((The screen engulfs in fire burning quickly and leaving behind the burn remains of the blue HWC logo followed by the word "Brutality being spray painted over it. The image fades as the voice of Fred Drust is head saying, "If only we could fly!" Shots of Panthro, and Jericho, and Kidd are seen as My Generation starts to play followed by a shot of BloodLust Slayerz delivering the Slayerz Spear to Ace. As the song gets hard so does the images, such as The Tiger nailing Autumn, Panthro, Sarafan, and Jarred with a chair follwing by the beat down of The Tiger at the hand of Bad News. The song slows showing The Creeper and Blood Dragon staring each other down just before they go blow to blow with the song speeding up again. The shot changes to that of Celtic standing in the ring with his fist raised and another of him delivering a big boot to Vivian. Before the song ends shots of Jericho getting brutal with a cane, and B.D. beating away on Lucien are seen. As the song fades the images fade to black as a small spot light pans over a tattered broken blood covered belt, then back to black.))

Eddie: Welcome to Slaughter, everyone... We are LIVE and SOLD OUT! There isn't an empty seat in the house tonight! I'm Eddie Daniels, and my partner, as always, is...

Travis: Travis Best! You said it, Eddie! We've set an attendance record here in Chicago! It is standing room only tonight!

Eddie: The card is packed tonight, Travis... Our very own Jericho Dylan is in action tonight against a man from the XAW... Brian Thorne.

Travis: A loser if ever there was one. I hope Jericho breaks his back.

Eddie: And if that wasn't enough, The Tiger is in action tonight as well!

Travis: Isn't she facing 'The Sadistic One' Matthew Montey?

Eddie: You've done your homework tonight, Travis. That is indeed who she is facing.

Travis: I hope she kicks his ass.

Eddie: You would. But our first match tonight features a newcomer in John "The Killer" Murdwife.

Travis: *rooting through his papers* Do you know anything about this guy, Eddie?

Eddie: Not a damn thing.

Travis: Me either.

Eddie: How peculiar. But also tonight, we hope to find out if anything new has come to light in the search for the Assistant Commissioner, who was abducted from his home last week while we were on the air live in St. Louis. Why The Lurker thinks he had anything to do with what happened is beyond me, and I... Travis, what are you doing?

Travis: What does it look like I'm doing?

Eddie: It looks like you're... My God. You're actually crying. Why?

Travis: Eddie, I may be an asshole on camera, but I have a family too. I know I'd be worried if something were to happen to my father, or God forbid, anyone else in my family. I feel for Peter's family right now.

Eddie: As do we all, Travis... As do we all. Ladies and gentlemen, we're going to start the show off tonight with our first match, but later on, we're going to have a special guest. Let's hope nothing goes wrong tonight.

Travis: You said it, Eddie... I've got my fingers crossed.

Eddie: Me too. Let's go to the ring, where apparently, John Murdwife is waiting.

Standard Match
Lucien Merriuci vs John "The Killer" Murdwife

Jean Fortello: The following contest is scheduled for one fall. Introducing first, John "The Killer" Murdwife.

((The crowd, not really interested in the bland entrance of the newcomer, boos a bit.))

Jean Fortello: And his opponent... From Prague in the Czech Republic... Weighing in at 275 pounds... LUCIEN MERRIUCI!

((The arena goes pitch black as "The Call of Ktulu" starts. Lucien slowly methodically walk to the ring as the lights come up to a dim. Lucien stands on the outside piercing a hole through his opponent with his eyes (metaphorically speaking of course). The lights return to normal as Lucien steps into the ring. The fans boo him stridently, but they can't deny his athletic prowess.))

Eddie: The fans booing Lucien with all they have, Travis... This is a man they can't stand.

Travis: But at least he made an impression!

Eddie: Exactly. And Lucien's also had face to face confrontations with numerous members of the HWC locker room, including Jericho and Jarred Dylan... And Jessie Blankenship.

((The bell rings and Lucien stands there, looking totally unimpressed with Murdwife. Murdwife shoves him backward, but Lucien only moves back two steps. He smirks, then shoves Murdwife hard enough to send him reeling against the ropes. When Murdwife bounces off the ropes, Lucien's arm snakes out and he hits Murdwife with an incredible clothesline.))

Travis: Think what you want about Lucien Merriuci... He's a hell of an athlete.

Eddie: That he is, Travis. He's the only man in the HWC who actually knocked Jericho Dylan unconscious!

Travis: In my entire career, Eddie, I've never seen anything like that. Lucien's left an indelible mark on the HWC that will be remembered for years to come.

Eddie: That is so true, Travis. This young man, whether we like him or not, is a gifted athlete who's going to go very far. You mark my words... He's going to get a title shot soon.

Travis: Words marked, Eddie. Let's hope you're right.

((Murdwife picks himself up off the mat and stares at Lucien like he's lost his mind. Lucien snorts and purposely turns his back on his opponent! The fans are baffled, but it's easy to see what he's doing. Murdwife goes for a sleeper hold, only to be mule-kicked and left sprawled on the mat. The ref goes to check on Murdwife, having been in front of them and didn't see what went on. Lucien lifts Murdwife up, only to hit a vicious short-arm clothesline that leaves him choking on the mat. He lifts Murdwife up again and hits him with the UnMaking.))

Eddie: That is one devastating maneuver, Travis...

Travis: I know Jarred would agree with you on that one. He's felt it.

((Lucien goes for a cover. 1... 2... 3. The pin, at that point, was academic.))

Jean Fortello: Here is your winner... LUCIEN MERRIUCI!

((Lucien doesn't seem to hear her... He's staring down at Murdwife like he wants to do further damage. He can hear the fans begin to scream, but fails to turn around. If he had, he would have seen someone pelting down to the ring...))

Eddie: Wait a minute! That's CELTIC HYENA!

Travis: Big Irish! What's he doing?

((Celtic slides into the ring, one hand in a cast, and taps Lucien on the shoulder. Lucien turns around and gets nailed with a horrific clothesline that spins him around before he crashes to the mat! The fans sit in stunned silence, then erupt in a deafening roar as Celtic puts the boots to his erstwhile partner. Lucien curls up in a ball to protect his face and stomach from the assault.))

Eddie: Celtic Hyena is attacking his own partner!

Travis: What the hell is he thinking?

Eddie: I'd call it payback for what Lucien did at Christmas Chaos, which is the last time we saw Celtic in the ring.

Travis: What a way to start Slaughter!

Eddie: You said it!

(Two men are standing in a locker room.)

First man: Are you sure we should be doing this?

Second man: Of course. What could possibly go wrong?

First man: I don't know. This isn't what I had in mind.

(The door opens and Autumn Lewis sticks her head in.)

Autumn: You boys ready?

(They nod.)

Autumn: Come and get em girls!

(She throws the door open and Tiger and Harley charge into the room grabbing the men and are seen applying various painful wrestling holds on them. The men grunt and groan and Autumn and Martin Smalls are standing in the doorway laughing and drinking Mountain Dew Code Reds.)

Announcer: No cheap dates. Mountain Dew Code Red. Live by the code.

(Cut to a shot of Tiger with the Crossface on one of the men and him tapping out on the floor.)

Announcer: Now for a limited time, on specially marked bottles of Moutain Dew Code Red, you could instantly win tickets to a free HWC event and meet your favorite wrestler. Check the cap to see if you're an instant winner, or win hundreds of other prizes including HWC merchandise.

Hardcore Match
B.D. vs Ghost

Eddie: After the way that first match ended, Travis, this match seems almost anti-climactic. It's B.D. facing off against Ghost.

Travis: Anti-climactic is right. We have two nutjobs in the same ring together.

Eddie: Let's count ourselves lucky this isn't a hardcore match.

Travis: Um, Eddie, I hate to tell you this... But it is.

Eddie: Oh, Lord have mercy.

Travis: Sounds about right.

Jean Fortello: The following contest is a HARDCORE MATCH and is scheduled for one fall. Introducing first... From the Second Tier of Hell... Weighing in at 260 pounds... Representing the Dark Ascension... B.D.!

((As the music fades in, the lights fade, and the HWC-tron shows a very distinguished looking gentleman, in an elaborate study, his hands resting on his left knee, folded over his right. As the song proceeds, the man's voice cuts in. "Look, I know the supernatural is something that isn't supposed to happen, but it does happen." The HWC-tron then fades to black, and two large red dots appear on the Tron, only to flow down, and leave behind two letters made from the red liquid, in B.D. Smoke fills the entranceway and the ring, after a few seconds obscuring both, the lights come back up, the smoke flowing from the ring, showing B.D. waiting, in a low crouch, for the match to start.))

Eddie: B.D. actually seems focused here tonight.

Travis: That may not last long, Eddie... He can add another bloodstain to that chair of his.

Eddie: You had to remind me of that, didn't you?

Travis: Yup.

Jean Fortello: And his opponent... From Seattle, Washington... Weighing in at 247 pounds... GHOST!

((A dark and thick grey smoke starts to roll in as Juggalo Homies starts to play. Through the smoke a pale figure makes his way through, once clearing the smoke Ghost raises his hands in the air and continues on down to the ring. On reaching it he climbs in and crosses the ring to climb up a turnbuckle. He swings his arms, starts jamming with the music and lip synchs with the chorus. After Ghost points to each side of the crowd calling them "His Homies" as they boo him, he jumps down. The bell rings and he goes right after B.D., throwing vicious kicks at his face and midsection. B.D. just stares blankly, then hits Ghost with a clothesline that has the smaller man lying flat on the mat. B.D. then slides out and brings in the bloodstained chair. Crouching, he waits for Ghost to get up. Ghost gets up so slowly, it seems like he's crawling. When he's finally up, he turns around and sees the chair flying toward his head. He dodges it by the skin of his teeth, kicking B.D. in the side of the knee with a standing sidekick. B.D. actually drops to one knee and drops the chair! Ghost grins and goes to kick B.D. in the side of the head, only to meet air. B.D. is on his feet again, chair held in his hands. He's giggling maniacally as he swings the chair. This time, it connects solidly, splitting Ghost's forehead open. He sees the new bloodstain on his chair and does a happy dance. Then he discards the chair and his face becomes deadly serious. He looks around for another weapon and finds a kendo stick. The fans scream as he lifts it up. They know how dangerous a kendo stick can be!))

Eddie: Good Lord! A kendo stick!

Travis: Le yipe!

((B.D. swings it around, then cracks it across Ghost's back. The kendo stick actually breaks with the force of the blow! B.D. pouts, then sees another one and smiles. He picks it up and Ghost barely avoids another stinging blow on his back by rolling away. B.D. turns around and sees Ghost's foot heading his way. Giggling, he swings the kendo stick like a baseball bat, sending Ghost spinning around in a circle. When he sees Ghost's back, he swings again. This time, the kendo stick bends as it hits Ghost solidly in the side. Ghost drops down to the mat, clutching his midsection and ignoring the red mark on his ankle. B.D. rolls him over for a cover. 1... 2... Ghost barely kicks out.))

Eddie: That was a close one, Travis!

Travis: How much does Ghost have left, I wonder?

Eddie: It can't be very much. He hasn't gotten in any offense since he took B.D. to one knee earlier on.

Travis: Good point. Oh, wait, he's back on his hands and knees.

((Ghost is indeed on his hands and knees... Barely. He drags himself to his feet using the ropes and stands against the ropes, kicking out with his unmarked ankle. You know, the one B.D. didn't hit with the kendo stick. He misses by a country mile, as some folks would say, sagging against the ropes. He staggers out of the corner, right into...))

Eddie: PLAGUE!

Travis: That's it! It's gotta be!

((1... 2... 3! The bell rings and the referee lifts B.D.'s hand into the air.))

Jean Fortello: Here is your winner... B.D.!

((B.D. goes to leave the ring, only to be set upon by three unknown individuals. They hound him mercilessly, keeping him from leaving. One of them kicks the kendo stick out of his hand, another kicking him in the stomach. The third hits a perfect Shining Wizard, sending B.D. sprawling. Then they turn their attention to the battered and bloodied Ghost, grinning sadistically. But they don't get the chance to do anything... Because, from out of the back, three figures come running. Three perfectly synchronized feet fly out and kick them in the head, sending them sprawling outside the ring. The camera zooms in on the people in the ring, revealing...))

Eddie: JESSIE!

Travis: JOHNNY!

((And...))

Both: SARAFAN!

((Jessie, Sarafan and Johnny stand in the ring, glaring at the unwelcome intruders. Jessie leans on the ropes and trashtalks them as Sarafan and Johnny get B.D. out of the ring. Once they're out, she does a standing backflip off the ropes and lands beside Johnny. The fans cheer wildly as they walk the disoriented B.D. to the Dark Ascension's locker room. The door closes behind them, leaving the camera hovering outside.))

Eddie: Well, Travis, whoever those men are, they met their match in those three.

Travis: They certainly did. I wonder where they came from.

Eddie: They certainly aren't any of ours!

Travis: No doubt the XAW sent them... Those no-talent hacks.

Eddie: *laughing quietly* Strong words from my broadcast partner... We'll be back after this.

(Blood Dragon is sitting at a Wendy's with Zoe. He's eating one of the new Wendy's salads.)

Zoe: What'cha got?

Blood: A Wendy's salad.

Man at next table (laughing): The big bad wrestler is eating a salad? (Laughs harder.) What a wimp! Only wimps eat salad!

(Suddenly we see the man flying across the Wendy's screaming, followed by a thud as he lands on the floor. Cut back to Zoe brushing her hands off.)

Zoe: No one calls my husband a wimp except me!

Blood: Thanks hon...HEY!

Announcer: Now Wendy's has great salads with under 5 grams of fat. Come to Wendy's. It's better here.

Eddie: And now, ladies and gentlemen, it's time for the special guest I promised you earlier.

Travis: Who is it, Eddie?

Eddie: You're about to find out, Travis... Chris Murphy is standing by in the ring to introduce them. Chris?

Chris: Thank you, Eddie. Ladies and gentlemen, it is my distinct pleasure to announce a very special guest tonight. From Seattle, Washington, please welcome... GEOFF TATE!

(("Most of it seems memory now... I've come too far to turn back now. I'm not quite what I thought I was... But then again, I may be more..." These are the opening strains of a song older than people realize. It's one of the first songs Queensryche ever wrote. Geoff Tate steps out onto the ramp and the fans erupt in a tumult of cheers. He slaps hands on his way to the ring and walks up the steps. He hmm's quietly to himself, then steps between the top and middle ropes. The bemused look on his face is enough to convince anyone he's never been inside a wrestling ring before. Chris holds out a hand and they shake hands.))

Chris: It is a pleasure to see you here.

Geoff: It's a pleasure to be here. And just so we don't have any foul-ups, you can call me Geoff.

Chris: All right, thank you, Geoff. The fans here want to know what you're doing here.

Geoff: It's simple. I saw what happened last week in St. Louis. The Lurker breaking into Peter's house and beating the hell out of him did something very little does... IT GOT ME MAD! You don't DO that! Especially not to a guy as upstanding as Peter! I mean, come on, he's got personal issues, but who doesn't?

Chris: You have a point there... But something happened after that. Most people didn't pay much attention to it... But on replay, it revealed a truth nobody ever wanted to consider.

((The HWC-Tron lights up and replays last week's shocking footage... The match is over, but there's no music playing. Jessie looks at the timekeeper, who points to The Creeper as the winner. The referee lifts The Creeper's hand, but even he can tell something isn't right. Jessie stands up, headset resting on the table, staring at the top of the ramp. Standing there is Jesse Madison and he has something in his hand. He waits until Jessie is about a foot away, then throws that something to the ground at her feet. She looks down and does an incredulous double take, then falls to her knees. Hands shaking badly, she reaches out and picks up her father's black leather jacket. The one he never takes off when he's at an arena. The one with the neon green heartbeat line on the front. The one she gave him when she found him again. The fans see the neon green heartbeat line and start to scream, partly in fear, partly in shock. She stands slowly, holding the jacket to her chest, and turns around. TSO is on his feet at this point, and he and The Creeper can see the expression on her face. The Creeper is the first to leave the ring, heading right for where she's standing. When he gets close enough, he asks her a question.))

Creeper: What is the significance of that item, Jessica?

Jessie: This is my dad's jacket... The one he's never without. This is just proof that the Lurker... He...

Creeper: He what?

Jessie: He did kidnap my father from the house earlier.

Creeper: Come, we will find out what happened.

((Jessie clutches the jacket tightly as they walk backstage to the Dark Ascension's locker room. The door swings shut from within, untouched by any hand. Voices raised in shock can be heard before the door shuts all the way. One of those voices belongs to Peter Blankenship's best friend, Jericho Dylan. The camera catches his commentary...))

Jericho: What the HELL?

((Then the door is closed and all sound from within is contained. The camera cuts back to ringside where Eddie and Travis are sitting.))

Eddie: This is terrible. If Peter has been kidnapped, then the Lurker is in serious trouble.

Travis: Not just trouble with the law either. I know Jessie and Jericho are going to want a piece of him for this.

((The footage ends and the lights come up. Chris is looking at Geoff, who has his hands clasped in front of his face in shock.))

Geoff: That... I don't know what to say.

Chris: Nobody does. Jessie is beside herself.

Geoff: I don't blame her. I really don't. *snapping out of it* But I know one thing for sure...

Chris: What's that?

Geoff: When Peter finds his way back... And I do mean WHEN... He's going to make the Lurker pay.

Chris: But what did the Lurker mean when he said he was going to bury Peter?

Geoff: Don't you get it, Chris? Doesn't anyone here get it? The Lurker thinks Peter did it. He's holding Peter accountable. Nearly being crippled results in only one thing... He wants to bury Peter ALIVE!

((The fans start to scream, in total shock.))

Chris: Oh, dear God.

Geoff: It finally sinks in... I'm going to do something nobody else even thought of. If anyone in the back, anyone at all, has any information about where Peter is being held, and it leads to him being found, I will personally give them a cash sum of fifty thousand dollars. I want him back alive. He's a hell of a musician... Have any of you heard him sing live?

((Those who have cheer. Loudly.))

Geoff: Then you know what I mean. He's a rare breed... Singer, songwriter, bass player. A hell of a mat tactician... He took me down in ten seconds flat. And I'm no wrestler! Loving husband, brother and father... God, I'd hate to be the Lurker right now.

Chris: Me too... But I'd hate to be Peter even more. I mean, caged like an animal... No way out... Not even knowing where he is...

Geoff: That is worse. But if there's one thing I know about Peter, it's this. He won't stay away from his family for long. He'll be back. And he's going to be PISSED OFF!

Chris: That's something you just don't do... I saw the last guy who did that. Wasn't pretty.

Geoff: There's more to Peter than meets the eye, Chris. You of all people should know that by now.

Chris: I certainly do. I also know Jessie is a lot like him.

Geoff: Jessie is more like Peter than anybody realizes. And she's going to prove it very soon.

Chris: I don't doubt it.

Geoff: To the fans, here and at home, I have one more thing to say. Pray for him. Pray for Peter's safe return. I know I will.

((And with that, Geoff steps out of the ring the way he came, through the top and middle ropes. Chris is right behind him, talking to him off-mic. The fans sit there quietly, not knowing what to say. The HWC-Tron lights up one final time, showing a still shot... A still shot of Jessie and Peter in a loving embrace. In an elegant script, words appear: "Come home to us, Dad... We miss you."))

Last Man Standing Match
The Tiger vs 'The Sadistic One' Matthew Montey

Eddie: Ladies and gentlemen, our next match is between Tiger and The Sadistic One, Matt Montey.

Travis: I like this Montey kid, but he’s going up against the psychopath of the HWC.

Eddie: No, that would be B.D.

Travis: No, he’s a loon. Did you see him put The Saint through the cell last week?!

Eddie: Yes, I did. I think everyone saw that, Travis.

Jean Fortello: The following match is set for one fall. Introducing first, from St. Louis, Missouri, weighing in at 180 lbs. . . THE TIGER!!!

((King of My World plays followed by an explosion of fire like pyro around the stage. Smoke fills the stage from the fire and out from the smoke walks The Tiger. She broods as she walks slowly to the ring, climbing it she enters threw the middle rope. Tiger steps out into the middle of the ring and holds out her arms from her sides with her first clenched. She turns and looks to the stage before dropping her arms waiting for the match to start. Before Tiger’s music has even died down, three men jump the guardrail, standing outside the ring, behind Tiger.))

Eddie: Who are these three?!

Travis: Overzealous fans?

Eddie: Doubtful. The security guards haven’t yet moved toward them, so we know they’re not just fans.

Jean Fortello: And her opponent, from St. Paul, Minnesota, weighing in at 235 lbs. . . “THE SADISTIC ONE” MATT MONTEY!!!

((The lights in the arena go out. Church bells begin to play over the PA. As the bells fade into the background the lights begin to flicker. And out of the darkness the Sadist did fall, true pain and suffering be brought to them all. Away was the Roster to hide in the halls, for fear that the Sadist would chop off their balls. The Church bells slowly grow over the speaker. A blast of fire shoots out of the ring posts. A spot light hits the ring and we see Matt 'The Sadistic One' Montey standing in the spot light. Matt taunts the crowd, then turns, getting floored by a huge clothesline. Matt quickly gets to his feet, getting caught by a spear from Tiger.))

Eddie: Matt hasn’t yet gotten out of the blocks, and it looks like Tiger may have this match won.

Travis: And those guys outside the ring are still there.

Eddie: Good point.

((Matt gets to his feet, ducking a left hand from Tiger, then coming back with a huge clothesline of his own. Tiger ducks, the clothesline flooring the referee. The referee went down in a heap. Almost instantly, the three men from outside the ring slide into the ring, and begin an assault on Tiger.))

Eddie: This is heinous!

Travis: Four on one. Smart tactic.

Eddie: Yeah, but that doesn’t mean it’s necessarily good.

((The crowd boos loudly, then, suddenly, erupts in cheers. The reason why is left in question, until Vivian slides into the ring, grabbing Matt from behind, and hauling him into the air, flinging him from side to side violently, then launching him up and over her head, backward, to land outside the ring.))

Eddie: Vivian with the Rescheduling on Matt Montey!

Travis: She’s a gorgeous woman, but that’s not necessarily a smart move. She’s in the ring with three men, still, who visibly have no problem attacking a woman.

Eddie: Good point. And we’re being told those three men are XAW superstars, by the names of Sandman, Charlie “Thunder” Tyson, and Leon “Lightning” Trapoli, all of them apparently title-holders in the XAW.

((Vivian gets to her feet, turning around, getting caught with a kick to the midsection, and then powerbombed viciously into the mat, all three men simply attacking the fallen Vivian. The lights suddenly flicker, then coming back up, to show B.D. standing in the ring, blood-stained chair in hand. B.D. looses a ‘battle cry’, which amounts to a maniacal giggle, before cracking Sandman in the head with the chair, dropping him to the mat like a stone, swinging at the other two, only to have them duck under the bottom rope, leaving the carnage in the ring. B.D. slides under the bottom rope as Leon and Charlie pull Sandman out of the ring, B.D. lunging toward them, sending them back slightly, B.D. then seeing Montey on the guardrail, resting.))

Eddie: Oh, no. . .

Travis: What are you oh no-ing, now?!

Eddie: B.D. had a shot at the XAW TV Title this past week, at the XAW Pay Per View, and that man, Matt Montey, attacked B.D. after the match.

Travis: What?! Is he dumb, or just losing his damn mind?

((B.D. cracks Montey in the head with the chair, then steps back, jabs him in the stomach, and drops the chair, bloodstained side down, onto the mat, hooking Montey’s arms over his head, drilling Matt with a Plague into the chair. Vivian, outside the ring and barely conscious, intercepts B.D. after a second Plague into the same chair, telling B.D. to put Matt in the ring. B.D. frowns, and tosses Matt into the ring. Fortunately, it ends the Plagues into the chair. Unfortunately, B.D. misses the area between the apron and the bottom rope, sending Matt headfirst into the apron. Vivian catches Matt with a low blow, before sending him into the ring, B.D. going off to chase the other three men. B.D. swings the chair at Sandman, only to have him sidestep, step on the chair, and Charlie, behind him, double chickenwinging B.D.’s arms, Leon and Sandman grabbing a chair, Sandman grabbing B.D.’s chair, both men pummeling B.D. with the chairs.))

Eddie: This is totally unfair! There are three men out here, attacking B.D.!

Travis: Eddie, I honestly don’t think that B.D. feels any of it.

Eddie: You might be right.

((After several minutes of the assaults with the chairs, Sandman and Leon stop, and take a breath, B.D. standing with his head hanging low.))

Eddie: But, you may be wrong. They might have-

((An unmistakable maniacal giggle echoes into the arena, as B.D.’s head comes up, eyes wide, glimmering with glee. Charlie quickly turns the double chickenwing into a Tiger Suplex, dropping B.D. backward on the rampway, all three men advancing on B.D. In the ring, Tiger’s gotten to her feet, and waited. Matt gets to his feet, slowly, groggily, and gets caught by a left hand, followed by a second, and then a vicious right.))

Eddie: Click Click Boom!

Travis: The damage has been done already.

((Tiger makes the pin, really collapsing onto Matt. 1. . . 2. . . 3!!! Outside the ring, however, all three XAW athletes are continuing the assault on B.D. with chairs. Finally, Sandman picks B.D.’s upper body up, pressing his knee to B.D.’s spine, between B.D.’s shoulderblades, wrapping a video cord around his throat, the other two continuing the assault with the chairs. The three men step back after a moment, the damage done. Or so they think, B.D. slowly getting to his feet. All three men simply stare in mute shock at B.D., up until B.D. giggles maniacally again, and rushes toward them, chasing them backstage.))

Eddie: B.D.’s supernatural toughness has come into play here.

Travis: And his insanity.

(Scene opens on a pay phone. A man walks up and picks up the receiver and dials zero.)

Voice: What the hell do you think you're doing?

(The man turns to see Kidd Rock walk up to him.)

Man: Making a collect call.

Kidd: By dialing zero? What the hell is wrong with you? Don't you know about 1-800-COLLECT?

Man: 1-800-COLLECT?

Kidd: Yeah. The easy way to make collect calls. Plus you'll save the people you call a buck or two. Just put 1-800 in front of collect.

Man: That's so easy, why didn't I think of that?

Kidd: Well, you'll remember for next time right?

Man: Sure.

Kidd: Cause if you don't I'll send them to your house.

(Kidd points and the man sees the entire HWC roster looking at him with their arms crossed and a few tapping their feet or pounding their fists into their hands.)

Announcer: 1-800-COLLECT. Use it and save a buck or two.

((As Slaughter comes back from a commercial, "King Nothing" plays as Austin comes strutting down to the ring, a cocky smile on his face, the crowd booing madly, Austin carrying a briefcase. Austin walks down to the ring, and stops inside the ropes, looking around at the crowd.))

Austin: How DARE you people boo me?! What, you'd rather go watch that washed up basketball team that you have in this town, the Bulls? Or, maybe, your football team, the Bills. Nice job on the naming committee to the owners of those two teams. You guys should have called them exactly what they are. Shit. (The crowd boos again. Austin moves to the ropes, looking at a number of the Bulls basketball team seated at ringside.) Look at that, folks. We have some of the people who have single-handedly redefined sucking for a whole new generation. Don't you guys get up. I'd hate to have to jump over your head. Now, back to the matter at hand. I'm sure a lot of you people with the extra braincell have been wondering, "Where is Warzone?" Well, it's not happening this week. Or, really, any week. Why? Because it's cheaper for the HWC to have only one show. And if it's cheaper for the HWC, that means that yours truly will get a raise. But, no worries, ladies and gentlemen, the match that people actually wanted to see, the non-squash match of two rookie retards, betwen Jessie Blankenship and Air Raid, WILL continue, and will take place next week, right here on Slaughter. That's about it, I think.

((Austin begins moving toward the ropes, "King Nothing" playing again, the crowd still booing madly. Halfway outside the ropes, however, Austin stops, and comes back into the ring.))

Austin: Wait a minute. I almost forgot. And I wouldn't have an opportunity like this in a long time. As you are all aware, there are two titles that have been rendered inactive of late, those being the titles of Jeff "Wyldeman" Wylde, and Draven Masters, the hometown hero. So, I'll do all of you a giant favor, and, as of right now, strip both of these losers of their titles, both of which I have in this briefcase right here. (Austin moves to the briefcase, opening it, pulling out the IC title, and draping it over his left shoulder.) But, don't fret, folks. I went out, and found the best possible candidate for the InterContinental title. A person who brings new meaning to the word "Hardcore", a person who simply exemplifies everything there is to exemplify about the HWC. A person who has gained a reputation for being the best, and leaving wreckage in their wake. (Shouts of "Creeper!" and "Jericho!" among other names, are heard from the crowd.) Before you people wet yourselves trying to figure out who it is, let me bring out this shining example of what makes the HWC great. Ladies and gentlemen, your NEW HWC Intercontinental Champion-

((Austin's interrupted by "King of My World" playing over the PA, Tiger strolling to the ring dragging the XAW Xtreme Title behind her like a corpse. Sliding into the ring, Tiger drops the Xtreme title on the ground, moving to stand in front of Austin, the two glaring at each other. Tiger reaches back, clenching her hand into a fist, then swings her right hand forward. Then, abruptly, Tiger walks back to the center of the ring, picking up the Xtreme title, and holding both in hand, moving toward the ropes, the crowd seeming confused.))

Austin: The Tiger! (The crowd boos madly.) The DisasterPiece title will be decided at Oblivion. Now, Tiger, wait a moment. After watching what the XAW's men have been doing tonight, I have made a decision for Oblivion. At Oblivion, we will have a 6 man elimination tag match. Three from the HWC, and three from the XAW. And, in an effort to make sure the XAW doesn't feel that we're giving them an undue problem, the first declared HWC participant in the 6 man elimination will be none other than our very own IC champion, as well as the Xtreme champion from the XAW, the HWC's own Tiger. Oh, and, XAW, if you people were smart, you'd give up now. You can't beat Tiger, and you know it.

(("King Nothing" plays again, as Austin closes the briefcase, and leads Tiger backstage again.))

(A man is walking down the street and he sees a massage parlor. He rubs his sore back and walks inside.)

Woman: Can I help you?

Man: My back is killing me!

Woman: Right this way.

(We cut to the man laying on a massage table facedown with a towel covering him from the waist down. A masseuse walks in showing a generous amount of cleavage.)

Masseuse: Just relax, sir.

(The man sees her and smiles laying his head down. The man suddenly opens his eyes and groans as his back cracks. We see Draven Masters working over the man's back with pounding blows while the masseuse massages his shoulders. The camera gets a closeup of Draven grinning as he continues to work over the man's back, as we hear the man grunting and groaning and the sound of his back cracking. Finally we see Draven walk away and pull a Snicker's Cruncher bar out of his pocket. He takes a bite and grins.)

Announcer: There's no crunch more satisfying than that of a Snicker's Cruncher.

(Behind Draven the man comes walking out bent over and groaning in pain. The masseuse comes up and gives him a Snicker's Cruncher too. He takes a bite and grins as he walks off.)

Announcer: Snicker's Cruncher. A satisfying crunch.

Main Event
Standard Match
Jericho Dylan vs Brian Thorne

Eddie: Next up, ladies and gentlemen, our main event, a match pitting Jericho Dylan and Brian Thorne against each other.

Travis: And Brian’s in the ring, there. Apparently, he’s left the XAW, and, as a result, lost his entrance pyros. So, he’s out here without fanfare.

Jean Fortello: The following match is set for one fall. In the ring at this time, formerly from the XAW, Brian Thorne! And his opponent, from New Orleans, Louisiana, weighing in at 225 lbs, representing the Dark Ascension, he is the reigning HWC World Champion. . . JERICHO DYLAN!!!

((Silence. Unending silence. After a while, a soft buzzing sound is heard. Then a man’s voice rips across the PA system: “Like dominoes, you SHALL FALL!” At the sound of the last word, pyrotechnics explode, ripping across the ramp entrance. “Mmmm… Yeah…” The prelude to Rob Zombie’s “Never Gonna Stop” causes the fans to look around a bit. Fog billows out from vents in the ramp, flooding the entrance area. When it dies down, the song is in full swing. Standing at the top of the ramp is a man with his arms stretched to the roof of the arena. When he brings his arms down, more pyro goes off, then the lights come up. That man is Jericho Dylan! He comes bounding down the ramp, slapping hands with the fans. When he gets to the ring, he leaps up to the apron without any support or assistance. Once inside the ring, he bounces up on the turnbuckles, throwing his arms back, much to the delight of the female fans. Hopping off the last turnbuckle, he starts bouncing on his toes. He’s just itching for some in-ring action, and it shows! Jericho quickly drills Brian with a clothesline, picking him up quickly, and then kicking him in the midsection, drilling Brian with a huge powerbomb. Brian gets caught with a spear, only to get jerked to his feet yet again, caught with a kick to the midsection, and hitting a sidewalk slam, before standing to the side, and drilling Brian with a Mardi Gras Kickoff, going for the pin. 1. . . 2. . . 3!!!))

Eddie: That was, without a doubt, the shortest match in HWC history, with Jericho remaining victorious.

Travis: What else could we expect? Jericho is the champ, and Brian is this kid that couldn’t cut it in the XAW.

Eddie: Brian is a former XAW champ.

Travis: Yeah. The key word of that sentence is ‘former’.

Eddie: Well, here comes Jarred Dylan to congratulate his brother.

((Jarred slides into the ring, raising Jericho’s arm into the air, then flooring Jericho with a huge clothesline, following it up with a perfectly executed Mardi Gras Kickoff, then sliding outside the ring, grabbing a chair, and sandwiching Jericho’s head between the chair and the mat, Jarred grabbing Jericho’s title, and holding it up, over his head, the arena filling with boos.))

(Jericho Dylan walks into a sports memorabilia store and heads to the wrestling section. Several people stare in awe at him as he starts picking out some items with his image on them. Pictures, posters, action figures, etc. He walks up to the cashier.)

Cashier: A Jericho Dylan fan are we?

(She looks up at him.)

Cashier: Oh.

Jericho: Is it okay if I pay by check?

Cashier: Sure. I just need some ID.

(Jericho looks astounded.)

Jericho: Okay...(pulls out ID)

Cashier: Are you sure this is you? I have to call this in.

(Jericho rolls his eyes and waits drumming his fingers on the counter. The camera cuts to scenes of him nodding off, signing autographs, having his action figure fight with Tiger's, pacing, stretching.)

Jericho: How much longer is this gonna take?

Cashier: Just a minute.

Jericho: You said that two hours ago.

(More scenes of Jericho being bored, fighting a demon, watching HWC on TV.)

Eddie (from TV): And surprisingly Jericho Dylan is not here tonight!

SEVERAL HOURS LATER

Cashier: I'm sorry. Do you have another form of ID?

(Jericho looks exhausted and faints.)

Announcer: Next time use the Visa check card. It gets you in, out and on with life.

(The scene cuts to Harley Quinn with a bunch of her wrestling memorabilia.)

Harley: Can I write a check for this?

((Inside the Dark Ascension's locker room, all is not well. The door flies open and Jarred Dylan comes storming out. His brother Jericho comes out after him and catches his shoulder. Jarred shrugs it off, but turns around to face him. Jericho's eyes are flashing in absolute anger...))

Jericho: WHAT THE HELL WERE YOU THINKING?

Jarred: What do you mean?

Jericho: YOU INTERFERING IN MY MATCH, THAT'S WHAT!

Jarred: Chill, wouldja?

Jericho: Tell me why you did it. That's all I want to know.

Jarred: I'm sick and tired of you being in the spotlight, Jericho. It's my turn.

Jericho: Is that all? Geez, why didn't you say something instead of doing what you did? I could've spoken to the booking committee and gotten that taken care of!

Jarred: See, that's what I mean! You have all the influence! You have all the contacts! YOU HAVE ALL THE POWER!

Jericho: For the Darkness' sake, Jarred, why didn't you tell me? I would have willingly stepped back for you! I'd have done it even if you didn't deserve it. Horus knows you've earned the spotlight...

Jarred: It's too late for that.

Jericho: What do you mean?

Jarred: It's too late for you to step back. I'm going to take what's mine... And I'm going to start with you.

Jericho: Let's be rational about this.

Jarred: No. I want the one thing nobody in their right mind has ever wanted from you.

Jericho: And what would that be?

Jarred: Your belt.

Eddie: WHAT?

Travis: I don't believe this! The Tag Team Champions are disintegrating before our very eyes!

Jericho: What the hell are you talking about, Jarred?

Jarred: The World Title, Jericho... I want it.

((The fans are stunned. So are Eddie, Travis and Jericho. He's looking at Jarred like he's begun spouting gibberish.))

Eddie: This is worse than we thought, Travis. Jarred wants a shot at Jericho's World title!

Travis: My God.

Jericho: You're out of your mind. I won't do it.

Eddie: That's the way, Jericho! Don't give in!

Jarred: Oh, you'll do it, all right... I've earned that right. Believe me, you're going to let me have a shot at that title of yours.

Jericho: Or what?

Jarred: Hm?

Jericho: You want a shot at my title... What are you holding back? I know you, Jarred. You wouldn't do this if you didn't have some kind of reason or leverage.

Jarred: You're right. I do have leverage. If you don't give me a shot at the World title, you can kiss Simalcron Computers goodbye.

Jericho: WHAT?!?

Eddie: I don't believe this... Jarred is threatening to topple Jericho's computer empire! All for a shot at the World title that Jericho won fair and square!

Travis: This is totally unbelievable. How can Jarred possibly manage to do that?

Jarred: It's simple. You deny me my shot, I pull the plug on the Zodiac project. I can wipe out your AI's faster than you can blink.

((Jericho closes his eyes and fights to control himself, hands fisted at his sides. Jarred crosses his arms over his chest, smirking lightly. The fans are beginning to do something they only ever did to Jericho...))

Eddie: My God, Travis, listen to these fans... They're BOOING JARRED!

Travis: I don't blame them one bit! I would too!

Eddie: You do.

Travis: That's neither here nor there. The question is, What's Jericho going to do?

((Good question, Travis. What IS Jericho going to do? He finally opens his eyes and looks at Jarred, sighing heavily. Neither man sees someone standing by the locker room door, hearing every word they're saying.))

Jericho: *shoulders slumping* You win.

Eddie: WHAT?

Jarred: I thought you'd see it my way.

Jericho: But you won't get it next week.

((Jarred's smile fades as he glares at his older brother.))

Jericho: No, Jarred, you'll get your title shot. But...

((He pauses here to put a finger in Jarred's face.))

Jericho: It will be a LADDER MATCH... AT OBLIVION!

((The fans erupt at the prospect of seeing a ladder match at Oblivion. But there's only one problem with the match... It has Jarred in it. They thought the Dylan brothers would be together forever. It certainly looks like that's going to come to an end at Oblivion. Jericho turns to walk away, only to be felled from behind by a brutal spear to the spine. Jarred stands over his brother, eyes glittering with something nobody can recognize.))

Jarred: I'm looking forward to it. I'll see you at Oblivion... BROTHER!

((He spits the word like it's an epithet. Then he turns and walks out of the arena, leaving his belongings in the Dark Ascension's locker room. The camera zooms in on Jericho turning painfully onto his side, staring at the door as it slams shut. Thus begins a new age in the HWC... The age of Sibling Rivalry.))

Eddie: My God. I never thought I'd see that.

Travis: Me either.

Eddie: Poor Jericho. Having to face his own brother at Oblivion!

Travis: This isn't a good sign... Could this be the end of the Dylan brothers' reign as Tag Team Champions?

Eddie: It certainly looks that way, Travis.

((The scene dies as the transmission fades. Copyright Hardcore Wrestling Corporation, 2004))