Post by Allen Guiliano on Jan 27, 2010 0:53:51 GMT -5
The scene opens in the backseat of a vehicle, its glossy black leather reflecting the street lights that pass along side of the car as it travels down an unknown Las Vegas avenue. Inside sits Allen Guiliano, his clutched hands rest in his lap, obviously protecting an object that remains hidden from view. He breathes a heavy sigh before resting his head back against the headrest, his eyes behind a pair of sunglasses. His right index finger reaches up and pushes his glasses back up onto the bridge of his nose and then to a tear that has slipped out from behind the dark lenses of the Oakleys. The Italian clutches his hands tighter around the object hidden in his palms as he sits straight up in the seat, his mind obviously somewhere other than inside the car. As the vehicle begins to slow, Guiliano runs his hand up to his throat, adjusting the black and silver tie that is knotted under his chin before the car eventually comes to a complete stop and the door is opened for him by someone waiting on the curb to the left side of the door.
The light from the street lamp above floods the inside of the car as Guiliano steps out onto the concrete below giving an ever so slight nod to the man who has held his door. As he steps out, he glances up at the large edifice that stands before him, St. Patrick's Cathedral. He continues to stare up at the church, taking in the intricate designs and the pair of towering steeples that seem to extend into the heavens. A visible lump forms in his throat as he makes his way through the elegant doors that welcome him inside. The arches tower over the marble floor below, the flags of both the United States and the Vatican hanging from the walls. Guiliano takes his first step onto the soft crimson and cream carpet as he slowly starts to make his way deeper into the building. The reason for Guiliano's visit becomes clear as an ebony casket rest just a few hundred feet from him as he continues on his path toward it. The people that are already inside and drying their eyes with tissues step to the side to allow Guiliano to come forward and pay his respects.
As he reaches the casket, he extends his right hand and rests it over the now resting heart of the individual that rests inside. The identity of the man is unknown, but it is obviously someone near Guiliano's heart as more tears begin to stream down his cheeks, almost uncontrollably as the droplets fall from his jawline and onto the floor below. Before he loses control of his emotions and begins to break down, the Sicilian leans down and presses his lips to the forehead of the man lying inside the casket. A middle-aged woman slowly begins to make her way toward Guiliano and the two share a warm, yet brief embrace. Before he walks away and finds an empty pew to escape into the woman softly whispers something into his ear before kissing him on the cheek and walking in the opposite direction.
Allen crosses himself before stepping into the pew and kneeling on the carpeted rail that sits just inches from ground. He slightly opens his hand, revealing the object he has been clutching to be a simple rosary consisting of a small golden cross hanging from a strand of blood-red beads. Guiliano bows his head, clutches the strand of beads in his left hand, and begins to converse with the man above.
Lord, why must you take them so young and in such inconceivable ways? Why must those that do everything right and live their lives in the correct manner to be taken long before their days should end? A life has been taken due to ignorance, stupidity, greed, and a lack of value to human life. Not only was this man doing everything he possibly could to set himself up to succeed, but he was also contributing to the well-being of those around him and making his friends, family, and peers better individuals. It puts into perspective what is really important in life and it isn't the money, power, or respect a person possesses, but the hear the lies on the inside. It is impossible for a mere mortal to stop the heart of a Sicilian, but you have that power for reasons unbeknownst to me, have decided to do so to that young man that lies in that wooden box.
I'm sure that you have your reasons for your action and I'm sure that reason will become evident in time, but I cannot begin to understand it at this time, especially with all of those around me in mourning. Just as you are healing those that are already here, I ask you to heal this man as well. Suddenly things that seemed important even yesterday were put into perspective in quite a hurry with one simply phone call and an action by an evil person just days ago. Forgive the sins of those who contributed to this untimely death and forgive me for the sins that I have committed in the past and will commit in the future. Please spare this family any more deaths caused by the barrel of a gun or the end of a knife. There has been took much blood spilled in the past and there is no amount that can be spilled in the future to justify actions that have taken place in the past. There is no doubt you have better plans for the young man that was taken from us just days ago and I do not question your judgment, but I ask you, please keep a warm hand on the shoulder of this mourning family and even on those that were responsible for such nonsense. In the name of the father, the son, and the holy spirit...Amen.[/color]
As Guiliano finishes his piece, he slowly rises once again, returning the ledge to its original position with the end of his shoe before relaxing back against the red velvet cushion that lines the pew behind him. Another sigh escapes him as he slides his sunglasses from his nose and folds them carefully before slipping them into the pocket that resides in the inside of his suit coat. As he rests in the pew, a priest emerges from amongst the crowd of people, who are dressed in mostly black, and makes his way toward the seated Guiliano. The priest gently places a a hand on the right shoulder of the obviously distraught Italian before having a seat at his right side. The two remain silent as they both look forward at the picture of the young man, who appeared to be between 20-25, that lies peacefully in death before them. A plethora of flowers reside on all four sides of the casket, some labeled with ribbons that read “Brother”, “Son”, and “Cousin”. The eerie silence is broken by the voice of the priest as he continues to gaze at the picture along with the man to his left.
Fr. Tony: I'm sure they have already spoken with you, but it makes their day a little easier knowing that you are here in person. Are you doing alright Allen?
I'm doing the best I can in light of the recent incidents that took Dante from his world. Seems that the demons that have been haunting me pale in comparison to what others in this room are now going through. It's a shame that Dante had to be taken from us so early but I suppose God has his reasons.
Indeed he does and even they he may never real them, they are just. I don't mean to intrude and if you wish to keep your mind on Dante then feel free to do so, but do you care to discuss these “so called” demons that you have been battling?
I suppose demons may be the wrong word for them, but there are issues that are going on inside of me right now that I simply cannot resolved and may never be resolved if I continue to keep doing the same things over and over and expecting different results. I feel like I have been diverting from the things that have not only made me successful in the professional world, but have made me a good person. My actions have been inconsistent with the things that I did in the past to keep myself on the right path. I know that the people in this room need you far more than I do at this moment, so I will not bother you with my petty issues at a time like this.
Allen, I'm not the only priest here this evening and it was actually one of those people over there that told me I should come over here and sit with you because they could tell that you weren't yourself today. I understand that this is a time for mourning, but I have never seen this side of you before. The confident and powerful man that I am used to seeing is sitting here away from those that need consoling to perhaps console himself. Please, if there is anything that I can help you with or anything you need to discuss with the Lord, let me know and perhaps I can help lift this weight that is obviously pressing down on your shoulders. I haven't seen you in person in a few years, but believe me, I have been aware of what is going on in your life. There are people here that care about you Allen.
I suppose that help from a man who wears the cloth is never the bad thing. Do you mind if we have this discussion somewhere a little more private? Not that I don't wish to discuss it with you, but those around me may think less of me for worrying over thins that seem so petty compared to Dante's death. As a matter of fact, that is something I have been struggling with is selfishness. It is something that has never been a part of my life before and for some reason, be it my current success or perhaps the need to outdo myself, it has almost become a daily occurrence.
Of course we can go elsewhere. Come with me and we will get you back to the old Allen that I know is waiting to be released. I have no doubt that your conscience and your heart will guide you in the right direction, but it never hearts for each of them to be assisted every once in awhile.
Father Tony keeps his hand on the shoulder of Guiliano as both men stand and shuffle their way back out of the pew and continue down that aisle that is created by the large stone columns in the inside of the building. The two walk side-by-side and nearly stride-for-stride as they continue toward a private room, the six foot, two inch Guiliano making sure to shorten his stride to remain slightly behind the priest. The smaller in stature man of the cloth presses his firm palm against the wooden face of the door and pushes it open, following Guiliano inside.
The guest makes himself comfortable in the brown leather chair as Fr. Tony continues behind the desk, resting his folded arms upon the top of the cherry wood. He casually reaches for a small vile of holy water on the corner of the desk and pulls the fragile cork from the top, pressing his index finger against the opening and turning the blue vile upside down in order to moisten it. Guiliano the leans in closer as Tony marks a simple cross on his forehead with the wet end of his finger and both men relax once again.
So what is it that you wanted to get off your mind? Feel free to so as much or as little as you would like. Don't feel like you are keeping me from getting anything done, there are others out there to take care of that. Whatever comes from your lips in this room stays in this room.
I love how you assume the worst in me and I'm glad that you do. I have separated myself from that kind of lifestyle and like I said before, the things that have been eating at me seem fairly pedestrian considering the circumstances for me being here and from some of things that I have spoken to you about in the past. Before I start to get things off my chest, I just want to thank you one more time for doing this for me. I greatly appreciate everything you have done for me in the past, are doing for me right now, and will do for me when I need guidance in the future.
First off, I went to the Lord today after I first arrived and let him know what I thought of Dante's death and how it occurred because of greed and stupidity. However, that was possibly the most hypocritical thing I could have said as greed seems to be quite the driving force in my own life at this point. Never before as I wanted so bad to achieve my own goals and create my own success at the expense of others. I have been quite unpleasant to be around and I feel like I am making other people suffer because of my own personal issues and that should not be the case. I have always been in favor of doing what is best for the majority, especially when the majority consists of my own employees or my own family...
Let me stop you right there. If this greed and personal interest was really as intense as you think it might be, you would not have come all the way to New York from Las Vegas. You traveled all the way across the country to pay your respects to your relatives. I know they are your family, but I am just trying to open your eyes a little bit and hopefully help you get rid of whatever it is that is causing you to suffer.
I understand what you are trying to say and to hear you say it definitely makes it easier to admit, but ever sense I have become one of the top talents in the current organization I am working for, I have had some sort of tunnel vision and have not been able to focus on the things that are truly important. I feel as though I am a rabid dog and a piece of meat is being dangled in front of me, yet pulled away ever time I make a leap for it. I suppose I have never actually failed at something before and not only did I fail myself, but I let down a lot of others in the process.
Once again Allen, this isn't about your own personal greed. This is about you wanting to be there for others and succeed not for yourself but for them. I know exactly what you are referring to when you are talking about your failure. I may not follow you myself, but I have eyes out there in the real world that are keeping me informed about your well-being. I promised your father that I would look after you and I will continue to do that as long as the Lord allows me to. It's not your own personal desire to succeed that is your problem. Its the heart that beats inside your chest. You have the heart of a lion and there isn't anything that anyone can do to tame it.
I just....I suppose I have never been this focused on something that seems to unimportant on a day like today. Father, I have never been in a position like this before and I almost think the situation is getting the best of me. To truly be THE best at what I do is something that I never thought I would have the opportunity to see. Sure, there are people that argue that I am “the best” in Las Vegas, but what does that really mean? One publication says this, the other says that, I am personal friends with some of the, others I have merely shaken hands with and comped a few drinks. What they write is nowhere near as concrete as hoisting the ultimate prize in a wrestling federation over my head.
I would tell you that I think you need to get away from your normal life for a few days, but knowing you like I do, that would only make matters worse. The last thing you need to do right now is break your routine. There is a reason you are in the position you are in right now and it isn't due to greed. It is because you word harder to achieve at anything you do than any other individual I have ever met in my entire life. You go out of your way to make yourself better and keep yourself in the best possible position to succeed. I know it feels like you let the entire world down back in December, but the truth is, you gave people more reason to believe that you could do what you actually set out to do in the first place. There is no reason to change anything in your life. This feeling of greed is simply coming from the fact that you, for once in your entire life, are thinking about something that will make YOU happy instead of thinking about what will make everyone else happy. You have sacrificed your time and your efforts for so long that you have forgotten about what you need to stay motivated. You have done so much for your family, your business, your country, and your faith, that the only thing left to do is to give back to yourself. You keeping doing what makes you happen and this false feeling or false sensation that you are experiencing as greed will subside.
Thank you for your kind words, but honestly, this is something that I have never experienced before and from what you have just said, it sounds like something that I can only deal with myself. The only thing that I can possible focus on right now is the other four guys that will be out to stop me for yet a second time when I travel to Pennsylvania on Sunday night.
And therein lies part of your problem. Don't worry about the other four men, just worry about two things. Yourself and your ultimate goal. I believe your undoing last time was your extreme disdain for your opponent. You were worried so much about getting the advantage by any means necessary that you forgot what actually got you into that advantageous situation in the first place. You changed your routine thinking that it would help you to better to prepare and keep you focused at the end of the day, but all that it did was create a distraction. Now, you and I both know that I do not necessarily condone that actual business that you run in Vegas and I was excited to hear that you had turned your focuses elsewhere. I do understand that ever man needs to make a living and that you were almost bred into your profession, but as a man in my position, I can't really “support” what you are doing.
I understand that 100% and see where you are coming from. I am just happy that you are actually behind something I have chosen to do. I have not always traveled down the right path in life and I'm still not sure that I am now, but this is all that I know Father. You can take me out of the homeland, but the homeland will forever stay inside me. I was born and raised to anything but honest and legitimate, but thanks to people like you, I think I've turned out alright.
It's not my eyes that are the judge of how you have turned out. You will have to take that up with a higher power than I can possibly possess. You have done great things and there is no doubt that you will be welcomed with open arms on the day of your judgment, just as Dante was welcomed on his. Like I mentioned to you earlier, just being here has shown what kind of person lies underneath all that Hugo Boss.
I just have one more thing to ask you before I get back to the family...Why must He take the good ones so young? Men like me, who make their money on the shortcomings of others, are allowed to live long, and successful lives, while men like Dante, who educate themselves and work so hard to get ahead in life are taken before they can even get a chance to reach their prime.
I'm afraid I do not have an answer for that, but I can tell you that you have done more with yourself than anyone could have guessed when you were Dante's age. Coming from the world that you experienced back in Italy and using the “education” that you received to keep yourself not only alive but on the right path shows you how the Lord rewards those who should be rewarded. Perhaps Dante's purpose was to save others because of his situation. Perhaps he was brought here and taken from us so young to show us just how valuable life can be and to make as ask the questions that you have presented to me here today. Because if we forget how precious life really is, we are destined to take the little things for granted and lose our way. Also, without his passing, you would not be here, we would not be having this conversation, and you would still be punishing yourself for feeling greedy, when in fact what you are going through is just the opposite. Dante is up there watching over you and he will be doing the same on Sunday night when you once again try to make yourself happy once again by finally thinking about yourself for a change.
Thank you very much Father, I knew that you would have the answers that I have been looking for. The weight has been lifted and I will take what we have shared here to heart. If there is anything I can do for you or can do for this church feel free to let me know. I'm sorry that I do not make it out here to New York as often as I would like, but life is quite different for me than when I first walked through those doors.
The only thing you can do for me is to keep being the man that I know that you are. Now, get back out there and do what you do best.
Father Tony excuses himself from the room, leaving Guiliano in the chair for a moment by himself before he eventually rises and follows the priest back out the office door. Both men enter the main room once again, each embracing the members of Dante's family that have now begun to flood the cathedral. The WCF superstar is almost lost in the shuffle as individuals of his same stature are paying their own respects to the fallen Sicilian. There is not a dry eye in the church as each person inside begins to the recall the good times they spent with the now deceased young man. Kleenexes are being passed around liberally as one crying or teary-eyed individual tries to console another. Mascara smears blemish the faces of the women, both young and old, and numerous pairs of sunglasses hide the red eyes of the men. Although the cause of the young man's death remains unspoken amongst the guest, the pain they are experiencing does not. After a few moments, Guiliano begins to make his way back towards the exit through the throng of black suits and mourning dresses, feeling is job is done here and his questions have been answered. Death has never been something Guiliano has handled well despite his familiarity with it as a child. He removes yet another tear from his cheek with the back of his finger, slipping his glasses back over his nose before slipping back out into the cold New York evening.
As he exists the world famous cathedral, Guiliano's car is nearing the curb at nearly the exact moment he will reach it, as if the time of his stay inside was planned and known to the driver of the vehicle. Once again, the driver pulls up as the left-rear passenger's side door is held open for the departing guest. The glossy black shoe on his right foot steps up inside the door as he slides in and the door is closed behind him as he nestles back into the soft leather. The warm air from the car's heater evaporates the moisture that remains on his face as the car pulls away from the sidewalk and rejoins the shuffle of traffic in the Big Apple. The camera rejoins Guiliano and the driver inside the car as Allen removes his glasses once again and rests them on his knee. The eyes of the driver can be seen in the rear view mirror as he glances up, checking on the emotional state of his passenger after the solemn visit.
Driver: How did it go in there?
About as well as it possibly could have. Hope I didn't keep you waiting too long out here, I had some business to take care of with an old friend of mine. Needed some questions answered to be more specific.
Did you get the answers you were looking for?
Amazing...I can say that I did. I suppose it wasn't really answers that I was seeking, but more looking for a different perspective on the things that were on my mind. Fr. Tony really has a way at easing my mind and showing me what is truly important. Importance also become very clear seeing Dante in his final resting place. Life's problems seem to lessen and the little things in life become more pronounced.
Well, I hate to change the subject and break your state of mind, but have you decided if we are staying in New York for the night or do you want go ahead and have me take you to the airport so you can get a flight into Philadelphia?
Seems silly to fly to Philadelphia when we are already so close. If you don't mind, I would like to go ahead and have you drive me there through the night. The quicker I can get to Reading and away from New York the better.
That's no problem at all. I will go ahead and call the guys at the airport and inform them that you have decided to travel by land rather than by air. However, the first thing I will need to do when we get into Reading is find a place to get some sleep. It has been a long night for me, but then again I suppose I shouldn't be telling you this as you have probably had an even longer one.
Do what you have to do, I'm just going to try and sit back and relax and get my mind where it needs to be for Sunday night.
Guiliano reaches forward and presses a small button on the back of the seat in front of him and a pane of glass slides up between the front of the car and the back seat, creating a silent atmosphere. The Italian removes his sunglasses from his knee and slides them back into his pocket, removing a small MP3 player and slipping the earbuds into his ears, drumming his fingers on the leather seat beneath his right hand. He leans back and drifts away into the music, closing his eyes and beginning to speak.
It's unexplainable the feelings and the emotions that run through a person actually seeing a person in wake, knowing that they will never speak, will never move again. To know a life has come to an end and knowing that others must continue to go on like it never happened. The world will continue to turn and time will keep passing, but, if even just for a few moments, life is put quickly back into perspective. On Sunday night, five of us will step into a canvas ring surrounded by four metal posts contained by a set of ropes. There isn't a ring that has been designed or ever will be designed that is able to contain not only the talent that will be in the squared circle, but also the hatred and experience that each of us possess.
People say that Dante's life was taken because of hate, but in reality it wasn't hate, it was a stupid act committed by an ignorant person that had a simple dislike. The five of us may not necessarily have a hatred for each other, but we all share a disdain for the current World Champion. This is being billed as the greatest main event in the history of the Wrestling Championship Federation, and perhaps it will be, but right now, at this very moment, none of that media circus means a damn thing. Perhaps the hype will sink in before Sunday night, but this time around things will be different. This time around my focus will not be on how I can gain an advantage going into the match or what head games the five of us are trying to pull over on each other, it will be on what I need to do in order to have my hand raised in victory.
The four of you all have something in you that I do not and that is your name in the history books of this federation. And I am sure the four of you will also be trying to point out the reasons why you are better than the rest of us and who has what weaknesses and how you will try to exploit them. That is all well and good, but my previous World Title match taught me a little bit about what it takes to be the World Title holder here in the WCF. Perhaps history is not on my side and my previous shot at the World Championship was my best, but this time around, its about Slickie T. It's not about Torture, its not about Logan, and it sure in the hell isn't about Creeping Death and Brad Kane. Last time I failed to continue doing what gained me the #1 Contendership in the first place that was focusing on MY ability, MY determination, and MY strengths instead of that of my opponents. Torture did exactly what he needed to do and that was to make me focus more on trying to beat him and one up him instead of sticking to what I know how to do best. This time it won't be about what I need to do to beat the four of you, but the adjusts that the four of you will have to make in order to keep me from winning that belt and being the one to end Torture's title reign. The Ace of Hardcore may have been grounded in Los Angeles, but I will take to the air once again in Reading and this time, I guarantee you, I will not fail.
Creeping Death, it seems that you insist on reminding not only me, but the entire WCF audience of your past successes as justification as to why you have been booked in this title match. Sure, I know, you earned your spot in the main event just like the rest of us and I do not dispute that at all, but the past means nothing to me. Your past feuds with seemingly everyone on the roster means nothing to me. Your past championships and your past victories mean the same. Even though the match that we will meet in will be a celebration of the ten year history of the Wrestling Championship Federation, it will also be the celebration of a new beginning, a new era, and a new page in the annuls of the WCF. It seems that you are hellbent on keeping this new blood from proving he is the best in this organization and that the veterans should continue on with the legacy of this federation. However, after One, and after Ten, there will be no disputing the fact that the name Allen Guiliano will be in the conversation as on of the WCF's best ever. This is the opportunity to silence my critics and to silence those that seem to be stuck in the past. I do not doubt that you were once at the top of your game and were one of THE names in the Wrestling Championship Federation, but your time has come and past and you will get to experience first-hand a new face rise to the top of your cherished federation. This may be your home organization, but it is also the place that I now call home and I will once again represent the talent and the power that the XGWO brought to Seth Lerch and the WCF. No disrespect to you and those who came before me and made this federation the best in sports entertainment today, but all good things must come to an end so that something new can be created. When I have that title presented to me in Sunday night, it will mark that moment in time where the Slickie T era in the WCF begins and Torture is out of the World Championship picture for six months. Your name, Creeping Death, will simply be a footnote marked under the date January 31. Consider yourself lucky to have one of the best views of the beginning of a new page in the history of this federation. I have already stared truth death in the face once today, I don't think death of the creeping variety will be anything that I cannot handle. I think its time you start taking things seriously now CD.
Brad Kane, Mr. Co-Commissioner, we meet again and this time for a prize much more precious than the one we battled over before. Thanks to outside interference I was unable to eliminate you from the battle royal that allowed me yet another chance at the WCF's ultimate prize. Like CD, you also seem to justify your current situation with the past and what has already happened in your career. Four veterans will seemingly look to keep the representative from the new generation of the WCF from reaching the top, despite that fact that it could result in Torture keeping his title around his waist. As I told you before our last meeting, you and I share something in common and that is our passion for something outside of the ring. You have your wife and kids to worry about and I have my business to run, however, I think its time that both of us but those other distractions aside for one night. Sure, four of us that will be competing on Sunday night met in a tag-team match just a few weeks ago and I was about to earn the victory for my team, but that match was a far cry from revealing the true talent of the four individuals that actually met on that night. There is no doubt in my mind that you and Creeping Death were holding back at Slam and saving all that you had for the main event at Ten, but despite your attempts to lull me into a false sense of security, I will be ready. I'm out to finish what was started at the battle royal and prove that I was truly the best man to walk into that ring on that night. Torture and Logan seem to be taking me seriously, you and CD seem to be thinking differently and be focused on the current title holder and him only. Sure, you wore the title in the past and even unified the belts from several different organizations, and as much as I respect that, this is the 2010 version of the Wrestling Championship Federation. That was four long years ago and this is possibly the last chance that you veterans will get the chance to experience the glory that is main eventing in the WCF. It is a federation that you have helped keep alive through thick and then, through closings and re-openings, but as I told CD, I will carry it into the future and beyond. Not only am I representing myself and the country of Italy, but I am representing all those guys in the back that are hungry to make a name for themselves. Fortunately for them, or unfortunately as they might see it, I was blessed with a chance at becoming the first of the new breed to become World Champion and take this place to new heights. Brad, I respect you, I respect what you've done, and I will respect you after this is all said and done, but on Sunday night in Reading, Pennsylvania, that respect will be hidden by my determination to take down the best the WCF has to offer and I hate to break it to you, but it isn't you.
Logan, where do I begin? I suppose it was you that actually jump started my career here in the WCF which led to my eventual world title shot in the first place. I have you and Jack of Blades to thank for putting my name on the proverbial map of the Wrestling Championship Federation. We have had a few battles in the past, most notably being the final two competitors in the 2009 Match of the Year, that being the main event at War. You were looking to earn the title of War Winner for a third time, while I ended up claiming my first of what could be many War victories. Perhaps it was the fact that I was the last competitor in the ring or perhaps it was simply because I was the better man on that particular day, but both times we have been on opposite sides of the ring, I have shown the wrestling world what Slickie T is capable of. I don't doubt for a second that the third meeting between us will just as epic as the first two and even though we work quite well as a team, this time it is about individual achievements. We both have targets on our back and like the others, you are a seasoned veteran in this organization. Hell, you even have a Hall of Fame plaque hanging up with your name on it. People have questioned your wrestling ability as of late, saying that you are washed up, past your prime, and that your head is in the clouds, but something tells me that you will have a new found motivation for this match and not because of anything other than stripping your rival Torture of his World Title. We both have a common goal and that is to not only win that championship strap, but to do it by pinning the man that we both despise. Torture has been a thorn in your side and mine and his downfall would put a smile on both of our faces. You are perhaps the biggest wild card in this match as the federation tries to figure out what Logan we will see at Ten. Will it be the dominating Logan of the past or the more pedestrian one that we have seen of late. No matter which Logan shows up on Sunday night, I will be prepared to face the Logan of legendary status and like our two meetings before, I will prove to be the better man. Logan, lace the boots up one more time and bring your very best to the ring, because unlike the others in the back, I think that you are simply a dog that has been backed into a corner and are just waiting to bite. My beef is not with you and perhaps it never will be, but unfortunately for you, CD, and Brad Kane, you are in a match with me where the man I want to beat more than anyone I have ever face is in the opposite side of the ring. If I have to go through you and the two others to get what I am after, then so be it.
Guiliano slips his earbuds from his ears and looks deep into the lens of the camera as he gives a confident grin followed by a heavy sigh. There is only one man that remains left to discuss and it is perhaps the most anticipated words of his entire wrestling career. There is no doubt that ever man, woman, and child that follows Seth Lerch's federation has turned up the TV, hushed those around them, and scooted a little closer to the edge of their seat. Of course Guiliano is aware of this as his grin turns into a smirk and his eyes narrow.
I suppose that leaves only man left to talk about. I can't imagine what his name could possibly be or why ANYONE out there would care what I have to say about him. Perhaps it is because we met in perhaps the most historic and epic match that has ever been contested in the Wrestling Championship Federation. This time around we have had less head games, less name-calling, less feuding, but it is quite obvious the tension still remains. Sure, the beat down at Slam last week was a little overboard, but I don't think you have any idea how good it felt to plat your forehead in the middle of the ring and watch you bleed as that show faded to black. To know that I was the one that had that last laugh going into the pay-per-view event was quite satisfying. Yes, you were the better man in December and nearly eliminated my name for ever being relevant again, but I refuse to quit. I refuse to let you continue your reign as the World Champion. All of the veterans have come out and told me that I had my chance and failed to get the job done, but I think we both know that there is one man in this match that you fear more than the others and it isn't Creeping Death, Brad Kane, or Logan. How ironic is it that the one man in this match that hasn't held the World Championship in the WCF is the one that everyone is fearing the most? You have defeated everyone that you have ever faced and yet you try to sneak yourself into a battle royal in order to keep me out of the World Title match for a second time. Unfortunately for me there are three other men that will be in the ring besides you and I and anything less than pinning you would be a disappointment. Sure, I will win the title by any means necessary, but if it isn't you that I am staring down at when my hand is being raised, the win would be a little bittersweet. It would leave something more to be desired. In a perfect world, the two of us would join forces and take care of the other three and then setting it man to man like we did before, but then again I had that chance at One and didn't take advantage. No matter the outcome, you will be able to claim that you be me when it was just the two of us and it is something that I can never take away from you. However, the one thing I can take is that belt that you cherish so dearly. I can make you feel the agony of defeat that I have had to suffer through for the last month and make you long for your next title shot, just the way that I have. To see you out of the World Title picture for six months would do more damage that I could have ever done by taking CoolWear Inc. from you or singlehandedly taking down your Team of Torture. This time there is no stable for you to hide before, but there are three other guys in the ring that like you, want to see me fail. Enjoy your week as World Champion the best you can because when you wake up on Monday morning, it will finally set in that you are no longer the best in the WCF and will have to wait six long months to ever have that chance again.
I learned many things from our last meeting and it wasn't about you, but it was about myself. This time I won't fall into your head games and this time I will know exactly what you plan on bringing to the table. However, this week, I won't be thinking about how I am going to beat you, I already know, and I was simply a MOMENT away from doing it back in December. I know exactly how I will approach this match and so do you, but the problem for you is figuring out how you are going to escape for a second time. I am going to do what I do best and what got me to this point, you and the other three men are going to figure out how to stop that momentum that I have built heading into this event. Go ahead, point out that I suffered a loss at the hands of Mikami at Slam, but my head wasn't in that match. I was too busy preparing myself for the cheat attack that you had prepared to be worried about a match that meant absolutely nothing to me or the fans of Slickie T. What did I do after my last loss in December? I won my next match over Greenfever, a man that nearly ended my career softening me up for you at One. This time, I suffered a loss to Mikami; and how will I respond? By avenging a loss that I had to you back in December. I'm not the underdog this time around, I'm the odds-on favorite and I will prove one and for all who the best in the business is. Take pride in having CoolWear Inc. back under your control, because it is all that you will have left when January 31 comes to a close. This time, the question is not “Can Slickie T beat Torture?”, the question is “How will Torture do it yet again?”, and the answer...he won't. This time, there will be no days off, there will be no hotels in the middle of nowhere to get my mind of the task at hand, there will be no exchange of Christmas cards, there will be no cronies trying to hunt me down in the wee hours of the morning and into the late hours of the night. At Ten, it will be about what Slickie T does and that is take care of business.
Guiliano gives a wink before relaxing back in the seat, lowering the glass once again and tapping the driver on the shoulder to let him know he is done with the promo. He slips his earbuds back into his ears and closes his eyes once again as the screen fades to black.
The light from the street lamp above floods the inside of the car as Guiliano steps out onto the concrete below giving an ever so slight nod to the man who has held his door. As he steps out, he glances up at the large edifice that stands before him, St. Patrick's Cathedral. He continues to stare up at the church, taking in the intricate designs and the pair of towering steeples that seem to extend into the heavens. A visible lump forms in his throat as he makes his way through the elegant doors that welcome him inside. The arches tower over the marble floor below, the flags of both the United States and the Vatican hanging from the walls. Guiliano takes his first step onto the soft crimson and cream carpet as he slowly starts to make his way deeper into the building. The reason for Guiliano's visit becomes clear as an ebony casket rest just a few hundred feet from him as he continues on his path toward it. The people that are already inside and drying their eyes with tissues step to the side to allow Guiliano to come forward and pay his respects.
As he reaches the casket, he extends his right hand and rests it over the now resting heart of the individual that rests inside. The identity of the man is unknown, but it is obviously someone near Guiliano's heart as more tears begin to stream down his cheeks, almost uncontrollably as the droplets fall from his jawline and onto the floor below. Before he loses control of his emotions and begins to break down, the Sicilian leans down and presses his lips to the forehead of the man lying inside the casket. A middle-aged woman slowly begins to make her way toward Guiliano and the two share a warm, yet brief embrace. Before he walks away and finds an empty pew to escape into the woman softly whispers something into his ear before kissing him on the cheek and walking in the opposite direction.
Allen crosses himself before stepping into the pew and kneeling on the carpeted rail that sits just inches from ground. He slightly opens his hand, revealing the object he has been clutching to be a simple rosary consisting of a small golden cross hanging from a strand of blood-red beads. Guiliano bows his head, clutches the strand of beads in his left hand, and begins to converse with the man above.
Lord, why must you take them so young and in such inconceivable ways? Why must those that do everything right and live their lives in the correct manner to be taken long before their days should end? A life has been taken due to ignorance, stupidity, greed, and a lack of value to human life. Not only was this man doing everything he possibly could to set himself up to succeed, but he was also contributing to the well-being of those around him and making his friends, family, and peers better individuals. It puts into perspective what is really important in life and it isn't the money, power, or respect a person possesses, but the hear the lies on the inside. It is impossible for a mere mortal to stop the heart of a Sicilian, but you have that power for reasons unbeknownst to me, have decided to do so to that young man that lies in that wooden box.
I'm sure that you have your reasons for your action and I'm sure that reason will become evident in time, but I cannot begin to understand it at this time, especially with all of those around me in mourning. Just as you are healing those that are already here, I ask you to heal this man as well. Suddenly things that seemed important even yesterday were put into perspective in quite a hurry with one simply phone call and an action by an evil person just days ago. Forgive the sins of those who contributed to this untimely death and forgive me for the sins that I have committed in the past and will commit in the future. Please spare this family any more deaths caused by the barrel of a gun or the end of a knife. There has been took much blood spilled in the past and there is no amount that can be spilled in the future to justify actions that have taken place in the past. There is no doubt you have better plans for the young man that was taken from us just days ago and I do not question your judgment, but I ask you, please keep a warm hand on the shoulder of this mourning family and even on those that were responsible for such nonsense. In the name of the father, the son, and the holy spirit...Amen.[/color]
As Guiliano finishes his piece, he slowly rises once again, returning the ledge to its original position with the end of his shoe before relaxing back against the red velvet cushion that lines the pew behind him. Another sigh escapes him as he slides his sunglasses from his nose and folds them carefully before slipping them into the pocket that resides in the inside of his suit coat. As he rests in the pew, a priest emerges from amongst the crowd of people, who are dressed in mostly black, and makes his way toward the seated Guiliano. The priest gently places a a hand on the right shoulder of the obviously distraught Italian before having a seat at his right side. The two remain silent as they both look forward at the picture of the young man, who appeared to be between 20-25, that lies peacefully in death before them. A plethora of flowers reside on all four sides of the casket, some labeled with ribbons that read “Brother”, “Son”, and “Cousin”. The eerie silence is broken by the voice of the priest as he continues to gaze at the picture along with the man to his left.
Fr. Tony: I'm sure they have already spoken with you, but it makes their day a little easier knowing that you are here in person. Are you doing alright Allen?
I'm doing the best I can in light of the recent incidents that took Dante from his world. Seems that the demons that have been haunting me pale in comparison to what others in this room are now going through. It's a shame that Dante had to be taken from us so early but I suppose God has his reasons.
Indeed he does and even they he may never real them, they are just. I don't mean to intrude and if you wish to keep your mind on Dante then feel free to do so, but do you care to discuss these “so called” demons that you have been battling?
I suppose demons may be the wrong word for them, but there are issues that are going on inside of me right now that I simply cannot resolved and may never be resolved if I continue to keep doing the same things over and over and expecting different results. I feel like I have been diverting from the things that have not only made me successful in the professional world, but have made me a good person. My actions have been inconsistent with the things that I did in the past to keep myself on the right path. I know that the people in this room need you far more than I do at this moment, so I will not bother you with my petty issues at a time like this.
Allen, I'm not the only priest here this evening and it was actually one of those people over there that told me I should come over here and sit with you because they could tell that you weren't yourself today. I understand that this is a time for mourning, but I have never seen this side of you before. The confident and powerful man that I am used to seeing is sitting here away from those that need consoling to perhaps console himself. Please, if there is anything that I can help you with or anything you need to discuss with the Lord, let me know and perhaps I can help lift this weight that is obviously pressing down on your shoulders. I haven't seen you in person in a few years, but believe me, I have been aware of what is going on in your life. There are people here that care about you Allen.
I suppose that help from a man who wears the cloth is never the bad thing. Do you mind if we have this discussion somewhere a little more private? Not that I don't wish to discuss it with you, but those around me may think less of me for worrying over thins that seem so petty compared to Dante's death. As a matter of fact, that is something I have been struggling with is selfishness. It is something that has never been a part of my life before and for some reason, be it my current success or perhaps the need to outdo myself, it has almost become a daily occurrence.
Of course we can go elsewhere. Come with me and we will get you back to the old Allen that I know is waiting to be released. I have no doubt that your conscience and your heart will guide you in the right direction, but it never hearts for each of them to be assisted every once in awhile.
Father Tony keeps his hand on the shoulder of Guiliano as both men stand and shuffle their way back out of the pew and continue down that aisle that is created by the large stone columns in the inside of the building. The two walk side-by-side and nearly stride-for-stride as they continue toward a private room, the six foot, two inch Guiliano making sure to shorten his stride to remain slightly behind the priest. The smaller in stature man of the cloth presses his firm palm against the wooden face of the door and pushes it open, following Guiliano inside.
The guest makes himself comfortable in the brown leather chair as Fr. Tony continues behind the desk, resting his folded arms upon the top of the cherry wood. He casually reaches for a small vile of holy water on the corner of the desk and pulls the fragile cork from the top, pressing his index finger against the opening and turning the blue vile upside down in order to moisten it. Guiliano the leans in closer as Tony marks a simple cross on his forehead with the wet end of his finger and both men relax once again.
So what is it that you wanted to get off your mind? Feel free to so as much or as little as you would like. Don't feel like you are keeping me from getting anything done, there are others out there to take care of that. Whatever comes from your lips in this room stays in this room.
I love how you assume the worst in me and I'm glad that you do. I have separated myself from that kind of lifestyle and like I said before, the things that have been eating at me seem fairly pedestrian considering the circumstances for me being here and from some of things that I have spoken to you about in the past. Before I start to get things off my chest, I just want to thank you one more time for doing this for me. I greatly appreciate everything you have done for me in the past, are doing for me right now, and will do for me when I need guidance in the future.
First off, I went to the Lord today after I first arrived and let him know what I thought of Dante's death and how it occurred because of greed and stupidity. However, that was possibly the most hypocritical thing I could have said as greed seems to be quite the driving force in my own life at this point. Never before as I wanted so bad to achieve my own goals and create my own success at the expense of others. I have been quite unpleasant to be around and I feel like I am making other people suffer because of my own personal issues and that should not be the case. I have always been in favor of doing what is best for the majority, especially when the majority consists of my own employees or my own family...
Let me stop you right there. If this greed and personal interest was really as intense as you think it might be, you would not have come all the way to New York from Las Vegas. You traveled all the way across the country to pay your respects to your relatives. I know they are your family, but I am just trying to open your eyes a little bit and hopefully help you get rid of whatever it is that is causing you to suffer.
I understand what you are trying to say and to hear you say it definitely makes it easier to admit, but ever sense I have become one of the top talents in the current organization I am working for, I have had some sort of tunnel vision and have not been able to focus on the things that are truly important. I feel as though I am a rabid dog and a piece of meat is being dangled in front of me, yet pulled away ever time I make a leap for it. I suppose I have never actually failed at something before and not only did I fail myself, but I let down a lot of others in the process.
Once again Allen, this isn't about your own personal greed. This is about you wanting to be there for others and succeed not for yourself but for them. I know exactly what you are referring to when you are talking about your failure. I may not follow you myself, but I have eyes out there in the real world that are keeping me informed about your well-being. I promised your father that I would look after you and I will continue to do that as long as the Lord allows me to. It's not your own personal desire to succeed that is your problem. Its the heart that beats inside your chest. You have the heart of a lion and there isn't anything that anyone can do to tame it.
I just....I suppose I have never been this focused on something that seems to unimportant on a day like today. Father, I have never been in a position like this before and I almost think the situation is getting the best of me. To truly be THE best at what I do is something that I never thought I would have the opportunity to see. Sure, there are people that argue that I am “the best” in Las Vegas, but what does that really mean? One publication says this, the other says that, I am personal friends with some of the, others I have merely shaken hands with and comped a few drinks. What they write is nowhere near as concrete as hoisting the ultimate prize in a wrestling federation over my head.
I would tell you that I think you need to get away from your normal life for a few days, but knowing you like I do, that would only make matters worse. The last thing you need to do right now is break your routine. There is a reason you are in the position you are in right now and it isn't due to greed. It is because you word harder to achieve at anything you do than any other individual I have ever met in my entire life. You go out of your way to make yourself better and keep yourself in the best possible position to succeed. I know it feels like you let the entire world down back in December, but the truth is, you gave people more reason to believe that you could do what you actually set out to do in the first place. There is no reason to change anything in your life. This feeling of greed is simply coming from the fact that you, for once in your entire life, are thinking about something that will make YOU happy instead of thinking about what will make everyone else happy. You have sacrificed your time and your efforts for so long that you have forgotten about what you need to stay motivated. You have done so much for your family, your business, your country, and your faith, that the only thing left to do is to give back to yourself. You keeping doing what makes you happen and this false feeling or false sensation that you are experiencing as greed will subside.
Thank you for your kind words, but honestly, this is something that I have never experienced before and from what you have just said, it sounds like something that I can only deal with myself. The only thing that I can possible focus on right now is the other four guys that will be out to stop me for yet a second time when I travel to Pennsylvania on Sunday night.
And therein lies part of your problem. Don't worry about the other four men, just worry about two things. Yourself and your ultimate goal. I believe your undoing last time was your extreme disdain for your opponent. You were worried so much about getting the advantage by any means necessary that you forgot what actually got you into that advantageous situation in the first place. You changed your routine thinking that it would help you to better to prepare and keep you focused at the end of the day, but all that it did was create a distraction. Now, you and I both know that I do not necessarily condone that actual business that you run in Vegas and I was excited to hear that you had turned your focuses elsewhere. I do understand that ever man needs to make a living and that you were almost bred into your profession, but as a man in my position, I can't really “support” what you are doing.
I understand that 100% and see where you are coming from. I am just happy that you are actually behind something I have chosen to do. I have not always traveled down the right path in life and I'm still not sure that I am now, but this is all that I know Father. You can take me out of the homeland, but the homeland will forever stay inside me. I was born and raised to anything but honest and legitimate, but thanks to people like you, I think I've turned out alright.
It's not my eyes that are the judge of how you have turned out. You will have to take that up with a higher power than I can possibly possess. You have done great things and there is no doubt that you will be welcomed with open arms on the day of your judgment, just as Dante was welcomed on his. Like I mentioned to you earlier, just being here has shown what kind of person lies underneath all that Hugo Boss.
I just have one more thing to ask you before I get back to the family...Why must He take the good ones so young? Men like me, who make their money on the shortcomings of others, are allowed to live long, and successful lives, while men like Dante, who educate themselves and work so hard to get ahead in life are taken before they can even get a chance to reach their prime.
I'm afraid I do not have an answer for that, but I can tell you that you have done more with yourself than anyone could have guessed when you were Dante's age. Coming from the world that you experienced back in Italy and using the “education” that you received to keep yourself not only alive but on the right path shows you how the Lord rewards those who should be rewarded. Perhaps Dante's purpose was to save others because of his situation. Perhaps he was brought here and taken from us so young to show us just how valuable life can be and to make as ask the questions that you have presented to me here today. Because if we forget how precious life really is, we are destined to take the little things for granted and lose our way. Also, without his passing, you would not be here, we would not be having this conversation, and you would still be punishing yourself for feeling greedy, when in fact what you are going through is just the opposite. Dante is up there watching over you and he will be doing the same on Sunday night when you once again try to make yourself happy once again by finally thinking about yourself for a change.
Thank you very much Father, I knew that you would have the answers that I have been looking for. The weight has been lifted and I will take what we have shared here to heart. If there is anything I can do for you or can do for this church feel free to let me know. I'm sorry that I do not make it out here to New York as often as I would like, but life is quite different for me than when I first walked through those doors.
The only thing you can do for me is to keep being the man that I know that you are. Now, get back out there and do what you do best.
Father Tony excuses himself from the room, leaving Guiliano in the chair for a moment by himself before he eventually rises and follows the priest back out the office door. Both men enter the main room once again, each embracing the members of Dante's family that have now begun to flood the cathedral. The WCF superstar is almost lost in the shuffle as individuals of his same stature are paying their own respects to the fallen Sicilian. There is not a dry eye in the church as each person inside begins to the recall the good times they spent with the now deceased young man. Kleenexes are being passed around liberally as one crying or teary-eyed individual tries to console another. Mascara smears blemish the faces of the women, both young and old, and numerous pairs of sunglasses hide the red eyes of the men. Although the cause of the young man's death remains unspoken amongst the guest, the pain they are experiencing does not. After a few moments, Guiliano begins to make his way back towards the exit through the throng of black suits and mourning dresses, feeling is job is done here and his questions have been answered. Death has never been something Guiliano has handled well despite his familiarity with it as a child. He removes yet another tear from his cheek with the back of his finger, slipping his glasses back over his nose before slipping back out into the cold New York evening.
As he exists the world famous cathedral, Guiliano's car is nearing the curb at nearly the exact moment he will reach it, as if the time of his stay inside was planned and known to the driver of the vehicle. Once again, the driver pulls up as the left-rear passenger's side door is held open for the departing guest. The glossy black shoe on his right foot steps up inside the door as he slides in and the door is closed behind him as he nestles back into the soft leather. The warm air from the car's heater evaporates the moisture that remains on his face as the car pulls away from the sidewalk and rejoins the shuffle of traffic in the Big Apple. The camera rejoins Guiliano and the driver inside the car as Allen removes his glasses once again and rests them on his knee. The eyes of the driver can be seen in the rear view mirror as he glances up, checking on the emotional state of his passenger after the solemn visit.
Driver: How did it go in there?
About as well as it possibly could have. Hope I didn't keep you waiting too long out here, I had some business to take care of with an old friend of mine. Needed some questions answered to be more specific.
Did you get the answers you were looking for?
Amazing...I can say that I did. I suppose it wasn't really answers that I was seeking, but more looking for a different perspective on the things that were on my mind. Fr. Tony really has a way at easing my mind and showing me what is truly important. Importance also become very clear seeing Dante in his final resting place. Life's problems seem to lessen and the little things in life become more pronounced.
Well, I hate to change the subject and break your state of mind, but have you decided if we are staying in New York for the night or do you want go ahead and have me take you to the airport so you can get a flight into Philadelphia?
Seems silly to fly to Philadelphia when we are already so close. If you don't mind, I would like to go ahead and have you drive me there through the night. The quicker I can get to Reading and away from New York the better.
That's no problem at all. I will go ahead and call the guys at the airport and inform them that you have decided to travel by land rather than by air. However, the first thing I will need to do when we get into Reading is find a place to get some sleep. It has been a long night for me, but then again I suppose I shouldn't be telling you this as you have probably had an even longer one.
Do what you have to do, I'm just going to try and sit back and relax and get my mind where it needs to be for Sunday night.
Guiliano reaches forward and presses a small button on the back of the seat in front of him and a pane of glass slides up between the front of the car and the back seat, creating a silent atmosphere. The Italian removes his sunglasses from his knee and slides them back into his pocket, removing a small MP3 player and slipping the earbuds into his ears, drumming his fingers on the leather seat beneath his right hand. He leans back and drifts away into the music, closing his eyes and beginning to speak.
It's unexplainable the feelings and the emotions that run through a person actually seeing a person in wake, knowing that they will never speak, will never move again. To know a life has come to an end and knowing that others must continue to go on like it never happened. The world will continue to turn and time will keep passing, but, if even just for a few moments, life is put quickly back into perspective. On Sunday night, five of us will step into a canvas ring surrounded by four metal posts contained by a set of ropes. There isn't a ring that has been designed or ever will be designed that is able to contain not only the talent that will be in the squared circle, but also the hatred and experience that each of us possess.
People say that Dante's life was taken because of hate, but in reality it wasn't hate, it was a stupid act committed by an ignorant person that had a simple dislike. The five of us may not necessarily have a hatred for each other, but we all share a disdain for the current World Champion. This is being billed as the greatest main event in the history of the Wrestling Championship Federation, and perhaps it will be, but right now, at this very moment, none of that media circus means a damn thing. Perhaps the hype will sink in before Sunday night, but this time around things will be different. This time around my focus will not be on how I can gain an advantage going into the match or what head games the five of us are trying to pull over on each other, it will be on what I need to do in order to have my hand raised in victory.
The four of you all have something in you that I do not and that is your name in the history books of this federation. And I am sure the four of you will also be trying to point out the reasons why you are better than the rest of us and who has what weaknesses and how you will try to exploit them. That is all well and good, but my previous World Title match taught me a little bit about what it takes to be the World Title holder here in the WCF. Perhaps history is not on my side and my previous shot at the World Championship was my best, but this time around, its about Slickie T. It's not about Torture, its not about Logan, and it sure in the hell isn't about Creeping Death and Brad Kane. Last time I failed to continue doing what gained me the #1 Contendership in the first place that was focusing on MY ability, MY determination, and MY strengths instead of that of my opponents. Torture did exactly what he needed to do and that was to make me focus more on trying to beat him and one up him instead of sticking to what I know how to do best. This time it won't be about what I need to do to beat the four of you, but the adjusts that the four of you will have to make in order to keep me from winning that belt and being the one to end Torture's title reign. The Ace of Hardcore may have been grounded in Los Angeles, but I will take to the air once again in Reading and this time, I guarantee you, I will not fail.
Creeping Death, it seems that you insist on reminding not only me, but the entire WCF audience of your past successes as justification as to why you have been booked in this title match. Sure, I know, you earned your spot in the main event just like the rest of us and I do not dispute that at all, but the past means nothing to me. Your past feuds with seemingly everyone on the roster means nothing to me. Your past championships and your past victories mean the same. Even though the match that we will meet in will be a celebration of the ten year history of the Wrestling Championship Federation, it will also be the celebration of a new beginning, a new era, and a new page in the annuls of the WCF. It seems that you are hellbent on keeping this new blood from proving he is the best in this organization and that the veterans should continue on with the legacy of this federation. However, after One, and after Ten, there will be no disputing the fact that the name Allen Guiliano will be in the conversation as on of the WCF's best ever. This is the opportunity to silence my critics and to silence those that seem to be stuck in the past. I do not doubt that you were once at the top of your game and were one of THE names in the Wrestling Championship Federation, but your time has come and past and you will get to experience first-hand a new face rise to the top of your cherished federation. This may be your home organization, but it is also the place that I now call home and I will once again represent the talent and the power that the XGWO brought to Seth Lerch and the WCF. No disrespect to you and those who came before me and made this federation the best in sports entertainment today, but all good things must come to an end so that something new can be created. When I have that title presented to me in Sunday night, it will mark that moment in time where the Slickie T era in the WCF begins and Torture is out of the World Championship picture for six months. Your name, Creeping Death, will simply be a footnote marked under the date January 31. Consider yourself lucky to have one of the best views of the beginning of a new page in the history of this federation. I have already stared truth death in the face once today, I don't think death of the creeping variety will be anything that I cannot handle. I think its time you start taking things seriously now CD.
Brad Kane, Mr. Co-Commissioner, we meet again and this time for a prize much more precious than the one we battled over before. Thanks to outside interference I was unable to eliminate you from the battle royal that allowed me yet another chance at the WCF's ultimate prize. Like CD, you also seem to justify your current situation with the past and what has already happened in your career. Four veterans will seemingly look to keep the representative from the new generation of the WCF from reaching the top, despite that fact that it could result in Torture keeping his title around his waist. As I told you before our last meeting, you and I share something in common and that is our passion for something outside of the ring. You have your wife and kids to worry about and I have my business to run, however, I think its time that both of us but those other distractions aside for one night. Sure, four of us that will be competing on Sunday night met in a tag-team match just a few weeks ago and I was about to earn the victory for my team, but that match was a far cry from revealing the true talent of the four individuals that actually met on that night. There is no doubt in my mind that you and Creeping Death were holding back at Slam and saving all that you had for the main event at Ten, but despite your attempts to lull me into a false sense of security, I will be ready. I'm out to finish what was started at the battle royal and prove that I was truly the best man to walk into that ring on that night. Torture and Logan seem to be taking me seriously, you and CD seem to be thinking differently and be focused on the current title holder and him only. Sure, you wore the title in the past and even unified the belts from several different organizations, and as much as I respect that, this is the 2010 version of the Wrestling Championship Federation. That was four long years ago and this is possibly the last chance that you veterans will get the chance to experience the glory that is main eventing in the WCF. It is a federation that you have helped keep alive through thick and then, through closings and re-openings, but as I told CD, I will carry it into the future and beyond. Not only am I representing myself and the country of Italy, but I am representing all those guys in the back that are hungry to make a name for themselves. Fortunately for them, or unfortunately as they might see it, I was blessed with a chance at becoming the first of the new breed to become World Champion and take this place to new heights. Brad, I respect you, I respect what you've done, and I will respect you after this is all said and done, but on Sunday night in Reading, Pennsylvania, that respect will be hidden by my determination to take down the best the WCF has to offer and I hate to break it to you, but it isn't you.
Logan, where do I begin? I suppose it was you that actually jump started my career here in the WCF which led to my eventual world title shot in the first place. I have you and Jack of Blades to thank for putting my name on the proverbial map of the Wrestling Championship Federation. We have had a few battles in the past, most notably being the final two competitors in the 2009 Match of the Year, that being the main event at War. You were looking to earn the title of War Winner for a third time, while I ended up claiming my first of what could be many War victories. Perhaps it was the fact that I was the last competitor in the ring or perhaps it was simply because I was the better man on that particular day, but both times we have been on opposite sides of the ring, I have shown the wrestling world what Slickie T is capable of. I don't doubt for a second that the third meeting between us will just as epic as the first two and even though we work quite well as a team, this time it is about individual achievements. We both have targets on our back and like the others, you are a seasoned veteran in this organization. Hell, you even have a Hall of Fame plaque hanging up with your name on it. People have questioned your wrestling ability as of late, saying that you are washed up, past your prime, and that your head is in the clouds, but something tells me that you will have a new found motivation for this match and not because of anything other than stripping your rival Torture of his World Title. We both have a common goal and that is to not only win that championship strap, but to do it by pinning the man that we both despise. Torture has been a thorn in your side and mine and his downfall would put a smile on both of our faces. You are perhaps the biggest wild card in this match as the federation tries to figure out what Logan we will see at Ten. Will it be the dominating Logan of the past or the more pedestrian one that we have seen of late. No matter which Logan shows up on Sunday night, I will be prepared to face the Logan of legendary status and like our two meetings before, I will prove to be the better man. Logan, lace the boots up one more time and bring your very best to the ring, because unlike the others in the back, I think that you are simply a dog that has been backed into a corner and are just waiting to bite. My beef is not with you and perhaps it never will be, but unfortunately for you, CD, and Brad Kane, you are in a match with me where the man I want to beat more than anyone I have ever face is in the opposite side of the ring. If I have to go through you and the two others to get what I am after, then so be it.
Guiliano slips his earbuds from his ears and looks deep into the lens of the camera as he gives a confident grin followed by a heavy sigh. There is only one man that remains left to discuss and it is perhaps the most anticipated words of his entire wrestling career. There is no doubt that ever man, woman, and child that follows Seth Lerch's federation has turned up the TV, hushed those around them, and scooted a little closer to the edge of their seat. Of course Guiliano is aware of this as his grin turns into a smirk and his eyes narrow.
I suppose that leaves only man left to talk about. I can't imagine what his name could possibly be or why ANYONE out there would care what I have to say about him. Perhaps it is because we met in perhaps the most historic and epic match that has ever been contested in the Wrestling Championship Federation. This time around we have had less head games, less name-calling, less feuding, but it is quite obvious the tension still remains. Sure, the beat down at Slam last week was a little overboard, but I don't think you have any idea how good it felt to plat your forehead in the middle of the ring and watch you bleed as that show faded to black. To know that I was the one that had that last laugh going into the pay-per-view event was quite satisfying. Yes, you were the better man in December and nearly eliminated my name for ever being relevant again, but I refuse to quit. I refuse to let you continue your reign as the World Champion. All of the veterans have come out and told me that I had my chance and failed to get the job done, but I think we both know that there is one man in this match that you fear more than the others and it isn't Creeping Death, Brad Kane, or Logan. How ironic is it that the one man in this match that hasn't held the World Championship in the WCF is the one that everyone is fearing the most? You have defeated everyone that you have ever faced and yet you try to sneak yourself into a battle royal in order to keep me out of the World Title match for a second time. Unfortunately for me there are three other men that will be in the ring besides you and I and anything less than pinning you would be a disappointment. Sure, I will win the title by any means necessary, but if it isn't you that I am staring down at when my hand is being raised, the win would be a little bittersweet. It would leave something more to be desired. In a perfect world, the two of us would join forces and take care of the other three and then setting it man to man like we did before, but then again I had that chance at One and didn't take advantage. No matter the outcome, you will be able to claim that you be me when it was just the two of us and it is something that I can never take away from you. However, the one thing I can take is that belt that you cherish so dearly. I can make you feel the agony of defeat that I have had to suffer through for the last month and make you long for your next title shot, just the way that I have. To see you out of the World Title picture for six months would do more damage that I could have ever done by taking CoolWear Inc. from you or singlehandedly taking down your Team of Torture. This time there is no stable for you to hide before, but there are three other guys in the ring that like you, want to see me fail. Enjoy your week as World Champion the best you can because when you wake up on Monday morning, it will finally set in that you are no longer the best in the WCF and will have to wait six long months to ever have that chance again.
I learned many things from our last meeting and it wasn't about you, but it was about myself. This time I won't fall into your head games and this time I will know exactly what you plan on bringing to the table. However, this week, I won't be thinking about how I am going to beat you, I already know, and I was simply a MOMENT away from doing it back in December. I know exactly how I will approach this match and so do you, but the problem for you is figuring out how you are going to escape for a second time. I am going to do what I do best and what got me to this point, you and the other three men are going to figure out how to stop that momentum that I have built heading into this event. Go ahead, point out that I suffered a loss at the hands of Mikami at Slam, but my head wasn't in that match. I was too busy preparing myself for the cheat attack that you had prepared to be worried about a match that meant absolutely nothing to me or the fans of Slickie T. What did I do after my last loss in December? I won my next match over Greenfever, a man that nearly ended my career softening me up for you at One. This time, I suffered a loss to Mikami; and how will I respond? By avenging a loss that I had to you back in December. I'm not the underdog this time around, I'm the odds-on favorite and I will prove one and for all who the best in the business is. Take pride in having CoolWear Inc. back under your control, because it is all that you will have left when January 31 comes to a close. This time, the question is not “Can Slickie T beat Torture?”, the question is “How will Torture do it yet again?”, and the answer...he won't. This time, there will be no days off, there will be no hotels in the middle of nowhere to get my mind of the task at hand, there will be no exchange of Christmas cards, there will be no cronies trying to hunt me down in the wee hours of the morning and into the late hours of the night. At Ten, it will be about what Slickie T does and that is take care of business.
Guiliano gives a wink before relaxing back in the seat, lowering the glass once again and tapping the driver on the shoulder to let him know he is done with the promo. He slips his earbuds back into his ears and closes his eyes once again as the screen fades to black.
