Post by Deleted on Feb 1, 2009 22:51:58 GMT -5
It was a cold, dark, lonely-kinda-feelin’, winter night in Allegheny, Pennsylvania. It was the night of WCF’s Rebirth pay-per-view extravaganza, live from the sold-out WCF Arena. It was a night on which every young man, every fiery competitor on the WCF roster should have been solemn and focused upon the task at hand. There were a number of crowning achievements and notable moments on this historic night. Torture captured his second WCF World Title, defeating Gravedigger and Corey Black in a brutal and hard-fought triple threat match to capture the gold. Brad Kane defeated Thunder in a classic bout to capture the previously vacant US Title. Davey Boone made his return to WCF, confronting Gravedigger and his goons backstage before the main event. Seth Lerch, the man himself, made a surprise return, interfering in the main event, costing Gravedigger the belt, and opening the door for The One and Only to regain a title that he never lost in the ring.
On this historic night another event took place that may have flown under the radar, which would be understandable in the wake of the aforementioned flurry of activity. In the evening’s opening bout Chad Evans appeared as a man driven and determined to succeed. Evans steamrolled Prince Jimmy Dean at Rebirth. Evans utilized the Way of the Dragon to dispatch of Prince Jimmy and send him home without any supper, looking for all of the world like a well-oiled machine. Despite the obvious lack of fanfare, this was an important match for Chad. Chad gained a measure of revenge upon his former friend turned bitter rival, after Prince Jimmy betrayed Chad weeks earlier on Slam during a triple threat match with Brad Kane. Evans’ win also propelled him one step closer to an eventual title shot, but wrestling matches and championship glory were far from the only things on Chad’s mind at the end of the night.
Earlier in the week during a trip to New Hampshire, Chad uncovered information that could possibly help him piece together the mystery of Bobby Cairo’s disappearance. Cairo was more than merely Chad’s acquaintance. Cairo was Chad’s best friend and mentor. Every day has been a struggle for Cairo’s family, friends and close associates since his disappearance. Chad has not been immune to this grief. Coping with the disappearance of a loved one can be a debilitating task, that’s why young Chad has so much on his mind these days. It’s not enough to just climb up the ranks of WCF’s title contenders, though that’s certainly an important career goal. On a more personal level Chad is determined to find his friend. The information that Chad has acquired places him in a tantalizing and perhaps even perilous set of circumstances. Knowledge can be a powerful tool. Knowledge can also be used as a powerful weapon against those who would perpetrate acts of evil, including those who would scheme to hide the truth.
This knowledge is also responsible for placing a considerable burden upon Mr. Evans’ broad shoulders. The dilemma is simple enough to explain, but that doesn’t mean that it’s an easy decision to make. If Chad’s hunch is correct, then Cairo was tracking down a secret military base in New Mexico prior to his disappearance. Chad has considered the possibility of putting together a search team to search for Cairo in the area of the base. The problem is that Chad needs to find someone with an intimate knowledge of both Cairo’s mission and the layout of the base and its surrounding terrain. Chad would also have to make the tough decision to at least temporarily suspend his wrestling career to carry out this search. Chad will readily admit that it’s a dangerous job, a possible suicide mission. It could even be a dead end, nothing more than a hunch. Yet this hunch is wearing on Evans’ mind and psyche.
Monday Slam promises to be another pivotal night in the development of Chad Evans’ professional wrestling career. Evans will be wrestling for the prize of a US Title shot. His opponent will be none other than Logan, a decorated former champion and wrestling legend. Unlike the relatively inexperienced rookie Chad, Logan comes from the other end of the experience spectrum, though he’s also a man who is winless in his current comeback attempt.
At the present time Chad is working out at Ultra Nova Dojo in Brooklyn, New York, preparing for his match with Logan. The Dojo is currently closed to the public during Chad’s workout; only three men are present in the building. Chad is with his trainer Bolts Quackenbush and assistant trainer Nick Katsopolis. All three men are dressed for the occasion. Bolts is wearing his trademark gray track suit, barking instructions like a drill sergeant at his star pupil. Nick has a towel wrapped around his neck, and he's wearing a black windbreaker and matching workout pants. Chad is wearing a white T-shirt and black workout pants with a silver lining. All three men are sponsored by New Balance sneakers, and as such all three are wearing New Balance kicks.
Fashion aside, Chad is feeling a bit apprehensive in his approach to training for this particular match. He’s all dressed up in his workout gear, but his mind and his body just aren’t into the workout. That’s why Chad is protesting Bolts’ overbearing demeanor and abrasive training techniques.
Chad Evans: “Look, Bolts man, you gotta take it easy. This match is no sweat, at least not for me. Logan, on the other hand, breaks a sweat lacing up his wrestling boots. I worked out with Logan a couple of weeks ago at the gym, if you can call it a workout. We were lifting weights, you know, bench pressing. Logan failed to complete a single rep. It was pathetic. The only reason why Gravedigger is wasting my time by booking me into this pointless match is because he hates my guts, all because I beat up his boys Chester and Dobbie. Hell, I should be getting the first crack at Brad Kane instead of that overrated chump Thunder.”
Bolts throw his arms up in the air in a moment of exasperation while shaking his head vigorously. Bolts gets up close and personal with Chad. Bolts sticks his right index finger in Chad’s face, practically picking his nose.
Bolts Quackenbush: “Damn it, Chadwick, if I’ve told you once then I’ve told you a million times! Never, ever display a cavalier attitude in my presence! That was always Bobby’s downfall while I was training and managing him. The only times that he ever lost was when his ego got the better of him.”
Bolts turns away from Chad and paces around a bit before turning toward Chad once again. Nick looks on as if carefully monitoring the situation for a possible meltdown.
Bolts Quackenbush: “You’re in a luxurious position this week and I don’t want you to lose sight of that fact, Chad. First of all you’re wrestling for a shot at the United States championship belt. That’s an incredible honor to even be considered a contender for such a prestigious title. Secondly, and most important to remember, you’re facing an opponent with a glaring and obvious weakness. It is my job to train you on how best to exploit Logan’s weakness and utilize it to your advantage.”
Bolts walks over to Chad and wraps his arm around him. Bolts gestures upwards with his hand as if guiding them to the heavens and showcasing a bigger picture.
Bolts Quackenbush: “We’re going to make cardio training our top priority this week. Nick, I want you to grab the medicine ball from the storage closet. Chad you’re going to do five thousand sit-ups and then you’re going to do five thousand squats, and you’re going to do it all while holding the medicine ball. First we’re going to turn you into Mr. Cardio. Then on Monday night we’re going to take Logan into the deep waters and drown him. Doesn’t that sound wonderful? Let’s get started.”
Nick fetches the medicine ball while Chad begrudgingly takes his position on the workout mat. The thoughtless, droning repetition of the exercise routine almost immediately sends Chad’s mind and thoughts drifting. He ponders the journey of his upcoming opponent, the man whom he is being worked so hard in preparation for. Logan, the former champion, once so proudly reviled by fans across the globe, is now merely an afterthought when compared to the likes of Torture, Corey Black, Gravedigger and even the young Mr. Evans himself.
Even when Logan was trying, honestly and desperately trying to win his match against Rick Mad at Rebirth, Logan’s physical limitations prevented him from escaping another loss. It was a soul-crushing loss to a hated former title challenger at that. If Logan’s mental will wasn’t enough to overcome his physical shortcomings against Rick Mad, then what chance does Logan stand of beating a younger, faster, stronger opponent who is at the peak of his career? Hell, Evans nearly upset Torture in the World Title Tournament. Surely Logan was watching that match. Surely Logan understands that Evans will destroy him. Even in his own mind Logan must be little more than a sitting duck, waiting to get ripped to shreds by the hounds.
Evans imagines would it would be like to stand face to face with Logan as he did weeks earlier when they worked out together at the gym. Evans thinks about all of the things that he would say to Logan. Evans thinks about the taunts that he would use to bring Logan down and further drag Logan’s already flagging spirits. Evans imagines that Logan is standing in place of where Bolts now stands. Instead of doing sit-ups with the medicine ball, Evans is wearing a black leather jacket and smoking a cigar, casually blowing the smoke into doughboy Logan’s face. Logan coughs, partially from the smoke and partially in exhaustion from stepping half an inch to his left. Evans chuckles the chuckle of the mighty and righteous in the imaginary face of his pathetic future opponent.
Chad Evans: “Heavy is the head that wears the crown. It seems that Mr. WCF, the Face of Treachery, can no longer bear the burden of his responsibilities. In your weeping lament, Mr. Logan, you have resolved to remain little more than a self-serving shill. Your little pity party the other day served as little more than a reminder as to just how irrelevant you have allowed yourself to become.”
Suddenly Chad’s mental image of Logan disappears, replaced by the image of Evans looking at a reflection of himself in a mirror. In this reflection Chad is still wearing the leather jacket and a pair of black shades, with his hair slicked back.
Chad Evans: “Now that’s a handsome looking man! That’s also a dangerous looking man. I want to make Logan feel as though he's suffered through a car accident, and why not? When Logan speaks he now speaks as a tired, weary, old ghost staring at the world through the eyes of a dead man. The body of the former champion is now a pile of bones in a box in the cold, hard ground.”
Evans shakes his head and turns away from the mirror. He leans against the wall and tucks his fist under his chin.
Chad Evans: “It’s hard to believe that a former champion could let himself fall so far from grace. Beating Logan was once a career-making victory, a feather in your cap like no other. It was like mounting the head of a lion on your cabin wall. Now beating Logan is more like skinning a beached whale. It's never a pretty task but it's only a matter of time before all that blubber comes tumbling down.”
Evans pops his neck into place with both hands and whistles quietly to himself, then paces a bit around the empty Dojo in his mind.
Chad Evans: “Logan thought he was taking the easy way out by being lazy and allowing his body to become fat and grotesque, riddled with advanced atrophy due to a period of extreme inactivity, a bloated shell of its former self. In reality Logan was choosing the path of greatest resistance, resistance created by his fat legs now rubbing together like two pigs in a trough as he waddles to the ring. I have to win this match, I must win this match because I will never be able to tolerate Logan's witless braggadocio if I lose.”
The image of the expressionless, almost holographic Logan now reappears before Evans, somewhat startling him. Evans and Logan stand face to face, eye to eye, toe to toe in the otherwise empty room. A sort of blue aura pulsates around them, filling the otherwise darkened room with a bright glow.
Chad Evans: “I saw your last promo, Logan, that pathetic pity party. You think that you know disillusionment and heartache? I've experienced pain and torment that cuts deeper than any blade. I've known pain that exists beyond the dictates of reason. I've known pain as both foe and companion. I fight for every breath of every day in the face of unrelenting misery and torment. You're not a fighter like me, Logan. You're a spoiled prima donna who is content to kick back with a cold beer and a hot dog and reminisce about your past glories, lamenting those days when you were really something special. You weren't just any star, you were the biggest star of them all. Your star was bigger than the Alpha Centauri and it burned brighter than the sun, my friend. Those glories have now been rendered little more than memories at the bottom of a crate of Ballpark franks. From a future champion to a former champion, here’s a friendly piece of advice. Do not step into the ring with me if you have a shadow of a doubt at a half past nine.”
The image of Logan disappears like a puff of smoke and with it goes the blue aura. Evans is now alone again in the Dojo inside of his mind. The lights come on to illuminate the room. Evans once again stares at the reflection of himself in the mirror. Chad’s face oozes youthful exuberance in abundance, hiding the sadness that lurks deeper beneath the surface.
Chad Evans: “Why does everybody always want to be somebody else? We're never satisfied, never content with who we are. How many of us are willing to do the work to improve ourselves? How many of us are willing to make the sacrifice and suffer through the pain to harvest the fruits of our labor? I wonder if Logan remembers such concepts as blood, sweat and tears? Does Logan remember the tears that come with the thrill of victory and the agony of defeat? Not emo tears, mind you, but a man’s tears that can only be inspired by the highest of highs and the lowest of lows. These tears might flow onto your pillowcase at night, or onto your towel in the locker room after a match. The blood will most certainly flow like the wrath of an angry God. And the sweat? Well let’s just say that some of us sweat more than others, isn’t that right, Logan? Logan? Logan! Where the hell did he go?”
Evans snaps out of his trance and returns to reality in the real Dojo, and his workout, supervised by Bolts and Nick. For Chad it was almost therapeutic to say those vitriolic and incendiary words to the image of Logan inside of his mind. At the very least it took the focus away from the mind-numbing and back-breaking physical labor that Bolts is forcing him to endure in preparation for his match with Logan.
Something certainly is bothering Chad, but deep down inside he knows that it’s not Logan that he’s mad at. Evans certainly has no respect for Logan; he could never respect any man who would let himself go like that. In Chad’s mind Logan is disrespecting himself, the fans, the WCF and the entire sport of professional wrestling. Yet at the end of the day Evans can’t seem to muster anger or hatred toward Logan. More accurately Chad’s feelings would be described as pity, pity for a man whom he must destroy, pity for a man who is eating himself into an early grave while Chad is busting his ass at the gym.
Several more hours pass at the Dojo before Chad fulfills Bolts’ demands and completes the designated workout routine. When it’s all said and done Chad is beyond tired; his entire body is sweating from head to toe. Chad flicks the medicine ball aside and rises to his feet. Bolts walks over to Chad and pats him on the back for a job well done. Bolts looks into Chad’s eyes and sees a look of concern in those eyes. Bolts is confused and alarmed by this, but he does not speak a word. Instead he waits for Chad to speak first.
Chad tells Bolts everything, pouring out all of his thoughts, fears, ambitions and concerns. Chad tells Bolts about the unauthorized trip to New Hampshire, about Cairo’s arrest with Biohazard two years earlier at the government facility in New Mexico, and about his plan to search for Cairo in that area. Needless to say Bolts is blown away by all of this. Nick seems less surprised, as he stands by in silence and listens to their conversation.
Chad Evans: “I must see Biohazard. He has the key to the truth. He can help me find Cairo. He was there with Cairo when they were arrested. If anyone can help me find Cairo it’s Biohazard. First I need to find Biohazard. I need to talk to him face to face.”
Bolts shakes his head in disbelief and rubs his temples with his fingers, needing to relieve the stress.
Bolts Quackenbush: “This is all too crazy. I can’t—it’s too much for me to digest right now, Chad.”
Nick, no longer content to stand by and listen, now jumps into the conversation.
Nick Katsopolis: “Last I heard Biohazard was down in Tijuana celebrating the holidays with his family."
Bolts raises his eyebrow and his ire at Nick and then turns to Chad.
Bolts Quackenbush: “You can't fly down to Mexico, you have a match against Logan in 36 hours! What the hell do you think all of this prep work was for? You think this is a joke? You’re wasting my time so that you can play a hunch down in New Mexico and get yourself killed? You need to start thinking straight and get your priorities in order, kid!”
Bolts raises his hand as if to strike Chad, but Chad grabs his hand.
Chad Evans: “I have my priorities in order, Bolts. I’ll be here primed and ready for my match against Logan, but I’ll never be ready to wrestle if I don’t have my peace of mind. Cairo was my mentor and my best friend, now I need to do everything in my power to help him. If my hunch is just a hunch then so be it, but I can’t just sit on it and pretend that it’s not there. I have to do this for myself, for Cairo and for all of us. I hope that you understand that.”
Bolts lowers his hand, stares Chad in the eye, and shakes his head, a solemn expression on his face. Chad nods at Nick; Nick nods back at Chad. Chad walks back to the changing area and grabs his clothes and his duffle bag. Chad also grabs his cell phone. He has a few phone calls to make before his trip. Meanwhile, Bolts is still shaking his head in the Dojo; Nick is trying his best to console Bolts.
On this historic night another event took place that may have flown under the radar, which would be understandable in the wake of the aforementioned flurry of activity. In the evening’s opening bout Chad Evans appeared as a man driven and determined to succeed. Evans steamrolled Prince Jimmy Dean at Rebirth. Evans utilized the Way of the Dragon to dispatch of Prince Jimmy and send him home without any supper, looking for all of the world like a well-oiled machine. Despite the obvious lack of fanfare, this was an important match for Chad. Chad gained a measure of revenge upon his former friend turned bitter rival, after Prince Jimmy betrayed Chad weeks earlier on Slam during a triple threat match with Brad Kane. Evans’ win also propelled him one step closer to an eventual title shot, but wrestling matches and championship glory were far from the only things on Chad’s mind at the end of the night.
Earlier in the week during a trip to New Hampshire, Chad uncovered information that could possibly help him piece together the mystery of Bobby Cairo’s disappearance. Cairo was more than merely Chad’s acquaintance. Cairo was Chad’s best friend and mentor. Every day has been a struggle for Cairo’s family, friends and close associates since his disappearance. Chad has not been immune to this grief. Coping with the disappearance of a loved one can be a debilitating task, that’s why young Chad has so much on his mind these days. It’s not enough to just climb up the ranks of WCF’s title contenders, though that’s certainly an important career goal. On a more personal level Chad is determined to find his friend. The information that Chad has acquired places him in a tantalizing and perhaps even perilous set of circumstances. Knowledge can be a powerful tool. Knowledge can also be used as a powerful weapon against those who would perpetrate acts of evil, including those who would scheme to hide the truth.
This knowledge is also responsible for placing a considerable burden upon Mr. Evans’ broad shoulders. The dilemma is simple enough to explain, but that doesn’t mean that it’s an easy decision to make. If Chad’s hunch is correct, then Cairo was tracking down a secret military base in New Mexico prior to his disappearance. Chad has considered the possibility of putting together a search team to search for Cairo in the area of the base. The problem is that Chad needs to find someone with an intimate knowledge of both Cairo’s mission and the layout of the base and its surrounding terrain. Chad would also have to make the tough decision to at least temporarily suspend his wrestling career to carry out this search. Chad will readily admit that it’s a dangerous job, a possible suicide mission. It could even be a dead end, nothing more than a hunch. Yet this hunch is wearing on Evans’ mind and psyche.
Monday Slam promises to be another pivotal night in the development of Chad Evans’ professional wrestling career. Evans will be wrestling for the prize of a US Title shot. His opponent will be none other than Logan, a decorated former champion and wrestling legend. Unlike the relatively inexperienced rookie Chad, Logan comes from the other end of the experience spectrum, though he’s also a man who is winless in his current comeback attempt.
At the present time Chad is working out at Ultra Nova Dojo in Brooklyn, New York, preparing for his match with Logan. The Dojo is currently closed to the public during Chad’s workout; only three men are present in the building. Chad is with his trainer Bolts Quackenbush and assistant trainer Nick Katsopolis. All three men are dressed for the occasion. Bolts is wearing his trademark gray track suit, barking instructions like a drill sergeant at his star pupil. Nick has a towel wrapped around his neck, and he's wearing a black windbreaker and matching workout pants. Chad is wearing a white T-shirt and black workout pants with a silver lining. All three men are sponsored by New Balance sneakers, and as such all three are wearing New Balance kicks.
Fashion aside, Chad is feeling a bit apprehensive in his approach to training for this particular match. He’s all dressed up in his workout gear, but his mind and his body just aren’t into the workout. That’s why Chad is protesting Bolts’ overbearing demeanor and abrasive training techniques.
Chad Evans: “Look, Bolts man, you gotta take it easy. This match is no sweat, at least not for me. Logan, on the other hand, breaks a sweat lacing up his wrestling boots. I worked out with Logan a couple of weeks ago at the gym, if you can call it a workout. We were lifting weights, you know, bench pressing. Logan failed to complete a single rep. It was pathetic. The only reason why Gravedigger is wasting my time by booking me into this pointless match is because he hates my guts, all because I beat up his boys Chester and Dobbie. Hell, I should be getting the first crack at Brad Kane instead of that overrated chump Thunder.”
Bolts throw his arms up in the air in a moment of exasperation while shaking his head vigorously. Bolts gets up close and personal with Chad. Bolts sticks his right index finger in Chad’s face, practically picking his nose.
Bolts Quackenbush: “Damn it, Chadwick, if I’ve told you once then I’ve told you a million times! Never, ever display a cavalier attitude in my presence! That was always Bobby’s downfall while I was training and managing him. The only times that he ever lost was when his ego got the better of him.”
Bolts turns away from Chad and paces around a bit before turning toward Chad once again. Nick looks on as if carefully monitoring the situation for a possible meltdown.
Bolts Quackenbush: “You’re in a luxurious position this week and I don’t want you to lose sight of that fact, Chad. First of all you’re wrestling for a shot at the United States championship belt. That’s an incredible honor to even be considered a contender for such a prestigious title. Secondly, and most important to remember, you’re facing an opponent with a glaring and obvious weakness. It is my job to train you on how best to exploit Logan’s weakness and utilize it to your advantage.”
Bolts walks over to Chad and wraps his arm around him. Bolts gestures upwards with his hand as if guiding them to the heavens and showcasing a bigger picture.
Bolts Quackenbush: “We’re going to make cardio training our top priority this week. Nick, I want you to grab the medicine ball from the storage closet. Chad you’re going to do five thousand sit-ups and then you’re going to do five thousand squats, and you’re going to do it all while holding the medicine ball. First we’re going to turn you into Mr. Cardio. Then on Monday night we’re going to take Logan into the deep waters and drown him. Doesn’t that sound wonderful? Let’s get started.”
Nick fetches the medicine ball while Chad begrudgingly takes his position on the workout mat. The thoughtless, droning repetition of the exercise routine almost immediately sends Chad’s mind and thoughts drifting. He ponders the journey of his upcoming opponent, the man whom he is being worked so hard in preparation for. Logan, the former champion, once so proudly reviled by fans across the globe, is now merely an afterthought when compared to the likes of Torture, Corey Black, Gravedigger and even the young Mr. Evans himself.
Even when Logan was trying, honestly and desperately trying to win his match against Rick Mad at Rebirth, Logan’s physical limitations prevented him from escaping another loss. It was a soul-crushing loss to a hated former title challenger at that. If Logan’s mental will wasn’t enough to overcome his physical shortcomings against Rick Mad, then what chance does Logan stand of beating a younger, faster, stronger opponent who is at the peak of his career? Hell, Evans nearly upset Torture in the World Title Tournament. Surely Logan was watching that match. Surely Logan understands that Evans will destroy him. Even in his own mind Logan must be little more than a sitting duck, waiting to get ripped to shreds by the hounds.
Evans imagines would it would be like to stand face to face with Logan as he did weeks earlier when they worked out together at the gym. Evans thinks about all of the things that he would say to Logan. Evans thinks about the taunts that he would use to bring Logan down and further drag Logan’s already flagging spirits. Evans imagines that Logan is standing in place of where Bolts now stands. Instead of doing sit-ups with the medicine ball, Evans is wearing a black leather jacket and smoking a cigar, casually blowing the smoke into doughboy Logan’s face. Logan coughs, partially from the smoke and partially in exhaustion from stepping half an inch to his left. Evans chuckles the chuckle of the mighty and righteous in the imaginary face of his pathetic future opponent.
Chad Evans: “Heavy is the head that wears the crown. It seems that Mr. WCF, the Face of Treachery, can no longer bear the burden of his responsibilities. In your weeping lament, Mr. Logan, you have resolved to remain little more than a self-serving shill. Your little pity party the other day served as little more than a reminder as to just how irrelevant you have allowed yourself to become.”
Suddenly Chad’s mental image of Logan disappears, replaced by the image of Evans looking at a reflection of himself in a mirror. In this reflection Chad is still wearing the leather jacket and a pair of black shades, with his hair slicked back.
Chad Evans: “Now that’s a handsome looking man! That’s also a dangerous looking man. I want to make Logan feel as though he's suffered through a car accident, and why not? When Logan speaks he now speaks as a tired, weary, old ghost staring at the world through the eyes of a dead man. The body of the former champion is now a pile of bones in a box in the cold, hard ground.”
Evans shakes his head and turns away from the mirror. He leans against the wall and tucks his fist under his chin.
Chad Evans: “It’s hard to believe that a former champion could let himself fall so far from grace. Beating Logan was once a career-making victory, a feather in your cap like no other. It was like mounting the head of a lion on your cabin wall. Now beating Logan is more like skinning a beached whale. It's never a pretty task but it's only a matter of time before all that blubber comes tumbling down.”
Evans pops his neck into place with both hands and whistles quietly to himself, then paces a bit around the empty Dojo in his mind.
Chad Evans: “Logan thought he was taking the easy way out by being lazy and allowing his body to become fat and grotesque, riddled with advanced atrophy due to a period of extreme inactivity, a bloated shell of its former self. In reality Logan was choosing the path of greatest resistance, resistance created by his fat legs now rubbing together like two pigs in a trough as he waddles to the ring. I have to win this match, I must win this match because I will never be able to tolerate Logan's witless braggadocio if I lose.”
The image of the expressionless, almost holographic Logan now reappears before Evans, somewhat startling him. Evans and Logan stand face to face, eye to eye, toe to toe in the otherwise empty room. A sort of blue aura pulsates around them, filling the otherwise darkened room with a bright glow.
Chad Evans: “I saw your last promo, Logan, that pathetic pity party. You think that you know disillusionment and heartache? I've experienced pain and torment that cuts deeper than any blade. I've known pain that exists beyond the dictates of reason. I've known pain as both foe and companion. I fight for every breath of every day in the face of unrelenting misery and torment. You're not a fighter like me, Logan. You're a spoiled prima donna who is content to kick back with a cold beer and a hot dog and reminisce about your past glories, lamenting those days when you were really something special. You weren't just any star, you were the biggest star of them all. Your star was bigger than the Alpha Centauri and it burned brighter than the sun, my friend. Those glories have now been rendered little more than memories at the bottom of a crate of Ballpark franks. From a future champion to a former champion, here’s a friendly piece of advice. Do not step into the ring with me if you have a shadow of a doubt at a half past nine.”
The image of Logan disappears like a puff of smoke and with it goes the blue aura. Evans is now alone again in the Dojo inside of his mind. The lights come on to illuminate the room. Evans once again stares at the reflection of himself in the mirror. Chad’s face oozes youthful exuberance in abundance, hiding the sadness that lurks deeper beneath the surface.
Chad Evans: “Why does everybody always want to be somebody else? We're never satisfied, never content with who we are. How many of us are willing to do the work to improve ourselves? How many of us are willing to make the sacrifice and suffer through the pain to harvest the fruits of our labor? I wonder if Logan remembers such concepts as blood, sweat and tears? Does Logan remember the tears that come with the thrill of victory and the agony of defeat? Not emo tears, mind you, but a man’s tears that can only be inspired by the highest of highs and the lowest of lows. These tears might flow onto your pillowcase at night, or onto your towel in the locker room after a match. The blood will most certainly flow like the wrath of an angry God. And the sweat? Well let’s just say that some of us sweat more than others, isn’t that right, Logan? Logan? Logan! Where the hell did he go?”
Evans snaps out of his trance and returns to reality in the real Dojo, and his workout, supervised by Bolts and Nick. For Chad it was almost therapeutic to say those vitriolic and incendiary words to the image of Logan inside of his mind. At the very least it took the focus away from the mind-numbing and back-breaking physical labor that Bolts is forcing him to endure in preparation for his match with Logan.
Something certainly is bothering Chad, but deep down inside he knows that it’s not Logan that he’s mad at. Evans certainly has no respect for Logan; he could never respect any man who would let himself go like that. In Chad’s mind Logan is disrespecting himself, the fans, the WCF and the entire sport of professional wrestling. Yet at the end of the day Evans can’t seem to muster anger or hatred toward Logan. More accurately Chad’s feelings would be described as pity, pity for a man whom he must destroy, pity for a man who is eating himself into an early grave while Chad is busting his ass at the gym.
Several more hours pass at the Dojo before Chad fulfills Bolts’ demands and completes the designated workout routine. When it’s all said and done Chad is beyond tired; his entire body is sweating from head to toe. Chad flicks the medicine ball aside and rises to his feet. Bolts walks over to Chad and pats him on the back for a job well done. Bolts looks into Chad’s eyes and sees a look of concern in those eyes. Bolts is confused and alarmed by this, but he does not speak a word. Instead he waits for Chad to speak first.
Chad tells Bolts everything, pouring out all of his thoughts, fears, ambitions and concerns. Chad tells Bolts about the unauthorized trip to New Hampshire, about Cairo’s arrest with Biohazard two years earlier at the government facility in New Mexico, and about his plan to search for Cairo in that area. Needless to say Bolts is blown away by all of this. Nick seems less surprised, as he stands by in silence and listens to their conversation.
Chad Evans: “I must see Biohazard. He has the key to the truth. He can help me find Cairo. He was there with Cairo when they were arrested. If anyone can help me find Cairo it’s Biohazard. First I need to find Biohazard. I need to talk to him face to face.”
Bolts shakes his head in disbelief and rubs his temples with his fingers, needing to relieve the stress.
Bolts Quackenbush: “This is all too crazy. I can’t—it’s too much for me to digest right now, Chad.”
Nick, no longer content to stand by and listen, now jumps into the conversation.
Nick Katsopolis: “Last I heard Biohazard was down in Tijuana celebrating the holidays with his family."
Bolts raises his eyebrow and his ire at Nick and then turns to Chad.
Bolts Quackenbush: “You can't fly down to Mexico, you have a match against Logan in 36 hours! What the hell do you think all of this prep work was for? You think this is a joke? You’re wasting my time so that you can play a hunch down in New Mexico and get yourself killed? You need to start thinking straight and get your priorities in order, kid!”
Bolts raises his hand as if to strike Chad, but Chad grabs his hand.
Chad Evans: “I have my priorities in order, Bolts. I’ll be here primed and ready for my match against Logan, but I’ll never be ready to wrestle if I don’t have my peace of mind. Cairo was my mentor and my best friend, now I need to do everything in my power to help him. If my hunch is just a hunch then so be it, but I can’t just sit on it and pretend that it’s not there. I have to do this for myself, for Cairo and for all of us. I hope that you understand that.”
Bolts lowers his hand, stares Chad in the eye, and shakes his head, a solemn expression on his face. Chad nods at Nick; Nick nods back at Chad. Chad walks back to the changing area and grabs his clothes and his duffle bag. Chad also grabs his cell phone. He has a few phone calls to make before his trip. Meanwhile, Bolts is still shaking his head in the Dojo; Nick is trying his best to console Bolts.
