Post by Allen Guiliano on Dec 6, 2009 23:32:31 GMT -5
A camera is fixed on the rear view mirror of a vehicle as it streaks down a less than well-traveled highway. The view is from the inside of the automobile and the view in the reflection is that of neon lights, traffic lights, and street lamps. The infamous “Welcome to Las Vegas” sign can vaguely be read in the tiny glass mirror and then quickly becomes illegible as the vehicle continues on. The lens then directs its attention toward the needle of the speedometer which creeps up on line marked 80, then passes it and continues on to 90 before settling just under the triple-digit spot. The yellow lines that separate the two lines of the highway are simple blurs as they fly by monotonously, one by one, the white strip along the side seems continues no matter how fast the speed. Slowly but surely the Las Vegas skyline disappears in the mirror and conversation can be heard inside the vehicle.
Passenger – So where in the hell is he supposed to be anyway?
Driver – The fuck if I know. They just told me to search any and every place we can find one the roads outside of the city. Your guess is as good as mine, but he can’t be too far, he has too many things to take care of before Monday night.
Passenger – Yeah, but you know how he is. He has his ways of keeping things in order without actually being around. If he has a computer or a cell phone, he can pretty much do what he wants without ever having to set foot inside Vegas.
Driver – Just shut up and keep an eye out for any houses, hotels, restaurants, or anywhere else he might possibly be. I know that he can use technology, but no one has heard from him in days. Surely someone would have tipped us off by now or he would have called and told us not to worry about anything. Besides, the man is too recognizable to be anywhere where too much technology is used. You would have to be living under a rock not to recognize him.
Passenger – I understand that, but you never know. The man has his ways and has amazed me on many occasions; this might just be another one. He is too smart to just simply disappear at a time like this. The money he will lose is unimaginable if he doesn’t make it back before this week for all the December meetings, not to mention his other career.
Driver – It’s that other career that has everyone worried. He has been a mess every since he stepped back into a wresting ring and all this CoolWear Inc. bullshit may be affecting his judgment about all the other entities he controls inside Vegas.
Passenger – You really think that CoolWear is a bad thing? C’mon, you and I both know that our salaries have gone up since he bought that company. Hell, we may even have management positions over there if we play our cards right.
Driver – You, of all people, should know that there is no such thing as “playing your cards right” with Mr. Guiliano. The man makes his living by people playing their cards wrong. Besides, you think two guys like us, who are the head of valet parking, will really have any kind of management position in any major corporation. Mitch, they call you the head “parking monkey” behind your back. Neither one of us have a shot at moving over to CoolWear and doing anything important. Just enjoy that you get overpaid for doing something simple and being in charge of a bunch of broke college kids and gamblers who have dreams of making it big and simply use our checks, take them across the street to The Palms and put the whole damn thing on black. Hell, Tony even told me that he bets Black 22 just in case he gets lucky and if he does get lucky, he will turn on his uniform.
Mitch – Fuck that guy. He doesn’t know his ass from a hole in the ground and even if he does hit, he will lose it all and be begging us for his job back in less than a month. Sure, we may not have the most prestigious job, but without us, who is going to be responsible for all those expensive vehicles that the high rollers want returned in better condition than they gave it to us in. We have college degrees, Stan. We make a decent living, can take care of our wives and kids, and are in no danger of losing our job unless we are the ones that fuck it up. Working for Guiliano is a luxury, not a burden. Besides, if you don’t like it, why don’t you just quit.
Stan – Maybe I will. Maybe I will quit right fucking now, drop your ass off out here in fucking desert, and go home to Cindy and well…fuck.
Mitch – You and I both know you aren’t getting any pussy if you go home and tell your wife that you just quit your job and left me out here by myself. Besides, you and I both know you aren’t going to quit. We get $250 in free chips every week, get to work in a Vegas casino, and get rooms for half price. It doesn’t get much better than that my friend.
Stan – I’m not your friend. I don’t even like you man. Hell, the only reason I invite you over is so Cindy thinks I have friends at work and she likes to entertain.
There is an awkward silence in the vehicle as Mitch turns his attention towards a cell phone that he has just pulled from his pocket. He flips it open, almost as if refusing to respond to the comments, and checks over some old text messages that informed them of their “mission” to find the boss. The silence continues for a few more moments before Mitch rolls down the window and points in a direction to his right.
Stan – Ah c’mon man you know I’m just fucking around with you. Now roll up the damn window before we both get pneumonia.
Mitch – I’m not trying to be an ass, look over there. Is it just me or is that a diner off in the distance. I know he probably isn’t there but he has to eat sometime right?
Stan – I think it’s a lost cause to stop there and ask, but I don’t have a better idea so let’s go for it. Besides, I could go for a burger and a shake.
The noise of the right-hand turn signal can be heard as Stan takes an immediate right and continues down a short drive to the parking lot of the small café that was once off in the distance. The orange “open” sign flashes against the dark Nevada night as the two pull between two other vehicles and exit their own, glancing over at each other before making their way to the door. Mitch pulls it open and follows Stan inside as they are greeted by a young waitress in a red UNLV t-shirt and a pair of worn blue jeans complete with white sneakers. She flashes a smile and directs them to an open booth.
Waitress – There is a booth over there or if you two gentlemen prefer, you can sit at the bar and I will be right with you.
Stan – The booth will be…..
Before he can complete his sentence, he is suddenly halted as Mitch jabs him in the ribs and interrupts.
Mitch – Actually, we don’t have much time, is there any way that we could get a couple burgers and shakes to go?
Waitress – Sure, that won’t be a problem at all. Feel free to have a seat and I’ll get that out to you as soon as it is ready. You guys want fries with those burgers?
Mitch – That would be great. Oh, and before you head back there and put our order in, could you be a sweetheart and tell me if you have seen this gentleman in here recently?
He opens his phone and flashes the waitress a picture of Alan Guiliano and a warm smile comes across her face as her eyes dart open. Meanwhile, Stan is off in a corner filling his pockets with ketchup packets and napkins, preparing for the trip ahead.
Waitress – Yeah, I have seen him around here the last few days; comes in for breakfast every morning around 7:00 for a coffee and peppers and eggs. He doesn’t say much though, as a matter of fact I don’t think I can even tell you his name. He is a damn good tipper.
Mitch – Think you could tell me what direction he heads off in when he leaves? It is important that we find him as soon as possible.
Waitress – You two cops or something? Or are you Stan and Mitch? He told me that if the cops come looking for him that I have to talk to them but if its Stan and Mitch that I should tell them to go fuck themselves and that he is fine and will come back when he feels like it.
Mitch’s eyes widen as he is in disbelief at the comment made by the young female. He starts to speak but can only muster stutters as he is unable to respond. Just before he can make a fool of himself, Stan steps in and quickly flashes the waitress his security clearance ID from The Guiliano and attempts to find out more information.
Stan – As a matter of fact, we are detectives from the LVPD. A missing persons report has been filed for this man and we have been sent to find out as much information as we can about his whereabouts. Now if you could please just tell us what direction he went in, it would be a big help. And feel free to put our order in before you answer.
The waitress raises an eyebrow at Stan before sticking a slip of paper up on the counter that separates the diner area from the grill and makes her way back to the two casino employees. A hand snatches up the order slip from the greasy counter as she simply points in a direction further up the road in which they have been traveling.
Waitress – All I know is that he leaves and goes in that direction and he comes in from that direction every morning just before I end my shift. Other than that, I don’t know anything about him.
Stan – Well, thanks for your help. We will just wait here for our food and be on our way.
As the waitress slips behind the counter and grabs the metal cup to prepare shakes, Stan glances over at Mitch before slipping a $20 from his wallet and setting it on the counter.
Mitch – So I guess we keep driving and see if we can find a motel or something? Or should we go back and see if anyone else is having any luck?
Stan – They told us not to come back unless we found him or got a phone call from someone else saying they found him so I suppose we should keep looking. There are miles of road ahead of us though and I’m not really up for spending my entire evening stopping at every little joint along the way.
Mitch – What choice do we have? This is our boss! This is the guy that signs our paychecks. Besides, if we find him, maybe we will get promoted or something. You never know. Or maybe Constantine will give us a bonus or something for being the ones to track him down.
Stan – Personally, I don’t think they are going to give us shit, but I suppose we can’t go back to work unless we or someone else finds him and honestly, I don’t have anything better to do right now other than waste company gas so I guess I’m stuck with you for the next few hours or few days or however long it takes us. Never know who we will meet along the way.
Mitch – Exactly. And you never know what kind of hole in the wall eating joints we will run into. We could have experienced quite the cuisine before this manhunt is over with.
Stan shrugs in agreement just as two white paper bags are placed in front of them along with a pair of Styrofoam cups containing the shakes that they ordered. The waitress glances down at the $20 bill on the counter and taps Stan on the shoulder.
Waitress – I’m sorry sir, our register isn’t working right now for me to give you change, but if you want to pay with credit card, our card machine is working.
Stan – How much do we owe you?
Waitress – Two burgers, fries, and shakes, that comes out to $13.50 before tax and I figure that $6 is quite the tip for a couple of brown bag specials.
Stan glances over at Mitch and then at his pocket. Mitch doesn’t seem to get the hint and simply raises a brow and shrugs. As he does, Stan gives a sigh as he opens his wallet once again and flips a card up onto the counter. The female lightly plucks it from the counter and takes it lightly in her petite fingers before walking over to the register and opening the drawer, removing $6 from the till and returning to the two men with a smirk across her lips.
Waitress – Here is your change Mr. Stanley M. Jenkins. Now, as I was told to do by the guy you two are looking for…Fuck off!
Both men glance at each other and then at the waitress and they grab their food and head directly towards the door, scurrying across the parking lot and to their awaiting SUV. Stan quickly tosses his bag into Mitch’s lap and starts the vehicle, continuing down the road in which they were traveling.
Mitch – God dammit, you fucking tight ass. All you had to do was tell the girl to keep the change! Now he knows we are looking for him and if we don’t find him before tomorrow morning she is going to tip him off and we are going to be driving all over the state looking for him! Son of a bitch!
Stan – Shut up and unwrap my burger for me would ya! I know that I screwed up you don’t have to remind me. Besides, I wasn’t giving that girl a $6 tip for something I could’ve gotten at McDonalds for half the price. Here, squeeze me out some ketchup into a little pile on that bag too would ya? I got us some straws for those shakes too.
Stan tosses a handful of individual packets up ketchup into Mitch’s lap along with a pair of straws. Mitch sighs and pushes the straws through their paper before placing them in the slit in the plastic lid and into the thick shakes. He then flattens out the bag as he removes the food and squeezes a few ketchup packets onto the white paper and rests it up on the dash, dipping in a trio of fries before taking a bite.
Mitch – You know what? This is going to be ok. We have food, we know which direction we should be headed in and we have about 9 hours to find Mr. Guiliano. We have nothing to be worried about.
Stan – Of course we have nothing to be worried about. Now toss me my burger and put my shake in the cup holder and we will be set. Only thing that could possibly happen is that he gave that girl his cell phone number and she is calling him right now telling us that we just stopped by.
Mitch – Surely not. Surely he wouldn’t have given a waitress at a diner his personal cell phone number. He is too important to have someone like that knowing his personal cell number. That would just be asking for trouble. Either that or he gave her the number to his hotel room or something. Either way I think she is going to tip him off and we are going to be screwed.
Stan – I think he knew that we were looking for him dumbass. He called us out by name to her and told her not to tell us anything if we asked. The guy is smart Mitch. Smarter than the both of us, that is for damn sure. If we were smart we would be the ones that people were looking for, not the ones that are looking for someone else. Actually, if we were smart, we would be the guys back at the casino, sitting by the phone and controlling the search parties. We are just a couple of pawns to him.
Just as he completes his sentence, Mitch chucks his burger at him so that it hits him squarely in the chest and falls to his lap. Stan retaliates by grabbing a fry from the small cardboard container and tossing it at his counterpart. The two continue their food fight inside the SUV as it swerves back and forth across the road. Stan eventually rights the vehicle and shakes his head, refusing to counter Mitch’s antics. The scene fades at the vehicle continues down the dark roadway, as the only source of light are the few incoming headlights that encounter the two as they continue their search.
The scene opens once again at the small diner that Stan and Mitch have just exited. Time travels backward a bit as the aforementioned waitress still wears a smirk on her face as the two men scurry into the vehicle and speed away from the simple establishment. She continues to watch them as the car disappears from view and then makes her way back to the ledge behind the counter, knocking on it lightly with an open fist.
Waitress – Alright, you are good to go now, their car is out of sight.
As she completes her sentence, the man behind the grills pops up in the open space and rests his elbows up on the ledge, his face still mostly hidden by the blonde hair of the young waitress. As he leans over and plants a gentle kiss on the cheek of the waitress his face becomes visible and can be identified as the one man that Stan and Mitch have been looking for. It is none other than WCF superstar, Alan Guiliano. He makes his way out from behind the grill, patting the other man that has been helping on the shoulder as he removes his apron and tosses it into a five-gallon bucket that contains other greasy aprons.
Guiliano – Well, thanks for your help and it has been quite the experience working behind the counter at this place. I figure it was the least I could for you guys for keeping my cover and diverting those assholes for me. Julie, you and Diego have been great and I will see you two tomorrow morning for the usual peppers and eggs and a cup of black coffee.
Julie – Coming back tomorrow? Don’t you think those two will swing back through here and be looking for you?
Guiliano – I don’t think you will have to worry about those two anymore. I think they are scared of you after what you just pulled. I can’t thank you enough and the least I could do is come back tomorrow and say good-bye before I finally head back into the city get back to my job. I would love to stay and chat, but I need to get back to the hotel and warn the manager about those two in case they do in fact find the right place. See you two tomorrow morning!
The Italian makes his way toward the door and pushes it open, taking it a long deep breath of the cool Vegas air, walking to his right and making his way behind the building to where his black Cadillac has been strategically parked and kept out of sight of the regular customers. He leans up against the door as he opens it and steps in, sliding behind the steering wheel before inserting his keys into the ignition and starting the car after pulling a simple keychain from his pocket. Guiliano then pulls the vehicle around to the front of the diner and continues in the opposite direction of his employees. A WCF camera now picks up Guiliano inside the car as he continues down the road and pulls off onto an unmarked side road, as dust bellows from underneath the rear tires and disappears into the evening sky. The #1 Contender acknowledges the camera and begins to speak as he makes his way toward a dimly lit building that lies on the horizon.
It is the last event before One and I have been anything but on the top of my game. I figured I would get out here where no one could find me and do some soul searching if you will. Sure, I have been making my appearances at WCF events and dismantling the Team of Torture by myself from the inside out, but my results and performance as of late has been inexcusable. Losing to the likes of Greenfever in my own establishment at XIII and then being pinned by none other than Jay Price just a few weeks ago. Sure, they are worthy opponents and are making noise of their own in the WCF, but they are not on the same level as Slickie T. They are not on the same level as the man that has earned the right to compete for the most coveted prize in the World Championship Federation on professional wrestling’s grandest stage. It is an event that is known by only three letters, but means everything to the career of a WCF superstar. However, I have other business to take care of before I can worry about Torture at One. There are a pair of opponents that stand before me at this week’s Slam that are beaming with confidence after watching my recent defeats. One of them in particular should be overly confident seeing as he was the first man to defeat me here in the WCF. Sure, I avenged that loss earlier this year, but if there is anyone that should be smelling blood in the water it is Reb. Imagine what it could do for his career if he were to pin me once again this week. He would be catapulted to the top of the WCF ranks once again and be able to claim that he has pinned me not once, but TWICE! That would be quite the accomplishment for anyone to be able to claim and have the proof to back it up.
Guiliano simply looks ahead of him as the dim light draws closer, his demeanor obviously changed by his recent losing streak and his near career ending experience at the hands of Greenfever.
Quite frankly I was embarrassed the last time I wrestled in Las Vegas, but I vow that this time will be different. Not too long ago, I was literally dismantled in my own place of business and it is something that I am not too proud of. No, it didn’t mean anything in terms of my title chances at One, but to have the hometown crowd behind you and to disappoint them like that is something that I fully plan to change this week against The New Confederacy as they call themselves. Once again Seth Lerch has booked an event in Vegas and this time I will give the fans something to cheer about instead of something to worry about. The Thomas and Mack Center is sure to be full of Slickie T faithful and I will make it my personal goal to bring them to their feet and show them something they have never witnessed before. I am grateful to have a man like Hector Rodriguez in my corner and I believe that the two of us come rise to the top of the tag team ranks if we both put our mind it to it, but it is clear that we both have our individual battles to take care of in the present moment. Mr. Rodriguez is a great competitor in his own right and even thought we have been on the opposite side of the ring on a few occasions, this week, we get to put our strengths together and with our combination of speed and power, I guarantee The New Confederacy will suffer and the same fate as the old.
Johnny, I’m glad to see that you have a new prize to go after in the Tag Team Titles and have finally realized that your time as World Champion has passed. You were a great competitor and might rise up the ranks once again, but I think I made it very clear in our last meeting what it takes to be a top tier superstar here in the WCF and you failed the test. I made it clear to you that I am not the same opponent that you defeated earlier in my WCF career and I made it clear to the entire wrestling world that I am World Championship material by emerging victorious at War. The stress of being the #1 Contender may have taken its toll on me over the last few weeks but I have been able to get away from the bustling world of everyday life and slowed the pace down a little bit out here in the Vegas desert. I have cleared my head of all distractions and I will emerge a new man on the campus of UNLV on Monday night. It is my chance to show everyone out there that doubts my status as #1 Contender that I do indeed deserve a shot at that title that Torture displays so proudly around his waist. This is my time to leave a lasting impression on the minds of each and every wrestler on the WCF roster going into the most anticipated match in the history of the federation and I will leave a very deep one. It will be one more week for me to tear down the wall, or the so called Team of Torture, that Torture has built around himself in anticipation of our match on December 20th. Don’t give me wrong, I am all about the Christmas spirit, but nothing would bring me more joy than having my hand raised in victory at One and looking down over a defeated Torture as I lift his most prized possession into the air and call it my own. Just as the colors of red, white, and green filled the arena after the War event, the colors of my home country will once again shine bright in Los Angeles. But, before that day comes, I have Doc Hentry and Johnny Reb to take care of. Hector, you will see a new partner this week at Slam, not the one that you unfortunately had to be teamed with a week ago. This week will be different. This week will be the rejuvenation in the fire that burns inside the heart of this Sicilian. This week, I will show Las Vegas, the WCF, and the each and every wrestling fan around the world what got Slickie T to the top of the World Championship Federation ranks. Torture, I know you will be watching, and I know you will have something up your sleeve, but I hope you are paying real close attention. I knocked down a pillar of your stable last week in showing Anthrax what you are really about, but this time I plan on bringing the whole damn thing down so that is just you and me left standing when the dust has settled. Forza Las Vegas….
The scene fades to black as the Cadillac pulls into a dirty parking in front of a small building that bears a simple sign with the word “Office” etched into it. Guiliano pulls open the screen door that separates him from the counter inside and begins speaking with the manager of the motel as the WCF logo appears.
Passenger – So where in the hell is he supposed to be anyway?
Driver – The fuck if I know. They just told me to search any and every place we can find one the roads outside of the city. Your guess is as good as mine, but he can’t be too far, he has too many things to take care of before Monday night.
Passenger – Yeah, but you know how he is. He has his ways of keeping things in order without actually being around. If he has a computer or a cell phone, he can pretty much do what he wants without ever having to set foot inside Vegas.
Driver – Just shut up and keep an eye out for any houses, hotels, restaurants, or anywhere else he might possibly be. I know that he can use technology, but no one has heard from him in days. Surely someone would have tipped us off by now or he would have called and told us not to worry about anything. Besides, the man is too recognizable to be anywhere where too much technology is used. You would have to be living under a rock not to recognize him.
Passenger – I understand that, but you never know. The man has his ways and has amazed me on many occasions; this might just be another one. He is too smart to just simply disappear at a time like this. The money he will lose is unimaginable if he doesn’t make it back before this week for all the December meetings, not to mention his other career.
Driver – It’s that other career that has everyone worried. He has been a mess every since he stepped back into a wresting ring and all this CoolWear Inc. bullshit may be affecting his judgment about all the other entities he controls inside Vegas.
Passenger – You really think that CoolWear is a bad thing? C’mon, you and I both know that our salaries have gone up since he bought that company. Hell, we may even have management positions over there if we play our cards right.
Driver – You, of all people, should know that there is no such thing as “playing your cards right” with Mr. Guiliano. The man makes his living by people playing their cards wrong. Besides, you think two guys like us, who are the head of valet parking, will really have any kind of management position in any major corporation. Mitch, they call you the head “parking monkey” behind your back. Neither one of us have a shot at moving over to CoolWear and doing anything important. Just enjoy that you get overpaid for doing something simple and being in charge of a bunch of broke college kids and gamblers who have dreams of making it big and simply use our checks, take them across the street to The Palms and put the whole damn thing on black. Hell, Tony even told me that he bets Black 22 just in case he gets lucky and if he does get lucky, he will turn on his uniform.
Mitch – Fuck that guy. He doesn’t know his ass from a hole in the ground and even if he does hit, he will lose it all and be begging us for his job back in less than a month. Sure, we may not have the most prestigious job, but without us, who is going to be responsible for all those expensive vehicles that the high rollers want returned in better condition than they gave it to us in. We have college degrees, Stan. We make a decent living, can take care of our wives and kids, and are in no danger of losing our job unless we are the ones that fuck it up. Working for Guiliano is a luxury, not a burden. Besides, if you don’t like it, why don’t you just quit.
Stan – Maybe I will. Maybe I will quit right fucking now, drop your ass off out here in fucking desert, and go home to Cindy and well…fuck.
Mitch – You and I both know you aren’t getting any pussy if you go home and tell your wife that you just quit your job and left me out here by myself. Besides, you and I both know you aren’t going to quit. We get $250 in free chips every week, get to work in a Vegas casino, and get rooms for half price. It doesn’t get much better than that my friend.
Stan – I’m not your friend. I don’t even like you man. Hell, the only reason I invite you over is so Cindy thinks I have friends at work and she likes to entertain.
There is an awkward silence in the vehicle as Mitch turns his attention towards a cell phone that he has just pulled from his pocket. He flips it open, almost as if refusing to respond to the comments, and checks over some old text messages that informed them of their “mission” to find the boss. The silence continues for a few more moments before Mitch rolls down the window and points in a direction to his right.
Stan – Ah c’mon man you know I’m just fucking around with you. Now roll up the damn window before we both get pneumonia.
Mitch – I’m not trying to be an ass, look over there. Is it just me or is that a diner off in the distance. I know he probably isn’t there but he has to eat sometime right?
Stan – I think it’s a lost cause to stop there and ask, but I don’t have a better idea so let’s go for it. Besides, I could go for a burger and a shake.
The noise of the right-hand turn signal can be heard as Stan takes an immediate right and continues down a short drive to the parking lot of the small café that was once off in the distance. The orange “open” sign flashes against the dark Nevada night as the two pull between two other vehicles and exit their own, glancing over at each other before making their way to the door. Mitch pulls it open and follows Stan inside as they are greeted by a young waitress in a red UNLV t-shirt and a pair of worn blue jeans complete with white sneakers. She flashes a smile and directs them to an open booth.
Waitress – There is a booth over there or if you two gentlemen prefer, you can sit at the bar and I will be right with you.
Stan – The booth will be…..
Before he can complete his sentence, he is suddenly halted as Mitch jabs him in the ribs and interrupts.
Mitch – Actually, we don’t have much time, is there any way that we could get a couple burgers and shakes to go?
Waitress – Sure, that won’t be a problem at all. Feel free to have a seat and I’ll get that out to you as soon as it is ready. You guys want fries with those burgers?
Mitch – That would be great. Oh, and before you head back there and put our order in, could you be a sweetheart and tell me if you have seen this gentleman in here recently?
He opens his phone and flashes the waitress a picture of Alan Guiliano and a warm smile comes across her face as her eyes dart open. Meanwhile, Stan is off in a corner filling his pockets with ketchup packets and napkins, preparing for the trip ahead.
Waitress – Yeah, I have seen him around here the last few days; comes in for breakfast every morning around 7:00 for a coffee and peppers and eggs. He doesn’t say much though, as a matter of fact I don’t think I can even tell you his name. He is a damn good tipper.
Mitch – Think you could tell me what direction he heads off in when he leaves? It is important that we find him as soon as possible.
Waitress – You two cops or something? Or are you Stan and Mitch? He told me that if the cops come looking for him that I have to talk to them but if its Stan and Mitch that I should tell them to go fuck themselves and that he is fine and will come back when he feels like it.
Mitch’s eyes widen as he is in disbelief at the comment made by the young female. He starts to speak but can only muster stutters as he is unable to respond. Just before he can make a fool of himself, Stan steps in and quickly flashes the waitress his security clearance ID from The Guiliano and attempts to find out more information.
Stan – As a matter of fact, we are detectives from the LVPD. A missing persons report has been filed for this man and we have been sent to find out as much information as we can about his whereabouts. Now if you could please just tell us what direction he went in, it would be a big help. And feel free to put our order in before you answer.
The waitress raises an eyebrow at Stan before sticking a slip of paper up on the counter that separates the diner area from the grill and makes her way back to the two casino employees. A hand snatches up the order slip from the greasy counter as she simply points in a direction further up the road in which they have been traveling.
Waitress – All I know is that he leaves and goes in that direction and he comes in from that direction every morning just before I end my shift. Other than that, I don’t know anything about him.
Stan – Well, thanks for your help. We will just wait here for our food and be on our way.
As the waitress slips behind the counter and grabs the metal cup to prepare shakes, Stan glances over at Mitch before slipping a $20 from his wallet and setting it on the counter.
Mitch – So I guess we keep driving and see if we can find a motel or something? Or should we go back and see if anyone else is having any luck?
Stan – They told us not to come back unless we found him or got a phone call from someone else saying they found him so I suppose we should keep looking. There are miles of road ahead of us though and I’m not really up for spending my entire evening stopping at every little joint along the way.
Mitch – What choice do we have? This is our boss! This is the guy that signs our paychecks. Besides, if we find him, maybe we will get promoted or something. You never know. Or maybe Constantine will give us a bonus or something for being the ones to track him down.
Stan – Personally, I don’t think they are going to give us shit, but I suppose we can’t go back to work unless we or someone else finds him and honestly, I don’t have anything better to do right now other than waste company gas so I guess I’m stuck with you for the next few hours or few days or however long it takes us. Never know who we will meet along the way.
Mitch – Exactly. And you never know what kind of hole in the wall eating joints we will run into. We could have experienced quite the cuisine before this manhunt is over with.
Stan shrugs in agreement just as two white paper bags are placed in front of them along with a pair of Styrofoam cups containing the shakes that they ordered. The waitress glances down at the $20 bill on the counter and taps Stan on the shoulder.
Waitress – I’m sorry sir, our register isn’t working right now for me to give you change, but if you want to pay with credit card, our card machine is working.
Stan – How much do we owe you?
Waitress – Two burgers, fries, and shakes, that comes out to $13.50 before tax and I figure that $6 is quite the tip for a couple of brown bag specials.
Stan glances over at Mitch and then at his pocket. Mitch doesn’t seem to get the hint and simply raises a brow and shrugs. As he does, Stan gives a sigh as he opens his wallet once again and flips a card up onto the counter. The female lightly plucks it from the counter and takes it lightly in her petite fingers before walking over to the register and opening the drawer, removing $6 from the till and returning to the two men with a smirk across her lips.
Waitress – Here is your change Mr. Stanley M. Jenkins. Now, as I was told to do by the guy you two are looking for…Fuck off!
Both men glance at each other and then at the waitress and they grab their food and head directly towards the door, scurrying across the parking lot and to their awaiting SUV. Stan quickly tosses his bag into Mitch’s lap and starts the vehicle, continuing down the road in which they were traveling.
Mitch – God dammit, you fucking tight ass. All you had to do was tell the girl to keep the change! Now he knows we are looking for him and if we don’t find him before tomorrow morning she is going to tip him off and we are going to be driving all over the state looking for him! Son of a bitch!
Stan – Shut up and unwrap my burger for me would ya! I know that I screwed up you don’t have to remind me. Besides, I wasn’t giving that girl a $6 tip for something I could’ve gotten at McDonalds for half the price. Here, squeeze me out some ketchup into a little pile on that bag too would ya? I got us some straws for those shakes too.
Stan tosses a handful of individual packets up ketchup into Mitch’s lap along with a pair of straws. Mitch sighs and pushes the straws through their paper before placing them in the slit in the plastic lid and into the thick shakes. He then flattens out the bag as he removes the food and squeezes a few ketchup packets onto the white paper and rests it up on the dash, dipping in a trio of fries before taking a bite.
Mitch – You know what? This is going to be ok. We have food, we know which direction we should be headed in and we have about 9 hours to find Mr. Guiliano. We have nothing to be worried about.
Stan – Of course we have nothing to be worried about. Now toss me my burger and put my shake in the cup holder and we will be set. Only thing that could possibly happen is that he gave that girl his cell phone number and she is calling him right now telling us that we just stopped by.
Mitch – Surely not. Surely he wouldn’t have given a waitress at a diner his personal cell phone number. He is too important to have someone like that knowing his personal cell number. That would just be asking for trouble. Either that or he gave her the number to his hotel room or something. Either way I think she is going to tip him off and we are going to be screwed.
Stan – I think he knew that we were looking for him dumbass. He called us out by name to her and told her not to tell us anything if we asked. The guy is smart Mitch. Smarter than the both of us, that is for damn sure. If we were smart we would be the ones that people were looking for, not the ones that are looking for someone else. Actually, if we were smart, we would be the guys back at the casino, sitting by the phone and controlling the search parties. We are just a couple of pawns to him.
Just as he completes his sentence, Mitch chucks his burger at him so that it hits him squarely in the chest and falls to his lap. Stan retaliates by grabbing a fry from the small cardboard container and tossing it at his counterpart. The two continue their food fight inside the SUV as it swerves back and forth across the road. Stan eventually rights the vehicle and shakes his head, refusing to counter Mitch’s antics. The scene fades at the vehicle continues down the dark roadway, as the only source of light are the few incoming headlights that encounter the two as they continue their search.
***Meanwhile, Back At The Diner***
[/b][/center]The scene opens once again at the small diner that Stan and Mitch have just exited. Time travels backward a bit as the aforementioned waitress still wears a smirk on her face as the two men scurry into the vehicle and speed away from the simple establishment. She continues to watch them as the car disappears from view and then makes her way back to the ledge behind the counter, knocking on it lightly with an open fist.
Waitress – Alright, you are good to go now, their car is out of sight.
As she completes her sentence, the man behind the grills pops up in the open space and rests his elbows up on the ledge, his face still mostly hidden by the blonde hair of the young waitress. As he leans over and plants a gentle kiss on the cheek of the waitress his face becomes visible and can be identified as the one man that Stan and Mitch have been looking for. It is none other than WCF superstar, Alan Guiliano. He makes his way out from behind the grill, patting the other man that has been helping on the shoulder as he removes his apron and tosses it into a five-gallon bucket that contains other greasy aprons.
Guiliano – Well, thanks for your help and it has been quite the experience working behind the counter at this place. I figure it was the least I could for you guys for keeping my cover and diverting those assholes for me. Julie, you and Diego have been great and I will see you two tomorrow morning for the usual peppers and eggs and a cup of black coffee.
Julie – Coming back tomorrow? Don’t you think those two will swing back through here and be looking for you?
Guiliano – I don’t think you will have to worry about those two anymore. I think they are scared of you after what you just pulled. I can’t thank you enough and the least I could do is come back tomorrow and say good-bye before I finally head back into the city get back to my job. I would love to stay and chat, but I need to get back to the hotel and warn the manager about those two in case they do in fact find the right place. See you two tomorrow morning!
The Italian makes his way toward the door and pushes it open, taking it a long deep breath of the cool Vegas air, walking to his right and making his way behind the building to where his black Cadillac has been strategically parked and kept out of sight of the regular customers. He leans up against the door as he opens it and steps in, sliding behind the steering wheel before inserting his keys into the ignition and starting the car after pulling a simple keychain from his pocket. Guiliano then pulls the vehicle around to the front of the diner and continues in the opposite direction of his employees. A WCF camera now picks up Guiliano inside the car as he continues down the road and pulls off onto an unmarked side road, as dust bellows from underneath the rear tires and disappears into the evening sky. The #1 Contender acknowledges the camera and begins to speak as he makes his way toward a dimly lit building that lies on the horizon.
It is the last event before One and I have been anything but on the top of my game. I figured I would get out here where no one could find me and do some soul searching if you will. Sure, I have been making my appearances at WCF events and dismantling the Team of Torture by myself from the inside out, but my results and performance as of late has been inexcusable. Losing to the likes of Greenfever in my own establishment at XIII and then being pinned by none other than Jay Price just a few weeks ago. Sure, they are worthy opponents and are making noise of their own in the WCF, but they are not on the same level as Slickie T. They are not on the same level as the man that has earned the right to compete for the most coveted prize in the World Championship Federation on professional wrestling’s grandest stage. It is an event that is known by only three letters, but means everything to the career of a WCF superstar. However, I have other business to take care of before I can worry about Torture at One. There are a pair of opponents that stand before me at this week’s Slam that are beaming with confidence after watching my recent defeats. One of them in particular should be overly confident seeing as he was the first man to defeat me here in the WCF. Sure, I avenged that loss earlier this year, but if there is anyone that should be smelling blood in the water it is Reb. Imagine what it could do for his career if he were to pin me once again this week. He would be catapulted to the top of the WCF ranks once again and be able to claim that he has pinned me not once, but TWICE! That would be quite the accomplishment for anyone to be able to claim and have the proof to back it up.
Guiliano simply looks ahead of him as the dim light draws closer, his demeanor obviously changed by his recent losing streak and his near career ending experience at the hands of Greenfever.
Quite frankly I was embarrassed the last time I wrestled in Las Vegas, but I vow that this time will be different. Not too long ago, I was literally dismantled in my own place of business and it is something that I am not too proud of. No, it didn’t mean anything in terms of my title chances at One, but to have the hometown crowd behind you and to disappoint them like that is something that I fully plan to change this week against The New Confederacy as they call themselves. Once again Seth Lerch has booked an event in Vegas and this time I will give the fans something to cheer about instead of something to worry about. The Thomas and Mack Center is sure to be full of Slickie T faithful and I will make it my personal goal to bring them to their feet and show them something they have never witnessed before. I am grateful to have a man like Hector Rodriguez in my corner and I believe that the two of us come rise to the top of the tag team ranks if we both put our mind it to it, but it is clear that we both have our individual battles to take care of in the present moment. Mr. Rodriguez is a great competitor in his own right and even thought we have been on the opposite side of the ring on a few occasions, this week, we get to put our strengths together and with our combination of speed and power, I guarantee The New Confederacy will suffer and the same fate as the old.
Johnny, I’m glad to see that you have a new prize to go after in the Tag Team Titles and have finally realized that your time as World Champion has passed. You were a great competitor and might rise up the ranks once again, but I think I made it very clear in our last meeting what it takes to be a top tier superstar here in the WCF and you failed the test. I made it clear to you that I am not the same opponent that you defeated earlier in my WCF career and I made it clear to the entire wrestling world that I am World Championship material by emerging victorious at War. The stress of being the #1 Contender may have taken its toll on me over the last few weeks but I have been able to get away from the bustling world of everyday life and slowed the pace down a little bit out here in the Vegas desert. I have cleared my head of all distractions and I will emerge a new man on the campus of UNLV on Monday night. It is my chance to show everyone out there that doubts my status as #1 Contender that I do indeed deserve a shot at that title that Torture displays so proudly around his waist. This is my time to leave a lasting impression on the minds of each and every wrestler on the WCF roster going into the most anticipated match in the history of the federation and I will leave a very deep one. It will be one more week for me to tear down the wall, or the so called Team of Torture, that Torture has built around himself in anticipation of our match on December 20th. Don’t give me wrong, I am all about the Christmas spirit, but nothing would bring me more joy than having my hand raised in victory at One and looking down over a defeated Torture as I lift his most prized possession into the air and call it my own. Just as the colors of red, white, and green filled the arena after the War event, the colors of my home country will once again shine bright in Los Angeles. But, before that day comes, I have Doc Hentry and Johnny Reb to take care of. Hector, you will see a new partner this week at Slam, not the one that you unfortunately had to be teamed with a week ago. This week will be different. This week will be the rejuvenation in the fire that burns inside the heart of this Sicilian. This week, I will show Las Vegas, the WCF, and the each and every wrestling fan around the world what got Slickie T to the top of the World Championship Federation ranks. Torture, I know you will be watching, and I know you will have something up your sleeve, but I hope you are paying real close attention. I knocked down a pillar of your stable last week in showing Anthrax what you are really about, but this time I plan on bringing the whole damn thing down so that is just you and me left standing when the dust has settled. Forza Las Vegas….
The scene fades to black as the Cadillac pulls into a dirty parking in front of a small building that bears a simple sign with the word “Office” etched into it. Guiliano pulls open the screen door that separates him from the counter inside and begins speaking with the manager of the motel as the WCF logo appears.
