Post by Slade "The Main Man" Craven on Jul 22, 2009 20:34:38 GMT -4
The locker room is unusually clean. This something that one would see in a locker room that no one has claimed yet at the TD Banknorth Garden in Boston. The room has been dressed up for an interview. Black leather chairs sit against a neon royal blue backdrop. There is a light emanating from the other side of the backdrop. Also a grey shag carpet can be seen resting beneath the black chairs and a small table that holds two bottles of water sitting between the two angled chairs. No one is in this room, yet. From off camera there is the sound of a door opening and a shadow is cast from the light resonating from the sides of the room. A woman’s voice is heard.
“This will not do at all. Hey Gary, cut those lights.”
The ever so lovely Cindy Shannon is seen walking in front of the camera as the side lighting cuts off and now the only light comes from behind the camera and behind the backdrop. It makes a normal lighting set. She straightens her black and blue dress. Everything is color coordinated for this special interview that looks to be set up for a man who likes those colors. Her hair shines in the little light that remains. She sits down and crosses her legs then looks over everything. She has no notes, as if she does not need them. It has been a long time since anyone has seen Cindy Shannon, most everyone is being interviewed by Shane West. Slade happened upon the bad luck to be bothered by the idiot Chip Douglas last week. But Miss Shannon has yet to grace A.P.W. with her presence Test for the Best. She looks more than ready for this interview. Then there is a knock at the door, its quiet.
“Come in,” Cindy exclaims. She seems a little excited, but she keeps it hidden as her guest enters the room.
She stands back up and pulls the hem of her dress back down, it has a nasty habit of riding up when coming into contact with leather. She extends her hand and a large, gruff one takes it. The cameraman pulls the lens back to show the obvious, Shadow standing there in blue jeans and a black button up shirt. His hair is pulled back into a pony tail and he wears a pair of his favorite sunglasses. Draped across his shoulder is the Overdrive Championship. After shaking her hand for a second, Shadow leans down and kisses the back of her hand and lets go.
“Miss Shannon,” Shadow says, “It‘s always brightens my day to see you once again, and how have you been lately?”
She beams a polite smile. Cindy has heard about the manners men from Texas possess, still she does not like the slight flirting Shadow is doing.
“Thank you, and I have been doing quite alright, Shadow,” She turns and motions to the right chair for him to take a seat. “It has been awhile since we were able to conduct a formal interview like this there are a lot of questions I would like to ask, and hopefully we have time to get to all of them.”
Shadow takes a seat and Cindy does the same.
“Well, as you may know, Slade and I have been handling things a little differently as of late. Craven has gone back to the mic running while I went to Rome and got in touch with my roots. Well not my roots per-say just I felt I needed a little historical inspiration.”
Cindy nods slowly, “Well that raises another interesting question I want to discuss but it is not the first thing I want to ask.”
“Alright,” Shadow takes off his sunglasses. “So where shall we begin?”
“Well,” Cindy pauses and thinks for a second,” I would think that the best way to begin this interview is to discuss Assassin’s recent departure from A.P.W.”
“I really would prefer to discuss something else,” Shadow responds a little bothered, “But I will tell you the same thing I have told everyone else. Assassin leaving was his choice. It was a tough decision on everyone to see our friend and tag partner leave, but truth be told Assassin just hasn’t had his heart in it for awhile. He is where Slade and I were a several months ago when we were working for W.A.W, or D.U.W. or hell a year ago when we were working for E.C.F.W. When the federations closed our hearts left the business and then we found a new place to call home and we re-kindled that fire. Assassin has not really been able to do that. After those three places went under. He had a hard time adjusting here and finally decided the best thing for him was to wrestle Slade and have the one match he truly wanted. Honestly he was done after that moment, his victory over Slade at Mayhem gave him peace. There is nothing wrong with that either, Assassin just felt his time here was through.”
“I see, well we all do wish him the best wherever his travels take him,” Cindy starts to say, “ and who knows maybe at some point the will return to A.P.W. and continue his career. Now speaking of past Pay Per Views, your victory over Mr. Strange at Test for the Best was considered by some a major upset. Several people were actually betting against you for this match and when you were able to pull off the win they were shocked. How does that make you feel?”
“It is a relief Cindy,” Shadow says without any contemplation, “After all this time I am still able to shock people. I like the fact I possess the qualities that can put on a show stopping match that leaves the crowd speechless. This pleases me because despite the fact I told everyone that the match would end the exact same way it did the first time I fought Strange, some people didn‘t believe me. I remember hearing from Pence before our big one on one match on Overdrive he mentioned that Strange would be a formidable opponent who would give me a run for my money and I responded, ‘Who Strange? Been there, done that.’ and he seemed to be offended by it. I just kept my promise Cindy, Strange wanted to wage a war, and while he was able to win some battles there is no one who can win a war against me. Slade used to call me ‘The Beast’ back when I first got started, its what I was against Strange, I got the call and put him down like a sick animal.”
“Shadow, that is pretty harsh” Cindy interrupts, “Don‘t you have any respect for your opponent?”
“Cindy,” Shadow shakes his head. “When it comes to Mr. Strange, no I cannot have any respect for a man who isolates himself within his own delusions. There has to be some measure of sanity inside a person’s head to respect them. Which brings me to my next major point, Michael Lively. The former A.P.W. champion who returned to his home federation when he realized he did not have the star power to hold a federation open on his own. I do have some respect for Lively, even more because he is fighting here without a contract, which Jeff made perfectly clear by the way.”
Shadow puts his hand to the side of his mouth in a whisper style, except he speaks normally and makes everyone know its in a mocking fashion.
“Which means that because Lively is not under contract he is not eligible for worker’s compensation or A.P.W.s hospitalization plan.” Shadow continues as he pulls his hand away from his mouth. “Jeff wants me to hurt Lively which I do not intend on doing. Sure I will beat the man, that’s all fine and dandy, but I do not plan on hurting him, hell he hasn’t done anything to me, yet.”
“Why would President Jeff be trying to to get you to eliminate Michael Lively?”
Shadow signs, he absolutely hates answering obvious questions and because Jeff released the statement in the Newswire Shadow does not feel he should answer it. He picks up one of the bottles of water, opens it and takes a large drink from it.
“Because Jeff, once again, wants me to solve his problem. He pits me against Pence Weatherlight, trying to rid him of one problem and what happened? I am not Jeff‘s dog, he does not have me on his leash. Yes I am looking forward to my match with ‘The White Lion,’ It‘s something I feel a lot of people have been waiting on for quite some time.”
“How so?” Cindy tilts her head.
“I will get to that in a little bit,” Shadow holds up his hand. “No, I want to continue talking about Jeff‘s reasoning for this. There is a type of people in this world who seem to think people love them, but don‘t realize they are hated at the same time. Michael Lively and Jefferies are these kind of people. Lively turned his back on the fans so they have no reason to like or trust him, and Jeff, well Jeff is an ass. So while I look forward to facing one of A.P.W’s former top superstars, I have no intention on being Jeff’s lacky, wait that’s not the right word. What is Streets Wilson again?”
Cindy just looks at him.
“Hrm,” Shadow ponders this for a moment, “Lacky, no that is not it, homeboy,? No, uh concubine, close, wait Lick Spittle, no what the hell is that? Oh wait that’s right, Flunky. I am not Jeff’s Flunky, nor will I ever be. Lively won’t either, so at least he has integrity, but that alone is not going to win back the fans, or this match.”
“So you think you can beat the former A.P.W. Champion?”
“That is very astute of you Cindy,” Shadow says sarcastically. “Yes, Michael Lively is the former Champion, but more importantly he is the longest reigning Overdrive Champion in A.P.W. and that’s what I am looking to overcome here. I don‘t care about the other title he won, I care about the fact I am facing someone who held this.”
Shadow’s voice is defiant, He runs his hand across the championship and then his forehead as Cindy crosses her legs. The blue light in the background seems to get brighter. Almost as if it is mimicking Shadow’s passion for this business, it is burning brighter and brighter
“Shadow,” Cindy questions, “You want to take Lively‘s reign record, we correct?”
“Yes Cindy, that is my new goal,” Shadow replies abruptly. “Defeating the man who holds that record now gives me the right to take that record from him, almost as if I am taking his championship. I have found the next rung in my ladder and I think the fans deserve to have a name on their record books that relates to someone who did not jump ship because he got his ass beat by Level One.”
Cindy seems a little taken aback that Shadow would bring that up. It was a good while ago and to think Shadow would say something like that is a little off character for him.
“Oh yes Cindy,” Shadow nods, “I do remember that day. It was the night I took on John Green to defend my championship. On that night I made a name for myself, etching, no carving it into the stone here and Lively won his Star on the Walk of Shame. He left A.P.W. he left the fans, and he wants what he could not have. He wanted to be the big name in whatever the hell that federation that caved in on itself was called. Lively comes back wanting to win the hearts of the fans, and he didn’t get met with a warm reception. So why would Jeff want to sign him, revenge? That’s what he thinks I will exact for him. No, I see all this, from Lively’s perspective, as a trial. He has to runt he gauntlet before Jeff resigns him. It’s not about winning, its about survival. Lively has to survive what is before him, otherwise he will never get a job here again and fade into the world as a has been. His records and title histories are going to be washed away. This is the start of his last chance to save all that.
“Okay,” Cindy seems unsure what to say.
“Still, despite everything that this match is,” Shadow starts to say, “It is not a slaughter. Jeff went, ’Hey let me through Lively up against Shadow, and he will wipe the floor with him, and that way Lively will never want to return. Send him up against the biggest guy who remains undefeated in singles competition and lets find out how bad ass ‘The White Lion’ is.’ And luckily Jeff never came up to me and told me how he wanted this thing to go down. Some guys will do that. They will walk up to a superstar and tell him to take out the other guy. That’s not what Jeff did here. He knows it wouldn’t work. I am not going to be punked out by a midget like Jeff. Instead I am going to handle this the same way I did Green, Cannabis, Nunez and Strange. I am going to walk out there, lay everything I have on the line and walk out of there victorious. Every time I have made that promise it has rang true. There is nothing that could change that. No force on earth can stand against me in a singles match, no force on earth. I’m anxiously waiting on this match this week. There is going to be one hell of a night
Shadow smiles as Cindy senses he is not insane. He is determined.
“Shadow,” Cindy begins, “what exactly do you plan to do at Overdrive?”
“Everything I have to,” Shadow says without looking at the camera, “Every step of the way. The big difference between myself and the former champion is I am what he wants to be again. I don‘t hate Lively, he hasn‘t wronged me, so why should I be? He wants to make his bones here again, well not wants, he has to. If Lively wants to be back on top, the fans must start to trust him again. I will help him with that. Our match will be epic, and the fans will love it. It‘s Lively‘s chance I hope he seizes it.”
“And what about Biggs? You have failed to mention him at all tonight.” Cindy asks with her head cocked sideways.
“Yes,” Shadow says quietly. His volume drops as he bites his bottle tip in anger. After a few seconds he closes his eyes and keeps himself from saying something that shouldn't be said on television. “Yes Cindy, Biggs has been the bane of my existence for quite some time. He keeps issuing a challenge talking trash. I guess he didn‘t like my comments about his ‘match’ with Strange at Mayhem. I mean there is always some runt who wants to make a name for himself. He thinks by beating me he will make himself a legend. Kind of like Robert Ford, but it does not matter when you become someone like me, a legend. You cannot be destroyed by some insignificant speck. Biggs will not make his bones on my name. He can come after me as much as he wants he has not done anything more than be the thorn in my side. I mean I would whip his ass, but its not worth the waste of the ten minutes of my life. I think of it as mercy. I mean I could beat the hell out of Biggs, or I could go grab a beer. Which one would I rather go do? I would rather get a beer.”
“What if Biggs decides that you don‘t care enough to answer his call, what if he decides to lash out?” Cindy wonders aloud.
“It’s very simple Cindy, I put him right back in his place.”
“So you are not thinking about Biggs at all, you are keeping your focus on Michael Lively?”
“Listen Cindy, I could sit around worrying about what Biggs might do, or I can revel in the knowledge that he does not have the guts to go beyond that. Maybe someday Jeff will book me against him, but until then I say I have better people to fight. Lively is one of those. Facing him, defeating him, earning my right to become the longest reigning Overdrive Champion in A.P.W. champion is what I want to do. That is my goal right now. I cannot wait for the show on Wednesday night. And you know something Cindy, I think this is the best idea for match to start things off on the road to Shockwave. After the all out war Strange and I waged inside that ring at Test for the Best, it only seems fitting I follow it up with another match just as outstanding. But more importantly I am facing someone of such a higher caliber.”
“Those are some bold words Shadow, people like Strange, Biggs and others will not react happily to it.”
“No Cindy, they are not words, they are an irrefutable truth. Cindy, aside from Level One, I have faced every champion or former champion still here in A.P.W, The Hardcore Kid, Pence, John Green, Streets Wilson and yes I count Carl Cage. Now I get a chance to face off against another one, one who is returning, ‘The White Lion’ himself. I have the chance to facing someone so much greater, I am going to put everything I have into that match. I could careless about Biggs’ meaningless words. He can say what he wants because I am going to show the fans what they truly want to see. The spectacle of Michael Lively taking on The Overdrive Champion, Shadow. Come Wednesday night there will be rubble left where this arena once stood”
Shadow gets up from the chair and starts for the door off camera.
“Shadow!” Cindy calls after him.
She does not get up as Shadow turns and looks down at her, his sunglasses in his hands. He pulls his hair out of the ponytail. His look is proud, like Shadow is noble and righteous in his cause. There is no doubt that Shadow is pumped.
“Yes?”
“Why did you go to Rome?”
“To get new gear,” Shadow says as he puts on the shades. “What you think I really went to go talk to ghosts Cindy? No, I have a guy there who made me all my new gear for Test for the Best. I just needed something to do while I was there waiting for it to be finished. Heh, I can‘t believe you thought I was as insane as Strange. No, I‘m perfectly normal Cindy, thanks for the interview.”
He turns points his finger and clicks his teeth then walks out the door as the camera moves in on Cindy. She sits back in the chair, with a look on her face suggesting she is lost in thought. The camera pulls back and slowly fades to black.
“This will not do at all. Hey Gary, cut those lights.”
The ever so lovely Cindy Shannon is seen walking in front of the camera as the side lighting cuts off and now the only light comes from behind the camera and behind the backdrop. It makes a normal lighting set. She straightens her black and blue dress. Everything is color coordinated for this special interview that looks to be set up for a man who likes those colors. Her hair shines in the little light that remains. She sits down and crosses her legs then looks over everything. She has no notes, as if she does not need them. It has been a long time since anyone has seen Cindy Shannon, most everyone is being interviewed by Shane West. Slade happened upon the bad luck to be bothered by the idiot Chip Douglas last week. But Miss Shannon has yet to grace A.P.W. with her presence Test for the Best. She looks more than ready for this interview. Then there is a knock at the door, its quiet.
“Come in,” Cindy exclaims. She seems a little excited, but she keeps it hidden as her guest enters the room.
She stands back up and pulls the hem of her dress back down, it has a nasty habit of riding up when coming into contact with leather. She extends her hand and a large, gruff one takes it. The cameraman pulls the lens back to show the obvious, Shadow standing there in blue jeans and a black button up shirt. His hair is pulled back into a pony tail and he wears a pair of his favorite sunglasses. Draped across his shoulder is the Overdrive Championship. After shaking her hand for a second, Shadow leans down and kisses the back of her hand and lets go.
“Miss Shannon,” Shadow says, “It‘s always brightens my day to see you once again, and how have you been lately?”
She beams a polite smile. Cindy has heard about the manners men from Texas possess, still she does not like the slight flirting Shadow is doing.
“Thank you, and I have been doing quite alright, Shadow,” She turns and motions to the right chair for him to take a seat. “It has been awhile since we were able to conduct a formal interview like this there are a lot of questions I would like to ask, and hopefully we have time to get to all of them.”
Shadow takes a seat and Cindy does the same.
“Well, as you may know, Slade and I have been handling things a little differently as of late. Craven has gone back to the mic running while I went to Rome and got in touch with my roots. Well not my roots per-say just I felt I needed a little historical inspiration.”
Cindy nods slowly, “Well that raises another interesting question I want to discuss but it is not the first thing I want to ask.”
“Alright,” Shadow takes off his sunglasses. “So where shall we begin?”
“Well,” Cindy pauses and thinks for a second,” I would think that the best way to begin this interview is to discuss Assassin’s recent departure from A.P.W.”
“I really would prefer to discuss something else,” Shadow responds a little bothered, “But I will tell you the same thing I have told everyone else. Assassin leaving was his choice. It was a tough decision on everyone to see our friend and tag partner leave, but truth be told Assassin just hasn’t had his heart in it for awhile. He is where Slade and I were a several months ago when we were working for W.A.W, or D.U.W. or hell a year ago when we were working for E.C.F.W. When the federations closed our hearts left the business and then we found a new place to call home and we re-kindled that fire. Assassin has not really been able to do that. After those three places went under. He had a hard time adjusting here and finally decided the best thing for him was to wrestle Slade and have the one match he truly wanted. Honestly he was done after that moment, his victory over Slade at Mayhem gave him peace. There is nothing wrong with that either, Assassin just felt his time here was through.”
“I see, well we all do wish him the best wherever his travels take him,” Cindy starts to say, “ and who knows maybe at some point the will return to A.P.W. and continue his career. Now speaking of past Pay Per Views, your victory over Mr. Strange at Test for the Best was considered by some a major upset. Several people were actually betting against you for this match and when you were able to pull off the win they were shocked. How does that make you feel?”
“It is a relief Cindy,” Shadow says without any contemplation, “After all this time I am still able to shock people. I like the fact I possess the qualities that can put on a show stopping match that leaves the crowd speechless. This pleases me because despite the fact I told everyone that the match would end the exact same way it did the first time I fought Strange, some people didn‘t believe me. I remember hearing from Pence before our big one on one match on Overdrive he mentioned that Strange would be a formidable opponent who would give me a run for my money and I responded, ‘Who Strange? Been there, done that.’ and he seemed to be offended by it. I just kept my promise Cindy, Strange wanted to wage a war, and while he was able to win some battles there is no one who can win a war against me. Slade used to call me ‘The Beast’ back when I first got started, its what I was against Strange, I got the call and put him down like a sick animal.”
“Shadow, that is pretty harsh” Cindy interrupts, “Don‘t you have any respect for your opponent?”
“Cindy,” Shadow shakes his head. “When it comes to Mr. Strange, no I cannot have any respect for a man who isolates himself within his own delusions. There has to be some measure of sanity inside a person’s head to respect them. Which brings me to my next major point, Michael Lively. The former A.P.W. champion who returned to his home federation when he realized he did not have the star power to hold a federation open on his own. I do have some respect for Lively, even more because he is fighting here without a contract, which Jeff made perfectly clear by the way.”
Shadow puts his hand to the side of his mouth in a whisper style, except he speaks normally and makes everyone know its in a mocking fashion.
“Which means that because Lively is not under contract he is not eligible for worker’s compensation or A.P.W.s hospitalization plan.” Shadow continues as he pulls his hand away from his mouth. “Jeff wants me to hurt Lively which I do not intend on doing. Sure I will beat the man, that’s all fine and dandy, but I do not plan on hurting him, hell he hasn’t done anything to me, yet.”
“Why would President Jeff be trying to to get you to eliminate Michael Lively?”
Shadow signs, he absolutely hates answering obvious questions and because Jeff released the statement in the Newswire Shadow does not feel he should answer it. He picks up one of the bottles of water, opens it and takes a large drink from it.
“Because Jeff, once again, wants me to solve his problem. He pits me against Pence Weatherlight, trying to rid him of one problem and what happened? I am not Jeff‘s dog, he does not have me on his leash. Yes I am looking forward to my match with ‘The White Lion,’ It‘s something I feel a lot of people have been waiting on for quite some time.”
“How so?” Cindy tilts her head.
“I will get to that in a little bit,” Shadow holds up his hand. “No, I want to continue talking about Jeff‘s reasoning for this. There is a type of people in this world who seem to think people love them, but don‘t realize they are hated at the same time. Michael Lively and Jefferies are these kind of people. Lively turned his back on the fans so they have no reason to like or trust him, and Jeff, well Jeff is an ass. So while I look forward to facing one of A.P.W’s former top superstars, I have no intention on being Jeff’s lacky, wait that’s not the right word. What is Streets Wilson again?”
Cindy just looks at him.
“Hrm,” Shadow ponders this for a moment, “Lacky, no that is not it, homeboy,? No, uh concubine, close, wait Lick Spittle, no what the hell is that? Oh wait that’s right, Flunky. I am not Jeff’s Flunky, nor will I ever be. Lively won’t either, so at least he has integrity, but that alone is not going to win back the fans, or this match.”
“So you think you can beat the former A.P.W. Champion?”
“That is very astute of you Cindy,” Shadow says sarcastically. “Yes, Michael Lively is the former Champion, but more importantly he is the longest reigning Overdrive Champion in A.P.W. and that’s what I am looking to overcome here. I don‘t care about the other title he won, I care about the fact I am facing someone who held this.”
Shadow’s voice is defiant, He runs his hand across the championship and then his forehead as Cindy crosses her legs. The blue light in the background seems to get brighter. Almost as if it is mimicking Shadow’s passion for this business, it is burning brighter and brighter
“Shadow,” Cindy questions, “You want to take Lively‘s reign record, we correct?”
“Yes Cindy, that is my new goal,” Shadow replies abruptly. “Defeating the man who holds that record now gives me the right to take that record from him, almost as if I am taking his championship. I have found the next rung in my ladder and I think the fans deserve to have a name on their record books that relates to someone who did not jump ship because he got his ass beat by Level One.”
Cindy seems a little taken aback that Shadow would bring that up. It was a good while ago and to think Shadow would say something like that is a little off character for him.
“Oh yes Cindy,” Shadow nods, “I do remember that day. It was the night I took on John Green to defend my championship. On that night I made a name for myself, etching, no carving it into the stone here and Lively won his Star on the Walk of Shame. He left A.P.W. he left the fans, and he wants what he could not have. He wanted to be the big name in whatever the hell that federation that caved in on itself was called. Lively comes back wanting to win the hearts of the fans, and he didn’t get met with a warm reception. So why would Jeff want to sign him, revenge? That’s what he thinks I will exact for him. No, I see all this, from Lively’s perspective, as a trial. He has to runt he gauntlet before Jeff resigns him. It’s not about winning, its about survival. Lively has to survive what is before him, otherwise he will never get a job here again and fade into the world as a has been. His records and title histories are going to be washed away. This is the start of his last chance to save all that.
“Okay,” Cindy seems unsure what to say.
“Still, despite everything that this match is,” Shadow starts to say, “It is not a slaughter. Jeff went, ’Hey let me through Lively up against Shadow, and he will wipe the floor with him, and that way Lively will never want to return. Send him up against the biggest guy who remains undefeated in singles competition and lets find out how bad ass ‘The White Lion’ is.’ And luckily Jeff never came up to me and told me how he wanted this thing to go down. Some guys will do that. They will walk up to a superstar and tell him to take out the other guy. That’s not what Jeff did here. He knows it wouldn’t work. I am not going to be punked out by a midget like Jeff. Instead I am going to handle this the same way I did Green, Cannabis, Nunez and Strange. I am going to walk out there, lay everything I have on the line and walk out of there victorious. Every time I have made that promise it has rang true. There is nothing that could change that. No force on earth can stand against me in a singles match, no force on earth. I’m anxiously waiting on this match this week. There is going to be one hell of a night
Shadow smiles as Cindy senses he is not insane. He is determined.
“Shadow,” Cindy begins, “what exactly do you plan to do at Overdrive?”
“Everything I have to,” Shadow says without looking at the camera, “Every step of the way. The big difference between myself and the former champion is I am what he wants to be again. I don‘t hate Lively, he hasn‘t wronged me, so why should I be? He wants to make his bones here again, well not wants, he has to. If Lively wants to be back on top, the fans must start to trust him again. I will help him with that. Our match will be epic, and the fans will love it. It‘s Lively‘s chance I hope he seizes it.”
“And what about Biggs? You have failed to mention him at all tonight.” Cindy asks with her head cocked sideways.
“Yes,” Shadow says quietly. His volume drops as he bites his bottle tip in anger. After a few seconds he closes his eyes and keeps himself from saying something that shouldn't be said on television. “Yes Cindy, Biggs has been the bane of my existence for quite some time. He keeps issuing a challenge talking trash. I guess he didn‘t like my comments about his ‘match’ with Strange at Mayhem. I mean there is always some runt who wants to make a name for himself. He thinks by beating me he will make himself a legend. Kind of like Robert Ford, but it does not matter when you become someone like me, a legend. You cannot be destroyed by some insignificant speck. Biggs will not make his bones on my name. He can come after me as much as he wants he has not done anything more than be the thorn in my side. I mean I would whip his ass, but its not worth the waste of the ten minutes of my life. I think of it as mercy. I mean I could beat the hell out of Biggs, or I could go grab a beer. Which one would I rather go do? I would rather get a beer.”
“What if Biggs decides that you don‘t care enough to answer his call, what if he decides to lash out?” Cindy wonders aloud.
“It’s very simple Cindy, I put him right back in his place.”
“So you are not thinking about Biggs at all, you are keeping your focus on Michael Lively?”
“Listen Cindy, I could sit around worrying about what Biggs might do, or I can revel in the knowledge that he does not have the guts to go beyond that. Maybe someday Jeff will book me against him, but until then I say I have better people to fight. Lively is one of those. Facing him, defeating him, earning my right to become the longest reigning Overdrive Champion in A.P.W. champion is what I want to do. That is my goal right now. I cannot wait for the show on Wednesday night. And you know something Cindy, I think this is the best idea for match to start things off on the road to Shockwave. After the all out war Strange and I waged inside that ring at Test for the Best, it only seems fitting I follow it up with another match just as outstanding. But more importantly I am facing someone of such a higher caliber.”
“Those are some bold words Shadow, people like Strange, Biggs and others will not react happily to it.”
“No Cindy, they are not words, they are an irrefutable truth. Cindy, aside from Level One, I have faced every champion or former champion still here in A.P.W, The Hardcore Kid, Pence, John Green, Streets Wilson and yes I count Carl Cage. Now I get a chance to face off against another one, one who is returning, ‘The White Lion’ himself. I have the chance to facing someone so much greater, I am going to put everything I have into that match. I could careless about Biggs’ meaningless words. He can say what he wants because I am going to show the fans what they truly want to see. The spectacle of Michael Lively taking on The Overdrive Champion, Shadow. Come Wednesday night there will be rubble left where this arena once stood”
Shadow gets up from the chair and starts for the door off camera.
“Shadow!” Cindy calls after him.
She does not get up as Shadow turns and looks down at her, his sunglasses in his hands. He pulls his hair out of the ponytail. His look is proud, like Shadow is noble and righteous in his cause. There is no doubt that Shadow is pumped.
“Yes?”
“Why did you go to Rome?”
“To get new gear,” Shadow says as he puts on the shades. “What you think I really went to go talk to ghosts Cindy? No, I have a guy there who made me all my new gear for Test for the Best. I just needed something to do while I was there waiting for it to be finished. Heh, I can‘t believe you thought I was as insane as Strange. No, I‘m perfectly normal Cindy, thanks for the interview.”
He turns points his finger and clicks his teeth then walks out the door as the camera moves in on Cindy. She sits back in the chair, with a look on her face suggesting she is lost in thought. The camera pulls back and slowly fades to black.
