Finally Sitting Down

[C.J. Gates]

(The scene opens up inside of a gym where we see C.J. Gates sitting at a bench doing arm curls. Being near done, he gets up and makes his way over to the treadmill while wiping a nice layer of sweat off of his face with a towel. He is wearing a pair of black track pants and running shoes and he slings the towel around his neck. As he begins to run on the treadmill, we can see Vivian Roberts walk into the scene, wearing a pair of jeans and a black shirt and a gray hooded sweatshirt over top. She looks around at first, before spotting Gates and walking toward him, stopping just beside the treadmill.)

Vivian: So this is where you've been hiding.

C.J. Gates: Well, hello to you too.

Vivian: You really have been putting in a lot of work this week.

C.J. Gates: Of course! You do know what's at stake this week, right?

Vivian: I am aware.

C.J. Gates: This isn't just some triple threat match that means nothing. It's not a singles match where we can bury these clowns. This is an actual bona fide Tag Team title match. This is my first Tag Team title match. My first title match.

Vivian: I know, I know.

C.J. Gates: If I can't be undefeated, I'm at least going to run undefeated at Pay-Per-Views, you know?

Vivian: Yeah, yeah, I know.

C.J. Gates: I am a bit worried though.

(Vivian hesitates and then looks up at a sweating C.J. Gates.)

Vivian: Why is that?

(Now, Gates hesitates.)

C.J. Gates: Have you heard from Vinnie recently?

Vivian: Now that you mention it, I haven't. Then again, he and I didn't even really talk too much before we hit the world tour.

C.J. Gates: I'm just worried. He said he was going back home, but I've been unable to reach him or his wife on either their home or cell phones.

Vivian: Maybe he's going to surprise you by flying out here?

C.J. Gates: Maybe.

(He continues to run as Vivian folds her arms over her chest, trying not to notice all the men looking at her.)

C.J. Gates: I am just still worried.

Vivian: You need to calm down.

C.J. Gates: Calm is what I am. Worried has nothing to do with calm. I just...I just think I will need some back-up eventually. Blade and I can only go so long before the targets on our backs disappear. And until they do, every rag-tag team will think we owe them a shot. And I can't handle everyone trying to prove their worth by interfering in my matches.

Vivian: Isn't that what Blade is for, though? To watch your back?

(Gates nods his head.)

C.J. Gates: Yeah, but if he's in the match with me, I can't fault him for not seeing Joe Schmoe run down the ramp, slide in and brain me over the head with a mallet or something, as if we're in a Nintendo game.

Vivian: Well, we are in Japan...

C.J. Gates: Fair enough.

Vivian: Do you have anyone lined up for this bodyguard assignment you seem to have your heart set on?

C.J. Gates: I do have someone in mind. I'll have to give him a call and see if he can meet us in Japan before One Night in Hell. Maybe he can make himself a little bit of an impact.

(Gates continues to run as Vivian looks on.)

C.J. Gates: Speaking of this weekends match...have you heard anything from Blade?

Vivian: What? You haven't heard from him?

C.J. Gates: He's been spotty. He didn't show up until show time last week, and I haven't heard anything from him. I hope everything is alright with him. Would hate to find out he's been laid up somewhere unable to communicate with the outside world.

Vivian: I'm sure he's fine. It's a big week for the two of you.

C.J. Gates: That's true. He's been looking forward to this more than I have, actually.

Vivian: So don't worry. Concentrate on being in great shape for next week.

(Gates nods his head as he hits a button on the panel of the treadmill and the machine stops. He then leans on the panel, looking exhausted, rubbing the towel over his face to get rid of the sweat.)

C.J. Gates: So what's on tab this week?

Vivian: Well, because I couldn't find you right away, I had to move some things around, but I lined up a sit-down interview for you. Sort of a pre One Night in Hell thing.

(Gates nods.)

C.J. Gates: Alright, I guess I can handle that. Do I have time to shower and change?

Vivian: Indeed you do, it's not for a few hours.

(Gates gives off a sly smile as he winks at Vivian before turning and walking away as the scene fades to black with Vivian looking after, shaking her head.)

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(The scene re-opens in what appears to be a large hotel suite. The suite is pretty elaborate itself, and seated in the sitting area, facing one another, we can see C.J. Gates and a man wearing a nice looking blue suit. His hair is slicked back and he has a wide smile on his face, while Gates' hair is hidden under his cowboy hat, and his smile is more of a smug expression.)

Man: Good evening and welcome to an early edition of the Weekend Hunt. I'm Daren Hunt, and with me tonight is APW Mega Star and current number one contender for the APW Tag Team titles, C.J. Gates. Thank you for being with me this evening, C.J.

C.J. Gates: Oh, the pleasure is all mine Daren. After all, how often is it that I get to be in the presence of a man such as yourself.

Hunt: Uh, thanks? I think? I didn't know you'd heard of me.

C.J. Gates: Oh, I haven't. But you do have a nice suit on, and your hair is pretty slicked back, so I figured you were in the big time somewhere. Though maybe I was wrong...

Hunt: No, no, I have done well for myself. But this interview isn't about me. It's about you, C.J. Gates, and the APW.

C.J. Gates: You know what Hunt rhymes with?

Hunt: I don't think thats acceptable to say...

C.J. Gates: Punt. Get your mind out of the gutter, Daren.

Hunt: You are definitely acting quite unusual. You're not like yourself this evening.

C.J. Gates: I'm sorry, Daren, I'm just excited. This is my first title shot in APW, and I want to make the best of it. Because it's the sort of thing that some people can only dream to have happen to them. My second Pay-Per-View in this federation, and my skills are already being recognized with title opportunities.

Hunt: It is a tag team match for the tag team titles. Not always a respected division.

C.J. Gates: I do agree, Daren. In some places, the tag team titles are not respected. But in the APW they are. And even if it discredits what I've done so far, at least it shows that I am able to work alongside someone else, and not let my ego get in the way.

Hunt: But what does that prove?

C.J. Gates: What it proves, is that people would be able to trust me. Look, down the line somewhere, I might end up with a singles title run or something, and get booked into one of those annoying champions versus challengers matches that always seem to pop up just before a Pay-Per-View. And in those cases, my partners, whichever side of the coin I fall on, will know that they can trust me. Will know that I am not just going to tag myself in so that I can get the glory.

Hunt: Fair enough. And even though this week is all about the tag team titles for you, I was wondering if you might be interested in leaving some feedback on some of the other goings-on in APW.

C.J. Gates: Why not.

Hunt: Excellent. First off, last week you were talking about how it would feel to be the final combatant in the Elimination Chamber. It was revealed that Nathanial Havok would fill that spot. Thoughts?

C.J. Gates: My thoughts on Havok getting the spot? He deserves it. If someone can take the Xtreme champion out the way he did, and have no remorse about it? He deserves that spot. Not to mention he has been on an impressive run, and is always seen doing things on the shows. The man deserves the right to be recognized in that match. And I'm not going to say anything against that. Have you seen the guy? He's damn scary, man. I would not want to be on the wrong side of him.

(Daren Hunt chuckles a bit.)

Hunt: Neither would I, to tell you the truth. Do you feel like you should have been the final entrant?

(Gates seems to ponder this over a bit before shaking his head.)

C.J. Gates: Naw. I mean, it would be a great way to recognize my hot start, but I just don't think it would be worth my time. I just don't think I'm on the same level as Level One, Mark Mania and Sally Talfourd. They are all pretty good wrestlers in their own right, and it will definitely come down to one of those three in my mind. I could have held my own, and probably would have lasted longer than a few of them but I wouldn't have won the Chamber and the title.

Hunt: So if you aren't on the same level as those three, what makes you think you will ever be able to win the Heavyweight title?

C.J. Gates: Well I never said I couldn't win the title. I just said I wasn't on their level. Yet, anyways. Give me a few months, and I bet you will see my name being mentioned among the elite of this federation. Chris Cyrus likes to think he's a big dog, but I proved that I can win a match against him, even if he would rather have you believe that he didn't really care. John Green thought he was the big dog around here too, but the Jolly Green Giant took a bit of a tumble himself. All the way down from his former spot at the top of the mountain.

Hunt: Now what about the ownership issues of APW?

C.J. Gates: You mean the little war between Biggs and President Jeff?

Hunt: Yeah, that's the one.

C.J. Gates: Well, I don't know what to think. I mean, Biggs tried to interfere in my match last week, so he's not exactly got brownie points in my book. But President Jeff pulled the oldest trick in the book when he ruined Elle and Biggs' wedding. So to be honest? I have no real opinion. I hope that they both just beat the tar out of each other, and we actually get a winner. I don't want to end this Pay-Per-View with a draw, and then they each have 50% share until the last Pay-Per-View of the year, when it all goes on the table in some sort of anything goes, top-o'-tha-mornin'-to-ya match.

Hunt: Sounds great. Now, let's look toward your match this week. You and Blade will team up to take on the Sports Nutz team of Craig Mueller and George Dunpork.

C.J. Gates: And Gordon Heath, and possibly Shaun Kilgore, and maybe the Red Shield Mafia, and who knows, maybe the Ass Kickers Anonymous will show up.

Hunt: Why do you say that?

C.J. Gates: Because they don't exactly fight a clean match. When Blade and I were schooling Mueller and Dunpork, Heath always got involved. And whichever one of the Nutz wasn't wrestling always tried to get his nose stuck in our business. So I feel confident saying that regardless of what the card says, there will be more than just the four of us involved in everything. And with the Red Shield Mafia and the A.K.A looking to get title shots, they'll probably be nipping at the bud just to try and keep the belts off of Blade and myself.

But even then, I am still confident that we can win this thing. And when we do, we can rub in into the other teams, that we didn't need forty people interfering on our behalf to win. We only needed the two of us, and our own wits.

Hunt: This is your second Pay-Per-View match in the APW. Last time out, you beat John Green and Blade in a triple threat match. How much would it mean to go two and oh in Pay-Per-View matches?

C.J. Gates: It would mean a lot, Daren. Chris Cyrus goes on about how he has yet to lose at One Night in Hell, how this is his Wrestlemania. But it would be a grand feat to win at every Pay-Per-View. That would definitely help someone get noticed. And when there are title matches involved? Don't even get me started. But yes, winning this week would definitely be something interesting as the next Pay-Per-View drew near. But I'm not looking that far ahead. Right now I'm looking ahead to this Sunday, when the Sports Nutz lose to myself and Blade.

Hunt: Speaking of your partner, how have you and Blade been able to get along so well inside of the ring?

C.J. Gates: How? It's like I've been saying for the past few weeks. We work well together because we are of a similar mindset. Neither one of us is really that much of a cocky bastard, and we realize that when it comes to tag team wrestling, we need to have each others back. We trust one another, and we both know that. Then, inside of that ring, we both have fun. We go out there just do what we love to do. As you know, Daren, I'm a big advocate that the fans come first. So I try my best to make sure that they all go home happy, and that seems to be something that Blade doesn't take for granted. He knows that about me, and does his best to comply.

Sure, we might not always see eye to eye when he's spending money on new T-shirts for everyone under the sun, but that's just one aspect. Once we get into the arena, hear those fans, and get into that ring, well, everything changes. We put on our game faces, and...well...as you know, the rest is history.

Hunt: Very much so. Does it worry you that Blade hasn't been heard from yet?

C.J. Gates: Not at all. Blade has been pretty reliable, so I know he's just biding his time. And when he does show up, he will with a vengeance. The Sports Nutz will never know what hit them after that whirlwind has gone through and wrecked it's havoc.

Hunt: Good, good. Anything else you want to say?

C.J. Gates: Anything else? Of course there are other things! I've just scratched the surface here! Then again, what else can I say about these two that hasn't already been said time after time after time after time. I mean, they are way out of their league here. They think that they are on par with some of the talent around here, and maybe they are with some of the lower end talent. But with the likes of me? And Blade? They aren't even close. They're like, the Baltimore Orioles compared to the New York Yankees.

I know, I know, I don't usually throw out sports related comparisons, but I figured it was something that those Nutz could understand. Since, for some reason, they don't understand whenever we used to tell them, and they don't seem to understand what it means when they keep losing and losing and losing. It means that they are not getting the momentum one would need to get a win in an important match. So if they don't understand that comparison, how about....they are last years Edmonton Oilers. The winless Detroit Lions. They are the Pittsburgh Pirates, never able to really get over, yet always thinking they stand a chance.

And I know what everyone is currently thinking. They are the tag team champions so how can they be anything but good. The reason?

They didn't have to face Blade and myself in that match. Sure, there was the Axis of Awesome, but they had other things going through their heads at that point. Perhaps the Red Shield Mafia could have been a challenge, but they got their reward the next week when they lost their chance at the Tag Team titles. And yo who? Blade and myself. As for the A.K.A? Well, I don't even think they showed up to Shockwave.

So Craig, George, look at it this way. The brass felt that the Red Shield Mafia was the second best team in that match. The Axis, they were busy planning for Biggs' future with the company, and the A.K.A. were forgotten about. So they needed to find a team to throw to the wolves. A sacrifice for the Mafia to beat so that the former Greatness slash Empire combination could do battle in a tag team fight to end all tag team fights.

Enter myself and my partner, Blade.

Enter the sacrificial lambs.

But you see, unlike stories one might have heard in the past, these lambs were much more mightier than one would think they are. And when the brass wanted the Mafia to win, Blade and I swooped in and took the prize away from them. And then, everyone realized something.

Right Nutz?

Everyone realized that Blade and I could be a lethal combination when paired up. And in doing so, everyone began to see things in a new light. The entire roster saw things for what they were. They saw a new team on the horizon. A team that would change the face of the federation. And they ran with it, and look where it got them. A Tag Team title match at One Night in Hell that people actually want to see.

So to go back to your earlier question, Daren, the APW cares about their Tag Team wrestling division because there are certain teams - teams like Blade and myself - that give the division a face lift. That give things an entirely different look. The two of us, we shake things up and make things interesting. Before they paired us up on a whim, they had a completely different outlook on their situation. But now?

Now you are looking at one half of the next tag team champions.

Hunt: Excellent. Now, what do you think about the stipulation? You and Blade were pushing for a ladder match, but instead, you got a tornado tag sadistic madness match. So you and Blade won't really be able to watch each others backs as well as you would have hoped.

C.J. Gates: You know, that is an odd thing, isn't it? I was pushing for a ladder match, since they can be pretty vicious, and instead, Biggs gives us a match where we HAVE to make the opponent bleed to be able to get a win. Yet, the Xtreme title match is being fought under ladder match rules. A title that lives and breathes for the extreme has a softer stipulation and gimmick than the tag team title match.

But putting that aside, it is going to be one hellacious match. It's going to be hell, which is only fitting. I am not normally involved in matches where the hardcore element is actually promoted, but I am always willing to do what needs to be done to get the job done. If I must make my opponent bleed, then I will. AND I will have fun doing so! Because that is what the Texas Tornado does. He goes into the match, he gives it his all, and he doesn't back down from outrageous stipulations.

As for your comment about not being able to help each other, the fact that it is a tornado tag match means that we don't need to be standing on the apron waiting for a tag. There are no restrictions as to what we can do. So, say Blade is getting wrenched in some sort of submission move, I can run over and break that hold up, and save him the agonizing pain that he might otherwise have had to deal with.

Hunt: That is, if you are not dealing with your own situation.

C.J. Gates: Naturally. And really, that shouldn't be a problem because if Blade is taking care of what we discussed he is taking care of, and if I do what I am supposed to do, than there should be no issue with anything and the two of us will roll to victory. To be quite honest, Daren, I have faith that Blade and I will do what we need to do. And this time next week? Everyone will be asking the Sports Nutz what went wrong while they cry into their Gatorade.

There are no ifs, ands or buts. The fact that the two of us were so willing to put ourselves on the line in the first place, shows that we aren't afraid of what Biggs threw in our way. And I know Craig and George were thinking otherwise. They were thinking that they had the upper hand, and that Blade and I would be afraid, but we aren't. If anything, we're salivating at the opportunity to prove them all wrong.

We're going to prove everyone wrong. Everyone who doubts us. All the Mark Mania's who say we still have a long road to climb. All the Level One's who don't see anyone but themselves. All the Red Shield Mafia's who are crying foul, thinking they should be in this match.

We are going to make some noise, Daren. We're going to make a whole lot of noise. It will almost be a repeat of when Blade and I beat Dunpork and Mueller respectively. We're going to break the sound barrier.

(Gates nods his head, as does Hunt.)

Hunt: Well, thank you for those words, C.J. And I'd like to wish you and Blade the best of luck this week.

(The two men lean forward and shake hands over top of the coffee table.)

C.J. Gates: Thanks, Daren. We won't need luck, but we do enjoy the kind words.

(With that the scene fades to black.)