Knight of Fire

[Tia Harribel]

The scene opens up with Derek Wellings working out from a local gym in some city in the south. He’s fresh off a victory at Asylum over Taylor Vaughn, a man who he vowed to destroy him but couldn't accomplish his goal. As he works out harder than he’s worked in recent years, the look of frustration and pain is written all over his face. He thinks to himself to motivate and stimulate his body to work even harder. He thinks about what exactly is the cause of him not winning a championship that could easily or most difficult become his.

*** Derek Wellings ***
"Son of bitch. Second match back in APW, second on Asylum, second pay per view event I'm in, and I got an Elimination Submission match with four other men and a woman. While I could be like all the other ass hats in this match and place Rachel so far below me, as they LOVE to say, BLOW ME, I'm not putting anyone down. Sun Tsu once wrote "Know thy enemy." I barely know this funkers. I have a ton of Military Achievements, but those don't mean shit to civilians, I'm an Airbourne Drill Sergeant, and this match will be on par with some of the crap I dealt with back in the service. I want to be at the top of the APW Asylum roster, and this is my very first step into going far.

Michelle walks up behind him and rubs his shoulders. She leans over and kisses him on his lips as he works out. She then pours water on him, much to Derek's relief.

*** Michelle Wellings ***
Derek, hun, you've been fuming quite a bit since the Mayhem card was released. Are you okay?

*** Derek Wellings ***
Do you think I'm ready to be a champion in APW? Do you think I'm cut out for it, or got what it takes?

*** Michelle Wellings ***

[/color]
Of course I do, Derek. It might not seem like it, but I'm behind you 100% of the time, and I'm with you. Even when you do stupid things such as throw stakes at our neighbor, and not the steaks you'd cook on the grill, the one you would kill vampires with. I'm behind you with your dangerous and nerdy ideas such as pretending to be Illidan Stormrage at GENCON 2008.

Derek and Michelle both begin chuckling about the Illidan incident.

*** Derek Wellings ***
Then how come I've only one shitty tag team championship when the boss wasn't my friend? How come people have only seen me as a low card jobber?

*** Michelle Wellings ***[/color]
I don't know Derek. You know your business much better than I do.

*** Derek Wellings ***
I think I know why. It's because everyone's too damn afraid of me. The owners set me up for failure by out matching me as soon as possible with who are below my skill, then when I become stagnant they put me against someone I shouldn't be dormant with, but once I anyone hits the sluggish status, it's hard to get out of it. They allow me to become stagnant because I'd be one dominant son of a gun. I've never really beaten around the bush, I'm a Ranger, not SPECIAL FORCES or anything, I cannot be sneaky or try playing mind games like other guys have. I just returned, and I got a chance to finally make something of myself.

*** Michelle Wellings ***[/color]
I definitely that you put tons of work into trying to be one of the best APW or wrestling has to offer. So what could be the reason why you're now getting a chance?

*** Derek Wellings ***[/color]
That's why I'm sitting here. I'm trying to figure out why and think of all the possibilities. I know I can be a good, if not great champion. I'm thankful for everything I'm getting from Jeff and Reginald. They must see something in me, but I need to show them that I'm not wasted effort. I'm not a washed up soldier who called it an early career. Everything thinks that in order to be successful you gotta stay in the same job and work until you're 65 or dead. I know I can prove them wrong.

*** Michelle Wellings ***[/color]
Well, perhaps you need to not be so nice. I know you like showing a funny and kind side, but you know that nice guys finish last. You need go out and kick some ass like you did at Asylum.

*** Derek Wellings ***[/color]
Ugh I know that, but I rather not become one of those assholes that leaves the Service and become fucking prick because he's seen shit you'd crap yourself if you saw. I'm not trying to be that homeless guy who talks about his career all the time. Should I talk about more? Yeah I guess I can. But that's not me. No one wants to hear my soldier stories.

It's just that I'm not worried about people not respecting me because I was in the US Army. I've just noticed there's very few people who are respectful toward others around APW. If I become the TopOut! Champion, maybe that will cause people to start becoming more respectful.

*** Michelle Wellings ***[/color]
And then what, Derek?

Derek stops his leg curling. He slowly turns his head over to Michelle with a queer smirk on his face. She's not use to seeing him give such a strange smirk for any reason.

*** Derek Wellings ***[/color]
If you think I'm going to quit APW because I won the TapOut! Championship because I've re-installed respect, think again. I'm not a quitter. I've never been a quitting, just because I decided calling the army as career at 38 instead of death doesn't mean I'm a quitter. The World Heavyweight Champions, The Undisputed Champion. It's all the same thing. The prize. I want it, and I want it bad.

Derek lays onto his back and grabs two 50 lbs weights.

*** Derek Wellings ***[/color]
Spot me.

Derek presses the weights in a slow, steady motion, exercising and expanding his massive chest and shoulders. The sweat and frustration pour from his pores and roll down his forehead onto the floor below.

*** Derek Wellings ***[/color]
I've seen what that pot head Jason Kash has to say, and I'm not impressed. Another stoner who thinks that being a prick is awesome, and that smoking pot is what's hot. He should talk with Taylor Vaughn about what happened last week while he got high. I seem to remember proving the different between being "Drug Strong" and "Army Strong". But I pray, and I hope to God that Taylor is capable of SO much more.

I don't know jack diddly about Madok Mortalis. But from the name alone, he probably believes he's some Mortal Death God come to kick ass, yawn. Naw I'm kidding. He's got a good head on his shoulder,s long-winded but good head. At least he's cultured man, so I don't have to worry about smelling cheap beer, hookers, and pot on his breath. That makes him a tough enemy right off the bat.

The Gambler is like so many of the same guys we see over and over again who really do nothing. A person who little is known about, at least he has a unique twist on his "unknown" story. He's a compulsive gambler like his old man. The man has gone legit, despite some red marks of his past. A man can make up for his past misdeeds. But he has one problem: I'm not Gambler-holics Anon. I'm First Sergeant Derek Wellings. He cannot count my cards they're always under the table. He cannot swap the dice as mine are tethered and he most certainly cannot tilt the machine as it's bolted to the ground. I give him credit and hardy handshake for going legit, but it's not his night.

Then we got the young and curvy girl: Rachel Cole.

Derek stops a moment to regain his breath from his speech and curling. Michelle hands him a bottle of water, and he shotguns it. He sets the bottle down to his side and begins doing full sit ups.

*** Michelle Wellings ***[/color]
We all know your record with women, Derek. Remember Paige from MWE? I do, I remember her beating you JUST because she said she was on her period, it didn't help she was also boning the boss doesn't it? Maybe Paige is the reason why no one respects you? You got pinned by a woman not even half your size. None likes losing to someone only half their size, but it's always followed you. I mean it's not like beating Rachel will get back the win, what happened has happened. You want to be the flag bearer of APW. But like you said, there's no respect from anyone, especially the younger guys. If you cannot beat those four guys and Rachel at Mayhem, maybe you should disappear forever?

*** Derek Wellings ***[/color]
'Chelle, I love you, but bitch shut up.

Michelle looks at Derek shocked. He stops his work out for a moment.

*** Michelle Wellings ***[/color]
You can always go back to NCW. You had a spot in the light there.

*** Derek Wellings ***[/color]
Oh you mean the mean the spot that I was given because the boss, who also wrestled there, gave me? The same guy who also ended both my NCW World Heavyweight Championship reigns, where each reign was shorter than the last? NO FREAKING CHANCE MICHELLE! I'm not returning.

I rather take my chance here on Asylum. I much rather suck here than be given a false light. Rachel Cole, former world heavyweight champion at some place I never heard of. She's a threat right off the bat. She has a chance to make me tap out. I rather not tap out to a woman, no offense to Rachel. If she truly is the better, if not BEST fighter, then yes it won't be so bad. But I must try my hardest. I cannot lay down and let two druggiest, a woman, a gambler and who I think is an aristocrat beat me? I don't think so.

I have to prove I am worth begin the TapOut! Champion, and one day it'll make the way for me being the World Heavyweight Champion. The druggies have called me out, now I gotta wait on Gambler, Cole and Mortalis. I'm not going to back down, not two guys who still think pot is the most awesome thing to come into existence. I'm sober now, I'm not drinking. I gotta be focused and ready to beat the original TapOut! Champion. I can do this Michelle. Just... leave me alone... for now...

Derek gets off and walks to treadmill, sets it to a 15 degree incline at 10 mph. He begins running as fast, if not faster than the machine. Michelle looks at him, with a slightly worried face. She loves her husband, and doesn't want him to over do it. She wants to help him, she just doesn't know how.

~FIN[/center]