Episode 11

[Deleted]

Rebirth
Confrontation
Dealings
Pursuit
Tactics
Unraveling
Overcast
Glare
Encounter
Doubt


Assault

Mikami, long-sleeved T-shirt and jeans, lying in a hotel bed, chewing on a toothpick. He moves the toothpick to the left side of his mouth, in order to let a word come out of the right.

Torture.

He takes the toothpick out and flicks it at the television.

This is what it was all about. Yes, Corey Black was important. But I'm sure this is what Mr. K really wanted. I was sent here to beat the unbeatable. It is a shame that I was beaten to it, by someone with much simpler ambitions. Not that there is anything wrong with that. At times like these, I wonder if any of us really chooses his path.

He takes the pillows out from under the covers, props them up behind his head, and sits up against them.

Torture. Perhaps more than anyone else, he represents what I aim to destroy. He is not the worst person in the world, or even in the WCF. But he is the most successful. As far as I can tell, looking through the archives, he obtained his lofty spot honestly enough. However, the trick has always been in keeping it. To keep his spot, he has cheated, he has beaten down challengers, he has alienated his friends. And that works in my favor. That is why this is a No Disqualification match.

He folds his hands behind his head.

Torture. He has nobody left to help him. Will he use weapons, will he gouge eyes, will he do anything that would normally cause a disqualification? Absolutely. But it is more important that this match has a winner. Even if that winner is not me. One way or the other, this must be settled. Most would say that I take everything seriously, but this is the most serious match of my career. I could be at my comfortable loft now. But there can be no distractions. Not for me. And that is why I have an edge that would otherwise not normally be there.

He closes his eyes, smiles slightly, and then gets out of the bed, pacing back and forth in front of it, his speech becoming as quick and terse as his steps.

Torture. He wonders why I have been so quiet. As if I do not have better things to do! Like prepare for this match. I said I would take the same approach to this match as I did for Corey Black. Not entirely true. I am much more prepared. After all, he is the World Champion. What is the same, is the distractions. He is trying to figure out Mr. K's identity. Why does it matter? Why the obsession? Why ask why? It helps me, and that is all that matters. It is funny, though. He thinks that I would leave him clues. That Mr. K would leave him clues. Ha! As if he would want to be found out. Where is the advantage in that? He is not some psychopathic killer, one of those "game players". No, Torture has seen too many crime films.

He stops pacing.

Torture...maybe...maybe he has some injury that he has not let us in on. After all, he still seems to think that he is undefeated. That he did not lose to Johnny Reb just last week. And the people around him seemed to be humouring him. As if he was not delusional. Maybe he has a concussion? Maybe he does not even remember the match, and just assumes that he won? No, it cannot just be that. He also seems to think the three losses on my official record matter. None of those were singles matches. I could not get anyone to help me face Torture if I wanted to. Like him, I am not here to make friends. The difference is, after Slam, he is going to wish he had some.

He squats down, observing some papers strewn about the floor in front of the bed. They are the usual. Biography, WCF history, anything else that is public knowledge.

Torture. It all comes down to this.