Post by C.J. Gates on Jun 5, 2013 16:36:42 GMT -4
"Nobody really talks about how Mayhem ended.
"Instead, everyone focuses in on the result. Everyone hones in on Level One being the new APW World Heavyweight champion. And, really, I don't think I can blame them. It's not every day that someone manages to capture both the World and Undisputed titles in his career. But no one seems to talk about how I nearly walked away with the World Heavyweight title myself.
"Nobody talks about my nightmare.
"I came within less then a second of picking up that victory, and if it wasn't for Johnny Chase, I'd be the one standing here as the champion, and not Level One. And ever since Mayhem, that's been the one thing playing through my mind. That's been the one constant ruining my dreams.
"It's what fueled me to my win last week against A.C. Smith and it's what I was going to use to get me through the Test for the Best tournament. Knowing that winning this tournament was going to be the only way I could get another shot at that title, I wanted to make sure I kept that finish in my mind so that I wouldn't forget why I was pushing myself so hard inside of that ring.
"Little did I know that all it would take for me to get a World title shot was for Alexander Duvall to become pissed off at Level One for not accepting Terry Marvin's new toys into the fold of the Sindicate, or Syndicate, or Synndicate, or whatever the name is now. Duvall wasn't happy, which allowed me to get a shot at the title that I should have left Brazil with.
"And I'm not about to let Level One steal it from me again.
"I missed out barely winning the Overdrive title at Shockwave when the clock ran out on me, and I was robbed at Mayhem when Level One was thrown back into the ring by a commentator who had no business getting involved. This time, I am not going to let Lester get one over on me.
"I need to change my nightmare. I need to capture that title and walk into Test for the Best as the new World Heavyweight champion. I can't let this nightmare control my mind any more then it already has. I need to make sure that this opportunity is used to it's fullest.
"I need to make sure that I win."
C.J. Gates abruptly wakes up and looks around the darkened room. He glances over at his alarm clock and sees the time as three o'clock in the morning. Gates lets out a sigh and then swings his legs out of bed, sitting up and rubbing his head.
"God damn nightmare," Gates says as he shakes his head.
Gates gets out of bed and slowly walks toward the bathroom. He closes the door and flicks on the light, turning toward the sink. As he does, he gets a look at the mirror and staring back at him from the glass is none other than Level One.
"What the-" Gates starts before trailing off. He shakes his head and glances down into the sink. "Might be time for a vacation if I'm seeing Level One in my mirror."
"Or it just means you know you can't win," the reflection says, which causes Gates to look up to see the face of Level One smiling back, the smile growing slowly.
Gates wakes up, sweat covering his forehead. He looks around the empty room and then over at the alarm clock which once again reads three o'clock in the morning.
"Ouch!" Gates exclaims after pinching himself on the arm. He gets out of bed and walks to the bathroom, turning to face the sink. As he looks in the mirror he sees that the person staring back from him is himself.
"That's better," Gates sighs as he runs the water and splashes some of it in his face. "I've got to stop these nightmares from happening."
"But the only way to stop them, is to win. I know that, and I'm sure that even Level One knows that. It's impossible for him to be sitting at home, comfortable knowing that the only reason he beat me is because Johnny Chase gave him a hand.
"Then again, this is Level One we're talking about, so it wouldn't surprise me if he thinks he beat me handily in that ring. It wouldn't shock me if Level One claimed that was his game plan all along. Let me believe I had the match in the bag and then swoop in at the last moment to steal the victory out from under me.
"After all, this is Level One.
"The past is the past, however, and as much as I hate it, I can't change the way that match finished. I can hate it, but I can't change it. At least, not by editing the record books. Instead, if I want to change it, I have to give a little extra this week and maybe even pay Johnny Chase to be absent from ringside.
"But I'm used to being cheated out of victories. Hell, I'm used to Level One cheating me out of victories.
"So maybe this week I should cheat him out of a victory.
"And a title."
"So, you'll never guess what I got in the mail today," Vincent James asks as he steps into the office of C.J. Gates. Gates is standing in front of it look at a large white board that has been placed in front of the large window. Various pictures are taped to the board as well as a few items written in a blue marker.
"What?" Gates asks without looking back.
"No. This." James walks beside Gates and holds the item in front of him.
"What the? Is this a horse head?"
James nods. "A toy horse head, yes. I was mailed the decapitated head of a toy horse."
"You have some strange admirers."
"Admirers?" James asks. "This was sent from your mothers new enemy."
"How can you tell?" Gates asks, looking at James.
"This letter." James pulls a folded piece of paper out of his pocket.
"You could have led with that," Gates asks as he takes the letter from James and opens it. "Well, at least this confirms my suspicion that I was being followed all week."
"What the hell have you gotten me into?" James asks, taking a step back.
"Me?" Gates asks. "It's my mother's problem."
"Maybe, but you're still her son, so by extension, you got me into this mess."
"I did not," Gates says before holding up both hands and sighing. "Listen, I can't be worried about that right now. I've got an important week, and I can't be focused anywhere else but on Level One."
"That guy again?" James shakes his head.
"That guy again," Gates repeats. "I've got a shot at the World Heavyweight title this week, and I want to prove that I should have won it at Mayhem, and to do that, I have to beat Level One."
"Well, at least that explains the white board," James says, motioning to the board in front of them. "Or at least it explains all the details about Level One and his followers that you've written up here. Is that who I think it is?"
"Kaylyn James Evans?" Gates asks. "Yeah, it is. Apparently now that her and Level One have common enemies, they've decided to join forces to fight against Terry Marvin's incarnation of the Sindicate."
"So why are you worried about her?"
"I don't know if I'm worried," Gates says. "I think it's more that I want to make sure I'm prepared for whatever she has to offer, since she might be around to make sure Terry Marvin and company don't try and make Level One one title lighter."
"Wouldn't that help you though?" James asks. "If Evans is there, she could helps top Terry Marvin from interfering."
"She could, though I doubt it would just be Terry Marvin. Especially when he's got Aubrey J. Parker, Logan Alexander and Christian Kane holding the rope. It would basically be four on one."
"Two if you count Johnny Chase."
"Oh, don't even get me started on Johnny Chase."
James chuckles. "I noticed you don't have him on your board."
"That's because he's not a wrestler," Gates says. "He doesn't really have any business getting himself involved in matches like that." Gates sighs and shakes his head. "But what's done is done. I can't worry about what Chase did, and you know what, you're right." Gates walks forward and writes Johnny Chase's name on the board below Kaylyn James Evans. "Might as well add him to the Synndicate, right?"
"Might as well. He did screw you out of your title, right?" Gates shoots James a look and after chuckling, James continues. "Sounds like we've got a bit of a gang war going on in APW, though, and you're a bit on your own. What's your plan?"
"My plan is to win."
"That's it?" James asks. "Your plan is to win?"
"There's more to it, but by the end of it, I'm looking for the victory," Gates says. "What else do I need to aim for? Level One and I have been through enough against each other where proving myself to him seems like a lost cause. Wanting his respect seems pointless because I know I'll never get it. So really, when you break it down the only thing to really shoot for is beating Level One."
"Yeah, but how are you going to get there?" James asks as he walks around the desk to the white board. "You can talk about wanting a win, but until you've got a game plan, it's all just talk." James picks up the marker and looks at the board. He raises the marker and taps a few numbers at the top. "What's this?"
"That's my record against Level One in single competition," Gates answers. The numbers read 1-4. James uncaps the marker and circles the one.
"To me, this is what is most important about this entire board."
"What do you mean?"
"You can list everyone who might show their faces in this match and you can suspect that Terry Marvin is going to do what he can to either screw Level One out of the belt or to screw the both of you our of that title, but none of it matters. What matters, is this one win you have."
Gates stares at the circled number for a few moments before smiling.
"Because that was the moment that I finally conquered my Everest," Gates says.
"Bingo."
"That was the moment when I did what many people didn't think I could do, and that was when I stood on top of the world. Even though Terry Marvin was still the Undisputed champion, the fact that I beat someone as accomplished and storied, hell, even historic as Level One, well, that was a fantastic moment."
"Exactly," James says. "And what you need to do right now, for this week, is to figure out what made you successful then and do it. See what allowed you to push yourself to that point against Level One at Christmas Chaos, and repeat it."
"I kinda have."
"Oh?" James asks. "Enlighten me."
"Back then I was so obsessed with winning and beating Level One," Gates begins. "I was so hell bent on getting one over him that I made it part of every moment of every day leading up to that meeting. Ever since Mayhem, my life has been tormented by the thought of that title nearly being mine. The ending to that match has been replaying in my head time after time and I just haven't been able to shake it."
Gates pauses and continues. "Since Mayhem I have been obsessing about that World Heavyweight title and obsessing about the fact that it should have been mine. It's similar to what happened at Christmas Chaos when Level One and I battled. I was consumed by that just like I am consumed by the title."
"So maybe all that means is that you're going to be blinded by the gold-lust that so many others are blinded by. It might hurt your chances."
"I remember you saying something similar when I fought Level One before," Gates says. "Even still, I've never been one to let the title take over my life. Besides, I don't know if it's the title that I'm obsessed with. I think it's more an obsession with the fact that I was milliseconds from a victory and had it snatched out from under me by an ingrate and an announcer." Gates takes a deep breath. "I think the obsessions is with the win itself, regardless of the fact that a title is on the line."
"But a title is on the line."
"Which makes the possible win better."
"So if there was no title on the line, if it was just you against Level One in a non-title rematch, you'd be just as obsessed with the title?"
"I might be," Gates says after some hesitation. "It's hard to say, but I might be. Then again, maybe the title makes all the difference. I mean, I'm sure the World Heavyweight title will be fueling me in my match, and I'm sure that it will give me the leg up, but I don't know if the belt is the be all, end all."
"But the fact that you lost the title match is replaying in your mind, right?"
"It's giving me nightmares. I wake up in the middle of the night sweating."
"Then maybe the title means a bit more than you might be admitting."
Gates looks from James to the board where a photo of the World Heavyweight title is taped.
"Maybe you're right," Gates says with a shrug. "Maybe the title means a little more. But it still doesn't overshadow the other factors going into this match. It doesn't make me lose sight of how important the fans are in all of this. After all, those fans deserve to have someone representing them who actually cares about them. Not someone who wants to have a blood feud with a showboat who left him in his dust."
"Oh, I never meant to intend that it was more important then the fans."
"Besides," Gates starts, "after Overdrive, it won't matter.
"Because after Overdrive, I'll be the new APW World Heavyweight champion."
"I bet that somewhere you are fist pumping and high fiving Johnny Chase, aren't you Level One?
"After all, none of this would be happening if it weren't for him. You becoming the first man to have won the Undisputed and World titles would never have happened it he hadn't saved your ass. Maybe it's payback for something you did to protect him when Ryan Ruckus was flying around trying to own this show, or maybe it's just because of Chase's narrow minded vision of APW that caused it all to happen. Really, it doesn't matter because it wouldn't change the way things played out.
"I guess I should just be happy that I'm getting this rematch. With Test for the Best on the horizon, with you and Terry Marvin pillow fighting over leadership, I figured Mayhem was going to be my last kick at the can. Sure, I've got the tournament, but there are so many talented individuals in APW, so many people knocking down the champions door, that I figured I wouldn't get back to that apex.
"Until now. And I couldn't be happier. Taking Johnny Chase out of the equation, the fact that I lost because you had the pin nano seconds before I did makes this match necessary. It makes this little dance we're going to take part in needed because we need to see the truth of this situation. We need to see whether or not you should have been the World Heavyweight champion, or if it should be me.
"Kind of sucks that we have to settle this on Overdrive and not at the Pay-Per-View, but I guess defending the leadership of a faction that never really had an impact is more important then defending your title, right? I mean, no one was calling foul at that thought. In fact, every tweet, text and electronic sheep was pointing to everyone loving the non-title confrontation that you and Terry are set to collide with.
"But I digress. After all, does whether or not you were going to defend the title at Test for the Best really matter on the eve of you and I doing battle for the belt? No. It's just one of those things that once again leads to you apparently being able to get passed everything. One of those things that allows everyone in your seat, everyone except yours truly, to circumvent the rules to fit your own needs.
"One of those things that apparently makes you an idol in Johnny Chase's eye.
"Though it's kind of funny. Yesterday I sat in my office thinking about the match, mentally preparing myself for everything that is to come, and I came to the realization that if any one of us should truly be worried, it should be you. The way I saw it, if I lose this week and fail to capture the title from you, then I just have to work that much harder to win this tournament so that I can meet you at Shockwave to take the title from you.
"In your case though, Lester, a loss here would be devastating. Not only would you lose the title, but you wouldn't have a spot in the tournament to try and win an opportunity. Sure, you might have the rematch clause to look forward to, but who knows when that would come. And before that, there's the little issue about you facing Terry Marvin and if you don't have the title around your waist, well, you and I both know that Terry Marvin would have a field day ripping you apart.
"So I guess in a way, this is a big match for you. Bigger then it is for me. If you win, you can go in on somewhat equal ground but if you lose - and I am going to do my best to make sure that you lose - then you've got a bit of a climb before you can get back to Sindicate relevance. The question is though, do you care?
"If I were a betting man, I'd say that you do, even if you don't want to show it. I mean, it's not like it's going to change the way either one of us goes into this match. I am still going to be giving it my all, I am still going to be taking every shot from you and giving you one right back, and you are still going to be as difficult to beat as ever. You are still going to bring your A-game and you are not going to simply roll over just to get the match over with.
"That's not your style and I wouldn't want it to be your style. I wouldn't want to hear that you've mailed it in because your looking forward to that battle with Terry. I'd hate to find out that you didn't give it your all because you had the rematch clause in hand or a magical briefcase that could save you. After all that you and I have been through, after every match we've been in together has seen you fighting tooth and nail, even if it was a throw away match, anything less then your best would be a disappointment.
"Of course, maybe this match is going to be out of our hands. You seem to have done enough to piss off Terry Marvin to the point that he might take it upon himself to decide what happens with your title. He might try and give you the win so that he can face the best Overdrive has to offer, title wise, and really prove himself. Or he might want to seriously screw you over by costing you the World Heavyweight title so that he can hold that over my head.
"Either way, the possibilities sit in the back of my mind as simply that. Possibilities. It's not like I'm panicked over them or anything, I'm just making sure I keep my head in the situation. I'm just making sure that when that arena boos the ever loving hell out of Terry, I won't be surprised. I'm just making sure that I am ready to take on three others if the tides turn that way. Who knows, maybe it doesn't bother you at all, because maybe you've got contingency plans. Maybe you've got Hannah Storm and Paige working security while Johnny Chase runs interference.
"Who knows.
"The one thing I do know, is that this is a match that I am definitely looking forward to. This is an opportunity that I can't wait to grab hold of. The loss that I suffered at Mayhem, that has become a nightmare, an everlasting reminder of just how much of a cheat you are. It has kept me awake and at Overdrive, I make sure all of that changes. I make sure that I am no longer bothered by that by beating you and taking the title.
"You heard right. Right now, the World Heavyweight title is the title. Not your title. Until we settle exactly who is the proper owner of that title, until you beat me to put any of those thoughts to rest. Until you defeat me and send me packing back to the Test for the Best tournament, the title will be the title.
"And I hope to make it my title.
"I know what I need to do to get the job done. I know that I have to do everything in my power short of cheating my way to victory so that I can succeed. I know that I am going to have to keep my eye on you and keep you in check because once you see that opening, once you spot that moment, you are going to strike and it is going to hurt.
"I know, because I've been in that situation before with both good and bad outcomes. I've taken every shot you had and I came out victorious on the other side, and I've also fell victim to everything you had to throw at me. And at Mayhem, I bested you, personally, only to have you swoop in and steal the victory away from me.
"This is where I make up for that.
"This is where I make those nightmares into dreams.
"This is when I rack up victory number two against you, Level One.
"This is the moment I have been waiting for since Mayhem.
"It's time to go big or go home, Lester.
"And I am definitely not going home."
"Instead, everyone focuses in on the result. Everyone hones in on Level One being the new APW World Heavyweight champion. And, really, I don't think I can blame them. It's not every day that someone manages to capture both the World and Undisputed titles in his career. But no one seems to talk about how I nearly walked away with the World Heavyweight title myself.
"Nobody talks about my nightmare.
"I came within less then a second of picking up that victory, and if it wasn't for Johnny Chase, I'd be the one standing here as the champion, and not Level One. And ever since Mayhem, that's been the one thing playing through my mind. That's been the one constant ruining my dreams.
"It's what fueled me to my win last week against A.C. Smith and it's what I was going to use to get me through the Test for the Best tournament. Knowing that winning this tournament was going to be the only way I could get another shot at that title, I wanted to make sure I kept that finish in my mind so that I wouldn't forget why I was pushing myself so hard inside of that ring.
"Little did I know that all it would take for me to get a World title shot was for Alexander Duvall to become pissed off at Level One for not accepting Terry Marvin's new toys into the fold of the Sindicate, or Syndicate, or Synndicate, or whatever the name is now. Duvall wasn't happy, which allowed me to get a shot at the title that I should have left Brazil with.
"And I'm not about to let Level One steal it from me again.
"I missed out barely winning the Overdrive title at Shockwave when the clock ran out on me, and I was robbed at Mayhem when Level One was thrown back into the ring by a commentator who had no business getting involved. This time, I am not going to let Lester get one over on me.
"I need to change my nightmare. I need to capture that title and walk into Test for the Best as the new World Heavyweight champion. I can't let this nightmare control my mind any more then it already has. I need to make sure that this opportunity is used to it's fullest.
"I need to make sure that I win."
-------------------------------------------------
Inside the ring C.J. Gates has made the long climb to the top of the turnbuckle he signals for the championship belt as he soars off and hits a moon salt leg drop on Delikado! Outside the ring, Johnny Chase rolls Level-One under the bottom rope as he crawls over to Michael Callahan...
Meanwhile, C.J. Gates hooks Delikado's leg!
1
.
.
2
.
.
3!
DING DING DING!
The arena is stunned as C.J. Gates immediately raises to his feet and holds up his hands in victory however there seems to be some debate amongst the bell keeper and referee.
Harvey: What the hell is going on here? Ladies and gentlemen there appears to be some confusion as to who scored the pinfall..
Tony Ferrari: Ladies and gentlemen your WINNER by pin fall and the NEW APW WORLD HEAVYWEIGHT CHAMPION IS...
.
.
LEVEL-ONE!
Meanwhile, C.J. Gates hooks Delikado's leg!
1
.
.
2
.
.
3!
DING DING DING!
The arena is stunned as C.J. Gates immediately raises to his feet and holds up his hands in victory however there seems to be some debate amongst the bell keeper and referee.
Harvey: What the hell is going on here? Ladies and gentlemen there appears to be some confusion as to who scored the pinfall..
Tony Ferrari: Ladies and gentlemen your WINNER by pin fall and the NEW APW WORLD HEAVYWEIGHT CHAMPION IS...
.
.
LEVEL-ONE!
C.J. Gates abruptly wakes up and looks around the darkened room. He glances over at his alarm clock and sees the time as three o'clock in the morning. Gates lets out a sigh and then swings his legs out of bed, sitting up and rubbing his head.
"God damn nightmare," Gates says as he shakes his head.
Gates gets out of bed and slowly walks toward the bathroom. He closes the door and flicks on the light, turning toward the sink. As he does, he gets a look at the mirror and staring back at him from the glass is none other than Level One.
"What the-" Gates starts before trailing off. He shakes his head and glances down into the sink. "Might be time for a vacation if I'm seeing Level One in my mirror."
"Or it just means you know you can't win," the reflection says, which causes Gates to look up to see the face of Level One smiling back, the smile growing slowly.
Tony Ferrari: Ladies and gentlemen your WINNER by pin fall and the NEW APW WORLD HEAVYWEIGHT CHAMPION IS...
.
.
LEVEL-ONE!
.
.
LEVEL-ONE!
Gates wakes up, sweat covering his forehead. He looks around the empty room and then over at the alarm clock which once again reads three o'clock in the morning.
"Ouch!" Gates exclaims after pinching himself on the arm. He gets out of bed and walks to the bathroom, turning to face the sink. As he looks in the mirror he sees that the person staring back from him is himself.
"That's better," Gates sighs as he runs the water and splashes some of it in his face. "I've got to stop these nightmares from happening."
"But the only way to stop them, is to win. I know that, and I'm sure that even Level One knows that. It's impossible for him to be sitting at home, comfortable knowing that the only reason he beat me is because Johnny Chase gave him a hand.
"Then again, this is Level One we're talking about, so it wouldn't surprise me if he thinks he beat me handily in that ring. It wouldn't shock me if Level One claimed that was his game plan all along. Let me believe I had the match in the bag and then swoop in at the last moment to steal the victory out from under me.
"After all, this is Level One.
"The past is the past, however, and as much as I hate it, I can't change the way that match finished. I can hate it, but I can't change it. At least, not by editing the record books. Instead, if I want to change it, I have to give a little extra this week and maybe even pay Johnny Chase to be absent from ringside.
"But I'm used to being cheated out of victories. Hell, I'm used to Level One cheating me out of victories.
"So maybe this week I should cheat him out of a victory.
"And a title."
-------------------------------------------------
"So, you'll never guess what I got in the mail today," Vincent James asks as he steps into the office of C.J. Gates. Gates is standing in front of it look at a large white board that has been placed in front of the large window. Various pictures are taped to the board as well as a few items written in a blue marker.
"What?" Gates asks without looking back.
"No. This." James walks beside Gates and holds the item in front of him.
"What the? Is this a horse head?"
James nods. "A toy horse head, yes. I was mailed the decapitated head of a toy horse."
"You have some strange admirers."
"Admirers?" James asks. "This was sent from your mothers new enemy."
"How can you tell?" Gates asks, looking at James.
"This letter." James pulls a folded piece of paper out of his pocket.
"You could have led with that," Gates asks as he takes the letter from James and opens it. "Well, at least this confirms my suspicion that I was being followed all week."
"What the hell have you gotten me into?" James asks, taking a step back.
"Me?" Gates asks. "It's my mother's problem."
"Maybe, but you're still her son, so by extension, you got me into this mess."
"I did not," Gates says before holding up both hands and sighing. "Listen, I can't be worried about that right now. I've got an important week, and I can't be focused anywhere else but on Level One."
"That guy again?" James shakes his head.
"That guy again," Gates repeats. "I've got a shot at the World Heavyweight title this week, and I want to prove that I should have won it at Mayhem, and to do that, I have to beat Level One."
"Well, at least that explains the white board," James says, motioning to the board in front of them. "Or at least it explains all the details about Level One and his followers that you've written up here. Is that who I think it is?"
"Kaylyn James Evans?" Gates asks. "Yeah, it is. Apparently now that her and Level One have common enemies, they've decided to join forces to fight against Terry Marvin's incarnation of the Sindicate."
"So why are you worried about her?"
"I don't know if I'm worried," Gates says. "I think it's more that I want to make sure I'm prepared for whatever she has to offer, since she might be around to make sure Terry Marvin and company don't try and make Level One one title lighter."
"Wouldn't that help you though?" James asks. "If Evans is there, she could helps top Terry Marvin from interfering."
"She could, though I doubt it would just be Terry Marvin. Especially when he's got Aubrey J. Parker, Logan Alexander and Christian Kane holding the rope. It would basically be four on one."
"Two if you count Johnny Chase."
"Oh, don't even get me started on Johnny Chase."
James chuckles. "I noticed you don't have him on your board."
"That's because he's not a wrestler," Gates says. "He doesn't really have any business getting himself involved in matches like that." Gates sighs and shakes his head. "But what's done is done. I can't worry about what Chase did, and you know what, you're right." Gates walks forward and writes Johnny Chase's name on the board below Kaylyn James Evans. "Might as well add him to the Synndicate, right?"
"Might as well. He did screw you out of your title, right?" Gates shoots James a look and after chuckling, James continues. "Sounds like we've got a bit of a gang war going on in APW, though, and you're a bit on your own. What's your plan?"
"My plan is to win."
"That's it?" James asks. "Your plan is to win?"
"There's more to it, but by the end of it, I'm looking for the victory," Gates says. "What else do I need to aim for? Level One and I have been through enough against each other where proving myself to him seems like a lost cause. Wanting his respect seems pointless because I know I'll never get it. So really, when you break it down the only thing to really shoot for is beating Level One."
"Yeah, but how are you going to get there?" James asks as he walks around the desk to the white board. "You can talk about wanting a win, but until you've got a game plan, it's all just talk." James picks up the marker and looks at the board. He raises the marker and taps a few numbers at the top. "What's this?"
"That's my record against Level One in single competition," Gates answers. The numbers read 1-4. James uncaps the marker and circles the one.
"To me, this is what is most important about this entire board."
"What do you mean?"
"You can list everyone who might show their faces in this match and you can suspect that Terry Marvin is going to do what he can to either screw Level One out of the belt or to screw the both of you our of that title, but none of it matters. What matters, is this one win you have."
Gates stares at the circled number for a few moments before smiling.
"Because that was the moment that I finally conquered my Everest," Gates says.
"Bingo."
"That was the moment when I did what many people didn't think I could do, and that was when I stood on top of the world. Even though Terry Marvin was still the Undisputed champion, the fact that I beat someone as accomplished and storied, hell, even historic as Level One, well, that was a fantastic moment."
"Exactly," James says. "And what you need to do right now, for this week, is to figure out what made you successful then and do it. See what allowed you to push yourself to that point against Level One at Christmas Chaos, and repeat it."
"I kinda have."
"Oh?" James asks. "Enlighten me."
"Back then I was so obsessed with winning and beating Level One," Gates begins. "I was so hell bent on getting one over him that I made it part of every moment of every day leading up to that meeting. Ever since Mayhem, my life has been tormented by the thought of that title nearly being mine. The ending to that match has been replaying in my head time after time and I just haven't been able to shake it."
Gates pauses and continues. "Since Mayhem I have been obsessing about that World Heavyweight title and obsessing about the fact that it should have been mine. It's similar to what happened at Christmas Chaos when Level One and I battled. I was consumed by that just like I am consumed by the title."
"So maybe all that means is that you're going to be blinded by the gold-lust that so many others are blinded by. It might hurt your chances."
"I remember you saying something similar when I fought Level One before," Gates says. "Even still, I've never been one to let the title take over my life. Besides, I don't know if it's the title that I'm obsessed with. I think it's more an obsession with the fact that I was milliseconds from a victory and had it snatched out from under me by an ingrate and an announcer." Gates takes a deep breath. "I think the obsessions is with the win itself, regardless of the fact that a title is on the line."
"But a title is on the line."
"Which makes the possible win better."
"So if there was no title on the line, if it was just you against Level One in a non-title rematch, you'd be just as obsessed with the title?"
"I might be," Gates says after some hesitation. "It's hard to say, but I might be. Then again, maybe the title makes all the difference. I mean, I'm sure the World Heavyweight title will be fueling me in my match, and I'm sure that it will give me the leg up, but I don't know if the belt is the be all, end all."
"But the fact that you lost the title match is replaying in your mind, right?"
"It's giving me nightmares. I wake up in the middle of the night sweating."
"Then maybe the title means a bit more than you might be admitting."
Gates looks from James to the board where a photo of the World Heavyweight title is taped.
"Maybe you're right," Gates says with a shrug. "Maybe the title means a little more. But it still doesn't overshadow the other factors going into this match. It doesn't make me lose sight of how important the fans are in all of this. After all, those fans deserve to have someone representing them who actually cares about them. Not someone who wants to have a blood feud with a showboat who left him in his dust."
"Oh, I never meant to intend that it was more important then the fans."
"Besides," Gates starts, "after Overdrive, it won't matter.
"Because after Overdrive, I'll be the new APW World Heavyweight champion."
-------------------------------------------------
"I bet that somewhere you are fist pumping and high fiving Johnny Chase, aren't you Level One?
"After all, none of this would be happening if it weren't for him. You becoming the first man to have won the Undisputed and World titles would never have happened it he hadn't saved your ass. Maybe it's payback for something you did to protect him when Ryan Ruckus was flying around trying to own this show, or maybe it's just because of Chase's narrow minded vision of APW that caused it all to happen. Really, it doesn't matter because it wouldn't change the way things played out.
"I guess I should just be happy that I'm getting this rematch. With Test for the Best on the horizon, with you and Terry Marvin pillow fighting over leadership, I figured Mayhem was going to be my last kick at the can. Sure, I've got the tournament, but there are so many talented individuals in APW, so many people knocking down the champions door, that I figured I wouldn't get back to that apex.
"Until now. And I couldn't be happier. Taking Johnny Chase out of the equation, the fact that I lost because you had the pin nano seconds before I did makes this match necessary. It makes this little dance we're going to take part in needed because we need to see the truth of this situation. We need to see whether or not you should have been the World Heavyweight champion, or if it should be me.
"Kind of sucks that we have to settle this on Overdrive and not at the Pay-Per-View, but I guess defending the leadership of a faction that never really had an impact is more important then defending your title, right? I mean, no one was calling foul at that thought. In fact, every tweet, text and electronic sheep was pointing to everyone loving the non-title confrontation that you and Terry are set to collide with.
"But I digress. After all, does whether or not you were going to defend the title at Test for the Best really matter on the eve of you and I doing battle for the belt? No. It's just one of those things that once again leads to you apparently being able to get passed everything. One of those things that allows everyone in your seat, everyone except yours truly, to circumvent the rules to fit your own needs.
"One of those things that apparently makes you an idol in Johnny Chase's eye.
"Though it's kind of funny. Yesterday I sat in my office thinking about the match, mentally preparing myself for everything that is to come, and I came to the realization that if any one of us should truly be worried, it should be you. The way I saw it, if I lose this week and fail to capture the title from you, then I just have to work that much harder to win this tournament so that I can meet you at Shockwave to take the title from you.
"In your case though, Lester, a loss here would be devastating. Not only would you lose the title, but you wouldn't have a spot in the tournament to try and win an opportunity. Sure, you might have the rematch clause to look forward to, but who knows when that would come. And before that, there's the little issue about you facing Terry Marvin and if you don't have the title around your waist, well, you and I both know that Terry Marvin would have a field day ripping you apart.
"So I guess in a way, this is a big match for you. Bigger then it is for me. If you win, you can go in on somewhat equal ground but if you lose - and I am going to do my best to make sure that you lose - then you've got a bit of a climb before you can get back to Sindicate relevance. The question is though, do you care?
"If I were a betting man, I'd say that you do, even if you don't want to show it. I mean, it's not like it's going to change the way either one of us goes into this match. I am still going to be giving it my all, I am still going to be taking every shot from you and giving you one right back, and you are still going to be as difficult to beat as ever. You are still going to bring your A-game and you are not going to simply roll over just to get the match over with.
"That's not your style and I wouldn't want it to be your style. I wouldn't want to hear that you've mailed it in because your looking forward to that battle with Terry. I'd hate to find out that you didn't give it your all because you had the rematch clause in hand or a magical briefcase that could save you. After all that you and I have been through, after every match we've been in together has seen you fighting tooth and nail, even if it was a throw away match, anything less then your best would be a disappointment.
"Of course, maybe this match is going to be out of our hands. You seem to have done enough to piss off Terry Marvin to the point that he might take it upon himself to decide what happens with your title. He might try and give you the win so that he can face the best Overdrive has to offer, title wise, and really prove himself. Or he might want to seriously screw you over by costing you the World Heavyweight title so that he can hold that over my head.
"Either way, the possibilities sit in the back of my mind as simply that. Possibilities. It's not like I'm panicked over them or anything, I'm just making sure I keep my head in the situation. I'm just making sure that when that arena boos the ever loving hell out of Terry, I won't be surprised. I'm just making sure that I am ready to take on three others if the tides turn that way. Who knows, maybe it doesn't bother you at all, because maybe you've got contingency plans. Maybe you've got Hannah Storm and Paige working security while Johnny Chase runs interference.
"Who knows.
"The one thing I do know, is that this is a match that I am definitely looking forward to. This is an opportunity that I can't wait to grab hold of. The loss that I suffered at Mayhem, that has become a nightmare, an everlasting reminder of just how much of a cheat you are. It has kept me awake and at Overdrive, I make sure all of that changes. I make sure that I am no longer bothered by that by beating you and taking the title.
"You heard right. Right now, the World Heavyweight title is the title. Not your title. Until we settle exactly who is the proper owner of that title, until you beat me to put any of those thoughts to rest. Until you defeat me and send me packing back to the Test for the Best tournament, the title will be the title.
"And I hope to make it my title.
"I know what I need to do to get the job done. I know that I have to do everything in my power short of cheating my way to victory so that I can succeed. I know that I am going to have to keep my eye on you and keep you in check because once you see that opening, once you spot that moment, you are going to strike and it is going to hurt.
"I know, because I've been in that situation before with both good and bad outcomes. I've taken every shot you had and I came out victorious on the other side, and I've also fell victim to everything you had to throw at me. And at Mayhem, I bested you, personally, only to have you swoop in and steal the victory away from me.
"This is where I make up for that.
"This is where I make those nightmares into dreams.
"This is when I rack up victory number two against you, Level One.
"This is the moment I have been waiting for since Mayhem.
"It's time to go big or go home, Lester.
"And I am definitely not going home."
