truth, and his lies are a poison that will eat into your brain and make you see things from his viewpoint…. A viewpoint that has been forever skewed by jealousy and greed! A viewpoint that cannot be trusted! Level One has let his quest for power cloud even his own eyes. He thinks in his heart of hearts that he’s doing the right thing. And there is nothing more dangerous than an evil zelot that thinks his cause is just. He is coming for my Undisputed Championship because he thinks that once he has it, he’ll have everything. When in reality all he’s doing is DESTROYING the Sindicate once and for all. Level One is the man who should be up here today answering for his sins… NOT ME!”
He stops and walks behind his table on the floor. He adjusts his suit one last time and leans toward the microphone.
“But don’t worry, men and woman of the committee. I promise you that Level One will not reach that tower of Avarice that he so blindly desires. Because I am the GREATEST THING TO EVER HAPPEN TO WRESTLING… and The Sindicate. This is my baby, this is what I’ve worked so damn hard to build. I won’t let him destroy it in one swift, arrogant action.”
The committee all look at each other as Terry turns once more and walks out of the hearing room. The Chairman clears his throat and takes his glasses off.
Chairman Whittaker: “We find that Terry Marvin was in fact acting in the best interests of the Sindicate. We find Lester Only’s claims to be completely FALSE! This Hearing is officially Adjourned.
HE slams the gavel one last time and the crowd erupts in cheers as the scene slowly fades to black.
A giant blown up calendar hangs on the wall with the months of June, July, and August all exposed. In August, the 25th is circled with a big star next to it. We pan back to see The APW Undisputed Champion Terry Marvin staring at the calendar with quiet contemplation in his eyes.
“ONE… one calendar year.
ONE… one opponent in my way.
ONE… Level Fucking One.”
Terry stares at the date with intense determination in his eyes, but the silence is broke by a small mousy voice behind him.
“Baby? Is everything okay?”
Terry turns around and sees the face of the one thing that keeps him going anymore, the one person in this world he’s fighting for… Maggie Kent, his beautiful fiancé.
“Of course, just thinking.”
“About Level One?”
He smiles. Her perception is amazing, though it’s not really that far of a stretch to figure out. Though in reality, he’s really not.
“Not exactly, I’m really thinking about the journey. About the path that brought me here. About how hard I’ve busted my ass to bring this title full circle to one calendar year… ”
“You want this real badly don’t you?”
Terry smiles and that’s all the answer she needs, reading his face like she’s so good at doing.
“This is the thing you want more than ANYTHING else in the world isn’t it? This is your number one.”
Terry smiles and chuckles a bit. He turns to her and takes her face in his hands. He kisses her forehead and then her lips.
“No, it’s my number two.”
Maggie can’t contain herself and squeals a bit. Then a serious thought crosses her mind.
“You really changed since last year you know that? Just look at yourself. Last year you’d do anything to get even an inch ahead. This year, you’re doing things right, and you’ve got your priorities strait.”
Terry smiles at her, he knows exactly what she was talking about and she was right. Over the course of a year, he went from pure demon, to pure hero in certain aspects of his life.
“I’ve accomplished a lot in my career, and YEAH, I want to accomplish so much more… but I’ve really seen what’s truly important, what I couldn’t see before. ”
He pauses for a second admiring the massive smile on his future wife’s face.
“One year has always been my goal, to do what others have failed to accomplish. And I’m going to go out there and give Level One everything I got, everything in my heart and soul. But win or lose, when the smoke clears, I’m coming back to you. Cause without you… none of this shit means a damn thing. Sharing my success with you, sharing my world with you…that’s why I still do this. That’s why I fight so damn hard.”
Terry shakes his head.
“That’s the problem with Lester. He doesn’t fight for anybody but himself. And when the day is said and done, he has nobody to share that success with. All he has is himself and his accomplishments. And for a while that’s all well and good. But soon, that emptiness creeps in your soul and you no longer remember WHY it is you’re fighting. And once that thought has entered your head… You’ve already lost.”
Maggie smiles and wraps her arms around his waist.
“I’ll be proud of you no matter what, you know that right?”
Terry smiles and nods.
“But I made a promise to you back in March. I told you that if you hold that title for a whole year… I’d do something crazy.”
Terry’s face lights up. He remembers that exactly, that was what really started his crusade, what drove his desire. And he’s NEVER forgotten. She stands on her tippy toes and whispers in her ear.
“I really wanna do something crazy…”
His eyes widen as she pops back down and turns away. She bits her lower lip as she looks back at him before seductively walking towards the door.
“So do me a favor baby… Kick his ass… for me!”
She exited the room and Terry smiled brighter. That was all he really ever needed. All doubt in his mind was washed away. He would step in that ring and claim victory over his toughest challenge to date. Not cause he wanted to. Not for his legacy. Not even for the place in his history books. But because he asked her to. She was his muse, his everything. And in her name, for her honor, Terry would take the battlefield and fight harder than he’s ever fought before.
Well, here you are Level One… exactly what you’ve always wanted isn’t it? You grabbed all the attention, stood in a big circle like a 3 year old with a shitty diaper and screamed “Look at me” until all eyes were directed in your direction. Then you puffed out your chest and proudly stated… “IT’S ALL ABOUT ME!” Well congratulations cause I didn’t see that one coming from a fucking MILE away!
Wow, you sure pulled a fast one on me Lester, using KJE and the twins to get whatever the hell you wanted, walking on them like stepping stones, not caring about who or what you destroyed in the process. And you wonder why there isn’t a single fan on the planet that respects your ass? GET A FUCKING CLUE LESTER… the world was laughing at you the whole time, asking themselves if your EGO was really this senselessly huge!
So you went out of your way to cook up this crazy scheme JUST to cash in your Briefcase and once again scream “LOOK WHAT I CAN DO!” But you fucked it up Level One, and you’re too God Damn arrogant and ignorant to even realize it. You could have saved that for the day of Test for the Best… right before my match, right after my match, on my way to the fucking parking lot. You could have hid it from the world, from me and pulled the wool over EVERYONE’s eyes. But instead you revealed your hand way too early!
You can sit there and spout some bullshit about wanting to win the title the right way, about wanting to have a fair match so you can show the world you can beat me. CUT THE FUCKING SHIT! You know god damn well that you could give two fucks less about a fair match. You once told me that “A Fair Match is like kissing your sister. Sure it gets the job done, but it just feels wrong.” No, Level One, you did it for the attention. You did it when you did so the world could look down at you, pat you on your head and scream out “You’re a smart one aren’t you chap?” You’re oversized ego got in the way, and it cost you the element of surprise, and it’s going to cost you this match.
Your out of control ego costs you all the time doesn’t it Level One? Your unchecked pride has talked you out of title shots, out of big wins, out of truly being the greatest wrestler who’s ever lived. You can’t stand that these people don’t worship you. In your mind, everyone who even hears your name should just bow down at your feet. You’re starved for that kind of attention, and you eat it up like a baby coming to breast. Hell, all it took for me to talk you into getting rid of that briefcase in the first place was to stroke your ego just a tiny bit and you were grabbing your ankles like a corner whore!
And trust me Lester, it will come around to bite you in the ass once again. Here’s a news flash for you, It’s not 2009 anymore! You are not the main event on the front page of every newspaper. You’re not the image every fan in America gets in their brain when they think about wrestling, about champions, about greatness. Back then you were hungry, wanted to rip into anyone and everyone for a chance at the top spot. You know what it meant to win, to truly win. You knew what it meant to bust your ass every day for a chance at glory. That Level One of a few years ago… that guy was a champion. That guy was a winner. That guy knew what it took to be the king! That guy…I could respect.
But now… this short cut taking, full of himself son of a bitch is a shell of what he should be. He’s been consumed by the hype, but every fan around the world screaming his name. HE listened when they said he could be the greatest ever… and he began to let it warp his fragile brain. Soon he believed that he DESERVED all of that, that it should just be GIVEN to him! Soon he let his Ego become an entirely different person, a person who silenced the being that he used to be. Then, hard work was just something of the past, something those who weren’t worthy had to endure in order to just survive. It became an abstract concept that was beneath you Level One.
You were swallowed by your own hype!
Don’t get me wrong, you took down 3 other men and became the World Heavyweight Champion for the first time in your illustrious career, that’s not a task to laugh at. You are now just as capable physically of beating the living hell out of whoever is brave or stupid enough to step in that ring with you. But mentally, you’re like a solider who’s seen too many wars. You’re so fucking fragile in the cranium that at any moment a tiny little thread might snap and send you in various directions.
You lose your title, you’d go into a deep seated depression that would leave you a homogenous mess.
You win a title, and all of a sudden you’re untouchable and lose sight of all those times in the past couple years where you were NOTHING!
Something goes according to plan, and you’re a genius that couldn’t possibly have their evil plans thwarted.
One of your plans goes awry, and you lose all touch with reality! You begin to think you’re this celebrity superstar that is loved the world over even when the people are cursing your name in the streets.
You’re unstable Level One, and I can’t imagine what reaching for the stars at Test for the Best only to be sent plummeting down to earth in a furious ball of flame will do to your poor mental state. You’ll likely end up in a padded cell hugging your knees and rocking back and forth repeating “They all love me” or something ridiculous. And normally, that kind of image would instantly send me into second thoughts, wondering whether or not I wanted to ruin a life like that. But for you Lester… I can’t fucking wait!
For the past few month’s you’ve made my life a living hell. You’ve tortured me, attacked my friends, and completely disregarded everything I’ve been striving towards for the last year and a half. And now… NOW you’re attempting to take the one thing away from me that gives my life meaning, that gives my career meaning. Level One, I will break you in half and sever that last tiny little piece of twine still holding you to this reality. I wanna see your heart break Level One. I wanna see your soul leave your body a shambled mess never to return. I wanna see you broken and crying in a pit of despair. Then and ONLY THEN will we ever be even.
I trusted you Level One! When you pulled that shit with Vannah White and Survive and Conquer… I let it slide. When you tried to back out of our team for the Visionary Wrestling tag championships… I was the glue that held us together. Every single rough patch we hit where your fucking ego got in the way, I turned the other cheek and let you have your tantrums. And then, when the world had forgotten about Level One, when your inadequacies kept you barried deep down in the basement of the Sindicate, I did the noble thing and stepped aside. I walked away to Asylum and let you have your day in the sun. And for all that… I got betrayal!
So now, all the kindnesses I’ve given you, all the help I’ve given you, all the times I’ve carried your lame ass when you begged and pleaded and said “I just can’t do it anymore” will be repaid tenfold when I walk out of Test For the Best as the GREATEST CHAMPION who has ever lived! And then all your planning, all your plotting, all your build up will have been for naught!
Cause that’s what you’re all about Level One: the buildup, the foreplay. You take great delight in all these plans and plots, but when it comes to final execution, you pull out way to quickly and blow your load all over your own face! It’s what happened when you went after Sally last year. It’s what happened when you teamed with Rebel. It’s what happens every time you think you’re being neglected or you think the world hasn’t had enough Level One. And it might pay off a bit. It might reap you some benefits. But when it comes time for that BIG FINAL explosion… you’re usually the only one left standing in the blasting zone!
Because when it comes to follow through, when it comes to winning, when it comes to the big payoff, that’s MY BAG!
That’s what I do Level One… I set a goal, then reach out and grab it. I win… in the end I always fucking win!
Ever since I came back to APW, I’ve passed every single test that’s been placed in front of my face. Every time I was given little to no credit. Every time the odds were stacked against me. And Every time I took those odds and threw them back into the face of my critics. Once again, it seems that the chips are down and my back is in the corner. Level One seems poised to strike, to end the Real Show Era!
And once again… they never learn.
This is the biggest test I’ve had as a champion Level One. This is the biggest test I’ve had as a wrestler. Here I am staring in the face of a hungry Level One who sees me as his dinner. I’m the prey in this scenario while the wily snake makes his way towards me with jaws unhinged. But if you think this mouse is just going to roll over and play dead.. you’ve been breaking into way too much of Jason Kash’s stash there Lester.
You see, we’ve been playing your game for way too long Lester. I’ve been letting you take the controls and call the shots and think that you’re the one who runs the whole show…
But at Test For the Best, it’s time once and for all for me to put your bullshit behind me. It’s time for me to move on. It’s time for me to finally get past Level One and put you far behind me. So here I stand at the end boss, after all this time.
And at Test for the best… It’s GAME OVER! I finally break through to the next stage. I finally LEVEL UP!
And then Level One, you’ll be the one sitting in the corner playing with yourself.
Cause I run this show Level One! I call the shots. I am GODS GIFT TO WRESTLING! For the last year the wrestling world has been playing by my rules.
That doesn’t change at Test for the Best.
Level One, your greed, your jealousy, and your blatant lies will finally catch up to you when I look you dead in the eyes and smile. Cause I know… that none of your deception can help you now, that you have to look at the man that you’ve wronged and pay the price. You’ll realize that you made a mistake. You’ll see clearly for the first time in your life.
And you’ll be forced to GET REAL.
But by then it will be too damn late!
I will pass my test Level One….with flying colors.
ITS SHOWTIME!
