Post by Chris Madison on Oct 27, 2013 10:21:56 GMT -4
"Well it has all come down to this."
"Months of tension, months of build up, two groups of polar opposite personalities ready to clash. Not for a prize. No glitz and glamour here. All to protect their own agendas. Which to some people, mean more than a shiny belt to wear around their waist. If you can't get up to defend your ideals in this industry you might as well hang up your boots!"
"Last week I choked out Johnny Knuckles. Reaver. Whatever the fuck he calls himself now a days. Still the same heap of wasted talent as always. Regardless...the Black Hand rose to the occasion and secured the advantage going into a war games cage match. Like it was ever in question who'd win this special little series Kash put together for Asylum."
"An advantage that I refuse to squander. Raab gave it his all but Niobe, Jennings, and I made sure that The Space Cowboys and Foul Play will have their backs against the wall through out the match. They wanted this fight...they continually stuck their nose in our business. Well now they have to deal with the consequences of their actions. You don't pick a fight with the toughest guy in the yard and expect to come out unscathed."
"First it was Biggs. Had to play the role of the savior. He couldn't just let us do the inevitable and rid APW of Kurt Styles. From there it was a domino effect. Gates had to protect his friend, even though nothing involved him. And Foul Play, well, Kash completely disregarded my warning to back off and leave Raab alone before it became a group issue."
"None of this had to happen. All of this could have been easily avoided. This is a perfect example of when doing the right thing comes back and bites you in the ass!"
The pungent stench of freshly caught fish cut through the stiff, cold air like a meat cleaver through a thick piece of meat. The large mix of tourists and locals buzzed as they shopped the outer rim of the markets. Chris Madison hid amongst the mob of people in plain daylight. A blue baseball cap with the letters "NY" in orange sat low, right above his eyebrows, tucking away his wavy dirty blonde hair. His piercing blue eyes were masked by a pair of black Oakley sunglasses. He floated along with the herd, stopping at random markets to look at their seafood but never buying anything. He nervously looked around, hoping his disguise would do him justice and keep his identity unknown to the masses.
His clammy hands fumbled an ice cold octopus which he had picked from a blue bucket filled with chunks of ice up to the top. A cool oceans breeze danced through the crowd brushing passed Chris, causing those tiny hairs on the back of his neck to stand and caused goosebumps to appear on his exposed skin. His senses were already heightened as he anxiously awaited his younger brother to show his face and frightfully wished he'd be alone. Suddenly Chris jumps as he feels a slight tug at his t-shirt. He spins around with his fist balled up and held by his hip.
"Whoa! Easy Chris, it's me", his brother screeched while stepping backwards with his hands innocently held in the air slightly above his head.
Chris released his fist and huffed as he scanned the immediate area for anyone who could have heard his brother shout his name. "You can't just sneak up on me like that Nick. You do realize there is a man in Japan who thinks I killed his sister and would love for nothing more than to get his hands on me for it, right?"
"Yeah, of all people I think I get that...he only confronted me about it like I had something to do with it." Nick patted his brother on the back in a poor attempt to comfort him. "He'd be foolish to try anything in a public place like this."
"You don't know Koji like I know him", he grunted out of frustration, proving Nick's feeble attempt to be rather pointless. "He'd do anything to bring honor back to his family's name...especially the revenge of his sisters life."
"I tried telling the guy we had nothing to do with it. I tried telling him that she took her own life", Nick explained while growing a bit more cautious of his surroundings. "I mean, you obviously know him better than anyone. Is he really that spiteful that he'd seek you out and physically get retribution?"
Chris didn't know how to respond to Nick's question. He weighed the options in his head while the two slowly strolled side by side amidst the large crowd. In one hand he can tell Nick the truth about all the horrible things he's seen Koji do and in the process worry him half to death. In the other hand, lie trough his teeth, pretend like it's all in his head and that there's nothing to fear. While trying to make that decision his animated facial gestures portrayed the struggle like an old silent film.
"Chris...", Nick whispered but gained no response.
"What is he going to do to us..." Nick's voice cracked as his concerns grew. Chris was always a straight shooter and the fact that he remained thoughtless was enough for Nick to know the truth.
"If you thought those wannabe mobsters did a nice little number on us you're in for a rude awakening", he said while avoiding eye contact. He took a few deep breathes before licking his cracked bottom lip. "I feel like Ebenezer Scrooge and all of my ghosts are visiting me at once. First Kash, now Koji...I can't wait for the next one to show me how I'll die..."
"Don't be so dramatic Chris..." Nick said with hopes that his brother was over exaggerating. He cautiously watched over his shoulder as he started hearing the pitter patter of soft footsteps approaching rapidly. A tap on the shoulder nearly made Nick jump out of his skin. 1038
Chris turned around as his brother shrieked. Everything he was hiding from had searched him out. Koji stood behind Nick with a stern look on his face. "Chris...it's been awhile", Koji whispered with a sadistic smile...
"Before you say anything..."
"No", he shouted, cutting Chris off while attracting some looks from some of the other people attending. "You see I'm not going to be fed a line of bullshit from you. You've had my entire family for years eating every word like it was the gospel. I'm not blind anymore. I know who you really are, a con artist."
"Koji..."
"No!" Koji's voice frustratingly grew louder as his patience began to wear thin. "My family took you in as one of their own. We opened our doors to a stranger and welcomed you with open arms. The least you can do is tell us the truth...that's all I want. I'm not seeking revenge. I'm not going to hurt anyone. Nothing can replace the hurt my family already feels. All we want is the truth."
"I told the police everything. That report that was filed was the truth."
"Oh bullshit!" This time Koji was more aware of the volume of his voice. "I know you all too well Chris. There is no way that you told them everything. It goes against all that you believe in."
"I don't know what else I can say Koji. Sincerely, I told them everything. Your sister..."
"Choose your words wisely!"
"You seeked me out. Don't threaten me."
Koji chuckled to himself as Chris's blood started to boil over. "No threat, that's a warning. You know my words hold weight, and you're on thin ice my friend."
"I can already tell that this is a no win scenario. Nothing I say is going to appease you because you're seeking for an explanation that's not there...I've got too much on my plate right now. I need to focus on why I'm here..."
"Your War Games match", Koji whispered.
Chris was astonished that Koji had kept up with Chris's career. "Yeah..."
"You'll be fine Chris...You always find a way to make things work for you. I'm sure One Night in Hell will be no different. I was just hoping a part of you wanted closure."
Chris could tell his demeanor had changed. He moved closer and extended his hand out towards an old friend. "I think you were looking for closure. Closure that I can't give you. Just know that there's nothing you could have done. No one could have saved Kiyomi besides Kiyomi..."
"I..."
"No!" This time Chris cut off Koji abruptly. "You don't need to say anything. No explanation needed. If it were my little brother I'd be doing the same exact thing. I hope you find what you're looking for. I hope your family can come to terms what happened..."
Koji returned the gesture and the two men shook hands. "And I hope you can finally let the weight if the world off your shoulders and be the Chris Madison that everyone knows you can be!"
Koji released the hand shake and started to walk away from Madison. He looked perturbed by that last comment and shouted out, "what the hell do you mean by that?"
Koji ignored him and walked away, fading into the masses like a ghost.
"Don't worry about it Chris..."
Chris just stared into the distance, his eyes affixed to a person who was no longer visible. Nick waved his hand mere inches from Chris's eyes not budging him one bit.
"He's right", Chris muttered. "It's time to shed some of this weight and be me..."
_________________________________
"Sun Tzu wrote in the Art of War, "If you know the enemy and you know yourself, you need not fear the result of one hundred battles". On Sunday October twenty seventh I will be locked inside a cage against four men that I know all to well as of late. I don't fear the outcome. The Black Hand will walk out of One Night in Hell victorious...in one hundred battles, the result would be the same every time!"
"Jason Kash is a man I have known for years, almost a decade. If you listen to what he has to say, you'd understand the history between the two of us. It's rich, and lengthy. For the most part though it's always been a benevolent relationship. Just like he thought the world of me and wanted to accomplish everything I did in this industry, I thought the world of him. I wanted for nothing more than for Jason Kash to live up to his potential and be great. And he's shown glimpses of that greatness, building a reputation that's unmatched. There's no denying the greatness of Jason Kash, there's no denying everything he's accomplished, especially in the APW!"
"But again, listen closely to what he has to say about me. During those years one thing was a constant, Chris Madison was always better than Jason Kash! It's a reality that he has to deal with. A reality that eats away at his insides everyday he sees me. Jason Kash has accomplished just about everything he has wanted to in the wrestling world, everything except prove to be better than me. In one hundred battles, Chris Madison gets over on Jason Kash one hundred times. It's as sure of a thing as the sun rising in the morning and setting at night."
"It doesn't matter what kind of match, it doesn't matter the stakes, and it doesn't matter the venue. Jason Kash has never proven to be able to defeat me, so why should now be any different? Just because he's more established here in APW? Hell in four months time I have taken this place by storm and won the APW Overdrive Championship! I have turned heads since I walked in and I refuse to let Jason Kash be the one who stops me. He had a chance to be apart of this, to be an agent of change. I understand you have your own loyalties but lets be honest, what is Reaver really doing for you? You are struggling to stay afloat in the mid card of a bi-weekly show. Your name isn't as relevant as it once was and that's a shame. I hope this match lights a fire in you. I want you to be at your best Kash, I want to see you relive up to your potential. If I'm the man that helps ignite that desire, so be it! You need to stop letting opportunities slip by you while you parade around like a clown for the amusement of people who sincerely don't give a damn about you!"
"Jay, offer is still on the table...even after we're through going to war I'd welcome you with open arms to stand by my side in the Black Hand. Eventually you'll get sick of being held back, and when that day comes, I'd gladly help you get back to where you belong, on top of Asylum!"
"Which brings me to your partner, Reaver..."
"Here is a guy who has gotten by and made a name for himself riding the coat tails of Jason Kash! In four more months I've accomplished more than you have in your APW career! And much like on Asylum, I'm going to expose you as the weak, incompetent, clueless champion that you are. You have no business being in the same arena as half the guys in this match, including your own team. In wrestling and in life, you're nothing more than a drag. You hold Kash back every day the two of you stay aligned. No one will take him serious, as a threat, as long as you stand by his side."
"Sure you've beaten Raab. Hell you took away the Suicidal Championship away from his grasp. But even a broken clock is right twice a day. I've choked you out once, maybe this time I won't let go. I'll squeeze and squeeze like a python constricting it's prey until I feel your lifeless body's weight in my arms. You see that's my addiction. In what other profession would I be allowed to choke people within an inch of their lives? It gives me a rush to know that at that moment when you go limp, I hold your life in my arms. I can let go, allow you to live...or I can continue squeezing and rid the world of another pathetic human being."
"Kash wasn't able to save you last time and he surely won't be able to again. The Black Hand needs to make an example out of the four of you. Most see us as a joke now that Tommy has left. And while almost everyone thinks that we will now crumble, I am going to use One Night in Hell as a platform for just how violent and destructive we can be. Four of the fans favorite megastars will be annihilated before their very eyes, left for dead in a heap of their own blood ad sweat. That blood and sweat they so proudly spill for a fan base that genuinely doesn't care about their well being! A fan base that will jump to the next flavor of the month nearly as quick as it takes for Level One to recover after wrestling Kash!"
"I hope it's worth it. I hope they will be their to lift you up, dust you off, and reassure you of that false hope that everything will be ok!"
"It won't...I promise, not for you Reaver, not for Kash, and perhaps most of all, not for the Space Cowboys."
"That's where all this started. You boys are the nucleus of this whole battle we have in front of ourselves. You think that you are doing the fans justice by standing up against the Black Hand. You feel like you are preventing a cancer from spreading that will destroy your precious little APW. Has anyone wondered why? Why are they so adamant about curbing the growth of the Black Hand?"
"Fear..."
"A natural human emotion for any man. Especially one he realizes his whole existence in this world is coming to an end! You see Biggs and CJ Gates are some of the most prolific names in APW history. Between the two of them they have accounted for over six title reigns. An impressive feat by any standards. But Biggs and Gates realize that their golden days have come and gone!"
"What have they done lately? Biggs hasn't held a title since he lost the Undisputed title to Gates at Shockwave back in August of two thousand and eleven! And Gates hasn't since he lost that title the following March! That's almost a year and a half of irrelevance! That's what is supposed to prevent the Black Hand from flipping this place upside down? If it was Level One and Terry Marvin standing opposite me I'd be singing a whole different tune. But for eighteen months you've played second fiddle to those guys. More of a filler until the new wave stepped up."
"Well that new wave is here! And we're bringing a whole new outlook to APW. Gates you witnessed it first hand when I pinned you to become the new APW Overdrive Champion! A title that still eludes your resumé. Does it sit well with you that it only took me four months to capture a championship that you can't seem to grasp?"
"Gates we're not so different. We both want what's best for the fans. In this crazy profession of ours there's nothing else. You have to entertain the fans, or you'll be stuck competing in front of an empty arena. The difference is our methods. You naturally assume that they want the same boring product you've been shoving down their throats for years. Me I'm a change of pace. I'm a breath of fresh air in a company that has gone stale and is on the verge of self destruction. The APW didn't need the Black Hand to fall to shambles. That was progressing well before my arrival. I simply want to create something new, something exciting, something beautiful, out of the horror show that is APW. This place needs a face lift desperately! Look at all the talent that has simply walked away over the years. Walked away to search for better things. That shouldn't be the case. Wrestlers should flock to APW in search of those greener pastures. But that won't happen as long as you continue to try and prevent me from reshaping this place to what it should be. I have a vision for APW. You aren't going to stop it. Even if you beat me senseless inside that cage and dismantle the remains of the Black Hand, I will not quit and more people will rise!"
"Which leaves me to the catalyst of all this, Biggs...A man who somehow has eluded me during this so called feud that's been brewing!"
"I've had it out with Gates, Reaver, and Kash leading to our War Games match...somehow we were never booked against one another. Odd if you ask me. Over the weeks I have stepped up to the plate and taken over as leader of the Black Hand. You, all of this would be impossible if you didn't have such strong convictions against the way I conduct business. One would assume that it would have been all but certain that somewhere along the timeline of this battle, Chris Madison and Biggs would have squared off one on one. Hell I thought it would have been a lock at least once. But nope, you snaked your way around it by continuing an ongoing vendetta with a banged up Michael Jennings. A man who's only been cleared for action in recent weeks."
"Most of all, you Biggs, you remind me of everything I despise in this wrestling world. You exemplify guys in the back who are quick to voice an opinion, but shy away from taking action. A real man would have came out, called us out and fought his own battles. But no, you're weak and pathetic. You need you friends to help fight your battles for you. But that's okay...it would be unfair of us to expect you to take on the Black Hand all by yourself. I just hope you realize that all the pain and suffering that I am going to put Gates, Kash, and Reaver through is on you! It will have to weigh on your conscience when they're staying up in a hospital, hoping to be able to one day compete inside a ring again. I hope you can live with that guilt. I hope you feel good getting these guys involved in a fight that can't be won..."
"You can physically beat me down. You can drag me around that cage and batter me. You can make me bleed. You can try to break my spirits."
"You will fail..."
"I'm driven by something that you obviously can't fathom. You've grown to accept your place in APW. You've become complacent and can't be seen as a liable threat to anyone in this company. Me, I strive for greatness. I'm looking to carry this company on my shoulders into a new golden age."
"At One Night in Hell, APW takes those initial steps towards a new era when The Spaceman, Biggs and his merry bunch of misfits get put down like the old dogs they are..."
"Months of tension, months of build up, two groups of polar opposite personalities ready to clash. Not for a prize. No glitz and glamour here. All to protect their own agendas. Which to some people, mean more than a shiny belt to wear around their waist. If you can't get up to defend your ideals in this industry you might as well hang up your boots!"
"Last week I choked out Johnny Knuckles. Reaver. Whatever the fuck he calls himself now a days. Still the same heap of wasted talent as always. Regardless...the Black Hand rose to the occasion and secured the advantage going into a war games cage match. Like it was ever in question who'd win this special little series Kash put together for Asylum."
"An advantage that I refuse to squander. Raab gave it his all but Niobe, Jennings, and I made sure that The Space Cowboys and Foul Play will have their backs against the wall through out the match. They wanted this fight...they continually stuck their nose in our business. Well now they have to deal with the consequences of their actions. You don't pick a fight with the toughest guy in the yard and expect to come out unscathed."
"First it was Biggs. Had to play the role of the savior. He couldn't just let us do the inevitable and rid APW of Kurt Styles. From there it was a domino effect. Gates had to protect his friend, even though nothing involved him. And Foul Play, well, Kash completely disregarded my warning to back off and leave Raab alone before it became a group issue."
"None of this had to happen. All of this could have been easily avoided. This is a perfect example of when doing the right thing comes back and bites you in the ass!"
Monday, October 21st, 2013
Tsukiji Market, Tokyo, Japan
10:45 AM
Tsukiji Market, Tokyo, Japan
10:45 AM
The pungent stench of freshly caught fish cut through the stiff, cold air like a meat cleaver through a thick piece of meat. The large mix of tourists and locals buzzed as they shopped the outer rim of the markets. Chris Madison hid amongst the mob of people in plain daylight. A blue baseball cap with the letters "NY" in orange sat low, right above his eyebrows, tucking away his wavy dirty blonde hair. His piercing blue eyes were masked by a pair of black Oakley sunglasses. He floated along with the herd, stopping at random markets to look at their seafood but never buying anything. He nervously looked around, hoping his disguise would do him justice and keep his identity unknown to the masses.
His clammy hands fumbled an ice cold octopus which he had picked from a blue bucket filled with chunks of ice up to the top. A cool oceans breeze danced through the crowd brushing passed Chris, causing those tiny hairs on the back of his neck to stand and caused goosebumps to appear on his exposed skin. His senses were already heightened as he anxiously awaited his younger brother to show his face and frightfully wished he'd be alone. Suddenly Chris jumps as he feels a slight tug at his t-shirt. He spins around with his fist balled up and held by his hip.
"Whoa! Easy Chris, it's me", his brother screeched while stepping backwards with his hands innocently held in the air slightly above his head.
Chris released his fist and huffed as he scanned the immediate area for anyone who could have heard his brother shout his name. "You can't just sneak up on me like that Nick. You do realize there is a man in Japan who thinks I killed his sister and would love for nothing more than to get his hands on me for it, right?"
"Yeah, of all people I think I get that...he only confronted me about it like I had something to do with it." Nick patted his brother on the back in a poor attempt to comfort him. "He'd be foolish to try anything in a public place like this."
"You don't know Koji like I know him", he grunted out of frustration, proving Nick's feeble attempt to be rather pointless. "He'd do anything to bring honor back to his family's name...especially the revenge of his sisters life."
"I tried telling the guy we had nothing to do with it. I tried telling him that she took her own life", Nick explained while growing a bit more cautious of his surroundings. "I mean, you obviously know him better than anyone. Is he really that spiteful that he'd seek you out and physically get retribution?"
Chris didn't know how to respond to Nick's question. He weighed the options in his head while the two slowly strolled side by side amidst the large crowd. In one hand he can tell Nick the truth about all the horrible things he's seen Koji do and in the process worry him half to death. In the other hand, lie trough his teeth, pretend like it's all in his head and that there's nothing to fear. While trying to make that decision his animated facial gestures portrayed the struggle like an old silent film.
"Chris...", Nick whispered but gained no response.
"What is he going to do to us..." Nick's voice cracked as his concerns grew. Chris was always a straight shooter and the fact that he remained thoughtless was enough for Nick to know the truth.
"If you thought those wannabe mobsters did a nice little number on us you're in for a rude awakening", he said while avoiding eye contact. He took a few deep breathes before licking his cracked bottom lip. "I feel like Ebenezer Scrooge and all of my ghosts are visiting me at once. First Kash, now Koji...I can't wait for the next one to show me how I'll die..."
"Don't be so dramatic Chris..." Nick said with hopes that his brother was over exaggerating. He cautiously watched over his shoulder as he started hearing the pitter patter of soft footsteps approaching rapidly. A tap on the shoulder nearly made Nick jump out of his skin. 1038
Chris turned around as his brother shrieked. Everything he was hiding from had searched him out. Koji stood behind Nick with a stern look on his face. "Chris...it's been awhile", Koji whispered with a sadistic smile...
"Before you say anything..."
"No", he shouted, cutting Chris off while attracting some looks from some of the other people attending. "You see I'm not going to be fed a line of bullshit from you. You've had my entire family for years eating every word like it was the gospel. I'm not blind anymore. I know who you really are, a con artist."
"Koji..."
"No!" Koji's voice frustratingly grew louder as his patience began to wear thin. "My family took you in as one of their own. We opened our doors to a stranger and welcomed you with open arms. The least you can do is tell us the truth...that's all I want. I'm not seeking revenge. I'm not going to hurt anyone. Nothing can replace the hurt my family already feels. All we want is the truth."
"I told the police everything. That report that was filed was the truth."
"Oh bullshit!" This time Koji was more aware of the volume of his voice. "I know you all too well Chris. There is no way that you told them everything. It goes against all that you believe in."
"I don't know what else I can say Koji. Sincerely, I told them everything. Your sister..."
"Choose your words wisely!"
"You seeked me out. Don't threaten me."
Koji chuckled to himself as Chris's blood started to boil over. "No threat, that's a warning. You know my words hold weight, and you're on thin ice my friend."
"I can already tell that this is a no win scenario. Nothing I say is going to appease you because you're seeking for an explanation that's not there...I've got too much on my plate right now. I need to focus on why I'm here..."
"Your War Games match", Koji whispered.
Chris was astonished that Koji had kept up with Chris's career. "Yeah..."
"You'll be fine Chris...You always find a way to make things work for you. I'm sure One Night in Hell will be no different. I was just hoping a part of you wanted closure."
Chris could tell his demeanor had changed. He moved closer and extended his hand out towards an old friend. "I think you were looking for closure. Closure that I can't give you. Just know that there's nothing you could have done. No one could have saved Kiyomi besides Kiyomi..."
"I..."
"No!" This time Chris cut off Koji abruptly. "You don't need to say anything. No explanation needed. If it were my little brother I'd be doing the same exact thing. I hope you find what you're looking for. I hope your family can come to terms what happened..."
Koji returned the gesture and the two men shook hands. "And I hope you can finally let the weight if the world off your shoulders and be the Chris Madison that everyone knows you can be!"
Koji released the hand shake and started to walk away from Madison. He looked perturbed by that last comment and shouted out, "what the hell do you mean by that?"
Koji ignored him and walked away, fading into the masses like a ghost.
"Don't worry about it Chris..."
Chris just stared into the distance, his eyes affixed to a person who was no longer visible. Nick waved his hand mere inches from Chris's eyes not budging him one bit.
"He's right", Chris muttered. "It's time to shed some of this weight and be me..."
_________________________________
"Sun Tzu wrote in the Art of War, "If you know the enemy and you know yourself, you need not fear the result of one hundred battles". On Sunday October twenty seventh I will be locked inside a cage against four men that I know all to well as of late. I don't fear the outcome. The Black Hand will walk out of One Night in Hell victorious...in one hundred battles, the result would be the same every time!"
"Jason Kash is a man I have known for years, almost a decade. If you listen to what he has to say, you'd understand the history between the two of us. It's rich, and lengthy. For the most part though it's always been a benevolent relationship. Just like he thought the world of me and wanted to accomplish everything I did in this industry, I thought the world of him. I wanted for nothing more than for Jason Kash to live up to his potential and be great. And he's shown glimpses of that greatness, building a reputation that's unmatched. There's no denying the greatness of Jason Kash, there's no denying everything he's accomplished, especially in the APW!"
"But again, listen closely to what he has to say about me. During those years one thing was a constant, Chris Madison was always better than Jason Kash! It's a reality that he has to deal with. A reality that eats away at his insides everyday he sees me. Jason Kash has accomplished just about everything he has wanted to in the wrestling world, everything except prove to be better than me. In one hundred battles, Chris Madison gets over on Jason Kash one hundred times. It's as sure of a thing as the sun rising in the morning and setting at night."
"It doesn't matter what kind of match, it doesn't matter the stakes, and it doesn't matter the venue. Jason Kash has never proven to be able to defeat me, so why should now be any different? Just because he's more established here in APW? Hell in four months time I have taken this place by storm and won the APW Overdrive Championship! I have turned heads since I walked in and I refuse to let Jason Kash be the one who stops me. He had a chance to be apart of this, to be an agent of change. I understand you have your own loyalties but lets be honest, what is Reaver really doing for you? You are struggling to stay afloat in the mid card of a bi-weekly show. Your name isn't as relevant as it once was and that's a shame. I hope this match lights a fire in you. I want you to be at your best Kash, I want to see you relive up to your potential. If I'm the man that helps ignite that desire, so be it! You need to stop letting opportunities slip by you while you parade around like a clown for the amusement of people who sincerely don't give a damn about you!"
"Jay, offer is still on the table...even after we're through going to war I'd welcome you with open arms to stand by my side in the Black Hand. Eventually you'll get sick of being held back, and when that day comes, I'd gladly help you get back to where you belong, on top of Asylum!"
"Which brings me to your partner, Reaver..."
"Here is a guy who has gotten by and made a name for himself riding the coat tails of Jason Kash! In four more months I've accomplished more than you have in your APW career! And much like on Asylum, I'm going to expose you as the weak, incompetent, clueless champion that you are. You have no business being in the same arena as half the guys in this match, including your own team. In wrestling and in life, you're nothing more than a drag. You hold Kash back every day the two of you stay aligned. No one will take him serious, as a threat, as long as you stand by his side."
"Sure you've beaten Raab. Hell you took away the Suicidal Championship away from his grasp. But even a broken clock is right twice a day. I've choked you out once, maybe this time I won't let go. I'll squeeze and squeeze like a python constricting it's prey until I feel your lifeless body's weight in my arms. You see that's my addiction. In what other profession would I be allowed to choke people within an inch of their lives? It gives me a rush to know that at that moment when you go limp, I hold your life in my arms. I can let go, allow you to live...or I can continue squeezing and rid the world of another pathetic human being."
"Kash wasn't able to save you last time and he surely won't be able to again. The Black Hand needs to make an example out of the four of you. Most see us as a joke now that Tommy has left. And while almost everyone thinks that we will now crumble, I am going to use One Night in Hell as a platform for just how violent and destructive we can be. Four of the fans favorite megastars will be annihilated before their very eyes, left for dead in a heap of their own blood ad sweat. That blood and sweat they so proudly spill for a fan base that genuinely doesn't care about their well being! A fan base that will jump to the next flavor of the month nearly as quick as it takes for Level One to recover after wrestling Kash!"
"I hope it's worth it. I hope they will be their to lift you up, dust you off, and reassure you of that false hope that everything will be ok!"
"It won't...I promise, not for you Reaver, not for Kash, and perhaps most of all, not for the Space Cowboys."
"That's where all this started. You boys are the nucleus of this whole battle we have in front of ourselves. You think that you are doing the fans justice by standing up against the Black Hand. You feel like you are preventing a cancer from spreading that will destroy your precious little APW. Has anyone wondered why? Why are they so adamant about curbing the growth of the Black Hand?"
"Fear..."
"A natural human emotion for any man. Especially one he realizes his whole existence in this world is coming to an end! You see Biggs and CJ Gates are some of the most prolific names in APW history. Between the two of them they have accounted for over six title reigns. An impressive feat by any standards. But Biggs and Gates realize that their golden days have come and gone!"
"What have they done lately? Biggs hasn't held a title since he lost the Undisputed title to Gates at Shockwave back in August of two thousand and eleven! And Gates hasn't since he lost that title the following March! That's almost a year and a half of irrelevance! That's what is supposed to prevent the Black Hand from flipping this place upside down? If it was Level One and Terry Marvin standing opposite me I'd be singing a whole different tune. But for eighteen months you've played second fiddle to those guys. More of a filler until the new wave stepped up."
"Well that new wave is here! And we're bringing a whole new outlook to APW. Gates you witnessed it first hand when I pinned you to become the new APW Overdrive Champion! A title that still eludes your resumé. Does it sit well with you that it only took me four months to capture a championship that you can't seem to grasp?"
"Gates we're not so different. We both want what's best for the fans. In this crazy profession of ours there's nothing else. You have to entertain the fans, or you'll be stuck competing in front of an empty arena. The difference is our methods. You naturally assume that they want the same boring product you've been shoving down their throats for years. Me I'm a change of pace. I'm a breath of fresh air in a company that has gone stale and is on the verge of self destruction. The APW didn't need the Black Hand to fall to shambles. That was progressing well before my arrival. I simply want to create something new, something exciting, something beautiful, out of the horror show that is APW. This place needs a face lift desperately! Look at all the talent that has simply walked away over the years. Walked away to search for better things. That shouldn't be the case. Wrestlers should flock to APW in search of those greener pastures. But that won't happen as long as you continue to try and prevent me from reshaping this place to what it should be. I have a vision for APW. You aren't going to stop it. Even if you beat me senseless inside that cage and dismantle the remains of the Black Hand, I will not quit and more people will rise!"
"Which leaves me to the catalyst of all this, Biggs...A man who somehow has eluded me during this so called feud that's been brewing!"
"I've had it out with Gates, Reaver, and Kash leading to our War Games match...somehow we were never booked against one another. Odd if you ask me. Over the weeks I have stepped up to the plate and taken over as leader of the Black Hand. You, all of this would be impossible if you didn't have such strong convictions against the way I conduct business. One would assume that it would have been all but certain that somewhere along the timeline of this battle, Chris Madison and Biggs would have squared off one on one. Hell I thought it would have been a lock at least once. But nope, you snaked your way around it by continuing an ongoing vendetta with a banged up Michael Jennings. A man who's only been cleared for action in recent weeks."
"Most of all, you Biggs, you remind me of everything I despise in this wrestling world. You exemplify guys in the back who are quick to voice an opinion, but shy away from taking action. A real man would have came out, called us out and fought his own battles. But no, you're weak and pathetic. You need you friends to help fight your battles for you. But that's okay...it would be unfair of us to expect you to take on the Black Hand all by yourself. I just hope you realize that all the pain and suffering that I am going to put Gates, Kash, and Reaver through is on you! It will have to weigh on your conscience when they're staying up in a hospital, hoping to be able to one day compete inside a ring again. I hope you can live with that guilt. I hope you feel good getting these guys involved in a fight that can't be won..."
"You can physically beat me down. You can drag me around that cage and batter me. You can make me bleed. You can try to break my spirits."
"You will fail..."
"I'm driven by something that you obviously can't fathom. You've grown to accept your place in APW. You've become complacent and can't be seen as a liable threat to anyone in this company. Me, I strive for greatness. I'm looking to carry this company on my shoulders into a new golden age."
"At One Night in Hell, APW takes those initial steps towards a new era when The Spaceman, Biggs and his merry bunch of misfits get put down like the old dogs they are..."
