[10:10 PM, Thursday Night]
[We fade in on Michael Trey, stalking through the streets once more. He reaches a pay phone and slips a quarter into the slot, dialing a number. After a couple rings, someone on the other end picks up.]
Yes? Nah, I'm fine, a little fire never hurt anyone. What? Well, yeah, I guess I went a bit overboard. Don't worry, I can afford it. Just thought I'd do a little show for Justice and Sterling. Why? I suppose to prove a point, that's why...
[Michael rambles on for a few more minutes before hanging up. He begins to stroll down the road a bit more until he sits down in the middle of the road. The moon is out brightly, shining off Michael's face as he lies in the road, staring at the stars.]
The night... so grim and scary. Until the first light begins to shine off the moon, the night can be a dark, scary, painful place to be. You know that JJ? Wait, of course you do. Straight up, JJ... Suicide isn't going to be pretty. You've heard what I have to say. I have respect for you. You're good. But this whole "proving myself" thing just doesn't work for you. You need to realize that the fans love BOTH of us, BOTH of us are worthy of that World Title, and BOTH of us know that the other one is pretty damn good. You can talk about people hatin' on you all you want, but the reality is that you may well be the future of HWF...
Because JJ, as good as you are... I'm not ready to roll over and die myself either. I'm still in my prime, far from through. I can't see any reason to let the past and present of HWF be replaced by you, the future. Maybe if we weren't being pitted against each other, we'd be teaming up. But instead, we're facing each other not just once, but twice in the near future. In fact, I can see a fued in our future...
Honestly, I don't want to burn you, JJ. I really don't. You're a good guy, you've got a great girl, and you have shown the heart of a warrior. Then again, you seem to enjoy shutting people out. Maybe you're not as bright as I give you credit for. Probably not as good, either. I think if you'd realize that I'm still the f##king king of this federation, you'd understand that you aren't this big man you think you are. For every ounce of heart you have, I've got ten. And every single idea you hold in your tiny head makes you believe that it's all about yourself. It's stupid f##king shit like that which makes people like Lance Sterling.
That's all I can see you as anymore, JJ. That's IT. You've become a greedy little punk, a jackass who cares for no one but himself. Those fans you so casually mock... they pay your punk ass. You talk about the good old days in the hood and shit, but those fights in the hood don't pay the bills. They don't buy big diamond rings for your girl. Not to mention they don't pay the hospital bills after I put you in the hospital. The fans are what drive us, JJ. We have nothing without the fans. We ARE nothing without the fans. They keep us going, they keep us breathing and fighting and clawing until the last breath. If you turn your backs on the fans and on me, then you're turning your back on everyone here. You'd in effect become Lance Sterling.
No one knows Sterling better than me... except maybe Justin Storm aka Flame. I've been in a war with Sterling, and I know that he's the most arrogant asshole that has ever graced God's green earth. I see your actions of the last week, JJ, and I think you've gone drunk with power. Sterling acted just like that when he arrived. You think that you're the man of the HWF probably, don't you? Pretty soon you'll be saying "I am the greatest!" and talking about how you're PERFECT. I don't believe that shit and neither does the fans. You'd get booed out of every single show, you'd get harassed at every single restaurant.
If the future of the HWF needs to be taught a lesson, who better to teach him than The Forgotten Champ of HWF, the man who has been it's backbone for so many months... Michael Trey. So this week I guess I fall into the role of teacher and JJ into the role of student. My old wrestling school coach always told me to take people to school... I guess that's what will happen on Saturday. JJ, perhaps you just need to stop smoking that crack and hitting that weed... perhaps you just need to get hit in the head again...
[Trey lies there, staring up at the stars a moment longer...]
Saturday comes in a few days, JJ... Lights Out...
[He closes his eyes... fade to black.]
